Effectiveness of Physical and Therapy Interventions for Non-ICU Hospitalized Pneumonia Patients: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

Abstract

Background: Pneumonia is a leading cause of hospitalization worldwide, particularly among older adults and individuals with comorbidities. Physical therapy is increasingly recognized as a key component in improving health-related outcomes. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the effectiveness of physiotherapy in patients with non-complicated hospital pneumonia. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to determine the impact of physical therapy on clinical outcomes in non-ICU (Intensive Care Unit) pneumonia patients compared with usual care. The study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42024565419). PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were systematically searched to identify randomized controlled trials from their inception to July 2024. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool version 2.0 (RoB 2) and the Downs and Black checklist were used for quality assessment. A quantitative synthesis was performed using the Review Manager (RevMan) version 5 software program. Results: We selected nine studies, which included 1349 hospitalized non-ICU pneumonia patients. The results showed significant differences in favor of physical therapy interventions compared to usual care, with a reduction in length of hospital stay (p = 0.009). Also, there were significant differences in dyspnea levels (p < 0.00001). Conclusions: Physical therapy interventions may contribute to a reduced length of hospital stay and improved dyspnea levels in hospitalized non-ICU pneumonia patients.