Survivors of critical illness may need dedicated follow-up as long as six months after hospitalization to regain expected levels of physical activity, according to recent research presented at the American Thoracic Society International Conference.
“Limited data exist on physical activity levels in patients who survive the intensive care unit (ICU) as they recover and transition back into the community,” wrote the authors, led by Louisa Summers of Pulmonary Critical Care and Sleep Medicine at the University of Kentucky. “Prior data demonstrate that survivors of ICU have low levels of physical activity in the first week returning home from hospital. It remains unknown how activity levels change over the first six months after discharge.”
The researchers conducted a prospective observational study to measure daily step counts at three time points as an indication of ICU survivors’ physical activity through six months after hospitalization. They enrolled 43 adult patients who had been ambulatory prior to hospitalization and then had been diagnosed with acute hypoxic respiratory failure or sepsis. Their mean age was 55.9 years (standard deviation [SD], 12.9), and their mean body mass index was 28.5 kg/m² (SD, 6.3). Additionally, 40% of the study population was female. The patients stayed an average of 25.4 days in the hospital (SD, 20.5) and had an average of 5.1 days of mechanical ventilation (SD, 7.2). Upon discharge, 77% of patients went home, 16% went to an acute rehabilitation facility, and 7% went to long-term care.
Each patient wore an activity tracker for at least 10 days at three points in time: after hospital discharge, three months later, and at six months. The data indicated the following average step counts:
- After hospital discharge: 2,558 (SD, 2,044)
- Three months: 3,860 (SD, 2,741)
- Six months: 3,551 (SD, 2,000)
The authors noted a significant increase from discharge to three months, but a lack of progress from three to six months. They emphasized that activity levels at six months were well below the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines, which recommend 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per day, equivalent to 8,000–11,000 steps.
Reference Summers L, Gonzalez-Seguel F, Fresenko LE, et al. Physical activity levels in survivors of critical illness six months after hospitalization. Abstract #A1162. Presented at the American Thoracic Society International Conference; May 18-21, 2025; San Francisco, California.
