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The utilization of physical therapy in a palliative care unit
Montagnini M, Lodhi M, Born W.. Journal of palliative medicine, 2003-02-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Background In the supportive oncology and palliative care settings, rehabilitation interventions are often overlooked and underutilized, despite high levels of functional disability in these patients. As a result, little is known about the utilization or effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions in palliative care populations. Objective To assess the utilization of physical therapy (PT) in a hospital-based palliative care unit, to characterize functional disabilities in patients who received PT, and to identify factors related to functional improvement following a course of PT. Methods Retrospective chart review of 100 patients (mean age 70 years, 97% male) discharged from the Milwaukee Veterans Hospital Palliative Care unit over 15 months. Activities of daily living (ADL) performance scores were recorded on admission, at 2 weeks, and at completion of the PT program and correlated with demographic and disease-related variables. Results Thirty-seven patients received a formal PT assessment, and 18 patients underwent PT. The most common functional disabilities in patients who received PT were deconditioning, pain, imbalance, and focal weakness. Ten patients demonstrated improvement in ADL function at 2 weeks. Six patients completed the course of PT. Albumin was significantly correlated with functional improvement. When controlling for albumin, patients with diagnosis of dementia were more likely to show improvement in functional status than patients without a dementia diagnosis. Conclusion PT assessment and utilization were uncommon in this group. When utilized, PT benefited 56% of patients. Factors related to functional improvement following a PT course were a higher albumin level and a diagnosis of dementia. Prospective trials of PT in palliative care patients are needed to better define response rate and predictors of response.
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APA 7th
Montagnini, M., Lodhi, M., & Born, W. (2003). The utilization of physical therapy in a palliative care unit. Journal of palliative medicine. https://doi.org/10.1089/10966210360510073
Vancouver
Montagnini M, Lodhi M, Born W. The utilization of physical therapy in a palliative care unit. Journal of palliative medicine. 2003. doi:10.1089/10966210360510073. PMID: 12710571.
BibTeX
@article{montagnini2003-12710571,
author = {Montagnini, M. and Lodhi, M. and Born, W.},
title = {{The utilization of physical therapy in a palliative care unit}},
journal = {Journal of palliative medicine},
year = {2003},
doi = {10.1089/10966210360510073},
pmid = {12710571},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1089/10966210360510073}
}
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Key findings
- As a result, little is known about the utilization or effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions in palliative care populations.
- Results Thirty-seven patients received a formal PT assessment, and 18 patients underwent PT.
- Ten patients demonstrated improvement in ADL function at 2 weeks.
- Albumin was significantly correlated with functional improvement.
Study details
- Participants100
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 45/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on journal's citation record, times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record and multi-centre collaboration, so those were left out: it earned 26 of the 58 points we could judge it on, which is 45 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of palliative medicine) |
| Journal's citation record | — / 4 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2003 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 100 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 12710571) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 26 / 58 | Scored on 11 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 26 of the 58 points we could judge it on is 45 out of 100. |
| Total | 45 / 100 | — |
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