The effect of threshold inspiratory muscle training on the duration of weaning in intensive care unit-admitted patients: A randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of threshold inspiratory muscle training (IMT) on the duration of weaning in intensive care unit (ICU)-admitted patients.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This randomized clinical trial enrolled 79 ICU-admitted, mechanically ventilated patients in 2020-2021 in Imam Reza Hospital, Mashhad. Patients were randomly divided into intervention ( = 40) and control ( = 39) groups. The intervention group received threshold IMT and conventional chest physiotherapy, while the control group only received conventional chest physiotherapy once a day. Before and after the end of the intervention, the strength of inspiratory muscles and the duration of weaning were measured in both the groups.

RESULTS

The duration of weaning was shorter in the intervention group (8.4 ± 1.1 days) versus the control group (11.2 ± 0.6 days) ( < 0.001). The rapid shallow breathing index decreased by 46.5% in the intervention group and by 27.3% in the control group after the intervention (both < 0.001), and the between-group comparison showed a significantly higher reduction in the intervention group than control group ( < 0.001). The patients' compliance after the intervention compared to the 1 day increased to 16.2 ± 6.6 in the intervention group and 9.6 ± 6.8 in the control group (both < 0.001), and the between-group comparison showed a significantly higher increase in the intervention group than control group. The maximum inspiratory pressure increased by 13.7 ± 6.1 in the intervention group and by 9.1 ± 6.0 in the control group ( < 0.001). Furthermore, the weaning success was 54% more probable in the intervention group than control group ( < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

The results of this study showed the positive effect of IMT with threshold IMT trainer on increased strength of respiratory muscles and reduced weaning duration.