Post-intensive care syndrome perception: a look through the caregivers' prism.

[en] The critical illness, the stay in intensive care unit (ICU) and the post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) impact the patients and their caregivers. The aim of this observational study was to compare their respective perceptions of major post-ICU troubles. Patients who survived a prolonged ICU stay were routinely invited to a standardized post-ICU follow-up program including several visits scheduled during the year after ICU discharge. Patients were invited to a face-to-face interview, accompanied by a caregiver if needed. Using the same 10-item questionnaire, patients reported their perception of their current health status while caregivers reported how they perceived the patient's current health status. A total score ranging from 0 to 100 expressed the perceived global health status. Caregivers' anxiety was assessed using the anxiety subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-A). From October 2022 to December 2024, a total of 105 follow-up consultations were conducted 105 days (IQR 85-211) after ICU discharge, during which patients were accompanied by a caregiver, and both completed the questionnaires. They represented 97 different pairs. The caregivers were mostly partners (70/97, 72.2%), living in the same home (81/97, 83.5%). The total score differed between patients and relatives (p = 0.003), respectively reaching 24 (12-40) and 25 (14-50). On average, the score was 5.3 ± 16.4 points lower when reported by caregivers. Items of the questionnaire were scored similarly in 23.8-45.8% of the cases. The scores obtained at the end of the consultation (59/105) were similar (p = 0.062), unlike those obtained at the beginning (46/105) (p = 0.029). The caregivers' HADS-A did not correlate with the total scores differences but correlated with the patients total score (rs = 0.29, p = 0.004). This study highlights that the perception of post-ICU troubles differed between ICU survivors and their caregivers. The impact of this different perception on PICS or PICS-family severity or management should be further studied.

Disciplines :

Anesthesia & intensive care
Treatment & clinical psychology

Author, co-author :

Rousseau, Anne-Françoise ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de pharmacie > Chimie médicale

Minguet, Pauline ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > > Service des soins intensifs

COLSON, Camille ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > > Soins intensifs chirurgie (+1D)

NEIS GILSON, Sarah ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > > Service des soins intensifs

Lambermont, Bernard ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences cliniques > Sémiologie

Wagener, Aurélie ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Unités de recherche interfacultaires > Research Unit for a life-Course perspective on Health and Education (RUCHE)

Language :

English

Title :

Post-intensive care syndrome perception: a look through the caregivers' prism.

Publication date :

05 October 2025

Journal title :

Psychology, Health and Medicine

ISSN :

1354-8506

eISSN :

1465-3966

Publisher :

Informa UK Limited, England

Pages :

1 - 12

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Additional URL :

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/13548506.2025.2569098

Available on ORBi :

since 06 November 2025

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