Article: Incidence of near-death experiences in patients surviving a prolonged critical illness and their long-term impact: a prospective observational study.
Author(s): Anne-Francoise Rousseau et al.
Journal: Critical Care
Date published: Feburary 2023
Link to full paper.

It would make sense that with more people surviving severe illness and trauma in our intensive care units (ICUs), there would be a corrosponding increase in numbers that might have some form of near-death experience.
But just how many?

This study aimed to describe the number of patients experiencing NDEs during a prolonged ICU stay. It also investigated to see if specific medical or cognitive factors might affect the frequency of NDEs, and finally to assess the impact on the quality of life of an NDE 1 year later.

Patients discharged from the 5 ICUs at a Belgium hospital between July 2019 and March 2020 were assessed using the Greyson NDE scale for any potential NDEs. They were also assessed (using standardised tools) to see if they experienced any delirium or confusion during their admission, and to ascertain any pre-existing spiritual and/or religious beliefs.

These patients were then followed up via telephone calls one month and one year following the initial interview.

• 126 patients were included in the study.
• Of this number, 19 patietns (15%) were identified as having experienced a NDE.
• 6 of the patients had a cardiac arrest during their admission.
  1 of those had a NDE.
• 11 of the patietns who had a NDE and 50 who did not were followed up by phone 1 year later.
  In both groups, the Greyson NDE scale scores had not changed from the initial assessments.
• The study was unable to determine if the NDEs were experienced duiring the initial event leading to ICU admission or to events during the ICU stay.

In conclusion, we observed a NDE incidence of 15% and that cognitive and spiritual outweighed medical parameters as predictors of the emergence of NDE. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings in larger cohorts or in survivors of a shorter ICI stay.