Relationship between potential barriers to early mobilization in adult patients during intensive care stay using the Perme ICU Mobility score

BACKGROUND: Identifying barriers to early mobilization is essential for the management of patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Our objective was to identify the potential barriers to early mobilization in adult patients using the Perme ICU Mobility Score (Perme Score) and its relationship with days of mechanical ventilation (MV) and length of stay in ICU. METHODS: This was a pilot, observational, and prospective study. We included 142 adult patients admitted to a 14-bed ICU, in a fourth-level complexity hospital in Cali, Colombia. The Perme Score was used to evaluate potential barriers to mobility. We used the Spearman’s correlation coefficient to find potential correlations between the number of barriers to mobility per patient and the duration of MV and ICU stay. RESULTS: We identified significant inverse correlations between total days in MV and the total score of barriers to mobility at ICU admission (r = –0.773; p < 0.05) and at ICU discharge (r = –0.559; p < 0.05). Also, between ICU length of stay and total score of barriers to mobility at ICU admission (r = –0.420; p < 0.05) and at ICU discharge (r = –0.283; p < 0.05). Moreover, we found a significant correlation between total score of the barriers item and total Perme score (r = 0.91; p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Using the Perme Score we identified potential barriers to mobility upon admission to the ICU that were maintained until discharge. Our findings indicate a strong positive correlation at ICU admission between the total Perme Score and the total score of “Category #2 – Potential Mobility Barriers” in the Perme Score.