Exploring the Use Inspiratory Musle Training Used In Some ICUS For Mechanically Ventilated Patients: A Cross Sectional Survey of Karachi Physiotherapists

Background: Mechanical ventilation is a life-saving intervention employed in critically ill patients who are unable to maintain sufficient oxygenation and ventilation by themselves. Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) is an intervention that targets strengthening the respiratory muscles assisting in weaning from mechanical ventilation. The current study intends to investigate the practice of IMT by physiotherapists practicing in ICUs in Karachi, Pakistan. Methods: It was a cross-sectional survey conducted from March 2024 to October 2024 among physiotherapists working in ICUs of tertiary care hospitals including Dr. Ziauddin Hospital (North and Clifton Campus), Agha Khan Hospital, Liaquat National Hospital and IndusHospital with at least one-year experience in Karachi. The research involved a hybrid approach, in which the data was collected both in-person and online using self-designed questionnaire. The data collected through the questionnaire was entered into the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23.0. The Chi-square test was used to determine the relationship between the usage of IMT and the type of ICU. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Out of the 100 physiotherapists approached, 95 therapists took part in the survey, resulting in a 95% response rate. The majority of respondents (70.5%) reported not using IMT. The use of IMT was found to be significantly associated with therapists who had more ICU experience (p=0.00). Conclusion: The study findings highlights the low utilization of IMT by physiotherapists in Karachi's ICUs and the need for more education and training in this area DOI: https://doi.org/10.59564/amrj/03.02/006