One-Year Quality of Life and Functional Prognosis of COVID-19 Patients in Post-ICU Setting

SARS-Cov-2, a virus causing a new infectious disease called COVID-19, has been subject to numerous publications since its emergence. Almost 20% of people infected with SARS-Cov-2 develop severe to critical symptoms and required hospitalization, often in Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Respiratory failure is the main reason for admission in ICU of patients with COVID-19, which develop an Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). Respiratory failure may be associated to liver, renal, coagulation and hemodynamic failure. Therapeutic strategies implemented for the management of critically-ill patients with COVID-19 may often lead to short-term muscular and functional alterations resulting in ICU-Acquired Weakness (ICUAW), as studied in other ICU population. The muscular and functional impairments of patients are associated to a longer duration of mechanical ventilation and hospital length of stay and increased mortality. Long-term impacts are also reported like dependence and quality of life impairment of survivors. The COVID-19 pandemic currently leads to an increasing number of ICU admission in France with a high risk of settings saturation. Specialized settings for post-ICU rehabilitation are preparing to early receive difficult-to-wean patients with ICUAW after admission in ICU for severe or critical form of COVID-19. To our best knowledge, no data is obviously available regarding at the future of these patients in terms of quality of life, dependence or survival. Moreover, no short-term data are available concerning the course of lung damages and muscle function after ICU stay. The safety of early mobilization usually delivered in patients admitted to post-ICU settings has never been assessed in patients with COVID-19. The purpose of this study is to assess the quality of life, dependence and survival at one year in patients who survived from COVID-19 in ICU and are admitted in post-ICU setting for difficult weaning purpose. Ancillary studies aim to assess course of muscle function (atrophy, structure modification), lung function (loss of aeration) and safety of early mobilization.