Pulmonary Rehabilitation Associated with Noninvasive Ventilation on Physical Capacity and Quality of Life in Post-COVID-19: A Randomized Controlled Double-Blinded Clinical Trial Protocol.

Background: The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) seems to be a better choice to improve physical and functional capacity after acute infection. However, there is a lack of evidence regarding the effects of different strategies to optimize post-acute phase rehabilitation and reduce long COVID-19 physical deteriorations. Objective: To compare the use of a noninvasive ventilation (NIV) plus aerobic exercise strategy during PR program with to a standard PR (without NIV) on physical capacity and quality of life outcomes in post-COVID-19. Methods: Double-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial. A total of 100 individuals discharged from hospital in a post-acute phase of severe COVID-19 will be randomized into two groups: PR + NIV (Group 1) and PR (Group 2). Inclusion criteria include participants who present symptomatic dyspnea II and III by the modified Medical Research Council, aged 18 years or older. Both groups will receive aerobic and resistance exercise, and inspiratory muscle training. However, group 1 will perform aerobic training with bilevel NIV. Cardiopulmonary exercise test will assess the O2 peak uptake, 6-minute walk test will assess the walking distance and short-form 36 will assess the quality of life before and after 8 weeks (after 24 PR sessions). Moreover, patients will be contacted by telephone every 3 months for one year to record possible adverse events, hospitalizations, and death. All data will be registered in RedCap, and analyses will be performed in the STATA v13 software. Clinical Trial Registration: RBR-3t9pkzt.

Low handgrip strength is associated with worse functional outcomes in long COVID.

The diagnosis of long COVID is troublesome, even when functional limitations are present. Dynapenia is the loss of muscle strength and power production that is not caused by neurologic or muscular diseases, being mostly associated with changes in neurologic function and/or the intrinsic force-generating properties of skeletal muscle, which altogether, may partially explain the limitations seen in long COVID. This study aimed to identify the distribution and possible associations of dynapenia with functional assessments in patients with long COVID. A total of 113 patients with COVID-19 were evaluated by functional assessment 120 days post-acute severe disease. Body composition, respiratory muscle strength, spirometry, six-minute walk test (6MWT, meters), and hand-grip strength (HGS, Kilogram-force) were assessed. Dynapenia was defined as HGS < 30 Kgf (men), and < 20 Kgf (women). Twenty-five (22%) participants were dynapenic, presenting lower muscle mass (p < 0.001), worse forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) (p = 0.0001), lower forced vital capacity (p < 0.001), and inspiratory (p = 0.007) and expiratory (p = 0.002) peek pressures, as well as worse 6MWT performance (p < 0.001). Dynapenia, independently of age, was associated with worse FEV1, maximal expiratory pressure (MEP), and 6MWT, (p < 0.001) outcomes. Patients with dynapenia had higher intensive care unit (ICU) admission rates (p = 0.01) and need for invasive mechanical ventilation (p = 0.007) during hospitalization. The HGS is a simple, reliable, and low-cost measurement that can be performed in outpatient clinics in low- and middle-income countries. Thus, HGS may be used as a proxy indicator of functional impairment in this population.

Pressões respiratórias máximas em indivíduos obesos antes e após cirurgia bariátrica / Maximum respiratory pressure in obese individuals before and after bariatric surgery

A obesidade é uma doença crônica e multifatorial que leva a alterações sistêmicas e é considerada um problema de saúde pública mundial. Entre as alterações respiratórias decorrentes da obesidade se discute como o ganho de peso ou a perda deste pode interferir nas pressões respiratórias máximas (PRM), não existindo consenso na literatura. Objetivo: Analisar o poder preditivo das equações de referência para PMR em obesos antes e após perda de peso. Métodos: Estudo transversal no qual foram incluídos vinte pacientes obesos dos Programas de Cirurgia Bariátrica de hospitais de referência em Manaus/Amazonas, que tiveram as PRM avaliadas por meio de manuvacuometria antes e aproximadamente um ano e meio após a cirurgia bariátrica. Resultados: O peso médio diminuiu de 138,5 ± 21,7 kg para 82,7 ± 8,2 kg após a cirurgia. As PRM foram supranormais antes da cirurgia e reduzidas após a cirurgia. Entre as equações analisadas, apenas as propostas por Sanchez et al. foram capazes de predizer os valores medidos. Conclusão: As PRM foram aumentadas nos obesos mórbidos avaliados e reduzidas após a cirurgia. As equações mais utilizadas na prática clínica brasileira parecem não ser capazes de predizer valores de PRM nessa população, sendo as mais adequadas as propostas por Sanchez et al. (AU)

Obesity is a chronic and multifactorial disease and is considered a global public health problem. Among the respiratory changes due to obesity, weight gain or loss of body weight can interfere with maximal respiratory pressures, and there is no consensus in the literature. Objective: To analyze the predictive power of the reference equations for maximal respiratory pressures in obese before and after weight loss. Methods: A crosssectional study was carried out in which 20 obese patients were included in the Bariatric Surgery Programs of reference hospitals in Manaus/Amazonas. The maximal respiratory pressures were assessed by manuvacuometry before and approximately one year after bariatric surgery. Results: The mean weight decreased from 138.5 ± 21.7 kg to 82.7 ± 8.2 kg after surgery. The maximal respiratory pressures were supranormal before surgery and reduced after surgery. Among the analyzed equations, only those proposed by Sanchez et al. were able to predict the measured values. Conclusion: The maximal respiratory pressures were increased in the morbidly obese evaluated and reduced after the surgery. The most used equations in Brazilian clinical practice seem not to be able to predict maximal respiratory pressures values in this population, being the most adequate those proposed by Sanchez et al. (AU)