ABSTRACT
Background: Cough is a common symptom in cystic fibrosis (CF), and an increase in cough is an important sign of worsening lung disease and pulmonary exacerbation, the most common cause of hospitalization in people with CF. Objective monitoring of cough could be an important outcome measure for clinical trials, especially in children too young to perform pulmonary function tests. There are no accurate, objective methods of quantifying the frequency, severity, and duration of cough. Devices that have been tested to measure cough are neither highly reliable nor user friendly. We developed a mechano-acoustic sensor (MAS): a 4.8- cm- x 2.8-cm- (1 inch) long, thin, lightweight, stretchable, wireless device that adheres easily and securely to the skin surface and is worn at the base of the neck. The devicewas validated in adults being monitored for COVID- 19. This study evaluated usability and acceptability to children and their parents. Method(s): In Cohort 1, a small, flexible, fully wireless accelerometer-based MASwas applied to the suprasternal notch of children with CF using gentle adhesives. Participants were asked to perform activities that included forced coughs while sitting, lying down, and performing activities such as jumping or jogging and other pharyngolaryngeal activities such as swallowing, speaking, and throat clearing. The sessions were an average of about 30 minutes long. In Cohort 2, participants were asked to test the device for a longer period of wearable time (4-6 hours) in various settings, including outpatient clinics, inpatient rooms, and outside clinic and athome environments. Upon completion, all participants from both cohorts were asked to fill out the Acceptability and Usability Questionnaire, which consisted of six questions ranked on a 4-point Likert scale. Result(s): Cohort 1 included 21 children aged 3 to 18 (mean age 9.25 +/- 4.85), and Cohort 2 included 12 children aged 7 to 18 (mean age 12.15 +/- 4.42). On 31 (94%) questionnaires returned, 35.5% of participants strongly agreed and 61.3% agreed with the statement "I [or my child] like(s) wearing the cough sensor." Similarly, most participants found the cough sensor easy to use (74.2% strongly agreed, 25.8% agreed) and comfortable to wear (64.5% strongly agreed, 29.0% agreed), although they found the adhesive sticker difficult to take off and the device too obvious or large. Conclusion(s): Although qualitative and quantitative acceptability and usability data were overall positive, we have redesigned the cough sensor for comfort and are continuing enrollment. The new sensor, 3.5 x 1.6 x 0.8 cm, is smaller and sits lower on the neck so participants can better conceal it underneath clothing (Figure 1). We are providing universal adhesive remover wipes to all participants. Future work includes long-term monitoring (1-2 weeks) of pulmonary exacerbations using the new devices and further assessing usability and acceptability from participants.(Figure Presented) Figure 1. New cough sensor design with a longer neck and a smaller body, allowing it to be better concealed underneath a shirtCopyright © 2022, European Cystic Fibrosis Society. All rights reserved
ABSTRACT
December 2019 has become one of the most surprising days in the whole world in light of the flare-up of a most infectious sickness brought about by novel Covid or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This study is conducted to assess the benefits of the use of home remedies to prevent the cause of Covid-19 and evaluate the assessment of dietary changes and physical activity in the prevention of Covid-19. A questionnaire-based online survey is conducted using Google forms consisting of multiple-choice questions about home remedies, lifestyle and dietary changes made by the people during this pandemic. These home remedies included using different types of herbal preparations, steam inhalation, physical exercise and OTC medications for prophylaxis. Questions likewise included about being infected by Coronavirus-19(during first wave or second) and their recovery period, additionally collected their viewpoint for changes made, for example how much they are useful in the prevention of the attack and whenever encountered any undesirable impacts. Total responses were 210, among which 121(57.6%) responses were from females and 89(42.4%) from males. 65 people tested Covid positive (42 during the first wave and 23 during the second wave). 118(56.2%) of people think these changes are very beneficial. (Rated 4 and 5 out of 5 points). From our survey, we concluded that different herbal preparations of their composition, which they thought are helpful, and steam inhalations have been used. Rating regarding the use and effectiveness was also found to be average. Further studies are needed to prove and provide clear evidence about adverse and side effects associated with the use of herbal products.Copyright © 2022 Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
After the longer period of the pandemic, sedentary lifestyle began to occupy a growing place in our lives. The effects of physical inactivity are becoming more and more significant on our social life, as well as on the functionality of the whole organism,affecting both physical and mental status. Given the newly formed communicating skills with digital media, reintegration into social life and starting physical activity and movement will be easier by using this way in order to transmit the information. Considering the changes that occurred at emotional level after a longer period of isolation, the resumption of physical activity will be done in the vicinity of the home. The accomplishment of this task can be done, by using as a primary tool, the basic motor skills, which do not require special training, such as walking and running. Because, during the next period, the physicalactivities will still take place continuously in small groups, and most of the times outside the organized framework (fitness gyms, sports tracks, swimming pools, etc.), the basic information and the training programs that must be implemented will be transmitted to the practitioner via digital way. This information will include, for each training session, the following items: the program itself, demonstrations of the activity, examples of exercises and audio- video explanations of the whole process. Also, the feedback of the participants of these physical activities will be recorded. Digital media has become a much faster way of transmitting information, with important implications for increasing compliance compared to traditional programs. After the longer period of the pandemic in which sedentary lifestyle began to occupy a growing place in our lives, the effects of physical inactivity begin to make their mark on our social life and the functionality of the whole body both physically and mental. Considering the new skills formed to communicate with the help of digital means, the reintegration in the social life and the beginning of the physical activity and of the movement will be able to be made easier starting with the transmission of the information in this way. © Peter Lang GmbH Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften Berlin 2022. