Major psychiatric comorbidity among the critically ill: a multi-centred cohort study in Queensland

Abstract Background Although comorbid medical diseases are important determinants of outcome among the critically ill, the role of psychiatric comorbidity is not well defined. The objective of this study was to determine the occurrence of psychiatric comorbidity and its effect on the outcome of pati...

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Main Authors: Dylan Flaws, Kyle White, Felicity Edwards, Stuart Baker, Siva Senthuran, Mahesh Ramanan, Antony G Attokaran, Aashish Kumar, James McCullough, Kiran Shekar, Philippa McIlroy, Alexis Tabah, Stephen Luke, Peter Garrett, Kevin B Laupland, on behalf of the Queensland Critical Care Research Network (QCCRN)
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-02-01
Series:BMC Psychiatry
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-06520-0
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author Dylan Flaws
Kyle White
Felicity Edwards
Stuart Baker
Siva Senthuran
Mahesh Ramanan
Antony G Attokaran
Aashish Kumar
James McCullough
Kiran Shekar
Philippa McIlroy
Alexis Tabah
Stephen Luke
Peter Garrett
Kevin B Laupland
on behalf of the Queensland Critical Care Research Network (QCCRN)
author_facet Dylan Flaws
Kyle White
Felicity Edwards
Stuart Baker
Siva Senthuran
Mahesh Ramanan
Antony G Attokaran
Aashish Kumar
James McCullough
Kiran Shekar
Philippa McIlroy
Alexis Tabah
Stephen Luke
Peter Garrett
Kevin B Laupland
on behalf of the Queensland Critical Care Research Network (QCCRN)
author_sort Dylan Flaws
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Although comorbid medical diseases are important determinants of outcome among the critically ill, the role of psychiatric comorbidity is not well defined. The objective of this study was to determine the occurrence of psychiatric comorbidity and its effect on the outcome of patients admitted to adult intensive care units (ICU) in Queensland. Methods Admissions among adults to 12 ICUs in Queensland during 2015–2021 were included and clinical and outcome information was obtained through linkages between the ANZICS Adult Patient Database, the state-wide Queensland Hospital Admitted Patient Data Collection, and death registry. Results A total of 89,123 admissions were included among 74,513 individuals. Overall, 7,178 (8.1%) admissions had psychiatric co-morbidity with 6,270 (7.0%) having one major psychiatric diagnosis and 908 (1%) having two or more. Individual diagnoses of mood, psychotic, anxiety, or affective disorders were present in 1,801 (2.0%), 874 (1.0%), 3,241 (3.6%) and 354 (0.4%) admissions respectively. Significant differences were observed among the main groups (mood, affective, anxiety, psychotic, or multiple disorders) and those without psychiatric comorbidity with respect to main diagnosis, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II) score, sex, age, and medical comorbidity. Crude 30-day case-fatality rates were significantly lower (5.1%) compared to the general ICU population (10.1%) (p < 0.001). After controlling for confounding variables in the logistic regression model, patients with psychiatric comorbidity were at lower odds of death. Conclusions Psychiatric comorbidity is common among ICU presentations and is associated with a lower risk of death. This association is likely to be more complex than being a simple protective factor, and future research needs to further delineate how psychiatric comorbidity informs outcomes of specific ICU presentations.
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spelling doaj-art-f2ef8b163afb448fbcdabca11b89314d2025-08-20T02:48:12ZengBMCBMC Psychiatry1471-244X2025-02-012511810.1186/s12888-025-06520-0Major psychiatric comorbidity among the critically ill: a multi-centred cohort study in QueenslandDylan Flaws0Kyle White1Felicity Edwards2Stuart Baker3Siva Senthuran4Mahesh Ramanan5Antony G Attokaran6Aashish Kumar7James McCullough8Kiran Shekar9Philippa McIlroy10Alexis Tabah11Stephen Luke12Peter Garrett13Kevin B Laupland14on behalf of the Queensland Critical Care Research Network (QCCRN)Department of Mental Health, Metro North Mental Health, Caboolture HospitalQueensland University of Technology (QUT)Queensland University of Technology (QUT)Intensive Care Unit, Redcliffe HospitalCollege of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook UniversityQueensland University of Technology (QUT)Faculty of Medicine, University of QueenslandIntensive Care Unit, Logan HospitalSchool of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith UniversityFaculty of Medicine, University of QueenslandIntensive Care Unit, Cairns HospitalQueensland University of Technology (QUT)Intensive Care Services, Mackay Base HospitalSchool of Medicine and Dentistry, Griffith UniversityQueensland University of Technology (QUT)Abstract Background Although comorbid medical diseases are important determinants of outcome among the critically ill, the role of psychiatric comorbidity is not well defined. The objective of this study was to determine the occurrence of psychiatric comorbidity and its effect on the outcome of patients admitted to adult intensive care units (ICU) in Queensland. Methods Admissions among adults to 12 ICUs in Queensland during 2015–2021 were included and clinical and outcome information was obtained through linkages between the ANZICS Adult Patient Database, the state-wide Queensland Hospital Admitted Patient Data Collection, and death registry. Results A total of 89,123 admissions were included among 74,513 individuals. Overall, 7,178 (8.1%) admissions had psychiatric co-morbidity with 6,270 (7.0%) having one major psychiatric diagnosis and 908 (1%) having two or more. Individual diagnoses of mood, psychotic, anxiety, or affective disorders were present in 1,801 (2.0%), 874 (1.0%), 3,241 (3.6%) and 354 (0.4%) admissions respectively. Significant differences were observed among the main groups (mood, affective, anxiety, psychotic, or multiple disorders) and those without psychiatric comorbidity with respect to main diagnosis, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II) score, sex, age, and medical comorbidity. Crude 30-day case-fatality rates were significantly lower (5.1%) compared to the general ICU population (10.1%) (p < 0.001). After controlling for confounding variables in the logistic regression model, patients with psychiatric comorbidity were at lower odds of death. Conclusions Psychiatric comorbidity is common among ICU presentations and is associated with a lower risk of death. This association is likely to be more complex than being a simple protective factor, and future research needs to further delineate how psychiatric comorbidity informs outcomes of specific ICU presentations.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-06520-0PsychiatryIntensive careCritical illness
spellingShingle Dylan Flaws
Kyle White
Felicity Edwards
Stuart Baker
Siva Senthuran
Mahesh Ramanan
Antony G Attokaran
Aashish Kumar
James McCullough
Kiran Shekar
Philippa McIlroy
Alexis Tabah
Stephen Luke
Peter Garrett
Kevin B Laupland
on behalf of the Queensland Critical Care Research Network (QCCRN)
Major psychiatric comorbidity among the critically ill: a multi-centred cohort study in Queensland
BMC Psychiatry
Psychiatry
Intensive care
Critical illness
title Major psychiatric comorbidity among the critically ill: a multi-centred cohort study in Queensland
title_full Major psychiatric comorbidity among the critically ill: a multi-centred cohort study in Queensland
title_fullStr Major psychiatric comorbidity among the critically ill: a multi-centred cohort study in Queensland
title_full_unstemmed Major psychiatric comorbidity among the critically ill: a multi-centred cohort study in Queensland
title_short Major psychiatric comorbidity among the critically ill: a multi-centred cohort study in Queensland
title_sort major psychiatric comorbidity among the critically ill a multi centred cohort study in queensland
topic Psychiatry
Intensive care
Critical illness
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-06520-0
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