ICU sedation, delirium & recovery
Non-pharmacological post-intensive care interventions to improve patient outcome following critical illness: a scoping review
Authors' conclusion
Although this is a large body of literature, it is limited by a lack of RCTs, and uncommon reporting of intervention development, implementation or training. Multicomponent interventions and CCOT/FU showed promising initial results but were infrequently evaluated in clinical trials
Study context
- Population
- Adult patients receiving non-pharmacological interventions in hospital after discharge from critical carereports included
- Participants
- 202 patients
- Outcome
- Extent of literature on post-ICU in-hospital non-pharmacological interventions
Methodological detailssystematic search of five databases and grey literature, independent dual screening, formal data charting, Databases searched to 4th February 2025; 41,242 reports screened
- Systematic search of five databases and grey literature
- Independent dual screening
- Formal data charting
- Databases searched to 4th February 2025; 41,242 reports screened
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Reports describing critical care outreach/follow-up (CCOT/FU)
- n = 93, 46%
- Reports describing physical rehabilitation
- n = 77, 38.1%
- Reports describing nutrition
- n = 36, 17.8%
- Reports describing randomised controlled trials (RCTs)
- n = 31, 15.3%
- RCTs evaluating CCOT/FU
- n = 5, 16.1%
- RCTs evaluating multicomponent interventions
- n = 6, 19.4%
- RCTs reporting positive primary outcomes (5 were feasibility outcomes)
- 51.6% (n = 16)
- Original studies reporting intervention implementation/training details
- 17.6% (n = 18/102)
Further findings
Interventions delivered by CCOT/FU
- Onward referrals, ordering investigations, family and patient support, and education provision
Original publication
Non-pharmacological post-intensive care interventions to improve patient outcome following critical illness: a scoping review. Crit Care. Published 28 November 2025. doi:10.
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