Multicomponent Pulmonary Rehabilitation Significantly Enhances Weaning Outcomes in Elderly Patients on Prolonged Mechanical Ventilation

Highlight

• Multicomponent pulmonary rehabilitation significantly increased successful ventilator weaning rates in patients aged 80 years or older receiving prolonged mechanical ventilation.
• Physiological parameters including oxygen saturation off ventilation, diaphragm muscle function, cough strength, and overall muscle strength improved substantially with the intervention.
• Incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) was reduced at 60 and 90 days in patients receiving the rehabilitation program.
• No increase in deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or mortality was observed, indicating safety of the multicomponent rehabilitation approach in this frail population.