Most Patients With Severe COVID-19 Improved Significantly in LTACHs

Rehabilitation services at a long-term acute care hospital (LTACH) appeared to aid in the recovery of patients with severe COVID-19, according to a single-center retrospective study published in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

The paper focused on outcomes of 117 patients with COVID-19 discharged from short-term acute care to an LTACH in the Northeastern United States through mid-August 2020.

Of the 117 patients admitted during the 4.5-month period, 108 had been discharged from the LTACH by the study’s end. Among those discharged, the mean length of stay at the LTACH was 25.5 days.

Between admission and discharge, 83% of nonambulatory patients (40/48) achieved ambulation, 93.8% of patients on mechanical ventilation (15/16) were weaned from ventilators, and 74.7% of patients (56/75) prescribed a modified diet or nothing by mouth were eating a regular diet, according to the study.

“The vast majority of patients treated at a long-term acute care hospital for severe COVID-19 and related complications improved significantly through coordinated care and rehabilitation, including improvements in functional status, cognitive communication abilities, and pulmonary measures,” researchers wrote, “indicating a possible benefit of structured rehabilitation in the postacute phase of COVID-19.”

Reference:
Grevelding P, Hrdlicka H, Holland S, et al. Outcomes of and lessons learned from patients with severe COVID-19 in a long-term acute care hospital. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2021;102(4):e3-e4. doi:10.1016/j.apmr.2021.01.013