Intensive care unit (ICU) survivors and their families frequently present mental, cognitive and physical impairments lasting years. The ongoing pandemic could affect the duration, variety, and severity of these impairments. Our aim is to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the physical, mental, and cognitive health of survivors, the experience of their families and their treating healthcare professionals in the long-term. This is a prospective, multicentre, mixed-methods cohort study in seven Chilean ICUs. The perceptions of family members regarding the ICU stay and the later recovery will be explored 3 months after discharge. Health care professionals will be invited to discuss the challenges faced during the pandemic using semi-structured interviews.
Other: Intensive care unit stay during the COVID-19 pandemic
Patients will be screened daily for a potential ICU discharge. Each site coordinator, which is a clinician physiotherapist responsible for the site, will check that the patient is delirium-free (CAM-ICU negative) and cooperative (i.e. using 5 standardised questions: open [close] your eyes; look at me; open your mouth and stick out your tongue; nod your head; raise your eyebrows when I have counted up to five) within 72 hours from ICU discharge. Every patient deemed eligible will be invited to participate through a face-to-face visit by the assigned evaluator, receiving verbal and written information about the study
Inclusion Criteria:
- Adult patients (≥18 years old)
- Mechanically ventilated for at least 48 hours
Exclusion Criteria:
- Unable to walk independently 2 weeks prior to ICU admission (with or without a gait
aid)
- S5q < 5 or CAM-ICU positive within 72 hours after ICU discharge
- Patient who do not understand or speak Spanish
- Patient unable to communicate verbally
- Burn or severe trauma as admission diagnosis
- Any neurological disorder (i.e. spinal cord injury, stroke and brain tumours) as
admission diagnosis
- Transferred to a non-participating study centre before ICU discharge assessment
- Recent prolonged hospital stay (extended by more than 3 months)
Hospital Regional Dr. Leonardo Guzmán de Antofagasta
Antofagasta, Chile
Hospital San Pablo de Coquimbo
Coquimbo, Chile
Clínica Alemana de Santiago
Santiago, Chile
Clínica BUPA
Santiago, Chile
Clínica INDISA
Santiago, Chile
Hospital del Salvador
Santiago, Chile
Hospital Metropolitano
Santiago, Chile
Felipe González-Seguel, MSc
989540683
feligonzalezs@udd.cl
Ana Castro-Ávila, PhD
anacastro@udd.cl
Ana Castro-Ávila, PhD, Principal Investigator
Universidad del Desarrollo