Advances in critical care medicine have improved patients’ survival rate. However, physical and cognitive sequels after Intensive Care Unit (ICU) discharge remain substantial. Our objectives were to evaluate the Health-related Quality of Life (HRQL) at 6-month after ICU discharge and identify the risk factors of this outcomes.

We performed a single-centre prospective observational study. The components of Short Form 36 (SF-36) were analysed for assessing HRQL on preadmission and at 3- and 6-month after ICU discharge.

During the study period, 438 patients were eligible for recruitment and 220 of them were included in the trial. During the follow-up period, bodily pain and role limitations relating to emotion were both improved in comparison to the preadmission status while physical role component was lower at 3- and 6- month after ICU discharge. There was no other significant change in the SF-36 domains. Mental as well as physical aggregates remained also unchanged. Most of preadmission SF-36 scores were lower in patients who died within the first 6 months of follow-up compared to those who are still alive. Factors independently associated with the 6-month HRQL were age, preadmission HRQL score, SAPS II, prolonged mechanical ventilation (>3 days) and the occurrence of acute respiratory distress syndrome.

In our Cohort, ICU stay does not seem to alter globally neither the mental nor the physical component of the HRQL at 6-month after the discharge. However, some domains of the SF-36 are subject to significant changes.