Supervised exercise therapy for intermittent claudication in a community-based setting is as effective as clinic-based

ObjectiveThis cohort study was conducted to determine the effect on walking distances of supervised exercise therapy provided in a community-based setting.MethodsThe study included all consecutive patients presenting at the vascular outpatient clinic with intermittent claudication, diagnosed by a resting ankle brachial index <0.9, who had no previous peripheral vascular intervention for peripheral arterial disease, no major amputation, and sufficient command of the Dutch language. The exclusion criterion was the inability to walk the baseline treadmill test for a minimum of 10 m. The intervention was a supervised exercise therapy in a community-based setting. A progressive treadmill test at baseline and at 1, 3, and 6 months of follow-up measured initial claudication distance and absolute claudication distance. Changes were calculated using the mean percentages of change.ResultsFrom January through October 2005, 93 consecutive patients with claudication were eligible. Overall, 37 patients discontinued the supervised exercise therapy program. Eleven stopped because of intercurrent diseases, whereas for 10, supervised exercise therapy did not lead to adequate improvement and they underwent a vascular intervention. Three patients quit the program, stating that they were satisfied with the regained walking distance and did not require further supervised exercise therapy. Ten patients were not motivated sufficiently to continue the program, and in three patients, a lack of adequate insurance coverage was the reason for dropping out. Data for 56 patients were used and showed a mean percentage increase in initial claudication distance of 187% after 3 months and 240% after 6 months. The mean percentage of the absolute claudication distance increased 142% after 3 months and 191% after 6 months.ConclusionSupervised exercise therapy in a community-based setting is a promising approach to providing conservative treatment for patients with intermittent claudication

Validation of the Edinburgh Claudication Questionnaire in 1st generation Black African-Caribbean and South Asian UK migrants: A sub-study to the Ethnic-Echocardiographic Heart of England Screening (E-ECHOES) study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We determined the diagnostic accuracy of the Edinburgh Claudication Questionnaire (ECQ) in 1^stgeneration Black African-Caribbean UK migrants as previous diagnostic questionnaires have been found to be less accurate in this population. We also determined the diagnostic accuracy of translated versions of the ECQ in 1^stgeneration South Asian UK migrants, as this has not been investigated before.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Subjects were recruited from the Ethnic-Echocardiographic Heart of England Screening (E-ECHOES) study, a community based screening survey for heart failure in minority ethnic groups. Translated versions of the ECQ were prepared following a recognised protocol. All participants attending screening between October 2007 and February 2009 were asked to complete the ECQ in the language of their choice (English, Punjabi, Bengali, Urdu, Hindi or Gujarati). Subjects answering positively to experiencing leg pain or discomfort on walking were asked to return to have Ankle Brachial Pressure Index (ABPI) measured.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>154 out of 2831 subjects participating in E-ECHOES (5.4%) were eligible to participate in this sub-study, for which 74.3% returned for ABPI assessment. Non-responders were younger than participants (59[9] vs. 65[11] years; p = 0.015). Punjabi, English and Bengali questionnaires identified participants with Intermittent Claudication, so these questionnaires were assessed. The sensitivities (SN), specificities (SP), positive (PPV) and negative (NPV) predictive values were calculated. English: SN: 50%; SP: 68%; PPV: 43%; NPV: 74%. Punjabi: SN: 50%; SP: 87%; PPV: 43%; NPV: 90%. Bengali: SN: 33%; SP: 50%; PPV: 13%; NPV: 73%. There were significant differences in diagnostic accuracy between the 3 versions (Punjabi: 83.8%; Bengali: 45%; English: 62.2%; p < 0.0001). No significant differences were found in sensitivity and specificity between illiterate and literate participants in any of the questionnaires and there was no significant different difference between those under and over 60 years of age.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our findings suggest that the ECQ is not as sensitive or specific a diagnostic tool in 1^stgeneration Black African-Caribbean and South Asian UK migrants than in the Edinburgh Artery Study, reflecting the findings of other diagnostic questionnaires in these minority ethnic groups. However this study is limited by sample size so conclusions should be interpreted with caution.</p

