Psychiatry Investig.  2017 May;14(3):376-379. 10.4306/pi.2017.14.3.376.

Cognitive Impairment and Psychological Distress at Discharge from Intensive Care Unit

• Chung CR
• Yoo HJ
• Park J
• Ryu S

• KMID: 2378655
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4306/pi.2017.14.3.376

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate cognitive impairment and psychological distress of critically ill patients at discharge from intensive care unit (ICU). This study included 30 critically ill patients who had neither pre-existing dementia nor ongoing delirium. At ICU discharge, they performed a screening test for cognitive impairment (Mini-Cog test) and completed questionnaires for depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-2, PHQ-2) and for 4 stressful experiences during ICU stay including nightmares, severe anxiety or panic, severe pain, and trouble to breathe or feeling of suffocation (Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome 14-Question Inventory, PTSS-14 Part A). Thirteen patients (43.3%) screened positive for cognitive impairment and 18 patients (60.0%) exhibited depressive symptoms. Twenty three patients (76.7%) recollected one or more stressful in-ICU experiences. Female patients (88.9%) was more likely to feel depressed at ICU discharge, compared to male patients (47.6%) (χ2=4.47, p=0.03). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on cognitive and psychological outcomes of ICU survivors in Korea. In this study, we observed that a considerable number of critically ill patients had experienced cognitive impairment or psychological distress at ICU discharge.

Keyword

Critical care; Cognitive impairment; Psychological distress; Post-intensive care syndrome

MeSH Terms

Anxiety
Asphyxia
Cognition Disorders*
Critical Care*
Critical Illness
Delirium
Dementia
Depression
Dreams
Female
Humans
Intensive Care Units*
Korea
Male
Mass Screening
Panic
Survivors