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The limited value of the Health Assessment Questionnaire as an outcome measure in short term exercise trials.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the value of the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) as an outcome measure in short term exercise trials. We studied the association of the objectives of exercise, namely joint mobility, muscle strength, and physical condition, with the HAQ. METHODS: Data for 100 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) included in a study to examine the effect of exercise therapy were used for secondary analysis. Disease activity was determined by the disease activity score (DAS3), pain was scored on a visual analog scale (VAS), and depression was measured by the Dutch Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale. Aerobic capacity (VO2max) estimated from a submaximal ergometer test, grip strength (kPa), isokinetic muscle strength of the knee (Nm/kg), and the Escola Paulista de Medicina range of motion (EPM-ROM) score, a measure of general flexibility, were used as indicators for physical impairments. All variables were entered in a forward multiple regression analysis with the HAQ as dependent variable. RESULTS: The HAQ was significantly correlated with the DAS3 score (r = 0.53), pain (r = 0.51), depression (r = 0.40), joint mobility (r = 0.27), quadriceps strength (r = -0.35), and grip strength (r = -0.50), but not with physical condition. The DAS3 score was first entered in the multiple regression analysis model, followed by pain, quadriceps strength, and grip strength (R2 = 0.45). After 12 weeks of exercise therapy changes in the HAQ were significantly correlated with changes in pain (r = 0.41), in depression (r = 0.33), and in quadriceps strength (r = -0.25), but not with changes in joint mobility or physical condition. CONCLUSION: Physical impairments are weakly associated with the HAQ. The HAQ is not an appropriate instrument to detect changes in physical impairments due to short term exercise therapy.

Adult↗

Treatment of hyperlipidemia in elderly persons with exercise training, nonpharmacologic therapy, and drug combinations.

Hyperlipidemia is a major modifiable risk factor for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases in the elderly population. Although statin therapy remains the mainstay of treatment for hyperlipidemia in the elderly, other therapies, including exercise training, plant stanols and sterols, soluble fiber, and drug combinations (especially ezetimibe, niacin, and/or fibrates alone or combined with statins) are also effective and important lipid therapies for the elderly population.

Aged↗

Physiotherapy interventions for ankylosing spondylitis.

BACKGROUND: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic, inflammatory rheumatic disease. Due to the consequences of the disease, physiotherapy is considered to be an important part of the overall management of AS. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this review was to summarise the available scientific evidence on the effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions in the management of AS. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, AMED, CINAHL and PEDro up to February 2004 for all relevant publications, without any language restrictions. The reference lists of relevant articles were checked and the authors of included articles were contacted. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised and quasi-randomised studies with patients classified by the AS New York criteria and where at least one of the comparison groups received some kind of physiotherapy. The main outcomes of interest were pain, stiffness, spinal mobility, physical function and patient global assessment. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two reviewers independently selected trials for inclusion, extracted data and assessed trial quality. Investigators were contacted to obtain missing information. MAIN RESULTS: Six trials with a total of 561 participants were included in this updated review as compared to three trials and 241 patients in the previous version. Two trials compared individualised home exercise programs with no intervention and reported low quality evidence for effects in spinal mobility (relative percentage differences (RPD) 37%) and physical function, in favour of the home exercise program. Three trials compared supervised group physiotherapy with an individualised home-exercise program and reported moderate quality evidence for small differences in spinal mobility (RPD 18%) and patient global assessment in favour of supervised group exercises. Finally, in one study a three week inpatient spa-exercise therapy followed by 37 weeks of weekly outpatient group physiotherapy (without spa) was compared with weekly outpatient group physiotherapy alone; there was moderate quality evidence for effects in pain (RPD 18%), physical function (RPD 24%) and patient global assessment (RPD 29%), in favour of the combined spa-exercise therapy. REVIEWERS' CONCLUSIONS: The results of this review suggest that a home exercise program is better than no intervention, supervised group physiotherapy is better than home exercises, and that combined inpatient spa-exercise therapy followed by supervised outpatient weekly group physiotherapy is better than weekly group physiotherapy alone. The tendency toward positive effects of physiotherapy in the management of AS calls for further research in this field. New trials should also address other physiotherapy interventions commonly used in clinical practice.

Ambulatory Care↗

Spinal manipulative therapy for low back pain.

