title: Do survivors of acute neurologic injury remember their stay in the neuroscience intensive care unit?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients in medical, surgical, and trauma intensive care units (ICUs) are at risk for later development of symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Because acute brain injury can impair recall; we sought to show that neuroscience patients undergoing prolonged neuroscience ICU admission have limited memory of their ICU stay and thus are less likely to develop symptoms of PTSD.
  
  
  METHODS
  We surveyed patients >18 years admitted for 10 days or more to our neuroscience ICU over a 10-year period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The survey response rate was 50.5% (47/93). Forty percent (19/47) of respondents presented with coma. Recall of details of the ICU admission was limited. Fewer than 10% of patients who required mechanical ventilation recalled being on a ventilator. Only five patients (11%) had responses suggestive of possible post-traumatic stress syndrome. The most commonly experienced symptoms following discharge were difficulty sleeping, difficulty with concentration, and memory loss.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients requiring prolonged neuroscience ICU admission do not appear to be traumatized by their ICU stay.
authors.affiliation: Division of Critical Care Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. hocker.sara@mayo.edu
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hocker
authors.forename: Heidi L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: Katherine E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: McMahon
authors.forename: Eelco F M
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Wijdicks
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000523:psychology*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000523:psychology; D002494:Central Nervous System Infections / Q000523:psychology; D003422:Critical Care / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D020300:Intracranial Hemorrhages / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000523:psychology; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
references.citation: Chang Gung Med J. 2007 Mar-Apr;30(2):142-50
references.pmid: 17596003
references.citation: Br J Neurosurg. 2011 Dec;25(6):693-700
references.pmid: 21591856
references.citation: Crit Care. 2005 Apr;9(2):R96-109
references.pmid: 15774056
references.citation: Am J Psychiatry. 2005 May;162(5):963-9
references.pmid: 15863799
references.citation: Intensive Care Nurs. 1988 Jun;4(2):56-61
references.pmid: 3288693
references.citation: J Crit Care. 2011 Apr;26(2):127-32
references.pmid: 20889289
references.citation: Neurosurgery. 2008 Dec;63(6):1095-104; discussion 1004-5
references.pmid: 19057321
references.citation: Intensive Care Med. 2009 Dec;35(12):2078-86
references.pmid: 19756511
references.citation: J Spec Pediatr Nurs. 2007 Apr;12(2):84-92
references.pmid: 17371552
references.citation: Crit Care. 2007;11(1):R28
references.pmid: 17316452
references.citation: Am J Med. 1988 May;84(5):863-9
references.pmid: 3364445
references.citation: Brain Res. 2009 Oct 13;1293:114-20
references.pmid: 19376097
references.citation: Acta Anaesthesiol Scand. 2008 Feb;52(2):202-8
references.pmid: 18005373
references.citation: Intensive Care Med. 1979 May;5(2):89-92
references.pmid: 458040
references.citation: Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2009 Sep-Oct;31(5):428-35
references.pmid: 19703636
references.citation: Intensive Care Med. 1999 Jul;25(7):697-704
references.pmid: 10470573
references.citation: Crit Care. 2010;14(1):R14
references.pmid: 20144193
references.citation: Anaesthesia. 1992 Feb;47(2):116-9
references.pmid: 1539778
references.citation: Intensive Crit Care Nurs. 2012 Jun;28(3):159-67
references.pmid: 22579396
references.citation: Gen Hosp Psychiatry. 2008 Sep-Oct;30(5):421-34
references.pmid: 18774425