Objectives:
Increased long-term impairment is common among intensive care unit (ICU) survivors.
However, predictors of activities of daily living (ADL) in ICU survivors are poorly
understood. We aimed to focus on the trajectory of physical function and explore the
clinical variables that affect ADL at hospital discharge.
Methods:
We enrolled 411 patients admitted to the ICU from April 2018 to October 2020. Physical
function was evaluated at ICU admission, ICU discharge, and hospital discharge. We
assessed physical function (grip strength, arm and calf circumference, quadriceps
thickness, and Barthel index). Patients were assigned to the high or low ADL group based
on their Barthel index at discharge. Propensity score matching analysis was performed to
minimize selection biases and differences in clinical characteristics.
Results:
After matching propensity scores, 114 of the 411 patients (aged 65±15 years) were
evaluated. The high ADL group showed better physical function at ICU discharge and
hospital discharge than the low ADL group. An overall decreasing trend in muscle mass
was observed over time; the rates of decline were lower in the high ADL group than in
the low ADL group. The cutoff values for relative changes in calf circumference and
quadriceps thickness to predict high ADL were −7.89% (sensitivity: 77.8%, specificity:
55.6%) and −28.1% (sensitivity: 81.0%, specificity: 58.8%), respectively.
Conclusions:
The relative decreases in calf circumference and quadriceps thickness during
hospitalization were lower in patients who maintained their ADL. Assessment of the
trajectory of physical function can predict ADL status at hospital discharge among ICU
survivors.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.