Early rehabilitation in a critically ill inpatient with COVID-19 #MMPMID33000931
Beom J; Jung J; Hwang IC; Cho YJ; Kim ES; Kim HB; Lim JY; Song KH
Eur J Phys Rehabil Med 2020[Dec]; 56 (6): 858-861 PMID33000931show ga
BACKGROUND: Survivors of critical coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) suffer from severe physical functional disability. Recent reports from several countries suggest that rehabilitative intervention is needed to improve physical functional decline in the challenging situation of COVID-19. CASE REPORT: A 58-year-old woman, previously without gait difficulty, was diagnosed with COVID-19 requiring endotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation. She also developed stress-induced cardiomyopathy. After management in intensive care unit for 15 days, she could not sit on a bed without back support. After receiving short-term inpatient rehabilitation therapy, lower limb muscle strength, balance function, and gait speed had rapidly and significantly improved at the time of hospital discharge and at 1-month follow-up. CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT: As COVID-19 tends to progress rapidly in the acute phase, early rehabilitation is necessary, despite challenges to its implementation. Feasible inpatient rehabilitation for patients with critical COVID-19 will pave the way to improve physical functional disability.
Eur+J+Phys+Rehabil+Med 2020 ; 56 (6): 858-861
