Effects of an online information tool on post-traumatic stress disorder in relatives of intensive care unit patients: a multicenter double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial (ICU-Families-Study)

• Published in: Intensive care medicine Vol. 49; no. 11; pp. 1317 - 1326
• Main Authors: Hoffmann, Magdalena, Jeitziner, Marie-Madlen, Riedl, Regina, Mueller, Gerhard, Peer, Andreas, Bachlechner, Adelbert, Heindl, Patrik, Burgsteiner, Harald, Schefold, Joerg C., von Lewinski, Dirk, Eller, Philipp, Pieber, Thomas, Sendlhofer, Gerald, Amrein, Karin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.11.2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Anesthesiology; Anxiety; Anxiety - psychology; Consumer health information; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Critical Care - psychology; Critical Care Medicine; Critical Illness - psychology; Critical Illness - therapy; Depression - psychology; Double-Blind Method; Double-blind studies; Emergency Medicine; Families & family life; Female; Humans; Intensive; Intensive care; Intensive Care Units; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Mental depression; Mental disorders; Middle Aged; NCT; NCT02931851; Original; Pain Medicine; Pediatrics; Placebos; Pneumology/Respiratory System; Post traumatic stress disorder; Psychological stress; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Signs and symptoms; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - prevention & control; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic - psychology; Viral diseases; Websites; Intensive care; Family-centered care; Post-traumatic stress disorder; Families; Information; Online; Communication
• ISSN: 0342-4642; 1432-1238
• DOI: 10.1007/s00134-023-07215-4

Purpose Intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalization is challenging for the family members of the patients. Most family members report some level of anxiety and depression, sometimes even resulting in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). An association has been reported between lack of information and PTSD. This study had three aims: to quantify the psychological burden of family members of critically ill patients, to explore whether a website with specific information could reduce PTSD symptoms, and to ascertain whether a website with information about intensive care would be used. Method A multicenter double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was carried out in Austria and Switzerland. Results In total, 89 members of families of critically ill patients (mean age 47.3 ± 12.9 years, female n = 59, 66.3%) were included in the study. 46 relatives were allocated to the intervention website and 43 to the control website. Baseline Impact of Event Scale (IES) score was 27.5 ± 12.7. Overall, 50% showed clinically relevant PTSD symptoms at baseline. Mean IES score for the primary endpoint (~ 30 days after inclusion, T1) was 24 ± 15.8 (intervention 23.9 ± 17.9 vs. control 24.1 ± 13.5, p  = 0.892). Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS - Deutsch (D)) score at T1 was 12.2 ± 6.1 (min. 3, max. 31) and did not differ between groups. Use of the website differed between the groups (intervention min. 1, max. 14 vs. min. 1, max. 3; total 1386 “clicks” on the website, intervention 1021 vs. control 365). Recruitment was prematurely stopped in February 2020 due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Conclusion Family members of critically ill patients often have significant PTSD symptoms and online information on critical illness did not result in reduced PTSD symptoms.