Continuous lateral rotational therapy in trauma-A systematic review and meta-analysis

An Update on Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapy during Mechanical Ventilation

Physiotherapists are integral members of the multidisciplinary team managing critically ill adult patients. However, the scope and role of physiotherapists vary widely internationally, with physiotherapists in some countries moving away from providing early and proactive respiratory care in the intensive care unit (ICU) and focusing more on early mobilization and rehabilitation. This article provides an update of cardiorespiratory physiotherapy for patients receiving mechanical ventilation in ICU. Common and some more novel assessment tools and treatment options are described, along with the mechanisms of action of the treatment options and the evidence and physiology underpinning them. The aim is not only to summarize the current state of cardiorespiratory physiotherapy but also to provide information that will also hopefully help support clinicians to deliver personalized and optimal patient care, based on the patient's unique needs and guided by accurate interpretation of assessment findings and the current evidence. Cardiorespiratory physiotherapy plays an essential role in optimizing secretion clearance, gas exchange, lung recruitment, and aiding with weaning from mechanical ventilation in ICU. The physiotherapists' skill set and scope is likely to be further optimized and utilized in the future as the evidence base continues to grow and they get more and more integrated into the ICU multidisciplinary team, leading to improved short- and long-term patient outcomes.

Continuous lateral rotational therapy in thoracic trauma--A matched pair analysis

INTRODUCTION

Given the lack of reliable evidence on the utility of continuous lateral rotational therapy (CLRT) in chest trauma, we performed a single-centre retrospective matched-pair analysis of patients treated either with CLRT or non-continuous manual turning after blunt thoracic trauma.

METHODS

We included adult patients that were admitted to our level 1 trauma centre from 2010-2014 and presented with severe thoracic injuries (AISThorax ≥3) within 24 h after the injury and required at least 72 h of mechanical ventilation. Patients were either treated with manual turning every 2-4 h or CLRT. To ensure comparable injury severity and a similar risk for posttraumatic respiratory complications, we matched for thoracic injury severity, age, additional injuries (head, abdomen, extremities) and need for massive transfusion.

RESULTS

A total of 22 pairs (n = 44 patients) were successfully matched and analysed. The use of CLRT did not have a statistically significant impact on respiratory function, gas exchange, duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU or hospital length of stay, or overall patient outcomes (e.g. pneumonia, sepsis, ARDS, mortality). During active rotation the level of sedation was lower compared to manual turning (Richmond Agitation Sedation Scale; manual turning: -3.6; CLRT: -4.0; p = 0.01). Patient agitation was noticed more frequently in the CLRT group (manual turning: n = 2 (9%); CLRT: n = 9 (41%); p = 0.02).

DISCUSSION

In this well-matched sample, the use of CLRT did not seem to translate into relevant clinical benefits in patients with thoracic trauma in the setting of modern ICU care with the widespread implementation of lung protective ventilation. However, statistical power and generalisability were limited by the small sample size and single centre design. A large RCT is required to provide conclusive results.

[Continuous lateral rotational bed therapy in patients with traumatic lung injury: an analysis from the TraumaRegister DGU®]

BACKGROUND

Patients with severe thoracic trauma often receive continuous lateral rotational bed therapy (CLRT) for the treatment of lung contusions. In this study, the effects of CLRT on mortality, morbidity and length of stay (LOS) in the intensive care unit (ICU) and in the hospital were evaluated.

METHODS

Retrospective data from the TraumaRegister DGU® were analysed, focusing on patients with severe thoracic trauma. Patients treated with CLRT were compared to a control group with comparable trauma severity who had received conventional therapy.

RESULTS

A total of 1476 patients (239 with CLRT, 1237 without CLRT) were included in this study. Both groups were similar for demographic characteristics. The median CLRT duration was 6 (4-10) days. Patients receiving CLRT were ventilated for 17 (10-26) days compared to 14 (8-22) days (p = 0.001) in the control group. The ICU length of stay differed significantly (CLRT: 23 [14-32] days; control: 19 [13-28] days; p = 0.002). Also, organ failure occurred more frequently in patients treated with CLRT (CLRT: 76.6%, control: 67.6%; p = 0.006). No differences could be detected regarding mortality rates, multiple organ failure and hospital LOS.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this retrospective analysis fail to detect a benefit for CLRT therapy in trauma patients. Considering inherent limitations of retrospective studies, caution should be exerted when interpreting these results. Further research is warranted to confirm these findings in a prospective trial.

Pulmonary and Physical Rehabilitation in Critically Ill Patients

Some patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) because of an acute illness, complicated surgery, or multiple traumas develop muscle weakness affecting the limbs and respiratory muscles during acute care in the ICU. This condition is referred to as ICU-acquired weakness (ICUAW), and can be evoked by critical illness polyneuropathy (CIP), critical illness myopathy (CIM), or critical illness polyneuromyopathy (CIPNM). ICUAW is diagnosed using the Medical Research Council (MRC) sum score based on bedside manual muscle testing in cooperative patients. The MRC sum score is the sum of the strengths of the 12 regions on both sides of the upper and lower limbs. ICUAW is diagnosed when the MRC score is less than 48 points. However, some patients require electrodiagnostic studies, such as a nerve conduction study, electromyography, and direct muscle stimulation, to differentiate between CIP and CIM. Pulmonary rehabilitation in the ICU can be divided into modalities intended to remove retained airway secretions and exercise therapies intended to improve respiratory function. Physical rehabilitation, including early mobilization, positioning, and limb exercises, attenuates the weakness that occurs during critical care. To perform mobilization in mechanically ventilated patients, pretreatment by removing secretions is necessary. It is also important to increase the strength of respiratory muscles and to perform lung recruitment to improve mobilization in patients who are weaned from the ventilator. For these reasons, pulmonary rehabilitation is important in addition to physical therapy. Early recognition of CIP, CIM, and CIPNM and early rehabilitation in the ICU might improve patients’ functional recovery and outcomes.