Oxidative stress and immune system analysis after cycle ergometer use in critical patients

Leg Cycle Ergometry in Critically Ill Patients - An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

BACKGROUND

Cycle ergometry is a rehabilitation strategy used in the intensive care unit (ICU) which may help mitigate post-ICU impairments. We aimed to systematically review and summarize evidence examining the efficacy and safety of cycle ergometry in the ICU.

METHODS

We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of critically ill adults with any diagnosis admitted to the ICU for >24 hours, comparing cycling interventions to control (no cycling). The primary outcome was physical function, using a hierarchical approach to standardize this outcome across trials. We performed random-effects meta-analyses and assessed the certainty of effect estimates using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach.

RESULTS

We included 33 RCTs that enrolled 3274 patients. Cycling may improve physical function at ICU discharge (12 RCTs, 1291 patients, standardized mean difference [SMD], 0.33 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.05 to 0.62], low certainty) and posthospital discharge (8 RCTs, 865 patients, SMD, 0.23, [95% CI, 0.04 to 0.42], low certainty). Cycling may decrease ICU length of stay (29 RCTs, 2575 patients, mean difference [MD], 1.06 days fewer [95% CI, 0.33 to 1.80 days fewer], low certainty) and probably decreases hospital length of stay (22 RCTs, 2060 patients, MD, 1.48 days fewer [95% CI, 0.47 to 2.49 days fewer], moderate certainty). Cycling may have no effect on ICU mortality (17 RCTs, 2039 patients, risk ratio, 12 fewer deaths per 1000 [95% CI, 43 fewer to 23 more], low certainty). The pooled rate of adverse events in the intervention group was 1% (11 RCTs, 4623 sessions, [95% CI, 0 to 2%], low certainty) and in the comparison group, 2% (6 RCTs, 3365 sessions, [95% CI, 0 to 5%], low certainty).

CONCLUSIONS

In this meta-analysis, we found that cycling with critically ill patients may improve physical function at ICU discharge and after hospital discharge, may reduce ICU length of stay, and probably reduces hospital length of stay, with no effect on other outcomes including mortality. We observed low to very low certainty of evidence for all but one outcome of interest. Adverse events were uncommon. (PROSPERO number, CRD 42018092132.).

Current Concepts in Early Mobilization of Critically Ill Patients Within the Context of Neurologic Pathology

Neurocritical patients (NCPs) in the intensive care unit (ICU) rapidly progress to respiratory and peripheral muscle dysfunctions, which significantly impact morbidity and death. Early mobilization in NCPs to decrease the incidence of ICU-acquired weakness has been showing rapid growth, although pertinent literature is still scarce. With this review, we summarize and discuss current concepts in early mobilization of critically ill patients within the context of neurologic pathology in NCPs. A narrative synthesis of literature was undertaken trying to answer the following questions: How do the respiratory and musculoskeletal systems in NCPs behave? Which metabolic biomarkers influence physiological responses in NCPs? Which considerations should be taken when prescribing exercises in neurocritically ill patients? The present review detected safety, feasibility, and beneficial response for early mobilization in NCPs, given successes in other critically ill populations and many smaller intervention trials in neurocritical care. However, precautions should be taken to elect the patient for early care, as well as monitoring signs that indicate interruption for intervention, as worse outcomes were associated with very early mobilization in acute stroke trials.

Early mobility and family partnerships in the intensive care unit: A scoping review of reviews

BACKGROUND

Critical illness significantly impacts the well-being of patients and families. Previous studies show that family members are willing to participate in patient care. Involving families in early mobility interventions may contribute to improved recovery and positive outcomes for patients and families.

AIM

In this scoping review, we investigated early mobility interventions for critically ill patients evaluated in randomized controlled trials and the extent to which family engagement in those interventions are reported in the literature.

