Post-intensive Care Syndrome.

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Neurology
• Psychiatry

Background:

• Increased survival rates from intensive care units (ICUs) have led to a rise in long-term impairments among survivors.
• Post-ICU syndrome (PICS) and post-ICU syndrome-family (PICS-F) are often unrecognized by clinicians, despite their significant impact.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe two cases illustrating the diverse impairments in post-ICU syndrome (PICS).
• To outline risk factors and their interactions contributing to PICS domains.
• To highlight the need for improved screening and management strategies for PICS and PICS-F.

Main Methods:

• Case study analysis of two post-ICU patients.
• Review of risk factors for cognitive, psychiatric, and physical impairments.
• Discussion of diagnostic tools and preventive interventions.

Main Results:

• PICS manifests with varied cognitive, psychiatric, and physical deficits in survivors.
• Limited validated tools exist for PICS screening, necessitating clinical vigilance.
• The ABCDEF bundle is proposed as a preventive strategy for PICS.

Conclusions:

• Clinicians must actively monitor for PICS symptoms across cognitive, psychiatric, and physical domains.
• The Montreal Cognitive Assessment and 6-minute walk test are recommended screening tools.
• Involving families and employing tactful communication are vital for mitigating PICS-F.