Title:Effectiveness of Incentive Spirometry on Lung Function in Adult COVID-
19 in the Acute and Post-COVID-19 Phase: Exploratory Review
Volume: 19
Issue: 3
Author(s): Leonardo Arzayus-Patiño*, Valeria Perez-Hortua, Jaime Aguilar-Zambrano, Helberg Asencio-Santofimio and Esther Cecilia Wilches-Luna
Affiliation:
- Grupo de Investigación Ejercicio y Salud Cardiopulmonary (GIESC), Universidad del Valle, Facultad de Salud, Escuela
de Rehabilitación Humana, Cali Colombia
- Programa Academcio de Fisioterpia, Universidad del Valle, Facultad de Salud, Escuela de Rehabilitacion Humana, Cali Colombia, Maestría en Fisioterapia, Universidad del Valle, Facultad de Salud, Escuela de Rehabilitacion Humana, Cali Colombia
- Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Cali, Colombia
Keywords:
Incentive spirometry, COVID-19, pulmonary function, FVC and FEV1, monocytes, hypoxemia.
Abstract:
Introduction: Respiratory incentive, an instrumental technique used to increase
transpulmonary pressure, is indicated when patients present decreased volumes and capacities, a
condition presented by patients with acute phase coronavirus infection and patients with pulmonary
sequelae post COVID-19. Some studies recommend including respiratory incentives in managing
COVID-19 patients because of its benefits and limited risk. The objective of this exploratory review
was to describe and present the current evidence of the effectiveness of IR in improving pulmonary
function in adult patients with acute and post COVID-19.
Methods: An exploratory review was performed. An extensive search was made in databases such
as BVS (MEDLINE-LILLACS-IBECS), PubMed, OVID, Scielo, PEDro, and EBSCO, the checklist
recommended by PRISMA was used and was based on the Johanna Briggs method (JGB), initially
conceived by Arksey and O "Malley. To assess the quality of the studies, we used the PEDro Scale,
which evaluates the methodological quality of the clinical designs.
Results: In this exploratory review, 4 studies published between 2019 and 2022 were identified related
to the use of the respiratory incentive in COVID-19 and post COVID-19. The evidence reviewed
identified that the respiratory incentive was used in the acute phase of the disease and post
COVID-19, improvements in lung function such as FVC and FEV1, clinical parameters such as oxygen
saturation, dyspnea and anxiety were obtained.
Conclusion: The studies identified in this review describe that IR favors the increase of FVC and
FEV1, with occasional benefits in improving dyspnea and oxygen saturation.
