Hemodynamic and metabolic effects of passive leg movement in mechanically ventilated patients

Limb movements, passively performed by a physiotherapist, have been shown to result in significant increases in critically ill patients' metabolic and hemodynamic variables. This study objective was to determine whether passive cycling leg movement increases hemodynamic and metabolic variables in sedated mechanical ventilation dependent patients.

Five sedated mechanical ventilation dependent patients in a 18-bed intensive care unit of a university hospital were evaluated. Passive cycling leg movements were performed for 10min at a 30 movements/min rate. Complete hemodynamical data were recorded and arterial and mixed venous blood sample were collected 5 minutes before and after 5 minutes after the maneuver completion.

All patients had increased oxygen consumption (VO2). The VO2 increase occurred with a concomitant drop in mixed venous blood saturation (SvO2), likely from both oxygen extraction ratio (O2ER) and cardiac index (CI) increase.

passive cycling leg movements may influence hemodynamical and metabolic status in sedated mechanical ventilation-dependent patients.