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. 2025 May 25;15(5):2427-2438.
doi: 10.62347/UVQC5990. eCollection 2025.

Multidisciplinary collaborative approach to cardiopulmonary rehabilitation in cancer patients with intensive care unit-acquired weakness: a clinical efficacy and safety analysis

Ming Yao  1 , Li Zhang  2 , Meng Ai  1 , Haiyan Chen  1 , Lu Zhang  3 , Yanshun Wei  4 , Dandan Wang  5 , Yajie Jia  6
Affiliations

Multidisciplinary collaborative approach to cardiopulmonary rehabilitation in cancer patients with intensive care unit-acquired weakness: a clinical efficacy and safety analysis

Ming Yao et al. Am J Cancer Res. .

Abstract

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a multidisciplinary team (MDT)-based cardiopulmonary rehabilitation model in patients with intensive care unit-acquired weakness (ICU-AW).

Methods: Between January 2020 and June 2023, 80 ICU patients were enrolled: 40 received standard cardiopulmonary rehabilitation (control group), and 40 underwent MDT-based rehabilitation (observation group). Outcome measures included ICU-AW incidence, muscle strength Medical Research Council (MRC) scores, upper/lower limb strength, Barthel Index Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II scores, duration of ICU and hospital stay, mechanical ventilation time, complications, and patient satisfaction. Predictive variables for ICU-AW were also analyzed.

Results: On days 4 and 7 post-intervention, ICU-AW incidence was significantly lower in the observation group (both P < 0.05). MRC scores, limb muscle strength, Barthel Index, and satisfaction were significantly higher in the observation group (all P < 0.05), while SOFA, APACHE II scores, ICU stay, hospital stay, and ventilation duration were significantly lower (all P < 0.05). SOFA scores declined from day 5, with lower values in the observation group (P < 0.05). The risk of ICU-AW in the observation group was a significant reduction in risk than in the control group (OR = 0.067, 95% CI: 0.005-0.606, P = 0.017). No significant differences in complications were observed (P > 0.05).

Conclusions: MDT-based cardiopulmonary rehabilitation significantly improves muscle strength, functional status, and patient satisfaction, while reducing ICU-AW incidence, ICU and hospital stay, and ventilation duration. These findings support its broader clinical application in ICU-AW management.

Keywords: Multidisciplinary collaboration; cardiopulmonary rehabilitation; efficacy observation.

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Conflict of interest statement

None.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The recruitment diagram of the subjects.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Comparison of muscle strength assessment indicators between two groups. Note: A: MRC scores; B: Upper limb muscle strength scores; C: Lower limb muscle strength scores; MRC, Medical Research Council; *: P < 0.05; **: P < 0.01; ***: P < 0.001.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Comparison of mean daily MRC score, Barthel index and SOFA score per trial day 0-7 for the two groups. Note: A: MRC scores; B: Barthel index; C: SOFA scores; MRC, Medical Research Council; SOFA, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment; *: P < 0.05; **: P < 0.01.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Comparison of treatment duration parameters between the two groups. Note: *: P < 0.05; **: P < 0.01.
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