Impact on Mental, Physical, And Cognitive Functioning of a Critical Care sTay During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Impact on Mental, Physical, And Cognitive Functioning of a Critical Care sTay During the COVID-19 Pandemic (IMPACCT COVID-19): a Prospective, Multicentre, Mixed-methods Cohort Study

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.

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)