Rehabilitation & PICS
The Rehabilitation & PICS section is led by Stefan Schaller.
Rehabilitation & PICS News
WhatsApp Community
If you want to stay up to date about everything happening within the Rehabilitation & PICS section, join the WhatsApp Community here.
Please contact the Section Chair (2025-2027: Stefan Schaller, +43 1 40400-41020) with any questions related to the Section.
History
The Section Rehabilitation & PICS (PICS = Post Intensive Care Syndrome) was applied in Summer 2025 by Prof. Stefan Schaller and approved by the Executive Committee and the Council on 26 October 2025.
Activities & Focus Areas
The Section meets regularly to develop, support, and share scientific and educational initiatives, including: multicentre research on ICU-acquired weakness, cognitive and emotional sequelae, frailty, and long-term functional outcomes; implementation frameworks for early mobilisation in the ICU; long-term follow-up and survivorship programmes (including digital health); development and harmonisation of standardised outcome measures and core datasets for recovery and PICS/PICS-F research; and contribution to ESICM educational activities throughout the year and at LIVES.
Resources
Education
Webinars and Podcasts
Webinars
– Post Intensive Care Syndrome
– Improving comfort and safety in the ICU
– COVID-19 N&AHP Marathon Webinar – the three ‘R’s: Rehabilitate, Recover, Reflect – Part 1
Podcasts
– Prehabilitation in the ICU
– Unmet Needs in PICS: Are We Measuring What Matters?
Free webinars and podcasts are available for members & non members on LIVES-STREAM.
Use your ESICM credentials or create an account
Research
Projects
ERUPT
ESICM-endorsed study: Early rehabilitation of intensive care unit patients – a multinational prospective observational study on dosage and outcome. Schaller – International Recruiting starting Jan 2026
PICS-DACH
This is a research consortium of the German speaking countries (DE, CH, AT) investigating PICS risk factors and PICS. Weiß – Consortium built, Patient recruiting starting Q1 2026.
Guidelines and consensus statement
2025
Australian clinical practice guideline for physical rehabilitation and mobilisation in adult intensive care units. Australian guideline on early mobilization – 2025. https://www.australiancriticalcare.com/article/S1036-7314(25)00065-7/fulltext
2024
Schaller, S.J., Scheffenbichler, F.T., Bein, T. et al. Guideline on positioning and early mobilisation in the critically ill by an expert panel. Intensive Care Med 50, 1211–1227 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-024-07532-2
2023
Renner, C., Jeitziner, MM., Albert, M. et al. Guideline on multimodal rehabilitation for patients with post-intensive care syndrome. Crit Care 27, 301 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13054-023-04569-5
2022
S2e Guideline on Multimodal Neurorehabilitation Concepts for Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS) – 2022. https://register.awmf.org/de/leitlinien/detail/080-007
2021
– Robba, C., Wong, A., Poole, D. et al. Basic ultrasound head-to-toe skills for intensivists in the general and neuro intensive care unit population: consensus and expert recommendations of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine Intensive Care Med 47, 1347–1367 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-021-06486-z
– Instruments to measure outcomes of post-intensive care syndrome in outpatient care settings – Results of an expert consensus and feasibility field test. Weiß – 2021. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1751143720923597
2020
Vlaar, A.P., Oczkowski, S., de Bruin, S. et al. Transfusion strategies in non-bleeding critically ill adults: a clinical practice guideline from the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine. Intensive Care Med 46, 673–696 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00134-019-05884-8
Relevant Literature
– Piva, S., Langouche, L. & Mohammed, A. A new era for ICU-acquired weakness research—from mechanisms to meaningful recovery. Intensive Care Med 52, 340–342 (2026).
– Watland, S., Solberg Nes, L., Ekeberg, Ø. et al. Effects of The Caregiver Pathway intervention on symptoms of post-intensive care syndrome among family caregivers to critically ill patients: long-term results from a randomized controlled trial. Intensive Care Med 51, 2042–2053 (2025).
– Rousseau, AF., Fraipont, V. & Preiser, JC. Post-intensive care syndrome is a potential consequence of critical care: can intensivists afford to look away?. Intensive Care Med 51, 2135–2140 (2025).
Useful links
- Functional measurements: https://www.improvelto.com/
- Mobilization Network: https://mobilization-network.org/category/icu-care/
- Resources of the ICU Rehab Network: https://icurehabnetwork.org/resources/