Purpose: We validated the Italian version of Surgical Optimal Mobility Score (SOMS) and evaluated its ability to
predict intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital length of stay (LOS), and hospital mortality in a mixed population
of ICU patients.
Materials and Methods: We applied the Italian version of SOMS in a consecutive series of prospectively enrolled,
adult ICU patients. Surgical Optimal Mobility Score level was assessed twice a day by ICU nurses
and twice a week by an expert mobility team. Zero-truncated Poisson regression was used to identify predictors
for ICU and hospital LOS, and logistic regression for hospital mortality. All models were adjusted for
potential confounders.
Results: Of 98 patients recruited, 19 (19.4%) died in hospital, of whom 17 without and 2 with improved mobility
level achieved during the ICU stay. SOMS improvement was independently associated with lower hospital mortality
(odds ratio, 0.07; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.01-0.42) but increased hospital LOS (odds ratio, 1.21; 95%
CI: 1.10-1.33). A higher first-morning SOMS on ICU admission, indicating better mobility, was associated with
lower ICU and hospital LOS (rate ratios, 0.89 [95% CI, 0.80-0.99] and 0.84 [95% CI, 0.79-0.89], respectively).
Conclusions: The first-morning SOMS on ICU admission predicted ICU and hospital LOS in a mixed population of
ICU patients. SOMS improvement was associated with reduced hospital mortality but increased hospital LOS,
suggesting the need of optimizing hospital trajectories after ICU discharge.