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Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Oct 2023Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive respiratory disease that, due to dyspnea, decreases patients' physical function and quality of life. The... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive respiratory disease that, due to dyspnea, decreases patients' physical function and quality of life. The aim of the research was to evaluate the effectiveness of water-based exercise (WE) in improving functional capacity and respiratory muscle strength in patients with COPD. It consisted of a systematic review and meta-analysis of eight randomized clinical trials (RCTs) from the last 10 years, found in PubMed, PEDro, Scopus and Web of Science databases. Methodological quality was analyzed using the PEDro scale and the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tool. Regarding the evaluation of functional capacity, mainly assessed were lung function, respiratory muscle strength, and maximal or aerobic exercise. The results showed that WE improves functional capacity compared to a non-exercising control group (SMD: 73.42; IC 95%: 40.40 to 106.45; I: 0%). There are no statistically significant differences between a WE treatment and a land exercise (LE) treatment ( = 0.24) in functional capacity, nor with respect to respiratory muscle strength ( = 0.97). These data should be interpreted with caution, as more RCTs with aquatic intervention in COPD patients are needed to elucidate whether there are differences between WE or LE according to patient characteristics and comorbidities.
Topics: Humans; Water; Exercise Tolerance; Quality of Life; Exercise; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive
PubMed: 37896650
DOI: 10.3390/s23208557 -
Cureus Sep 2023Paroxysmal supraventricular arrhythmias are a group of common rhythm disturbances that are often prevalent, frequently recurrent, sporadic, and life-threatening. These... (Review)
Review
Paroxysmal supraventricular arrhythmias are a group of common rhythm disturbances that are often prevalent, frequently recurrent, sporadic, and life-threatening. These arrhythmias are precipitated by factors such as age, sex, and associated comorbidities. Typically, patients with paroxysmal arrhythmias are asymptomatic during evaluation, and the condition is often detected incidentally. Symptoms associated with these arrhythmias include palpitations, fatigue, light-headedness, chest discomfort, dyspnea, presyncope, and, less commonly, polyuria and serious psychological distress. In terms of treatment, common modalities include antiarrhythmic drug therapy and catheter ablation. When selecting drug therapy, factors such as comorbidities, patient-specific modifiers, preferences, follow-up frequency, and cost-effectiveness are taken into account. For long-term treatment, calcium channel blockers are often used instead of adenosine, while adenosine is preferred for acute attacks due to its higher efficacy. Comparatively, adenosine and verapamil are commonly used drugs in the emergency setting to treat paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT). Adenosine exhibits a faster onset of action, but adverse effects occur more commonly, whereas verapamil has a slower onset of action and a lower incidence of adverse effects. We searched for articles from PubMed, PubMed Central (PMC), and Science Direct, and these articles were reviewed systematically. After applying the search strategy to these databases, 195 articles were identified. Fourteen of these were finalized for review. The efficacy of adenosine versus verapamil in terminating acute attacks of PSVT is reviewed in our article.
PubMed: 37885520
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.45946 -
Respiratory Medicine 2023This systematic review summarized the evidence on the effects (benefits and harms) of pulmonary rehabilitation for individuals with acute exacerbations of chronic...
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES
This systematic review summarized the evidence on the effects (benefits and harms) of pulmonary rehabilitation for individuals with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD).
MATERIAL AND METHODS
We included randomized controlled trials comparing pulmonary rehabilitation to either active interventions or usual care regardless of setting. In March 2022, we searched MEDLINE, Scopus, CENTRAL, CINAHL and Web of Sciences, and trial registries. Record screening, data extraction and risk of bias assessment were undertaken by two reviewers. We assessed the certainty of the evidence using the GRADE approach.
RESULTS
This systematic review included 18 studies (n = 1465), involving a combination of mixed settings (8 studies), inpatient settings (8 studies), and outpatient settings (2 studies). The studies were at high risk of performance, detection, and reporting biases. Compared to usual care, pulmonary rehabilitation probably improves AECOPD-related hospital readmissions (relative risk 0.56, 95% CI 0.36 to 0.86; moderate certainty evidence) and cardiovascular submaximal capacity (standardized mean difference 0.73, 95% CI 0.48 to 0.99; moderate certainty evidence). Low certainty evidence suggests that pulmonary rehabilitation may be beneficial on re-exacerbations, dyspnoea, and impact of disease. The evidence regarding the effects of pulmonary rehabilitation on health-related quality of life and mortality is very uncertain (very low certainty evidence).
