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Journal of Caring Sciences Mar 2022Cancer is a leading cause of death among all age groups. Globally, cancer patients undergo one or more treatment modules, which often bring about fatigue, depression,... (Review)
Review
Cancer is a leading cause of death among all age groups. Globally, cancer patients undergo one or more treatment modules, which often bring about fatigue, depression, anxiety, and muscle weakness. Therefore, this systemic review and meta-analysis aims to investigate randomized control trials (RCTs) on this subject. We conducted a systemic search of studies published in PubMed, MEDLINE, CINAHL, ClinicalKey, Cochrane Library, and Google scholar, in English language between 2005-2020. Two authors independently appraised the selected RCTs for evaluating the effectiveness of physical exercise on fatigue among patients undergoing adjuvant radiation therapy (RT). This systemic review and meta-analysis was conducted based on the Cochrane risk bias assessment tool, using RevMan 5.3 software. A total of 1440 participants from 12 trials were involved in the systemic review, 6 trials comprised 718 participants picked for meta-analysis. Physical exercise was found an effective intervention for reducing general fatigue and physical fatigue and some other variables (e.g. anxiety, depression, pain, quality of life, and sleep pattern) among patients undergoing adjuvant radiotherapy in the treatment group as compared to the control group. Physical exercise is an effective intervention on multidimensional fatigue among patients undergoing adjuvant RT. The studies are registered with PROSPERO and available in online.
PubMed: 35603086
DOI: 10.34172/jcs.2022.02 -
Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine 2022Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) is a simple and well-tolerated physical therapy that increases respiratory muscle strength and relieving the degree of dyspnea and...
BACKGROUND
Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) is a simple and well-tolerated physical therapy that increases respiratory muscle strength and relieving the degree of dyspnea and fatigue. Therefore, it may be used as a transitional modality before exercise training or as a specific physical therapy intervention for those who are diagnosed with respiratory muscle weakness. However, the current evidence on IMT in pulmonary hypertension (PH) patients is inconclusive. The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to summarize the current role of IMT in this group of patients.
METHODS
PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched through May 2022. Trials examining the feasibility and effectiveness of IMT in PH patients. Outcome measures included adverse events, training adherence and compliance, maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximum expiratory pressure (MEP), forced vital capacity (FVC%), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV%), FEV/FVC%, 6 min walk distance (6MWD), Peak VO, dyspnea, and fatigue perception after the IMT training program. Only randomized controlled trials were included. The Cochrane Risk of Bias tool for controlled trials was adopted to assess study quality. Statistical heterogeneity was evaluated with the chi-square test and statistic. Mean differences and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated.
RESULTS
We ultimately identified four studies that met the criteria. These studies comprised 80 patients with 16 males and 64 females. The mean age was 53.25. The main types of PH were group I (pulmonary arterial hypertension, 95%) and group IV (chronic thromboembolic PH, 5%). No severe adverse events were reported in the included studies. IMT had a significant effect on improving MIP (18.89 cmHO; 95% CI: 9.43-28.35, < 0.001) and MEP (8.06 cmHO; 95% CI: 2.39-13.73; = 0.005), increase in the 6MWD (30.16 m; 95% CI: 1.53-58.79; = 0.04). No significant improvement was found in pulmonary function ( > 0.05), and uncertain effect on the quality of life (QoL) score.
CONCLUSION
Based on currently limited evidence, IMT is an effective physical therapy for increasing respiratory muscle function and exercise capacity, but still a lack of evidence on dyspnea and fatigue levels, pulmonary function, and QoL in PH patients. There are reasons to believe that IMT is a promising intervention in PH patients, enriching rehabilitation options and serving as a bridge before formal exercise training. It is expected that IMT will play an important role in the future clinical pathway of physical therapy for this group of patients.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
[https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/logout.php], identifier [CRD42022335972].
