In the UK, more than half of former ICU patients report symptoms of psychological disorders – ScienceDaily



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British patients who have survived critical illnesses requiring care in an intensive care unit frequently report symptoms of anxiety, PTSD and / or depression, according to a study published in the journal Open Access Critical Care. People with symptoms of depression after a serious illness appear to have a higher risk of death.

Researchers from Oxford University have studied psychological disorders in a cohort of 4,943 former ICU patients. They found that 46% of patients reported symptoms of anxiety, 40% of symptoms of depression and 22% of post-traumatic stress symptoms, while 18% of patients in the study reported symptoms of three psychological states.

Corresponding author Dr. Peter Watkinson said: "Psychological problems after treatment for a critical illness in ICU are very common and often complex when they occur.When symptoms of a psychological disorder are present , there is a 65% chance that they will come up with the symptoms of another psychological disorder. "

To investigate possible links between treatment in an ICU and symptoms of psychological disorders, the authors asked a total of 4,943 patients treated in one of the 26 ICUs of the United Kingdom between 2006 and 2013 to complete a questionnaire about their symptoms of anxiety and depression. and PTSD three months after leaving ICU and 12 months after discharge.

The authors found that patients with symptoms of depression were 47% more likely to die from any cause (all-cause mortality) in the first two years after leaving the ICU than those who did not. had not reported these symptoms.

Dr. Peter Watkinson said, "Our findings suggest that depression following critical illness in intensive care can be a marker of declining health and that clinicians should take this into account when monitoring older patients. resuscitation."

The authors cautioned that the generalizability of results outside the UK may be limited as the data were collected only from patients based in the UK. In addition, the observational nature of the study and the fact that it is based on self-reported data makes it impossible to draw conclusions about the causes and effects of intensive care and symptoms of psychological disorders.

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