CONCLUSION
Our results indicate that pulmonary rehabilitation may be an effective treatment option for individuals with AECOPD, irrespective of setting. Our certainty in this evidence base was limited due to small studies, heterogeneous rehabilitation programs, numerous methodological weaknesses, and a poor reporting of findings that were inconsistent with each other. Trialists should adhere to the latest reporting standards to strengthen this body of evidence.
REGISTRATION
The study protocol was registered in Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/amgbz/).
Topics: Humans; Quality of Life; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; Patient Readmission; Dyspnea; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 37858727
DOI: 10.1016/j.rmed.2023.107425 -
SAGE Open Nursing 2023Assessment of quality of life (QoL) in cancer patients can provide an overall picture of the patient's adaptation to the disease and maintain long-term health and... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Assessment of quality of life (QoL) in cancer patients can provide an overall picture of the patient's adaptation to the disease and maintain long-term health and well-being. Determining the QoL in cancer patients could help with better care and could be as prognostic as medical factors and the survival benefit that pharmacological treatment could provide. The main objective of this review was to determine the prevalence of QoL among Ethiopian adult cancer patients.
METHODS
A systematic review was conducted using the "Preferred Reporting Results of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses" guidelines. Databases such as PubMed/Medline, CINAHL, AMED, Embase, the Cochrane Library, ScienceDirect, World Health Organization's Hinari portal, and African Journals Online databases were searched from January 2022 to June 2022. Google, Google Scholar, and university repositories were used to access unpublished studies. Two reviewers independently screened the data using a standardized data extraction format and appraised their quality using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.
RESULTS
In this review, 10 studies were included. The prevalence of poor QoL ranged from 52 to 89.6. The physical, role, social, and emotional functioning were the most affected domains of QoL and have been significantly associated with QoL. Financial difficulty was the most important predictor of QoL among Ethiopian cancer patients. Pain, dyspnea, nausea, vomiting, and poor appetite were also reported as predictors of QoL. Low income, lower educational status, unmarried status, underweight, anxiety, and depression, advanced stage of cancer, patients with ≤2 cycles of chemotherapy, and the presence of comorbid diseases were significantly correlated with QoL.
CONCLUSIONS
The QoL of an Ethiopian cancer patient was low. Quality of life assessments, appropriate symptom management, integration of psycho-oncology care, and providing economic support shall be considered to improve their QoL.
PubMed: 37808099
DOI: 10.1177/23779608231202691 -
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) Sep 2023The aim of this review was to identify, map, and synthesize the extent and nature of research activity on the use of telerehabilitation to support Long COVID-19... (Review)
Review
The aim of this review was to identify, map, and synthesize the extent and nature of research activity on the use of telerehabilitation to support Long COVID-19 rehabilitation and examine the efficacy and safety of respiratory telerehabilitation in patients with Long COVID-19. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials were performed. We included controlled trials that tested the effect of respiratory telerehabilitation interventions in patients with Long COVID-19 versus no intervention, usual care, placebo, or face-to-face intervention. The data were pooled, and a meta-analysis was completed for quality of life, dyspnea, lung function, anxiety and depression, respiratory muscle strength, functional capacity, and lower limb strength. Finally, 10 studies were included. The meta-analysis results show significant differences in favor of respiratory telerehabilitation in quality of life ( = 0.02), dyspnea ( < 0.00001), respiratory muscle strength ( < 0.001), functional capacity ( < 0.0001), and lower limb strength ( = 0.01) but not in lung function ( = 0.28) and anxiety and depression ( = 0.55). In addition, there were no statistically significant differences in adverse effects ( = 0.06) between the telerehabilitation and comparator groups. The results suggest that these interventions can improve quality of life, reduce dyspnea, and increase respiratory and lower extremity muscle strength as well as functional capacity in patients with Long COVID-19.
PubMed: 37761716
DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11182519 -
JMIR Serious Games Sep 2023The use of serious games for rehabilitation has been an emerging intervention in health care fields, referred to as an entertaining and positive activity. Although... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
The use of serious games for rehabilitation has been an emerging intervention in health care fields, referred to as an entertaining and positive activity. Although related studies have been conducted on patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a more comprehensive study that summarizes and evaluates its effects in this area is needed.
OBJECTIVE
This review aimed to systematically evaluate the effects of serious games in promoting rehabilitation and related outcome measures of serious game-based engagement in patients with COPD.
METHODS
This review adhered to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) statement. Searches were performed in the following databases: PubMed, Scopus, Embase (via Ovid), CINAHL, Science Direct, and China Biology Medicine disc. Only quantitative studies were included in this review, and the methodological quality and bias of the included studies were evaluated using related tools. Several outcomes, including clinical outcomes and serious game-based engagement outcomes, were ultimately collected in this review. The results were summarized and evaluated using descriptive methods due to significant heterogeneity.
