70 research outputs found
Integral strategy to supportive care in breast cancer survivors through occupational therapy and a m-health system: design of a randomized clinical trial
Background: Technological support using e-health mobile applications (m-health) is a promising strategy to improve
the adherence to healthy lifestyles in breast cancer survivors (excess in energy intake or low physical activity are
determinants of the risk of recurrence, second cancers and cancer mortality). Moreover, cancer rehabilitation
programs supervised by health professionals are needed due to the inherent characteristics of these breast cancer
patients. Our main objective is to compare the clinical efficacy of a m-health lifestyle intervention system alone versus
an integral strategy to improve Quality of Life in breast cancer survivors.
Methods: This therapeutic superiority study will use a two-arm, assessor blinded parallel RCT design. Women will be
eligible if: they are diagnosed of stage I, II or III-A breast cancer; are between 25 and 75 years old; have a Body Mass
Index > 25 kg/m2; they have basic ability to use mobile apps; they had completed adjuvant therapy except for
hormone therapy; and they have some functional shoulder limitations. Participants will be randomized to one of
the following groups: integral group will use a mobile application (BENECA APP) and will receive a face-to-face
rehabilitation (8-weeks); m-health group will use the BENECA app for 2-months and will received usual care
information. Study endpoints will be assessed after 8 weeks and 6 months. The primary outcome will be Quality
of Life measured by The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core
and breast module. The secondary outcomes: body composition; upper-body functionality (handgrip, Disability of the
Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire, goniometry); cognitive function (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Trail Making
Test); anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale); physical fitness (Short version of the Minnesota
Leisure Time Physical Activity Questionnaire, Self-Efficacy Scale for Physical Activity); accelerometry and lymphedema.
Discussion: This study has been designed to seek to address the new needs for support and treatment of breast cancer
survivors, reflecting the emerging need to merge new low cost treatment options with much-needed involvement of
health professionals in this type of patients.
Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02817724 (date of registration: 22/06/2016).The study was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness
(Plan Estatal de I + D + I 2013-2016), Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria del Instituto
de Salud Carlos III (PI14/01627), Fondos Estructurales de la Unión Europea (FEDER)
and by the Spanish Ministry of Education (FPU14/01069). This is part of a Ph.D.
Thesis conducted in the Clinical Medicine and Public Health Doctoral Studies of
the University of Granada, Spain
Functional tissue engineering of ligament healing
Ligaments and tendons are dense connective tissues that are important in transmitting forces and facilitate joint articulation in the musculoskeletal system. Their injury frequency is high especially for those that are functional important, like the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL) of the knee as well as the glenohumeral ligaments and the rotator cuff tendons of the shoulder. Because the healing responses are different in these ligaments and tendons after injury, the consequences and treatments are tissue- and site-specific. In this review, we will elaborate on the injuries of the knee ligaments as well as using functional tissue engineering (FTE) approaches to improve their healing. Specifically, the ACL of knee has limited capability to heal, and results of non-surgical management of its midsubstance rupture have been poor. Consequently, surgical reconstruction of the ACL is regularly performed to gain knee stability. However, the long-term results are not satisfactory besides the numerous complications accompanied with the surgeries. With the rapid development of FTE, there is a renewed interest in revisiting ACL healing. Approaches such as using growth factors, stem cells and scaffolds have been widely investigated. In this article, the biology of normal and healing ligaments is first reviewed, followed by a discussion on the issues related to the treatment of ACL injuries. Afterwards, current promising FTE methods are presented for the treatment of ligament injuries, including the use of growth factors, gene delivery, and cell therapy with a particular emphasis on the use of ECM bioscaffolds. The challenging areas are listed in the future direction that suggests where collection of energy could be placed in order to restore the injured ligaments and tendons structurally and functionally
Europe’s journal on infectious disease epidemiology, prevention and control
Rapid communications The United Kingdom public health response to an imported laboratory confirmed case of a novel coronavirus in September 2012
- …