Effect of abdominal electrical stimulation combined with high-frequency chest wall oscillation on airway clearance ability for critical ill patients with tracheostomy / 中国康复理论与实践

ABSTRACT

@#Objective To observe the effect of abdominal electrical stimulation combined with high-frequency chest wall oscillation on airway clearance ability in critical ill patients with tracheostomy. Methods From January to June, 2021, a total of 84 critical ill patients with tracheostomy in the department of Critical Care Medicine, Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University, were randomly divided into control group (n = 28),experimental group A (n = 28) and experimental group B (n = 28). All the groups received routine therapy and early activities; while high-frequency chest wall oscillation was added to experimental group A, and abdominal electrical stimulation combined with high-frequency chest wall oscillation were added to experimental group B, for two weeks. Their involuntary cough peak flow (ICPF), Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score (CPIS), diaphragmatic excursion (DE), diaphragmatic thickness fraction (DTF) and thickness of abdominal muscle (Tab) were measured before and after treatment. Results The improvement of CPIS, ICPF and Tab were better in the experimental group B than in the other two groups (P < 0.05). The improvement of DE and DTF were slightly better in experimental group B, however, there was no significant difference among groups (FDE = 0.514, FDTF = 1.582, P > 0.05). The thickness d-values of rectus abdominis, musculi obliquus internus abdominis and musculus transversus abdominis were positively correlated with the d-value of ICPF in the exprimental group B (r > 0.415, P < 0.05). ICPF was highly negatively correlated with CPIS before treatment for all the patients (r = -0.702, P < 0.001). No adverse events occurred during the intervention period. Conclusion Abdominal electrical stimulation combined with high-frequency chest wall oscillation could improve airway clearance ability in critical ill patients with tracheostomy.