Purpose: To elucidate factors responsible for delayed rehabilitation in the perioperative period of cardiac surgery. Methods: A total of 55 patients scheduled for cardiac surgery were classified into two groups: those in the successful group could walk before day 4 postoperatively, while those in the delayed group could not walk until at least day 5 postoperatively. The two groups were compared with regard to various factors, including age, preoperative body mass index, histories of smoking and cardiac surgery, preoperative complications, preoperative New York Heart Association (NYHA) class, left ventricular ejection fraction, postoperative pulmonary complications, postoperative using or without norepinephrine, period of postoperative intubation, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time, postoperative pain, postoperative interleukin (IL)-6 production, retinol-binding protein, and prealbumin level. Results and Conclusion: The results of the present study indicated significant differences between the successful group and delayed group in preoperative NYHA class, postoperative using or without norepinephrine, CPB time, period of postoperative intubation, IL-6, and prealbumin level. IL-6 level, period of postoperative intubation, and CPB time were detected as factors correlated with delayed rehabilitation by multivariate logistic regression analysis. Summary: NYHA class, Postoperative circulation unstable, period of postoperative intubation, and CPB time were correlated with delayed rehabilitation following cardiac surgery. These effects were suggested to be related to inflammation accompanying surgical invasion.