Rehabilitation nursing in older oncology inpatients with physical activity intolerance: An exploratory feasibility Pre-Post study.

INTRODUCTION Physical activity intolerance (PAI) is common among oncology inpatients, leading to reduced autonomy, increased symptom burden, and diminished quality of life.

Objectives

To evaluate the feasibility of delivering rehabilitation nursing interventions and to estimate changes in performance status, symptom burden, and well-being in hospitalized older adults with cancer and PAI.

Methods

A quantitative, prospective, single-arm pre-post study was conducted in a General Oncology Surgery Department in collaboration with the In-Hospital Palliative Care Support Team. Participants were inpatients aged ≥65 years. Assessments included the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS-r), Palliative Performance Scale (PPS), diagnostic confirmation of PAI, and physiological measurements. Rehabilitation nursing interventions-respiratory and motor re-education and activities of daily living training-were delivered. Changes between pre- and post-intervention scores were estimated using mean differences with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and standardized within-participant effect sizes (Cohen's d_z).

Results

Thirty inpatients (67% male; mean age 76.7 ± 7.3 years) participated. Performance status increased by a mean of +7.67 points (95% CI 3.00 to 12.34; d_z 0.61). Overall well-being improved (mean change -3.30 points; 95% CI -4.06 to -2.54; d_z -1.62). Fatigue decreased from 5.33 ± 2.51 to 2.87 ± 2.29 (mean change -2.47; 95% CI -3.68 to -1.25; d_z -0.76). Most symptoms showed changes toward improvement, whereas appetite loss and dyspnoea showed minimal change.

Conclusions

Rehabilitation nursing interventions were feasible to deliver, and estimates suggested improvement in performance status and selected symptoms. Given the small sample size and single-arm design, findings should be interpreted cautiously and confirmed in controlled studies.