Patients in the intensive care unit often face long recovery times. They need ways to feel better without relying solely on medicine. A large analysis looked at non-drug methods like keeping a diary, doing gentle exercises, or using a bundle of standard care steps. The goal was to see if these actions helped people feel physically and mentally stronger after leaving the hospital.
The study looked at 2,654 adults who received various non-drug interventions. Some kept an ICU diary, others did cognitive therapy with a mobile app, and some used electrical stimulation to help muscles move. The researchers compared these methods to usual care or other non-drug approaches. They measured health-related quality of life using standard tools.
The results did not show clear winners. None of the methods reached statistical significance, meaning the data did not prove one method worked better than another. The ABCDE bundle and ICU diary appeared most promising, but the numbers were uncertain. Safety was not a concern as no adverse events were reported. Experts say these findings must be interpreted cautiously and that further high-quality trials are needed to confirm what truly helps patients recover.