Effect of lung breather on hospital stay in patients with acquired pneumonia: a randomized clinical study

Abstract

INTRODUCTION. Acquired pneumonia is a severe medical condition that is addressed as life-threating issue requiring intensive care. The Medical Breather device can activate and strengthen both the inspiratory and expiratory muscles, so it can be useful for patients with pneumonia. AIM. To investigate the breather effect on length of hospital stay in patients with pneumonia. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Sixty participants diagnosed with acquired pneumonia “30 women, 30 men stayed in hospital in ICU for two weeks; aged 30–40 years old” selected from chest department of Kasr Al-Aini Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Cairo University. They were randomly allocated into equal groups; Group A received respiratory training via incentive spirometer, and traditional chest physiotherapy; and Group B received respiratory training via Breather, and traditional chest physiotherapy, both received 3 session daily/2 weeks. Diaphragmatic excursion, Respiratory Distress Observation Scale, and ICU discharge were assessed before and after the treatment. RESULTS. Both groups revealed significant improvement after the treatment, while Breather group showed a high significant increase in pH 1.23 %, PaO2 11.79 %, SaO2 6.1 %, and diaphragmatic excursion by 36.97 %, also decrease in PaCO2 2.78 %, RDOS 39.06 % and NEWS2 by 50.72 % in comparison to incentive spirometer group that recorded significant increase in pH 0.68 %, PaO2 6.69 %, SaO2 by 2.66 %, and diaphragmatic excursions by 8.15 %, also significant decrease in PaCO2 12.12 %, RDOS 15.01 % and NEWS2 by 20.93 %. HCO3 revealed no significant difference post treatment (p 0.05). DISCUSSION. Breather usage in inspiratory musculatures training (IMT) gained Maximum Inspiratory Pressure (Pimax) significant improvement. IMT enforces both diaphragm and accessory respiratory musculatures. Probably functional capabilities improvements based on enhanced respiratory musculatures’ both endurance and strength that improve pulmonary oxygen uptake thus minimize dyspnea severity. Respiratory muscles training program improves not only cognitive function. Moreover, IMT could be addressed as a prime component of respiratory training in combine with expiratory one that is why whom has preserved pulmonary function. CONCLUSION. Breather as a respiratory training technique has remarkable results in reducing hospital stays in patients with acquired pneumonia, and significant positive effects on diaphragmatic function, oxygenation levels. Therefore, it is recommended to use Breather for routine acquired pneumonia care. REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: No NCT06062862; registered April 30, 2022.