The Influence of Kinesio Taping on the Effects of Physiotherapy in Patients after Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

Physiotherapy in patients after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (CHL) is impeded by postoperative pain which causes a decline in patients' activity, reduces respiratory muscles' function, and affects patients' ability to look after themselves. The objective of this work was to assess the influence of Kinesio Taping (KT) on pain level and the increase in effort tolerance in patients after CHL. The research included 63 patients after CHL. Test group and control group included randomly selected volunteers. Control group consisted of 32 patients (26 females, 6 males), test group consisted of 31 patients (22 females, 9 males). Both groups were subjected to complex physiotherapy, and control group had additional KT applications. Before surgery, during and after physiotherapy, patients were given the following tests: 100-meter walk tests, subjective pain perception assessment, and pain relief medicines intake level assessment. The level of statistical significance for all tests was established at P < 0.05. Statistical analysis showed a significant decrease in the time required to cover a 100-meter distance and a decrease in pain perception presented by significantly lower painkillers' intake in the test group in comparison with the control group. The improvement in clinical condition observed in the research indicates the efficiency of KT as a method complementing physiotherapy in patients after laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Exercise Training in Patients With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer During In-Hospital Chemotherapy Treatment: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL.

PurposeThe aim of this study was to perform a randomized trial to assess the impact of exercise training in patients with non-small cell lung cancer during chemotherapy on several outcomes in comparison to a control group (CG).MethodsThe exercise training group (ETG) consisted of 20 patients and the CG consisted of 10 patients. In the ETG, a 4-wk in-hospital exercise training program was performed in 2-wk cycles interspersed with consecutive rounds of chemotherapy with cytostatic drugs. The exercise training program was individualized and included warm-up, respiratory muscle exercise, training on a cycle ergometer or treadmill, and Nordic walking. CG participants were assessed before and after 6 wk of chemotherapy alone.ResultsComparing pre- and post-intervention values, the ETG demonstrated an increase in 6-min walk distance (486 ± 92 vs 531 ± 103 m, P = .01). In a battery of physical performance tests: Up and Go Test (6.3 ± 1.0 vs 6.0 ± 1.1 sec, P = .01); chair stand (13.3 ± 2.8 vs 14.3 ± 3.4 repetitions, P = .001); and arm curl (18.4 ± 3.1 vs 20.4 ± 3.5 repetitions, P = .001) all improved significantly. Spirometry values also improved: FEV1 % predicted (76 ± 16 vs 84 ± 15, P = .01), FVC % predicted (87 ± 14 vs 95 ± 13, P = .01), and FEV1/FVC (73 ± 13% vs 76 ± 12%, P = .04). The exercise training was well tolerated, without any adverse events due to exercise. There were no significant improvements in the CG.ConclusionsThis study suggests that planned, individualized, and supervised exercise programs in patients with advanced lung cancer during chemotherapy are a practical and beneficial intervention for enhancing mobility and physical fitness

Assessment of the effects of dysphagia therapy in patients in the early post-stroke period: a randomised controlled trial

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dysphagia therapy in patients in the early post-stroke period.Clinical rationale: Dysphagia can be one of the consequences of stroke. This problem often leads to complications in the early stages of stroke, including aspiration pneumonia. Although individual reports on dysphagia exist in the literature, no comprehensive guidelines for dysphagia therapy are available.Material and methods: This randomised controlled trial included 60 patients with swallowing difficulties after ischaemic stroke (30 each in the study and control groups; age range: 55–65 years) who were admitted to a hospital stroke subunit. Patient rehabilitation period covered 15 days (seven days a week), with therapy for the first 10 days provided during patient hospitalisation and then outpatient physiotherapy during the subsequent five days. The procedure, including providing education about safe food and liquid consumption to patients and their caregivers, was performed in both patient groups. An original dysphagia treatment method was employed in the study group. Statistical average, standard deviation, and statistical error before and after therapy were determined in the study and control groups. The significance of differences in results between the study and control groups was assessed using the Mann–Whitney U test.Results: The applied therapy for dysphagia improved the swallowing function and selected motor functions of patients after stroke. In the study group, ineffective (delayed) and absent swallowing reflex was observed in 13 patients (44%) before therapy and in one patient (3%) after therapy. The rate of effective swallowing reflex increased from 57% to 97%. Statistically significant differences in swallowing reflex were observed between the study and control groups after therapy (p = 0.00001).Conclusions: A comprehensive therapy for dysphagia is effective and can reduce serious complications of swallowing disorders in clinical practice.Clinical implications: The results of this study could improve the clinical treatment of dysphagia

Impact of whole body vibration on balance improvement in elderly women

Whole body vibration is a novel modality that has been proposed as a potentially useful adjunct to exercise to improve various aspects of musculoskeletal function. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of adding whole body vibration to a conventional exercise program to improve balance in elderly independently living women. A total of 40 elderly women, randomly divided into two equal groups (exercise and vibration versus exercise only) participated in an 8-week physiotherapy program for falls prevention. Participants in both groups performed the same exercise program twice per week. The participants in the vibration group also performed exercises on a vertical vibration platform set at a 27 Hz frequency and 3 mm amplitude. Standard tests to assess balance were performed before and after the intervention to monitor changes. Performance on all balance tests was significantly improved for both groups after the intervention (P < 0.05), however there were no significant differences in improvement between groups

Is DNA methylation modulated by wounding-induced oxidative burst in maize?

