Effects of home-based inspiratory muscle training on sickle cell disease (SCD) patients

ABSTRACT Introduction: Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) has been shown to be an efficient method of improving exercise tolerance and inspiratory and expiratory muscle strength in several diseases. The effects of IMT on patients with sickle cell anemia (SCD) are relatively unknown. Our study aimed to evaluate the effects of IMT on adult SCD patients, regarding respiratory muscle strength (RMS) variables, lung function, exercise tolerance, blood lactation concentration, limitation imposed by dyspnea during daily activities and impact of fatigue on the quality of life. Methods: This was a randomized single-blind study, with an IMT design comprising true load (TG) and sham load (SG) groups. Initial assessment included spirometry, volumetric capnography (VCap) and measurement of RMS by maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressure (PImax and PEmax). The Medical Research Council dyspnea scale and modified fatigue impact scale were also applied and blood lactate concentration was measured before and after the 6-minute walk test. After this initial assessment, the patient used the IMT device at home daily, returning every 6 weeks for RMS reassessment. Both groups used the same device and were unaware of which group they were in. After a period totaling 18 weeks, patients underwent the final evaluation, as initially performed. Results: Twenty-five patients in total participated until the end of the study (median age 42 years). There were no significant differences between TG and SG based on age, sex, body mass index or severity of genotype. At the end of the training, both groups showed a significant increase in PEmax and PImax, improvement in Vcap and in exercise tolerance and dyspnea reduction while performing daily life activities. The same was observed in patients grouped according to disease severity (HbSS and HbSβ0 vs HbSC and HbSβ+), without differences between groups. Conclusion: Home-based inspiratory muscle training benefits outpatients with SCD, including the sham load group. Trial registration:http://www.ensaiosclinicos.gov.br; registration number: RBR-6g8n92.

Effectiveness of a home-based therapeutic exercise program on lower back pain and functionality in Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) patients

ABSTRACT Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of a home-based therapeutic exercise program on lower back pain and functionality of SCD patients. Setting: A Hematology and Transfusion Medicine Center, University of Campinas (HEMOCENTRO-UNICAMP). Methods: This was a prospective study, with a three-month follow-up of SCD patients with lower back pain. The lumbar spine functionality was evaluated by questionnaires, trunk flexion and extension analyses by fiber-optic-electrogoniometry and measurements of muscle strength of trunk flexor and extensors. The Intervention Group (IG) comprised 18 volunteers, median age 44y (28-58) and the control group (CG) comprised 15 volunteers, median age 42y (19-58), who did not perform exercises. The protocol consisted of daily home-based exercises with two evaluations: at the beginning and end of a three-month program. In order to compare the groups at baseline, the Fishers´ exact test and Mann-Whitney test were used for categorical and numeric variables, respectively. The Wilcoxon test was used for related samples comparing numeric measures of each group over time with a 5% (p < 0.05) significance level. Results: After the intervention, patients demonstrated a significant improvement, according to the Visual-Analog-Scale (VAS; p = 0.01), Rolland Morris Disability questionnaire (RMDQ; p < 0.01) and trunk flexion and extension muscle strength (p < 0.01). No significant differences were found for the Start-Back-Screening-Tool-Brazil (SBST) and in measures of trunk flexion and extension range-of-motion (RoM). Conclusion: Results suggest that daily home-based exercises for a three-month period ameliorate pain and improve disability related to lower back pain and muscle strength.

Translation, and interobserver and test-retest reliability of the Brazilian Portuguese version of Children's Hospital Oakland Hip Evaluation Scale for patients with sickle cell disease

ABSTRACT Background: The Children's Hospital Oakland Hip Evaluation Scale is a disease-specific tool for the clinical and functional assessment of the hip in sickle cell disease. Objectives: To translate the tool into Brazilian Portuguese and evaluate the interobserver and test-retest reliability. Methods: Eighteen patients diagnosed with sickle cell disease and a mean age of 49 ± 11.9 years participated in the study. The scale was applied by two evaluators who did not speak to each other regarding their understanding of the tool and who had no prior training. Interobserver and test-retest reliability of individual items and of the total score were evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient and the Bland-Altman method. Results: When the overall score for each hip was considered, the test-retest intraclass correlation coefficient score for the right hip was 0.95 (0.89-0.98) and for the left hip it was 0.96 (0.91-0.98). Considering all assignments (total score), the score was 0.96 (0.90-0.98). The test-retest intraclass correlation coefficient varied from 0.76 to 1 for 18 of the 27 items (excellent) and from 0.53 to 0.75 for nine items (moderate). When the overall score for each hip was considered, the interobserver intraclass correlation coefficient for both hips was 0.94 (0.86-0.98). Considering all assignments, the total score was 0.94 (0.86-0.98). The interobserver intraclass correlation coefficient varied from 0.48 to 0.75 for 18 out of 27 items (moderate) and varied from 0.77 to 1 for the remaining nine items (excellent). Conclusion: The results demonstrate that the Brazilian version of the Children's Hospital Oakland Hip Evaluation Scale presented adequate interobserver and test-retest reliability and that the version can be used to evaluate clinical function in sickle cell disease patients, producing consistent, standardized and reproducible results.

