Physical Function In Patients Research Articles

Maximal aerobic capacity is associated with lifting capacity, but not with self-reported functioning measures in patients with primary chronic low back pain: a cross-sectional study

ObjectiveMaximal exercise testing is considered the gold standard to assess V̇O2max. However, maximal exercise testing was previously deemed unfeasible and unsafe in chronic low back pain (CLBP) patients. Consequently, most...

Behavior Modification Techniques on Patients with Chronic Pain in the Context of COVID-19 Telerehabilitation: An Umbrella Review.

The aim of this systematic review (SR) of SRs was to assess the effectiveness of telerehabilitation based on behavior modification techniques (t-BMT) in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. We searched in PubMed, PEDro, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Google Scholar (January 2022). The outcome measures were pain intensity, disability, psychological distress, pain-related fear of movement, disease impact, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and physical function. This review was previously registered on the international prospective register of systematic reviews PROSPERO (CRD42021262192). Methodological quality was analyzed using the AMSTAR and ROBIS scales, and the strength of evidence was established according to the Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee grading criteria. Four SRs with and without meta-analyses covering 25 trials and involving 4593 patients were included. Of the three SRs that assessed pain intensity, two reported a significant decrease compared to usual care. Contradictory results were also found in the management of psychological distress, and of depressive and anxiety symptoms. However, two reviews found that t-BMT has significant effects on disability, and one review found that t-BMT seems to be effective for improving pain-related fear of movement and disease impact. Finally, one review found that t-BMT does not seem to be an effective modality to improve physical function. The quality of evidence was limited for all outcomes assessed. The results obtained showed that t-BMT was effective in improving disability, disease impact, and pain-related fear of movement, but it was not effective in improving physical function in patients with chronic pain. Mixed evidence was found for pain intensity, psychological distress, and depressive and anxiety symptoms, with a limited quality of evidence.

Neck Disability at Presentation Influences Long-Term Clinical Improvement for Neck Pain, Arm Pain, Disability, and Physical Function in Patients Undergoing Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion

To compare perioperative characteristics, patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and minimum clinically important difference (MCID) achievement after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) in patients stratified by preoperative neck disability. The Neck Disability Index (NDI) assesses a patient's self-perceived neck disability and is often used to assess the efficacy of cervical surgical intervention. Our study (a retrospective cohort study) evaluates how preoperative severity of patient neck disability influences postoperative clinical improvement after ACDF. Primary, single-level, or multilevel ACDF procedures were included. PROMs were administered at preoperative/6 week/12 week/6 month/1 year/2 year time points and included Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System-Physical Function (PROMIS-PF), visual analog scale (VAS) for neck and arm pain, NDI, and 12-Item Short-Form (SF-12) Physical Composite Score (PCS). Patients were grouped according to preoperative NDI <50 (mild to moderate neck disability) or NDI ≥50 (severe neck disability). Demographics/perioperative characteristics/postoperative complications/mean PROMs/MCID achievement rates were compared using χ2 or Student t test. Postoperative improvement from preoperative baseline within each cohort was assessed with paired-samples t test. MCID achievement was determined by comparing ΔPROMs with established thresholds. A total of 225 patients were included, 150 NDI <50 and 75 NDI ≥50. The NDI ≥50 cohort was significantly younger (P= 0.002). Cohorts did not differ for spinal disease/operative duration/estimated blood loss/postoperative length of stay/postoperative narcotic consumption/adjacent segment disease rate/1-year arthrodesis rate/6-month pseudarthrosis rate. Postoperative VAS pain score on postoperative day 0 and 1 was significantly increased in the NDI ≥50 cohort (P<0.048, all). Postoperative complication rates did not differ. All mean PROMs differed at all time points (P<0.043, all). The NDI <50 patient cohort significantly improved from preoperative baseline for all PROMs and time points except SF-12 PCS/Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System-Physical Function at 6 weeks. The NDI ≥50 cohort significantly improved for all PROMs and time points except SF-12 PCS at 6 weeks. The NDI ≥50 cohort showed a greater proportion achieving MCID for NDI at 6 weeks/2 years/overall (P<0.037, all). Both cohorts showed significant long-term clinical improvement for neck pain/arm pain/physical function/neck disability, although patients with severe preoperative neck disability reported inferior mean scores for these outcomes at all time points.

Efficacy and safety of Janus kinase inhibitors in patients with ankylosing spondylitis: A systematic review and meta-analysis

ObjectivesTo assess the efficacy and safety of janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). MethodsWe searched the PubMed and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials to Nov 1, 2021. We included all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating JAK inhibitors in the treatment of AS. Two reviewers independently selected studies, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias. ResultsFour RCT studies with 779 participants were included in the meta-analysis. Compared with placebo group, percentages of participants achieving responses of Assessment of spondyloarthritis international society(ASAS) 20, ASAS 40, ASAS 5/6, Bath AS disease activity index (BASDAI) 50 were significantly higher in JAK inhibitor group respectively; changes from baseline in AS disease activity score using C-reactive protein(ASDAS-CRP), Maastricht AS enthesitis score (MASES), AS Quality of Life (ASQoL) score, short-form-36 health survey physical component summary (SF-36 PCS) score, BASDAI, Bath AS functional index (BASFI), Bath AS metrology index (BASMI), Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-fatigue (FACIT-F) score, SPARCC joint score and Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) Overall Work Impairment score showed significant improvements in JAK inhibitor group. The incidence of adverse events (AEs) and severe adverse events (SAEs) showed no significant differences between the JAK inhibitor and placebo groups. ConclusionsJAK inhibitors showed a satisfactory and promising efficacy in the treatment of active AS not only in mitigating disease activity, but also substantially improving patient's physical function, emotional well-being and social participation. The results of this meta-analysis provide solid evidence for JAK inhibitor as a novel therapeutic strategy for patients with active AS.

Ambulation in Veno-Arterial-Venous (VAV) Cannulation for ECMO Support in COVID-19 Related ARDS with Right Ventricular Failure

PurposePhysical functioning in patients undergoing extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) related to strict bedrest requirements is debilitating. Physical therapy (PT) in these patients can be beneficial. However, the data in COVID-19 associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is not well characterized. We present our experience with ambulation in patients receiving veno-arterial-venous (VAV) ECMO support.MethodsClinical charts of COVID-19 associated ARDS patients with VAV-ECMO support who received PT sessions between January 2021 and October 2021 were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed. Mobility functions were assessed. Episodes of oxygen saturation and hypotension were noted as primary outcomes.ResultsEight patients were placed on VAV-ECMO for decompensated heart failure with right axillary artery cannulation via vascular graft and right internal jugular vein double lumen (Avalon) cannula. Mean age was 46.9 ± 10.3 years, and BMI was 30.6 ± 4.4 kg/m2 with five males. Mean duration of ECMO support was 53.6 ± 13.4 days. Average PT sessions per patient were 22.8 ± 12.2, with average days to PT initiation from ECMO insertion being 19.0 ± 8.1 days. The total average time per daily PT session was 27.2 ± 9.3 minutes. The ability to perform mobility functions with minimal, moderate, total, stand-by, contact-guard assistance for all patients is listed in the table. During PT sessions, a total of 14 episodes of oxygen desaturation and six episodes of hypotension in four patients were noted. There were no events of any cannula displacement. Of all, three are still in the hospital supported by ECMO, three transferred to the lung transplant center, one died in hospital, and one discharged home.ConclusionVAV ECMO support via right axillary and RIJ dual lumen cannulation provides a safe strategy for prolonging support and effective rehabilitation in severe COVID-19 related ARDS patients complicated with RV failure.

Sexual function and quality of life in women with endometriosis.

Endometriosis may exert a profound negative influence on the lives of individuals with the disorder, adversely affecting quality of life, participation in daily and social activities, physical and sexual functioning, relationships, educational and work productivity, mental health, and well-being. Symptoms of endometriosis represent a great source of stress and cause a substantial negative impact on the psychological parameters, on the daily life and on the physical functioning of patients. The impact of endometriosis on work attendance has very significant economic consequences, as lost productivity has an associated cost, as do career changes resulting from a decline in education due to symptoms. Endometriosis is a pathology that affects all aspects of women's lives and that thus, it must be treated with a multidisciplinary vision that includes not only a medical approach but also psychological, work, and economic support. In this specific long-term vision of patient-centered endometriosis care, aspects of quality of life and sexual health play a key role and should always be evaluated with any patient as part of a multidisciplinary management.

Comparison of the efficacy of Kinesiology Taping versus Therapeutic Ultrasound in the management of Plantar Fasciitis

Plantar fasciitis (PF) is one of the most common musculoskeletal complain of the foot affecting a huge population. However there is a scarcity of evidence regarding treatment efficacy, therefore this trial aimed to compare the efficacy of Kinesiotaping (KT) vs. Ultrasound Therapy (UT) in the management of pain and physical functioning of foot/ankle in patients with PF. Methodology: Two arms, parallel-group design RCT was conducted on PF patients. Participants aged between 25-60 years, having symptoms of PF for at least 6 months, presenting with unilat-eral and/or bilateral heel pain were included. However, patients with fractures, dislocations, or open wounds around ankle/soles and patients allergic to taping were excluded. 30 patients were randomly divided into group A (KTG=15): received KT and group B (UTG=15): received Ultra-sound Therapy (UT). Both the groups also received cold pack with stretching exercises. Treat-ment was provided on an alternate days for 30 minutes to each group for two weeks. Visual An-alogue Scale (VAS) was used to determine pain and Foot/Ankle disability index (FADI) was used to assess foot and ankle functioning. Readings were taken pre and post intervention. Results and discussion: The mean pain score before treatment was 8.00 but after treatment was reduced to 1.13, in KTG. However, in UTG mean pain score before treatment was 9.13 and after treatment reduced to 4.20. The mean FADI score before treatment was 52.80 but after treatment decreased to 11.46 in KTG. However, in UTG the mean score of FADI before treatment was 58.53 and after treatment, it was decreased to 39.46. Conclusion: The results concluded that KT and UT both are effective techniques for reducing pa-in and improving ankle/foot physical functioning in patients with PF. However, KT was found to be more effective than UT. Keywords: Foot/ankle disability index, Plantar Fasciitis, Pain, Kinesiotaping, Therapeutic ultrasound

Effect of a weekly functional independence measure scale on the recovery of patient with acute stroke: A retrospective study.

Excessive assistance may decrease stroke patients' physical activity and make them more dependent on assistance. We have structured a system that provides an ADL (activities of daily living) educational program that focuses on stroke patients' toileting in our daily clinical practice. Here, we investigated the effect of a functional independence measure (FIM) scale on the recovery of patients with acute stroke.We retrospectively collected the data of 407 stroke patients from the medical record system of our emergency hospital in Tsukuba, Japan. The enrolled stroke patients (n = 373) were divided into FIM and control groups. Both groups received the standard treatment, but for the FIM group, ward and rehabilitation staff calculated the toilet FIM score for patients 1 ×/wk. The FIM scale measures the amount of assistance a patient needs to perform activities of daily living and is often used in rehabilitation settings. The rehabilitation staff then instructed the ward staff about better assistance methods based on each patient's physical function and executive dysfunction. We evaluated the usefulness of the FIM scale was based on the patients' FIM scores at discharge and improvements in their scores.The recoveries of the total, motor, and cognitive FIM scores recovery at discharge were significantly greater in the FIM group compared with the control group (68.0 vs 45.0, P = .004; 41.0 vs 24.0, P = .005; and 24.0 vs 20.0, P = .007, respectively). The use of the FIM scale contributes to the patients' recovery of physical function and cognitive function.The FIM scale can contribute to stroke patients' recovery of activities of daily living.

