Table 1 Patient characteristics on inclusion; ^an = 62 due to missing data in 2 patients

 Male sex, (n (%))

44 (69)

 Age (mean, SD)

63.9 (11.7)

 APACHE II score (mean, SD)

21.1 (7.1)

 SOFA score (mean, SD)

6.1 (3.7)

 ICU admission duration before inclusion (median days, IQR)

4 [3–10]

 Respiratory

15 (23.4)

 Cardiology

2 (3.1)

 Medical

19 (29.7)

 Neurology

1 (1.6)

 Surgery

27 (42.2)

 Cognitive dysfunction (n (%))

4 (6.3)

 Delirium during ICU stay (n (%))

12 (19.4)^a

 Hearing problems (n (%))

2 (3.1)

 Alcohol abuse (n (%))

7 (10.9)

 Use of sedatives (n (%))

11 (17.2)

 Isolation measures (n (%))

17 (26.6)

 Ability to speak (n (%))

47 (73.4)

 Invasive mechanical ventilation (n (%))

20 (31.2)

 Mechanical ventilation duration (median days, n IQR)

12 (9–23)