STUDY DESIGN

In this scoping review of reviews, EMBASE, CINAHL, PubMed and Cochrane Central databases were searched in October 2019 and updated in February 2022. Systematic reviews were included and assessed using A MeaSurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) 2. Data were synthesized using a narrative approach. PRISMA-ScR guidelines were adhered to for reporting.

RESULTS

Thirty-three reviews were included which described a range of early mobility interventions for critically ill patients; none explicitly mentioned family engagement. Almost half of the reviews were of low or critically low quality. Insufficient detail of early mobility interventions prompted information to be extracted from the primary studies.

CONCLUSIONS

There are a range of early mobility interventions for critically ill patients but few involve families. Given the positive outcomes of family participation, and family willingness to participate in care, there is a need to explore the feasibility and acceptability of family participation in early mobility interventions.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Family engagement in early mobility interventions for critically ill patients should be encouraged and supported. How to best support family members and clinicians in enacting family involvement in early mobility requires further investigation.

Japanese Clinical Practice Guidelines for Rehabilitation in Critically Ill Patients 2023 (J-ReCIP 2023)

Providing standardized, high-quality rehabilitation for critically ill patients is a crucial issue. In 2017, the Japanese Society of Intensive Care Medicine (JSICM) promulgated the "Evidence-Based Expert Consensus for Early Rehabilitation in the Intensive Care Unit" to advocate for the early initiation of rehabilitations in Japanese intensive care settings. Building upon this seminal work, JSICM has recently conducted a rigorous systematic review utilizing the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology. This endeavor resulted in the formulation of Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs), designed to elucidate best practices in early ICU rehabilitation. The primary objective of this guideline is to augment clinical understanding and thereby facilitate evidence-based decision-making, ultimately contributing to the enhancement of patient outcomes in critical care settings. No previous CPGs in the world has focused specifically on rehabilitation of critically ill patients, using the GRADE approach. Multidisciplinary collaboration is extremely important in rehabilitation. Thus, the CPGs were developed by 73 members of a Guideline Development Group consisting of a working group, a systematic review group, and an academic guideline promotion group, with the Committee for the Clinical Practice Guidelines of Early Mobilization and Rehabilitation in Intensive Care of the JSICM at its core. Many members contributed to the development of the guideline, including physicians and healthcare professionals with multiple and diverse specialties, as well as a person who had been patients in ICU. Based on discussions among the group members, eight important clinical areas of focus for this CPG were identified. Fourteen important clinical questions (CQs) were then developed for each area. The public was invited to comment twice, and the answers to the CQs were presented in the form of 10 GRADE recommendations and commentary on the four background questions. In addition, information for each CQ has been created as a visual clinical flow to ensure that the positioning of each CQ can be easily understood. We hope that the CPGs will be a useful tool in the rehabilitation of critically ill patients for multiple professions.

Oxidative Stress in ICU Patients: ROS as Mortality Long-Term Predictor

Lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation, and mutations in mitochondrial DNA generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) that are involved in cell death and inflammatory response syndrome. ROS can also act as a signal in the intracellular pathways involved in normal cell growth and homeostasis, as well as in response to metabolic adaptations, autophagy, immunity, differentiation and cell aging, the latter of which is an important characteristic in acute and chronic pathologies. Thus, the measurement of ROS levels of critically ill patients, upon admission, enables a prediction not only of the severity of the inflammatory response, but also of its subsequent potential outcome. The aim of this study was to measure the levels of mitochondrial ROS (superoxide anion) in the peripheral blood lymphocytes within 24 h of admission and correlate them with survival at one year after ICU and hospital discharge. We designed an observational prospective study in 51 critical care patients, in which clinical variables and ROS production were identified and correlated with mortality at 12 months post-ICU hospitalization. Oxidative stress levels, measured as DHE fluorescence, show a positive correlation with increased long-term mortality. In ICU patients the major determinant of survival is oxidative stress, which determines inflammation and outlines the cellular response to inflammatory stimuli.

The Efficacy and Safety of In-Intensive Care Unit Leg-Cycle Ergometry in Critically Ill Adults. A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Background: Survivors of critical illness may experience physical-function deficits after intensive care unit (ICU) discharge. In-ICU cycle ergometry may facilitate early mobilization and decrease functional impairment.Objective: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to understand the effect of in-ICU leg-cycle ergometry on patient-important and clinically relevant outcomes.Data Sources: We searched eight electronic databases from inception until July 2019.Data Extraction: We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and nonrandomized studies of critically ill adults admitted to the ICU for ≥24 hours, comparing cycling interventions to control arms that did not receive cycling. Main outcomes included physical function, mechanical ventilation (MV) duration, length of stay (LOS), quality of life (QoL), mortality, and safety. We conducted independent duplicate-citation screening, data abstraction, and risk-of-bias assessments. We pooled RCTs using a random-effects model and calculated the risk ratio (RR), mean difference (MD), or standardized MD with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We assessed certainty of outcomes using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach.Results: Of 6,531 citations, we included 12 RCTs and 2 nonrandomized studies (n = 926). Between the cycling and control groups, there were no differences in physical function at hospital discharge (3 RCTs; n = 225; standardized MD, 0.07 [95% CI, -0.38 to 0.53]; very low certainty), MV duration (9 RCTs; n = 676; MD, 0.01 [-1.04 to 1.07] days; moderate certainty), ICU LOS (10 RCTs; n = 511; MD, 0.23 [-1.44 to 1.89] days; moderate certainty), hospital LOS (7 RCTs; n = 393, MD -0.07 [-3.87 to 3.73] days; moderate certainty), QoL at 6 months after hospital discharge (2 RCTs; n = 103; MD, 9.13 [13.80 to 32.05] points higher; very low certainty), or hospital mortality (7 RCTs; n = 710; RR 1.09 [0.82 to 1.46]; moderate-certainty). The adverse event rate in cycling sessions was 0.16% across studies (10 studies; 5 of 3,117 sessions; very low certainty).Conclusions: Cycling initiated in the ICU is probably safe; however, we did not find any differences in physical function, MV duration, LOS, QoL, or mortality compared with those not receiving cycling. Rigorously designed RCTs are needed to improve precision and further investigate the effect of cycling on patient-important outcomes.

Effects of Rehabilitation Interventions on Clinical Outcomes in Critically Ill Patients: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

OBJECTIVES

To assess the impact of rehabilitation in ICU on clinical outcomes.

DATA SOURCES

Secondary data analysis of randomized controlled trials published between 1998 and October 2019 was performed in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.

STUDY SELECTION

We have selected trials investigating neuromuscular electrical stimulation or cycling exercises or protocolized physical rehabilitation as compared to standard of care in critically ill adults.

DATA EXTRACTION

Mortality, length of stay in ICU and at hospital, days on mechanical ventilator, and adverse events.

DATA SYNTHESIS

We found 43 randomized controlled trials (nine on cycling, 14 on neuromuscular electrical stimulation alone and 20 on protocolized physical rehabilitation) into which 3,548 patients were randomized and none of whom experienced an intervention-related serious adverse event. The exercise interventions had no influence on mortality (odds ratio 0.94 [0.79-1.12], n = 38 randomized controlled trials) but reduced duration of mechanical ventilation (mean difference, -1.7 d [-2.5 to -0.8 d], n = 32, length of stay in ICU (-1.2 d [-2.5 to 0.0 d], n = 32) but not at hospital (-1.6 [-4.3 to 1.2 d], n = 23). The effects on the length of mechanical ventilation and ICU stay were only significant for the protocolized physical rehabilitation subgroup and enhanced in patients with longer ICU stay and lower Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores. There was no benefit of early start of the intervention. It is likely that the dose of rehabilitation delivered was much lower than dictated by the protocol in many randomized controlled trials and negative results may reflect the failure to implement the intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

Rehabilitation interventions in critically ill patients do not influence mortality and are safe. Protocolized physical rehabilitation significantly shortens time spent on mechanical ventilation and in ICU, but this does not consistently translate into long-term functional benefit. Stable patients with lower Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II at admission (<20) and prone to protracted ICU stay may benefit most from rehabilitation interventions.

The effects of exercise interventions on the inflammatory profile of older adults: A systematic review of the recent literature

INTRODUCTION

Inflammageing - characterized by age-related chronic low-grade inflammation is considered to be positively influenced by physical exercises. The aim of this systematic review is to provide an update of the most recent literature regarding exercise effects on the inflammatory profile in older adults.

METHODS

This review is an update of an earlier published literature review and was performed according to the NICE guidelines. Databases PubMed and Web-of-Science were systematically searched by two independent authors screening for papers published since 2016. Effect sizes of outcome parameters related to the inflammatory profile were calculated where possible.

RESULTS & DISCUSSION

Twenty-three articles were included. Resistance training (RT) was the most investigated type of exercise (13 articles: 8 in healthy, 1 in frail and 4 in older adults with a specific condition or disease). Aerobic training (AT) was investigated in 8 articles, including 5 studies in older adults with a specific disease or condition. Combined resistance & aerobic training (CT) was investigated in 7 articles: 3 were in healthy, 1 in frail and 3 in older adults with a specific condition or disease. 1 study investigated the effects of Tai Chi in older adults with mild cognitive impairment. In frail older subjects, IGF-1 - sole marker investigated - significantly increased after 8 weeks RT and CT, whereas AT showed no significant effects compared to control. Most consistent exercise effects consisted in lowering of circulating levels of CRP, IL-6 and TNF-α; which seemed more prominent in healthy older adults compared to those with a specific disease or condition. None of the studies reported an exacerbation of inflammation following exercise and all studied exercise protocols were feasible and safe for older adults.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, significant anti-inflammatory effects of exercise in older persons were reported. Literature remains extremely scarce regarding the exercise-induced effects in frail older persons. Therefore, there is an urgent need for more studies focusing on the frail elderly. There is growing literature data on exercise interventions in older adults with a specific condition or disease; however, it appears more challenging to reduce inflammageing through exercise in these specific patient groups. Importantly, the exercise interventions performed in all studies appeared to be feasible and safe for older patients, thus the presence of a specific condition or disease should not be considered as a contra-indication to perform physical exercise.

Functional electrical stimulation in-bed cycle ergometry in mechanically ventilated patients: a multicentre randomised controlled trial

PURPOSE

To investigate the effect of functional electrical stimulation-assisted cycle ergometry (FES-cycling) on muscle strength, cognitive impairment and related outcomes.

METHODS

Mechanically ventilated patients aged ≥18 years with sepsis or systemic inflammatory response syndrome were randomised to either 60 min of FES-cycling >5 days/week while in the intensive care unit (ICU) plus usual care rehabilitation versus usual care rehabilitation alone, with evaluation of two primary outcomes: (1) muscle strength at hospital discharge and (2) cognitive impairment at 6-month follow-up.

RESULTS

We enrolled 162 participants, across four study sites experienced in ICU rehabilitation in Australia and the USA, to FES-cycling (n=80; mean age±SD 59±15) versus control (n=82; 56±14). Intervention participants received a median (IQR) of 5 (3-9) FES-cycling sessions with duration of 56 (34-63) min/day plus 15 (10-23) min/day of usual care rehabilitation. The control group received 15 (8-15) min/day of usual care rehabilitation. In the intervention versus control group, there was no significant differences for muscle strength at hospital discharge (mean difference (95% CI) 3.3 (-5.0 to 12.1) Nm), prevalence of cognitive impairment at 6 months (OR 1.1 (95% CI 0.30 to 3.8)) or secondary outcomes measured in-hospital and at 6 and 12 months follow-up.

CONCLUSION

In this randomised controlled trial, undertaken at four centres with established rehabilitation programmes, the addition of FES-cycling to usual care rehabilitation did not substantially increase muscle strength at hospital discharge. At 6 months, the incidence of cognitive impairment was almost identical between groups, but potential benefit or harm of the intervention on cognition cannot be excluded due to imprecision of the estimated effect.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ACTRN 12612000528853, NCT02214823.

Acute effect of passive cycling exercise on serum levels of interleukin-8 and interleukin-10 in mechanically ventilated critically ill patients

Background/aims

A growing body of evidence has demonstrated that early mobilisation is beneficial for patients in the intensive care unit. The aim of this prospective study was to investigate the acute effect of an early passive cycling exercise session on serum interleukin-8 and interleukin-10 levels in critically ill patients.

Methods

A total of 11 haemodynamically stable and deeply sedated (Richmond Agitation and Sedation Scale-4) adult patients within the first 48 hours of mechanical ventilation received a single 20-minute session of passive cycle ergometer. Serum interleukin-8 and interleukin-10 levels were measured at baseline, immediately after the intervention and 60 minutes after the intervention.

Findings

Interleukin-8 levels decreased significantly 60 minutes after the passive cycle ergometer session compared to baseline (P=0.001). The serum levels of interleukin-10 increased immediately after the end of the 20 minutes and at 60 minutes after the intervention (P<0.001).

Conclusions

A single 20-minute session of passive cycle ergometer seems to have a positive effect on the inflammatory response in critically ill patients.

Effects of Inspiratory Muscle Training and Early Mobilization on Weaning of Mechanical Ventilation: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To compare the effectiveness and rank order of physical therapy interventions, including conventional physical therapy (CPT), inspiratory muscle training (IMT), and early mobilization (EM) on mechanical ventilation (MV) duration and weaning duration.

DATA SOURCES

PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Scopus, and CINAHL complete electronic databases were searched through August 2019.

STUDY SELECTION

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the effect of IMT, EM, or CPT on MV duration and the weaning duration in patients with MV were included. Studies that were determined to meet the eligibility criteria by 2 independent authors were included. A total of 6498 relevant studies were identified in the search, and 18 RCTs (934 participants) were included in the final analysis.

DATA EXTRACTION

Data were extracted independently by 2 authors and assessed the study quality by the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool. The primary outcomes were MV duration and weaning duration.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Various interventions of physical therapy were identified in the eligible studies, including IMT, IMT+CPT, EM, EM+CPT, and CPT. The data analysis demonstrated that compared with CPT, IMT+CPT significantly reduced the weaning duration (mean difference; 95% confidence interval) (-2.60; -4.76 to -0.45) and EM significantly reduced the MV duration (-2.01; -3.81 to -0.22). IMT+CPT and EM had the highest effectiveness in reducing the weaning duration and MV duration, respectively.

CONCLUSION

IMT or EM should be recommended for improving the weaning outcomes in mechanically ventilated patients. However, an interpretation with caution is required due to the heterogeneity.

A systematic review of aerobic and resistance exercise and inflammatory markers in people with multiple sclerosis

Inflammation is a driver in the demyelination process in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and can influence disability levels. Both single and repeated bouts of exercise can decrease inflammatory markers in people with MS (PwMS). This systematic review evaluates whether exercise can influence inflammation and disability in individuals with MS. Experimental studies were reviewed that had to meet the following eligibility requirements: a sample of PwMS, an intervention of exercise (either aerobic, resistance, or a combination of each), and an outcome that included at least one inflammatory (cytokine) reaction. The main outcome measure was an evaluation of inflammation, as indicated by a change in any cytokine level. Other measures included muscle strength, balance, flexibility, walking ability, disability statues, and quality of life (QOL). A total of nine studies were included in the final review. Exercise interventions included predominantly cycling, although a few resistance training trials were mentioned. Small decreases were found in IL-17 and IFN-γ after exercise. Functional outcome measures and perceived disability status were improved posttraining. We conclude that while interventions such as exercise may impact QOL, they do not have a significant influence on inflammation associated with MS. Exercise is an accessible alternative that not only helps to decrease impairments but also limit the restrictions associated with participation in society. While functional outcomes after exercise improved, these improvements may not be attributable to changes in levels of cytokines or inflammatory markers.

Acute effect of passive cycle-ergometry and functional electrical stimulation on nitrosative stress and inflammatory cytokines in mechanically ventilated critically ill patients: a randomized controlled trial

Early mobilization is beneficial for critically ill patients because it reduces muscle weakness acquired in intensive care units. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of functional electrical stimulation (FES) and passive cycle ergometry (PCE) on the nitrous stress and inflammatory cytometry in critically ill patients. This was a controlled, randomized, open clinical trial carried out in a 16-bed intensive care unit. The patients were randomized into four groups: Control group (n=10), did not undergo any therapeutic intervention during the study; PCE group (n=9), lower-limb PCE for 30 cycles/min for 20 min; FES group (n=9), electrical stimulation of quadriceps muscle for 20 min; and FES with PCE group (n=7), patients underwent PCE and FES, with their order determined randomly. The serum levels of nitric oxide, tumor necrosis factor alpha, interferon gamma, and interleukins 6 and 10 were analyzed before and after the intervention. There were no differences in clinical or demographic characteristics between the groups. The results revealed reduced nitric oxide concentrations one hour after using PCE (P<0.001) and FES (P<0.05), thereby indicating that these therapies may reduce cellular nitrosative stress when applied separately. Tumor necrosis factor alpha levels were reduced after the PCE intervention (P=0.049). PCE and FES reduced nitric oxide levels, demonstrating beneficial effects on the reduction of nitrosative stress. PCE was the only treatment that reduced the tumor necrosis factor alpha concentration.

Functional electrical stimulation-assisted cycle ergometry in the critically ill: protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired weakness is the most important cause of failed functional outcome in survivors of critical care. Most damage occurs during the first week when patients are not cooperative enough with conventional rehabilitation. Functional electrical stimulation-assisted cycle ergometry (FES-CE) applied within 48 h of ICU admission may improve muscle function and long-term outcome.

METHODS

An assessor-blinded, pragmatic, single-centre randomized controlled trial will be performed. Adults (n = 150) mechanically ventilated for < 48 h from four ICUs who are estimated to need > 7 days of critical care will be randomized (1:1) to receive either standard of care or FES-CE-based intensified rehabilitation, which will continue until ICU discharge.

PRIMARY OUTCOME

quality of life measured by 36-Item Short Form Health Survey score at 6 months.

SECONDARY OUTCOMES

functional performance at ICU discharge, muscle mass (vastus ultrasound, N-balance) and function (Medical Research Council score, insulin sensitivity). In a subgroup (n = 30) we will assess insulin sensitivity and perform skeletal muscle biopsies to look at mitochondrial function, fibre typing and regulatory protein expression.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02864745. Registered on 12 August 2016.

Therapist perceptions of a rehabilitation research study in the intensive care unit: a trinational survey assessing barriers and facilitators to implementing the CYCLE pilot randomized clinical trial

Background

Rehabilitation interventions, including novel technologies such as in-bed cycling, could reduce critical illness-associated morbidity. Frontline intensive care unit (ICU) therapists often implement these interventions; however, little is known about their perceptions of engaging in clinical research evaluating these technologies.

Objective

To understand frontline therapist perceptions of barriers and facilitators to implementing a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) of early in-bed cycling with mechanically ventilated patients in the ICU and outcome measures (CYCLE Pilot RCT; NCT02377830).

Methods

We developed a 115-item, self-administered, electronic survey informed by 2 complementary knowledge translation (KT) models: the Capability-Opportunity-Motivation-Behaviour (COM-B) system and the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF). We included demographics and 3 sections: Rehabilitation Practice and Research, Cycling, and Physical Outcome Measures. Each section contained items related to the COM-B system and TDF domains. Item formats included 7-point Likert-type scale questions (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree) and free-text responses. We invited therapists (physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and therapy assistants) who participated in the international, multi-center, CYCLE Pilot RCT to complete this cross-sectional survey. We descriptively analyzed results by survey section, COM-B attribute, TDF domain, and individual question within and across sections. We identified barriers based on items with median scores < 4/7.

Results

Our response rate was 85% (45/53). Respondents were from Canada (67%), the USA (21%), and Australia (11%). The majority had a physiotherapy background (87%) and previous research experience (87%). By section, Rehabilitation Practice and Research (85%; 95% confidence interval (CI) [82%, 87%]) was higher than Cycling (77%; 95% CI [73%, 80%]) and Outcome Measures (78%; 95% CI [75%, 82%]). Across the 3 sections, Motivation was lower than Capability and Opportunity. The most common Motivation barrier was the emotion TDF domain, related to the time required to conduct cycling and outcome measures (median [1st, 3rd quartiles] 3/7 [2, 6]).

Conclusions

Frontline ICU therapists had positive perceptions of research engagement. However, we identified barriers related to Motivation, and concerns regarding time to implement the research protocol. Our results can inform specific KT strategies to engage frontline ICU therapists and optimize protocol implementation in critical care rehabilitation research.

Acute effect of passive cycloergometry on the cardiovascular system and respiratory mechanics of critically ill patients: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Introduction: The rehabilitation of critical patients usually occurs in the bed and is classified as low cardiovascular intensity. Therefore, it is essential to understand the physiological effects of these resources that we apply in clinical practice. Objective: Evaluate the acute effect of passive cycloergometry of lower limbs on respiratory mechanics and cardiovascular parameters in critically ill patients. Method: This was a labeled, randomized, controlled trial conducted in two intensive care units in the city of Recife, between August 2016 and May 2017. Patients were divided into two groups: (i) passive cycloergometry group (n = 16), where the patient performed a lower limb cycloergometry session for 20 minutes, and (ii) control group (n = 14), where the patient did not perform any therapeutic intervention, except during the application of the protocol. Cardiovascular parameters and respiratory mechanics were evaluated before, during and after their applicability. Results: No demographic differences were found between the two groups, showing the homogeneity between them. Regarding cardiovascular parameters, there were no differences between groups before, during and after the protocol. Regarding respiratory mechanics, there was a slight elevation of the resistance of the respiratory system in the cycloergometry group and a reduction of the same in the control group. Conclusion: The results suggest that passive cycloergometry applied to the critical patient did not promote significant cardiovascular changes and respiratory mechanics, being considered a safe and effective technique in clinical practice that can be applied without causing harm to patients under mechanical ventilation.

Recent evidence on early mobilization in critical-Ill patients

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

To examine the benefits of early mobilization and summarize the results of most recent clinical studies examining early mobilization in critically ill patients followed by a presentation of recent developments in the field.

RECENT FINDINGS

Early mobilization of ICU patients, defined as mobilization within 72 h of ICU admission, is still uncommon. In medical and surgical critically ill patients, mobilization is well tolerated even in intubated patients. In neurocritical care, evidence to support early mobilization is either lacking (aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage), or the results are inconsistent (e.g. stroke). Successful implementation of early mobilization requires a cultural change; preferably based on an interprofessional approach with clearly defined responsibilities and including a mobilization scoring system. Although the evidence for the majority of the technical tools is still limited, the use of a bed cycle ergometer and a treadmill with strap system has been promising in smaller trials.

SUMMARY

Early mobilization is well tolerated and feasible, resulting in improved outcomes in surgical and medical ICU patients. Implementation of early mobilization can be challenging and may need a cultural change anchored in an interprofessional approach and integrated in a patient-centered bundle. Scoring systems should be integrated to define daily goals and used to verify patients' achievements or identify barriers immediately.