Walk performance in Thai men and women: physical activity dependence

Background: Six-minute walk test (6MWT) is a measure of functional capacity and a predictor of morbidity and mortality in the elderly. Published reference equations for the six-minute walk distance (6MWD) were derived from healthy subjects with sufficient physical activity, and may not be valid for patients with limited physical activity. Objective: To measure 6MWD in healthy individuals with sufficient (Suff) and insufficient (Insuff) levels of physical activity in Thai, and to compare the measured 6MWD with those calculated using published reference equations. Methods: Healthy volunteers aged 45-65 years (77 men and 85 women) performed three standard 6MWT. Physical activity levels were determined using a one-week recall physical activity questionnaire. The subjects were classified as having sufficient or insufficient levels of physical activity. Results: 6MWD of the Suff group was greater than the Insuff group in both men (701+89 m vs. 652+55 m, p = 0.005) and women (619+49 m vs. 571+35 m, p <0.001). The predicted 6MWD from published reference equations underestimated the measured 6MWD of men in Suff group, while it overestimated the measured 6MWD of women in Insuff group. Conclusion: Level of physical activity affected 6MWD of the subjects. Published references must be carefully applied for predicting 6MWD of individuals with various levels of physical activity.

Poor physical fitness of adolescents with mental retardation at Rajanukul School, Bangkok.

OBJECTIVE: To study the physical condition of adolescents with mild to moderate mental retardation (MR), twenty-eight MR students from Rajanukul school were evaluated for their fitness components compared to 14 normal students. METHOD: Per cent body fat (%BF) was calculated from three sites of skinfold thickness. The cardiorespiratory endurance was assessed using graded exercise testing and Quinton gas analyzer. Isometric leg strength was measured with dynamometer, and flexibility was measured by sit and reach test. RESULTS: Compared between MR and normal subjects, %BF was higher in the MR group without statistic significance. Five MR females had %BF > 30. The mean VO2peak was about 70 per cent of normal. The leg strength and flexibility were very poor. CONCLUSION: The MR adolescents had a significantly lower level of physical fitness and more prevalence of obesity than normal students. Appropriate physical activities should be emphasized for health promotion and disease prevention.

A controlled clinical trial of multidisciplinary team approach in the general medical wards of Chulalongkorn Hospital.

The benefits and acceptability of a strengthened physician-nurse collaboration and a multidisciplinary team approach are demonstrated in the medical wards of a Thai acute-care hospital (Chulalongkorn University Hospital). The strengthened physician-nurse collaboration should be introduced or strengthened in all medical wards. Because of the lack of appropriately trained personnel, concentrating resources into a small unit or ward may be the appropriate measure at present if a multidisciplinary team approach is to be integrated into the medical ward of acute-care hospitals in South East Asia.