Obese critically ill patients' position significantly impacts on their ventilation and oxygenation status. It is also associated with mechanical ventilation success or failure and may be a main determinant of the obese patients' outcome. Reverse Trendelenburg position is recommended for obese patients but in critical illness with mechanical ventilation little is known about its effect on respiratory therapeutic targets. This trial was conducted in four general intensive care unit of Alexandria Main University hospital in Alexandria, Egypt. One hundred and ten adult mechanically ventilated patients with body mass index ≥ 30 were randomly assigned by a computer program to either reverse Trendelenburg position group (n=55) which is the intervention group or semi-recumbent position group (n=55) which is the routine unit position. Patients were positioned in the study positions 4 times per day. Patients were maintained in the study positions for 2 hours each time. Baseline ventilation and oxygenation parameters were assessed immediately before positioning then it was reassessed every 10 minutes after positioning for 30 minutes.
The aim of this study is to assess the effect of reverse Trendelenburg position versus semi-recumbent position on ventilation and oxygenation parameters of obese critically ill patients