Mixed
Early mobilization or active exercise in the ICU does not currently have sufficient evidence to confirm improvements in physical function, muscle strength, or quality of life for critically ill adults, despite being feasible and generally safe.
While early movement in the ICU is considered safe and feasible, current evidence does not strongly confirm that it significantly improves physical function, muscle strength, or quality of life compared to usual care. Clinicians should prioritize safety and feasibility, but should not expect guaranteed functional improvements based on current data.
There is insufficient evidence on the effect of early mobilization of critically ill people in the ICU on physical function or performance, adverse events, muscle strength and health-related quality of life at this time.
Why this rating
The review explicitly states 'low-quality evidence' due to high risk of bias, imprecision, and heterogeneity across only four small RCTs.
Source
Early intervention (mobilization or active exercise) for critically ill adults in the intensive care unit
Katherine A Doiron et al. · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2018
DOI 10.1002/14651858.cd010754.pub2
Related findings · Mixed
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