Scholarlink

Background <p>Survivors of critical illness frequently experience symptoms of post-intensive care syndrome (PICS), including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression, with downstream impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). We evaluated whether an intensive care unit-specific virtual reality (ICU-VR) video improves mental health outcomes and whether timing (early vs. late) matters.</p> Methods <p>We conducted an international, three-arm, multicentre randomized clinical trial across eleven hospitals. Adults (≥ 18 years) with ICU stay ≥ 72&#xa0;h and mechanical ventilation ≥ 24&#xa0;h were randomized 1:1:1 to (1) standard care, (2) early ICU-VR (within 7–15 days post-ICU), or (3) late ICU-VR (≈ 3 months, during aftercare). The primary endpoint was PTSD symptom severity at six months (T3) measured by the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (range 0–88). Secondary endpoints included anxiety/depression severity and prevalence, and HRQoL.</p> Results <p>We randomized 344 participants (median age 61 years; 62% male); follow-up among survivors at six months (T3) was 80%. At six months, PTSD symptom severity did not differ between early ICU-VR and control (β = 0.32; 95% CI –3.38 to 4.02; <i>p</i> = 0.87) nor late ICU-VR and control (–0.82; 95% CI –4.62 to 2.97; <i>p</i> = 0.67). No between-group differences were observed for anxiety, depression, or HRQoL (all adjusted <i>p</i> &gt; 0.05). Patients rated ICU-VR highly for improving understanding of the ICU experience and overall satisfaction (median 8/10).</p> Conclusions <p>In this multicentre randomized clinical trial, a single ICU-VR video did not improve PTSD, anxiety, depression, or HRQoL at six months versus standard care. Findings should not be generalized to multi-session, therapist-guided, or personalized VR interventions. Future trials should target high-risk patients, make multi-session mandatory, and personalize ICU-VR.</p> Trial registration <p>This study was prospectively registered Netherlands: Trial Register/International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, NL9812, October 21, 2021.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

ICU-specific virtual reality for mental health after critical illness: an international three-arm randomized clinical trial

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月24日

查看全文
  • Denzel L. Q. Drop,
  • Johan H. Vlake,
  • Jasper van Bommel,
  • Evert-Jan Wils,
  • Denise E. Hilling,
  • Tim I. M. Korevaar,
  • Fabio S. Taccone,
  • Marianne Devroey,
  • Ralph K. L. So,
  • Corstiaan A. den Uil,
  • Anna F. C. Schut,
  • Adrienne M. T. J. Raben,
  • Jan H. Elderman,
  • Sefanja Achterberg,
  • Barbara Festen,
  • Annemieke Dijkstra,
  • Margo M. C. van Mol,
  • Christian Jung,
  • Diederik Gommers,
  • Michel E. van Genderen

摘要

Background

Survivors of critical illness frequently experience symptoms of post-intensive care syndrome (PICS), including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression, with downstream impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). We evaluated whether an intensive care unit-specific virtual reality (ICU-VR) video improves mental health outcomes and whether timing (early vs. late) matters.

Methods

We conducted an international, three-arm, multicentre randomized clinical trial across eleven hospitals. Adults (≥ 18 years) with ICU stay ≥ 72 h and mechanical ventilation ≥ 24 h were randomized 1:1:1 to (1) standard care, (2) early ICU-VR (within 7–15 days post-ICU), or (3) late ICU-VR (≈ 3 months, during aftercare). The primary endpoint was PTSD symptom severity at six months (T3) measured by the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (range 0–88). Secondary endpoints included anxiety/depression severity and prevalence, and HRQoL.

Results

We randomized 344 participants (median age 61 years; 62% male); follow-up among survivors at six months (T3) was 80%. At six months, PTSD symptom severity did not differ between early ICU-VR and control (β = 0.32; 95% CI –3.38 to 4.02; p = 0.87) nor late ICU-VR and control (–0.82; 95% CI –4.62 to 2.97; p = 0.67). No between-group differences were observed for anxiety, depression, or HRQoL (all adjusted p > 0.05). Patients rated ICU-VR highly for improving understanding of the ICU experience and overall satisfaction (median 8/10).

Conclusions

In this multicentre randomized clinical trial, a single ICU-VR video did not improve PTSD, anxiety, depression, or HRQoL at six months versus standard care. Findings should not be generalized to multi-session, therapist-guided, or personalized VR interventions. Future trials should target high-risk patients, make multi-session mandatory, and personalize ICU-VR.

Trial registration

This study was prospectively registered Netherlands: Trial Register/International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, NL9812, October 21, 2021.