Table 1.
Comparison of patient characteristics across study groups
| 1 month randomisation | 3-month follow-up | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Study group | P values | Study group | P values | |||
| Variables (median, range) | Control (n = 175) | Intervention (n = 177) | Control (n = 160) | Intervention (n = 162) | ||
| Age | 59 (18-82) | 60 (18-81) | NS | 59 (± 16) | 60 (± 15.5) | NS |
| ICU stay (days) | 13 (3-71) | 13 (3-79) | NS | 13 (± 11.6) | 13.8 (± 12.7) | NS |
| Hours ventilated | 240 (24-1200) | 212 (24-1500) | NS | 240 (± 242) | 216 (± 233) | NS |
| APACHE II severity score | 18 (2-39) | 20 (5-46) | NS | 19 (± 6.5) | 20 (± 7.3) | NS |
| Total PTSS 14 score at 1 month | 25 (13-65) | 22.5 (14-84) | NS | 24 (± 11.6) | 24 (± 12.2) | NS |
| Variables (n, percentage) | ||||||
| Previous psychological problems | 51 (29%) | 51 (29%) | NS | 43 (27%) | 41 (27%) | NS |
| Previous traumatic experiences | 38 (22%) | 32 (18%) | NS | 34 (22%) | 25 (16%) | NS |
| Recall of delusional memories | 91 (52%) | 96 (54%) | NS | 81 (52%) | 85 (55%) | NS |
| Emergency admission to ICU | 163 (93%) | 157 (89%) | NS | 149 (93%) | 143 (88%) | NS |
| Gender (Male/female) | 104/71 | 123/54 | 0.045 | 100/60 | 110/52 | NS |
| Diagnostic groups (n, percentage) | ||||||
| Respiratory failure | 41 (23%) | 35 (20%) | NS | 35 (23%) | 27 (18%) | NS |
| Sepsis | 33 (19%) | 21 (12%) | NS | 31 (20%) | 19 (12%) | NS |
| Circulatory failure | 22 (13%) | 22 (12%) | NS | 17 (11%) | 19 (12%) | NS |
| Multi-organ failure | 20 (11%) | 30 (17%) | NS | 18 (11%) | 24 (16%) | NS |
| Trauma (Total) | 24 (14%) | 27 (15%) | NS | 23 (15%) | 25 (16%) | NS |
| Multiple trauma without head injury | 19 (11%) | 14 (8%) | NS | 19 (11%) | 13 (8%) | NS |
| Multiple trauma with head injury | 2 (1%) | 7 (4%) | NS | 2 (1%) | 7 (4%) | NS |
| Isolated head injury | 2 (1%) | 5 (3%) | NS | 2 (1%) | 4 (3%) | NS |
| Other trauma | 1 (0.5%) | 1 (0.5%) | NS | 0 (0%) | 1 (0.5%) | NS |
| Combined (pulmonary/circulatory) | 18 (10%) | 19 (11%) | NS | 16 (10%) | 19 (11%) | NS |
| Gastrointestinal failure | 8 (5%) | 14 (8%) | NS | 7 (5%) | 13 (8%) | NS |
| Neurological failure | 6 (3%) | 5 (3%) | NS | 5 (3%) | 4 (3%) | NS |
| Other reasons | 3 (2%) | 3 (2%) | NS | 3 (2%) | 1 (2%) | NS |
| Planned | 0 (0%) | 1 (0.5%) | NS | 0 (0%) | 1 (0.5%) | NS |
APACHE, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation; NS, not statistically significant; PTSS, post-traumatic stress syndrome.