Post-intensive care syndrome, which includes symptoms of anxiety, depression, and posttraumatic stress, afflicts one-third of critical illness survivors. Symptoms persist and significantly degrade quality of life. No intervention has earned clear evidence of reducing these adverse psychological sequelae. Building on earlier pilot data, psychological support based on positive suggestions (PSBPS), is being investigated in an ongoing, randomized, controlled prospective trial across multiple intensive care unit (ICU) settings in a large, tertiary medical center.

Recognizing that even sedated patients perceive and internalize communication, we share lessons learned thus far in the art of engaging with sedated, often unresponsive patients.

Our presentation describes this NIH-funded PSBPS study, including the preparatory training and subsequent implementation of a structured script delivered daily to ICU patients, regardless of cognitive status or ability to respond. To interfere with the initial process of fear conditioning/negative memory formation, we introduce mitigating information about potentially traumatic events during the temporal window when initial memory consolidation occurs, reframing the alien, often frightening ICU environment while providing positive suggestions of safety and healing.

Psychiatrists characteristically engage alert, communicative patients. Unfortunately, when meaningful cognitive exchange is impossible, further effort is often limited. By contrast, choosing to engage ventilated, sedated patients with active re-interpretation is a novel enterprise. We share technique and lessons learned from the first two years.

Consultation psychiatrists are uniquely situated to explore with our critical care colleagues how best to mitigate the corrosive psychological consequences of intensive care and improve the future of ICU survivors.

No significant relationships.

Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS) is a physical, cognitive, emotional and functional condition resulting from prolonged stays in ICU (Intensive Care Unit). In pathologies with clinical characteristics similar to SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, most patients showed cognitive deficits after discharge from ICU. Further studies are needed on verbal fluency impairment among PICS patients.

To analyse the phonological verbal fluency in patients with PICS after COVID-19 infection in a Functional Rehabilitation Unit in Madrid (Spain) using the Spanish version of the Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP-S).

This study was conducted in the Hospital Central de la Cruz Roja, in Madrid (Spain). A sample of 17 PICS adult patients was included, with age ranging from 56 to 74 years old (mean = 68.35 years; 13 males). Patients were assessed around three weeks after referral from their reference hospital. The Verbal Fluency Test (VFT) of the SCIP-S was used as outcome. Descriptive analyses were conducted (mean and standard deviation) on standardized scores (z) based on age-adjusted general population norms. Significant impairment was set at z < -1.5.

Mean z-score on VFT was -.53 (S.D. = .74) from the total sample, with 11.8% of cases with significant impairment (mean = -1.60; S.D. = .00).

These preliminary results show low probable presence of impairment on phonological verbal fluency among PICS patients after COVID-19 infection, which is in accordance with previous empirical studies. Longitudinal studies, with larger samples, are needed where the premorbid cognitive level is considered.

No significant relationships.

Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS) is a physical, cognitive, emotional and functional condition resulting from prolonged stays in ICU (Intensive Care Unit). In pathologies with clinical characteristics similar to SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, most patients showed cognitive deficits after discharge from ICU. Further studies are needed on verbal working memory among PICS patients.

To analyse the verbal working-memory performance among patients with PICS after COVID-19 infection in a Functional Rehabilitation Unit in Madrid (Spain) using the Spanish version of the Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP-S).

This study was conducted in the Hospital Central de la Cruz Roja, in Madrid (Spain). A sample of 17 PICS adult patients was included, with age ranging from 56 to 74 years old (mean = 68.35 years; 13 males). Patients were assessed around three weeks after referral from their reference hospital. The Working Memory Test (WMT) of the SCIP-S was used as outcome. Descriptive analyses were conducted (mean and standard deviation) on standardized scores (z) based on age-adjusted general population norms. Significant impairment was set at z < -1.5.

Mean z-score on WMT was -.64 (S.D. = .60) from the total sample, with 5.9% of cases with significant impairment (mean = -1.53).

These preliminary results show low probable presence of impairment on verbal working memory among PICS patients after COVID-19 infection. Longitudinal studies, with larger samples, are needed where the premorbid cognitive level is considered.

No significant relationships.

Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS) is a physical, cognitive, emotional and functional condition resulting from prolonged stays in ICU (Intensive Care Unit). In pathologies with clinical characteristics similar to SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, most patients showed cognitive deficits after discharge from ICU. In particular, earlier studies describe impairment on verbal learning among PICS patients.

To analyse the delayed verbal-learning performance in patients with PICS after COVID-19 infection in a Functional Rehabilitation Unit in Madrid (Spain) using the Spanish version of the Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP-S).

This study was conducted in the Hospital Central de la Cruz Roja, in Madrid (Spain). A sample of 17 PICS adult patients was included, with age ranging from 56 to 74 years old (mean = 68.35 years; 13 males). Patients were assessed around three weeks after referral from their reference hospital. The Verbal Learning Test-Delayed (VLT-D) of the SCIP-S was used as outcome. Descriptive analyses were conducted (mean and standard deviation) on standardized scores (z) based on age-adjusted general population norms. Significant impairment was set at z < -1.5.

Mean z-score on VLT-D was -1.02 (S.D. = .96) from the total sample, with 41.2% of cases with significant impairment (mean = -1.97; S.D. = .23).

These preliminary results show the probable presence of mild-moderate impairment on delayed verbal learning in a relevant proportion of patients, which was already observed in PICS patients with other medical conditions. Longitudinal studies, with larger samples, are needed where the premorbid cognitive level is considered.

No significant relationships.

Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS) is a physical, cognitive, emotional and functional condition resulting from prolonged stays in ICU (Intensive Care Unit). In pathologies with clinical characteristics similar to SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, most patients showed cognitive deficits after discharge from ICU. Further studies are needed to explore global cognitive impairment among PICS patients after COVID-19 infection.

To analyse the global cognitive functioning in patients with PICS after COVID-19 infection in a Functional Rehabilitation Unit in Madrid (Spain) using the Spanish version of the Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP-S).

This study was conducted in the Hospital Central de la Cruz Roja, in Madrid (Spain). A sample of 17 PICS adult patients was included, with age ranging from 56 to 74 years old (mean = 68.35 years; 13 males). Patients were assessed around three weeks after referral from their reference hospital. The total score of the SCIP-S was used as outcome. Descriptive analyses were conducted (mean and standard deviation) on standardized scores (z) based on age-adjusted general population norms. Significant impairment was set at z < -1.5.

Mean total z-score on SCIP-S was -1.08 (S.D. = .82) from the total sample, with 52.9% of cases with significant impairment (mean = -1.74; S.D. = .21).

These preliminary results show the probable presence of mild-moderate global cognitive impairment in a relevant proportion of patients after COVID-19 infection. Longitudinal studies, with larger samples, are needed where the premorbid cognitive level is considered.

No significant relationships.

Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS) is a physical, cognitive, emotional and functional condition resulting from prolonged stays in ICU (Intensive Care Unit). In pathologies with clinical characteristics similar to SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, most patients showed cognitive deficits after discharge from ICU. In particular, previous studies describe impairment on verbal learning among PICS patients.

To analyse the immediate verbal-learning performance in patients with PICS after COVID-19 infection in a Functional Rehabilitation Unit in Madrid (Spain) using the Spanish version of the Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP-S).

This study was conducted in the Hospital Central de la Cruz Roja, in Madrid (Spain). A sample of 17 PICS adult patients was included, with age ranging from 56 to 74 years old (mean = 68.35 years; 13 males). Patients were assessed around three weeks after referral from their reference hospital. The Verbal Learning Test-Immediate (VLT-I) of the SCIP-S was used as outcome. Descriptive analyses were conducted (mean and standard deviation) on standardized scores (z) based on age-adjusted general population norms. Significant impairment was set at z < -1.5.

Mean z-score on VLT-I was -1.08 (S.D. = .80) from the total sample, with 33.3% of cases with significant impairment (mean = -1.81; S.D. = .20).

These preliminary results show the probable presence of mild-moderate impairment on immediate verbal learning in a subgroup of patients, which was already observed in PICS patients with other medical conditions. Longitudinal studies, with larger samples, are needed where the premorbid cognitive level is considered.

No significant relationships.