Martin Loeches, IgnacioGumucio Sanguino, Víctor D.Torres Martí, Antonion behalf of CIBERESUCICOVID Project (COV20/00110 and ISCIII)2022-03-242022-03-2420212077-0383https://hdl.handle.net/2445/184387Background: Some patients previously presenting with COVID-19 have been reported to develop persistent COVID-19 symptoms. While this information has been adequately recognised and extensively published with respect to non-critically ill patients, less is known about the incidence and factors associated with the characteristics of persistent COVID-19. On the other hand, these patients very often have intensive care unit-acquired pneumonia (ICUAP). A second infectious hit after COVID increases the length of ICU stay and mechanical ventilation and could have an influence on poor health post-COVID 19 syndrome in ICU-discharged patients. Methods: This prospective, multicentre, and observational study was carrid out across 40 selected ICUs in Spain. Consecutive patients with COVID-19 requiring ICU admission were recruited and evaluated three months after hospital discharge. Results: A total of 1255 ICU patients were scheduled to be followed up at 3 months; however, the final cohort comprised 991 (78.9%) patients. A total of 315 patients developed ICUAP (97% of them had ventilated ICUAP). Patients requiring invasive mechanical ventilation had more persistent post-COVID-19 symptoms than those who did not require mechanical ventilation. Female sex, duration of ICU stay, development of ICUAP, and ARDS were independent factors for persistent poor health post-COVID-19. Conclusions: Persistent post-COVID-19 symptoms occurred in more than two-thirds of patients. Female sex, duration of ICU stay, development of ICUAP, and ARDS all comprised independent factors for persistent poor health post-COVID-19. Prevention of ICUAP could have beneficial effects in poor health post-COVID-19.application/pdfengcc-by (c) Martin Loeches, Ignacio et al., 2021https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/PneumòniaCOVID-19SARS-CoV-2PulmóPneumoniaCOVID-19SARS-CoV-2Lunginfo:eu-repo/semantics/article7211522022-03-24info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess929586735011967