IntroductionPulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is a multidisciplinary program of care for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) with the goal of improving the functional capacity and quality of life, as well as maintaining the clinical stability of COPD sufferers. However, not all patients are available for such a program despite discomfort with their condition. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a home-based PR (HBPR) program on functional ability, quality of life, and respiratory muscle strength and endurance.Patients and methodsPatients with COPD according to the Global Initiative of Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease were randomized (double-blind) into two groups. One group performed a protocol at home with aerobic and muscle strength exercises and was called the intervention group; the other group received only instructions to perform breathing and stretching exercises, characterizing it as the control group (CG). We assessed the following variables at baseline and 2 months: exercise tolerance (incremental shuttle walk test and upper limb test), respiratory muscle (strength and endurance test), and health-related quality of life (Airways Questionnaire 20).ResultsThere were no significant changes after the intervention in either of the two groups in exercise tolerance and quality of life. However, the intervention group had improved respiratory endurance compared with the CG, while the CG presented a decrease in the load sustained by the respiratory muscles after the HBPR.ConclusionA program of HBPR with biweekly supervision (although not enough to provide significant improvements in physical capacity or quality of life) played an important role in maintaining the stability of the clinical features of patients with COPD; the patients had no worsening of symptoms during the intervention period according to the daily log.

From the autonomic standpoint, asthmatic and non-asthmatic children respond differently to stress. No withdrawal of parasympathetic cardiac modulation occurs in asthmatic children after maximum work rate. Children with asthma experience changes in functional capacity and lung function may vary depending on the degree of inflammation of the airways.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a respiratory disease characterized by chronic airflow limitation that leads beyond the pulmonary changes to important systemic effects. COPD is characterized by pulmonary and systemic inflammation. However, increases in the levels of inflammatory cytokines in plasma are found even when the disease is stable. Pulmonary rehabilitation improves physical exercise capacity and quality of life and decreases dyspnea. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a home-based pulmonary rehabilitation (HBPR) program improves exercise tolerance in COPD patients, as well as health-related quality of life and systemic inflammation. This prospective study was conducted at the Laboratory of Functional Respiratory Evaluation, Nove de Julho University, São Paulo, Brazil. After anamnesis, patients were subjected to evaluations of health-related quality of life and dyspnea, spirometry, respiratory muscle strength, upper limbs incremental test, incremental shuttle walk test, and blood test for quantification of systemic inflammatory markers (interleukin [IL]-6 and IL-8). At the end of the evaluations, patients received a booklet containing the physical exercises to be performed at home, three times per week for 8 consecutive weeks. Around 25 patients were enrolled, and 14 completed the pre- and post-HBPR ratings. There was a significant increase in the walked distance and the maximal inspiratory pressure, improvements on two components from the health-related quality-of-life questionnaire, and a decrease in plasma IL-8 levels after the intervention. The HBPR is an important and viable alternative to pulmonary rehabilitation for the treatment of patients with COPD; it improves exercise tolerance, inspiratory muscle strength, quality of life, and systemic inflammation in COPD patients.

Objective: To correlate functional capacity test scores from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) subjects with their functional state as assessed by health-related quality of life questionnaires (one respiratory disease-specific [SGRQ] and one generic questionnaire). Materials and methods: Study of a case series of 8 COPD patients. The following tests were performed: 1) Six-minute walk test (6-MWT); 2) Shuttle walking test (SWT); 3) Six-minute step test (6-MST); 4) Two-minute sit-to-stand test (STST); and 5) Pegboard and ring test (PBRT). Besides these tests, two health-related quality of life questionnaires were administered: The St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and the Short Form 36 (SF-36) health survey questionnaire. The statistical analysis was carried out by using the Shapiro-Wilk normality test, while correlations were assessed using Pearson's (parametric data) or Spearman's (non-parametric data) rank tests, withFisioter Mov. 2014 out/dez;27(4):505-14 Cancelliero-Gaiad KM, Ike D, Soave L, Gomes ELFD, Dias FD, Costa D. 506 p < 0.05. Results: The 6-MWT showed strong correlation with the SF-36 scales of physical functioning, general health, vitality, social functioning and mental health. Conversely, the other functional capacity tests showed no correlation with this questionnaire. The SGRQ showed no correlation with any of the tests. Conclusions: The 6-MWT may be a good test to reflect the health-related quality of life of COPD subjects. [P] Keywords: Quality of life. COPD. Exercise test.[B] Resumo Objetivo: Correlacionar as respostas de testes de capacidade funcional em indivíduos portadores de doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica (DPOC) com o estado funcional avaliado de maneira subjetiva pelos questionários de qualidade de vida, sendo um específico para doença respiratória (SGRQ) e outro genérico (SF-36). Materiais e métodos: Foi realizado um estudo de uma série de casos com oito pacientes portadores de DPOC que realizaram os seguintes testes: 1) Teste de caminhada de seis minutos (TC6'); 2) Shuttle walking test (SWT); 3) Teste do degrau de seis minutos (TD6'); 4) Teste de sentar e levantar-se da cadeira em dois minutos (TCad-2min); e 5) Pegboard and ring test (PBRT). Além dos testes, foram aplicados dois questionários de qualidade de vida: Hospital Saint George na doença respiratória (SGRQ) e o Short Form 36 (SF-36

Introduction: Obesity has been considered a global epidemic and a serious public health problem closely related to other diseases. Moreover, obese individuals have limitations in physical capacity and pulmonary function. Weight loss induced by bariatric surgery appears to help reverse this situation. However, questions about physical capacity and lung function, and its relationship with body composition remain to be clarified. Objective: To evaluate the physical capacity, body composition and lung function in women undergoing bariatric surgery. Methods: Twenty five women who underwent bariatric surgery between 6 and 24 months ago, and 10 non-obese women were evaluated for exercise capacity by the six minutes walk test (6 MWT), body composition by bio-electrical impedance analysis and lung function by spirometry and measurement of maximal static respiratory pressures. Results: Subjects with BMI <30 kg/m² were found to have better physical performance, demonstrated by increased 6 MWT distance, not differing from non-obese women. When compared with non-obese women, there were no significant differences in body composition and lung function. Higher BMI was correlated with shorter distances in 6 MWT. Conclusion: 6 to 24 months after surgery, when the weight loss of patients who underwent bariatric surgery reaches levels considered non-obese, it provides improvement in physical performance to a level similar to that of non-obese patients.

Objective: To determinate by the OEP the effects of deep inspiration on physiological variables and thoracicabdominal asynchrony in patients with COPD, compared with healthy individuals matched for age.Methods: Ten patients with COPD and 12 healthy individuals were evaluated using OEP during deep inspiration. TAA was estimated using the phase angle in a Lissajous figure for three consecutive and consistent respiratory cycles.Results: There was significant difference (p<0.01) on the phase angle between the abdominal rib cage (RCa) and the abdomen (AB) in COPD patients compared to the control (-20.7°±26.3° vs -0.3°±8.8°). Greater compartmental contribution to the tidal volume was found in the pulmonary rib cage (RCp) in both the control group (p<0.009) and the COPD group (p<0.003). The degree of obstruction was not correlated with TAA between the different compartments. Conclusion:During deep inspiration for assincroniatoracoabdominal in patients with COPD in relation to healthy, not sort of adding then to improves the respiratory pattern in this group of patients and the degree of airway obstruction of these patients correlates with the presence ATA.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is related to a low body mass index (BMI), reduced functional capacity and reduced bone density, thus justifying the importance of evaluating all of these parameters in the patients with the disease. This is a cross-sectional study, with sample consisting of 20 patients who performed measurement of body composition by bioelectrical impedance, evaluation of functional capacity by the distance traveled in the Incremental Shuttle Walk Test (ISWT) and assessment of severity of obstruction by spirometry. Significant differences were found between the travelled and scheduled distance in the ISWT (p<0.01), positive correlations between muscle mass and distance walked in ISWT (r=0.54 with p=0.01), with FEV1 (r=0.488 with p=0.02), FEV1 and bone mass (r=0.497 with p=0.02) and distance traveled with FEV1 (r=0,541 with p=0.01). The correlations found in this study, besides confirming the hypothesis that the severity of the obstruction presented by the change in the lung parenchyma in patients with COPD is related to changes in body composition and functional capacity reduction, also highlight the correlation with bone mass.

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