RESULTS
In total, 11 studies were included. Serious games played a potentially positive effect on pulmonary function and exercise capacity. However, no consistent findings were reported on dyspnea and psychological status. Additionally, serious game engagement showed favorable findings on adherence, enjoyment, and acceptability. Furthermore, no serious adverse effects were identified in all included studies.
CONCLUSIONS
This review preliminarily indicated the potential benefits of serious games in promoting rehabilitation for patients with COPD, despite the limited quality of the included studies. More studies with high methodological quality are needed to further explore the effects of serious games in this field.
PubMed: 37747768
DOI: 10.2196/46358 -
JAMA Network Open Sep 2023Current rehabilitation guidelines for patients with post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) are primarily based on expert opinions and observational data, and there is an urgent... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
IMPORTANCE
Current rehabilitation guidelines for patients with post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) are primarily based on expert opinions and observational data, and there is an urgent need for evidence-based rehabilitation interventions to support patients with PCC.
OBJECTIVE
To synthesize the findings of existing studies that report on physical capacity (including functional exercise capacity, muscle function, dyspnea, and respiratory function) and quality of life outcomes following rehabilitation interventions in patients with PCC.
DATA SOURCES
A systematic electronic search was performed from January 2020 until February 2023, in MEDLINE, Scopus, CINAHL, and the Clinical Trials Registry. Key terms that were used to identify potentially relevant studies included long-covid, post-covid, sequelae, exercise therapy, rehabilitation, physical activity, physical therapy, and randomized controlled trial.
STUDY SELECTION
This study included randomized clinical trials that compared respiratory training and exercise-based rehabilitation interventions with either placebo, usual care, waiting list, or control in patients with PCC.
DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS
This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses. A pairwise bayesian random-effects meta-analysis was performed using vague prior distributions. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool version 2, and the certainty of evidence was evaluated using the GRADE system by 2 independent researchers.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
The primary outcome was functional exercise capacity, measured at the closest postintervention time point by the 6-minute walking test. Secondary outcomes were fatigue, lower limb muscle function, dyspnea, respiratory function, and quality of life. All outcomes were defined a priori. Continuous outcomes were reported as standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% credible intervals (CrIs) and binary outcomes were summarized as odds ratios with 95% CrIs. The between-trial heterogeneity was quantified using the between-study variance, τ2, and 95% CrIs.
RESULTS
Of 1834 identified records, 1193 were screened, and 14 trials (1244 patients; 45% female participants; median [IQR] age, 50 [47 to 56] years) were included in the analyses. Rehabilitation interventions were associated with improvements in functional exercise capacity (SMD, -0.56; 95% CrI, -0.87 to -0.22) with moderate certainty in 7 trials (389 participants). These improvements had a 99% posterior probability of superiority when compared with current standard care. The value of τ2 (0.04; 95% CrI, 0.00 to 0.60) indicated low statistical heterogeneity. However, there was significant uncertainty and imprecision regarding the probability of experiencing exercise-induced adverse events (odds ratio, 1.68; 95% CrI, 0.32 to 9.94).
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
The findings of this systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that rehabilitation interventions are associated with improvements in functional exercise capacity, dyspnea, and quality of life, with a high probability of improvement compared with the current standard care; the certainty of evidence was moderate for functional exercise capacity and quality of life and low for other outcomes. Given the uncertainty surrounding the safety outcomes, additional trials with enhanced monitoring of adverse events are necessary.
Topics: Humans; Adult; Female; Middle Aged; Male; Quality of Life; Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome; Bayes Theorem; COVID-19; Dyspnea; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
PubMed: 37725376
DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.33838 -
Respiratory Medicine 2023Chronic respiratory diseases represent a significant burden of disease globally, with high morbidity and mortality. Individuals living with these conditions, as well as... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Chronic respiratory diseases represent a significant burden of disease globally, with high morbidity and mortality. Individuals living with these conditions, as well as their families, face considerable physical, emotional and social challenges. Palliative care might be a valuable approach to address their complex needs, but evidence to prove this is still scarce.
OBJECTIVES
This systematic review aimed to study the effectiveness of palliative care interventions in health-related outcomes (quality of life, symptom control, symptom burden, psychological well-being, advance care planning, use of health services, and survival) in chronic respiratory patients.
METHODS
Pubmed, Cochrane and Web of Science were searched for trials published in the last 10 years, comparing palliative care interventions to usual care, in patients with chronic respiratory diseases. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed.
RESULTS
Eight studies were included, seven randomized controlled trials and one cluster-controlled trial; the former with moderate risk of bias and the latter with high risk of bias. Findings revealed that palliative interventions improve breathlessness control and advance care planning. There were no significant differences for the other outcomes.
CONCLUSIONS
Palliative care appears to have a beneficial effect on breathlessness, one of the most distressing symptoms in patients suffering from chronic respiratory diseases and allows for advanced care planning. Additional research, with more robust trials, is needed to draw further conclusions about other health-related outcomes.
Topics: Humans; Palliative Care; Quality of Life; Advance Care Planning; Dyspnea; Anxiety
PubMed: 37717791
DOI: 10.1016/j.rmed.2023.107411 -
Scientific Reports Sep 2023This review aimed to summarise the relative risk (RR) of the main symptoms of long COVID in people infected with SARS-CoV-2 compared to uninfected controls, as well as... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
This review aimed to summarise the relative risk (RR) of the main symptoms of long COVID in people infected with SARS-CoV-2 compared to uninfected controls, as well as the difference in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after infection. MEDLINE, EMBASE, PubMed, NLM-LitCovid, WHO-COVID-19, arXiv and Europe-PMC were searched up to 23rd March 2022. Studies reporting risk (four or more weeks after infection) of fatigue, shortness of breath, and cognitive dysfunction, as well as comparative HRQoL outcomes, were included. Pairwise random-effects meta-analyses were performed to pool risks of individual symptoms. Thirty-three studies were identified; twenty studies reporting symptom risks were included in the meta-analyses. Overall, infection with SARS-CoV-2 carried significantly higher risk of fatigue (RR 1.72, 95% confidence intervals [CIs] 1.41, 2.10), shortness of breath (RR 2.60, 95% CIs 1.96, 3.44), memory difficulties (RR 2.53, 95% CIs 1.30, 4.93), and concentration difficulties (RR 2.14, 95% CIs 1.25, 3.67). Quality of life findings were varied and comparisons between studies were challenging due to different HRQoL instruments used and study heterogeneity, although studies indicated that severe hospitalised COVID is associated with a significantly poorer HRQoL after infection. These risks are likely to constantly change as vaccines, reinfections, and new variants alter global immunity.
Topics: Humans; Post-Acute COVID-19 Syndrome; COVID-19; Quality of Life; SARS-CoV-2; Dyspnea; Fatigue
PubMed: 37714919
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-42321-9 -
Frontiers in Medicine 2023Pulmonary hypertension due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and interstitial lung disease (ILD) is classified as group 3 pulmonary hypertension. Inhaled... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Pulmonary hypertension due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and interstitial lung disease (ILD) is classified as group 3 pulmonary hypertension. Inhaled treprostinil, a prostaglandin I analogue also known as prostacyclin, has recently been approved as a first drug for patients with pulmonary hypertension secondary to ILD. However, due to a lack of evidence, no therapies are currently approved for those with COPD-associated pulmonary hypertension. Thus, this systematic review aims to summarise the current evidence to assess the impact of inhaled prostaglandin I analogue use on the pulmonary hemodynamics, exercise function, lung function, and gas exchange in patients with pulmonary hypertension due to COPD.
METHODS
We systematically searched the electronic databases of Medline, Embase, Scopus and Cochrane from inception to 1 February 2023. Studies of adult patients with a confirmed diagnosis of COPD-associated pulmonary hypertension who received inhaled drugs targeting the prostacyclin pathway were included in the systematic review. Case reports, systematic reviews, conference abstracts with no full text, non-full-text articles, non-English manuscripts and book chapters were excluded from this systematic review. A risk-of-bias assessment was carried out for the studies included in this review, using two different Cochrane risk-of-bias tools for randomised and non-randomised clinical trials.
RESULTS
A total of four studies met our inclusion criteria and were included in this systematic review. The results of one prospective clinical trial showed an improvement in the pulmonary hemodynamics (e.g., cardiac index, cardiac output and mean pulmonary artery pressure) in response to inhaled prostacyclin use in patients with pulmonary hypertension secondary to COPD. However, the severity of dyspnoea, lung function, exercise capacity and gas exchange were not affected when inhaled prostacyclin was used for patients with COPD-related pulmonary hypertension.
CONCLUSION
This systematic review demonstrated that although inhaled prostacyclin does not seem to improve COPD-related outcomes (e.g., lung function and exercise capacity), short-term use of inhaled prostacyclin has the potential to reduce mean pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance without impairing ventilation-perfusion mismatch. Further studies with larger sample sizes are warranted.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
CRD42022372803, https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=372803.
PubMed: 37706024
DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1217156