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Background: COVID-19 restrictions created a period of disrupted sports participation for youth athletes. The physical conditioning and sports training habits of youth athletes during COVIDrelated sports interruption and upon returning to normal sports activity are currently unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which athletes maintained their training levels during the COVID-19 pandemic and understand the strategies that enhanced motivation and adherence to a training regimen while in isolation. A secondary aim was to further understand the manner as to how youth athletes returned to activity and identify any secondary effects of the prolonged sports interruption as they resumed athletic activities. Methods: A two-part survey was designed to determine activity changes, type of organized instruction, and athlete preferences for training support. This was distributed by email using snowball sampling methodology to athletes 14-21 years-old who were involved in competitive sports when pandemic restrictions were enacted. As sports activities resumed, a follow-up survey was distributed to the same respondents to identify feelings of preparedness, training habits, and injuries. This study was reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board of the sponsoring organization. Results: Of the 155 subjects (mean age 16.1 ± 2 years, 64.5% female) that completed the initial survey, 98% reported a stoppage of in-person sports participation and 70% decreased their exercise/training volume, with 41% (n=63) reporting > 50% reduction. Most athletes (86%) received instruction from coaches, with written workouts (70%) being most common, however most athletes (70%) preferred instructor-led, group training sessions. Many athletes (73%) reported supplementing team-based training recommendations with independent workouts, primarily jogging (62%), strength training (54%) and sports specific skills (51%). With regards to their feelings of preparedness for returning to normal sports activity, 42% of athletes reported feeling only minimally or somewhat prepared. Of the 43 subjects that completed the follow up survey (34% response rate), 30% reported immediately returning to play for more than one team, and there was a sharp increase in athletic exposures compared to mid-pandemic levels (Figure 1). Despite this increase in structured athletic activity, 63% of the sample reported they still supplemented team-based practices with jogging (51%), sports specific skill work (47%) and strength training (40%) on an individual basis. Interestingly, 25% of athletes reported sustaining a sports-related injury a mean of 79 days after resuming sports activities. Conclusion: Pandemicrelated sports restrictions resulted in a large reduction in youth athlete training and conditioning. Coaches attempted to maintain training via use of written workouts, however athletes preferred instructor-led, group training sessions. There was a rapid resumption of sports activities, which may have contributed to the high rate of injuries seen in this study. Respondents' number of training days per week during remote led instruction and upon return to in-person sports.
ABSTRACT
Background: Underlying mechanisms for sport-related acute myocardial infarction (SR-AMI) are only poorly understood. Moreover, their coronary artery disease (CAD) characteristics and lesion complexity are poorly described. Purpose: To characterize coronary angiographic feature of patients with SR-AMI Methods: From the RICO database, a large regional acute MI survey, all consecutive patients hospitalized in our University Hospital from 2010 to 2021 who underwent coronary angiography for SR-MI were retrospectively analysed. SR-MI was defined as MI occurring during sport activity or within the first hour of recovery. Results: Among the 174 patients included, most were male (n=157(91%)). Median (IQR) age was 59 y (48-66), and had ST segment elevation MI (STEMI) (n= 112 (64%)). The SR-MI often occurred while cycling (41%), jogging (23%), hiking (9%) or playing soccer (9%). Patients commonly experienced pre-hospital (PH) sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) (17%). Atherothrombotic risk factors were dyslipidaemia (32%), current smoking (31%) or hypertension (28%). A history of CAD was documented in 31 (18%) patients. Most (n=156(91%)) had significant lesions, of whom 140 (81%) were considered as culprit. Culprit lesions were located on left anterior descending (39%), circumflex (14%) and right coronary artery (33%). Median (IQR) Syntax score was 10.5 (6-15). The vast majority of patients (n=152 (87%)) had at least one complex lesion;114 of them had several characteristics of complex lesion. Lesions were eccentric in 68 (39%) patients;an intraluminal thrombus was documented in 85 patients (49%), in 55% of STEMI and 37% of non-STEMI (p =0.027). However, 18 subjects (10%) had optically normal coronary angiogram or non-significant lesions, suggesting alternative mechanism such as type 2 MI. Treatment of the lesions was mainly achieved by PCI and/or stenting (n=132(77%)) or coronary artery bypass grafting (n=11(6%)). In-hospital death occurred in 11 patients (6%), of whom 10 experienced a PH-SCA and one was admitted with a cardiogenic shock during the Covid-19 pandemics lockdown. Among the 5 patients treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenator, only one survived. Conclusion: In our large retrospective study, SR-MI was commonly associated with complex coronary lesions, often characterized by intraluminal thrombus. Our findings suggest that the mechanisms of these events could be mainly related to type 1 MI patterns Moreover, PH-SCA was frequent, thus justifying mass-education to basic life support and deployment of automated external defibrillators, especially in the sport settings.