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Observational Study
. 2025 Jun 6;20(6):e0324099.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0324099. eCollection 2025.

Impact of self-perceived discomfort in critically ill patients on the occurrence of psychiatric symptoms in post-intensive care syndrome (PICS): A prospective observational study

Romain Ronflé  1 , Julie Hermitant  1 , Christine Conti-Zolin  1 , Laurent Lefebvre  1 , Thibault Helbert  1 , Aurélien Culver  1 , Florence Molenat  1 , Baptiste Borwel  2 , Mohamed Boucekine  3 , Pierre Kalfon  4 , Marc Leone  5
Affiliations
Observational Study

Impact of self-perceived discomfort in critically ill patients on the occurrence of psychiatric symptoms in post-intensive care syndrome (PICS): A prospective observational study

Romain Ronflé et al. PLoS One. .

Erratum in

Abstract

Background: Mental health impairments after intensive care unit (ICU) discharge include anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD], forming part of the post-intensive care syndrome (PICS). We assessed the effects of discomfort on the occurrence of psychiatric symptoms as a part of PICS.

Methods: This prospective observational study conducted from September 2022 to June 2023 included all patients aged ≥ 18 years who survived an ICU stay of ≥3 days. To assess patient discomfort during the ICU stay, we used the Inconforts des Patients de REAnimation (IPREA) questionnaire. The primary outcome was the occurrence of anxiety, depression, or PTSD after ICU discharge. Secondary outcomes were the quality of life in ICU survivors and the clinical impression of physicians and psychologists to predict post-ICU psychiatric symptoms.

Results: Of the 173 patients included initially, 109 were finally analysed. An IPREA score ≥ 13 was strongly associated with an increased risk of post-ICU psychiatric symptoms (odds ratio: 3.8, 95% confidence interval: 1.4-10.3, p = 0.008). The patients with post-ICU psychiatric symptoms had a reduced quality of life. The clinical impression of physicians and psychologists at ICU discharge for the risk of psychiatric symptoms 3 months after the ICU stay was not selective.

Conclusions: Self-perceived discomfort in ICU survivors was the most predictive factor of the development of post-ICU psychiatric symptoms.

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Conflict of interest statement

the authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Occurrence of psychiatric symptoms 3-months after ICU stay in ICU survivors.
PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Risk score of psychiatric symptoms 3 months after ICU stay in ICU survivors.
*p < 0.05.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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