Background
In the intensive care unit (ICU), body positioning is more than a comfort measure. For patients who are breathing on their own but still need respiratory support, the way they are positioned can influence breathing mechanics, lung expansion, secretion clearance, and blood oxygen levels. Two common approaches are keeping the patient in bed in a semi-recumbent position, or moving the patient out of bed into an armchair. While armchair positioning is widely used in practice, especially as part of early mobility and rehabilitation, the evidence supporting its effect on oxygenation has been limited.
This randomized controlled trial was designed to compare these two positioning strategies in spontaneously breathing ICU patients receiving respiratory support. The main question was simple but clinically important: does sitting in an armchair improve oxygenation more than staying in bed in a semi-recumbent position?
