Standing with the assistance of a tilt table improves minute ventilation in chronic critically ill patients

Objective: To investigate the effect of standing with assistance of the tilt table on ventilatory parameters and arterial blood gases in intensive care patients. Design: Consecutive sample. Setting: Tertiary referral hospital. Participants: Fifteen adult patients who had been intubated and mechanically ventilated for more than 5 days (3 subjects successfully weaned, 12 subjects being weaned). Intervention: Passive tilting to 70degrees from the horizontal for 5 minutes using a tilt table. Main Outcome Measures: Minute ventilation (VE), tidal volume (VT), respiratory rate, and arterial partial pressure of oxygen (Pao(2)) and carbon dioxide (Paco(2)). Results: Standing in the tilted position for 5 minutes produced significant increases in VE (P