Efficacy of brief behavioral counselling by allied health professionals to promote physical activity in people with peripheral arterial disease (BIPP): study protocol for a multi-center randomized controlled trial

Background: Physical activity is recommended for people with peripheral arterial disease (PAD), and can improve walking capacity and quality of life; and reduce pain, requirement for surgery and cardiovascular events. This trial will assess the efficacy of a brief behavioral counselling intervention delivered by allied health professionals to improve physical activity in people with PAD. Methods: This is a multi-center randomised controlled trial in four cities across Australia. Participants (N = 200) will be recruited from specialist vascular clinics, general practitioners and research databases and randomised to either the control or intervention group. Both groups will receive usual medical care, a written PAD management information sheet including advice to walk, and four individualised contacts from a protocol-trained allied health professional over 3 months (weeks 1, 2, 6, 12). The control group will receive four 15-min telephone calls with general discussion about PAD symptoms and health and wellbeing. The intervention group will receive behavioral counselling via two 1-h face-to-face sessions and two 15-min telephone calls. The counselling is based on the 5A framework and will promote interval walking for 3 × 40 min/week. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, and 4, 12 and 24 months by staff blinded to participant allocation.Objectively assessed outcomes include physical activity (primary), sedentary behavior, lower limb body function, walking capacity, cardiorespiratory fitness, event-based claudication index, vascular interventions, clinical events, cardiovascular function, circulating markers, and anthropometric measures. Self-reported outcomes include physical activity and sedentary behavior, walking ability, pain severity, and health-related quality of life. Data will be analysed using an intention-to-treat approach. An economic evaluation will assess whether embedding the intervention into routine care would likely be value for money. A cost-effectiveness analysis will estimate change in cost per change in activity indicators due to the intervention, and a cost-utility analysis will assess change in cost per quality-adjusted life year. A full uncertainty analysis will be undertaken, including a value of information analysis, to evaluate the economic case for further research. Discussion: This trial will evaluate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of a brief behavioral counselling intervention for a common cardiovascular disease with significant burden. Trial registration: ACTRN 12614000592640 Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry. Registration Date 4 June 2014

Early invasive versus selectively invasive management for acute coronary syndromes.

Contains fulltext : 48732.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)BACKGROUND: Current guidelines recommend an early invasive strategy for patients who have acute coronary syndromes without ST-segment elevation and with an elevated cardiac troponin T level. However, randomized trials have not shown an overall reduction in mortality, and the reduction in the rate of myocardial infarction in previous trials has varied depending on the definition of myocardial infarction. METHODS: We randomly assigned 1200 patients with acute coronary syndrome without ST-segment elevation who had chest pain, an elevated cardiac troponin T level (> or =0.03 mug per liter), and either electrocardiographic evidence of ischemia at admission or a documented history of coronary disease to an early invasive strategy or to a more conservative (selectively invasive) strategy. Patients received aspirin daily, enoxaparin for 48 hours, and abciximab at the time of percutaneous coronary intervention. The use of clopidogrel and intensive lipid-lowering therapy was recommended. The primary end point was a composite of death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or rehospitalization for anginal symptoms within one year after randomization. RESULTS: The estimated cumulative rate of the primary end point was 22.7 percent in the group assigned to early invasive management and 21.2 percent in the group assigned to selectively invasive management (relative risk, 1.07; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.87 to 1.33; P=0.33). The mortality rate was the same in the two groups (2.5 percent). Myocardial infarction was significantly more frequent in the group assigned to early invasive management (15.0 percent vs. 10.0 percent, P=0.005), but rehospitalization was less frequent in that group (7.4 percent vs. 10.9 percent, P=0.04). CONCLUSIONS: We could not demonstrate that, given optimized medical therapy, an early invasive strategy was superior to a selectively invasive strategy in patients with acute coronary syndromes without ST-segment elevation and with an elevated cardiac troponin T level

Unravelling quality culture in higher education:a realist review

There is a growing belief that higher education institutions should nurture a 'quality culture' in which structural/managerial and cultural/psychological elements act in synergy to continuously improve education. Notwithstanding the positive connotation of the 'quality culture' concept, its exact configuration remains subject to debate. A realist review was conducted to identify inhibiting and promoting organisational context elements impacting quality culture, its working mechanisms and associated outcomes. Leadership and communication were identified as being of key importance in binding structural/managerial and cultural/psychological elements. Leaders are central 'drivers' of quality culture development through their ability to influence resource allocation, clarify roles and responsibilities, create partnerships and optimise people and process management. Adequate communication is considered a prerequisite to diffuse quality strategies and policies, evaluate results and identify staff values and beliefs. It is proposed that the working mechanisms of quality culture comprise increased staff commitment, shared ownership, empowerment and knowledge. Associated outcomes related to these mechanisms are positive effects on staff and student satisfaction, continuous improvement of the teaching-learning process and student and teacher learning and development. Institutions striving for the development of a quality culture should best operate from a contingency approach, i.e. make use of quality management intervention approaches which are tailored to the organisational context

Reinforcing pillars for quality culture development: a path analytic model

To this date, research on the interplay between organisational structure/managerial and organisational value/psychological elements which impact on educational quality is scarce and fragmented. As a consequence of a lack of knowledge in this area, institutions often address these elements in isolation, moving past integral approaches, which reinforce the organisations' quality culture. In order to examine interrelationships between context characteristics, work-related psychological attitudes of staff and enhancement practices, a path analysis was performed on data collected from academics with teaching coordination roles. The findings highlight the paramount importance of a 'human relation' value orientation; this orientation influences empowerment, commitment and communication satisfaction. Rational goal values and ownership are positively related to quality enhancement practices. It is advocated that institutional policies and strategies directed at educational quality enhancement should leave discretionary space for the availing of academics' expertise. Nurturing collaborative teaching/learning communities with explicit concern for morale, involvement and development, deserves further cultivation.</p

Ginkgo biloba for intermittent claudication

Background People with intermittent claudication (IC) suffer from pain in the muscles of the leg occurring during exercise which is relieved by a short period of rest. Symptomatic relief can be achieved by (supervised) exercise therapy and pharmacological treatments. Ginkgo biloba is a vasoactive agent and is used to treat IC. Objectives To assess the effect of Ginkgo biloba on walking distance in people with intermittent claudication. Search methods For this update the Cochrane Peripheral Vascular Diseases Group Trials Search Co-ordinator searched the Specialised Register (March 2013) and CENTRAL (2013, Issue 2). Selection criteria Randomised controlled trials of Ginkgo biloba extract, irrespective of dosage, versus placebo in people with IC. Data collection and analysis Two authors independently assessed trials for selection, assessed study quality and extracted data. We extracted number of patients, mean walking distances or times and standard deviations. To standardise walking distance or time, caloric expenditures were used to express the difference between the different treadmill protocols, which were calculated from the speed and incline of the treadmill. Main results Fourteen trials with a total of 739 participants were included. Eleven trials involving 477 participants compared Ginkgo biloba with placebo and assessed the absolute claudication distance (ACD). Following treatment with Ginkgo biloba at the end of the study the ACD increased with an overall effect size of 3.57 kilocalories (confidence interval (CI) -0.10 to 7.23, P = 0.06), compared with placebo. This translates to an increase of just 64.5 (CI -1.8 to 130.7) metres on a flat treadmill with an average speed of 3.2 km/h. Publication bias leading to missing data or "negative" trials is likely to have inflated the effect size. Authors' conclusions Overall, there is no evidence that Ginkgo biloba has a clinically significant benefit for patients with peripheral arterial disease