Rehabilitation and early mobilization in the critical patient: systematic review.
Patricia Arias-Fernández, Macarena Romero-Martin, Juan Gómez-Salgado and 1 others
PMID 30214124WHAT IT FOUND
Early mobilization in ICU patients showed mixed results.
Some studies found improved muscle strength and walking distance at discharge, while others showed no difference in functional recovery. Most included trials had low methodological quality, making firm conclusions about effectiveness difficult.
Key findings
01Two studies found early mobilization increased muscle strength at discharge from the ICU.
02Three studies found the intervention significantly improved mobility (distance walked) at hospital discharge.
03One large study found no differences in functional physical recovery between the intervention and usual care groups.
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
Most included studies had low methodological quality, particularly regarding blinding of therapists and participants. The interventions were highly heterogeneous, varying in type, frequency, intensity, and start time. Control groups received varying levels of usual care, making comparisons difficult. The review found conflicting results across studies, with some showing benefit and others showing no difference.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest and stated the work received no funding.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume early mobilization prevents ICU-acquired weakness. The review found no statistically significant difference in the incidence of ICU-acquired weakness between intervention and control groups.