Post-intensive care syndrome (PICS): recent updates

Stephanie L Hiser; Arooj Fatima; Mazin Ali; Dale M Needham

doi:10.1186/s40560-023-00670-7

Post-intensive care syndrome (PICS): recent updates

J Intensive Care. 2023 May 23;11(1):23. doi: 10.1186/s40560-023-00670-7.

Authors

Stephanie L Hiser^{1

2

3}, Arooj Fatima^{4

5}, Mazin Ali^{4

5}, Dale M Needham^{6

4

5

7}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Health, Human Function, and Rehabilitation Sciences, The George Washington University, 2000 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Suite 2000, Washington, DC, 20006, USA. stephanie.hiser@gwu.edu.
² Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA. stephanie.hiser@gwu.edu.
³ Outcomes After Critical Illness and Surgery (OACIS) Group, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA. stephanie.hiser@gwu.edu.
⁴ Outcomes After Critical Illness and Surgery (OACIS) Group, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
⁵ Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
⁶ Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
⁷ School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Abstract

An increasing number of patients are surviving critical illness, but some experience new or worsening long-lasting impairments in physical, cognitive and/or mental health, commonly known as post-intensive care syndrome (PICS). The need to better understand and improve PICS has resulted in a growing body of literature exploring its various facets. This narrative review will focus on recent studies evaluating various aspects of PICS, including co-occurrence of specific impairments, subtypes/phenotypes, risk factors/mechanisms, and interventions. In addition, we highlight new aspects of PICS, including long-term fatigue, pain, and unemployment.

Keywords: Critical illness; Intensive care; Long-term outcomes.

Publication types

Review