Early mobilization of patients hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if early mobilization (EM) of hospitalized adults with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) reduces hospital length of stay.


METHODS
Group randomized trial.


METHODS
Three Midwestern hospitals.


METHODS
Four hundred fifty-eight patients with CAP admitted to 17 general medical units between November 1997 and April 1998.


METHODS
EM was defined as sitting out of bed or ambulating for at least 20 min during the first 24 h of hospitalization. Progressive mobilization occurred each subsequent day during hospitalization.


RESULTS
Intervention (n = 227) and usual-care patients (n = 231) were similar in age, gender, disease severity, door-to-drug delivery time, and IV-to-po switchover time. Hospital length of stay for EM vs usual care was significantly less (mean, 5.8 vs 6.9 days; adjusted absolute difference, 1.1 days; 95% confidence interval, 0.0 to 2.2 days). There were no differences in adverse events or other secondary outcomes between treatment groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Like patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction and total knee replacements, EM of hospitalized patients with CAP reduces overall hospital length of stay and institutional resources without increasing the risk of adverse outcomes.
Mundy
Linda M
LM
Division of Infectious Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 South Euclid, Campus Box 8051, St. louis, MO 63110, USA. lmundy@im.wustl.edu
Leet
Terry L
TL
Darst
Kate
K
Schnitzler
Mark A
MA
Dunagan
William Claiborne
WC
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000191:economics / Q000401:mortality / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D017046:Cost Savings / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004434:Early Ambulation / Q000191:economics / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008923:Missouri; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D018410:Pneumonia, Bacterial / Q000191:economics / Q000401:mortality / Q000534:rehabilitation*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents