Effects of Exercise in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) constitutes a public health problem, with various systemic consequences that can increase cardiovascular morbidity and mortality as well as increase healthcare expenditure. This review discusses the rationale and effects of using general physical exercise, oropharyngeal exercises, and respiratory muscle training as an adjunctive treatment for patients with sleep apnoea. The recommended treatment for OSA is the use of continuous positive airway pressure, which is a therapy that prevents apnoea events by keeping the airways open. In the last decade, coadjuvant treatments that aim to support weight loss (including diet and physical exercise) and oropharyngeal exercises have been proposed to lower the apnoea/hypopnoea index among patients with OSA. Based on the available evidence, health professionals could decide to incorporate these therapeutic strategies to manage patients with sleep apnoea

Physical activity assessments in children with congenital heart disease: A systematic review

Aim To describe the physical activity (PA) of children with congenital heart disease (CHD) according to different assessment methods and compare their results with the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. Methods A systematic review was conducted using five databases. We included cross-sectional, longitudinal, observational studies and clinical trials in a paediatric population with CHD. In publications with indirect measurement, the score in each dimension was considered. Similarly, moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) was considered as the main outcome in articles with direct measurement. Results A total of 1103 articles were found, and 16 primary articles were considered. Eight articles evaluated PA with indirect methods, six with direct methods and two used both methods, representing 1649 subjects evaluated. It was found that 46% of children with CHD do not exceed WHO recommendations for MVPA, with no differences depending on the severity of CHD. Conclusion There are a variety of ways to measure PA in children with CHD. In the articles that objectively evaluated PA, the most measured outcome was the MVPA, which shows that the MVPA time was shorter in about half of the children with CHD than what is recommended by WHO