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Cardiopulmonary research

Everything we have read on cardiopulmonary. Each paper is summarised from the full article rather than its abstract, so the limitations are in there too, and the funding wherever the paper declares it.

1,018 PAPERS · PAGE 3 OF 21 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOTRNCohort2023Poor long-term recovery after critical COVID-19 during 12 months longitudinal follow-up.Intensive & critical care nursingTwelve months after severe COVID-19 ICU care, 46 patients still reported fatigue and functional limitations. Symptoms did not improve between four and twelve months, except slight cognitive gain, while frailty worsened.
• PTOTRNSystematic Review2022Systematic Review of Rural and Urban Differences in Care Provided by Home Health Agencies in the United States.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationRural Medicare home health patients received fewer skilled visits, including physical therapy, and had more emergency room visits. Hospitalization differences were mixed, and some rural agencies performed better on infection prevention practices.
• PTQualitative2022Supporting Decision-Making About Patient Mobility in the Intensive Care Unit Nurse Work Environment: Work Domain Analysis.JMIR nursingICU nurses said mobility decisions compete with patient safety, nurse safety, competence, and unit throughput. They said they needed one place showing vital signs over time, past mobility progress, staffing, and equipment availability. These are nurse-reported themes, not patient outcomes.
• PTOTRNCase Report2023A case report of an 18-year-old receiving nebulized lidocaine for treatment of COVID-19 cough.Heart & lung : the journal of critical careIn one adolescent with severe COVID cough, nebulized lidocaine was started with albuterol, gabapentin, and ipratropium. The team reported less propofol use afterward, but multiple treatments changed together and this single case cannot show lidocaine worked.
• PTSurvey2023Physiotherapy practices when treating patients with COVID-19 during a pandemic: A survey study.Heart & lung : the journal of critical careHospital physiotherapists treating COVID-19 worked a middle value of 12 hours per 24 h, used chest X-ray and arterial blood gas tests, and often used auscultation or non-invasive ventilation despite guideline cautions.
• PTOTNarrative Review2023Exercise modulates the immune system in cardiorespiratory disease patients: Implications for clinical practice during the COVID-19 pandemic.Heart & lung : the journal of critical careModerate exercise may support immune function, but high-intensity work can temporarily raise infection risk. Evidence on reducing inflammation in heart and lung disease is inconsistent, and most included studies had poor quality.
• PTOTRNRCT2023Combining exercise, protein supplementation and electric stimulation to mitigate muscle wasting and improve outcomes for survivors of critical illness-The ExPrES study.Heart & lung : the journal of critical careIn mechanically ventilated older adults, combining electrical stimulation, high-protein supplementation, and extra physical therapy reduced muscle loss and improved nitrogen balance compared to standard care. However, this multimodal bundle did not significantly shorten ICU stays or reduce ventilator days.
• PTCohort2023Comparing rehabilitation outcomes for patients admitted to the intensive care unit with COVID-19 requiring mechanical ventilation during the first two waves of the pandemic: A service evaluation.Intensive & critical care nursingPatients in the second pandemic wave, who received physiotherapy five days a week instead of seven, had significantly lower mobility at ICU and hospital discharge. They were also more likely to need ongoing rehabilitation after going home.
• PTOTSLPRNCohort2023Physical, social, mental and spiritual functioning of COVID-19 intensive care unit-survivors and their family members one year after intensive care unit-discharge: A prospective cohort study.Intensive & critical care nursingOne year after ICU discharge, most COVID-19 survivors still reported fatigue, weakness or pain and work changes, but rated family functioning and mood positively; family members mostly returned to work.
• PTRNRCT2023Ambivalence is associated with decreased physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness among adolescents with critical congenital heart disease.Heart & lung : the journal of critical careAdolescents with congenital heart disease who reported strong benefits and strong barriers to activity were more sedentary, less active, and had lower fitness. Ask about mixed feelings, not just willingness.
• PTOTSLPRNPilot2023Feasibility of a standardized family participation programme in the intensive care unit: A pilot survey study.Nursing openMost relatives and ICU staff found a standardized menu of family participation activities feasible and applicable in daily practice. Relatives appreciated helping with care like reading aloud or applying lotion, while staff felt adequately trained and motivated to support this involvement.
• PTRCT2023Effect of progressive muscle relaxation as an add-on to pulmonary telerehabilitation in discharged patients with COVID-19: A randomised controlled trial.Complementary therapies in clinical practiceAdding progressive muscle relaxation to pulmonary telerehabilitation did not improve functional capacity over telerehabilitation alone. It reduced fatigue and anxiety and improved sleep quality in discharged COVID-19 patients.
• PTRNRCT2023The Psychosocial Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Chronic Care Patients.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationPatients with COPD or heart failure described fear, loneliness, and anger during the pandemic. They avoided care, isolated at home, and wanted personal contact and clear information about infection risk and vaccination.
• PTRNCohort2023Identifying patterns of kinesiophobia trajectories among COPD patients: A longitudinal study.Nursing openFear of movement fell over six months in COPD patients, but 25.2% were in a high-fear group. Older age, female sex, low education, longer disease, severe pain, fatigue or breathlessness marked the high-fear group.
• PTCohort2023A temporal examination of inspiratory muscle strength and endurance in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.Heart & lung : the journal of critical careBreathing muscle endurance and work improved before discharge, but strength did not, and most scores stayed below predicted. Ninety percent still had symptoms one month later, fatigue most common.
• PTOTSLPRNCohort2023Predictive factors and clinical impact of ICU-acquired weakness on functional disability in mechanically ventilated patients with COVID-19.Heart & lung : the journal of critical careHalf of mechanically ventilated COVID-19 patients developed ICU-acquired weakness, which delayed functional independence to a median of 41 days versus 19 days. Older age, neuromuscular blockers, pulse steroids, and sepsis were associated with weakness.
• PTRNCase-Control2023Factors associated with extubation failure in an intensive care unit: a case-control study.Revista latino-americana de enfermagemWeak cough and positive fluid balance were associated with extubation failure in ICU patients. Of 65 who failed, 39 underwent tracheostomy and 38 died. Do not read these factors as proven causes; the study was observational and cough was assessed subjectively.
• PTRNPilot2023A feasibility study on home-based kyphosis-specific exercises on reducing thoracic hyperkyphosis in older adults.International journal of nursing sciencesA six-week nurse-led program combining weekly classes, daily home practice, video guidance, and a logbook was feasible, and 20 older adults had reduced kyphosis angles, better balance and gait. With no control group, the program components may not be the cause.
• PTOTCohort2023Post-Acute Care in Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities Between Traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage Plans Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationDuring the pandemic, inpatient rehabilitation stays became shorter and more expensive, with far more patients discharged home with home health care and fewer to nursing facilities. Differences between traditional and managed care plans narrowed, but the study shows association, not cause.
• PTOTRNCohort2023Identifying Comorbid Subtypes of Patients With Acute Respiratory Failure.American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care NursesSix distinct patient subtypes were identified among acute respiratory failure survivors using early ICU data. Patients with obesity and severe kidney impairment had the worst functional disability at discharge, while awake and stable patients had the best mobility and lowest impairment.
• PTOTSLPRNQualitative2024Caregiving in the COVID-19 pandemic: Family adaptations following an intensive care unit hospitalisation.Journal of clinical nursingSixteen caregivers described feeling isolated and unprepared, with family support and home health services easing their burden. Patients resisted being helped to maintain independence. Clinicians should assess family support networks before discharge to prevent caregiver overwhelm and poor recovery.
• PTQualitative2023Implementing a Sedentary Behavior Change Smartphone App in Cardiac Rehabilitation: A Qualitative Analysis Guided by the Theoretical Domains Framework and Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation-Behavior Model.The Journal of cardiovascular nursingSome cardiac rehab participants did not understand that the Vire app and ToDo-CR program with a Fitbit targeted sitting time. They wanted clear sedentary targets, personalization, and prompts when they were sitting. Early glitches or poor first impressions led some to stop.
• PTCohort2023The PhLIP team: Feasibility of a physiotherapy-led intensive prone positioning team initiative during the COVID-19 pandemic.Australian critical care : official journal of the Confederation of Australian Critical Care NursesA physiotherapy-led prone team conducted 154 of 161 proning episodes in 51 of 93 ICU patients with COVID-19, with no accidental extubations, hypoxia complications, neuromuscular injuries, manual handling injuries, or staff exposures to COVID-19.
• PTRNCohort2024Haemodynamic changes during prone versus supine position in patients with COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome.Australian critical care : official journal of the Confederation of Australian Critical Care NursesIn 18 ventilated patients with COVID-19 ARDS, turning prone was associated with higher cardiac index and better oxygenation. Oxygen delivery also rose, but this small before-and-after study does not prove prone positioning improves survival.
• PTCohort2023Sex differences in the impact of physical frailty on outcomes in heart failure.Heart & lung : the journal of critical careIn heart failure, physical frailty was linked to worse quality of life in women and higher one-year risk of hospitalization, death, or emergency care in men. The study did not show a clear sex difference, and frailty category was not linked to events.
• PTOTSLPRNSystematic Review2023A scoping review of older patients' health-related quality of life, recovery and well-being after intensive care.Nursing openOlder ICU survivors face high 1-year mortality and functional decline, but most who survive report acceptable quality of life and willingness to return home. Pain and anxiety are acute issues that often resolve, while frailty and sensory impairments predict poor recovery.
• PTCohort2023Predictors of early mobilization in patients requiring VV ECMO for greater than 7 days: An international cohort study.Heart & lung : the journal of critical careOnly 22% of adults on venovenous ECMO for at least seven days were mobilized by day seven. COVID-19, epinephrine, epoprostenol, and conventional ventilation were associated with less early mobilization, while dual-lumen cannulation and high center volume were associated with more.
• PTSurvey2023Chest physiotherapy techniques administered by certified specialists to hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Brazil: A look towards future practice.Heart & lung : the journal of critical careBrazilian physiotherapists reported using positioning most often for chest physiotherapy in COVID-19. Certified specialists reported using ventilator hyperinflation more often and some manual or breathing techniques less often than non-certified specialists.
• PTOTCohort2023Post intensive care syndrome in survivors of COVID-19 who required mechanical ventilation during the third wave of the pandemic: A prospective study.Heart & lung : the journal of critical care64% of 22 survivors of COVID-19 ARDS with prolonged mechanical ventilation had post intensive care syndrome 30 days after discharge. Dependence in daily activities was most common, with 41% cognitive impairment and 32% anxiety or depression.
• PTSurvey2023Clinicians' perceptions on implementation strategies used to facilitate ABCDEF bundle adoption: A multicenter survey.Heart & lung : the journal of critical careICU sites reported using 63 of 73 implementation strategies to adopt the ABCDEF bundle, commonly with education and reminders. Financial strategies were rarely used and rated not feasible.
• PTOther2023Prolonged bouts of sedentary behavior in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and associated factors.Heart & lung : the journal of critical careInactive adults with COPD spent 34% of sedentary time in bouts of 60 minutes or longer. Lower confidence for light activity, poorer balance, and lower chair-stand scores were linked with more prolonged sitting.
• PTOTOther2023Changes in Functional Outcomes After an Inpatient Rehabilitation Program for Solid-Organ Transplant Recipients.Progress in transplantation (Aliso Viejo, Calif.)Solid-organ transplant recipients in a multidisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation program improved walking, balance, strength, independence, and quality of life; no control group means natural recovery cannot be separated.
• PTRNCohort2023Characteristics and correlates of disease-related knowledge and exercise self-efficacy among cardiac patients attending virtual cardiac rehabilitation during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Peru.Journal of vascular nursing : official publication of the Society for Peripheral Vascular NursingCardiac patients who completed a 24-session virtual cardiac rehabilitation program in Peru reported higher disease knowledge and confidence to exercise. The program combined education, physical training, and multidisciplinary team support, so no single component can be credited.
• PTRNOther2024Exploring the Interrelationships Between Physical Function, Functional Exercise Capacity, and Exercise Self-Efficacy in Persons Living with HIV.Clinical nursing researchAmong people living with HIV, confidence in making time for exercise was linked to better self-reported function and longer walking distance; confidence in resisting relapse was not. Self-reported function did not closely match the 6-minute walk test.
• PTOTRNOther2024Symptomatology and Quality of Life of Older People With HIV and Comorbid Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases From an HIV Clinic in Birmingham, Alabama.The Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care : JANACOlder people with HIV and COPD reported more depression, worse mobility, self-care, usual activities, and pain than those with HIV alone. Anxiety levels did not differ between the groups. The study describes these associations but cannot prove COPD caused them.
• PTOTRNOther2024Inactivity May Identify Older Intensive Care Unit Survivors at Risk for Post-Intensive Care Syndrome.American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care NursesVery low wrist-measured activity in older ICU survivors was seen with worse attention, strength, dexterity, and more depression or anxiety. The study was small and exploratory, and it cannot show that activity causes these problems.
• PTSLPRNCase Report2024Probable Non-Ventilator-Associated Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia: A Case Report.Critical care nurseProbable non-ventilator hospital-acquired pneumonia developed in one hospitalized older adult after days without oral care, with oral Neisseria rising and oral health score worsening. Daily oral care, accessible supplies, early mobility, and dysphagia screening are prevention points; this case cannot prove they worked.
