Respiratory Muscle Training in Patients Undergoing Lung Cancer Surgery

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

Inspiratory Muscle Training: Inspiratory muscle training is performed using a threshold device (PowerBreathe Classic) beginning at 40% of the individual's maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP). Training consists of 2 minutes of loading followed by 1 minute of rest, repeated for 7 cycles (total 21 minutes), performed twice daily, 5 days per week, until surgery. Load progression is adjusted to maintain a Borg dyspnea score of approximately 4/10. IMT is provided in addition to the full conventional physiotherapy program.

Expiratory Muscle Training: Expiratory muscle training is performed using a threshold expiratory device (PowerBreathe Expir Medic) starting at 40% of the individual's maximum expiratory pressure (MEP). The protocol follows the same structure as IMT: 2 minutes loading / 1 minute rest for 7 cycles (21 minutes), twice daily, 5 days per week, until surgery, with load progression based on a Borg score of 4/10. EMT is provided in addition to the full conventional physiotherapy program.

Conventional Physiotherapy: The conventional physiotherapy program includes diaphragmatic, basal, and thoracic breathing exercises, pursed-lip breathing, and walking training prescribed at 80% of the distance achieved during the six-minute walk test. Participants receive one in-person supervised session followed by two videoconference reinforcement sessions and then continue daily home exercises until the day of surgery.

Study summary

This randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial aims to investigate the effectiveness of preoperative inspiratory muscle training (IMT) and expiratory muscle training (EMT) in patients scheduled for lung cancer surgery. Respiratory muscle dysfunction contributes to postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs), prolonged hospitalization, and reduced functional recovery. Although IMT has been evaluated in several studies, the evidence is limited and heterogeneous, and the effectiveness of EMT in this population has never been studied.

This study will compare conventional preoperative physiotherapy alone with physiotherapy combined with IMT or EMT to determine their impact on postoperative clinical outcomes, respiratory muscle function, and exercise capacity.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Postoperative Pulmonary Complications (PPCs) — Average 2 weeks.
  Presence of postoperative pulmonary complications assessed using the Melbourne Group Scale (8 diagnostic criteria including fever, leukocytosis, radiological infiltrates, oxygen desaturation, increased secretions, abnormal lung auscultation, respiratory deterioration, and evidence of infection). A PPC is recorded if ≥4 criteria are met.

Trial sites (1)

More Saglik Bilimleri Universitesi trials in Turkey

Other trials for the same condition