@Article{info:doi/10.2196/32368,
author="Vlake, Johan H
and van Bommel, Jasper
and Wils, Evert-Jan
and Bienvenu, Joe
and Hellemons, Merel E
and Korevaar, Tim IM
and Schut, Anna FC
and Labout, Joost AM
and Schreuder, Lois LH
and van Bavel, Marten P
and Gommers, Diederik
and van Genderen, Michel E",
title="Intensive Care Unit--Specific Virtual Reality for Critically Ill Patients With COVID-19: Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial",
journal="J Med Internet Res",
year="2022",
month="Jan",
day="31",
volume="24",
number="1",
pages="e32368",
keywords="SARS-CoV-2; intensive care; post-intensive care syndrome; virtual reality; quality of life; satisfaction; COVID-19",
abstract="Background: Although psychological sequelae after intensive care unit (ICU) treatment are considered quite intrusive, robustly effective interventions to treat or prevent these long-term sequelae are lacking. Recently, it was demonstrated that ICU-specific virtual reality (ICU-VR) is a feasible and acceptable intervention with potential mental health benefits. However, its effect on mental health and ICU aftercare in COVID-19 ICU survivors is unknown. Objective: This study aimed to explore the effects of ICU-VR on mental health and on patients' perceived quality of, satisfaction with, and rating of ICU aftercare among COVID-19 ICU survivors. Methods: This was a multicenter randomized controlled trial. Patients were randomized to either the ICU-VR (intervention) or the control group. All patients were invited to an COVID-19 post-ICU follow-up clinic 3 months after hospital discharge, during which patients in the intervention group received ICU-VR. One month and 3 months later (4 and 6 months after hospital discharge), mental health, quality of life, perceived quality, satisfaction with, and rating of ICU aftercare were scored using questionnaires. Results: Eighty-nine patients (median age 58 years; 63 males, 70{\%}) were included. The prevalence and severity of psychological distress were limited throughout follow-up, and no differences in psychological distress or quality of life were observed between the groups. ICU-VR improved satisfaction with (mean score 8.7, SD 1.6 vs 7.6, SD 1.6 [ICU-VR vs control]; t64=--2.82, P=.006) and overall rating of ICU aftercare (mean overall rating of aftercare 8.9, SD 0.9 vs 7.8, SD 1.7 [ICU-VR vs control]; t64=--3.25; P=.002) compared to controls. ICU-VR added to the quality of ICU aftercare according to 81{\%} of the patients, and all patients would recommend ICU-VR to other ICU survivors. Conclusions: ICU-VR is a feasible and acceptable innovative method to improve satisfaction with and rating of ICU aftercare and adds to its perceived quality. We observed a low prevalence of psychological distress after ICU treatment for COVID-19, and ICU-VR did not improve psychological recovery or quality of life. Future research is needed to confirm our results in other critical illness survivors to potentially facilitate ICU-VR's widespread availability and application during follow-up. Trial Registration: Netherlands Trial Register NL8835; https://www.trialregister.nl/trial/8835 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): RR2-10.1186/s13063-021-05271-z ",
issn="1438-8871",
doi="10.2196/32368",
url="https://www.jmir.org/2022/1/e32368",
url="https://doi.org/10.2196/32368",
url="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34978530"
}