Metabolic cost of IMT
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Measurement of the metabolic cost of inspiratory muscle training and physical rehabilitation in mechanically ventilated patients; a feasibility study.
IRAS ID
298839
Contact name
Michael Polkey
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 9 months, 1 days
Research summary
Patients who are admitted to the intensive care unit typically receive mechanical ventilation. Mechanical ventilation is the medical term used when a breathing machine which is employed to assist with breathing. Current research shows that such patients can quickly lose muscle strength and bulk early on in their intensive care stay. This includes muscles that help you sit, stand and walk but also the diaphragm (a large muscle under the lungs that helps us breath in); the main inspiratory muscle.
When recovering from intensive care patients will receive physiotherapy to help strengthen muscles and improve function. This will involve exercises to help strengthen muscles that help with sitting, standing, walking and other activities. Sometimes the physiotherapist will use a machine to help strengthen the diaphragm, this is called inspiratory muscle training. This involves breathing through a small device against resistance and takes around 10 minutes per day.
Although evidence shows that physiotherapy and inspiratory muscle training can strengthen muscles and improve function, we are yet to know if the method of prescribing these exercises is under training or over training patients.
This research aims to measure oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production (energy utilisation) during both inspiratory muscle training and rehabilitation on patients requiring mechanical ventilation admitted to Guys's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation trust. We hope this data could better inform the prescription of exercise in intensive care and help to better personalise physiotherapy interventions.
To measure oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production a small sensor will be connected to the patients breathing machine during physiotherapy and inspiratory muscle training – this is non-invasive, painless and is connected to an analyser, called the Beacon Caresystem.
Patient will be recruited when they are able to participate in physical rehabilitation and inspiratory muscle training, and will remain in the study until they no longer need mechanical ventilation.
REC name
Wales REC 4
REC reference
21/WA/0268
Date of REC Opinion
15 Sep 2021
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion