To explore the effect of bed-mounted bicycle combined with passive joint movement of upper extremities in patients with acute respiratory failure undergoing mechanical ventilation.

Totally 94 patients with acute respiratory failure undergoing mechanical ventilation from intensive care unit (ICU) in Hwa Mei Hospital were selected by convenient sampling and randomly divided into the intervention group and the control group from April 2017 to January 2018. The control group received routine intensive care and activity intervention. On this basis, the intervention group received lower extremities bed-mounted bicycles combined with the upper extremities passive joint movement. The intervention effect of the two groups were compared. At last, a total of 90 patients completed the study, with 44 in intervention group and 46 in control group.

Mechanical ventilation duration, ICU stay time, and incidence of ICU acquired weakness (ICU-AW) were less in the intervention group than in the control group (P<0.05) . At the seventh day of taking activity intervention, the tidal volume of intervention group was higher than control group (P<0.05) ; the partial pressure of carbon dioxide and respiratory rate of intervention group were lower than control group (P<0.05) . When transferred out of ICU, the Barthel Index scores were higher in intervention group (P<0.05) . In addition, there was no serious adverse effect in both groups.

Bed-mounted bicycle combined with passive joint movement of upper extremities in patients with acute respiratory failure undergoing mechanical ventilation was safe and feasible. It can reduce the duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU stay time, and the incidence of ICU-AW, as well as improve patients' self-care ability.

Respiration, artificial; Respiratory insufficiency; Rehabilitation nursing; Bed-mounted bicycle; Passive joint movement of the upper extremities