In Patients with Established RA, Positive Effects of a Randomised Three Month WBV Therapy Intervention on Functional Ability, Bone Mineral Density and Fatigue Are Sustained for up to Six Months

Functional ability is often impaired for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), rendering these patients highly sedentary. Additionally, patients with RA often take medication known to negatively affect bone mass. Thus improving functional ability and bone health in this group of patients is important. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of whole body vibration (WBV) therapy in patients with stable, established RA. Thirty one females with RA were randomly assigned to a control group (CON, n = 15) who continued with their normal activities or a WBV group (n = 16) who underwent a three month WBV therapy intervention, consisting of 15 minutes of intermittent vibration, performed twice per week. Patients were assessed at baseline, three months, and three months post intervention for functional ability using the modified Health Assessment Questionnaire; for RA disease activity using the Clinical Disease Activity Index, for quality of life using self-report fatigue and pain scores; for physical activity profiles using accelerometry, and for BMD and body composition using DXA. Patients in both groups were matched for all variables at baseline. After the intervention period, functional ability was significantly improved in the WBV group (1.22(0.19) to 0.92(0.19), p = 0.02). Hip BMD was significantly reduced in the CON group (0.97(0.05) to 0.84(0.05) g.cm-2, p = 0.01), while no decreases were seen in the WBV group (1.01(0.05) to 0.94(0.05) g.cm-2, p = 0.50). Despite no change in RA disease activity in either group at either follow up, fatigue levels were improved in the WBV group (4.4(0.63) to 1.1(0.65), yet remained unchanged in the CON group at both follow ups (p = 0.01). Ten minute bouts of light to moderate physical activity were significantly reduced in the CON group after the intervention (2.8(0.61) to 1.8(0.64) bouts per day, p = 0.01), and were preserved in the WBV group (3.1(0.59) to 3.0(0.61) bouts per day, p = 0.70). Intermittent WBV shows promise for sustained improvements in functional ability, for attenuating loss of bone mass at the hip, as well as for decreasing fatigue in patients with established RA. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Pan African Clinical Trials Registry PACTR201405000823418

Metabolic syndrome, psychological status and quality of life in obesity: the QUOVADIS Study

Objective: We aimed to investigate the association of the clinical variables of the metabolic syndrome (MS) and psychological parameters on health-related quality of life (HRQL) in obesity. In particular, our aim was to investigate the relative impact of physical symptoms, somatic diseases and psychological distress on both the physical and the mental domains of HRQL. Design: Cross-sectional study. Subjects: A cohort of 1822 obese outpatients seeking treatment in medical centers. Measurements: HRQL was measured by the standardized summary scores for physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) components of the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36). Patients were grouped according to tertiles of PCS and MCS. Metabolic and psychological profiles of PCS and MCS tertiles were compared by discriminant analysis. Results: The profile of metabolic and psychological variables was tertile-specific in 62.4 and 68.3% of patients in the lowest and highest tertiles of PCS, respectively, while concordance was low in the mid-tertile (32.8%). Concordance was very high in the lowest (74.4%) and in the highest (75.5%) tertiles of MCS, and was fair in the mid-tertile (53.2%). The main correlates of PCS were obesity-specific and general psychological well-being, BMI, body uneasiness, binge eating, gender and psychiatric distress. Only hypertension and hyperglycemia qualified as correlates among the components of MS. The components of MS did not define MCS. Conclusions: Psychological well-being is the most important correlate of HRQL in obesity, both in the physical and in the mental domains, whereas the features of MS correlate only to some extent with the physical domain of HRQL

Efficacy of WBV as a modality for inducing changes in body composition, aerobic fitness, and muscular strength: a pilot study