BACKGROUND: Low-back pain is a costly illness for which spinal manipulative therapy is commonly recommended. Previous systematic reviews and practice guidelines have reached discordant results on the effectiveness of this therapy for low-back pain. OBJECTIVES: To resolve the discrepancies related to the use of spinal manipulative therapy and to update previous estimates of effectiveness, by comparing spinal manipulative therapy with other therapies and then incorporating data from recent high-quality randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) into the analysis. SEARCH STRATEGY: The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL were electronically searched from their respective beginning to January 2000, using the Back Group search strategy; references from previous systematic reviews were also screened. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomized, controlled trials (RCT) that evaluated spinal manipulative therapy for patients with low-back pain, with at least one day of follow-up, and at least one clinically-relevant outcome measure. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two authors, who served as the reviewers for all stages of the meta-analysis, independently extracted data from unmasked articles. Comparison treatments were classified into the following seven categories: sham, conventional general practitioner care, analgesics, physical therapy, exercises, back school, or a collection of therapies judged to be ineffective or even harmful (traction, corset, bed rest, home care, topical gel, no treatment, diathermy, and minimal massage). MAIN RESULTS: Thirty-nine RCTs were identified. Meta-regression models were developed for acute or chronic pain and short-term and long-term pain and function. For patients with acute low-back pain, spinal manipulative therapy was superior only to sham therapy (10-mm difference [95% CI, 2 to 17 mm] on a 100-mm visual analogue scale) or therapies judged to be ineffective or even harmful. Spinal manipulative therapy had no statistically or clinically significant advantage over general practitioner care, analgesics, physical therapy, exercises, or back school. Results for patients with chronic low-back pain were similar. Radiation of pain, study quality, profession of manipulator, and use of manipulation alone or in combination with other therapies did not affect these results. REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS: There is no evidence that spinal manipulative therapy is superior to other standard treatments for patients with acute or chronic low-back pain.

Humans↗

Estrogen replacement therapy and exercise performance in postmenopausal women with coronary artery disease.

We treated 10 postmenopausal women with stable angina, positive exercise test, and documented coronary artery disease with oral conjugated equine estrogen (0.625 mg/day of Premarin) or placebo for 4 weeks, in random order, with crossover after a 4-week washout period. Exercise tests, performed after each treatment period while the patients were taking their usual antianginal drugs showed no differences; thus, short-term estrogen does not improve exercise-induced ischemia compared with placebo.

Aged↗

[Comparison of 14-day rehabilitation and oxygen therapy on exercise tolerance and percutaneous oxygen saturation in patients with advanced COPD].

UNLABELLED: Whether rehabilitation may be as beneficial as oxygen therapy (T) in the management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is still not known. The aim of the was to compare the effects of T or R on exercise tolerance (ET) and percutaneous oxygen saturation (SO2) at rest and at the peak exercise in 21 patients with COPD (FEV1, 1.29 L +/- 0.5) Eleven patients with COPD were treated with oxygen (17 hour per day) for 14 days and 10 patients were rehabilitated. Both groups did not differ in age 63.7 vs 69.3 years, in the baseline values of FEV1, PaCO2 and PaO2 and resting SO2%. Before the study patients R and T had similar resting SO2 values and ET (4.5 +/- 1 vs 3.4 +/- 2 METs, p = NS), but those in the R group revealed higher drop in SO2 at peak exercise test (10.9 vs 3.4%, p = 0.007). RESULTS: We found no significance impact of 14- day R and 14- day T on results of exercise test and exercise pulse oximetry in studied patients. However, rehabilitated patients, as opposite to patients on oxygen therapy had tendency to increase number of Mets and to diminish maximal drop in pulse oximetry during exercise. As a result, when we compared group R i T after study patients of R group differed from T patients with number of METs achieved (4.6 vs 3.0, p = 0.02), whereas maximal drop in SO2 at the peak exercise test in R and T patients equalized (7.9 +/- 7 vs 3.2 +/- 3%, p = NS). We conclude that the results of our short term study may suggest better effects of rehabilitation than oxygen therapy on exercise tolerance and oxygen saturation during exercise in COPD patients and justify further studies.

Aged↗

Aerobic exercise as therapy for cancer fatigue.

PURPOSE: Fatigue and impairment of physical performance are common and severe problems of cancer patients. We describe the effect of an aerobic exercise program designed for cancer patients suffering from these symptoms. METHODS: Five cancer patients (4 female, 1 male, age 18 to 55), participated in the training program. Fatigue had been present for a time ranging between 5 wk and 18 months and hindered the patients from carrying out normal daily activities. The training program consisted of walking daily on a treadmill with an intensity corresponding to a lactate concentration of 3 +/- 0.5 mmol.L-1 and was carried out for 6 wk. RESULTS: By the end of the exercise program we observed an improvement in maximal physical performance (from 6.4 +/- 0.4 km.h-1 to 7.5 +/- 0.9 km.h-1, P < 0.05) and maximal walked distance (from 1640 +/- 724 m to 3300 +/- 953 m, P < 0.05). Heart rate and lactate concentration by an equivalent submaximal workload (5 km.h-1) were significant reduced (from 138 +/- 21 beats.min-1 to 113 +/- 20 beats.min-1, P < 0.05, and from 2.6 +/- 1.4 mmol.L-1 to 1.3 +/- 0.6 mmol.L-1, P < 0.05); all patients experienced a clear reduction of fatigue and could carry out normal daily activities again without substantial limitations. CONCLUSION: We conclude that an aerobic exercise program of precisely defined intensity, duration, and frequency can be prescribed as therapy for primary fatigue in cancer patients.

Adolescent↗

The effect of exercise, cognitive therapy, and nutritional counseling in treating bulimia nervosa.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this treatment study on bulimia nervosa was (i) to examine the effect of physical exercise as an experimental treatment condition against the well-documented effect of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and (ii) to compare the effect of CBT versus the effect of nutritional advice as one single treatment component of CBT. METHOD: Normal weight female bulimic patients aged 18-29 yr were randomly assigned to a physical exercise program (N = 15), CBT (N = 16), nutritional advice (N = 17), or a waiting list control group (N = 16). Seventeen healthy female control subjects were also included. Treatment effects were determined by the frequency of binge eating and purging, scores on the Eating Disorder Inventory subscales "Drive for thinness," "Bulimia," and "Body dissatisfaction" and by a clinical interview to measure symptom severity. Assessments were made before and after treatment and at 6- and 18-month follow-up after the end of treatment. RESULTS: Nutritional counseling did not prove more effective than CBT. Physical exercise appeared more effective than CBT in reducing pursuit of thinness; change in body composition; aerobic fitness; and frequency of bingeing, purging, and laxative abuse. CONCLUSION: Physical exercise is important in the treatment of normal weight bulimic patients. Further studies should address possible additive effects of CBT and physical exercise.

Adolescent↗

Management of back pain.

PURPOSE: Low back pain (LBP) constitutes one of the most difficult and costly medical problems in industrial countries, with a prevalence of 25 to 30% in an adult lifetime span and an incidence of about 5% per year. METHOD: Based on risk factors cited in the pertinent literature, the evaluation, diagnosis and therapeutic options for LBP are outlined. Especially the latter can be highlighted on the basis of a large number of systematic reviews. RESULTS: Bed rest is no longer regarded as an effective treatment for episodes of acute LBP, except when the patient has evident clinical signs of nerve root compression. Exercise therapy comprises a wide range of concepts and underlying physiological principles. Different concepts are discussed. Evidence suggests no specific effects of exercise therapy in acute LBP. In chronic LBP, exercise as well as combined treatment with several modalities appear to be superior to conventional medical care. In the past decade, reconditioning of the paraspinal muscles is being given increasing importance in research. Several studies indicate the effectiveness of vigorous strengthening of paraspinal and trunk muscles on pain and even disc surgery. Different underlying pathologies seem to respond equally well to this concept. Back school concepts are not proven to have long-term effects on LBP. The literature on electrotherapy and massage in LBP is generally sparse. Nevertheless, some studies suggest the effectiveness of electrotherapy on pain reduction at least in the short term. Spinal mobilization seems to be effective in reducing pain. CONCLUSION: Based on these evidence-based conclusions, the patient's medical history, the investigation and the diagnosis the clinician has to devise an individual treatment plan that takes the deficiencies and requirements of the patient into account.

Evidence-Based Medicine↗

Nutritional and exercise-based therapies in the treatment of mitochondrial disease.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review will critically summarize the nutritional and exercise-based interventions that have been used to treat mitochondrial disease, with a focus on the biochemical or molecular rationale for their use as well as recent advances in the field. RECENT FINDINGS: Many nutritional-based treatment strategies have been used in an attempt to target energy impairment and its sequelae. Recently, coenzyme Q10, idebenone and triacylglycerol have been shown to bypass defective respiratory enzymes or scavenge free radicals, whereas creatine monohydrate has provided an alternative energy source. Thiamine has been used to decrease lactate levels and increase flux through aerobic metabolism, and riboflavin has been used as a precursor to complexes I and II. Several therapies employing various antioxidants in combination with other supplements have been effective at targeting several of the final common pathways of mitochondrial disease. Miscellaneous supplements, such as L-arginine and uridine, have also had recent success. However, although positive responses have been reported with these agents, many reports have shown no benefit, and there is widespread disparity in the literature. An alternative approach to treatment is exercise training. Both resistance and endurance exercise training have had positive outcomes in patients with mitochondrial disease, although several questions remain to be answered. SUMMARY: There is no currently recognized treatment for mitochondrial disease. Future clinical trials are needed, as well as research into the potential for in-vitro screening of various compounds within affected cells from patients. Until this time, an accurate diagnosis will facilitate treatment on a case-by-case basis.

