Respiratory medicine
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Respiratory medicine · Jan 2013
Multicenter StudyChest physiotherapy effectiveness to reduce hospitalization and mechanical ventilation length of stay, pulmonary infection rate and mortality in ICU patients.
Although physiotherapy is an integral part of the multiprofessional team in most ICUs there is only limited evidence concerning the effectiveness of its procedures. The objectives of this study were to verify if physiotherapy care provided within 24 h/day for hospitalized patients in the ICU reduce the length of stay, mechanical ventilation support, pulmonary infection and mortality compared to a physiotherapy care provided within 6 h/day. ⋯ The presence of a physiotherapist in the intensive care unit contributes decisively to the early recovery of the patient, reducing mechanical ventilation support need, number of hospitalization days, incidence of respiratory infection and risk of mortality.