Objective: To evaluate the effects that passive cycling exercise, in combination with conventional physical therapy, have on peripheral muscle strength, duration of mechanical ventilation, and length of hospital stay in critically ill patients admitted to the ICU of a tertiary care university hospital. Methods: This was a randomized clinical trial involving 38 patients (≥ 18 years of age) on mechanical ventilation who were randomly divided into two groups: control (n = 16), receiving conventional physical therapy; and intervention (n = 22), receiving conventional physical therapy and engaging in passive cycling exercise five days per week. The mean age of the patients was 46.42 ± 16.25 years, and 23 were male. The outcomes studied were peripheral muscle strength, as measured by the Medical Research Council scale, duration of mechanical ventilation, and length of hospital stay. Results: There was a significant increase in peripheral muscle strength (baseline vs. final) in both groups (control: 40.81 ± 7.68 vs. 45.00 ± 6.89; and intervention: 38.73 ± 11.11 vs. 47.18 ± 8.75; p < 0.001 for both). However, the range of increase in strength was higher in the intervention group than in the control group (8.45 ± 5.20 vs. 4.18 ± 2.63; p = 0.005). There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of duration of mechanical ventilation or length of hospital stay. Conclusions: The results suggest that the performance of continuous passive mobilization on a cyclical basis helps to recover peripheral muscle strength in ICU patients.

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BackgroundThe aim of this study was to analyze the influence of active and passive smoking on cardiorespiratory responses in asymptomatic adults during a sub-maximal-exertion incremental test.MethodsThe participants (n = 43) were divided into three different groups: active smokers (n = 14; aged 36.5 ± 8 years), passive smokers (n = 14; aged 34.6 ± 11.9 years) and non-smokers (n = 15; aged 30 ± 8.1 years). They all answered the Test for Nicotine Dependence and underwent anthropometric evaluation, spirometry and ergospirometry according to the Bruce Treadmill Protocol.ResultsVO2max differed statistically between active and non-smokers groups (p < 0.001) and between non-smokers and passive group (p=0.022). However, there was no difference between the passive and active smokers groups (p=0.053). Negative and significant correlations occurred between VO2max and age (r = - 0.401, p = 0.044), percentage of body fat (r = - 0.429, p = 0.011), and waist circumference (WC) (r = - 0.382, p = 0.025).ConclusionVO2max was significantly higher in non-smokers compared to active smokers and passive smokers. However, the VO2max of passive smokers did not differ from active smokers.

ObjectiveTo investigate the efficiency of short-term inspiratory muscle training program associated with combined aerobic and resistance exercise on respiratory muscle strength, functional capacity and quality of life in patients who underwent coronary artery bypass and are in the phase II cardiac rehabilitation program.MethodsA prospective, quasi-experimental study with 24 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass and were randomly assigned to two groups in the Phase II cardiac rehabilitation program: inspiratory muscle training program associated with combined training (aerobic and resistance) group (GCR + IMT, n=12) and combined training with respiratory exercises group (GCR, n=12), over a period of 12 weeks, with two sessions per week. Before and after intervention, the following measurements were obtained: maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures (PImax and PEmax), peak oxygen consumption (peak VO2) and quality of life scores. Data were compared between pre- and post-intervention at baseline and the variation between the pre- and post-phase II cardiac rehabilitation program using the Student's t-test, except the categorical variables, which were compared using the Chi-square test. Values of P<0.05 were considered statistically significant.ResultsCompared to GCR, the GCR + IMT group showed larger increments in PImax (P<0.001), PEmax (P<0.001), peak VO2 (P<0.001) and quality of life scores (P<0.001).ConclusionThe present study demonstrated that the addition of inspiratory muscle training, even when applied for a short period, may potentiate the effects of combined aerobic and resistance training, becoming a simple and inexpensive strategy for patients who underwent coronary artery bypass and are in phase II cardiac rehabilitation.

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The application of EPAP5 or EPAP10 during exercise tended to cause a progressive reduction in exercise tolerance in subjects with COPD without improvement in dyspnea or dynamic hyperinflation at equivalent exercise duration.

Objetivo: Analisar as características dos neonatos com Síndrome do Desconforto Respiratório (SDR), considerando a via de parto, admitidos em uma Unidade de Terapia Intensiva de um hospital universitário da região central do Rio Grande do Sul. Materiais e métodos: Estudo retrospectivo, realizado no período de abril a maio de 2017, através da análise de prontuários de neonatos com idade gestacional acima de 37 semanas, ambos os sexos, internados no ano de 2016 na Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Neonatal (UTIN) do Hospital Universitário de Santa Maria com CID 10 P22 – Desconforto (angústia) respiratório(a) do recém-nascido. Resultados: A amostra foi constituída por 40 registros de nascimentos (25 do sexo masculino), divididos em parto vaginal (n=11) e cesárea (n=29), representando 27,5% e 72,5%, respectivamente, das internações totais. A média de idade materna foi de 27±7 anos, com uma média de 7±5 consultas pré-natais. Durante o período de internação 65%(n=26) dos 40 neonatos necessitaram de oxigenoterapia. Conclusão: A partir dos resultados obtidos no presente estudo, observamos que a SDR representa 11% das internações ocorridas na UTIN, no ano de 2016. A prevalência, quanto ao tipo de parto, foi de neonatos nascidos de cesariana, sem a presença do trabalho de parto e com idade gestacional de 38 semanas. Descritores: Unidades de Terapia Intensiva Neonatal. Recém-Nascido. Síndrome do Desconforto Respiratório. Cesárea. Parto Normal.

Introduction: In the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) both pulmonary and systemic condition increase dyspnea, intolerance to exercise and inactivity. Objective: To evaluate possible association between Hand Grip Strength (HGS) and the distance covered in the Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Methods: A cross-sectional study that evaluated 34 patients with COPD from moderate to very severe stages. The HGS test was performed with a manual hydraulic dynamometer (Jamar®, California, USA) with three bilateral measures, allowing