Incidence of Episodes of (Dis)Connected Consciousness Among Emergency Patients Admitted in the Resuscitation Room

This observational study aims to describe the incidence of episodes of disconnected consciousness (including near-death experience (NDE)) and episodes of connected consciousness in patients admitted to the resuscitation room, who survived a critical condition and who meet at least one of these criteria during their stay in the resuscitation room: (1) deep sedation, (2) intubation, (3) cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or (4) (non-drug-induced) Glasgow Coma Scale score = 3. We also investigate the potential (neuro)physiological markers and biomarkers. In order to help determine the potential risk factors of such episodes, cognitive factors such as dissociative propensity are also investigated. Unexpected visual and auditory stimuli will be displayed. In addition, we assess the evolution of memory, as well as short- and long-term consequences on quality of life, anxiety, and attitudes towards care.

Memory of patients who did not meet the above-mentioned criteria are also investigated. A group of 15 healthy participants will be invited to test the stimuli display.

Finally, (neuro)physiological parameters of a subsample of dying patients are also investigated.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Quality of Life; Emergencies; Critical Illness; Near-Death Experience; Consciousness, Loss of

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 100

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Charlotte Martial, PhD; Phone Number: +3243233612; Email: cmartial@uliege.be
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Pauline Fritz, Ms; Email: pauline.fritz@uliege.be

Study Locations

• Belgium
  • Liège, Belgium, 4000
    • Recruiting
    • Chu of Liège

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

All adult patients admitted in the resuscitation room

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• patients admitted in the resuscitation room of our university hospital
• French speaking

Exclusion Criteria:

• Refusal
• Chronic disorder of consciousness
• Deafness
• Blindness
• Dementia
• Hemineglect
• Aphasia

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Detection of potential episodes of disconnected consciousness	near-death experience (using the Near-Death Experience Content scale); dream	upon awakening/discharge from the resuscitation room (max 21 days after the admission in the room)
Detection of potential episodes of connected consciousness	explicit recall of environmental/external stimuli upon awakening	upon awakening/discharge from the resuscitation room (max 21 days after the admission in the room)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Risk factors	(neuro)physiological marker; biomarker; cognitive factor	in the resusctiation room admission
Quality of life assessment	The EuroQol five-dimension three-level questionnaire (EQ-5D-3L) comprises two sections. The first one is a five-question descriptive component which explores five dimensions (mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression). Each question has three possible answers, rated from 1 to 3 (no problems, some problems and extreme problems). The second section is a visual analogue scale (EQ VAS; 0 "worst imaginable health state" to 100 "best imaginable health state") about their current health state.	at 6-month
Memory content and evolution assessment	The Memory Characteristics Questionnaire (MCQ). A total score can be derived summing all the 16 items (each on a 1-7 points Likert scale) and refers to as the amount of memory characteristics (i.e. higher total scores reflect greater amount of memory characteristics).	at 1-month
Detection of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)	The Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist 5 (PCL-5). Its total score can range from 0 to 80 (scores of ≥31 suggest a probable diagnosis of PTSD)	at 6-month

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of Liege
• Collaborators: Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liege

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): October 9, 2023
• Primary Completion (Estimated): September 30, 2025
• Study Completion (Estimated): September 30, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 29, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 8, 2024
• First Posted (Actual): April 12, 2024

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 12, 2024
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 8, 2024
• Last Verified: June 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Dream
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Nervous System Diseases; Neurologic Manifestations; Neurobehavioral Manifestations; Disease Attributes; Consciousness Disorders; Emergencies; Death; Critical Illness; Unconsciousness
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2022-389

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: Data will be anonymized and shared among collaborators upon reasonable request and agreement
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: Data will be shared with collaborators for the specified time allocated to each respective project. Whereas, data shared on the database will be anonymized and available indefinitely.
• IPD Sharing Access Criteria: A written agreement between the groups (university or research teams)
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: STUDY_PROTOCOL

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No