Login to your account

Username *
Password *
Remember Me

Blog With Right Sidebar

Principles of Rehabilitation and Reactivation.

Related Articles

Principles of Rehabilitation and Reactivation.

Respiration. 2015 Jan 13;:2-11

Authors: Osadnik CR, Rodrigues FM, Camillo CA, Loeckx M, Janssens W, Dooms C, Troosters T

Abstract
Skeletal muscle dysfunction and physical inactivity are two clinically important features of a wide range of acute and chronic respiratory conditions. Optimisation of both of these features is important in order to improve physical function, prevent clinical deterioration and maximise community participation. One of the most potent and evidence-based interventions to address these physical deficits is pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). Whilst the majority of PR research has been conducted in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, there is widespread recognition that PR can benefit many other respiratory patient groups. These include patients with interstitial lung diseases, asthma, pulmonary hypertension, pre-/post-lung surgery (e.g. lung cancer, transplantation) and cystic fibrosis to name a few. Exercise training must be appropriately prescribed by a skilled healthcare professional with comprehensive knowledge of the pathology and physiology of these conditions, as well as a sound understanding of the exercise physiology and core principles of exercise prescription, monitoring and progression. It has also become increasingly recognised that people with respiratory conditions, particularly those with chronic disease, are considerably less active than those of good health. PR should therefore aim to induce behavioural change to facilitate the adoption and maintenance of an active lifestyle. In addition, PR should pay attention to the psychological well-being of patients and self-management of their lung disease in all its aspects. To that end, multidisciplinary individualised programs should be offered. This review sets the scene of PR principles for a series of papers that will focus on specific diseases other than chronic obstructive pulmonary disease where rehabilitation may offer a clinically important aspect of care over and above conventional pharmacological treatment. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

PMID: 25591614 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Efficacy of noninvasive ventilation after planned extubation: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Related Articles

Efficacy of noninvasive ventilation after planned extubation: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Heart Lung. 2015 Jan 12;

Authors: Bajaj A, Rathor P, Sehgal V, Shetty A

Abstract
The objective our meta-analysis is to update the evidence on the efficacy of noninvasive ventilation (NIV) compared with conventional oxygen therapy after planned extubation. We did a systematic literature review of database, including Pubmed, EMBASE, and Cochrane. We included randomized controlled trials comparing NIV with conventional oxygen therapy after planned extubation in medical intensive care unit (ICU) in our analysis. The results of our meta-analysis is consistent with the results of previous reviews and show that NIV decreased reintubation rate significantly as compared to conventional oxygen therapy in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and patients at high risk for extubation failure; COPD (RR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.16-0.69; I2 = 0), high risk (RR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.32-0.70; I2 = 0). However, in a mixed medical ICU population, there was no statistical difference of reintubation rate between the two groups (RR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.25-1.73; I2 = 68%). Our study suggests that use of NIV after planned extubation significantly decreases the reintubation rate in COPD patients and patients at high risk for extubation failure, confirming the findings of previous reviews. There is no difference in the reintubation rate between the two groups in the mixed medical ICU population.

PMID: 25592206 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

Real-life effectiveness of smoking-cessation treatments in general practice clinics in Denmark. The Escape Smoke project.

Related Articles

The smoking prevalence has not decreased in the last years in Denmark. General practice (GP) offers smoking cessation (SC) treatment. Studies of real-life effectiveness of daily practice SC-activities from the GP-setting opposed to efficacy results from randomized clinical trials are few. The study aim was to evaluate the real-life effectiveness of SC-treatments for daily smokers among Danish GP-clinics.

METHODS: In a multi-centre-based observational study design Danish GP-clinics with prior SC-activity recruited daily smokers motivated for quitting. As per usual clinical practice SC-medicine could be nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), prescription-based SC-medicine (varenicline or bupropion) or no medicine. The primary endpoint was percentage of patients remaining abstinent 6 months after the quit date (ITT, self-reported continuous abstinence).

RESULTS: Forty GP-clinics recruited 515 (273 females, 20% COPD) daily smokers being moderately nicotine dependent and heavy smoking (19 cigarettes/day). Receiving intensive advice, 74% did use SC-medicine paid out-of-pocket (1/3 NRT and 2/3 prescription-based). After 6 months, 187 participants had remained abstinent (36%). Adjusted for potential confounding the use of prescription-based SC-medicine plus counseling was associated with significantly doubling the chance of staying abstinent after 6 months as compared to no SC-medicine (OR: 1.97). This association could not be found for NRT. Being male and using prescription-based SC-medicine were independent significant predictors for long-term abstinence.

CONCLUSIONS: Smoking cessation in Danish GP-clinics with some prior SC-activity can result in rather high long-term quit rates, especially when combining counseling and prescription-based SC-medicine. The effectiveness of prescription-based SC-medications versus NRT in the general population merits further investigation.

Management of NCD in Low- and Middle-Income Countries.

Noncommunicable disease (NCD), comprising cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, are increasing in incidence rapidly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Some patients have access to the same treatments available in high-income countries, but most do not, and different strategies are needed. Most research on noncommunicable diseases has been conducted in high-income countries, but the need for research in LMICs has been recognized.

LMICs can learn from high-income countries, but they need to devise their own systems that emphasize primary care, the use of community health workers, and sometimes the use of mobile technology. The World Health Organization has identified "best buys" it advocates as interventions in LMICs. Non-laboratory-based risk scores can be used to identify those at high risk. Targeting interventions to those at high risk for developing diabetes has been shown to work in LMICs.

Indoor cooking with biomass fuels is an important cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in LMICs, and improved cookstoves with chimneys may be effective in the prevention of chronic diseases.

N-acetylcysteine in patients with COPD exacerbations associated with increased sputum.

Related Articles

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) has been shown not to alter the clinical outcome in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations. However, NAC may improve symptoms through its mucolytic effect in the subgroup of patients with increased sputum production. The aims of this study were to determine whether NAC improves symptoms and pulmonary function in patients with COPD exacerbation and increased sputum production.

METHODS: This was a placebo-controlled study, where patients with severe COPD and increased sputum production, who were hospitalized for an exacerbation, were included. They were randomized to receive either NAC 200 mg tid or placebo in addition to the usual treatment.

RESULTS: Forty-two patients were included and were equally distributed to NAC and placebo groups. The symptoms, namely, ease of sputum production and dyspnea at rest and on exertion significantly improved in both groups; but there was no difference in improvement between NAC and placebo groups (p = 0.96, 0.62, 0.31, respectively). Similarly, forced expiratory volume-one second (FEV1) and PaO2 levels improved significantly in NAC (964 ± 599-1239 ± 543 ml, p < 0.001, and 57.5 ± 14.5-70.5 ± 16.0 mmHg, p < 0.001, respectively) and placebo groups (981 ± 514-1180 ± 535 ml, p < 0.001 and 57.9 ± 14.3-68.7 ± 19.0 mmHg, p < 0.001, respectively), without any difference between the two groups (p = 0.52 and 0.57). There was no difference in the number of exacerbations during the 6-month follow-up period.

CONCLUSION: NAC does not have any beneficial effect on clinical outcomes in patients with severe COPD exacerbation associated with increased and/or viscous mucus production.

Search