Association of ventilator-free days with respiratory physiotherapy in critically ill patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) during the first pandemic wave. A propensity score-weighted analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Respiratory physiotherapy is reported as safe and feasible in mechanically ventilated patients with severe Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) admitted to Intensive Care Unit (ICU), but the short-term benefits remain unclear.

Methods

We performed a retrospective observational study in four ICUs in Northern Italy. All patients with COVID-19 admitted to ICU and under invasive mechanical ventilation (MV) between March 1^st and May 30^th, 2020, were enrolled into the study. Overlap weighting based on the propensity score was used to adjust for confounding in the comparison of patients who had or had not been treated by physiotherapists. The primary outcome was the number of days alive and ventilator-free (VFDs). The secondary outcomes were arterial part

SUBMITTER: Privitera E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9510617 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature