Use of neuromuscular electrical stimulation to preserve the thickness of abdominal and chest muscles of critically ill patients: A randomized clinical trial.

Objective: To evaluate and compare the effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation combined with conventional physical therapy on muscle thickness in critically ill patients.

Design: Double-blind, randomized controlled trial.

Patients: Twenty-five patients participated in the study.

Early rehabilitation using a passive cycle ergometer on muscle morphology in mechanically ventilated critically ill patients in the Intensive Care Unit (MoVe-ICU study): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Patients in Intensive Care Units (ICU) are often exposed to prolonged immobilization which, in turn, plays an important role in neuromuscular complications. Exercise with a cycle ergometer is a treatment option that can be used to improve the rehabilitation of patients on mechanical ventilation (MV) in order to minimize the harmful effects of immobility.

Methods/design: A single-blind randomized controlled trial (the MoVe ICU study) will be conducted to evaluate and compare the effects of early rehabilitation using a bedside cycle ergometer with conventional physical therapy on the muscle morphology of the knee extensors and diaphragm in critical ill patients receiving MV.

Cycling-off modes during pressure support ventilation: effects on breathing pattern, patient effort, and comfort.

Purpose: Expiratory asynchrony during pressure support ventilation (PSV) has been recognized as a cause of patient discomfort, increased workload, and impaired weaning process. We evaluated breathing pattern, patient comfort, and patient effort during PSV comparing 2 flow termination criteria: fixed at 5% of peak inspiratory flow vs automatic, real-time, breath-by-breath adjustment within the range of 5% to 55%.

Materials And Methods: Randomized crossover clinical trial.

Energy expenditure during weaning from mechanical ventilation: is there any difference between pressure support and T-tube?

Background: The objectives of this study were to compare patients' energy expenditure (EE) during pressure support (PS) and T-tube (TT) weaning from mechanical ventilation (MV) through indirect calorimetry (IC) and to crosscheck these findings with the results calculated using Harris-Benedict (HB) equation.

Methods: This study is a randomized crossover controlled trial. Patients with clinical criteria for weaning from MV were randomized to PS-TT or TT-PS, with EE measurement for 20 minutes in PS and TT through IC.

Effects of manual hyperinflation maneuver associated with positive end expiratory pressure in patients within coronary artery bypass grafting.

Objective: To verify the effects of manual hyperinflation maneuver associated with positive end expiratory pressure in coronary artery bypass grafting patients.

Methods: This was a randomized trial, conducted from August 2007 to July 2008 in the intensive care unit of the Hospital Luterano (ULBRA). The patients were divided in the groups intervention - with manual hyperinflation plus positive end expiratory pressure - and controlThe ventilatory variables were measured before and after the manual hyperinflation.

Energy expenditure in mechanical ventilation: is there an agreement between the Ireton-Jones equation and indirect calorimetry?

Objective: Assess the agreement between the energy expenditure measured by indirect calorimetry and that estimated by the Ireton-Jones formula of critically ill patients under assisted mechanical ventilation.

Methods: Participated in the study individuals able to interrupt ventilation support, admitted at the center of intensive care of the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre - RS, between August 2006 and January 2007. Energy expenditure was measured by indirect calorimetry using a specific monitor, as well as estimated by the Ireton-Jones formula.