Analysis of Mobilization Patterns Following Transfemoral Cardiac Catheterization at a High-Volume Tertiary Care Cardiac Center: A Comparative Cohort Study

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate mobilization patterns following transfemoral cardiac catheterization and compare clinical outcomes between patients undergoing early and delayed mobilization. Methodology: This comparative cohort study was conducted at the Department of Interventional Cardiology, National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases (NICVD), Karachi, Pakistan, over a six-month period. A total of 261 adult patients undergoing transfemoral cardiac catheterization were enrolled through consecutive sampling. Participants were categorized into an early mobilization group (<6 hours) and a delayed mobilization group (≥6 hours) based on time to first ambulation. Results: Among the 261 participants, 144 (55.2%) achieved early mobilization while 117 (44.8%) underwent delayed mobilization. Patients in the delayed mobilization group were significantly older than those mobilized early (p=0.001). No significant differences were observed in most baseline clinical characteristics. Early mobilization was associated with a significantly shorter hospital stay (p=0.024) and lower frequencies of back pain (22.9% vs. 70.1%, p<0.001) and urinary retention (6.9% vs. 21.4%, p=0.001). The incidence of bleeding complications, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary complications, and overall adverse events was low and did not differ significantly between groups. Multivariable logistic regression identified younger age and higher heart rate as independent predictors of early mobilization. Conclusion: Early mobilization following transfemoral cardiac catheterization appears to be safe and feasible in appropriately selected patients. It is associated with improved patient comfort and reduced hospital stay without increasing the risk of clinically significant complications. Adoption of evidence-based early mobilization protocols may enhance patient recovery and optimize healthcare resource utilization in high-volume cardiac centers.