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Worldwide deaths from Covid have reached their lowest rates since December We have achieved a level of stability where people are returning to lives that are closer to normal. While deaths and hospital admissions have similarly plummeted, survivors of severe respiratory failure often experience sequelae that persist for months after discharge.
While survival in the acute phase was the primary objective in the past, changes in admission practices and decreased mortality have led to an expanded evaluation that includes long-term prognosis, sequelae, and quality of life [4].
Post-intensive care syndrome PICS refers to the lasting impairment experienced by individuals who survive critical illness [5]. In previous studies conducted prior to the pandemic, PICS was found to encompass a range of cognitive, psychiatric, physical, and pulmonary disorders commonly observed following admission to ICUs. Despite the recognition of PICS as a significant public health burden due to its associated neuropsychological and functional disabilities, its precise prevalence remains uncertain [6] but affects more than half of patients discharged from ICUs [7].
Among the various domains affected by PICS, physical impairments are the most frequent, with cognitive and psychiatric disorders following closely behind [6].
