ABSTRACT
Aim. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of chronic post-Intensive care Unit (ICU) pain in survivors of critical illness and to identify the risk factors. Methods. A prospective study design.All patients aged at least 18 admitted to our ICU for >24 h are routinely observed during ICU stay, contacted and interviewed at a 6-month interval to assess chronic pain (CP). The interview was carried out between June 2019 and August 2020. Results. 136 patients were analyzed and were included in the study.32 patients (23.5%) reported pain 6 months after ICU discharge. The prevalence increased to 35.1% in patients with an ICU stay longer than 48 hours. The most common sites of pain were the shoulder (16.1%), lower limb (11%) and the lumbar spine (11%).The largest number of CP patients (n= 14) had pain at 4 or more anatomical sites. The prevalence rate in females was 36.8%, significantly higher compared to the rate of 13.9% in males (RR= 2.65, 95% IC= 1.39, 5.04 2.96).Pain negatively interferes with sleepin 21 CP patients (65.6%). The multiple linear regression model, indicated significant CP risk factors for female gender (p= .002), surgical diagnosis (p=.003), wound (p< .001), Apache II (p= .030), age (p=.011) weight (p= .010), ICU length of stay (p= .003) and days of mechanical ventilation (p< .001). Conclusions.Chronic pain was reported by one out of four patients 6 months after ICU discharge.In future, potentially beneficial research would include studies that investigate various clinical therapeutic interventions to prevent and manage chronic post-icu pain.
Keywords: risk factors, chronic pain, critical illness, critical care.