PIM-COVID study: protocol for a multicentre, longitudinal study measuring the psychological impact of surviving an intensive care admission due to COVID-19 on patients in the UK

Introduction Psychological distress is common in intensive care unit (ICU) survivors and is anticipated in those who were treated for severe COVID-19 infection. This trainee-led, multicentre, observational, longitudinal study aims to assess the psychological outcomes of ICU survivors treated for COVID-19 infection in the UK at 3, 6 and/or 12 months after ICU discharge and explore whether there are demographic, psychosocial and clinical risk factors for psychological distress.Methods and analysis Questionnaires will be provided to study participants 3, 6 and/or 12 months after discharge from intensive care, assessing for anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress symptoms, health-related quality of life and physical symptoms. Demographic, psychosocial and clinical data will also be collected to explore risk factors for psychological distress using latent growth curve modelling. Study participants will be eligible to complete questionnaires at any of the three time points online, by telephone or by post.Ethics and dissemination The PIM-COVID study was approved by the Health Research Authority (East Midlands - Derby Research and Ethics Committee, reference: 20/EM/0247).

Automated summary

This study aims to assess the psychological outcomes of ICU survivors treated for COVID-19 infection in the UK at 3, 6 and/or 12 months after discharge and explore potential risk factors.