Test-retest reliability and validity of the timed up and go test and 30-second sit to stand test in patients with pulmonary hypertension

Background: Timed up and go (TUG) and sit to stand (STS) tests that required less space and easier to be performed in respiratory and cardiac diseases for assessing functionality. Aim was to test the reliability of TUG and 30-second STS (30STS) tests and determine the validity of TUG and 30STS tests in patients with Pulmonary Hypertension (PH). Methods: Thirty-eight patients with diagnosed PH were included. We collected TUG, 30STS, quadriceps muscle strength, physical activity level, and 6MWT. Intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to determine test-retest reliability and correlations with quadriceps muscle strength, physical activity level and 6MWT for validity of the TUG and 30STS tests. Results: The TUG and 30STS tests were associated with age, functional class, muscle strength, physical activity and functional exercise capacity in patients with PAH (p < 0.05). 6MWT was associated with age, functional class, muscle strength, physical activity and functional exercise capacity (p < 0.05). ICC (95%) for TUG test and 30STS were 0.96 (0.93-0.98) and 0.95 (0.90-0.97), respectively. Conclusions: The TUG and 30STS tests were reliable and valid tests for measuring physical performance in PH. This study supports using the TUG and 30STS tests as practical assessment tools in patients with PH. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia for Heart Turkish Version Study: cross-cultural adaptation, exploratory factor analysis, and reliability

PURPOSE: Individuals with cardiac problems avoid physical activity and exercise because they expect to feel shortness of breath, dizziness, or chest pain. Assessing kinesiophobia related to heart problems is important in terms of cardiac rehabilitation. The Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia Swedish Version for the Heart (TSK-SV Heart) is reliable and has been validated for cardiac diseases in the Swedish population. The aim of this study was to investigate the reliability, parallel-form validity, and exploratory factor analysis of the TSK for the Heart Turkish Version (TSK Heart Turkish Version) for evaluating kinesiophobia in patients with heart failure and pulmonary arterial hypertension. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved translation, back translation, and cross-cultural adaptation (localization). Forty-three pulmonary arterial hypertension and 32 heart failure patients were evaluated using the TSK Heart Turkish Version. The 17-item scale, originally composed for the Swedish population, has four factors: perceived danger for heart problem, avoidance of exercise, fear of injury, and dysfunctional self. Cronbach’s alpha (internal consistency) and exploratory factor analysis were used to assess the questionnaire’s reliability. Results of the patients in the 6-minute walk test, International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and Nottingham Health Profile were analyzed by Pearson’s correlation analysis with the TSK Heart Turkish Version to indicate the convergent validity. RESULTS: Cronbach’s alpha for the TSK Heart Turkish Version was 0.75, indicating acceptable internal consistency. Although exploratory factor analysis showed a different subgroup distribution than the original questionnaire, the model was acceptable for the four-factor model hypothesis. Therefore, the questionnaire was rated as reliable. CONCLUSION: These results supported the reliability of the TSK Heart Turkish Version. Since the acceptable four-factor model fits the subgroups and measures of reliability are sufficiently high, the questionnaire seems reliable for pulmonary arterial hypertension and heart failure patients

Balance performance in patients with heart failure

Background: It has been suggested that patients with heart failure (HF) have an increased fall rate. Although balance is one of the most important risk factors for fall, there is not sufficient information about balance in HF. Objective: To compare static, dynamic and functional balance between patients with HF and healthy controls. Methods: Twenty-seven patients with HF and 22 healthy controls were recruited in this study. The Unilateral Stance (US) and Limits of Stability (LOS) tests were used to measure static and dynamic balance, respectively. Functional balance was assessed with Berg Balance Scale. Results: There was no significant difference in age, gender and body mass index between the groups (p > 0.05). There was a significant difference in US with open eyes between the groups (p < 0.05). Reaction time (backward and left), endpoint excursion (backward), maximum excursion (forward and backward) and directional control (forward and right) variables of LOS were significantly different between the groups (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Patients with HF have impaired static, dynamic and functional balance. Considering the balance impairment, a comprehensive balance assessment performed and balance training should be included in the management of HF as a part of the cardiac rehabilitation program. © 2020 Elsevier Inc

Factors associated with citation rates of the articles: Sample of the Turkish journal of physiotherapy and rehabilitation Makalelerin atıf sayılarıyla ilişkili etkenler: Türk Fizyoterapi ve rehabilitasyon dergisi örneği

© 2018 University and Research Librarians Association (UNAK). All rights reserved.In this study, the citation rates and related factors of the articles were examined as a sample of Turkish Journal of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation. The sample of the study consists of 148 articles published between 2006 and 2013. The following data were collected in relation to the publications: Turkish and English title, number of characters in Turkish and English titles, presence of punctuation marks in the title, year of publication, number of authors, first and responsible author's institution information, number of institutions, publication language, country, article type, study design, and sample size. It was determined that 66.9% of the studies were written in Turkish and most of them had a cross-sectional study design (58.1%). Twenty-seven percent of the articles were found to have no citation. The median number of citations was found as 2. Articles with shorter Turkish and English titles and a larger sample size were found to be more cited. It was found that articles written in English have a significantly higher number of citations than Turkish articles. It was found that the presence of a punctuation mark in the title, the first and responsible author's institution, county, and study design was not related to the citation rate. It is hoped that the findings obtained from this study will guide the authors at the stage of writing and the editors and reviewers at the stage of selection and evaluation of the articles

A Narrative Review of Respiratory Impairment, Assessment, and Rehabilitation in Multiple Sclerosis

Background: Respiratory impairment is a problem seen in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) from the early stages of the disease but not frequently recognized by clinicians until the later stages. It is seen in different ways, such as respiratory muscle weakness, change in pulmonary volumes, and decrease in cough efficiency. This situation has consequences affecting individuals' physical fitness, participation in daily life, and quality of life. Summary: This review explains possible respiratory impairment mechanisms, related problems, assessment, and rehabilitation approaches in pwMS. Key Messages: It is recommended a comprehensive assessment of respiratory functions in pwMS regardless of the disease severity and stage. In addition, pulmonary rehabilitation and other exercises can have positive effects on the respiratory functions of pwMS. In future studies, specific training parameters should be determined for pwMS to achieve optimal benefits. There is also a need for studies that apply respiratory muscle training in pwMS who have a high disease severity and limited participation in the activities of daily living