Impact of neurophysiological respiratory facilitation techniques on arterial blood gas parameters in pediatric patients with bronchial pneumonia

Abstract

Bronchial pneumonia remains a significant cause of morbidity, particularly in pediatric populations. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of neurophysiological respiratory facilitation techniques on arterial blood gas parameters in pediatric patients with bronchial pneumonia. Sixty pediatric patients (ages 1–4 years) with bronchial pneumonia were randomly assigned to two groups. The control group (n = 30) received conventional chest physiotherapy, while the experimental group (n = 30) received additional neurophysiological facilitation techniques, including peri-oral pressure, intercostal stretch, anterior stretch-lifting, and abdominal co-contraction. Treatment was administered twice daily for a period of seven days. Arterial blood gases (PaO₂ and PaCO₂) were measured before and after treatment. The experimental group demonstrated significantly greater improvements in arterial blood gas parameters compared to the control group. Post-treatment PaO₂ increased more substantially in the experimental group (33.76 ± 11.59 to 77.36 ± 12.34 mmHg) than in controls (35.32 ± 12.16 to 62.33 ± 18.00 mmHg; p = 0.001). Similarly, PaCO₂ decreased more markedly in the experimental group (53.29 ± 9.41 to 38.36 ± 3.75 mmHg) versus controls (51.57 ± 11.59 to 41.68 ± 4.95 mmHg; p = 0.005). Neurophysiological respiratory facilitation techniques, when combined with conventional chest physiotherapy, significantly improve arterial blood gas parameters in pediatric patients with bronchial pneumonia.