Effectiveness of a physical therapy intervention in patients hospitalized due to community acquired pneumonia

Abstract

Introduction: Hospitalization due to community acquired pneumonia has shown to imply a significant physical impairment in elderly patients. Our aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of a physical therapy intervention during the hospitalization of community acquired pneumonia patients . Methods: Randomized clinical trial. Patients admitted due to community acquired pneumonia were included. Patients were randomly divided. Control group received the standard medical treatment(SM), and intervention group received SM and a physical therapy. Physical therapy includes control breathing techniques, elastic bands and superimposed neuromuscular electrical stimulation in quadriceps muscles. The intervention was performed during the hospital stay of the patients. Quadriceps strength was evaluated with hand held dynamometry. Results: 36 patients with community acquired pneumonia were finally included in this study, the mean age was of 81.01±4.711 years, and BMI was of 28.35±2.86 kg/m2. Predicted FEV1 was of 51.9±25.52%, and predicted FVC of 57.78±28.61%. Conclusions: A physical therapy program during the hospitalization of patients with community acquired pneumonia improves significantly the lower limb strength.