Combined Effects of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure and Cycle Ergometer in Early Rehabilitation of Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery Patients.

Objective: To determine the combined effects of continuous positive airway pressure (C-PAP) and physical exercise rehabilitation on a cycle ergometer on postcoronary artery bypass surgery patients.

Study design: Randomised controlled trial. Place and Duration of the Study: Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology, from December 2020 to May 2021.

Methodology: Patients, who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery, were divided into two equal groups of each 51. The control group received standard physiotherapy from the 1st postoperative day which included breathing exercises, passive mobilisation in the sitting position, and ambulation. The interventional group also had standard physiotherapy from 1st postoperative day; but also the 2nd to 4th postoperative day had additional dynamic exercises on cycle ergometry in combination with CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure).

Results: There was a significant improvement in functional capacity measured by 6-minute walk test in the interventional group (p<0.001). Length of hospital and ICU stay mean rank (68.88 and 58) were also significantly decreased in the interventional group (p<0.001). There was no improvement in maximum inspiratory pressure and maximum expiratory pressure. One-minute sit-to-stand test was increased on 4th postoperative day in the interventional group. There was no significant difference observed in arterial blood gases between these two groups.

Conclusion: Cycle ergometry combined with continuous positive airway pressure (C-PAP) applied earlier on patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting improves the functional capacity, decreases the ICU and hospital length of stay and also improves lower limb muscle strength. But no difference in respiratory muscle strength and arterial blood gases was observed between the control and interventional groups.

Key words: Aerobic exercise, Coronary artery bypass graft surgery, Continuous positive airway pressure.