Hola a tod@s, my dear friends .

Published on 2009 in Intensive Care Medicine,  Patients’ memory and psychological distress after ICU stay compared with expectations of the relatives will be the first of a serie which aims to try to rethink the need for admission to ICU and its consequences.

The authors wanted to compare patients’ psychological distress and memories from intensive care unit (ICU) treatment 4–6 weeks after ICU discharge with expectations of their relatives. Further, to explore the relationship between personality traits and ICU memories with psychological distress.


A cross-sectional study of 255 patients and 298 relatives. The questionnaire included: hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS), impact of event scale (IES), life orientation test, ICU memory tool and memory of ICU; technical procedures, pain, lack of control and inability to express needs. Relatives were assessed for their expectations of the patients’ memories and psychological distress.

25% of patients reported symptoms of post-traumatic anguish (IES > 35), with a level of anxiety and depression greater than the general population. The family hoped even more sequels than the patients themselves.
Higher age, unemployment, respirator treatment, pessimism, memory of pain, lack of control and inability to express needs were independent predictors of posttraumatic stress symptoms (p < 0.01).

Are there variables that we can influence our every day?

Happy Tuesday,
Gabi