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. 2019 Oct-Dec;31(4):529-535.
doi: 10.5935/0103-507X.20190066.

Patient functionality and walking speed after discharge from the intensive care unit

[Article in Portuguese, English]
Priscila Becker da Silva  1 , Laura Jurema Dos Santos  2
Affiliations

Patient functionality and walking speed after discharge from the intensive care unit

[Article in Portuguese, English]
Priscila Becker da Silva et al. Rev Bras Ter Intensiva. 2019 Oct-Dec.

Abstract
in English, Portuguese

Objective: To measure and compare the functionality of patients after discharge from the intensive care unit and at the time of hospital discharge.

Methods: Quantitative study of a prospective cohort performed between August of 2016 and December of 2017 at a university hospital. A 10-meter walk test was performed at 2 timepoints: after discharge from the intensive care unit and prior to hospital discharge. The data were analyzed using Student's t-test and Pearson or Spearman correlation. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 21.0 was used for the analysis, and p ≤ 0.05 was adopted as the level of significance.

Results: Forty patients, with a mean age of 57.1 ± 12.2 years and with a predominance of males (60%), were evaluated. For the post-intensive care unit test, a mean speed of 0.48m/s was observed, and for the pre-hospital discharge test, there was an increase to 0.71m/s, evidencing functional evolution during the hospital stay (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: There was significant improvement in walking speed at the time of hospital discharge when compared to the walking speed at the time of intensive care unit discharge.

Objetivo: Mensurar e comparar a funcionalidade de pacientes após alta da unidade de terapia intensiva e no momento da alta hospitalar.

Métodos: Pesquisa quantitativa de coorte prospectiva realizada entre agosto de 2016 e dezembro de 2017 em um hospital universitário. Foi realizado o teste de caminhada de 10m em dois momentos: após a alta da unidade de terapia intensiva e anteriormente à alta hospitalar. Os dados foram expressos pelos testes t de Student e a correlação de Pearson ou Spearman. O programa utilizado para análise foi o Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS), versão 21.0, e o nível de significância adotado foi de p ≤ 0,05.

Resultados: Foram avaliados 40 pacientes, com média de idade de 57,1 ± 12,2 anos, com predomínio do sexo masculino (60%). No teste pós-unidade de terapia intensiva verificou-se média de velocidade de 0,48m/s e no pré-alta hospitalar, houve aumento para 0,71m/s, evidenciando evolução da funcionalidade durante a internação hospitalar (p < 0,001).

Conclusão: Houve melhora significativa da velocidade da marcha no momento da alta hospitalar quando comparada com a velocidade atingida no momento da alta da unidade de terapia intensiva.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: None.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart representing the individuals who participated in the study and those lost to follow-up.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Speed on the 10-meter walk test. 95%CI- 95% confidence interval; ICU - intensive care unit. Mean ± standard deviation. Post-intensive care unit = 0.48 ± 0.18m/s; Pre-hospital discharge = 0.71 ± 0.20m/s; difference (95% confidence interval) = 0.24 (0.20 - 0.27); p < 0.001.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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