Background
Several studies have described improved outcomes for HIV‐infected patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) since the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). A study was undertaken to examine the outcome from the ICU for HIV‐infected patients and to identify prognostic factors.

Methods
A retrospective study of HIV‐infected adults admitted to a university affiliated hospital ICU between January 1999 and December 2005 was performed. Information was collected on patient demographics, receipt of HAART (no patient began HAART on the ICU), reason for ICU admission and hospital course. Outcomes were survival to ICU discharge and to hospital discharge.

Results
102 patients had 113 admissions to the ICU; HIV infection was newly diagnosed in 31 patients. Survival (first episode ICU discharge and hospital discharge) was 77% and 68%, respectively, compared with 74% and 65% for general medical patients. ICU and hospital survival was 78% and 67% in those receiving HAART, and 75% and 66% in those who were not. In univariate analysis, factors associated with survival were: haemoglobin (OR = 1.25, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.51, for an increase of 1 g/dl), CD4 count (OR = 1.59, 95% CI 0.98 to 2.58, for a 10‐fold increase in cells/µl), APACHE II score (OR = 0.51, 95% CI 0.29 to 0.90, for a 10 unit increase) and mechanical ventilation (OR = 0.29, 95% CI 0.10 to 0.83).

Conclusions
The outcome for HIV‐infected patients admitted to the ICU was good and was comparable to that in general medical patients. More than a quarter of patients had newly diagnosed HIV infection. Patients receiving HAART did not have a better outcome.

The goals of the presentation are to help the audience to understand: the types of PICS, what makes up PICS, the "burden of survivorship", and some novel interventions for treatment of PICS.

Specialists in intensive care medicine have long focused on the prevention of short-term mortality. As intensive care unit (ICU) mortality continues to improve, interest in outcome measures has expanded to include the morbidity and mortality of survivors. Over the last 10 years it has been increasingly recognised that critical illness is a medical condition itself, irrespective of the underlying cause for ICU admission, and patients experience physical, psychological, and cognitive dysfunction after hospital discharge (Figure 1). However, because relatively few patients ultimately require critical care, many GPs may have little contact with these patients. It may therefore be difficult to provide the additional support required by ICU survivors. This short paper highlights some of the physical and psychological difficulties that patients face after discharge from ICUs, and will hopefully help GPs to plan long-term management of their patients in the community.