Experiences Living with Fatigue in Iranian Veterans Chemically Injured by Sulfur Mustard Gas: A Phenomenological Study

PURPOSE: Fatigue affects the quality of life. Evidence shows that the phenomenon of fatigue is experienced differently depending on the type of disease and its consequences. The aim of the study was to explicate the meanings of the experience of living with fatigue in chemically injured veterans. METHODS: The hermeneutic phenomenology approach was used in this study, with an emphasis on Van Mennen's viewpoint and approach. According to Van Mennen, six overlapping dynamic activities are recommended to conduct a phenomenological study. During unstructured interviews, the participants were asked to describe their daily living experiences with fatigue. The participants were individuals who were chemically injured due to exposure to mustard gas. After examining every statement in the interview text, extractions of the meaning units, clustering, and themes were performed. RESULTS: The data explication was based on the third to sixth stages of Van Mennen's approach. The experience living with fatigue was classified into four essential themes: fatigue as a chronic condition, as an unstable and affected situation, as a physical condition of the entire individual, and as a mental condition of the entire individual. CONCLUSION: Due to unique social interactions and pathogenicity, victims of mustard gas experience fatigue differently than patients with other chronic diseases.

Effect of treadmill exercise training on VO2 peak in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Impairment of exercise tolerance in chronic respiratory disorders and in particular, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD], has important implications on health-related quality of life, hospitalization rate and survival. Although COPD patients have shortness of breath, programmed exercise can increase the activity tolerance in these patients. Maximal oxygen uptake [VO2 peak] is a fundamental measure of exercise physiology. It is an index of cardiovascular performance as well as a measure of aerobic capacity. VO2 max can be measured by expensive devices or predicted by a valid formula. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of treadmill exercise training [TET] on patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease after a 4-week program. Thirty-eight subjects with COPD were recruited in the study and were randomly divided into two groups of control [n=18] and treatment [TET, n=20]. The control group did not do any treadmill exercise training [TET]. The treatment group exercised on a treadmill three times a week. VO2 max was assessed in each group before and after the training period by using a modified formula. After 4 weeks of training, VO2 peak was significantly greater in the TET group. Considering the increase in VO2 peak, It was concluded that TET benefits exercise performance, inspiratory muscle strength, dyspnea and health-related quality of life

Survey the effect of aerobic exercise on aerobic capacity in patients with coronary artery disease [CAD]

Increased aerobic exercise capacity appears to reduce both all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease mortality. Physical exercise to improve maximal oxygen consumption [VO2max] is thus strongly recommended, however evidence regarding the most efficient training intensity for patients with coronary artery disease [CAD] is still lacking. The purpose of this randomized study was to assess the effects of aerobic exercise for increasing VO2max in stable CAD-patients. Thirty stable CAD-patients were randomized to supervised walking 30 min three times a week for 10 weeks. Before and after training VO2max was predicted from Bruce treadmill test. Before training VO2max was 35.2 +/- 4.32ml/kg/min and after training the mean Vo2max was 43.1 +/- 3.4ml/kg/min. This difference was significant [p<0.05]. Aerobic exercise is effective for increasing VO2max in stable CAD-patients. As VO2max seems to reflect a continuum between health and cardiovascular disease and death, the present data may be useful in designing effective training programmes for improved health in the future