I-SAVE Study: Impact of Sedation, Analgesia, and Delirium Protocols Evaluated in the Intensive Care Unit: An Economic Evaluation

The mean total cost of ICU hospitalization decreased by $932.74 after implementing a management protocol for sedation, analgesia, and delirium.

• A total of 1214 patients were included in the analysis, with 604 in the preprotocol group and 610 in the postprotocol group.
• ICU length of stay and duration of mechanical ventilation were shorter in the postprotocol group, with significant reductions observed (5.43 days vs. 6.39 days for ICU stay; 5.95 days vs. 7.27 days for mechanical ventilation).
• The proportion of patients achieving targeted sedation levels increased significantly, with Richmond Agitation and Sedation scores between -1 and +1 rising from 57.0% to 66.2%.
• Patients reporting low pain levels (numeric rating scale of 1 or less) increased from 56.3% to 66.6% after protocol implementation.
• The incidence of delirium remained unchanged between the two groups.

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