Post-intensive care syndrome in critically-ill COVID-19 survivors followed for one-year


HALAÇLI B., GÜVEN G., KAYA E. K., YILDIRIM M., Kilic S., Cinar S. A., ...More

CHRONIC ILLNESS, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, SSCI, Scopus) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Publication Date: 2025
  • Doi Number: 10.1177/17423953251333171
  • Journal Name: CHRONIC ILLNESS
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, ASSIA, CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, PAIS International, Psycinfo
  • Hacettepe University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Objective To document the occurrence of post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) in intensive care unit (ICU) survivors with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) up to one year.Methods Retrospective observational study at a university hospital post-ICU outpatient clinic. Patients were followed up in-person at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and one-year after hospital discharge. Cognitive, physical and psychological domains of PICS were evaluated. PICS was defined as at least one dysfunction in the assessment tools in each domain.Results Sixty-four patients were evaluated during the study period. Median age was 62.5 (55.0-71.0). Fifty-eight percent of them were male. Median APACHE II and admission SOFA scores were 13 (10-16) and 3 (3-4), respectively. Sixty-four, 54, 44, 20 patients were evaluated during the 1 -month, 3-month, 6-month and one-year visits. 94% of patients had PICS at the 1st visit and this declined to 75% in one-year. The ratio of patients who fulfilled all PICS domains were 15%, 10%, 13% and 13%, respectively at 4 follow-up visits. Physical impairment was the most commonly observed dysfunction during all visits.Discussion This study showed that at least one domain of PICS persisted in 75% of patients at one-year in COVID-19 ICU survivors.