Activities of daily living status and psychiatric symptoms after discharge from an intensive care unit: a single‐center 12‐month longitudinal prospective study

AIM: In post‐intensive care syndrome (PICS), long‐term survivors of critical illness present various physical and mental symptoms that can persist for years after discharge. Post‐intensive care syndrome in Japan has not been well described, so this study aims to elucidate its epidemiology. METHODS: We undertook a single‐center prospective longitudinal cohort study in a mixed intensive care unit (ICU) in a Japanese tertiary hospital. Adult patients emergently admitted to the ICU were eligible for inclusion in the study. To assess activity of daily living (ADL) status and psychiatric symptoms, we posted a questionnaire at 3 and 12 months after discharge from the ICU. We evaluated ADL status, anxiety, depression, and post‐traumatic stress disorder symptoms using the Barthel index, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and Impact of Event Scale − Revised, respectively. RESULTS: Enrolled in this study were 204 patients. We received responses from 117/147 (80%) and 74/98 (76%) patients at 3 and 12 months, respectively. At 3 months, the prevalence of ADL disability, anxiety, depression, and post‐traumatic stress disorder symptoms was 32%, 42%, 48%, and 20%, respectively. At 12 months, the prevalence was 22%, 33%, 39%, and 21%, respectively. The prevalence of any symptoms was 66% at 3 months and 55% at 12 months. Barthel index score at 12 months was improved significantly from that at 3 months. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Impact of Event Scale − Revised scores at 12 months showed no improvement. CONCLUSIONS: At 3 and 12 months after ICU discharge, over half of our Japanese patients suffered ADL disability and/or psychiatric symptoms. The ADL disability improved at 1 year, but psychiatric symptoms did not.