What are the Effects of the Cycle Ergometer on Critical Patients in the Intensive Care Unit? Systematic Review

The cycle ergometer is a device that has been widely used in Intensive Care Units, its main feature is the ability to provide peripheral muscle strength gain, improve the circulatory system, assist in mobility and have great effects on the optimization of patients’ cardiorespiratory system that are in bed. This study aims to describe the benefits with the use of the cycle ergometer and the possibility of reducing the time of mechanical ventilation and the length of hospital stay. This is a systematic review of the literature carried out with randomized clinical trials, using the Medline, PubMed, BVS, SciELO and PEDro databases, using the descriptors intensive care unit, respiratory exercise, early ambulation, physical therapy, exercise physical exercise, ergometry and their correlates in English and Spanish. The results included only original articles published between 2009 and 2019. 08 manuscripts made up the discussion of this work. When evaluating the use of the cycle ergometer in the ICU, it could be highlighted that the training with early exercises in highly sick patients, had a significant improvement in the recovery of the functional exercise capacity, proprioception of the functional state, muscle strength after discharge, decreased the time of hospitalization, assisted in ventilatory weaning and optimized breathing.

Keywords: Intensive care unit; Respiratory exercise; Early walking; Physical therapy; Physical exercise; Ergometry