Near-death Experience in ICU Survivors

Incidence of Near-death Experiences Among Patients Who Survived a Critical Illness

This observational study aims to describe the incidence of near-death experience (NDE) in patients who survived a critical illness. In order to help determine the potential risk factors of NDE, dissociative status and spirituality are also investigated. Finally, in patients who experienced NDE, a magnetic resonance imaging is performed to search for any structural modifications.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Critical Illness; Near-Death Experience
• Intervention / Treatment: Diagnostic test: Greyson NDE scale; Diagnostic test: DES dissociation scale; Diagnostic test: WHOQOL-SRPB; Diagnostic test: cerebral magnetic resonance imaging

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 126

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Belgium
  • Liège, Belgium, 4000
    • University Hospital of Liege

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

All consecutive patients who survive any critical illness without exclusion criteria may be assessed for NDE occurence

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• All consecutive patients who survived critical illness

Exclusion Criteria:

• Glasgow Coma Scale < 15/15
• Confusion (CAM ICU scale)
• Refusal

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Cohort
• Time Perspectives: Prospective

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
NDE	NDE occurence during ICU stay, retrospectively detected by the Greyson scale. Greyson scale is a 16 items and 32 points scale. Minimal score is 0, maximal score is 32. A NDE is suspected when score is equal or higher than 7.	Greyson questionnaire is administered during the week following ICU discharge

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Quality of life estimation	Quality of life assessment, using EQ-5D-3L	one year after first interview
NDE	NDE occurence during ICU stay, retrospectively detected by the Greyson scale.	one year after first interview
MCQ (Memory Characteristics Questionnaire)	analyze of the phenomenological characteristics of real and imagined memories	one month after first interview

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Liege
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Anne-Françoise Rousseau, MD, PhD, University Hospital of Liege

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 1, 2019
• Primary Completion (Actual): June 30, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): June 30, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 19, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 19, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): February 21, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 5, 2022
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 24, 2022
• Last Verified: March 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Disease Attributes; Death; Critical Illness
• Other Study ID Numbers: EMISI

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No