Safety and feasibility of inspiratory muscle training for hospitalized patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: a randomized controlled study.

Purpose: Patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) usually experienced respiratory muscle weakness. Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) at HSCT has not been studied yet. Thus, it is important to evaluate the safety, feasibility, and preliminary effectiveness of IMT for hospitalized patients undergoing HSCT with an unstable and acute clinical condition.

Methods: This is a randomized controlled feasibility study. Thirty-one hospitalized patients undergoing HSCT were randomized to the conventional physical rehabilitation (CON) or to the IMT group (conventional physical rehabilitation + IMT). IMT was carried out at 40% of maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), 5 sessions weekly, 10-20 min/session. Primary outcomes were safety and feasibility (recruitment, adherence, and attrition rates) of IMT. Secondary outcomes were respiratory strength, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, and frequency of patients with oxygen desaturation, bleeding, dyspnea, and acute pulmonary edema.

Results: Patients were allocated to the IMT (N = 15; 43.6 years) or to the CON group (N = 16; 46.6 years). The recruitment rate was 100%, the adherence rate was 91%, and attrition was 13% to IMT. Two events were observed in 126 IMT sessions (1.5%). MIP increased in the IMT group (P < 0.01). No differences were observed in respiratory rate and oxygen saturation between groups. Trends to negative outcomes were observed in the CON in comparison to IMT group for a need of oxygen therapy (18% vs. 6%), bleeding (12% vs. 6%), dyspnea (25% vs. 13%), and acute pulmonary edema (6% vs. 0%).

Conclusions: IMT is safe, feasible, and improves the inspiratory muscle strength in hospitalized patients undergoing HSCT.

Trial Registration: Clinical trial registration: NCT03373526.