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Respiratory Physiotherapy in Severe COVID-19 Patients

Completed
Conditions
COVID-19
Registration Number
NCT04459819
Lead Sponsor
Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico
Brief Summary

COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV2 virus. COVID-19 patients can develop a severe disease that can lead to hypoxic respiratory failure and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Severe patients can require access to intensive care unit (ICU). Early rehabilitation is known to be effective in critically ill patients and in ARDS.

The role of respiratory physiotherapy in critical COVID-19 patients is still unclear.

The aim of this study is to describe the bundle and the timing of respiratory physiotherapy used with severe COVID-19 patients from ICU to hospital discharge. Functional condition of patients at discharge will be assessed and described.

Detailed Description

COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by SARS-CoV2 virus, that first appeared in China in 2019 and in Italy in February 2020.

Approximately 80% of people infected with COVID-19 have mild to moderate disease with few symptoms, while more than 10% develop a severe disease that can lead to hypoxic respiratory failure and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Severe patients can require access to intensive care unit (ICU) needing invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) and hospitalization for a long period.

Early rehabilitation is known to be effective in critically ill patients and in ARDS, to reduce functional impairment due to the prolonged stay in ICU. Many works demonstrated that early rehabilitation programs in ICU correlated with faster recovery and discharge at home of ARDS patients and better outcomes in the walking test at discharge from the hospital.

Due to the recent development of COVID-19, few data and guidelines to menage severe COVID-19 patients are available and the role of respiratory physiotherapy is still unclear.

The aim of this study is to describe the bundle and the timing of respiratory physiotherapy used with severe COVID-19 patients from ICU to hospital discharge. Functional condition of patients at discharge will be assessed and described.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
84
Inclusion Criteria
  • Having laboratory confirmed COVID-19 pneumonia
  • Developed hypoxemic acute respiratory failure (hARF) requiring access to ICU
  • Treated by respiratory physiotherapists during the hospitalization period
Exclusion Criteria
  • Previously documented neurological or neuromuscular diseases
  • Passed over 1 month in bed before COVID-19 diagnosis
  • Documented cognitive impairment (mini mental state examination <24)

Study & Design

Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Study Design
Not specified
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Type of physiotherapy treatmentsThrough study completion, an average of 60 days

Number of each activity performed on patients among early mobilization, positioning, Uso of non invasive ventilation (NIV) and/or continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), oxygen titration, airway clearance.

Number of physiotherapy treatmentsThrough study completion, an average of 60 days

Total number of physiotherapy treatments performed on patients during hospitalization

Time of the first physiotherapy treatmentFrom patient intubation to first time patient was treated by a physiotherapist; up to 60 days

Median number of days from patients intubation to the first physiotherapy treatment

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
First time walkingFrom patient intubation to first time walking; up to 60 days

Median number of days from patients intubation to walking

First time standingFrom patient intubation to first time standing; up to 60 days

Median number of days from patients intubation to standing

First time sitting out of bedFrom patient intubation to first time sitting out of bed; up to 60 days

Median number of days from patients intubation to sitting out of bed

6 minutes walking test (6MWT)Assessed when patients are discharged from the hospital; up to 60 days

Median distance (metres) obtained at the 6MWT

1 minute sit-to-stand test (1m-STST)Assessed when patients are discharged from the hospital; up to 60 days

Median number of sit-to-stand repetitions obtained

Lower extremity muscles strengthAssessed at 2 time points, when patients are discharged from ICU and when patients are discharged from the hospital; up to 60 days.

Median lower extremity muscle strength measured by the Medical Research Council sum score (MRC-SS). The muscle scale grades muscle power on a scale of 0 (no visible muscle contraction) to 5 (active movement against full resistance). The movement tested are ankle dorsiflexion, knee extension and hip flexion.

Patients discharged to in-patient rehabilitationUp to 60 days.

Number of patients that were discharged from acute hospital to in-patient rehabilitation

ExitusFrom ICU admission until date of death from any cause, assessed up to 60 days.

Number of patients that died from any cause during hospitalization

Upper extremity muscles strengthAssessed at 2 time points, when patients are discharged from ICU and when patients are discharged from the hospital; up to 60 days.

Median upper extremity muscle strength measured by the Medical Research Council sum score (MRC-SS). The muscle scale grades muscle power on a scale of 0 (no visible muscle contraction) to 5 (active movement against full resistance). The movement tested are wrist flexion, forearm flexion and shoulder abduction.

ICU stay lengthFrom ICU admission to ICU discharge; up to 60 days.

Mean number of days patients stayed in ICU

Functional independence in ADLAssessed when the patient is discharged from the hospital; up to 60 days.

Median score obtained th the Barthel Index for Activities of Daily Living (ADL). The Barthel Index measures functional independence in ADL. Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating greater independence in ADL.

Length of hospitalizationFrom hospital admission to hospital discharge; up to 60 days.

Mean number of days patients stayed at the hospital

Duration of invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV)From first day patient are mechanically ventilated to IMV stop; up to 60 days.

Mean number of days patients were invasively mechanically ventilated

Patients returned homeUp to 60 days.

Number of patients that following hospital discharge returned home

Patients transferred to other hospitalsUp to 60 days.

Number of patients that following hospital discharge were transferred to other hospitals

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan Internal Medicine Department, Respiratory Unit and Cystic Fibrosis Adult Center, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico

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Milan, Italy

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