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The effects of short bouts of ergometric exercise for severely burned children in intensive care: A randomized
Tony Chao1, Ingrid Parry2, Alen Palackic3,4
1Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health Professions, 12338University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
Insights
Short bouts of ergometric exercises are feasible for children in the burn intensive care unit (ICU). However, this exercise intervention did not show additional benefits for recovery outcomes like body mass or functional ambulation.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric critical care medicine
- Rehabilitation medicine
- Burn injury management
Background:
- Severe burns in children necessitate intensive care and can lead to significant physical deconditioning.
- Early mobilization and exercise are crucial for recovery but can be challenging in the burn intensive care unit (ICU) setting.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility and effects of short ergometric exercise sessions on recovery metrics in pediatric burn patients.
- To assess the impact of ergometric exercise on intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay, body mass, and functional ambulation.
Main Methods:
- A multi-center, randomized controlled trial was conducted in a burn intensive care unit.
- Participants were children aged 7-17 with severe burns (>30% total body surface area).
- The intervention group received standard care plus cycle ergometer exercises, while the control group received standard care only.
Main Results:
- Fifty-four children were included (18 Control, 36 Exercise).
- The exercise group showed a trend towards fewer ICU days (31 vs. 46 days) and less lean body mass loss.
- Both groups improved functional ambulation, with no statistically significant additional benefit from exercise.
Conclusions:
- Short ergometric exercises are feasible for severely burned pediatric patients in the ICU.
- Current evidence suggests ergometric exercise does not provide additional recovery benefits beyond standard care for these patients.
- Further research may explore optimized exercise protocols for this population.
Objective:
To determine the effects of short bouts of ergometric exercises on the number of days in the burn intensive care unit (ICU), body mass, and functional ambulation.
Design:
Multi-center, randomized controlled trial.
Setting:
Burn intensive care unit.
Participants:
Children ages 7-17 with severe burns covering over 30% total body surface area (TBSA).
Intervention:
All patients received standard of care (Control) with the experimental group receiving additional exercise with a cycle ergometer (Exercise).
Main Measures:
The number of days in the ICU, total weight, lean body mass (LBM), and functional ambulation were taken shortly after randomization and again within one week of the scheduled hospital discharge. Results of outcomes are expressed as median ± interquartile range (IQR), unless otherwise noted (e.g. demographics).
Results:
Fifty-four severely burned children (n = 18 Control, n = 36 Exercise) were included. The average ± standard deviation for age was 12 ± 3 years and TBSA was 48 ± 16%. The median ± IQR ICU days for Control was 46 ± 51 days vs 31 ± 29 days for Exercise. The median total weight loss for Control was 2.2 ± 1.2 kg vs 1.8 ± 1.4 kg in Exercise. Control lost 0.75 ± 0.8 kg of LBM vs 0.46 ± 0.43 kg in Exercise. Both groups showed significant improvement in functional ambulation (p < 0.01). However, exercise did not add additional benefits.
Conclusion:
Short bouts of ergometric exercises are feasible for severely burned patients while receiving care in the ICU but did not add additional benefits.
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