Pilot randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effect of aquatic and land physical therapy on musculoskeletal dysfunction of sickle cell disease patients

Objective: To compare the effect of aquatic and land-based physiotherapy in reducing musculoskeletal hip and lower back pain and increasing overall physical capabilities of sickle cell disease patients. Methods: Informed written consent was obtained from all volunteers who were submitted to evaluations using different functional scales: Lequesne's Algofunctional Questionnaire and Oswestry Disability Index, trunk and hip range of motion, goniometry, trunk and hip muscle strength assessment using load cell, and surface electromyography of the iliocostalis, long dorsal (longissimus), gluteus maximus, gluteus medius and tensor fasciae latae muscles. Ten patients were randomized into two groups: aquatic physiotherapy with a mean age of 42 years (range: 25-67) and conventional physiotherapy with a mean age of 49 years (range: 43-59). Both groups were submitted to a twelve-week program of two sessions weekly. Results: After the intervention, significant improvements were observed regarding the Lequesne index (p-value = 0.0217), Oswestry Disability Index (p-value = 0.0112), range of motion of trunk extension (p-value = 0.0320), trunk flexion muscle strength (p-value = 0.0459), hip extension and abduction muscle strength (p-value = 0.0062 and p-value = 0.0257, respec- tively). Range of motion of trunk and hip flexion, extension, adduction and abduction, trunk extensor muscle strength and all surface electromyography variables showed no significant statistical difference. Conclusion: Physical therapy is efficient to treat musculoskeletal dysfunctions in sickle cell disease patients, irrespective of the technique; however, aquatic therapy showed a trend toward improvement in muscle strength. Further studies with a larger patient sample and longer periods of therapy are necessary to confirm these results.

Efeitos do treinamento muscular inspiratório em universitários tabagistas e não tabagistas / Inspiratory muscle training effects in smokers and nonsmokers university students

O hábito de fumar pode reduzir a capacidade aeróbica, aumentar a resistência ao fluxo aéreo e afetar a função dos músculos respiratórios. O objetivo deste estudo foi comparar os efeitos do Treinamento Muscular Inspiratório (TMI) entre dois grupos: tabagistas e não tabagistas. Participaram 44 voluntários universitários, divididos em dois grupos: tabagistas (GT), composto por 20 indivíduos (25,60±7,01 anos) e não tabagistas, constituindo o Grupo Controle (GC), composto por 24 voluntários (24,08±7,52 anos). Ambos os grupos foram submetidos ao TMI, por meio do uso do manovacuômetro aneroide, com duração de 6 semanas, sendo 3 sessões semanais, totalizando 18 sessões. Os resultados mostraram diferença estatisticamente significativa (p<0,05) pós-TMI no GC para as variáveis: Pressão Inspiratória Máxima (PImáx), Pico de Fluxo Expiratório (PFE), Pressão Arterial Média ao repouso (PAM pré-TC6) e Teste de Caminhada de Seis Minutos (TC6). No GT, houve diferença estatisticamente significativa pós-TMI para as variáveis: PImáx, PFE, TC6 e saturação periférica de oxigênio após o TC6 (SpO2 pós-imediata). A comparação das médias das variáveis entre GT e GC mostrou diferença estatisticamente significativa no pós-TMI para as variáveis PImáx e PFE. A variável TC6 não apresentou diferença estatisticamente significativa. Conclui-se que o TMI proporcionou um aumento significativo da força muscular inspiratória, melhora da função pulmonar e melhora do desempenho físico nos indivíduos estudados.

Cigarette smoking may reduce the aerobic capacity, increase resistance to air flow and affect the function of the respiratory muscles. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of Inspiratory Muscle Training (IMT) between two groups: smokers and nonsmokers. Participated 44 college volunteers, divided into two groups: smokers (SG), composed of 20 individuals (25,60±7,01 years) and nonsmokers, constituting the Control Group (CG), composed of 24 volunteers (24,08±7,52 years). Both groups were submitted to TMI, through the use of the aneroid manometer, with duration of 6 weeks, being 3 sessions per week, totaling 18 sessions. The results showed differences statistically significant (p<0.05) post TMI in CG for the variables: Maximal Inspiratory Pressure (MIP), Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF), average arterial pressure in rest (PAM pre-6MWT) and six minute walk test (6MWT). In SG, there was statistically significant difference post TMI for the variables: MIP, PEF, 6MWT and peripheral oxygen saturation after 6MWT (post-immediate SpO2). The comparison of averages of the variables between SG and CG show statistically significant difference post TMI for the variables MIP and PEF. The variable 6MWT not presented statistically significant difference. We conclude that the IMT resulted in a significant increase in inspiratory muscle strength, improve lung function and improve physical performance in subjects studied.