Derivation of clinical prediction rules for identifying patients with non-acute low back pain who respond best to a lumbar stabilization exercise program at post-treatment and six-month follow-up.

Low back pain (LBP) remains one of the most common and incapacitating health conditions worldwide. Clinical guidelines recommend exercise programs after the acute phase, but clinical effects are modest when assessed at a population level. Research needs to determine who is likely to benefit from specific exercise interventions, based on clinical presentation. This study aimed to derive clinical prediction rules (CPRs) for treatment success, using a lumbar stabilization exercise program (LSEP), at the end of treatment and at six-month follow-up. The eight-week LSEP, including clinical sessions and home exercises, was completed by 110 participants with non-acute LBP, with 100 retained at the six-month follow-up. Physical (lumbar segmental instability, motor control impairments, posture and range of motion, trunk muscle endurance and physical performance tests) and psychological (related to fear-avoidance and home-exercise adherence) measures were collected at a baseline clinical exam. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to predict clinical success, as defined by ≥50% decrease in the Oswestry Disability Index. CPRs were derived for success at program completion (T8) and six-month follow-up (T34), negotiating between predictive ability and clinical usability. The chosen CPRs contained four (T8) and three (T34) clinical tests, all theoretically related to spinal instability, making these CPRs specific to the treatment provided (LSEP). The chosen CPRs provided a positive likelihood ratio of 17.9 (T8) and 8.2 (T34), when two or more tests were positive. When applying these CPRs, the probability of treatment success rose from 49% to 96% at T8 and from 53% to 92% at T34. These results support the further development of these CPRs by proceeding to the validation stage.

Effect of an integrated care programme on re-hospitalization of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Hospital admissions due to exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have a major impact on disease progression and costs. We hypothesized that a 1-year integrated care (IC) programme comprising two components (patient-centred education+case management) would be effective in preventing COPD-related hospitalizations. METHODS: This was a retrospective longitudinal cohort study. Data were retrieved both from an administrative database in the province of Quebec (Canada), and from the medical records at two hospitals in Montreal. One hundred and eighty-nine COPD patients were randomly selected from registers at these centres, from 2004 to 2006. Patients in the intervention group underwent a programme comprising two components: patient -centred education-involving three group sessions of self-management education that included one motivational interview and instruction in the use of a written action plan; and case management-involving scheduled follow-up visits with access to a call centre. The intervention group was compared with a group receiving usual care (UC). The main outcome was COPD-related re-hospitalizations, with length of hospital stay and emergency department (ED) visits being secondary outcomes. RESULTS: Logistic regression analysis with adjustment for covariates showed that there was a lower probability of re-hospitalization over the follow-up year in the IC group compared with the UC group (odds ratio 0.44; 95% confidence interval 0.23-0.85). Subgroup analyses revealed that the IC programme prevented more COPD-related hospitalizations in women compared with men. There were no significant between-group differences in length of hospital stay or number of ED visits. CONCLUSIONS: An IC programme combining self-management education and case-management can decrease rates of COPD-related hospitalizations, particularly among women.

Can a self-management education program for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease improve quality of life?

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effects of a self-management program on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and morbidity commonly associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). METHODS: A total of 57 outpatients with stable COPD received four weeks of self-management education, while 45 patients received usual care. Patients were evaluated at baseline, at three months and one year following the educational intervention. The primary outcome variable was HRQoL measured by the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ). The secondary outcome variables were number of emergency room visits and hospitalizations for exacerbation. RESULTS: The intervention group's HRQoL improved significantly at three months (total score A = -5.0 [P = 0.006]) and 12 months (total score A = -6.7 [P < 0.001]), as evidenced by decreased scores on the SGRQ. In contrast, the SGRQ scores increased significantly in the control group at three months (total score A = +3.7 [P = 0.022]) and 12 months (total score A = +3.4 [P = 0.032]). Global impact appeared to be responsible for the change in the intervention group. Moreover, in the intervention group, the number of hospitalizations dropped from 0.7/person/year to 0.3/person/year (P = 0.017), and emergency room visits dropped from 1.1 person/year to 0.2/person/year (P = 0.002), while subjects in the control group did not experience any significant decreases in these parameters. CONCLUSIONS: A planned education program improved HRQoL while decreasing the number of emergency room visits and hospitalizations in patients with stable COPD; this improvement persisted at 12 months.

