9 Clinical Trials for Various Conditions
Patients will receive one of three respiratory therapy interventions for airway clearance assistance: 1) High frequency chest wall oscillation (HFCWO) and mechanical insufflation/exsufflation (MIE), 2) HFCWO or 3) MIE. The study period will be six months and include three clinic visits, baseline and follow-up visits at 3 and 6 months, and 6 monthly home visits by the respiratory therapist.
Spinal cord injury (SCI), especially involving the cervical and upper thoracic segments, can significantly compromise respiratory muscle function. Respiratory complications can ensue, including lung collapse and pneumonia, which are the primary cause for mortality in association with traumatic SCI both during the acute and chronic phases post-injury. Lesions at the level of the cervical or high thoracic spinal cord result in respiratory muscle weakness, which is associated with ineffective cough, mucus retention, and mucus plugging. Despite the fact that pulmonary complications are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in this population, there is a paucity of effective interventions in the SCI population known to improve respiratory muscle strength with pharmacologic interventions receiving little to no attention. The current objective of this study is to determine the effectiveness of 16 weeks of sustained release oral Albuterol to; (1) improve respiratory muscular strength, and (2) improve cough effectiveness.
The purpose of this study is to determine if residual weakness after weight loss surgery leads to an increased risk of respiratory complications in the postoperative period.
Patients who are admitted to the intensive care unit and require mechanical ventilation frequently develop profound respiratory and limb muscle weakness. Studies show that the development of weakness during the ICU stay results in poor outcomes. Currently there are no treatments for this muscle weakness, but it has been suggested that this weakness might improve with physical therapy. Electrical stimulation is a method to provide direct stimulation to the muscles potentially enhancing function and improving strength. The purpose of this study is to test the hypothesis that neuromuscular electrical stimulation of the quadriceps muscle will improve muscle strength in patients who are critically ill on mechanical ventilation.
Respiratory failure following extubation causes significant morbidity and increases mortality in teh surgical intensive care unit (SICU). However the causes of respiratory failure following extubation remain poorly understood. The investigators hypothesize that extubation failure can be predicted based on preoperative risk factors as well as ICU acquired morbidities including muscle weakness and renal failure.
The investigators hypothesize that by applying a validated algorithm to accomplish early mobilization in surgical intensive care unit (ICU) patients, these patients will achieve a higher level of mobility which translates to shorter ICU length of stay and improved functional status at discharge. Additionally, the investigators hypothesize that genetic polymorphisms related to muscle strength and sleep will also explain some variance in these outcome variables.
Individuals with chronic liver disease develop significant muscle wasting that remains post-liver transplant. The transplant surgery additionally challenges respiratory mechanics. Respiratory muscle strength has been measured to be impaired in individuals post liver transplant. This study proposes an 8 week intervention designed to increase respiratory muscle strength and pulmonary function that we hypothesize will correlate to improved functional performance and quality of life post-liver transplant. Pre-test post-test design, that will randomize subjects into an experimental group that will receive the inspiratory muscle strengthening exercise in addition to usual post-liver transplant care and a control group that will only receive the usual post-transplant care. Up to 50 subjects will be recruited from the Post-Liver Transplant Outpatient Clinic at the Miami Transplant Institute. The subjects will have repeated measurements of respiratory muscle strength, pulmonary function, functional mobility performance, and quality of life at baseline, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks.
Intensive care unit (ICU) hospitalization saves lives but often does so at a high personal cost to ICU survivors who frequently experience significant cognitive impairment and an array of physical and functional disabilities that limit their recovery and quality of life. While the problems experienced by these patients are likely amenable to rehabilitation, few ICU survivors receive focused rehabilitation. Recently, early physical rehabilitation in ICU patients has shown to improve the chances a patient will regain their pre-hospital functional status. Early cognitive rehabilitation for these patients has not yet been explored. This pilot study will determine the feasibility of early cognitive rehabilitation in ICU patients. The investigators will perform cognitive and physical rehabilitation, beginning in the earliest phases of critical illness, to determine the effect of these therapies on cognitive and functional outcomes in ICU survivors. The investigators hypothesize that combined cognitive and physical rehabilitation, started in the ICU, will improve recovery of cognitive and physical function as well as improve quality of life of ICU survivors.
Investigators will assess the effect of exercise on markers of inflammation and protein catabolism. This research study will further our understanding of how treating Chronic Critical illness (CCI) - related respiratory muscle weakness with strength training can not only improve muscle function, but also potentially blunt the inflammation and catabolism of Peristent Inflammation/Immunosuppression and Catabolism (PICS).