RecruitingOBSERVATIONAL

Post-intensive Care Syndromes in Pregnant Patients With Respiratory Failure and COVID-19 Compared to Non-pregnant Patients With Respiratory Failure and COVID-19

This study is reviewing past medical records of people who were seriously ill with COVID-19, leading to breathing difficulties, and needed intensive care. Specifically, it compares around 13 pregnant patients with about 27 non-pregnant patients. The main goal is to understand a condition called Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS), which can cause long-term health issues after a stay in intensive care. Researchers are looking at routine check-up data from a special clinic for PICS patients, as well as their intensive care records, collected between March 2020 and May 2024. By doing this, they hope to learn more about how these different groups of patients recover and what their treatment outcomes were. This is a look back at existing information, not a new experiment.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Sponsor

Charite University, Berlin, Germany

Enrolment target

Start

22 Sep 2025

Estimated completion

30 Jun 2026

COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Due to COVID-19 Pregnancy Related

What is this study about?

This study is looking back at the medical information of patients who were very sick with COVID-19 and needed to be treated in an intensive care unit (ICU) because they had severe breathing problems. The researchers are particularly interested in comparing pregnant patients with non-pregnant patients to see if there are any differences in their health after leaving the ICU. They want to understand a set of long-term health problems called Post-Intensive Care Syndrome, or PICS, which can affect people's bodies and minds after a critical illness.

To do this, the study team is reviewing existing medical records from a special clinic that helps people who have been through intensive care. These records include information from their time in the ICU and their follow-up appointments. They are looking at data collected between March 2020 and May 2024, focusing on about 40 patients in total.

The main idea is to learn more about how people recover from severe COVID-19 when they've been in intensive care, especially if they were pregnant. By understanding these long-term effects, doctors can improve care and support for future patients who have been through similar experiences. This is an important step in helping people get back to good health after such a serious illness.

Key takeaways

Looks at past medical records of severe COVID-19 patients.
Compares pregnant and non-pregnant patients who needed intensive care.
Focuses on long-term health problems after intensive care (PICS).
Uses data collected from 2020 to 2024.
Aims to improve future care for very ill COVID-19 patients.

Who may be eligible?

This study is looking at information from people who meet certain criteria. To be included, patients must have been 18 years old or older at the time they were in intensive care. They also needed to have been admitted to a specific intensive care unit at Charité hospital and later had follow-up appointments at the Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS) clinic within a specific timeframe (March 27, 2020, to May 6, 2024).

Crucially, all patients in this study must have had a COVID-19 infection that was linked to their intensive care stay, and they must have developed serious breathing problems or lung failure either when they were admitted or during their time in the intensive care unit.

The study excludes male patients, and it also excludes patients whose illness wasn't COVID-19, or didn't involve serious breathing difficulties. Remember, this study is only looking at existing records, so you cannot join it directly.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Were you 18 or older during your intensive care stay?
Did you have COVID-19 when you were in intensive care?
Did you have serious breathing problems or lung failure during or just before your intensive care stay?
Were you treated at a specific Charité intensive care unit between March 2020 and May 2024?
Did you have follow-up appointments at the PICS clinic at Charité?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

This study is looking back at existing medical records, not involving new patients or treatments. This means you wouldn't take part in the traditional sense, as no new visits, assessments, or medications are involved. Researchers are simply reviewing information collected during previous hospital stays and follow-up appointments from a particular period (March 2020 to May 2024). They are gathering data from your intensive care treatment and subsequent visits to a special clinic for Post-Intensive Care Syndrome. The total duration of data collection covers the period mentioned, but as a patient, you would not be actively participating or needing to do anything for this specific study.

Potential risks and benefits

Since this study only involves reviewing existing, anonymised medical records, there are no direct risks to individual patients. Your personal information would be handled confidentially. Similarly, there are no direct benefits to individual patients as no new treatments are being given. The potential benefit is for future patients, as the findings could help doctors better understand the long-term effects of severe COVID-19 in pregnant and non-pregnant individuals, leading to improved care. You wouldn't need to 'withdraw' as you are not actively participating, but medical data is always handled with strict privacy regulations.

Locations (1)

Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (CCM/CVK), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Verified postcode
Berlin, Germany· Recruiting

Common questions

What is 'Post-Intensive Care Syndrome' (PICS)?

PICS refers to long-term health problems, both physical and mental, that can happen after someone has been very ill and needed intensive care.

Is this a new medical trial for COVID-19?

No, this is not a new trial. Researchers are looking back at information from patients who have already been treated for severe COVID-19 in the past.

Can I volunteer for this study?

No, you cannot volunteer. This study is only reviewing existing medical records of specific patients who were treated between 2020 and 2024.

Why are they comparing pregnant and non-pregnant patients?

Researchers want to understand if there are differences in how severe COVID-19 affects pregnant patients compared to others, especially in terms of long-term recovery.

How will my personal information be protected?

The study will use existing medical records, and your personal details will be kept private and handled with strict confidentiality by the researchers.

How to find out more

Claudia Spies, MD Prof.

claudia.spies@charite.de +49 30 450 551102 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.