The 5-year pre- and post-hospitalization treated prevalence of mental disorders and psychotropic medication use in critically ill patients: a Canadian population-based study.

PURPOSE: The interplay between critical illness and mental disorders is poorly understood. The purpose of this study is to measure both the treated prevalence of mental disorders and psychotropic medication use before and after hospitalization and the impact of intensive care unit (ICU) admission on these outcomes. METHODS: Using a population-based administrative database in Manitoba, Canada, 49,439 ICU patients admitted between 2000 and 2012 were compared to two matched comparison groups (hospitalized; n = 146,968 and general population; n = 141,937). Treated prevalence of mental disorders and psychotropic medication prescriptions were measured in the 5-year periods before and after the hospitalization. Multivariable models compared adjusted prevalence ratios (APRs) between populations. RESULTS: The 5-year treated mental disorder prevalence in the ICU population increased from 41.5% pre-hospitalization to 55.6% post-hospitalization. Compared to non-ICU hospitalized patients, the adjusted treated mental disorder prevalence in ICU patients was lower prior to hospitalization (1-year APR 0.94, 95% CI 0.92-0.97, p < 0.0001; 5-year APR 0.99, 95% CI 0.98-1.00, p = 0.1), but higher following discharge (1-year APR 1.08, 95% CI 1.05-1.11, p < 0.0001, 5-year APR 1.03, 95% CI 1.01-1.05, p < 0.0001). A high proportion of ICU patients received antidepressant, anxiolytic and sedative-hypnotic prescriptions before and after their hospitalization. In multivariable analyses, ICU exposure was associated with an increase in mood, anxiety and psychotic disorders, and sedative-hypnotics use (p < 0.0001 for all Time × Group interactions). CONCLUSIONS: During the 5 years after admission to ICU, there is a significant increase in treated prevalence of mental disorders and psychotropic medication use compared to the 5 years prior to ICU and compared to general population and hospital cohorts. Prevention and intervention programs that identify and treat mental disorders among survivors of critical illness warrant further study.

The 5-Year Incidence of Mental Disorders in a Population-Based ICU Survivor Cohort.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate incidence of newly diagnosed mental disorders among ICU patients. DESIGN: Retrospective-matched cohort study using a population-based administrative database. SETTING: Manitoba, Canada. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 49,439 ICU patients admitted between 2000 and 2012 were compared with two control groups (hospitalized: n = 146,968 and general population: n = 141,937), matched on age (± 2 yr), sex, region of residence, and hospitalization year. INTERVENTION: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Incident mental disorders (mood, anxiety, substance use, personality, posttraumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and psychotic disorders) not diagnosed during the 5-year period before the index ICU or hospital admission date (including matched general population group), but diagnosed during the subsequent 5-year period. Multivariable survival models adjusted for sociodemographic variables, Charlson comorbidity index, admission diagnostic category, and number of ICU and non-ICU exposures. ICU cohort had a 14.5% (95% CI, 14.0-15.0) and 42.7% (95% CI, 42.0-43.5) age- and sex-standardized incidence of any diagnosed mental disorder at 1 and 5 years post-ICU exposure, respectively. In multivariable analysis, ICU cohort had increased risk of any diagnosed mental disorder at all time points versus the hospitalized cohort (year 5: adjusted hazard ratio, 2.00; 95% CI, 1.80-2.23) and the general population cohort (year 5: adjusted hazard ratio, 3.52; 95% CI, 3.23-3.83). A newly diagnosed mental disorder was associated with younger age, female sex, more recent admitting years, presence of preexisting comorbidities, and repeat ICU admission. CONCLUSIONS: ICU admission is associated with an increased incidence of mood, anxiety, substance use, and personality disorders over a 5-year period.

Preventing Posttraumatic Stress in ICU Survivors: A Single-Center Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of ICU Diaries and Psychoeducation.

OBJECTIVES: Critical illness can have a significant psychological impact on patients and their families. To inform the design of a larger trial, we assessed feasibility of ICU diaries and psychoeducation to prevent posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and anxiety following ICU stays. DESIGN: Four-arm pilot randomized controlled trial. SETTING: A 10-bed tertiary ICU in Winnipeg, MB, Canada. PATIENTS: Critically ill patients greater than 17 years old with predicted ICU stays greater than 72 hours and mechanical ventilation duration greater than 24 hours. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomized to usual care, ICU diary, psychoeducation, or both ICU diary and psychoeducation. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Our primary objective was to determine feasibility measured by enrollment/mo. Secondary outcomes included acceptability of the ICU diary intervention and psychological distress, including patients' memories 1 week post ICU using the ICU Memory Tool, posttraumatic stress disorder (Impact of Events Scale-Revised), depression, and anxiety symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) 30 and 90 days post ICU. Over 3.5 years, we enrolled 58 patients, an average of 1.9 participants/mo. Families and healthcare providers wrote a mean of 3.2 diary entries/d (SD, 2.9) and indicated positive attitudes and low perceived burden toward ICU diary participation. A majority of patients reported distressing memories of their ICU stay. Those who received the diary intervention had significantly lower median Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale anxiety (3.0 [interquartile range, 2-6.25] vs 8.0 [interquartile range, 7-10]; p = 0.01) and depression (3.0 [interquartile range, 1.75-5.25] vs 5.0 [interquartile range, 4-9]; p = 0.04) symptom scores at 90 days than patients who did not receive a diary. CONCLUSIONS: ICU diaries are a feasible intervention in a tertiary Canadian ICU context. Preliminary evidence supports the efficacy of ICU diaries to reduce psychological morbidity following discharge.