A matched quasi-experiment in 54 abdominal-aortic-aneurysm surgery patients found 3.19 points higher Barthel scores and fewer complications with nurse-led rehabilitation than standard care. Without randomization and with outcomes only by discharge or day five, residual differences in patients, surgery, and care cannot be excluded.
Key findings
- Mean functional capacity was 12.30±2.95 versus 9.11±5.56, a 3.19-point difference (95% CI 0.74-5.64; p=0.012). Complications occurred in 59.3% versus 85.2%, absolute risk reduction 25.9% (95% CI 3.2-48.6%; p=0.033), with a calculated NNT of 3.86.
Why this matters globally
A structured nursing program may standardize mobilization and recovery after major surgery where rehabilitation teams are limited, but the observed NNT should not be generalized.
Thai researcher contribution
Nakornping Hospital and Payap University's McCormick Faculty of Nursing developed the intervention within a Thai vascular-surgery workflow.
Limitations to consider
The study was unrandomized, unblinded, small, and four months long, with no comparable baseline Barthel outcome after matching. Timing at discharge or day five may depend on severity and policy; complications combine heterogeneous events without reported adjudication. TCTR20260702010 appears registered after the study period, limiting prospective protocol verification.