Publication date: Sep 23, 2025
Survivors of critical illnesses, including COVID-19, are at risk of developing Chronic ICU-Related Pain (CIRP) and neuropathic pain (NP). This study evaluates the incidence of CIRP and NP 6 months after hospital discharge and their impact on pain intensity, functional status, and quality of life (QoL). We performed an observational prospective cohort analysis based on a secondary analysis of data from the existing PAIN-COVID randomized controlled trial, which included adult survivors of severe COVID-19 admitted to the ICU. CIRP and NP were assessed at 6 months post-discharge using validated scales (Brief Pain Inventory [BPI] and DN4-interview). Propensity score matching was used to control for confounding factors when comparing pain intensity, functional impact, and QoL between groups. New-onset CIRP was reported by 47. 7% of patients. In matched cohorts, patients with CIRP had significantly lower EQ-5D-5 L index (0. 705 [0. 613-0. 818]; p
Semantics
| Type | Source | Name |
|---|---|---|
| disease | MESH | neuropathic pain |
| disease | MESH | COVID-19 |
| disease | MESH | critical illnesses |
| disease | MESH | functional status |
| disease | IDO | quality |
| disease | MESH | Long Covid |
| disease | MESH | Chronic Pain |