Despite medical advances, individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) face significant respiratory
challenges, leading to heightened hospitalization rates and early mortality among
this population. We hypothesize that integrating supplementary respiratory therapy
into standard rehabilitation will result in significant improvements in pulmonary
function, enhanced respiratory muscle strength, and an overall increase in the quality
of life among pediatric patients with CP.A systematic search of literature across
five databases was conducted, and random-effects meta-analyses were performed to assess
the impact of supplementary respiratory therapy on (a) pulmonary function: forced
vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), FVC/FEV1 ratio, peak
expiratory flow (PEF), and (b) respiratory muscle strength: maximal inspiratory and
expiratory pressure (MIP, MEP), and (c) quality of life. Certainty of evidence was
determined by the GRADE assessment.Analysis of data from 11 eligible randomized controlled
trials revealed clinically meaningful changes in pulmonary function. We found a relevant
mean difference (MD) in absolute PEF of 0.50 L/s (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.19;
0.82 p = 0.0107). The certainty of the evidence ranged from moderate to high.This
study presents current evidence on the impact of various supplementary respiratory
therapies for CP patients classified under gross motor function classification level
I-IV, demonstrating clinically meaningful improvements in pulmonary function and respiratory
muscle strength. These improvements suggest the potential for an enhanced quality
of life. Our findings hold the promise of serving as a foundational reference for
potential revisions to conventional rehabilitation care, incorporating supplementary
respiratory therapy.
