Wrist-worn activity monitoring to support recovery after intensive care
Post Intensive Care Accelerometery to Study and Support Recovery Outcomes
This project will try a wrist-worn activity monitor to see if it helps clinicians understand recovery for adults discharged from intensive care.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Enrollment | 40 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University of Edinburgh Academic / other |
| Locations | 3 sites (Edinburgh and 2 other locations) |
| Trial ID | NCT07466446 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This observational study will recruit adults identified as high risk after prolonged ICU care at three NHS Lothian hospitals and follow them for two months after hospital discharge. Participants will wear a wrist accelerometer continuously and complete structured telephone questionnaires on symptoms, daily function, sleep, and cognition. Researchers will link real-world activity patterns with patient-reported outcomes to identify potential digital signs of deterioration or unmet rehabilitation needs. There is no comparison group; the main goal is to test feasibility and the added value of continuous wearable monitoring alongside routine follow-up.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults (≥18 years) who had mechanical ventilation for more than 3 days, an ICU stay over 7 days, are classified as high risk for complex rehabilitation needs, are expected to be discharged soon, and can provide informed consent and wear a wrist device.
Not a fit: Patients with a primary neurological reason for ICU admission, those on a palliative care pathway, people whose activity is mainly limited by acute injury (e.g., major trauma or limb amputation), those who were non-ambulatory before admission, or those lacking capacity are unlikely to benefit from this monitoring approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help clinicians spot early deterioration or unmet rehabilitation needs and guide timely, tailored support for ICU survivors.
How similar studies have performed: Prior pilot work has shown wearables can feasibly capture post-hospital activity, but evidence is limited that such data reliably predict post-ICU symptom courses or improve outcomes.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Adults aged 18 years or older * Mechanical ventilation for more than 3 days * Total ICU length of stay greater than 7 days * Classified as "High Risk" using a validated High-Risk Tool\* * Expected to be discharged from hospital within the next several days Exclusion Criteria: * Primary neurological diagnosis as the reason for ICU admission * Identified by the clinical team as being on the palliative care pathway * Physical activity primarily limited by the acute injury (e.g., major trauma or limb amputation) * Unable to mobilise independently prior to the index hospitalisation requiring ICU admission due to a long-term condition and/or disability * Lack of capacity or inability to provide informed consent * The High-Risk Tool (Walsh et al., 2022) assesses eight domains: recent hospital admissions; multimorbidity (≥4 chronic conditions); polypharmacy (≥4 regular medications); prior mental health disorder; substance misuse history; current antidepressant or antipsychotic therapy; need for assistance with activities of daily living (ADLs); and living alone or fragile social circumstances. Patients meeting ≥3 domains are classified as high risk for post-ICU deterioration and readmission.
Where this trial is running
Edinburgh and 2 other locations
- The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh — Edinburgh, United Kingdom (Recruiting)
- Western General Hospital — Edinburgh, United Kingdom (Recruiting)
- St Johns Hospital — Livingston, United Kingdom (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Zoeb Jiwaji, Dr
- Email: zoeb.jiwaji@ed.ac.uk
- Phone: 0044 (0)131 242 1186
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.