Relationship between gait speed and physical function in patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to analyze the relationship between gait speed and measurements of physical function in patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD). METHODS: One hundred sixty-nine patients (age 66.6±9.4 years) with symptomatic PAD were recruited. Usual and fast gait speeds were assessed with a 4-meter walk test. Objective (balance, sit-to-stand, handrip strength, and six-minute walk test) and subjective (WIQ - Walking Impairment Questionnaire and WELCH - Walking Estimated-Limitation Calculated by History) measurements of physical function were obtained. Crude and adjusted linear regression analyses were used to confirm significant associations. RESULTS: Usual and fast gait speeds were significantly correlated with all objective and subjective physical function variables examined (r<0.55, p<0.05). In the multivariate model, usual gait speed was associated with six-minute walking distance (β=0.001, p<0.001), sit-to-stand test score (β=-0.005, p=0.012), and WIQ stairs score (β=0.002, p=0.006) adjusted by age, ankle brachial index, body mass index, and gender. Fast gait speed was associated with six-minute walking distance (β=0.002, p<0.001), WIQ stairs score (β=0.003, p=0.010), and WELCH total score (β=0.004, p=0.026) adjusted by age, ankle brachial index, body mass index, and gender. CONCLUSION: Usual and fast gait speeds assessed with the 4-meter test were moderately associated with objective and subjective measurements of physical function in symptomatic PAD patients.

Nocturnal oxyhemoglobin desaturation during sleep in congestive heart failure patients / Dessaturação da oxihemoglobina durante o sono em pacientes com insuficiência cardíaca congestiva

Abstract Introduction: Sleep breathing disorders occur in 45% of patients with heart failure, with 36%-50% manifesting Cheyne-Stokes respiration with central sleep apnea and 12% exhibiting obstructive sleep apnea. Several studies have shown that sleep pathophysiology may negatively affect the cardiovascular system and that cardiac dysfunction alters sleep and respiration. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine oxyhemoglobin desaturation during sleep in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) using overnight pulse oximetry. Methods: Overnight pulse oximetry was conducted in the patients' homes with wrist pulse oximeters and finger probes that were placed around the forefingers of 15 patients with CHF and ejection fractions less than 50%, who were classified as New York Heart Association functional classes II and III. Results: The patients were divided into two groups. The first group consisted of seven patients with oxyhemoglobin desaturation indices of over 5 events/h, and the second group contained eight patients with oxyhemoglobin desaturation indices of 5 or less events/h. Student's t-tests did not show any significant differences between the groups. The patients' body mass indices correlated positively with the total desaturation episodes and desaturation time less than 90% and correlated negatively with the arterial oxygen saturation nadir. Conclusion: Pulse oximetry monitoring during sleep can be used to detect sleep breathing disorders in stable patients with CHF.

Resumo Introdução: Os distúrbios respiratórios do sono ocorrem em 45% dos pacientes com insuficiência cardíaca, com 36%-50% manifestando respiração Cheyne-Stokes com apneia do sono central e 12% exibindo apneia obstrutiva do sono. Vários estudos têm demonstrado que a fisiopatologia do sono pode afetar negativamente o sistema cardiovascular e que a disfunção cardíaca altera o sono e a respiração. Objetivo: Examinar a dessaturação da oxihemoglobina durante o sono em pacientes com insuficiência cardíaca congestiva (ICC), utilizando a oximetria de pulso durante a noite. Métodos: A oximetria de pulso noturna foi realizada nas casas dos pacientes com oxímetros de pulso acoplados ao redor dos dedos indicadores de 15 pacientes com ICC e fração de ejeção menor que 50%, sendo classificados pelo New York Heart Association como classes funcionais II e III. Resultados: Os pacientes foram divididos em dois grupos. O primeiro grupo era composto por sete pacientes com índices de dessaturação da oxihemoglobina (IDO) maior que 5 eventos/h e o segundo grupo continha oito pacientes com IDO igual ou menos que 5 eventos/h. Testes t de Student não apresentou diferenças significativas entre os grupos. Os índices de massa corporal dos pacientes foram positivamente correlacionados com o total de episódios de dessaturação e tempo de dessaturação inferior a 90% e negativamente com a saturação de oxigênio arterial. Conclusão: O monitoramento da oximetria de pulso durante o sono pode ser usado para detectar distúrbios respiratórios do sono em pacientes estáveis com ICC.