ICU sedation, delirium & recovery
Epidemiology of pain, delirium, psychiatric disorders, discomfort and sedation-analgesia management in the intensive care unit: a one-day nationwide study
Authors' conclusion
The shift toward lighter sedation has been successfully achieved; however, a broad spectrum of stressful symptoms persists, including pain, anxiety, thirst, and sleep disruption.
Study context
- Population
- Adult patients hospitalised in French intensive care units (ICUs) on the study day
- Participants
- 2,063 patients · 128 ICUs
- Outcome
- Sedation-analgesia management and discomfort
Methodological detailsone-day, multicentre, nationwide
- One-day
- Multicentre
- Nationwide
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Light or no sedation
- 84%
- Deeply sedated
- 15%
- Deep sedation misaligned with usual indications (of deeply sedated)
- 63%
- Pain assessed at rest
- 90%
- Pain assessed during care
- 62%
- Hypnotics used, mainly propofol and midazolam
- 31%
- Discomfort reported, mainly anxiety, sleep disorders and thirst
- 44%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
ICU characteristics
- University-affiliated ICUs
- 54%
- Mixed medical-surgical ICUs
- 58%
- Written sedation-analgesia protocol
- 63%
- ICUs assessing sedation
- 96%
- ICUs assessing pain
- 91%
Associations (multilevel logistic regression)
- Higher SOFA scores associated with deep or misaligned deep sedation
- Written protocol reduced risk of unassessed pain, not associated with deep or misaligned deep sedation
- Written protocol not associated with sedation depth, drug use or delirium screening; linked to more frequent pain assessment at rest
Original publication
Epidemiology of pain, delirium, psychiatric disorders, discomfort and sedation-analgesia management in the intensive care unit: a one-day nationwide study. Crit Care. Published 11 November 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →