Comparison of rehabilitation practices between sepsis and non sepsis patients during Intensive care hospitalization in cancer patients: a retrospective cohort study

Objective : Long-term outcomes of cancer patients with sepsis have garnered increasing attention, especially in severe rehabilitation. This study aims to explore the improvements in comprehensive motor ability and muscle strength through early rehabilitation treatment in cancer patients with sepsis. Method : A total of 171 cancer patients were included in this retrospective study. Muscle strength and motor ability were assessed using Medical Research Council score (MRC-SS) and Chelsea Critical Care Physical Assessment Tool (CPAx)；Wilcoxon signed-rank and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to assess improvements after rehabilitation as well as the differences between groups. Results : 1. Patients in the sepsis group exhibited slightly lower CPAx scores compared to the non sepsis group (z=-3.002, P =0.003). After early rehabilitation treatment, the CPAx scores were improved from 35 (IQR 33, 37) to 40 (IQR 38, 42), with significant differences observed in statistical analysis ( P <0.05); The MRC-SS scores were improved from 56 (IQR54, 56) to 56 (IQR56, 58), but the overall muscle strength score was slightly lower than that of non sepsis patients (z=-2.198, P <0.05). 2. Five patients were diagnosed with ICU-acquired weakness (ICU-AW), all of whom were sepsis patients multiple risk factors. Early rehabilitation did not yield significant improvements in muscle strength or motor ability in this subgroup. Conclusion : Early rehabilitation is essential for patients with sepsis to enhance motor activity and provide them a tangible sense of recovery. At the same time, the challenges of rehabilitation for critically ill patients with overlapping risks were also emphasized.