Photo Credit: Tashi-Delek

The following is a summary of “Effects of pulmonary rehabilitation on respiratory function in mechanically ventilated patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis,” published in the January 2025 issue of Pulmonology by Xingyu et al. 

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to examine the effects of various pulmonary rehabilitation interventions on respiratory function in patients on mechanical ventilation and identify the optimal intervention type.  

They performed a comprehensive search across PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI), and the Cochrane Library until September 16th, 2024. The search focused on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing pulmonary rehabilitation with usual care to improve respiratory function in patients on ventilation and the meta-analysis was carried out using Endnote X9 and R 4.3.1.  

The results showed 12 articles were included in the systematic review, and 10 were analyzed in the meta-analysis. Primary outcomes were: Maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP) [n = 10 studies, sample size 216 (intervention) vs 218 (control), MD = 7.45, 95% CI: 3.81 to 11.09], Maximum expiratory pressure (MEP) [n = 5 studies, sample size 115 (intervention) vs 112 (control), MD = 13.98, 95% CI: 7.41 to 20.54], Rapid shallow breathing index (RSBI) [n = 4 studies, sample size 96 (intervention) vs 98 (control), MD = -33.85, 95% CI: -71.18 to 3.48], and Tidal volume (VT) [n = 4 studies, sample size 96 (intervention) vs 98 (control), MD = 74.64, 95% CI: 21.7 to 127.57], with MIP, MEP, and VT showing significant improvement post-pulmonary rehabilitation. Random-effect models were used due to modest heterogeneity.  

Investigators concluded the pulmonary rehabilitation demonstrated varying improvements in respiratory muscle function, with inspiratory muscle training and neuromuscular electrical stimulation showing the most promising therapeutic effects. 

Source: bmcpulmmed.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12890-024-03461-4