Survival rates and long-term outcomes for patients with COVID-19 admitted to Norwegian ICUs

The study will be conducted as a collaborative study between Norwegian Intensive Care Register (NIR) and Oslo University Hospital. The study will explore and describe the Norwegian ICU-population with COVID-19. NIR is one of several national quality registries in the Norwegian health care system. Registration is mandatory for all ICU-admissions fulfilling specific criteria. This will increase the generalizability of the results. The data collected during the COVID-19 epidemic may also be compared to existing NIR data, particularly those obtained from previously registered influenza patients, to identify similarities and discrepancies in the management and outcomes in these groups of patients. Respiratory failure is the main cause of ICU-admission for COVID-19 patients. The present project will also collect follow-up data from the NIR registry for all survivors of COVID-19. The negative consequences of surviving an ICU stay has received increased attention in recent years, as decreased mortality rates have contributed to a high number of ICU survivors. It has been reported that survivors of ARF of any aetiology report substantial impairment in physical functioning and quality of life (QOL) up to 5 years after ICU discharge. The one-year follow-up study will include questionnaires that captures physical, psychological and mental health related challenges occurring after ICU treatment.