PubMed: 36523361
DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.999422 -
Journal of Human Kinetics Mar 2023Fatigue has often been considered a risk factor for developing sports injuries, modulating lower extremity jump-landing biomechanics. The impact of fatigue on proximal... (Review)
Review
Fatigue has often been considered a risk factor for developing sports injuries, modulating lower extremity jump-landing biomechanics. The impact of fatigue on proximal trunk and pelvic biomechanics has been suggested to play an important role in lower extremity loading and injury risk, yet the available evidence remains ambiguous as the trunk and pelvis were often not the primary focus of research. Therefore, the purpose of this systematic review was to determine how fatigue affects trunk and pelvic three-dimensional jump-landing biomechanics. PubMed (MEDLINE), Web of Science, Embase, CINAHL and SPORTDiscus were consulted up to and including April 2022 for potential studies investigating the effect of fatigue on trunk and pelvic kinematics, kinetics and/or muscular activity during jump-landing tasks in healthy, physically active populations. Methodological quality of the studies was assessed by the modified Downs and Black checklist. Twenty-one studies were included and methodological quality was moderate to high among these studies. The results indicate prevailing evidence for more trunk flexion during standardized jump-landing tasks after lower extremity muscle fatigue. Otherwise, lumbo-pelvic-hip muscle fatigue does not seem to elicit major detrimental changes to these jump-landing biomechanics. Although a wide variability of trunk and pelvic jump-landing strategies was observed, the results provide evidence for increased trunk flexion after lower extremity muscle fatigue. This proximal strategy is suggested to help unload fatigued lower extremity structures and lack of this compensation might increase knee injury risk.
PubMed: 37181257
DOI: 10.5114/jhk/159460 -
Military Medicine May 2023Military personnel are required to undertake rigorous physical training to meet the unique demands of combat, often leading to high levels of physiological stress.... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
INTRODUCTION
Military personnel are required to undertake rigorous physical training to meet the unique demands of combat, often leading to high levels of physiological stress. Inappropriate recovery periods with these high levels of physical stress may result in sub-optimal training and increased risk of injury in military personnel. However, no reviews have attempted to examine the magnitude of training-induced stress following military training activities. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the magnitude of physiological stress (physical, hormonal, and immunological) following task-specific training activities in military personnel.
METHODS
An extensive literature search was conducted within CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus, SportDiscus, and Web of Science databases with 7,220 records extracted and a total of 14 studies eligible for inclusion and evaluation. Study appraisal was conducted using the Kmet scale. Meta-analysis was conducted via forest plots, with standard mean difference (SMD, effect size) and inter-trial heterogeneity (I2) calculated between before (preactivity) and after (12-96 hours postactivity) military-specific activities for biomarkers of physiological stress (muscle damage, inflammation, and hormonal) and physical performance (muscular strength and power).
RESULTS
Military training activities resulted in significant levels of muscle damage (SMD = -1.28; P = .003) and significant impairments in strength and power (SMD = 0.91; P = .008) and testosterone levels (SMD = 1.48; P = .05) up to 96 hours postactivity. There were no significant differences in inflammation (SMD = -0.70; P = .11), cortisol (SMD = -0.18; P = .81), or insulin-like growth factor 1 (SMD = 0.65; P = .07) when compared to preactivity measures.
CONCLUSIONS
These findings indicate that assessments of muscle damage, anabolic hormones like testosterone, strength, and power are effective for determining the level of acute stress following military-specific activities. With regular monitoring of these measures, appropriate recovery periods may be implemented to optimize training adaptations and occupational performance, with minimal adverse training responses in military personnel.
Topics: Humans; Military Personnel; Exercise; Muscle Strength; Hydrocortisone; Testosterone; Inflammation; Resistance Training
PubMed: 35639912
DOI: 10.1093/milmed/usac144 -
Scientific Reports May 2023Head and Neck Cancer (HNC) is a globally rare cancer that includes a variety of tumors affecting the upper aerodigestive tract. It presents with difficulty breathing or... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
Head and Neck Cancer (HNC) is a globally rare cancer that includes a variety of tumors affecting the upper aerodigestive tract. It presents with difficulty breathing or swallowing and is mainly treated with radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or surgery for tumors that have spread locally or throughout the body. Alternatively, exercise can be used during cancer treatment to improve function, including pain relief, increase range of motion and muscle strength, and reduce cancer-related fatigue, thereby enhancing quality of life. Although existing evidence suggests the adjunctive use of exercise in other cancer types, no previous studies have examined the effects on HNC survivors. The aim of this meta-analysis was to quantify the effect of exercise-based rehabilitation on functionality and quality of life in HNC survivors who underwent surgery and/or chemoradiotherapy. A systematic review and meta-analysis were carried out following PRISMA statement and registered in PROSPERO (CRD42023390300). The search was performed in MEDLINE (PubMED), Cochrane Library, CINAHL and Web of Science (WOS) databases from inception to 31st December 2022 using the terms "cancer", "head and neck neoplasms", "exercise", "rehabilitation", "complications", "muscle contraction", "muscle stretching exercises" combining with booleans "AND"/"OR". PEDro scale, Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool and GRADE were used to assess methodological quality, risk of bias and grade of recommendation of included studies respectively. 18 studies (n = 1322) were finally included which 1039 (78.6%) were men and 283 (21.4%) were women. In patients who underwent radio-chemotherapy, overall pain [SMD = - 0.62 [- 4.07, 2.83] CI 95%, Z = 0.35, p = 0.72] and OP [SMD = - 0.07 [- 0.62, 0.48] CI 95%, Z = 0.25, p = 0.81] were slightly reduced with exercise in comparison to controls. Besides, lower limb muscle strength [SMD = - 0.10 [- 1.52, 1.32] CI 95%, Z = 0.14, p = 0.89] and fatigue [SMD = - 0.51 [- 0.97, - 0.057] CI 95%, Z = 2.15, p < 0.01] were also improved in those who receive radio-chemoradiation. In HNC survivors treated with neck dissection surgery, exercise was superior to controls in overall pain [SMD = - 1.04 [- 3.31, 1.23] CI 95%, Z = 0.90, p = 0.37] and, in mid-term, on shoulder pain SMD = - 2.81 [- 7.06, 1.43] CI 95%, Z = 1.76, p = 0.08]. No differences in quality of life were found at any of the follow-up periods. There is evidence of fair to good methodological quality, low to moderate risk of bias, and weak recommendations supporting the use of exercise-based rehabilitation to increase functionality. However, no evidence was found in favor of the use of this modality for improving the quality of life of HNC survivors who underwent chemoradiotherapy or surgery.
Topics: Male; Humans; Female; Quality of Life; Head and Neck Neoplasms; Survivors; Fatigue; Pain
PubMed: 37237097
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35503-y -
Vaccines Mar 2022Background: The proportion of children and adolescents with COVID-19 had gradually increased according to data reported by WHO. However, there was no meta-analysis of... (Review)
Review
Background: The proportion of children and adolescents with COVID-19 had gradually increased according to data reported by WHO. However, there was no meta-analysis of effectiveness and safety of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in children and adolescents. We aimed to provide investigation-based medical evidence and reference recommendations for children and adolescents in regard to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science from inception to 5 January 2022. RCTs and observational studies that examined the effectiveness and safety were included. Results: A total of 13 eligible studies were included for analysis. For the first dose, the effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 was 88.5% (95% CI:15.7−98.4%, p = 0.033) and 84.3% (95% CI: 66.6−92.6%, p < 0.001) separately. For the second dose, the effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 was 91.6% (95% CI: 37.8−99.5%, p = 0.083) and 92.7 (95% CI: 82.2−97.0, p < 0.001) separately. Injection-site pain, fatigue, headache, anorexia, and axillary swelling were the top five adverse events after the first dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Fatigue, injection-site pain, headache, chills, and myalgia/muscle pain were the top five adverse events after the second dose of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 vaccines had good effectiveness and safety in children and adolescents. We suggest that children and adolescents should get vaccinated as soon as possible to protect themselves and slow the spread of the pandemic.
PubMed: 35335053
DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10030421 -
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2021In this systematic review, we collected and analyzed literature works comparing self-reported fatigue and objectively-measured fatigue in individuals with cerebral palsy...
In this systematic review, we collected and analyzed literature works comparing self-reported fatigue and objectively-measured fatigue in individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) and in age-matched typically developing/typically developed (TD) controls (Healthy). The search was conducted on four electronic databases/platforms (PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Scopus) using the key words "cerebral palsy" combined with "fatig," where the asterisk was used as a wildcard. As a critical appraisal tool, the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Quasi-Experimental Studies (2017) was used. A total of 22 studies passed the critical appraisal rating and were included in both narrative and quantitative analyses. The overall evidence quality of the findings was considered very good. Data of objectively-measured fatigue in performing maximal fatiguing tasks indicated lower fatigue levels in participants with CP, possibly due to their pathological inability to recruit highly fatigable muscle fibers. Highly trained individuals with CP and TD controls performing maximal fatiguing tasks seem to be an exception to this, as they exhibited similar levels of fatigue. In submaximal fatiguing tasks, including daily physical activities, either objectively-measured or self-reported fatigue was higher in participants with CP than in TD controls, indicating a lower ability for development of neurophysiological compensation for fatigue among participants with CP. Further studies on fatigue are needed to gain an insight into the multifold mechanisms of fatigue in individuals with CP. Understanding fatigue mechanisms could help in setting up strategies for effective intervention programs, with benefits in healthcare and improved quality of life of individuals with CP. [PROSPERO 2019], identifier [CRD42019143524].
PubMed: 33790748
DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2021.598800 -
International Journal of Environmental... Jan 2023This review aims to evaluate the effects of probiotic supplementation on performance and performance-related conditions in athletes by evaluating randomized controlled... (Review)
Review
This review aims to evaluate the effects of probiotic supplementation on performance and performance-related conditions in athletes by evaluating randomized controlled studies from the MEDLINE (Pubmed), Web of Science, Scopus, and SPORTDiscus (EBSCO) databases. From a total of 2304 relevant articles, 13 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Seven studies concern endurance athletes, one to rugby players, three refer to non-specified athletes, one to badminton players, and one involves baseball players. The evidence suggests that the integration of athletes' diets with some bacterial strains and also the consumption of multi-strain compounds may lead to an improvement in performance and can positively affect performance-related aspects such as fatigue, muscle pain, body composition, and cardiorespiratory fitness. However, the type of supplementation and sport is very variable among the studies examined. Therefore, to obtain more solid evidence, further controlled and comparable studies are needed to expand the research regarding the possible repercussions of probiotics use on athletes' performance.
Topics: Humans; Athletic Performance; Athletes; Probiotics; Cardiorespiratory Fitness; Fatigue
PubMed: 36767593
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20032226 -
Cancer Medicine Sep 2023Women with breast cancer and improved survival often experience treatment-related impairments. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has emerged as a promising...
BACKGROUND
Women with breast cancer and improved survival often experience treatment-related impairments. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has emerged as a promising exercise therapy modality for adult cancer patients. However, the overall effects of HIIT in breast cancer patients remain scarce and controversial. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to comprehensively evaluate the impact of HIIT on health-related outcomes in breast cancer patients.
METHODS
We searched the PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science from inception to November 7, 2022. Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials that compared HIIT interventions with usual care (UC) or MICT in breast cancer patients. The primary outcome assessed was physical fitness, and exploratory outcomes included body composition, blood-borne biomarkers, and patient-reported outcomes. Summary data were extracted, and standardized mean differences (SMD) were calculated for meta-analysis. For outcomes that could not be pooled, a systematic review was conducted.
RESULTS
Our analysis included 19 articles from 10 studies, encompassing 532 participants who met the inclusion criteria. Pooled results demonstrated that HIIT was superior to UC in improving peak oxygen uptake (VO ). The SMD for VO (L/min) and VO (mL/kg/min) was 0.79 (95% CI 0.13, 1.45) and 0.59 (95% CI 0.01, 1.16), respectively. No significant differences in VO were found between the HIIT and MICT groups. Meta-analyses on body composition and blood-borne biomarkers showed no significant differences between HIIT and UC. Systematic review indicated favorable effects of HIIT on muscle strength, fatigue, and emotional well-being.
CONCLUSIONS
HIIT is a time-efficient alternative to MICT for improving VO and may also enhance muscle strength and alleviate fatigue and emotional symptoms in breast cancer patients. HIIT should be considered as an important component of exercise prescription in breast cancer care. Further studies with larger cohorts are needed to determine the clinical significance of HIIT-induced changes in terms of other outcomes in women with breast cancer.
PubMed: 37587859
DOI: 10.1002/cam4.6387 -
Sports Medicine - Open Mar 2022Foam rolling has been extensively investigated, showing benefits in performance and recovery. Recently, vibration has been added to foam rollers, with hypothesized...
BACKGROUND
Foam rolling has been extensively investigated, showing benefits in performance and recovery. Recently, vibration has been added to foam rollers, with hypothesized advantages over conventional foam rollers. However, there is no systematic evidence in this regard.
OBJECTIVE
To carry out a systematic review and meta-analysis about the effects of vibration foam roller (VFR) on performance and recovery.
METHODS
A systematic search was conducted in PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science and SportDiscus according to the PRISMA guidelines. The outcomes included performance (jump, agility and strength) and recovery variables (blood flow, pain and fatigue) measured after an intervention with VFR. The methodological quality was assessed with the PEDro scale. A random-effects model was used to perform the meta-analysis.
RESULTS
Initially, 556 studies were found and after the eligibility criteria 10 studies were included in the systematic review and 9 in the meta-analysis. There was no significant effects on jump performance (SMD = 0.14 [95% CI - 0.022 to 0.307]; p = 0.101; I = 1.08%) and no significant beneficial effects were reported on isokinetic strength (SMD = 0.16 [95% CI - 0.041 to 0.367]; p = 0.117; I = 9.7%). Recovery appears to be enhanced after VFR interventions, but agility does not seem to increase after VFR interventions.
CONCLUSION
This systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that VFR could have great potential for increasing jump performance, agility, strength and enhancing recovery. Further research is needed to confirm the effects of VFR on performance and recovery. Trial Registration This investigation was registered in PROSPERO with the code CRD42021238104.
PubMed: 35244802
DOI: 10.1186/s40798-022-00421-2