Predictive validity of CPAx-NOR in critically ill adult patients requiring intubation and mechanical ventilation over 48 hours

<bold>Background:</bold> The Chelsea Critical Care Physical Assessment Tool (CPAx) has been recommended to monitor rehabilitation progress in critical care (Aasland, 2021). The CPAx has been translated into Norwegian (CPAx-NOR), warranting studies on its clinimetric properties. <bold>Aims:</bold> To investigate change in CPAx-NOR scores over time and the relationship between scores and patients ́ hospital discharge locations. <bold>Methods:</bold> Fifteen independently mobile patients (10 males, median (range) age 71 (52, 78) years, 80% ≥3 comorbidities) were recruited from a general ICU at Akershus University Hospital, Norway, for a prospective quality improvement project. Patients were scored with CPAx-NOR at ICU admission, discharge, and hospital discharge. Change in scores, differences across discharge locations, and association between CPAx-NOR and discharge locations were explored. <bold>Results:</bold> CPAx-NOR scores increased significantly across timepoints from median (range) 2 (0, 17) to 38 (30.5, 44) to 47 (41, 49) (p<0.001) between ICU admission, discharge and hospital discharge. Effect size was only significant between ICU admission and hospital discharge (r=082, p<0.001). ANOVA revealed significant differences in distribution of CPAx-NOR scores at hospital discharge for different discharge locations (p=0.034). These differences were not maintained when explored in combination with independent variables in logistic regression (p>0.05). <bold>Conclusion:</bold> Whilst there appeared to be a trend towards greater CPAx-NOR scores being associated with better discharge location, the small sample size and single-centre design is a limitation and future multi-centre studies across different regions are warranted.