Depression following critical illness: Analysis of incidence and risk factors

Depression is common in ICU survivors and is known to negatively affect health-related quality of life. The reported risk factors for depression include increasing age, gender and hospital and ICU length of stay. The aim of this study was to investigate the risk factors for depression in survivors of critical illness.

Patients attending the ICU Follow-up Clinic completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and data were also collected from their medical records. Risk factors investigated included age, gender, Apache II score, ICU length of stay and a diagnosis of sepsis during ICU admission.

A total of 63 patients participated, with 29 (46%) patients suffering with depression. On multivariable logistic regression, the only significant risk factor for depression was sepsis (p < 0.05, odds ratio: 6.8; 95% CI: 1.8-25.8). Age, gender and ICU length of stay were not found to be risk factors for depression.

There are a number of potential causative factors as to why sepsis would cause long-term depression and this needs further investigation.