Reduced physical functional performance before hospitalization predicts life support limitations and mortality in nonsurgical intensive care unit patients.

Objective: To assess whether scales of physical functional performance and the surprise question ("Would I be surprised if this patient died in 6 months?") predict life support limitations and mortality in critically ill nonsurgical patients.

Methods: We included 114 patients admitted from the Emergency Department to an intensive care unit in this prospective cohort. Physical functional performance was assessed by the Palliative Prognostic Score, Karnofsky Performance Status, and the Katz Activities of Daily Living scale.