%0 Journal Article %T Early physical rehabilitation dosage in the intensive care unit associates with hospital outcomes after critical COVID-19. %A Mayer KP %A Haezebrouck E %A Ginoza LM %A Martinez C %A Jan M %A Michener LA %A Fresenko LE %A Montgomery-Yates AA %A Kalema AG %A Pastva AM %A Biehl M %A Mart MF %A Johnson JK %J Crit Care %V 28 %N 1 %D 2024 Jul 18 %M 39026370 %F 19.334 %R 10.1186/s13054-024-05035-6 %X OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between physical rehabilitation parameters including an approach to quantifying dosage with hospital outcomes for patients with critical COVID-19.
METHODS: Retrospective practice analysis from March 5, 2020, to April 15, 2021.
METHODS: Intensive care units (ICU) at four medical institutions.
METHODS: n = 3780 adults with ICU admission and diagnosis of COVID-19.
METHODS: We measured the physical rehabilitation treatment delivered in ICU and patient outcomes: (1) mortality; (2) discharge disposition; and (3) physical function at hospital discharge measured by the Activity Measure-Post Acute Care (AM-PAC) "6-Clicks" (6-24, 24 = greater functional independence). Physical rehabilitation dosage was defined as the average mobility level scores in the first three sessions (a surrogate measure of intensity) multiplied by the rehabilitation frequency (PT + OT frequency in hospital).
RESULTS: The cohort was a mean 64 ± 16 years old, 41% female, mean BMI of 32 ± 9 kg/m2 and 46% (n = 1739) required mechanical ventilation. For 2191 patients who received rehabilitation, the dosage and AM-PAC at discharge were moderately, positively associated (Spearman's rho [r] = 0.484, p < 0.001). Multivariate linear regression (model adjusted R2 = 0.68, p < 0.001) demonstrates mechanical ventilation (β = - 0.86, p = 0.001), average mobility score in first three sessions (β = 2.6, p < 0.001) and physical rehabilitation dosage (β = 0.22, p = 0.001) were predictive of AM-PAC scores at discharge when controlling for age, sex, BMI, and ICU LOS.
CONCLUSIONS: Greater physical rehabilitation exposure early in the ICU is associated with better physical function at hospital discharge.