RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Multidisciplinary rehabilitation in intensive care for COVID-19 - randomized controlled trial
JF ERJ Open Research
JO erjor
FD European Respiratory Society
SP 00350-2022
DO 10.1183/23120541.00350-2022
A1 Carvalho, Ana Cristina
A1 Moreira, Jorge
A1 Cubelo, Pedro
A1 Cantista, Pedro
A1 Aguiar Branco, Catarina
A1 Guimarães, Bruno
YR 2022
UL http://openres.ersjournals.com/content/early/2022/09/22/23120541.00350-2022.abstract
AB The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has led to an increasing number of patients in the intensive care units (ICU). The size of this post-ICU cohort will be unprecedented, with many patients vulnerable to post-intensive care syndrome. We analysed the respiratory and functional effects of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program on functional performance, in patients hospitalized in ICU due to COVID-19.We conducted a randomized controlled clinical trial. Ninety-six patients, who fulfilled the eligible criteria, were randomized into control or intervention group. The control group received standard of care in the ICU, and the intervention group received a functional and respiratory rehabilitation protocol, that included medical, nursing, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy interventions.At discharge, the intervention group showed significantly better muscular strength and respiratory capacity, and significantly less days of hospitalization (12.90±5.8 versus 15.60±6.7 days, p=0.037). At the 4- and 12-week follow-up we applied our main outcome measure – 6-minute walking test. The intervention group had significantly better results than the control group on the 6-minute walking test at the 4-week follow-up (604±67 versus 571±57 m, p=0.018) and at the 12-week follow-up (639±53 37 versus 611±67, p=0.025).These results support the role of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program in COVID-19 patients hospitalized in ICU and adds evidence that the implementation of rehabilitation programs in ICU could result in beneficial outcomes for the critical ill patients.FootnotesThis manuscript has recently been accepted for publication in the ERJ Open Research. It is published here in its accepted form prior to copyediting and typesetting by our production team. After these production processes are complete and the authors have approved the resulting proofs, the article will move to the latest issue of the ERJOR online. Please open or download the PDF to view this article.Conflict of interest: The authors declare they have no conflicts of interest.