Proposal for assessment of the predominant symptom and physical function in patients suffering from Long COVID

Long COVID patients present a cluster of symptoms that overlaps with other post-infectious conditions, such as patients diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Besides fatigue, one of the most limiting clinical manifestations in ME/CFS is post-exertional malaise (PEM), which Long COVID patients also report. Therefore, there are concerns about treatment approaches in rehabilitation for long COVID patients. Up to date, Long COVID patients present fatigue and respiratory symptoms predominantly. The hypothesis presented in this paper is that the treatment approach for Long COVID patients may depend on the aetiology of their symptoms, which objective tests can assess. And the primary affected system in a given patient may determine the individual response to physical exhaustion. Then, we propose an assessment to confirm the system impaired under the predominant symptom to guide the rehabilitation intervention. Fatigue-related symptoms, PEM, physical deconditioning and response to exertion should be assessed in Long COVID patients with predominant fatigue. In contrast, the respiratory function by spirometry and the diffusion capacity should be objectively assessed in those patients with predominantly respiratory symptoms. Future research should develop and validate patient-reported outcomes or cardiopulmonary exercise testing to objectively assess the symptoms and functional status in Long COVID patients to reinforce the proposed assessment.

Lifestyle modification and inflammation in people with axial spondyloarthropathy-A scoping review.

People with axial spondyloarthritis (AS) have an inflammatory profile, increasing the risk of hypertension, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and dyslipidaemia. Consequently, AS is linked with co-morbidities such as cardiovascular disease (CVD). Physical inactivity, diet, smoking, alcohol consumption, and obesity influence inflammation, but knowledge of the interaction between these with inflammation, disease activity, and CVD risk in AS is dominated by cross-sectional research. A review of the literature was conducted between July 2020 and December 2021. The focus of the scoping review is to summarise longitudinal and randomised control trials in humans to investigate how tracking or modifying lifestyle influences inflammation and disease burden in patients withAS. (1) Lifestyle modifications, especially increased physical activity (PA), exercise, and smoking cessation, are critical in managing AS. (2) Smoking is negatively associated with patient reported outcome measures with AS, plus pharmaceutical treatment adherence, but links with structural radiographic progression are inconclusive. (3) Paucity of data warrant structured studies measuring inflammatory cytokine responses to lifestyle modification in AS. Increased PA, exercise, and smoking cessation should be supported at every given opportunity to improve health outcomes in patients with AS. The link between smoking and radiographic progression needs further investigation. Studies investigating the longitudinal effect of body weight, alcohol, and psychosocial factors on disease activity and physical function in patients with AS are needed. Given the link between inflammation and AS, future studies should also incorporate markers of chronic inflammation beyond the standard C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate measurements.

Depression in psoriatic arthritis: Related to socio-demographics, comorbid loads or disease activity?

Psychological distress commonly occurs in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). The primary objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of depression in PsA. The secondary objective was to explore its associated factors, including socio-demographics, disease activity data and comorbidities. Patients with PsA fulfilling the Classification Criteria for Psoriatic Arthritis were consecutively recruited from local rheumatology clinics. Depression was assessed by a self-administered Chinese-Cantonese version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Two hundred and eight eligible patients with PsA were recruited, with 82 females and 126 males. Depression was found in 62 (29.8%) of them. The univariate model identified these associated factors: (1) Psoriasis Area and Severity Index score; (2) disease activity measurement, that is tender and swollen joint count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, Disease Activity in Psoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA) score, Leeds Enthesitis Index and tender dactylitis count; (3) quality of life measurement, that is Health Assessment Questionnaire - Disability Index (HAQ-DI), pain and general health perception; (4) PsA duration; and (5) body mass index. The final regression model identified DAPSA and HAQ-DI were closely associated with depression, P=.007 and P=.02 respectively. Moderate and strong correlations with HADS score were found with DAPSA (Kendall's tau-b coefficient [τb]=0.25) and HAQ-DI (τb=0.4) respectively. No associations with depression were found between age, living and employment status, gender, demographics, inflammatory markers, disease duration, skin involvement and comorbidities, in term of Charlson's Comorbidity Index. Depression was prevalent among PsA patients and it was closely correlated with disease activity and physical function impairment. Achieving low disease activity and maintaining physical function in patients with PsA may mitigate the psychological burden. The present study also highlighted the unmet needs of strategies to identify this common phenomenon.

POS-565 Enhanced Echo Intensity of Skeletal Muscle is Associated with Poor Physical Function in Male Hemodialysis Patients

To evaluate the relationship between ultrasound echo intensity (EI) of skeletal muscle and physical function of patients on maintenance hemodialysis.To evaluate the relationship between ultrasound echo intensity (EI) of skeletal muscle and physical function of patients on maintenance hemodialysis.

Association between postextubation dysphagia and physical function in survivors of critical illness: A retrospective study.

Dysphagia following endotracheal intubation, also known as postextubation dysphagia (PED), is generally observed in survivors of critical illness. However, its association with physical function remains relatively unexplored. This study aimed to investigate the association between PED and physical function in patients after intensive care. This is a single-center retrospective observational study. Medical records of adult patients who required emergency admission and were intubated and mechanically ventilated were retrospectively reviewed. Swallowing and physical function were assessed using the Food Intake Level Scale (FILS) and functional status score for the intensive care unit (FSS-ICU) at discharge, respectively. Multivariable linear and logistic regression analyses were used to analyze the association between dysphagia and physical dysfunction at discharge. A total of 103 patients (63 men and 40 women) with a mean age of 67.3 years were enrolled. PED was observed in 20 patients (19.4%) at hospital discharge. The FILS score at hospital discharge was significantly and independently associated with the FSS-ICU (β=0.458, p<0.001); however, the FILS score was not an independent risk factor for non-home discharge (95% confidence interval, 0.547-1.160). PED is significantly associated with physical dysfunction at discharge in survivors of critical illness. PED should be considered as a component of post-intensive care syndrome, and early intervention to prevent and improve swallowing dysfunction may be necessary.

POS-566 Myosteatosis, not Muscle Size Correlates Well with Physical Function in Hemodialysis Patients

We aimed to investigate the association of myosteatosis (i.e. low skeletal muscle radiodensity [SMD]) and muscle quantity (i.e. skeletal muscle cross sectional area [SMA]), as measured by computed tomography (CT) at the L3 vertebral level with physical function in patients on maintenance hemodialysis.

Exercise Prescription in Patient with Different Complications of Leukemia

Common treatment of leukemia will have side effects on nerve function, affecting the patient's physical function, which makes patients often accompanied by infection, bone and joint pain, fatigue and other symptoms. Exercise can improve the level of body function, enable patients to tolerate stronger chemotherapy during treatment, help improve the survival rate and recovery chances of patients, and has been used as an effective means to promote recovery. Recommendations for leukemia and exercise have been primarily based on the results of existing relevant studies. To provide more targeted recommendations for the leukemia, we gathered evidence for the efficacy of exercise for leukemia, and concluded with recommendations for exercise prescription for the rehabilitation of patients with leukemia during and after chemotherapy. We used "leukemia", "exercise" as keywords, retrieving related literatures in CNKI, VIP, Wanfang, PubMed and Web of Science databases by December 20, 2021. Based on the analysis of research methods and outcome indicators, we extracted the exercise prescription for leukemia patients. Relative safe and effective exercise prescriptions were obtained for leukemia patients. For example, for patients with cardiopulmonary injury, a 6-minute walk can be more safely used for testing, aerobic exercise can be performed for 3-5 days/week, and each exercise time can be gradually increased from 10min to more than 30min. Also, it may be more effective to replace HHR (40%~59%) with RPE (12~13) for their intensity monitoring. Therapeutic exercise, especially with an element of strengthening combined with aerobic training, is an efficacious treatment for leukemia. Notably, with the development of technology, the ways of exercise available are diversifying, many complementary training methods such as Spotlight program, Team works, are also effective. At the same time, multi-mode, remote and home interventions are becoming more and more popular, providing a new direction for patient prognosis. However, the prescription recommendations are only for practical reference. There are insufficient high quality studies on exercise rehabilitation and prescription for patients with leukemia and various complications, and more research support is needed to develop more accurate exercise prescription.

Effects of a Mediterranean Diet Compared with the Low-Fat Diet on Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: A Randomized Feeding Trial.

Objectives Knee osteoarthritis is a common global problem, especially in overweight and obese people. It is not clear that weight loss is a factor for pain reduction in these patients or dietary components are important. Herein, we compared the effects of Mediterranean (MD) and low-fat diet on pain, stiffness, and physical function in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Subjects/Methods In this randomized feeding trial, 129 patients with knee osteoarthritis were enrolled. Participants were randomly allocated to the MD (n = 43), low-fat diet (n = 43), and control group (regular diet) (n = 43) for 12 weeks by the blocked randomization method. Total Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) score and its subscales and anthropometric indices were compared among the groups at the baseline and end of the study. Results Weight and waist circumference reduction was significantly higher in the MD and low-fat diet groups compared with the regular group (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001, respectively), but there was no significant difference between the MD and low-fat diet groups (p = 0.2). Pain was significantly decreased in the Mediterranean-style compared with the low-fat (p = 0.04) and regular (p = 0.002) diet groups. Physical function was significantly improved in the MD compared with the regular diet group (p = 0.01), but had no significant difference with the low-fat one. Stiffness had no significant difference among the dietary groups. Conclusions Pain severity was reduced in the MD group, but no significant change was reported in patients on low-fat and regular diets. It seems that dietary components in the MD, regardless of weight loss effect, are effective on pain reduction in patients with KOA. The present study was registered in the IRCT under the code of IRCT20200929048876N1.

Efficacy of pulsed electromagnetic field on pain and physical function in patients with low back pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective To assess the effectiveness of pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) on pain and physical function in patients with low back pain. Data sources A search of PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science was conducted up to December 2021. Methods We included randomized controlled trials that investigated the effectiveness of PEMF in patients with low back pain. The primary outcome was pain intensity and the secondary outcome was physical function, both were evaluated by assessment scales. Standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated for the summary statistics analysis. The registration number of this systematic review in PROSPERO is CRD42020213829. Results Fourteen trials involving 618 participants were included. The PEMF treatment showed more significant pain alleviation than placebo or other therapy alone in patients with low back pain (SMD = −1.01, 95% CI −1.42 to −0.6, P < 0.001, I2 = 31%; SMD = −0.36, 95% CI −0.62 to −0.11, P = 0.005, I2 = 37%, respectively.) In addition, a significant difference in pain alleviation was observed in patients with chronic low back pain (SMD = −0.6, 95%CI − 0.94 to −0.25, p < 0.001, I2 = 67%), whereas no significant difference was observed in patients with acute low back pain (SMD = −0.46, 95%CI − 0.99 to 0.07, p = 0.09, I2 = 0%). PEMF did not improve physical function compared with the control treatment (SMD = −0.45, 95% CI − 0.98 to 0.07, p = 0.09, I2 = 86%). Conclusion PEMF is beneficial for alleviating pain in patients with chronic low back pain despite having no advantage in improving physical function.

