[Impact of hospitalization in an intensive care unit on range of motion of critically ill patients: a pilot study].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the joint range of motion of critically ill patients during hospitalization in the intensive care unit.


METHODS
This work was a prospective longitudinal study conducted in a critical care unit of a public hospital in the city of Salvador (BA) from September to November 2010. The main variable evaluated was the passive joint range of motion. A goniometer was used to measure the elbows, knees and ankles at the time of admission and at discharge. All patients admitted in the period were included other than patients with length of stay <72 hours and patients with reduced joint range of motion on admission.


RESULTS
The sample consisted of 22 subjects with a mean age of 53.5±17.6 years, duration of stay in the intensive care unit of 13.0±6.0 days and time on mechanical ventilation of 12.0±6.3 days. The APACHE II score was 28.5±7.3, and the majority of patients had functional independence at admission with a prior Barthel index of 88.8±19. The losses of joint range of motion were 11.1±2.1°, 11.0±2.2°, 8.4±1.7°, 9.2±1.6°, 5.8±0.9° and 5.1±1.0°, for the right and left elbows, knees and ankles, respectively (p<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
There was a tendency towards decreased range of motion of large joints such as the ankle, knee and elbow during hospitalization in the intensive care unit.
Departamento de Pesquisa, Grupo Reative, Salvador, BA, Brasil.
Balbino Rivail Ventura
BR
Nepomuceno
Departamento de Fisioterapia, Hospital Aliança, Salvador, BA, Brasil.
Bruno Prata
BP
Martinez
Departamento de Fisioterapia, Hospital Aliança, Salvador, BA, Brasil.
Mansueto
M
Gomes Neto
D018806:APACHE; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000843:Ankle Joint / Q000473:pathology*; D053587:Arthrometry, Articular; D016638:Critical Illness; D004551:Elbow Joint / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000473:pathology*; D007902:Length of Stay; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000706:statistics & numerical data