Table 2.

Incidence (percentage) of atelectasis and pneumonia in included studies

	Prophylactic physiotherapy
Study	Incentive spirometry	Continuous positive airway pressure	Physical therapy	Intermittent positive pressure breathing	Other	None
Atelectasis:
Westerdahl et al 200121	—	—	59	—	69*, 57†	—
Matte et al 200023	30	15	—	—	15‡	—
Crowe and Bradley 199724	33	—	23	—	—	—
Johnson et al 199625	—	—	34, 35§	—	—	—
Richter Larsen et al 199527	—	—	93	—	95¶, 90†	—
Stiller et al 199428	—	—	98, 94§	—	—	92
Jousela et al 199429	—	53	47	—	—	—
Oikkonen et al 199131	52	—	—	43	—	—
Pinilla et al 199032	—	94	81	—	—	—
Jenkins et al 198933	61	—	53	—	—	65
Stock et al 198434	92	67	92	—	—	—
Reines et al 198236	—	—	32, 68§**	—	—	—
Gale and Sanders 198037	65	—	—	70	—	—
Iverson et al 197838	60	—	—	55	40*	—
Pneumonia:
De Charmoy and Eales 200022	—	—	0	—	—	0
Matte et al 200023	3	3	—	—	0‡	—
Crowe and Bradley 199724	9	—	11	—	—	—
Johnson et al 199625	—	—	5, 6§	—	—	—
Johnson et al 199526	—	—	17, 20§	—	—	—
Stiller et al 199428	—	—	10, 3§	—	—	3
Jenkins et al 198933	5	—	11	—	—	14
Reines et al 198236	—	—	8, 5§	—	—	—
Iverson et al 197838	0	—	—	2	0*	—

^*Blow bottles.

^†Inspiratory resistance and positive expiratory pressure mask.

^‡Non-invasive ventilatory support with bilevel positive airway pressure.

^§Less intensive physical therapy, more intensive physical therapy.

^¶Positive expiratory pressure mask.

^**Statistically significant differences between types of physiotherapy, as reported in original trials.