Ultrasound measurements after rehabilitation
diaphragmatic thickening
After rehabilitation protocol, the DE, DTF, TIM, TRA and CSA-RF showed no differences between the two groups at 3rd and 7th day of intervention. The DTF was significantly higher in the study group than that in the control group at the day discharged from ICU (0.15 ± 0.05% vs. 0.12 ± 0.04%, P = 0.034). The variation of TRA (0.05 ± 0.09% vs. 0.10 ± 0.11%, P = 0.029) and variation of CSA-RF (0.13 ± 0.07% vs. 0.19 ± 0.08%, P < 0.001) were also significantly lower in the study group than that in the control group at discharge from ICU (Table 
Ultrasound measurements at the intervention stageDE, diaphragmatic excursion; DTF, diaphragmatic thickening fraction; TIM, thickness of intercostal muscles; TRA, thickness of rectus abdominis; CSA-RF, cross-sectional area of rectus femoris