RESUMO
BACKGROUND: A prolonged stay in the intensive care (ICU) is associated with physical function decline following cardiac surgery. To predict physical function decline after cardiac surgery, it may be important to evaluate physical function in the ICU. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine that physical function examination at ICU discharge was independently associated with physical functional decline at hospital discharge in elderly patients who had undergone cardiac surgery and prolonged the ICU stay. METHODS: We assessed physical function before and after cardiac surgery in elderly patients who had spent ≥72 h in the ICU in this retrospective cohort study using the short physical performance battery (SPPB). At hospital discharge, a decrease of at least 1 point on the SPPB was considered a postoperative physical functional decline. Postoperative physical functional decline at hospital discharge was predicted using multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: We revealed postoperative physical functional deterioration in 28.0% of patients who spent ≥72 h in the ICU following cardiac surgery. The Medical Research Council sum score (MRC-SS) (OR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.82-0.99) and mechanical ventilation days (OR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.01-1.64) were independently associated with physical functional decline at hospital discharge. CONCLUSIONS: Physical function at ICU discharge and mechanical ventilation days were predictors of postoperative physical functional decline at hospital discharge in patients. MRC-SS was more accurate in predicting postoperative physical functional decline at hospital discharge when performed at the time of ICU discharge.