The primary endpoint, days in hospital after transfer from the ICU to a general ward, was analyzed by intention to treat and per protocol analyses. The intention to treat sample included all patients, who could be transferred to a general ward in the General Hospital Vienna (early rehabilitation group: n = 23, usual care group: n = 27), whereby all patients were randomized at the ICU before transfer. Three patients already randomized had to be excluded as they were either unpredictable directly transferred to another hospital from the ICU (early rehabilitation group: n = 1, usual care group: n = 1), or died (usual care group: n = 1) at the ICU.