Symptom burden and functional gains in a cancer rehabilitation unit

Aim: To determine whether symptom burden at the time of admission to inpatient rehabilitation is predictive of functional improvement in cancer rehabilitation inpatients. Methods: Retrospective review of medical records at a tertiary referral-based cancer centre of all patients admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation unit between 1 March 2013 and 20 May 2013. The medical records for 71 unique cancer rehabilitation inpatients were analysed. Outcome measures included the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System and Functional Independence Measure. Results: Statistical analysis of total admission Edmonton Symptom Assessment System scores and total change in Functional Independence Measure scores found no significant relationships. The symptom burden of patients was mild. Patients demonstrated statistically significant improvements in symptoms and function during inpatient rehabilitation. The mean change in total Edmonton Symptom Assessment System and total Functional Independence Measure scores was a decrease of 7.41 and an increase of 19.20, respectively. Statistically significant changes occurred in fatigue, sleep, pain and anxiety. Conclusions: Both symptom and functional scores improved significantly during inpatient rehabilitation. However, no significant relationships were found between symptoms at admission and improvements in Functional Independence Measure score.