Early physical and occupational therapy in mechanically ventilated, critically ill patients: a randomised controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Long-term complications of critical illness include intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired weakness and neuropsychiatric disease. Immobilisation secondary to sedation might potentiate these problems. We assessed the efficacy of combining daily interruption of sedation with physical and occupational therapy on functional outcomes in patients receiving mechanical ventilation in intensive care.

Methods

Sedated adults (>/=18 years of age) in the ICU who had been on mechanical ventilation for less than 72 h, were expected to continue for at least 24 h, and who met criteria for baseline functional independence were eligible for enrolment in this randomised controlled trial at two university hospitals. We randomly assigned 104 patients by computer-generated, permuted block r

SUBMITTER: Schweickert WD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9906655 | biostudies-literature | 2009 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature