Effectiveness of exercise intervention on physical and health outcomes in patients admitted to an acute medical ward: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of inpatient medical ward exercise on physical and health outcomes in adults compared with usual care. DATA SOURCES: Medline, CINAHL and EMBASE were searched from inception to 20 April 2023. REVIEW METHODS: Randomised-controlled trials in English that reported physical and health outcomes of adults who received an exercise intervention on an acute medical ward were included. Two reviewers independently extracted data. Methodological quality was assessed using the PEDro and TESTEX scales. The GRADE rating assessed the quality of evidence to evaluate the certainty of effect. Meta-analyses were performed where possible. RESULTS: Thirteen studies were included, with 1273 unique participants (mean [SD] age, 75.5 [11] years), which compared exercise intervention with usual care. Low quality evidence demonstrated a significant improvement in aerobic capacity ([MD], 1.39 m [95% CI, 0.23, 2.55], p = 0.02) and maximum isometric strength ([MD], 2.3 kg [95% CI, 2.2, 2.4], p < 0.001) for the exercise intervention compared with usual care. Low quality evidence demonstrated no difference for in-hospital falls count ([OR], 1.93 [95% CI, 0.61, 6.12] p = 0.27) or mortality ([OR], 0.77 [95% CI, 0.48, 1.23], p = 0.27). Moderate quality evidence demonstrated no difference for length of stay ([MD], -0.10 days [95% CI, -0.31, 0.11] p = 0.36). CONCLUSION: Exercise prescribed during an acute medical ward stay improves aerobic capacity and maximum isometric strength but may not reduce length of stay, in-hospital falls or mortality.

Association between hospital-acquired functional decline and 2-year readmission or mortality after cardiac surgery in older patients: a multicenter, prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Hospital-acquired functional decline (HAFD) is a new predictor of poor prognosis in hospitalized older patients. AIMS: We aimed to assess the impact of HAFD on the prognosis of older cardiac surgical patients 2 years after discharge. METHODS: This multicenter prospective cohort study assessed 293 patients with cardiac disease aged ≥ 65 years who underwent cardiac surgery at 7 Japanese hospitals between June 2017 and June 2018. The primary endpoint was the composite outcome of cardiovascular-related readmission and all-cause mortality 2 years after discharge. HAFD was assessed using the total Short Physical Performance Battery at hospital discharge. RESULTS: The primary outcome was observed in 17.3% of the 254 included patients, and HAFD was significantly associated with the primary outcome. Female sex (hazard ratio [HR], 2.451; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.232-4.878; P = 0.011), hemoglobin level (HR, 0.839; 95% CI 0.705-0.997; P = 0.046), preoperative frailty (HR, 2.391; 95% CI 1.029-5.556; P = 0.043), and HAFD (HR, 2.589; 95% CI 1.122-5.976; P = 0.026) were independently associated with the primary outcome. The incidence rate of HAFD was 22%, with female sex (odds ratio [OR], 1.912; 95% CI 1.049-3.485; P = 0.034), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR, 3.958; 95% CI 1.413-11.086; P = 0.009), and the time interval (days) between surgery and the start of ambulation (OR, 1.260, 95% CI 1.057-1.502; P = 0.010) identified as significant factors. DISCUSSION: HAFD was found to be an independent prognostic determinant of the primary outcome 2 years after discharge. CONCLUSION: HAFD prevention should be prioritized in the hospital care of older cardiac surgery patients.

Hospital-associated deconditioning: Not only physical, but also cognitive.

INTRODUCTION: Hospital-associated deconditioning (HAD) or post-hospital syndrome is well recognized as reduced functional performance after an acute hospitalization. Recommendations for the management of HAD are still lacking, partly due to a poor understanding of the underlying processes. We aimed to review existing data on risk factors, pathophysiology, measurement tools, and potential interventions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a systematic review from bibliographical databases in English, Spanish and French with keywords such as 'post-hospitalization syndrome' or 'deconditioning'. We selected studies that included people aged 60 years or older. Three researchers independently selected articles and assessed their quality. RESULTS: From 4421 articles initially retrieved, we included 94 studies. Most were related to risk factors, trajectories and measures, and focused on the physical aspects of deconditioning. Risk factors for HAD included age, nutritional status, mobility, and pre-admission functional status, but also cognitive impairment and depression. Regarding interventions, almost all studies were devoted to physical rehabilitation and environmental modifications. Only one study focused on cognitive stimulation. DISCUSSION: In the last decade, studies on HAD have mostly focused on the physical domain. However, neurological changes may also play a role in the pathophysiology of HAD. Beyond physical interventions, cognitive rehabilitation and neurological interventions should also be evaluated to improve deconditioning prevention and treatment in the hospital setting.

Hospital-Acquired Functional Decline and Clinical Outcomes in Older Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess the relationship between hospital-acquired functional decline and the risk of mid-term all-cause death in older patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).Methods and Results:In total, 463 patients (mean age 85 years, interquartile range [IQR]: 82, 88) undergoing elective TAVI at Sakakibara Heart Institute between 2010 and 2018, who were followed up for 3 years, were enrolled in the study. Hospital-acquired functional decline after TAVI, which was defined by at least a 1-point decrease on the Short Physical Performance Battery before discharge compared to the preoperative score, was assessed. A total of 113 patients (24.4%) showed hospital-acquired functional decline after TAVI, and 50 (11.3%) patients died over a mean follow-up period of 1.9±0.8 years. Kaplan-Meier survival curves indicated that hospital-acquired functional decline was significantly associated with all-cause mortality (log-rank test, P=0.001). On multivariate Cox regression analysis, hospital-acquired functional decline was associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality (OR 2.108, 95% CI 1.119-3.968, P=0.021) independent of sex, body mass index, advanced chronic kidney disease, and preoperative frailty, as assessed by the modified essential frail toolkit. CONCLUSIONS: Hospital-acquired functional decline is associated with mid-term all-cause mortality in older patients following TAVI. Trajectory of functional status is a vital sign, and it is useful for risk stratification in older patients following TAVI.

Utility of Cardiac Rehabilitation for Long-Term Outcomes in Patients with Hospital-Acquired Functional Decline after Cardiac Surgery: A Retrospective Study.

Hospital-acquired functional decline is an important outcome that affects the long-term prognosis of patients after cardiac surgery. Phase II cardiac rehabilitation (CR) for outpatients is expected to improve prognosis; however, this is not clear in patients with hospital-acquired functional decline after cardiac surgery. Therefore, this study evaluated whether phase II CR improved the long-term prognosis of patients with hospital-acquired functional decline after cardiac surgery. This single-center, retrospective observational study included 2371 patients who required cardiac surgery. Hospital-acquired functional decline occurred in 377 patients (15.9%) after cardiac surgery. The mean follow-up period was 1219 ± 682 days in all patients, and there were 221 (9.3%) cases with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) after discharge during the follow-up period. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves indicated that hospital-acquired functional decline and non-phase II CR was associated with a higher incidence of MACE than other groups (log-rank, p < 0.001), additionally exhibiting prognosticating MACE in multivariate Cox regression analysis (HR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.01-2.50; p = 0.047). Hospital-acquired functional decline after cardiac surgery and non-phase II CR were risk factors for MACE. The participation in phase II CR in patients with hospital-acquired functional decline after cardiac surgery could reduce the risk of MACE.