Editorial
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Crit Care Med. Jun 9, 2024; 13(2): 90428
Published online Jun 9, 2024. doi: 10.5492/wjccm.v13.i2.90428
Increasing role of post-intensive care syndrome in quality of life of intensive care unit survivors
Irini Patsaki, Stavros Dimopoulos
Irini Patsaki, Department of Physiotherapy, University of West Attika, Athens 12243, Greece
Stavros Dimopoulos, Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Centre, Athens 17674, Greece
Author contributions: Dimopoulos S and Patsaki I contributed to this paper; Dimopoulos S designed the overall concept and outline of the manuscript; Patsaki I contributed to the discussion and design of the manuscript; Both authors contributed to the writing, editing of the manuscript, and review of literature.
Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors have nothing to disclose.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Stavros Dimopoulos, MD, PhD, Consultant Physician-Scientist, Director, Doctor, Senior Researcher, Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit, Onassis Cardiac Surgery Centre, 356 L. A. Syggrou, Athens 17674, Greece. stdimop@gmail.com
Received: December 3, 2023
Peer-review started: December 3, 2023
First decision: February 3, 2024
Revised: February 11, 2024
Accepted: March 26, 2024
Article in press: March 26, 2024
Published online: June 9, 2024
Processing time: 182 Days and 15.5 Hours
Abstract

In this editorial we comment on the detrimental consequences that post-intensive care syndrome (PICS) has in the quality of life of intensive care unit (ICU) survivors, highlighting the importance of early onset of multidisciplinary rehabilitation from within the ICU. Although, the syndrome was identified and well described early in 2012, more awareness has been raised on the long-term PICS related health problems by the increased number of coronavirus disease 2019 ICU survivors. It is well outlined that the syndrome affects both the patient and the family and is described as the appearance or worsening of impairment in physical, cognitive, or mental health as consequence of critical illness. PICS was described in order: (1) To raise awareness among clinicians, researchers, even the society; (2) to highlight the need for a multilevel screening of these patients that starts from within the ICU and continues after discharge; (3) to present preventive strategies; and (4) to offer guidelines in terms of rehabilitation. An early multidisciplinary approach is the key element form minimizing the incidence of PICS and its consequences in health related quality of life of both survivors and their families.

Keywords: Intensive care unit acquired weakness; Physical impairment; Quality of life; Mental; Cognitive function

Core Tip: An early multidisciplinary approach is the key element form minimizing the incidence of post-intensive care syndrome and its consequences in health related quality of life of both survivors and their families. Step-by-step early assessment of physical, mental and cognitive impairment will assist in designing a personalized rehabilitation program from within the intensive care unit.