ICU sedation, delirium & recovery
Optimal timing for assessing post-intensive care syndrome in clinical research: a scoping review and expert survey
Authors' conclusion
This study revealed notable discrepancies between the assessment timing reported in previous studies and the opinions of experts regarding optimal timing.
Study context
- Population
- Studies assessing post-intensive care syndrome (PICS)-related outcomes (physical, cognitive, psychological impairments; PICS in family members) and PICS experts657 studies
- Participants
- 657 vs 23
- Exposure
- Assessment timing in prior PICS studies vs expert opinion
- Prior studiesn = 657
- Expertsn = 23
- Outcome
- Reference point for assessment schedule, assessment time points, and their frequency
Methodological detailsonline questionnaire, Databases: MEDLINE, CENTRAL, CINAHL; screened by two independent pairs of reviewers
- Online questionnaire
- Databases: MEDLINE, CENTRAL, CINAHL; screened by two independent pairs of reviewers
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Most common reference point in prior studies: hospital discharge (240 studies)
- 40%
- Ideal reference point per experts: ICU discharge (16 votes)
- 47%
- Most frequent time point in prior studies: 3 months post-discharge (262)
- 23%
- Time point in prior studies: 6 months post-discharge (212)
- 19%
- Time point in prior studies: 12 months post-discharge (206)
- 18%
- Single assessment most common in prior studies (337)
- 51%
- Ideal per experts: three assessments (12)
- 44%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
Optimal timing for assessing post-intensive care syndrome in clinical research: a scoping review and expert survey. J Intensive Care. Published 18 August 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →