Jenny Davida Paratz

Physical Therapy for the Critically Ill in the Icu: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis*

Objective:The purpose of this systematic review was to review the evidence base for exercise in critically ill patients. Data Sources and Study Selection:Using keywords critical care and physical therapy and related synonyms, randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews were identified through electronic database searches and citation tracking. Clinical trials with outcomes of mortality, length of hospital and ICU stay, physical function and quality of life, muscle strength, and ventilator-free days were included. Data Extraction and Synthesis:Two reviewers abstracted data and assessed quality independently. Effect sizes and 95% confidence intervals were calculated. From 3,126 screened abstracts, 10 randomized controlled trials and five reviews were found. The mean Physiotherapy Evidence Database score was 5.4. Overall there was a significant positive effect favoring physical therapy for the critically ill to improve the quality of life (g = 0.40, 95% confidence interval 0.08, 0.71), physical function (g = 0.46, 95% confidence interval 0.13, 0.78), peripheral muscle strength (g = 0.27, 95% confidence interval 0.02, 0.52), and respiratory muscle strength (g = 0.51, 95% confidence interval 0.12, 0.89). Length of hospital (g = –0.34, 95% confidence interval –0.53, –0.15) and ICU stay (g = –0.34, 95% confidence interval –0.51, –0.18) significantly decreased and ventilator-free days increased (g = 0.38, 95% confidence interval 0.16, 0.59) following physical therapy in the ICU. There was no effect on mortality. Conclusion:Physical therapy in the ICU appears to confer significant benefit in improving quality of life, physical function, peripheral and respiratory muscle strength, increasing ventilator-free days, and decreasing hospital and ICU stay. However, further controlled trials of better quality and larger sample sizes are required to verify the strength of these tentative associations.

Physical activity and cancer prevention: a systematic review of clinical trials

BackgroundPhysically active individuals have lower rates of many cancers and improved cancer outcomes. Controlled exercise trials measuring putative biomarkers of cancer risk are being conducted to further understand the role of exercise in cancer etiology and progression. We aimed to systematically review the effect of exercise on various biomarkers.MethodsA comprehensive search strategy identified 353 publications from January 1980 to August 2010. We included those clinical trials of exercise measuring biomarkers following minimum 4-week intervention among cancer survivors or people with one or more cancer risk factors. Two reviewers abstracted data and assessed quality independently. Effect sizes and 95% confidence intervals were estimated.ResultsFour primary prevention and five tertiary prevention trials were included. Exercise had a small to moderate effect on improving concentrations of several blood biomarkers implicated in breast and colon cancer pathways including insulin, leptin, estrogens, and apoptosis regulation. In breast cancer survivors, exercise had a small to moderate effect on improving some biomarkers associated with prognosis including various insulin-like growth factor axis proteins, insulin, and inflammation; and a large effect on enhancing immune function.ConclusionData are few, but there is some evidence to support the role of exercise in modulating various cancer pathways.

Muscle strength assessment in critically ill patients with handheld dynamometry: An investigation of reliability, minimal detectable change, and time to peak force generation

PURPOSE Dynamometry is an objective tool for volitional strength evaluation that may overcome the limited sensitivity of the Medical Research Council scale for manual muscle tests, particularly at grades 4 and 5. The primary aims of this study were to investigate the reliability, minimal detectable change, and time to peak muscle force, measured with portable dynamometry, in critically ill patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS Isometric hand grip, elbow flexion, and knee extension were measured with portable dynamometry. RESULTS Interrater consistency (intraclass correlation coefficient [95% confidence interval]) (0.782 [0.321-0.930] to 0.946 [0.840-0.982]) and test-retest agreement (0.819 [0.390-0.943] to 0.918 [0.779-0.970]) were acceptable for all dynamometry forces, with the exception of left elbow flexion. Despite generally good reliability, a mean change (upper 95% confidence interval) of 2.8 (7.8) kg, 1.9 (5.2) kg, and 2.6 (7.1) kg may be required from a patients baseline force measurement of right grip, elbow flexion, and knee extension to reflect real force changes. There was also a delay in the time for critically ill patients to generate peak muscle forces, compared with healthy controls (P ≤ .001). CONCLUSIONS Dynamometry can provide reliable measurements in alert critically ill patients, but moderate changes in strength may be required to overcome measurement error, during the acute recovery period. Deficits in force timing may reflect impaired neuromuscular control.

Diaphragm and peripheral muscle thickness on ultrasound: Intra‐rater reliability and variability of a methodology using non‐standard recumbent positions

Background and objective:  Reliable measurement of diaphragm and peripheral muscle thickness, using diagnostic ultrasound, has only been validated in the erect posture. However, in many clinical populations, including critically ill patients, the erect posture presents logistic difficulties. This study aimed to validate ultrasound measurement of diaphragm and peripheral muscle thickness in the recumbent position.

Predictive Utility of the 6-Minute Walk Distance on Survival in Patients Awaiting Lung Transplantation

BACKGROUND The 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) is a widely used clinical indicator of exercise capacity. Although used as part of the assessment process in determining a candidates suitability for lung transplantation (LT), the literature describing the impact of the 6MWD in predicting survival on LT waiting lists is limited. This study aimed to determine the hazard function associated with the 6MWD, and its utility relative to other prognostic variables. METHODS A retrospective chart review was conducted on 163 patients who were listed for single or double LT, and either survived to transplant or died while on the waiting list. A Cox regression for survival analysis, stratified by diagnostic group, was conducted utilizing the 6MWD, demographic variables and measures of cardiopulmonary function. RESULTS The 6MWD proved to be the only significant covariate in the Cox regression for survival analysis (p < 0.001), with all other variables eliminated as non-significant. Furthermore, there was a protective effect for each unit increase in the 6MWD [Exp (B) = 0.994, 95% confidence interval 0.990 to 0.997]. CONCLUSIONS This research demonstrates that the 6MWD is useful for stratifying patients on the LT waiting list by identifying those patients with a significantly higher risk of mortality.

Muscle Stretching Technique Increases Vital Capacity and Range of Motion in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

OBJECTIVES To determine if a specific hold and relax stretching technique was capable of (1) reversing the effect of tight chest wall muscles by increasing chest expansion, vital capacity, and shoulder range of motion and (2) decreasing perceived dyspnea and respiratory rate in persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). DESIGN Double-blind crossover trial. SETTING A physiotherapy department at a major metropolitan hospital. PARTICIPANTS Fourteen stable patients with COPD who had recently completed a pulmonary rehabilitation program were enrolled, with 10 patients completing the study. INTERVENTION A hold and relax stretching technique of the pectoralis major and a sham technique each for 2 days. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome measure was vital capacity (VC), with secondary outcome measures being perceived dyspnea, axillary (ACE) and xiphisternal chest expansion (XCE), right and left shoulder horizontal extension, and respiratory rate. RESULTS The hold and relax technique to the pectoralis major compared with the sham technique produced significant effects on VC (P<.01), and right (P<.01) and left (P<.05) upper-limb range of motion. There was no significant effect on ACE, XCE, perceived dyspnea, or respiratory rate. There was no order effect for either technique. CONCLUSIONS The hold and relax technique produces short-term benefits in patients with COPD and should be investigated further.

Intensive exercise after thermal injury improves physical, functional, and psychological outcomes.

BACKGROUND Although exercise programs after burns are considered a standard of care, there is limited evidence for efficacy in adult patients. This study aimed to investigate the effects of an exercise program on physical, functional, and quality of life measures. METHODS A quasi-experimental controlled trial was instituted after final grafting. Both groups completed stretching, and the intervention group underwent a supervised high-intensity (80% maximal heart rate and 70% three repetition maximum) combined aerobic or resisted exercise program for 6 weeks, with outcome measures at baseline, 6 weeks, and 3 months by a blinded assessor. Analysis was by intention to treat. RESULTS Thirty patients (24 men) with a mean age of 34.3 years (± 13.1 years) and mean total body surface area 42.9% (± 13.3%) were enrolled. Inequalities at baseline (age and total body surface area %) were adjusted statistically. A between within repeated measures analysis of variance found significant group × time effects between the groups. Mean change scores from baseline to 12 weeks between control and intervention groups, respectively, were strength (kg): quadriceps (17.5 vs. 66.87), latissimus dorsi (6.07 vs. 27.82), right (4.86 vs. 14.86) and left (7.26 vs. 16.83) hand grip; fitness: peak oxygen consumption (L/min; 0.11 vs. 0.93) and shuttle walk distance (m; 168.93 vs. 459); function: lower extremity function score (8.87 vs. 27.31) and QuickDash (−5.7 vs. −23.98); and health-related quality of life: Burns-Specific Health Scale—Abbreviated (−7.64 vs. 35.13). There were no adverse events during either testing or training. CONCLUSION A high-intensity cardiovascular or resisted exercise program resulted in significant improvements in functional, physical, and psychologic measures and should be mandatory for all burns patients. Larger multicenter trials with longer follow-up periods are required. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic study, level III.

