[Variance of the quality of life one year after leaving the ICU and mechanic ventilation].

The quality of life is a parameter used as a method to evaluate the social welfare result. It allows us to measure how entering in an ICU and mechanic ventilation (MV) influences the quality of life of patients in relation to their previous basal situation. To do so we have based ourselves on Barthel's functional scale; having the patient/family fill in a questionnaire on entrance to the ICU, one month later and a year after leaving it. The study is done on 135 patients who needed MV. A month after leaving the ICU 80 had survived, a year later we have only been able to interview on the phone 45 patients (4 exitus vs 41 alive), out if the remaining (35) patients we know from their clinical histories that 21 of them were alive one year later, only 3 exitus, and we do not have any further registers of the other 11 patients. The same as other studies have shown, the sick people who have a previous worse quality of life (Barthel < or = 75) are the ones who one month later have lost the most independence to carry out everyday activities (Barthel 45 33), although those who survive a year after have recovered the same level of autonomy they had previous to entering the ICU. Regarding the subjective evaluation of their stay in the unit, 18 patients (43%) have no memory of their stay in the unit, and out of the remaining 23, 17 have good memories and are satisfied with the treatment received by the staff.4 out of the questioned patients declared not wanting to enter the ICU, due to a subjective feeling of worsening in their quality of life (although they all had a Barthel > 70 which is equal to an independent quality of life).Also, a total of 22 patients take more medication than before entering the ICU: 2 1 medicines more per day.