Estimating cardiopulmonary fitness with a new sampling technology in patients with rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Although peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak ) is one of the most important measures in clinical practice, the high cost and time consumption have led to the search for simpler devices and the development of the estimating cardiopulmonary fitness (eCPF) equation. Since the lungs are one of the sites most affected by rheumatoid arthritis (RA), this study aimed to create a predictive equation for VO2peak obtained by simple sampling technology in women with RA-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD). METHODS: This cross-sectional study evaluated 47 women with RA-ILD. The participants underwent the following evaluations: computed tomography (CT); evaluation of disease activity through the Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI); measurement of physical function using the Health Assessment Questionnaire disability index (HAQ-DI); pulmonary function testing, including spirometry, diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DlCO ), nitrogen single-breath washout (N2 SBW) test, and impulse oscillometry; and cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) using FitMate™. RESULTS: VO2peak was correlated with age (r = -0.550, p < 0.0001), rheumatoid factor (r = -0.443, p = 0.002), anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (r = -0.410, p = 0.004), CDAI (r = -0.462, p = 0.001), HAD-DI (r = -0.486, p = 0.0005), forced vital capacity (r = 0.491, p = 0.0004), DlCO (r = 0.621, p < 0.0001), phase III slope of N2 SBW (r = -0.647, p < 0.0001), resonance frequency (Fres , r = -0.717, p < 0.0001), integrated low-frequency reactance (r = -0.535, p = 0.0001), and the inhomogeneity of respiratory system resistance between 4 and 20 Hz (r = -0.631, p < 0.0001). In the CT examination, patients with extensive ILD had significantly lower VO2peak than patients with limited ILD (p < 0.0001). In the stepwise forward regression analysis, Fres , DlCO and age explained 61% of the VO2peak variability. CONCLUSIONS: As assessed by CPET, women with RA-ILD show reduced cardiopulmonary fitness, which can be explained at least in part by the presence of small airway disease, deterioration of pulmonary gas exchange, and advanced age. These associations of pulmonary variables with eCPF may be clinically important and support the use of the eCPF equation to improve patient outcomes.

Kinematic evaluation of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease during the 6-min walk test.

BACKGROUND: A better understanding of gait kinematics during the 6-min walk test (6MWT) may facilitate the development of rehabilitation strategies for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). AIM: To evaluate gait kinematics during the 6MWT in patients with COPD. METHOD: Thirty-six patients with COPD and 19 healthy controls underwent a full-body kinematic analysis during the 6MWT. Data were collected using a system with four infrared cameras to capture the movement of a spherical marker covered with retroreflective tape attached to a helmet worn during the test. RESULTS: The walking distances measured by the assessor and by kinematics analysis were lower in the group of patients (P = 0.036 and P = 0.013, respectively). Moreover, the walking distances measured by kinematics analysis were greater than those measured by the assessor for both groups (P < 0.001). In the kinematics analysis of the complete test, the mean and maximum speeds were higher for the controls than for the patients (P = 0.007 and P = 0.044, respectively). In the half-turn analysis, acceleration, speed, and deceleration peaks (maximal absolute values) were lower for the patients than for the controls (P = 0.002, P = 0.012 and P = 0.006, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with COPD show worse functional capacity due to lower gait speed and acceleration-deceleration peaks after turnings as compared to healthy individuals during the 6MWT. Assessors can accurately predict the 6MWD measured by kinematics, though they underestimate this distance.

Are the group-based interventions improving the functional exercise capacity and quality of life of frail subjects with chronic heart failure?

OBJECTIVES: Frail subjects with chronic heart failure (CHF) often demonstrate limited tolerance of exertion, shortness of breath, and reduced walking capacity resulting poor quality of life (QoL). The aim of this study was to quantify the improvements in functional exercise capacity (FEC) and QoL among Bulgarian frail subjects with CHF performed group-based high-intensity aerobic interval training (HIAIT)/m-Ullevaal intervention and to compare it with moderate intensity continuous training (MICT) protocol. METHODS: One hundred and twenty (n=120) frail subjects with mean age of 63.73±6.68 years, in CHF and NYHA class II-IIIB, were enrolled in the single-center, prospective, two-arm randomized controlled clinical trial conducted at the Medical Center for Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine-I-Plovdiv. The baseline assessment included 6-minute walk test (6ΜWT), peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), modified Borg Perceived Exertion Scale (mBPES), and Minnesota living with the Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ). RESULTS: The improvement in 6MWT (P<0.001), VO2peak (P<0.001), mBPES (P<0.001), and MLHFQ (P<0.001) observed among frail subjects performed HIAIT/m-Ullevaal intervention was significantly greater compared to the improvement observed in the subjects performed MICT protocol (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The group-based HIAIT/m-Ullevaal intervention is a new perspective and challenge for both, Bulgarian cardiac rehabilitation (CR), and frail patients with CHF.