A Novel Approach to Inpatient Pediatric Physical Activity Measurement - The 6th Vital Sign

Purpose:

A nearly universal aspect of hospitalization is a loss of physical activity due to confinement to bed, deconditioning, respiratory compromise, and pain with recovery comprising multifactorial components such as the return to activity, adequate pain control, and overall neurologic function. Assessment of recovery from surgery and the ability to return to full, normal activity has previously been dependent upon subjective clinical evaluation that are subject to observer-to-observer variability, selection bias, or variable interpretation of the qualitative description of movement. Bedside assessments utilizing an accelerometer could change clinical practice by having readily available, quantifiable, reliable and highly accurate data for healthcare providers when they make day-to-day decisions of medical care, as. The present study aims to establish the feasibility of the clinical use of 3-axis accelerometers to measure physical activity in the hospitalized children after abdominal surgery.

Methods:

Participants:

The target study population will be 25 English- or Spanish-speaking children ages 3-18 undergoing elective abdominal surgery with anticipated overnight hospitalization of at least one day. Children must be freely ambulatory without any pre-existing mobility-limitations. Study enrollment and recruitment will occur in Lurie outpatient urology and pediatric surgery clinics over a 6 month period. Parental/guardian consent will be obtained at the preoperative clinical visit.