Relationship Between the Frequency and Duration of Physical Therapy and Hospitalization-associated Disability Among Geriatric Patients with Heart Failure.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the frequency and duration of physical therapy (PT) and the development of hospitalization-associated disability (HAD) in hospitalized geriatric patients with heart failure (HF).

Methods: This single-center, retrospective, observational study included hospitalized patients with HF aged 65 years or older who had received PT. Data regarding demographics, comorbidities, laboratory findings, medications, rehabilitation, and activities of daily living (ADLs) status were collected from electronic medical records. Based on the average frequency and duration of PT, patients were divided into three groups: Group 1, ≥3 days/week and ≥120 minutes/week; Group 2, ≥3 days/week and <120 minutes/week; and Group 3, <3 days/week and <120 minutes/week. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the association between the average frequency and duration of weekly PT and the incidence of HAD.

Results: In all, 105 patients (mean age, 84.8 years; proportion of women, 59%) were enrolled in the study, and 43 (41.0%) patients exhibited HAD at discharge. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, Group 2 (odds ratio [OR], 3.66) and Group 3 (OR, 6.71) had a significantly elevated risk of developing HAD using Group 1 as the reference, even after adjusting for age, ADLs before admission, cognitive function, and severity of HF.

Conclusion: This study showed that a lower frequency and shorter duration of PT are associated with developing HAD in hospitalized geriatric patients with HF. However, further prospective studies are required to confirm these findings.