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In the past several years, we have become increasingly aware of prolonged physical recovery after intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Patients also often suffer from anxiety and depression, but do they experience long-lasting cognitive impairment?
Investigators from Vanderbilt studied 821 patients admitted to medical-surgical ICUs for respiratory failure, septic shock, or cardiogenic shock. Patients suspected to be at high risk for dementia were assessed further and were excluded if substantial pre-admission impairment was noted. Among enrolled patients, 74% were delirious (median duration, 4 days), and more than half were comatose at some point.
At 3 months, 31% of patients had died, and an additional 7% died within 12 months. Median scores…