Effects of high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation combined with inspiratory muscle training for treating respiratory sequelae of long COVID: A case series.

INTRODUCTION: Long COVID occurs when numerous symptoms begin 3 weeks after acute infection and last for 12 months or more. High-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) has been tested in patients with COVID-19; however, previous studies did not investigate the HD-tDCS use combined with inspiratory muscle training (IMT) for respiratory sequelae of long COVID. CASE PRESENTATION: Six individuals (four women and two men) aged between 29 and 71 years and presenting with respiratory sequelae of long COVID were included. They were submitted to an intervention that comprised HD-tDCS combined with IMT twice a week for 5 weeks. Lung function and respiratory muscle assessments were performed at baseline and after 5 weeks of intervention. IMPLICATIONS ON PHYSIOTHERAPY PRACTICE: HD-tDCS may enhance the IMT effects by increasing respiratory muscle strength, efficiency, and lung function of individuals with long COVID.

Nebulization associated with bi-level noninvasive ventilation: analysis of pulmonary radioaerosol deposition.

UNLABELLED: Nebulization associated with noninvasive ventilation is used in emergency services and intensive care units. PURPOSES: To compare pulmonary radioaerosol deposition during jet nebulization associated to noninvasive ventilation versus spontaneous breathing nebulization; to measure the rate of lung depuration and the correlation between lung deposition, inspiratory flow and tidal volume (V(t)) using scintigraphy. SUBJECTS: Thirteen healthy volunteers (with normal spirometry), mean age (23.3+/-1.49) years, body mass index 21.2+/-2.3 kg/m(2). METHODS: Nebulization was performed in spontaneous breathing and associated with bi-level noninvasive ventilation (inspiratory pressure=12 cm H(2)O, expiratory pressure=5 cm H(2)O). The radioaerosol used in the nebulization was technetium (Tc99m) with diethylene triamine penta acetic acid, generated over a period of 9 min in a jet nebulizer. Analysis was performed through scintigraphy. Statistical analysis was performed by analysis of variance (for repeated measures), Bonferroni method, Student's t-test and Person's correlation. RESULTS: There was a decrease in radioaerosol lung deposition with nebulization associated to noninvasive ventilation (mean counts in spontaneous breathing 200,510+11,012 and mean counts in noninvasive ventilation 106,093+2811 (P<0.001). During spontaneous breathing nebulization there was a significant correlation between V(t) and radioaerosol deposition (r=0.565, P<0.05), also between inspiratory flow and radioaerosol deposition in the lungs (r=0.141, P<0.05). However, there was no correlation between V(t) and pulmonary deposition of radioaerosol in bi-level noninvasive ventilation nebulization (r=0.082). CONCLUSION: During nebulization with noninvasive ventilation in healthy volunteers, there was an increase in V(t) associated to a higher inspiratory flow rate, without resulting in a significant increase in pulmonary radioaerosol deposition.