Early ambulation using a cycle ergometer on quadriceps muscle morphology in mechanically ventilated critically ILL patients in the intensive care unit: a randomized controlled trial

Methods Single-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted at Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (Brazil) ICU. Forty-two patients receiving IMV for 24 to 48 hours who were hospitalized for no longer than 1 week and had no restriction of lower limb movements. Interventions: After randomization, passive cycling exercise for the lower extremities was performed once daily for 20 minutes, at 20 revolutions per minute, until extubation or day 7 of the protocol plus conventional physical therapy in the intervention group. Bronchial hygiene maneuvers and passive exercises for the upper and lower extremities were performed twice daily for 30 minutes in both groups. Results Thirty-two patients were included in the final analysis: 18 in the intervention group (52.3 ± 22.7 years) and 14 in the conventional group (56.1 ± 23.0 years). The interaction group*time showed no difference in the crosssectional thickness of the quadriceps muscle (p = 0.100) or in the vastus lateralis fascicle length (p = 0.712), pennation angle (p = 0.603) and muscle thickness (p = 0.552) as assessed by ultrasound before and after the protocol.