Neuroanesthesia & neurocritical care
Frequency of physical and occupational therapy in the ICU for patients with cognitive motor dissociation: a retrospective cohort study
Main finding · GOS-E increase at 6 and 12 months after dischargeResult — go to the resultOdds ratio 10.7 CI 2.5,48.8Authors' conclusion
Physical and occupational therapy can be applied in the ICU using a safety protocol and CMD patients may be particularly responsive to early, intense therapy.
Study context
- Population
- ICU patients with acute, severe brain injury assessed with the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R)
- Participants
- 119 patients
- Exposure
- Cognitive motor dissociation (CMD) vs no CMD, by frequency of early physical/occupational therapy
- CMDn = 16
- Outcome
- Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOS-E)
- Follow-up
- Discharge, 3, 6, and 12 months
Methodological detailsretrospective analysis of prospectively collected data, blinded to CMD status
- Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data
- Blinded to CMD status
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
GOS-E increase at 6 and 12 months after discharge · 6 and 12 months
Odds ratio
10.7
CI 2.5,48.8
P = 0.001
CMD with high-frequency therapy vs No CMD or no high-frequency therapy
OR 10.7 (CI 2.5,48.8); P = 0.001
- Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOS-E) 4 or above by 12 months after injury
- 26 (26%)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Delta GCS between admission and discharge
| OR (CI) | P value | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| CMD with high-frequency therapyMedian delta GCS highest | 4.1 (1.1–16.3) | P = 0.03 | |
| 0.050.21520Odds ratio (log scale) |
- GCS improved for all patients
Association of CMD with demographics or clinical factors
- CMD not associated with demographics or clinical factors
Safety
- No therapy-related complications observed
Original publication
Frequency of physical and occupational therapy in the ICU for patients with cognitive motor dissociation: a retrospective cohort study. Crit Care. Published 9 December 2025. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →