RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The clinical role of perioperative respiratory muscle training (RMT), including inspiratory muscle training (IMT) and expiratory muscle training (EMT) in patients undergoing pulmonary surgery remains unclear up to now. AIM: To evaluate whether perioperative RMT is effective in improving postoperative outcomes such as the respiratory muscle strength and physical activity level of patients receiving lung surgery. METHODS: The PubMed, EMBASE (via OVID), Web of Science, Cochrane Library and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) were systematically searched to obtain eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Primary outcome was postoperative respiratory muscle strength expressed as the maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) and maximal expiratory pressure (MEP). Secondary outcomes were physical activity, exercise capacity, including the 6-min walking distance and peak oxygen consumption during the cardio-pulmonary exercise test, pulmonary function and the quality of life. RESULTS: Seven studies involving 240 participants were included in this systematic review and meta-analysis. Among them, four studies focused on IMT and the other three studies focused on RMT, one of which included IMT, EMT and also combined RMT (IMT-EMT-RMT). Three studies applied the intervention postoperative, one study preoperative and the other three studies included both pre- and postoperative training. For primary outcomes, the pooled results indicated that perioperative RMT improved the postoperative MIP (mean = 8.13 cmH2O, 95%CI: 1.31 to 14.95, P = 0.02) and tended to increase MEP (mean = 13.51 cmH2O, 95%CI: -4.47 to 31.48, P = 0.14). For secondary outcomes, perioperative RMT enhanced postoperative physical activity significantly (P = 0.006) and a trend of improved postoperative pulmonary function was observed. CONCLUSION: Perioperative RMT enhanced postoperative respiratory muscle strength and physical activity level of patients receiving lung surgery. However, RCTs with large samples are needed to evaluate effects of perioperative RMT on postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing lung surgery.