Mental, cognitive and physical outcomes after intensive care unit treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic: a comparison between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients

To compare mental, cognitive and physical outcomes between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients, 3–6 months after Intensive Care Unit (ICU) treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic and to compare mental outcomes between relatives of these patients. This retrospective cohort study included 209 ICU survivors (141 COVID-19 patients and 68 non-COVID-19 patients) and 168 of their relatives (maximum one per patient) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Primary outcomes were self-reported occurrence of mental, cognitive and/or physical symptoms 3–6 months after ICU discharge. The occurrence of mental symptoms did not differ between former COVID-19 patients (34.7% [43/124]) and non-COVID-19 patients (43.5% [27/62]) ( p = 0.309), neither between relatives of COVID-19 patients (37.6% [38/101]) and relatives of non-COVID-19 patients (39.6% [21/53]) ( p = 0.946). Depression scores on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were lower in former COVID-19 patients, compared to non-COVID-19 patients ( p = 0.025). We found no differences between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients in cognitive and physical outcomes. Mental, cognitive and physical outcomes in COVID-19 ICU survivors were similar to non-COVID-19 ICU survivors. Mental symptoms in relatives of COVID-19 ICU survivors did not differ from relatives of non-COVID-19 ICU survivors, within the same time frame.