Iwan Purnawan, Putut Anggara Susetya, Arif Imam Hidayat, Galih Noor Alivian, Sidik Awaludin, Ikit Netra Wirakhmi, Sawinee Chanshintop
Background: Prolonged mechanical ventilation in ICU patients increases mortality risk and length of stay. Ineffective weaning can exacerbate the patient’s condition and further elevate mortality risk due to hypoxemia-induced cellular damage, contributing to ICU overcrowding. Purpose: This study investigates the effect of lateral positioning on oxygen saturation in ICU patients undergoing mechanical ventilator weaning. Methods: A randomized controlled trial (RCT) with block randomization was conducted, enrolling 60 participants assigned to either the intervention group (n = 30) or the control group (n = 30). The intervention group received 5% FiO2 and was repositioned every two hours (right lateral, supine, left lateral), whereas the control group remained supine with 5% FiO2. Oxygen saturation (SaO2) was measured using pulse oximetry before and after the intervention. As the data were not normally distributed, the Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare SaO2 changes between groups, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results: Baseline characteristics, including age, gender, and ventilator duration, were comparable between groups (p > 0.05). The median increase in SaO2 was 6% (IQR: 1–8%) in the intervention group and 1% (IQR: 0–3%) in the control group, with a significant between-group difference of 5% (p < 0.001). A large effect size (η2 = 0.68) indicated a substantial impact of lateral positioning on SaO2. Conclusions: Lateral positioning significantly improves oxygen saturation in ICU patients undergoing ventilator weaning, potentially reducing complications associated with prolonged mechanical ventilation. © The Author(s) 2025.
Faculty of Health Sciences, Jenderal Soedirman University, Indonesia; Prof Margono Soekarjo Hospital, Indonesia; Faculty of Health Sciences, Harapan Bangsa University, Indonesia; Faculty of Nursing, Princess of Naradhiwass University, Thailand
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