This randomized controlled trial investigated the short-term physiological effects of prone positioning in intubated intensive care patients diagnosed with COVID-19-induced Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). A total of 90 patients were included, with 45 in the experimental group and 45 in the control group. Patients in the experimental group were placed in the prone position for 30 minutes on two consecutive days, while the control group received standard ICU care without prone positioning.
Oxygen saturation (SpO₂, SaO₂), arterial blood gas parameters (PO₂, PCO₂, pH, lactate, sodium), and respiratory rate were measured at six time points to evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention. The study was conducted in the general and intermediate intensive care units of a public hospital in eastern Turkey, which was designated as a COVID-19 treatment center during the pandemic.
The study's primary objective was to determine whether prone positioning could improve oxygenation and respiratory efficiency in critically ill patients with COVID-19-related ARDS. Secondary outcomes included changes in blood gas and metabolic parameters. The results suggested that prone positioning had a beneficial impact on oxygen saturation and respiratory rate without causing adverse changes in blood gas chemistry. The study was ethically approved and conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.
