Are thirty minutes of rest between two 6-Minute Walk Tests enough for cardiovascular and symptomatic recovery for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease?

Dos test de caminata de 6 minutos (TC6min) son necesarios para que se evalúe la capacidad funcional de ejercicio en pacientes con enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica (EPOC). Aunque la American Thoracic Society (ATS) sugiere 1 hora de intervalo entre dos test, todavía se desconoce si puede utilizarse un periodo menor para normalización de las variables fisiológicas. En este estudio se comprobó que es suficiente el intervalo de 30 minutos de descanso entre dos TC6min para que las variables cardiovasculares y de síntomas vuelvan a sus valores de referencia. El estudio se llevó a cabo con 215 pacientes con EPOC (121H, 66±8 años; VEF1: 44[32-57]% previsto), que hicieron dos TC6min con intervalos de 30 minutos. Antes y después de los test se midieron la presión arterial (PA), la frecuencia cardíaca (FC), la saturación de oxígeno (SpO2) y el grado de disnea y de cansancio. Los pacientes caminaron una distancia más grande en el segundo test (TC6min1: 450 [390-500]m vs TC6min2: 470 [403-515]m; p;0,05 para todos. Aunque tenga diferencia estadística significante en la FC inicial entre el primer y el segundo test, el resultado no es clínicamente relevante, por lo tanto, los 30 minutos de descanso entre dos TC6min son suficientes para la recuperación cardiovascular y de síntomas en pacientes con EPOC.Two 6-Minute Walk Tests (6MWT) are required to evaluate functional capacity of exercise in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Despite the fact that the American Thoracic Society (ATS) has proposed a one-hour interval between two tests, it is unknown whether a shorter period could be used for the normalization of physiological variables. We aimed to verify that an interval of 30 minutes of rest between two 6MWT is sufficient for cardiovascular and symptomatic variables to return to their basal levels. Two hundred and fifteen patients with COPD (121H, 66±8 years; FEV1: 44 [32-57]% predicted) performed two 6MWT with a thirty-minute interval between them. Before and after the tests, we measured Blood Pressure (BP), Heart Rate (HR), peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2), degree of dyspnea, and fatigue. Patients walked the longest distance in the second test (6MWT1: 450 [390-500]m vs 6MWT2: 470 [403-515]m; p;0.05 for all). Although there are statistically significant differences in initial HR between the first and second test, this finding does not seem to be clinically relevant. Therefore, thirty minutes of rest between two 6MWT are sufficient for cardiovascular and symptomatic recovery in patients with COPD.Dois testes da caminhada de 6 minutos (TC6min) são necessários para avaliação da capacidade funcional de exercício em pacientes com doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica (DPOC). Apesar de a American Thoracic Society (ATS) preconizar um intervalo de 1 hora entre dois testes, não se sabe se um período menor poderia ser utilizado para normalização das variáveis fisiológicas. O objetivo foi verificar se o intervalo de 30 minutos de repouso entre dois TC6min seria suficiente para que as variáveis cardiovasculares e sintomatológicas retornassem aos valores basais. Duzentos e quinze pacientes com DPOC (121H, 66±8 anos; VEF1: 44[32-57]% previsto) realizaram dois TC6min com intervalo de 30 minutos entre eles. Foram mensuradas antes e após os testes, pressão arterial (PA), frequência cardíaca (FC), saturação periférica de oxigênio (SpO2) e grau de dispneia e fadiga. Os pacientes caminharam maior distância no segundo teste (TC6min1: 450 [390-500]m vs TC6min2: 470 [403-515]m; p;0,05 para todos). Embora haja diferença estatisticamente significante na FC inicial entre o primeiro e segundo teste, tal achado não parece ser clinicamente relevante. Portanto, trinta minutos de repouso entre dois TC6min são suficientes para recuperação sintomatológica e cardiovascular em pacientes com DPOC

Design and baseline characteristics of the finerenone in reducing cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in diabetic kidney disease trial

Background: Among people with diabetes, those with kidney disease have exceptionally high rates of cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality and progression of their underlying kidney disease. Finerenone is a novel, nonsteroidal, selective mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist that has shown to reduce albuminuria in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) while revealing only a low risk of hyperkalemia. However, the effect of finerenone on CV and renal outcomes has not yet been investigated in long-term trials. Patients and Methods: The Finerenone in Reducing CV Mortality and Morbidity in Diabetic Kidney Disease (FIGARO-DKD) trial aims to assess the efficacy and safety of finerenone compared to placebo at reducing clinically important CV and renal outcomes in T2D patients with CKD. FIGARO-DKD is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, event-driven trial running in 47 countries with an expected duration of approximately 6 years. FIGARO-DKD randomized 7,437 patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate >= 25 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and albuminuria (urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio >= 30 to <= 5,000 mg/g). The study has at least 90% power to detect a 20% reduction in the risk of the primary outcome (overall two-sided significance level alpha = 0.05), the composite of time to first occurrence of CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalization for heart failure. Conclusions: FIGARO-DKD will determine whether an optimally treated cohort of T2D patients with CKD at high risk of CV and renal events will experience cardiorenal benefits with the addition of finerenone to their treatment regimen. Trial Registration: EudraCT number: 2015-000950-39; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02545049

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Can the six-minute walk distance predict the occurrence of acute exacerbations of COPD in patients in Brazil?

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate whether a six-minute walk distance (6MWD) of 80% of predicted. The occurrence of acute exacerbations of COPD over 2 years was identified by analyzing medical records and contacting patients by telephone. Results: In the sample as a whole, there was moderate-to-severe airflow obstruction (mean FEV1 = 41 ± 12% of predicted) and the mean 6MWD was 469 ± 60 m (86 ± 10% of predicted). Over the 2-year follow-up period, 25 patients (50%) experienced acute exacerbations of COPD. The Kaplan-Meier method showed that the patients in whom the 6MWD was ≤ 80% of predicted were more likely to have exacerbations than were those in whom the 6MWD was > 80% of predicted (p = 0.01), whereas the Cox regression model showed that the former were 2.6 times as likely to have an exacerbation over a 2-year period as were the latter (p = 0.02). Conclusions: In Brazil, the 6MWD can predict acute exacerbations of COPD over a 2-year period. The risk of experiencing an acute exacerbation of COPD within 2 years is more than twice as high in patients in whom the 6MWD is ≤ 80% of predicted

Perfil dos pacientes com DPOC que melhoram a capacidade de exercício após treinamento

Introduction: Factors associated with improvement in the incremental shuttle walking test (ISWT), in COPD patients, are not clear. Objective: To identify the profile of patients with better performance in the ISWT after physical training. Methods: Forty-two patients with COPD were separated into two groups: im-provement (IG) in the ISWT (≥20 meters), and no improvement (NIG). Spirometry, ISWT, six-minute walk test (6MWT), sensations of dyspnea, anthropometric data and disease severity were evaluated. Results: After training, there was an improvement in the ISWT (P = 0.03). Patients from the IG showed poorer per-formance in the ISWT (P <0.0001) and greater sensation of dyspnea (P = 0.04) before training. Participants in the IG and NIG did not show any differences in anthropometric data and disease severity. Conclusions: Patients with more symptoms and poorer performance on the initial ISWT seem to be the ones who improve more after physical training