Impact of comprehensive nursing care on prognosis and brain function impairment in ICU patients with septic shock based on magnetic resonance imaging and quantitative electroencephalography

Background and objective Patients with septic shock have a poor prognosis and often develop acute brain dysfunction, which significantly increases cognitive impairment, short-term neurological sequelae, and mortality. This investigation sought to determine the impact of a comprehensive nursing strategy on cerebral neural activity and clinical outcomes among individuals experiencing septic shock within the intensive care unit (ICU), utilizing resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) alongside quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG). Methods In this retrospective study, seventy patients diagnosed with septic shock were divided into routine group (receiving standard care, n = 35) and intervention group (receiving comprehensive nursing care, n = 35) according to the nursing intervention approach. Neural function was evaluated through rs-fMRI and qEEG; circulating concentrations of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), troponin T (TnT), and troponin I (TnI) were quantified via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); psychological distress was appraised using the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS). Additionally, variations in the duration of ICU stay and the length of mechanical ventilation were documented. Results Following the intervention, the intervention group exhibited a notable reduction in the ReHo value within the anterior cingulate cortex region relative to the routine group. Furthermore, the qEEG parameters demonstrated diminished energy in the δ and θ bands, alongside elevated energy in the α and β bands ( P < 0.05). Compared with the routine group, the intervention group showed markedly lower serum levels of BNP, TnT, and TnI, significantly reduced scores on the SAS and SDS, as well as substantially shortened ICU length of stay and reduced ventilator support time ( P < 0.05). Conclusion This study observed that comprehensive nursing for the patients with septic shock had better outcomes in terms of negative emotion scores, ICU length of stay, and duration of mechanical ventilation. The parameter changes obtained from rs-fMRI and qEEG can reflect the short-term evolutionary trends of cerebral functional status in patients with septic shock, providing quantifiable objective indicators for bedside neurological function monitoring.