Annals of medicine
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This study aimed to investigate the association between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and perioperative morbidity and long-term mortality in operable patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). ⋯ The study found that low CRF is significantly associated with increased perioperative morbidity and long-term mortality in operable patients with early-stage NSCLC.
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Introduction: The six-minute walk test (6MWT) is a well-established tool for assessing submaximal functional capacity for cardiac patients, but space limitations challenge its implementation. Treadmill-based (TR) 6MWT is a promising alternative, but it requires patients to complete a familiarization test to adapt treadmill speed regulation. With the advancement of sensors, it is possible to automatically control speed for individual patients and thus overcome the space limitation or the speed control difficulty on the treadmill for each patient. ⋯ Both tests showed high test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.86). The TR6MWT showed a valuable comparison of the effect of the cardiac rehabilitation program (20% increase, effect size 1.1) even though it is not interchangeable with the HL6MWT. Conclusion: The automated speed TR6MWT appears to be an acceptable tool with adequate validity, reliability, and responsiveness for assessing functional capacity in patients utilizing cardiac rehabilitation programs.
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There is an unmet clinical need for novel therapies addressing the residual risk in patients receiving guideline preventive therapy for coronary heart disease. Experimental studies have identified a pro-atherogenic role of the oxidized LDL receptor LOX-1. We investigated the association between circulating soluble LOX-1 (sLOX-1) and the risk for development of myocardial infarction. ⋯ In this prospective population study we found an association between elevated sLOX-1, the presence of carotid disease and the risk for first-time myocardial infarction. Taken together with previous experimental findings of a pro-atherogenic role of LOX-1, this observation supports LOX-1 inhibition as a possible target for prevention of myocardial infarction.
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In hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRv), two different fibrillar forms causing the amyloid deposition, have been identified, displaying substantially cardiac or neuropathic symptoms. Neuropathic symptoms are more frequent in early-onset patients, whereas late-onset patients, besides cardiac symptoms, seem to develop carpal tunnel syndrome, more often. With ultrasonography (US) of peripheral nerves, it is possible to distinguish structural changes, and enlarged cross-sectional area (CSA). The main purpose of this study was, for the first time, to elucidate US of peripheral nerves in Swedish ATTRv patients at an early stage of the disease, and to evaluate possible early enlarged CSA. ⋯ US of peripheral nerves could be a valuable tool in disease evaluation and could facilitate monitoring of disease progression.
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Community-based hospitals in China lack physicians, especially rehabilitation physicians. Recently, several financial resources have been developed to prepare general doctors for community-based hospitals. These doctors seem to be the best choices for assuming the role of a rehabilitation physician. However, their willingness and in-depth information from their perspectives have not been previously investigated. ⋯ From the perspective of general doctors, the reimbursement rate for medical insurance, which burdens patients, is the greatest problem in the process of developing community-based hospital rehabilitation services. Offering professional training to increase their capacity and developing common practices to increase doctors' proactivity to recommend rehabilitation therapy may help increase the future support of medical insurance and increase general doctors' willingness to take on the role of a rehabilitation physician.