The impact of an early, viable, and low-cost mobilization protocol in critically ill patients: comparison with conventional physical therapy
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1590/Keywords:
Early Mobilization, Cost;, Physical Therapy, Low-Cost Technology, Intensive Care UnitAbstract
This study aims to analyze the outcomes of
applying an early mobilization protocol, using low-cost
interventions with the minimum necessary equipment in an
intensive care unit. A clinical trial, controlled and randomized,
conducted in collaboration with the Laboratory for
Assessment and Research in Cardiorespiratory Performance of the Department of Physical Therapy at the Federal University
of Minas Gerais and the Intensive Care Unit of Risoleta Tolentino
Neves Hospital in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, over a period of 5 months.
Patients were randomized into two groups (treatment n=67 and
control n=67). The primary outcome was days of discharge from
bed. Secondary outcomes included ICU length of stay, hospital
length of stay, hospitalization costs, time on mechanical ventilation,
ICU mortality, and hospital mortality. The group characteristics were
similar in the initial assessment. It was found that 61 patients (97%)
in the treatment group were discharged from bed compared to only
two patients (3%) in the control group. The proposed mobilization
protocol reduced hospitalization costs by 30.27%, an approximate
difference of R$7,000.00 per patient. The mean ICU stay time for
the treatment group was less than the control group. There were
no statistically significant differences in ICU hours, hospital length
of stay, or mechanical ventilation time. The results of this study
demonstrated that the application of a low-cost and minimally
equipped early mobilization protocol was safe and effective for
patients, promoting early discharge from bed
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Copyright (c) 2025 Rodrigo César Maia Moreira, Rodrigo Marques Tonella, Lucinara Martins Silva Tallarico, Taís Mendes de Camargo, Liliane Patrícia Souza Mendes, Mariana Hoffman Barbosa, Maria Clara Xavier Salles, Marcelo Velloso
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