Postintensive care syndrome in patients and family members. Analysis of COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 cohorts, with face-to-face follow-up at three months and one year

Objective: Compare prevalence and profile of post-intensive care patient (P-PICS) and family/caregiver (F-PICS) syndrome in two cohorts (COVID and non-COVID) and analyse risk factors for P-PICS. Design: Prospective, observational cohort (March 2018- 2023), follow-up at three months and one year. Setting: 14-bed polyvalent Intensive Care Unit (ICU), Level II Hospital. Patients or participants: 265 patients and 209 relatives. Inclusion criteria patients: age > 18 years, mechanical ventilation > 48 hours, ICU stay > 5 days, delirium, septic shock, acute respiratory distress syndrome, cardiac arrest. Inclusion criteria family: those who attended. Interventions: Follow-up 3 months and 1 year after hospital discharge. Main variables of interest: Patients; sociodemographic, clinical, evolutive, physical, psychological and cognitive alterations, dependency degree and quality of life. Main caregivers: mental state and physical overload. Results: 64.9% PICS-P, no differences between groups. COVID patients more physical alterations than non-COVID (p = 0.028). These more functional deterioration (p = 0.005), poorer quality of life (p = 0.003), higher nutritional alterations (p = 0.004) and cognitive deterioration (p< 0.001). 19.1% PICS-F, more frequent in relatives of non-COVID patients (17.6% vs. 5.5%; p = 0.013). Independent predictors of PICS-P: first years of the study (OR: 0.484), higher comorbidity (OR: 1.158), delirium (OR: 2.935), several reasons for being included (OR: 3.171) and midazolam (OR: 4.265). Conclusions: Prevalence PICS-P and PICS-F between both cohorts was similar. Main factors associated with the development of SPCI-P were: higher comorbidity, delirium, midazolam, inclusion for more than one reason and during the first years. (c) 2024 Elsevier Espana, a, S.L.U. y SEMICYUC. All rights reserved.