Long-term cognitive outcomes among unselected ventilated and non-ventilated ICU patients.

Background: Cognitive dysfunction is an important long-term complication of critical illness associated with reduced quality of life, increase in healthcare costs, and institutionalization. Delirium, an acute form of brain dysfunction that is common during critical illness has been shown to be associated with long-term cognitive dysfunction. The aim of this prospective cohort study was to estimate the prevalence and severity of cognitive dysfunction in an unselected population of medical and surgical ICU patients.