• Magdalena Hoffmann, Marie-Madlen Jeitziner, Regina Riedl, Gerhard Mueller, Andreas Peer, Adelbert Bachlechner, Patrik Heindl, Harald Burgsteiner, Joerg C Schefold, Dirk von Lewinski, Philipp Eller, Thomas Pieber, Gerald Sendlhofer, and Karin Amrein.
• Research Unit for Safety and Sustainability in Healthcare, c/o Division of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria.
• Intensive Care Med. 2023 Nov 1; 49 (11): 131713261317-1326.

PurposeIntensive care unit (ICU) hospitalization is challenging for the family members of the patients. Most family members report some level of anxiety and depression, sometimes even resulting in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). An association has been reported between lack of information and PTSD. This study had three aims: to quantify the psychological burden of family members of critically ill patients, to explore whether a website with specific information could reduce PTSD symptoms, and to ascertain whether a website with information about intensive care would be used.MethodA multicenter double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was carried out in Austria and Switzerland.ResultsIn total, 89 members of families of critically ill patients (mean age 47.3 ± 12.9 years, female n = 59, 66.3%) were included in the study. 46 relatives were allocated to the intervention website and 43 to the control website. Baseline Impact of Event Scale (IES) score was 27.5 ± 12.7. Overall, 50% showed clinically relevant PTSD symptoms at baseline. Mean IES score for the primary endpoint (~ 30 days after inclusion, T1) was 24 ± 15.8 (intervention 23.9 ± 17.9 vs. control 24.1 ± 13.5, p = 0.892). Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS - Deutsch (D)) score at T1 was 12.2 ± 6.1 (min. 3, max. 31) and did not differ between groups. Use of the website differed between the groups (intervention min. 1, max. 14 vs. min. 1, max. 3; total 1386 "clicks" on the website, intervention 1021 vs. control 365). Recruitment was prematurely stopped in February 2020 due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).ConclusionFamily members of critically ill patients often have significant PTSD symptoms and online information on critical illness did not result in reduced PTSD symptoms.© 2023. The Author(s).

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