Effects of incentive spirometer added to standard rehabilitation in previously hospitalized adults with post-COVID-19 condition: a randomized controlled trial.
Marina Kloni, Alexandros Heraclides, Theognosia Panteli and 3 others
PMID 42084202WHAT IT FOUND
Adding an incentive spirometer to standard rehabilitation improved peak expiratory flow and reduced breathlessness compared with rehabilitation alone.
However, it did not improve walking distance, strength, or quality of life more than the standard programme. Use it as an adjunct for respiratory symptoms, not a replacement for comprehensive rehab.
Key findings
01Peak expiratory flow improved significantly more in the group using the incentive spirometer compared to the control group receiving standard rehabilitation only.
02Dyspnoea severity, measured by the MRC scale, was significantly lower in the incentive spirometer group than in the control group at one month.
03There were no significant differences between the groups for quality of life, functional independence, walking distance, or strength measures.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study was conducted at a single centre, which may limit generalizability. Follow-up was short (one month), so the sustainability of improvements is unknown. Participants and therapists could not be blinded, which may introduce performance bias. Inspiratory muscle strength was not measured, so the specific physiological mechanism is unclear. Detailed data on previous hospitalization treatments, such as mechanical ventilation duration, were not available. The sample size was modest, potentially limiting power to detect smaller differences in secondary outcomes.
Declared interests
The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the improvement in peak expiratory flow and dyspnoea as evidence that the incentive spirometer improves overall functional capacity, walking distance, or quality of life more than standard rehabilitation. The study found no significant between-group differences for these broader outcomes, meaning the spirometer is an adjunct for specific respiratory symptoms rather than a superior comprehensive rehab tool.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →