Physical Rehabilitation in ICU in ARDS Patients With COVID-19

The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of physical rehabilitation performed in intensive care unit on the range of joint motions and muscle strength of survivors following discharge from intensive care unit in patients with COVID-19. Secondary outcome is to assess the duration of mechanical ventilation, length of stay in intensive care unit and in hospital, and mortality rates during intensive care unit stay and health related quality of life following discharge in survivors. Until April 14 patients were provided all the intensive care managements except for rehabilitation and patients discharged before this time constituted the 'non-rehabilitation' group (n=17). Patients discharged after April 14 were provided rehabilitation in addition to usual intensive care unit care and constituted the study 'rehabilitation' group (n=18). Passive range of motion exercises to each joint and neuromuscular electrical stimulation to bilateral quadriceps and tibialis anterior muscles were applied 6 days/week in the 'rehabilitation' group during intensive care unit stay.