Maryam Poursadeghfard - Clinical Neurology Research Center, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Kamal Bastani - Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
Tahereh Poursadeghfard - Department of Statistics, School of Mathematics and Statistics, Firooz Abad branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran.
Sina Karamimagham - Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran.
Sadegh Izadi - Clinical Neurology Research Center, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.

Objectives: Neuro-critical Intensive Care Units (NICUs) have functioned to deliver intensive medical care services for patients with acute neurology problems. However, physicians and ICU staff do not have any feedback about their patients and their abilities after successful discharge. Various studies have documented short-term survival in ICUs, but the long-term outcome and quality of life (QOL) are less studied. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study over a period of one year from February ۲۰۱۱ to February ۲۰۱۲ (Shiraz, South of Iran). Patients' charts were used to collect the data. Survival and QOL after one year following NICU admission were assessed for surviving patients by a telephone interview with patients or their family members using Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS).  Results: Out of ۹۳ patients, ۴۲(۴۵.۲%) were male, and ۵۱(۵۴.۸%) were female. Malignant ischemic stroke (۳۴%) was the most common cause followed by Guillain Barre Syndrome (۲۱%). Among the living successfully discharged patients, ۴۵% were able to perform normal activity and work without any special assistance. The patients who were unable to work were ۲۸%, but they were able to live at home and care for their most personal needs. The patients who were unable to care for themselves were ۳% and required institutional or hospital care. Over one year following discharge, ۲۴% patients were passed away. Discussion: is lower in NICU survivors compared with general population; however, if patients' selection and out of hospital care are done appropriately and continuously, more patients can live independently or even come back to their work. Indeed, it is important to identify patients who benefit more from NICU during decision making for ICU admission. As a result, more efficient rehabilitation could be achieved in the future. However, our conclusions are only related to our ward and do not apply to the total population of critical neurology patients.

Intensive care unit, Survival, Quality of lif