ABSTRACT
QUESTIONS: In patients with a collection of fluid in the pleural space, do mobilisation and respiratory techniques: shorten the drainage period and length of hospital stay; improve respiratory function and oxygenation; and prevent pulmonary complications? Does the addition of positive airway pressure to this regimen further improve the effects? DESIGN: Randomised controlled trial with three intervention arms, concealed allocation, intention-to-treat analysis and blinded assessment. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred and fifty-six inpatients with a fluid collection in the pleural space and with chest drainage in situ. INTERVENTION: Participants received usual care and were randomly assigned to: a control group that also received sham positive airway pressure (4 cmH2O) only (Con); an experimental group that received incentive spirometry, airway clearance, mobilisation and the same sham positive pressure (Exp1); or an experimental group that received the Exp1 regimen except that the positive airway pressure was 15 cmH2O (Exp2). Treatments were provided three times per day for 7 days. OUTCOME MEASURES: Days of chest tube drainage, length of hospital stay, pulmonary complications and adverse events were recorded until hospital discharge. Costs in each group were estimated. RESULTS: The Exp2 group had shorter duration of chest tube drainage and length of hospital stay compared with the Exp1 and Con groups. In addition, the Exp2 group had less antibiotic use (18% versus 43% versus 55%) and pneumonia incidence (0% versus 16% versus 20%) compared with the Exp1 and Con groups (all p < 0.01). The groups had similar rates of adverse events (10% versus 2% versus 6%, p > 0.05). Total treatment costs were lower in the Exp2 group than in the Exp1 and Con groups. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with a fluid collection in the pleural space, the addition of positive pressure to mobilisation and respiratory techniques decreased the duration of thoracic drainage, length of hospital stay, pulmonary complications, antibiotic use and treatment costs. REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.govNCT02246946.
Subject(s)
Breathing Exercises/methods , Continuous Positive Airway Pressure/methods , Drainage/methods , Physical Therapy Modalities , Pleural Effusion/therapy , Adult , Combined Modality Therapy , Female , Humans , Length of Stay , Male , SpirometryABSTRACT
Abstract Introduction: Techniques for lung expansion seem to benefit patients with drained and undrained pleural effusion, but there is a lack of evidence to indicate which technique is best in each situation. Currently, the therapeutic choices of respiratory physiotherapists serving this population are not known. Objective: To know which lung expansion techniques are chosen by chest physiotherapists who assist patients with drained and non-drained pleural effusion. Method: Through the announcement of the Federal Council, 232 physiotherapists who work in hospitals in Brazil were questioned about which techniques they apply to patients with drained and non-drained effusion. Results: Initially, 512 were questioned but 232 (45.3%) answered. The physiotherapists associate more than one technique of lung expansion in both types of patients, besides walking. Deep breathing is the most used technique in patients with drained (92%) and non-drained (77%) pleural effusion. Positive pressure exercises in the airways are chosen by 60% of the physiotherapists to treat patients with drained pleural effusion and by 34% to treat patients with non-drained pleural effusion. Yet the incentive spirometry are used with 66% of patients with drained pleural effusion and 42% with non-drained ones. Conclusion: Deep breathing is the most applied lung expansion technique in the treatment of patients with drained and non-drained pleural effusion by chest physiotherapists. In addition, there is association between greatest degree and time of professional performance and the chosen techniques.
Resumo Introdução: Técnicas para expansão pulmonar parecem beneficiar pacientes com derrame pleural drenado e não drenado, porém há falta de evidências para indicar qual é a melhor técnica em cada situação. Atualmente, as escolhas terapêuticas dos fisioterapeutas respiratórios que atendem essa população não são conhecidas. Objetivo: Conhecer as técnicas de expansão pulmonar escolhidas pelos fisioterapeutas respiratórios que atendem pacientes com derrame pleural drenado e não drenado. Método: Por meio do anúncio do Conselho Federal, 232 fisioterapeutas que trabalham em hospitais no Brasil foram questionados sobre quais técnicas se aplicam a pacientes com derrame drenado e não drenado. Resultados: Inicialmente, 512 foram questionados, mas 232 (45,3%) responderam. Os fisioterapeutas associam mais de uma técnica de expansão pulmonar em ambos os tipos de pacientes, além de deambular. A respiração profunda é a técnica mais utilizada em pacientes com derrame pleural drenado (92%) e não drenado (77%). Exercícios de pressão positiva nas vias aéreas são escolhidos por 60% dos fisioterapeutas para tratar pacientes com derrame pleural drenado e por 34% para pacientes com derrame pleural não drenado. A espirometria de incentivo é utilizada com 66% dos pacientes com derrame pleural drenado e 42% com não drenado. Conclusão: A respiração profunda é a técnica de expansão pulmonar mais aplicada no tratamento de pacientes com derrame pleural drenado e não drenado por fisioterapeutas respiratórios. Além disso, há associação entre maior titulação e tempo de atuação profissional e as técnicas escolhidas.
Resumen Introducción: Técnicas para expansión pulmonar parecen beneficiar a pacientes con derrame pleural drenado y no drenado, pero hay falta de evidencias para indicar cuál es la mejor técnica en cada situación. Actualmente, las opciones terapéuticas de los fisioterapeutas respiratorios que atienden a esa población, no son conocidas. Objetivo: Conocer las técnicas de expansión pulmonar elegidas por los fisioterapeutas respiratorios que atienden pacientes con derrame pleural drenado y no drenado. Método: A través del anuncio del Consejo Federal, 232 fisioterapeutas que trabajan en hospitales en Brasil fueron cuestionados sobre qué técnicas se aplican a pacientes con derrame drenado y no drenado. Resultados: Inicialmente, 512 fueron cuestionados, pero 232 (45,3%) respondieron. Los fisioterapeutas asocian más de una técnica de expansión pulmonar en ambos tipos de pacientes, además de deambular. La respiración profunda es la técnica más utilizada en pacientes con derrame pleural drenado (92%) y no drenado (77%). Los ejercicios de presión positiva en las vías aéreas son elegidos por el 60% de los fisioterapeutas para tratar a pacientes con derrame pleural drenado y por el 34% para pacientes con derrame pleural no drenado. La espirometría de incentivo se utiliza con el 66% de los pacientes con derrame pleural drenado y el 42% con no drenado. Conclusión: La respiración profunda es la técnica de expansión pulmonar más aplicada en el tratamiento de pacientes con derrame pleural drenado y no drenado por fisioterapeutas respiratorios. Además, hay asociación entre mayor titulación y tiempo de actuación profesional y las técnicas elegidas.
