Virtual Reality in Intensive Care Unit: Patient Satisfaction, Clinical and Functional Outcomes, Feasibility

Summary

Background: Virtual reality is recognized as a progressive technology with the potential to enhance the rehabilitation process. Immersive virtual reality-based treatments can improve motor outcomes in physical rehabilitation, reduce stress caused by the intensive care unit environment and maximize patients' recovery processes.

Objective: To analyze the efficacy of rehabilitation using immersive virtual reality on patient satisfaction and experience, functional and clinical outcomes and the feasibility of its application during the hospitalization period in an intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods: This is a randomized controlled clinical trial involving ICU patients aged 18 years or older, with an estimated ICU stay of ≥ 72 hours, the ability to understand and follow verbal instructions and no diagnosis of psychotic disorders, visual impairment, or hearing loss. Patients will be divided into two groups: one undergoing traditional physiotherapy rehabilitation - control group (CG), and the other receiving physiotherapy using immersive virtual reality (IVR group). The following evaluations will be conducted: mobility condition, physical and psychological discomfort, estimated physical activity level, occurrence of delirium, cognitive decline screening, functionality classification, motivation level, patient experience, sense of immersion in the virtual reality environment, patient satisfaction during the rehabilitation process, occurrence of adverse events, and protocol feasibility. Data will be presented in graphs and tables. Results will be considered statistically significant at a 5% significance level (p ≤ 0.05), and all analyses will be performed using SPSS Statistics version 22.

Expected results: The investigators expect to find evidence that rehabilitation using immersive virtual reality can promote and enable a more pleasant and less traumatic experience during the patient's hospitalization, with greater satisfaction and adherence to the proposed rehabilitation, in addition to being an effective tool to optimize patients' functional and clinical outcomes.

Conditions

• Hospitalized Patients
• ICU Hospitalization
• Intensive Care Unit-acquired Weakness

Interventions

PROCEDURE

reabilitação fisioterapêutica tradicional

Active and passive exercises, and walking

PROCEDURE

fisioterapia utilizando realidade virtual imersiva

Use of immersive virtual reality headset for rehabilitation sessions

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Hospital Sirio-Libanes

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Wellington Yamaguti, PHD · Hospital Sírio-Libanês

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-12-15

Primary Completion

2026-06-30

Completion

2026-08-31

Countries

• Brazil

Study Locations