Association of Oscillatory Ventilation during Cardiopulmonary Test to Clinical and Functional Variables of Chronic Heart Failure Patients

Objective: The aim of this study is to characterize the presence of exercise oscillatory ventilation (EOV) and to relate it with other cardiopulmonary exercise test (CET) responses and clinical variables. Methods: Forty-six male patients (age: 53.1 +/- 13.6 years oldleft ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF]: 30 +/- 8%) with heart failure were recruited to perform a maximal CET and to correlate the CET responses with clinical variables. The EOV was obtained according to Leite et al. criteria and VE/VCO2 > 34 and peak VO2 34 and peak VO2 34 to patients who just had one of these responses either. Conclusion: The present study showed that there was an incidence of patients with EOV and lower peak VO2 and higher VE/VCO2 slope values, but they showed no difference on other prognostic variables. As well, there was no influence of the presence of EOV on other parameters of CET in this population, suggesting that this variable may be an independent marker of worst prognosis in HF patients.Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq)Fundacao Carlos Chagas Filho de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (FAPERJ)Univ Fed Rio de Janeiro, Fac Med, Res Grp Cardioresp Rehabil GECARE, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, BrazilUniv Fed Rio de Janeiro, Fac Med, Dept Phys Therapy, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, EPM, Dept Med, Resp Div,Pulm Funct & Clin Exercise Physiol Unit, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Physiotherapy, Resp Div, Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Carlos UFSCAR, Dept Phys Therapy, Lab Cardiopulm Phys Therapy LACAP, Sao Carlos, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, EPM, Dept Med, Resp Div,Pulm Funct & Clin Exercise Physiol Unit, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Physiotherapy, Resp Div, Sao Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Physical therapy improved hand function in a patient with traumatic peripheral lesion : a case study.

Problem statement: Nerves are frequently injured by traumatic lesions, such as crushing, compression (entrapment), stretching, partial and total extraction, resulting in damages to the transmission of nerve impulses and to the reduction or loss of sensitivity, to the motility and to the reflexes of the innervated area. The objective of this study was to evaluate the results of a rehabilitation program that lasted three months in the process of traumatic injury recovery of the median and ulnar nerves in a 52 year-old patient. Approach: The patient underwent an evaluation of the muscle strength and the functional capacity before and after three months of rehabilitation treatment, consisting of movements and specific techniques of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF), which lasted approximately 50-60 min per session and with a frequency of three weekly visits. She also performed stretching, neural mobilization maneuvers, ultrasound and laser. Results: The physical therapy approach proposed, in the present case, minimized the injury impact and facilitated the gradual return of patients to basic and instrumental activities of daily living. It was possible to observe improvement on the functional abilities and the muscle strength after the end of the protocol. Conclusion: The morphological and functional recovery after a nerve injury is rarely complete and perfect, as it was in this case. However, a proper clinical management, combined with a rehabilitation protocol can minimize the deficiencies and facilitate the return of patients to their daily activities