• PTRNMeta-Analysis2024Effectiveness of mobile health applications on clinical outcomes and health behaviors in patients with coronary heart disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.International journal of nursing sciencesFor patients with coronary heart disease, app-based programs reduced major adverse cardiac events and hospital readmissions. They also improved medication adherence, exercise capacity, total cholesterol, triglycerides, anxiety and depression; blood pressure, weight and smoking did not change.
• PTOTSLPRNQualitative2024Integrating Perspectives on Family Caregiving After Critical Illness: A Qualitative Content Analysis.American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care NursesFamily caregivers of ICU survivors report unmet needs for hands-on skills training and self-care support. Providers recognize logistical needs but overlook caregivers' mental health and personal well-being. Interventions must address these instrumental gaps rather than focusing solely on psychoeducation.
• PTQualitative2024Palliative Care for SARS-CoV-2 Patients in the Intensive Care Unit: A Comprehensive Study.Revista brasileira de enfermagemICU staff described comfort-focused palliative care for SARS-CoV-2 patients: pain relief, non-drug anxiety and spiritual care, family contact, and religious rituals. They also reported workload, PPE limits, and fear as barriers.
• PTRNPilot2023The Impact of an Electronic Best Practice Advisory on Patients' Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Risk Profile.The Journal of cardiovascular nursingFitbit step counts did not rise after 12 weeks. Patients who also got provider counseling and activity surveys reported more activity and walked farther. All three happened together.
• PTOTRNCohort2024Patient, Practice, and Organizational Factors Associated With Early Mobility Performance in Critically Ill Adults.American journal of critical care : an official publication, American Association of Critical-Care NursesIn ICU records, prior-day physical or occupational therapy, sedation targets, awakening trials, breathing trials, and safety screens were linked with more next-day mobility. Deep sedation, delirium, restraints, benzodiazepines, and mechanical ventilation were linked with less.
• PTRNSurvey2025Psychometric Testing of an Instrument Assessing Family Knowledge, Contemplation, Confidence and Readiness for Engaging in Early Mobilisation of Critically Ill Patients: A Multi-Site Cross-Sectional Design.Journal of advanced nursingFamily members of critically ill patients could answer a 22-item questionnaire about what they know, have thought about, feel confident doing and are ready to do for early mobilisation. It may help ICU teams screen family readiness.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2025Understanding attendance patterns and determinants in cardiac, pulmonary, and ICU rehabilitation/recovery programs: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Heart & lung : the journal of critical careAcross studies, 54% of referred patients attended cardiac, pulmonary, or ICU recovery programs at least once, but rates ranged from 3.7% to 94.8%. Transportation, cost, work conflicts, and little program contact were barriers. Provider recommendation and flexible scheduling were facilitators.
• PTOTSLPCohort2024Skilled Nursing Facility Rehabilitation Intensity and Successful Discharge in Persons with Dementia.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationVeterans with dementia after heart failure hospitalization who received more combined weekly audiology, speech-language, occupational and physical therapy were more likely to return home successfully. The study cannot show any single therapy caused this.
• PTRNOther2024Nursing care for adult patients with chest drainage: a scoping review.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S PFor adults with chest drains in ICU, 60 nursing care steps were mapped before, during, and after insertion, including system checks, drainage monitoring, dressings, and removal. Many lack high-level evidence.
• PTRNCohort2025Using electronic health records to classify risk for adverse safety events with ICU patient Mobility: A Cross-Sectional study.Intensive & critical care nursingMany ICU patients classified as low-risk for out-of-bed mobility were not mobilized, while some high-risk patients were. Activity orders, sedation, and vasoactive dose changes tracked with documented mobility.
• PTSLPRNSystematic Review2025Patient follow-up after discharge from the paediatric intensive care unit: A scoping review.Nursing in critical carePICU discharge follow-up for children was scattered and mostly research-driven. Multidisciplinary teams were rare, and no single validated score captured physical, cognitive, emotional, social and family needs.
• PTSLPQualitative2025Health care providers' perceptions of family participation in essential care in the intensive care unit: A qualitative study.Nursing in critical careICU providers weighed patient safety, relatives' burden and their own workload before inviting family participation. They offered care tasks gradually, tailored to each patient and relative, and stressed teaching relatives about lines, swallowing and agitation.
• PTOTSLPRNCohort2025The association of early passive mobilization with intracranial pressure in the adult intensive care unit: A prospective, cohort study.Nursing in critical carePassive range of motion exercises did not increase intracranial pressure or destabilize heart rate and blood pressure in twenty mechanically ventilated, sedated ICU patients. The findings suggest routine passive mobilization is safe for these selected patients, though the study was small.