Energy Metabolism↗

Efficacy of low power laser therapy and exercise on pain and functions in chronic low back pain.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine whether low power laser therapy (Gallium-Arsenide) is useful or not for the therapy of chronic low back pain (LBP). STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study included 75 patients (laser + exercise-25, laser alone-25, and exercise alone-25) with LBP. Visual analogue scale (VAS), Schober test, flexion and lateral flexion measures, Roland Disability Questionnaire (RDQ) and Modified Oswestry Disability Questionnaire (MODQ) were used in the clinical and functional evaluations pre and post therapeutically. A physician, who was not aware of the therapy undertaken, evaluated the patients. RESULTS: Significant improvements were noted in all groups with respect to all outcome parameters, except lateral flexion (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Low power laser therapy seemed to be an effective method in reducing pain and functional disability in the therapy of chronic LBP.

Adult↗

How does cardiac resynchronization therapy improve exercise capacity in chronic heart failure?

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that neither ejection fraction nor hemodynamic abnormalities during exercise in chronic heart failure (HF) correlate with symptoms of fatigue and exhaustion. The concept that exercise limitation in patients with chronic HF is due to abnormal hemodynamics during exercise has been revised to acknowledge that the skeletal myopathy of chronic HF contributes significantly to exercise dysfunction in heart failure. Why then does cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), a therapy that improves abnormalities of cardiac function, such as cardiac output and ejection fraction, produce a consistent, measurable, irrefutable increase in exercise capacity? METHODS AND RESULTS: In this review I will (1) review the mechanisms of exercise dysfunction in chronic HF, with special attention to the concept of "coordinated adaptation"; (2) analyze the effects of CRT on autonomic dysfunction in HF; and (3) propose a unifying hypothesis to understand how a therapy that improves cardiac function can improve exercise dysfunction attributable to a skeletal myopathy. Specifically, I will review evidence that CRT improves exercise capacity by attenuating the chronic sympathetic activation of HF. CONCLUSION: The decrease in sympathetic activation, and perhaps inflammation, during CRT likely reverses many features of the skeletal myopathy, leading to improved exercise capacity.

Cardiac Pacing, Artificial↗

Multifidus muscle recovery is not automatic after resolution of acute, first-episode low back pain.

STUDY DESIGN: A clinical study was conducted on 39 patients with acute, first-episode, unilateral low back pain and unilateral, segmental inhibition of the multifidus muscle. Patients were allocated randomly to a control or treatment group. OBJECTIVES: To document the natural course of lumber multifidus recovery and to evaluate the effectiveness of specific, localized, exercise therapy on muscle recovery. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Acute low back pain usually resolves spontaneously, but the recurrence rate is high. Inhibition of multifidus occurs with acute, first-episode, low back pain, and pathologic changes in this muscle have been linked with poor outcome and recurrence of symptoms. METHODS: Patients in group 1 received medical treatment only. Patients in group 2 received medical treatment and specific, localized, exercise therapy. Outcome measures for both groups included 4 weekly assessments of pain, disability, range of motion, and size of the multifidus cross-sectional area. Independent examiners were blinded to group allocation. Patients were reassessed at a 10-week follow-up examination. RESULTS: Multifidus muscle recovery was not spontaneous on remission of painful symptoms in patients in group 1. Muscle recovery was more rapid and more complete in patients in group 2 who received exercise therapy (P = 0.0001). Other outcome measurements were similar for the two groups at the 4-week examination. Although they resumed normal levels of activity, patients in group 1 still had decreased multifidus muscle size at the 10-week follow-up examination. CONCLUSIONS: Multifidus muscle recovery is not spontaneous on remission of painful symptoms. Lack of localized, muscle support may be one reason for the high recurrence rate of low back pain following the initial episode.

Adolescent↗

Can long-term oxygen therapy improve exercise capacity and prognosis?