Impact of measurement timing on reproducibility of testing among haemodialysis patients

Accurate evaluation of physical function in patients undergoing haemodialysis is crucial in the analysis of the impact of exercise programs in this population. The aim of this study was to evaluate the reproducibility of several physical functional tests, depending on the timing of their implementation (before the HD session vs. non-HD days). This is a prospective, non-experimental, descriptive study. Thirty patients in haemodialysis were evaluated twice, 1 week apart. The test session was performed before the haemodialysis session started and a retest was performed in non-dialysis day. The testing battery included the short physical performance battery, sit-to-stand tests, 6 min walk test, one-leg stand test, timed up and go, and handgrip strength with and without forearm support. The intra-rater reproducibility was determined by the intraclass correlation coefficients and the agreement was assessed by Bland–Altman analysis. The intraclass correlation coefficients values ranged from 0.86 to 0.96, so that all tests showed good to very good relative reliability. The mean differences between trials of sit to stand 10 and 60, timed up and go and all the handgrip tests were close to zero, indicating no systematic differences between trials. Large range of values between trials was observed for the 6 min walk test, gait speed, one-leg stand test and short physical performance battery, indicating a systematic bias for these four tests. In conclusion, the sit to stand 10 and 60, timed up and go and handgrip tests had good to excellent test–retest reliability in measuring physical function in different dialysis days of patients undertaking haemodialysis. The minimal detectable change values are provided for this population. Bias were found for the 6 min walk test, gait speed, Short physical performance battery or one-leg stand test when the testing day changed.

Worsening physical functioning in patients with neuroinflammatory disease during the COVID-19 pandemic

ObjectiveTo quantify changes in psychological wellbeing and physical function as reported by people with neurological inflammatory disease (PwNID) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods1134 PwNID and 868 control participants were recruited through five major academic medical centers in the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic U.S. beginning in April 2020. Participants completed serial surveys throughout the COVID-19 pandemic that aimed to quantify mood symptoms and physical function, analyzed cross-sectionally with a smaller cohort analyzed longitudinally. ResultsThroughout the pandemic, depression scores were not significantly different between PwNID and controls, although a higher proportion of PwNID reported clinically significant depression at study entry. Depression scores did not worsen over time for either group. Loneliness was the strongest predictor of worse depression, along with older age, male gender in both PwNID and controls, as well as lack of disease modifying therapy use, and disease duration in PwNID only. In contrast, physical disability worsened significantly over time for both PwNID and controls. Age, DMT status and comorbid health conditions emerged as significant predictors of physical function. ConclusionsDepressive symptoms remained consistent for both PwNID and controls throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, but physical function worsened significantly over time for both groups. This is particularly impactful for PwNID, who have higher baseline levels of physical disability, and underscores the importance of reinstituting services and interventions that facilitate exercise and reconditioning for this population.

Relationship between the vividness of motor imagery and physical function in patients with subacute hemiplegic stroke: a cross-sectional preliminary study

ABSTRACT Purpose The study aimed to clarify whether the vividness of motor imagery is related to lower limb function and walking ability in patients with hemiplegic stroke. Materials and Methods The study was a cross-sectional preliminary study. The subjects were 15 patients with hemiplegic stroke. The vividness of motor imagery was assessed using the kinesthetic and visual imagery questionnaire. The kinesthetic imagery (KI) involves the sensation of one’s own movement, whereas the visual imagery (VI) involves the imagination of a third-person performing the self-movement. Their physical functions were assessed using the Brunnstrom recovery stage, stroke impairment assessment set, 10-m maximum walking speed test, and functional independence measure. KI and VI were compared using the t test. Correlation analysis was performed between KI or VI and various variables as well as between the motor imagery gap (difference between KI and VI) and various variables. Results KI was significantly lower than VI (p < .01). KI was correlated not only with lower limb function (r = 0.68) but also with walking speed (r = −0.64). The motor imagery gap was correlated with hip joint function (r = −0.53). Conclusions KI and motor imagery gap were associated with lower limb function and walking ability.