Functional independence during hospitalization in patients with intensive care unit-acquired weakness.
Shinichi Watanabe, Tomohiro Yoshikawa, Yoshie Hirota and 6 others
PMID 40599842WHAT IT FOUND
Patients who developed ICU-acquired weakness had consistently lower daily living independence scores during hospitalization.
At discharge, 84% of this group had hospitalization-associated disability compared to 52% of those without weakness. Early targeted rehabilitation may be needed for these patients.
Key findings
01Barthel Index scores were significantly lower in the ICU-AW group at every time point from ICU discharge through hospital discharge.
02The incidence of hospitalization-associated disability was significantly higher in the ICU-AW group only at hospital discharge (84% vs 52%).
03Muscle strength scores at ICU discharge correlated with daily living independence scores, with the correlation strengthening as hospital discharge approached.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study included a relatively small number of patients, which limits the scope of the findings, particularly for subgroup analyses. Follow-up was incomplete for some patients due to early hospital discharge, which may have influenced the results at specific time points. Rehabilitation provided by nurses and on weekends varied between facilities depending on local policies and staff availability. The study design cannot prove that ICU-acquired weakness causes disability; it only shows an association. Patients had various medical and surgical conditions, which introduces heterogeneity in the sample.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest in relation to the work presented in the manuscript.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret this as evidence that early rehabilitation prevents ICU-acquired weakness or improves outcomes. This is an observational study showing that patients who already have the condition have worse functional outcomes. It does not test whether any specific intervention changed that trajectory.