ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: To assess the impact of heart transplantation (HT) on the recovery of peripheral and respiratory muscle mass and strength in patients with congestive heart failure. METHODS: The study included 23 patients with an indication for HT (patients in the waiting list [WL] group). These patients were monitored for 1.5 to 3 years after HT; 8 died before 6 months of follow-up, 15 patients completed the early follow-up period of 6 months after HT (FU6m group), 4 died between 6 months and 3 years after HT, and 11 patients completed the late follow-up period 1.5 to 3 years after HT (FU1.5-3y group). Twenty-three healthy subjects were included in the control group. The study variables included inspiratory muscle strength, expressed as the maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP); expiratory muscle strength, expressed as the maximum expiratory pressure (MEP); peripheral muscle strength, expressed as bilateral handgrip strength (bHGS); and the cross-sectional area of the bilateral psoas major muscle (CSAbPm). RESULTS: The results showed a reduction in the CSAbPm (1238.9 ± 312.3 mm2), a reduction in the bHGS (27.0 ± 5.7 kg/f), a reduction in the MIP (60.2 ± 29.8 cmH2O), and a reduction in the MEP (75.2 ± 33.4 cmH2O) in patients in the WL group compared with the healthy controls. In the time series comparison, for patients in the WL, FU6m, and FU1.5-3y groups, increases were found in the CSAbPm (1305.4 vs 1458.1 vs 1431.3 mm2, respectively), bHGS (27.3 vs 30.2 vs 34.7 kg/f, respectively), MIP (59.5 vs 85.5 vs 90.9 cmH2O, respectively), and MEP (79.5 vs 93.2 vs 101.8 cmH2O, respectively) (P < 0.00). CONCLUSIONS: Sarcopenia was observed in patients in the WL group. Patients recovered peripheral and respiratory muscle mass and strength at 3 years after HT.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Bone marrow transplantation (BMT) is associated with bone morbidity. We investigated bone status with quantitative ultrasound (QUS) in pediatric patients with hematological diseases prior to and up to 3 yr following BMT. METHODS: Phalangeal QUS measures for amplitude- dependent speed of sound (Ad-SoS) and bone transmission time (BTT) were obtained in 40 hematological patients (25 with malignant, 15 with non-malignant disease; 9.7+/-4.9 yr) before BMT and 6, 12, 24, and 36 months after BMT. Bone parameters were expressed as Z-scores based on age-sex-matched normal controls. RESULTS: Mean Ad-SoS and BTT Z-scores were normal before BMT and reduced at 36 months (analysis of variance: p=0.0542 and p=0.0233). Ad-SoS and BTT Z-scores remained relatively stable in the first 6 months after BMT and then progressively decreased reaching a plateau at 12-36 months. In non-malignant patients, BTT Z-score decreased at 6-12 months (p=0.029) and subsequently increased, while in malignant patients BTT Z-score showed a decrease at 12-24 months. Pre-pubertal subjects displayed a drop of BTT Z-Score values at both 12 (p=0.023) and 36 months after BMT (p=0.049), while BTT Z-score remained relatively unchanged in pubertal subjects. Early impairment of BTT Z-score was found in patients who suffered acute graft versus host disease (GVHD) compared to patients without this clinical condition; BTT Z-score was lower at 36 months (p=0.045). CONCLUSIONS: Longitudinal assessment by QUS of pediatric BMT survivors evidenced that bone status is mildly affected up to 36 months after BMT, mainly in malignant patients, in pre-pubertal subjects at BMT and in patients who suffered acute GVHD.