Characteristics of bloodstream infections in burn patients: An 11-year retrospective study

AIMS The principal aim of this study was to describe infection related characteristics of blood stream infections (BSI) in patients with burns. We sought to determine the organisms that caused BSI and factors that could predict the outcome of BSI. METHODS Data was collected on admitted patients with burns from January 1998 to December 2008. Selected information from databases was analysed using SPSS version 17 (SPSS Inc., Chicago). Descriptive, univariate and multivariate analysis was undertaken to determine factors predictive of clinical outcome. The factors analysed by univariate analysis were selected on clinical plausibility. Multivariate analysis used a crosstabs procedure initially to estimate maximum likelihood. Factors that were associated with a p value <0.15 were entered into a binary logistic regression to detect which factors were independent predictors of mortality in BSI and outcome according to specific organisms. RESULTS Ninety-nine out of 2364 (4%) patients developed 212-documented BSI. The median time from burn to BSI was 7 (interquartile range 3-16) days. Gram-positive organisms, in particular Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Coagulase negative Staphylococci, were the most common bacteria associated with BSI in the first week of hospital admission. The mortality rate for all admissions over the data collection period was 3%. Of the 99 patients with BSI, 13 died giving a mortality rate, in the presence of BSI, of 13%. Univariate analysis found that the factors predictive of P. aeruginosa mortality were inhalational injury, higher total body surface area burns, total days of antibiotic treatment and elevated Acute Physiological and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II scores. Multivariate analysis identified inhalational injury to be the only factor associated with BSI-related mortality. CONCLUSION Whilst the overall mortality in our cohort was low, the presence of BSI increased this four-fold. Whilst infections caused by Gram-positive pathogens occurred earlier in the patient stay than Gram-negative organisms, the highest mortality was associated with P. aeruginosa infections. This study highlights the negative effects of BSI on clinical outcomes in burn patients.

The validation of a clinical algorithm for the prevention and management of pulmonary dysfunction in intubated adults: A synthesis of evidence and expert opinion

BACKGROUND Pulmonary dysfunction (PDF) in intubated patients remains a serious and costly complication of intensive care unit care. Optimal cardiopulmonary therapy strategies to prevent and manage PDF need clarification to reduce practice variability. The purpose of this paper is to report on the content validation of an evidence-based clinical management algorithm (EBCMA) aimed at the prevention, identification and management of PDF in critically ill patients. METHODS Forty-four draft algorithm statements extracted from the extant literature by the primary research team were verified and rated by research clinicians (n = 7) in an electronic three-round Delphi process. Statements which reached a priori defined consensus [semi-interquartile range (SIQR) <0.5] were collated into the EBCMA. RESULTS One hundred per cent response rate. Forty-four statements were added after round one. Consensus was reached on rating of 83% (73/88) statements. Differences in interpretation of the existing evidence base, and variations in accepted clinical practice were identified. Four themes were identified where panel failed to reach consensus. CONCLUSION The internationally agreed hierarchical framework of current available evidence and clinical expertise developed through this Delphi process provides clinicians with a tool to inform clinical practice. This tool has the potential to reduce practice variability thereby maximizing safety and treatment outcome. The clinical utility of the EBCMA requires further evaluation.

A new marker of sepsis post burn injury

Objectives:Accurate diagnosis of sepsis is difficult in patients post burn due to the large inflammatory response produced by the major insult. We aimed to estimate the values of serum N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide and procalcitonin and the changes in hemodynamic variables as markers of sepsis in critically ill burn patients. Design:Prospective, observational study. Setting:A quaternary-level university-affiliated ICU. Patients:Fifty-four patients with burns to total body surface area of greater than or equal to 15%, intubated with no previous cardiovascular comorbidities, were enrolled. Interventions:At admission, a FloTrac/Vigileo system was attached and daily blood samples taken from the arterial catheter. Infection surveillance was carried out daily with patients classified as septic/nonseptic according to American Burns Consensus criteria. Measurements and Main Results:N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, procalcitonin, and waveform analysis of changes in stroke volume index and systemic vascular resistance index were measured within the first 24 hours after burn and daily thereafter for the length of the ICU stay or until their first episode of sepsis. Prevalences of stroke volume variation less than 12% (normovolemia) with hypotension (systolic blood pressure < 90 mm Hg) were recorded. Patients with sepsis differed significantly from “no sepsis” for N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, systemic vascular resistance index, and stroke volume index on days 3–7. Procalcitonin did not differ between sepsis and “no sepsis” except for day 3. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curves showed excellent discriminative power for B-type natriuretic peptide (p = 0.001; 95% CI, 0.99–1.00), systemic vascular resistance index (p < 0.001; 95% CI, 0.97–0.99), and stroke volume index (p < 0.01; 95% CI, 0.96–0.99) in predicting sepsis but not for procalcitonin (not significant; 95% CI, 0.29–0.46). A chi-square crosstab found that there was no relationship between hypotension with normovolemia (stroke volume variation < 12%) and sepsis. Conclusions:Serum N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide levels and certain hemodynamic changes can be used as an early indicator of sepsis in patients with burn injury. Procalcitonin did not assist in the early diagnosis of sepsis.