IS EARLY AMBULATION SAFE IN VIRAL HEPATITIS?

To derermine if early ambulation was safe in acute viral hepatitis (AVH), 202 patients of uncomplicated AVH were prospectively randomised into two group. Group A (n=100) received conventional treatment with bed rest while group B (n=102) patients were ambulated as soon as their clinical symptoms abated and progressive clinical and biochemical recovery was noted. While mean recovery time in two groups was not significantlly different (28.8 vs 29.7 days), bed rest period in group B was significantly less (28.8 vs 8.6 days). Natural history of the AVH, clinical and biochemical findings and relapse rate over a follow up period of 14 to 16 months, were no different in the two groups. None of the patients developed chronic hepatitis. Early ambulation is there fore safe in uncomplicated AVH and can lead to enormous saving of manhours and hospital resources.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes