This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) for treatment of postoperative pain in patients who underwent cardiac surgery. In addition, we sought to determine whether TENS would be related to improved pulmonary function and muscle electrical activity in this patient population. Forty-five patients, 32 males and 13 females, aged 41-74 years were randomly allocated to receive TENS (n=23) or sham treatment (n=22) during 4 h on the third postoperative day. A 0-10 visual analogic scale was used to assess pain; lung function was evaluated by spirometry and surface electromyography (n=10 in each group) was used to quantify electrically-induced muscle activity (trapezius and pectoralis major). TENS was associated with significant reductions on spontaneous and cough-induced postoperative pain as compared to sham (P<0.05). There was also improvement in chest wall-pulmonary mechanics after TENS with proportional increases in tidal volume and vital capacity (P<0.05). In addition, electrical activity of both muscle groups was enhanced after TENS, but not post sham (P<0.05). TENS is a valuable strategy to alleviate postoperative pain following cardiac surgery with positive effects on pulmonary ventilatory function and electrical activity of thoracic and girdle muscles.

OBJECTIVESEvaluate the correlation between peak oxygen consumption (VO 2peak ), from cardiopulmonary test with the distance covered in the six-minute walk test (6MWT) in healthy elderly and with myocardial infarction (MI). METHODSThirty individuals were studied, with age range 65 -87 years (76, 03± 4,75), divided into 2 groups: Group I -14 with clinically evident coronary heart disease (CHD) and Group II -16 without clinically evident CHD. They were submitted to cardiopulmonary test (CPT) and 2 types of 6MWT, standard test 6MWTs. Variables measure at rest and exertion were heart rate (HR) and respiratory rate (RR), blood pressure (BP), distance covered (DC), and Borg's rate subjective perceived exertion (RPE). RESULTSThe study showed signifi cant, strong correlation between distances covered for both 6MWT, and (VO 2peak ) obtained from cardiopulmonary test (CPT) for all elderly included in the study. When comparing the 6MWT with physiotherapist support (6MWTphy) and without support (6MWTw), statistically signifi cant difference was observed, with higher average values of the DC, of the RH and RR and Borg's RPE in the 6MWTphy, both of the groups. Addtionally, the RH reached at fi nal the exertion in 6MWTphy was similar to that obtained in CPT (p<0,05) suggesting that the 6MWT stimulates higher cardiovascular performance. CONCLUSION6MWTw, adopted a worldwide, by being submaximal imposes lower cardiovascular overburden as compared to 6MWTphy and is probably safer for elderly who are cardiopaths. KEY WORDSElderly, walk test, cardiopulmonary test.

Marfan syndrome patients have reduced heart rate recovery and chronotropic deficit after submaximal exercise, and the chronotropic deficit is a strong determinant of heart rate recovery. These changes are suggestive of autonomic dysfunction.

Marfan syndrome (MS) is a dominant autosomal disease caused by mutations in chromosome 15, the locus controlling fibrillin 1 synthesis, and may exhibit skeletal, ocular, cardiovascular, and other manifestations. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is used to measure arterial elasticity and stiffness and is related to the elastic properties of the vascular wall. Since the practice of exercise is limited in MS patients, it was of interest to analyze the acute effect of submaximal exercise on aortic distensibility using PWV and other hemodynamic variables in patients with MS with either mild or no aortic dilatation. PWV and physiological variables were evaluated before and after submaximal exercise in 33 patients with MS and 18 controls. PWV was 8.51 + or - 0.58 at rest and 9.10 + or - 0.63 m/s at the end of exercise (P = 0.002) in the group with MS and 8.07 + or - 0.35 and 8.98 + or - 0.56 m/s in the control group, respectively (P = 0.004). Comparative group analysis regarding PWV at rest and at the end of exercise revealed no statistically significant differences. The same was true for the group that used beta-blockers and the one that did not. The final heart rate was 10% higher in the control group than in the MS group (P = 0.01). Final systolic arterial pressure was higher in the control group (P = 0.02). PWV in MS patients with mild or no aortic dilatation did not differ from the control group after submaximal effort.

We conclude that in HF, there is an inefficiency of purine metabolism that increases with increasing exercise intensity, but not with an increase of total volume. These findings suggest that hyperkalemia may play an important role in the disorders of purine metabolism.

Resumo Objetivo: caracterizar o perfil e a relação entre sobrecarga e qualidade de vida (QV) de cuidadores de pacientes hospitalizados de acordo com o modelo biopsicossocial da Classificação Internacional de Funcionalidade, Incapacidade e Saúde (CIF). Analisar a correlação entre a sobrecarga do cuidador e o nível de dependência motora e cognitiva do paciente. Métodos: estudo transversal com 68 cuidadores de pacientes hospitalizados há 12 ou mais dias. Para avaliação da QV e da sobrecarga dos cuidadores foram utilizados, respectivamente, o Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) e a escala de Zarit (Zarit Burden Interview). Utilizou-se a Medida de Independência Funcional para caracterizar a dependência motora e cognitiva dos pacientes. Os resultados foram relacionados aos conceitos da CIF. Resultados: de acordo com os qualificadores da CIF, um comprometimento progressivo na QV dos cuidadores foi observado com o aumento da sobrecarga. Houve correlação negativa, estatisticamente significante e de fraca magnitude, entre a percepção de QV e sobrecarga. Não houve correlação entre a sobrecarga do cuidador e o nível de dependência do paciente. Conclusão: o SF-36 é capaz de analisar 13 categorias da CIF, permitindo avaliar o cuidador de forma integral, de acordo com o modelo biopsicossocial, e facilitando o uso da CIF na prática clínica.

Marfan syndrome (MS) is a dominant autosomal connective tissue disease that impacts multiple systems, such as the cardiovascular system, tissue viscoelastic properties, bone calcification matrix and, most specific to the present investigation, pulmonary parenchyma. The aim of the present study was to evaluate pulmonary function (PF) in patients with MS and relate it to thoracic cage abnormalities (TCA) and the occurrence of cardiac arrhythmias during the spirometric exam (SE). A sample of 75 subjects (46 with MS) underwent clinical, anthropometric, echocardiographic, radiographic and PF evaluation; 51 subjects (33 with MS) had their electrocardiogram (ECG) information evaluated during PF. These individuals were matched and compared with a healthy control group (CG). Forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume (FEV) in the first second (FEV(1)) in the patients with MS were significantly lower in comparison with the CG (p = 0.012 and 0.0006) and predicted values (p = 0.04 and 0.003). Subgroup analysis based on TCA revealed differences between patients with MS with two combined abnormalities (scoliosis + pectus) in comparison with both the CG (p = 0.012 and 0.002) and patients without abnormalities (p = 0.05 and 0.006). There were no differences regarding the occurrence of arrhythmia during exertion on the SE. There was a correlation between clinical history, cardiovascular behavior and PF. PF is reduced in patients with MS, and deformities in the thoracic cage appear to contribute to this reduction. Despite the apparent structural alterations in the cardiovascular system in this population, exertion during the SE appears to be safe.

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