Medical surveillance programme for diisocyanate exposure.

OBJECTIVES: Surveillance programmes for occupational asthma should reduce the severity of asthma both at the time of diagnosis and after removal from exposure as well as costs related to functional impairment. The aim of this study was to compare the severity and cost of diisocyanate-induced occupational asthma in workers participating in a surveillance programme and in twice the number of workers diagnosed after being referred by their physician. METHODS: Answers to a self-administered questionnaire led to possible referral for further assessment that included methacholine testing and specific inhalation challenges as the gold standard for confirming occupational asthma. Results Of the 2897 workers who participated, 182 (6.3%) had a positive questionnaire. 79/182 (43%) were referred for further medical assessment and 20 had confirmed occupational asthma by specific inhalation testing. At the time of diagnosis, the 20 screened subjects had a mean PC(20) of 3.35 mg/ml as compared to 1.50 mg/ml (p = 0.05) in the 66 controls. Two years after diagnosis and removal from exposure, the 20 subjects screened had a mean PC(20) of 4.81 mg/ml compared to 1.67 mg/ml (p = 0.03) in controls. Clinical remission occurred in 34% of the screened group compared to 16% of the control group (p = 0.02). The median costs for functional impairment were $C11,900 in screened subjects and $C19,600 in controls (p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Subjects with occupational asthma screened by a medical surveillance programme have a better outcome both at the time of diagnosis and 2 years after removal from exposure, with lower compensation costs compared to controls.

Six-month exercise training program to treat post-thrombotic syndrome: a randomized controlled two-centre trial.

BACKGROUND: Exercise training may have the potential to improve post-thrombotic syndrome, a frequent, chronic complication of deep venous thrombosis. We conducted a randomized controlled two-centre pilot trial to assess the feasibility of a multicentre-based evaluation of a six-month exercise training program to treat post-thrombotic syndrome and to obtain preliminary data on the effectiveness of such a program. METHODS: Patients were randomized to receive exercise training (a six-month trainer-supervised program) or control treatment (an education session with monthly phone follow-ups). Levels of eligibility, consent, adherence and retention were used as indicators of study feasibility. Primary outcomes were change from baseline to six months in venous disease-specific quality of life (as measured using the Venous Insufficiency Epidemiological and Economic Study Quality of Life [VEINES-QOL] questionnaire) and severity of post-thrombotic syndrome (as measured by scores on the Villalta scale) in the exercise training group versus the control group, assessed by t tests. Secondary outcomes were change in generic quality of life (as measured using the Short-Form Health Survey-36 [SF-36] questionnaire), category of severity of post-thrombotic syndrome, leg strength, leg flexibility and time on treadmill. RESULTS: Of 95 patients with post-thrombotic syndrome, 69 were eligible, 43 consented and were randomized, and 39 completed the study. Exercise training was associated with improvement in VEINES-QOL scores (exercise training mean change 6.0, standard deviation [SD] 5.1 v. control mean change 1.4, SD 7.2; difference 4.6, 95% CI 0.54 to 8.7; p = 0.027) and improvement in scores on the Villalta scale (exercise training mean change -3.6, SD 3.7 v. control mean change -1.6, SD 4.3; difference -2.0, 95% CI -4.6 to 0.6; p = 0.14). Most secondary outcomes also showed greater improvement in the exercise training group. INTERPRETATION: Exercise training may improve post-thrombotic syndrome. It would be feasible to definitively evaluate exercise training as a treatment for post-thrombotic syndrome in a large multicentre trial.