Table 1 Patients’ characteristics: overall and stratified by the presence and absence of PICS

Age, years

75 [64–79]

74 [59–81.5]

0.77

74 [64–81]

Male, N (%)

25 (71.4)

43 (70.5)

0.92

125 (65.1)

BMI, kg/m²

21.9 [19.5–24.4]

22.8 [19.7–25.3]^a

0.21

21.9 [19.5–25.0]^b

APACHE II score

21 [18–25]

20 [14.5–25]

0.14

23 [18–28]

SOFA score

7 [4–10]

8 [5–10]

0.21

8 [6–11]

Charlson comorbidity index

1 [0–2]

1 [0–2]

0.9

1 [0–3]

Clinical frailty scale

3 [2–4]^a

3 [2–4]

0.67

3 [3, 4]^a

DNAR status at ICU admission, N (%)

1 (2.9)

2 (3.3)

1

15 (7.8)

Educational level, N (%)

N = 33*

N = 60*

0.098

N = 177

 ≤ 9 years

3 (9.1)

15 (25)

49 (27.7)

 > 9 years

30 (91.0)

45 (75)

128 (72.3)

Employment status, N (%)

N = 34*

N = 61*

0.16

N = 188

 Student

0 (0)

0 (0)

2 (1.1)

 Employed or self-employed

11 (32.4)

23 (37.7)

60 (31.9)

 Unemployed

3 (8.8)

11 (18)

41 (21.8)

 Housework

2 (5.9)

8 (13.1)

21 (11.2)

 Retired

18 (52.9)

19 (31.2)

64 (34.0)

Marital status, N (%)

0.64

 Married

25 (71.4)

39 (63.9)

119 62.0)

 Separated or divorced

1 (2.9)

6 (9.8)

16 (8.3)

 Widowed

5 (14.3)

9 (15.8)

37 (19.3)

 Unmarried

4 (11.4)

7 (11.5)

20 (10.4)

Patient's residential living status, N (%)

0.25

 Lived alone at home

3 (8.6)

12 (19.7)

33 (17.2)

 Lived with someone else

32 (91.4)

48 (78.7)

152 (79.2)

 Nursing home

0 (0)

1 (1.6)

7 (3.6)

History of treatment with benzodiazepines, N (%)

3 (8.6)

7 (11.5)

0.74

18 (9.4)

History of treatment with steroids, N (%)

2 (5.7)

4 (6.6)

1

35 (18.2)

Source of admission to ICU, N (%)

0.19

 Emergency department

20 (57.1)

23 (37.7)

95 (49.5)

 Hospital floor

5 (14.3)

16 (26.2)

45 (23.4)

 Another hospital

1 (2.9)

0 (0)

3 (1.6)

 Operating room (elective)

0 (0)

1 (1.6)

4 (2.1)

 Operating room (emergency)

9 (25.7)

21 (34.4)

45 (23.4)

Primary diagnosis at the time of admission in ICU, N (%)

0.075

 Cardiogenic

2 (5.7)

13 (21.3)

25 (13.0)

 Acute respiratory failure

18 (51.4)

16 (26.2)

67 (34.9)

 Infection

8 (22.9)

13 (21.3)

56 (29.2)

 Trauma

3 (8.6)

8 (13.1)

16 (8.3)

 Others

4 (11.4)

11 (18)

28 (14.6)

ARDS, N (%)

5 (14.3)

12 (19.7)

0.51

35 (18.2)

Sepsis, N (%)

11 (31.4)

20 (32.8)

0.89

79 (41.1)

Management in ICU, N (%)

 Inotrope/vasopressor

27 (77.1)

50 (82.0)

0.6

148 (77.1)

 Paralytic agent

3 (8.6)

9 (14.8)

0.53

24 (12.5)

 Renal replacement therapy in ICU

6 (17.1)

6 (9.8)

0.34

40 (20.8)

 ECMO in ICU

0 (0)

4 (6.6)

0.29

7 (3.6)

 IABP in ICU

0 (0)

3 (4.9)

0.3

6 (3.1)

 Tracheostomy

4 (11.4)

9 (14.8)

0.76

29 (15.1)