Home based rehabilitation program for survivors of a critical illness: a randomised clinical trial
Key Objective
To test the effects of an eight-week home-based, individually tailored rehabilitation program on the health status and quality of life outcomes for the survivors of a critical illness
Over 130,000 Australians are admitted to intensive care units each year. Whilst survival rates are high, recovery post-discharge is often slow. Many patients suffer from de-conditioning as well as psychological distress. This study involves survivors of a critical illness, aged over 18 years, who have spent more than 48 hours in intensive care. Patients were recruited through eleven intensive care units around Australia. Recruits were randomly allocated to either intervention or control. Those allocated to intervention receive an individualised endurance and strength training program conducted at home over an eight-week period. Both the exercise and non-exercise groups were assessed at weeks 1, 8 and 26 (post hospital discharge) to examine physical functioning, exercise capacity, health related quality of life and psychological well-being.
Recruitment was slower than anticipated, commonly because of the requirements for home visits within a 30km radius (now nominal) of the recruitment site, and patients being transferred into the tertiary ICUs from outside local geographical catchment areas. There were 195 participants randomized, participant follow-up was completed in February 2009 and analysis has commenced.
In 2011 the following paper was published:
Elliott, D., McKinley, S.M., Alison, J.A., Aitken, L.M., King, M.T., Leslie, G., Kenny, P., Taylor, P.A., Foley, R. & Burmeister, E. 2011, Health-related quality of life and physical recovery after a critical illness: a multi-centre randomised controlled trial of a home-based physical rehabilitation program, Critical Care, vol. 15:R142
Funding source
NH&MRC Project Grant
CHERE staff
Patsy Kenny
Collaborators
Doug Elliott1, Sharon McKinley1, Jenny Alison2, Leanne Aitkin3 , Madeleine King4
- Faculty of Nursing & Midwifery USYD
- School of Physiotherapy, USYD
- Trauma Registry UQLD
- Psycho-oncology Co-operative Research Group, USYD