The lack of studies as to whether the correction of desaturations during exercise can play a role in improving survival still leaves many problems usually met in the common practice open. (1) Why prescribe long-term oxygen therapy (LTOT) on exercise? Up to now, supplemental oxygen during exercise seems more an approach to the 'dyspnea symptom' than a pivotal component of a comprehensive strategy for long-term management of severe chronic airway obstruction. (2) Who needs LTOT on exercise? It seems reasonable to correct desaturations if this leads to a substantial improvement in exercise tolerance. As to the method of clinical assessment, pulse oximetry can be used for measuring desaturation between rest and exercise, although absolute values are not reliable. (3) How to prescribe LTOT on exercise? In practice, the O2 flow able to prevent desaturation on exercise, restoring an SaO2 greater than 90%, is the usual prescription criterion after an appropriate testing able to demonstrate a significant increase in exercise tolerance and conducted comparing the results breathing air with those on O2, the patient being unaware of the inhaled mixture. (4) How to administrate LTOT on exercise? A portable source is usually employed to allow the greatest possible independency. A reservoir nasal cannula can halve the oxygen wastage and is less expensive than a pulse demand valve. In patients needing 24-hour oxygen therapy the transtracheal catheter is being used more and more at present.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Anaerobic Threshold↗

In search of a new balance. Can high "action-proneness" in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome be changed by a multidisciplinary group treatment?

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to investigate changes in action-proneness (a cognitive and behavioral tendency toward direct action) after a multidisciplinary group intervention, including cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and graded exercise therapy (GET). METHODS: Patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (n=62) completed three versions of a Dutch self-report questionnaire evaluating action-proneness retrospectively that is (1) before illness onset, (2) before treatment and (3) after treatment. Significant others (n=62) also gave their opinion about the patients' action-proneness at time points 1 and 2. RESULTS: Premorbid action-proneness levels considerably dropped after illness onset. After treatment, action-proneness levels significantly increased again, although levels remained below premorbid levels. CONCLUSION: High action-proneness retrospectively reported by CFS patients can be adaptively modified by a multidisciplinary group treatment including CBT and GET.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Conservative management of intermittent claudication.

OBJECTIVE: To review the evidence for efficacy of three contemporary treatments for intermittent claudication: pentoxifylline, exercise programs, and smoking cessation. DATA IDENTIFICATION: English-language literature search using MEDLINE, Index Medicus, and bibliographic reviews of major texts and all pertinent articles. STUDY SELECTION: For pentoxifylline, randomized, double-blind controlled trials were selected. For exercise, all controlled trials were selected, because few randomized trials have been done. For smoking cessation, 26 pertinent studies were selected after an exhaustive search. DATA EXTRACTION: Study quality was evaluated; therapeutic efficacy was estimated for pentoxifylline and exercise using meta-analytic techniques. For smoking cessation, all outcomes were determined and described. RESULTS: For pentoxifylline, insufficiently reported data led to marked disparity in effect sizes, preventing a meaningful pooled estimate of effectiveness. The results for exercise therapy suggested that dynamic exercise is beneficial (pooled effect size for pain-free walking distance = 1.03; 95% CI, 0.6 to 1.5; P less than 0.0001). Finally, smoking cessation was associated with a reduced frequency of complications due to progressive disease and improved postoperative graft patency rates. CONCLUSIONS: The limited amount and quality of reported data precluded an overall, reliable estimate of pentoxifylline's efficacy. Structured exercise programs increased pain-free walking distance, and smoking cessation improved postoperative graft patency rates and reduced the complications of peripheral arterial disease.

Double-Blind Method↗

[The combined use of interference currents and medical gymnastics in the rehabilitative treatment of patients with injuries to the ligamentous apparatus of the knee joint].

The trial of combined and sequential use of interference currents and exercise therapy in patients with endoprosthesis of knee joint ligaments has shown effectiveness of such treatment as it early after operation relieves pain, edema of soft tissues, improves proprioception, bioelectric activity of the neuromuscular system. This raises intensity of special methods of rehabilitation.

Combined Modality Therapy↗

Fatigue in systemic lupus erythematosus: a randomized controlled trial of exercise.

OBJECTIVE: To test the efficacy of a graded aerobic exercise programme in treating fatigue in systemic lupus erythematosus. METHODS: Ninety-three patients with systemic lupus erythematosus without active disease in any major organ were randomized, using a minimization protocol, to 12 weeks of graded exercise therapy, relaxation therapy or no intervention. RESULTS: Analysis by intention to treat showed that 16 of the 33 (49%) patients in the exercise group rated themselves as 'much' or 'very much' better compared with eight out of 29 (28%) in the relaxation group and five out of 32 (16%) in the control group (chi2=8.3, df=2, P=0.02). Fatigue improved significantly on one out of three measures after exercise therapy and there was a trend for fatigue to improve on all measures after exercise. CONCLUSION: These findings support the use of appropriately prescribed graded aerobic exercise in the management of patients with fatigue and systemic lupus erythematosus.

Adolescent↗