Lauren R Tapp,1,3 Joseph F Signorile1,2,41Departments of Kinesiology and Sport Sciences, Coral Gables, 2Center on Aging, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, 3Department of Kinesiology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 4Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Bruce W Carter Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Miami, FL, USAAbstract: The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the effectiveness of whole body vibration (WBV) training as a modality for inducing changes in body composition, cardiovascular condition, and muscular strength in sedentary postmenopausal women. WBV training was compared with other training regimens, ie, aerobic training and circuit resistance training, commonly used to promote weight loss, cardiovascular conditioning, and muscular strength. Postmenopausal women (aged 48–60 years) were randomly assigned to WBV training, circuit resistance training, or aerobic training. Participants trained three times per week for 8 weeks. The training regimens were progressive in nature, with increases in training intensity and duration occurring throughout the 8-week period. Body composition was assessed using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry analyses. A modified Bruce treadmill protocol was used to assess aerobic capacity (VO2peak) and time to peak exhaustion. Upper and lower body strengths were determined by one repetition maximum (1-RM) chest and leg presses, respectively. Variables were analyzed using separate 3 (exercise mode) × 2 (time) repeated-measures analysis of variance with effect sizes due to the small sample size. No significant main effects or interactions were seen for any body composition variable; however, moderate to large effect sizes (η2=0.243 and η2=0.257) were detected regarding interactions for percent body fat and lean body mass favoring aerobic training and circuit resistance training. For VO2peak, no significant main effects or interactions were detected (time, η2=0.150; P=0.11; time × group, η2=0.139; P=0.30); but a significant time effect was observed for time to peak exhaustion (η2=0.307; P=0.017). A significant interaction for upper body strength (η2=0.464; P=0.007), and main effect for time in lower body strength (η2=0.663; P=0.0001) was detected. Post hoc analysis indicated a significant increase in upper body strength for circuit resistance training (P=0.023) and a decrease for WBV training (P=0.015). Our results indicate that WBV may not be an effective alternative to traditional training with regard to body composition or aerobic capacity, but could have a positive impact on lower body strength.Keywords: acceleration training, percent body fat, lean body mass, exercise, maximum oxygen consumptio

Whole-body vibration training in middle-aged females: improving muscle flexibility and the power of lower limbs

Purpose: Physical inactivity in conjunction with biological aging may lead to a decline in flexibility and neuromuscular function, contributing to physical frailty and an increased risk of injuries. Although, whole-body vibration has gained popularity as an alternative mode of exercise for improving physical fitness, only few studies examined the effects of WBV training on fitness parameters in middle-aged individuals and the outcomes are not clear. This study investigated the effects of a 2-month whole-body vibration training (WBVT) program using a side-to-side vibration mode on flexibility, on power of lower limbs and on isokinetic peak torque of middle-aged women. Methods: Twenty-four middle-aged untrained females (43.96 ± 3.28 years) were assigned to a vibration (WBVG) or a control group (CG). The WBVT program consisted of twenty-four sessions on a side-to-side vibration platform (frequency 20–25 Hz, amplitude 6 mm, duration 6–8 min). Flexibility, vertical jumping performance (VJ), and isokinetic peak torque of knee extensors (KE) and flexors (KF) were measured prior to and 2 days following the completion of WBVT. Results: Post-training values of flexibility and VJ were significantly higher vs. pre-training values in WBVG (p < 0.001–p < 0.01); they remained unchanged in CG. Post-training flexibility and VJ values were significantly greater in WBVG vs. CG (p < 0.001–p < 0.05). The WBVT program had no effect on isokinetic peak torque of KE and KF. Conclusions: An 8-week WBVT program improved flexibility and VJ in middle-aged untrained females and should be used by health and fitness professionals for counteracting the detrimental effects of sedentary lifestyle on flexibility and power of lower limbs. © 2015 Springer-Verlag Itali

Diversity and distribution of the bioactive actinobacterial genus Salinispora from sponges along the Great Barrier Reef

Isolates from the marine actinobacterial genus Salinispora were cultured from marine sponges collected from along the length of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), Queensland, Australia. Strains of two species of Salinispora, Salinispora arenicola and "Salinispora pacifica", were isolated from GBR sponges Dercitus xanthus, Cinachyrella australiensis and Hyattella intestinalis. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences of representative strains, selected via BOX-PCR screening, identified previously unreported phylotypes of the species "S.\ua0pacifica". The classification of these microdiverse 16S rRNA groups was further confirmed by analysis of the ribonuclease P RNA (RNase P RNA) gene through both phylogenetic and secondary structure analysis. The use of RNase P RNA sequences combined with 16S rRNA sequences allowed distinction of six new intraspecies phylotypes of "S. pacifica" within the geographical area of the GBR alone. One of these new phylotypes possessed a localised regional distribution within the GBR