Safety and feasibility of physiotherapy in ICU-admitted severe COVID-19 patients: an observational study.

Early physiotherapy could play an important role in the management of severe COVID-19 subjects with consequences of prolonged ICU stay, although its effectiveness is still unclear. Aim of this study is to describe physiotherapy performed in severe COVID-19 patients and to evaluate its safety and feasibility. Consecutive adults with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, admitted to the ICU, needing invasive mechanical ventilation for >24 hours and receiving early physiotherapy, have been enrolled. Adverse events occurred during physiotherapy sessions and timing and type of physiotherapy delivered were analysed, to identify the interventions most frequently performed and to determine the time taken to first mobilize, stand and walk. Functional and clinical assessment of patients was also performed at hospital discharge. Eighty-four severe COVID-19 subjects were enrolled. Few minor adverse events were recorded. Active mobilization was promoted over passive mobilization and independence in daily life activities was supported. Time interval from patients' intubation to the first physiotherapy treatment was 13 days and to walking was 27 days. Forty-eight (57.1%) subjects returned at home, whereas 29 (34.5%) were discharged to in-patient rehabilitation. Patients with tracheostomy experienced a delay in time from ICU admission until sit out of bed and ambulation, if compared with subjects without tracheostomy, although no differences were found in 6MWT and 1m-STST performances. This study reporting early physiotherapy during pandemic suggests that this intervention is feasible and safe for severe COVID-19 subjects, as well as healthcare workers, although delayed compared to other critically ill patients.

Isocapnic hyperpnea with a portable device in Cystic Fibrosis: an agreement study between two different set-up modalities.

To evaluate the bias and precision of the respiratory muscle training device formulas to predict respiratory minute volume (RMV) and volume of the reservoir bag (BV) on a cohort of subjects with Cystic Fibrosis (CF). CF patients with available pulmonary function tests and maximal voluntary manoeuvres were included in the study. Vital capacity and maximal voluntary ventilation were extracted from subjects' records and then inserted to the manufacturer's formulas to obtain RMV and BV (measured setting). RMV and BV were compared according to standard and measured formulas in males and females. Sample was described and then processed using Bland-Altman analysis. Bland-Altman analysis for RMV revealed a bias and precision of 8.8 ± 29 L/min in males and 28.8 ± 16 L/min in females; 0.4 ± 0.5 L in males and 0.7 ± 0.4 L in females for BV. Concordance correlation coefficients for RMV were -0.03 in males and 0.02 in females; 0.22 in males and 0.03 in females for BV, reinforcing an unsatisfactory concordance between measured and manufacturer setting. This study shows considerable discrepancies between the two methods, making the degree of agreement not clinically acceptable. This might cause inappropriate setting and disservice to patients with CF.

The impact of elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor therapy on the pulmonary management of adults with cystic fibrosis: An expert-based Delphi consensus.

BACKGROUND: The advent of elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (ETI) resulted in unprecedented clinical benefits for eligible adults with CF. As a result, the question of whether chronic treatments can be safely stopped or adapted to this new situation has become a matter of great interest. Our objective was to derive a consensus among Italian experts on the impact of ETI on the current clinical management of CF lung disease. METHODS: From December 2021 to April 2022 a panel of Italian experts endorsed by the national CF scientific society derived and graded a set of statements on the pulmonary management of adults with cystic fibrosis through a modified Delphi methodology. RESULTS: The panel produced 13 statements exploring possible modifications in the fields of inhaled antibiotics and mucoactives; airway clearance and physical activity; chronic macrolides and bronchodilators; and lung transplant referral. The areas that the experts considered most urgent to explore were the impact of ETI on the role of inhaled antibiotics and lung transplant. CONCLUSIONS: The list of priorities that emerged from this study could be useful to guide and inform clinical research on the most urgent area of impact of ETI on CF lung disease and its clinical management.

Thoraco-abdominal asymmetry and asynchrony in congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

OBJECTIVE: Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) consists of an incomplete formation of the diaphragm and the subsequent herniation of abdominal bowels. Diaphragmatic defect can be repaired by primary closure or placing a patch. Respiratory follow up usually focuses on spirometric and clinical evaluation. The aim of the study was to assess thoraco-abdominal volumes in CDH patients and to verify whether the action of the diaphragm on the chest wall is altered leading to an asymmetric and asynchronous expansion of the different thoracoabdominal compartments. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Total and compartmental chest wall volumes and asynchronies were measured by Opto-Electronic Plethysmography in 14 CDH patients (7 M/7F, age 5 ± 2 years, 12 left side operated) and in 9 age matched healthy subjects during quiet spontaneous breathing in supine position. Patients were divided in two groups: five patients with suture (group S) and nine patients with diaphragmatic patch (group P). Pulmonary function was assessed by spirometry and spirometric parameters were expressed as Z-score. RESULTS: In group P abdominal contribution to tidal volume was lower than healthy controls and group S. Unlike controls, in both CDH groups the right side of pulmonary rib cage moved inward with a correspondent left side expansion during inspiration. In group S, thoraco-abdominal asynchronies were higher than in group P and controls, especially in the right side. Five patients belonging to group P had a spirometric obstructive pattern. CONCLUSIONS: In overall CDH patients a reduced action of the treated (left) hemi-diaphragm is evident. In patients treated by primary suture, a compensatory action of the right side allows to reach a normal total diaphragmatic displacement and a proper contribution of the whole diaphragm to tidal volume. In patients treated by diaphragmatic patch, instead, thoraco-abdominal asynchronies are prevented.