Plants respond to environmental changes by modifying gene expression. One of the mechanisms regulating gene expression is methylation of cytosine to 5-methylcytosine (m5C) which modulates gene expression by changing chromatin structure. Methylation/demethylation processes affect genes that are controlled upon environmental stresses. Here, on account of the regulatory role of m5C, we evaluate the content of m5C in DNA from normal and wound-damaged maize leaves. Wounding leads to a transient decrease of the global DNA methylation level ca 20-30% 1 hour after the treatment followed by a return to the initial level within the next hours. Similar results were obtained using of radio-labelled nucleotides separated by Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) or using m5C-specific Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Wounding induced in maize leaves a two-step oxidative stress, an early one just after wounding and the second two hours later. It coincides with the transient changes of the cytosine methylation level. In the stress-inducible maize calcium-dependent protein kinase ZmCPK11 gene wounding transiently reduced methylation of cytosines 100 and 126 in the first exon

The role of MMP-12 gene polymorphism - 82 A-to-G (rs2276109) in immunopathology of COPD in polish patients : a case control study

Table 1S. Logistic regression analysis of association between -82 A-to-G SNP of MMP12 gene (rs2276109) and COPD – the multiple inheritance models. Description of data: This table contains the logistic regression results of modeled association between SNP rs2276109 of MMP12 gene and COPD. (DOCX 16 kb

The influence of physiotherapy on the concentration of interleukin-8 in patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Wstęp: Interleukina-8, chemokina produkowana przez makrofagi i komórki nabłonka, silny chemoatraktant dla neutrofili, odgrywa zasadniczą rolę w aktywacji neutrofilów i eozynofilów w drogach oddechowych u chorych na POChP i może służyć jako marker nasilenia reakcji zapalnej. Zapalenie to w przypadku pacjentów z POChP może charakteryzować się zwiększoną liczbą neutrofilów w plwocinie, a także podwyższonym stężeniem interleukiny-8. Celem niniejszej pracy było określenie wpływu fizjoterapii na stężenie interleukiny-8 w indukowanej plwocinie u chorych na POChP. Materiał i metody: Badaniami objęto 44 chorych (21 mężczyzn, 23 kobiety, średnia wieku 56,47 &#177; 9,52) leczonych w SP ZOZ Szpitalu Specjalistycznym MSWiA w Głuchołazach, usprawnianych w Dziale Usprawniania Leczniczego, z rozpoznaną POChP (wskaźnik FEV1%VC < 65%), z niezmieniającym się leczeniem farmakologicznym w trakcie fizjoterapii. U wszystkich chorych przed fizjoterapią przeprowadzono test wydolnościowy na bieżni ruchomej według zmodyfikowanego protokołu Bruce&#8217;a oraz dokonano oceny duszności na podstawie 20-punktowej skali Borga w celu kwalifikacji do fizjoterapii. U wszystkich chorych zastosowano kompleksową 3-tygodniową fizjoterapię pulmonologiczną, której podstawą był trening wydolnościowy na ergometrze rowerowym. Wielkość obciążeń treningowych dobierano indywidualnie dla każdego chorego na podstawie oceny tolerancji wysiłku. Standardowy program fizjoterapii obejmował również ćwiczenia mięśni oddechowych, ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem mięśni brzucha i przepony, inhalacje z roztworu izotonicznego NaCl, drenaż ułożeniowy z oklepywaniem klatki piersiowej, relaksację oraz spacery. U wszystkich chorych oznaczono stężenie IL-8 w indukowanej plwocinie przed rozpoczęciem kompleksowej fizjoterapii i po jej zakończeniu. Stężenie IL-8 określono za pomocą testu ELISA. Wyniki: Wykazano, że stężenie interleukiny-8 było istotnie niższe po 3-tygodniowej fizjoterapii. Interleukina-8 w plwocinie spadła od 18,91 &#177; 25,2 do 9,69 &#177; 14,06 ng/ml (p = 0,0215). Największy spadek stężenia IL-8 dotyczył chorych z jej najwyższym wyjściowym stężeniem. Wnioski: Obniżenie stężenia IL-8 w indukowanej plwocinie po kompleksowej fizjoterapii chorych na POChP wskazuje na obniżenie aktywności neutrofilów, co może być jedną z przyczyn poprawy stanu klinicznego pacjentów. Pneumonol. Alergol. Pol. 2011; 79, 3: 184&#8211;188Background: Interleukin-8 (IL-8, CXCL8), chemokine produced by macrophages and epithelium cells, plays a major role in activating neutrophils and eosinophils in the airways of patients with COPD and might act as a stimulator of inflammatory process. The aim of the research was to assess whether pulmonary physiotherapy influences the concentration of IL-8 in the induced sputum of patients with COPD. Material and methods: The study included 44 patients (21 males, 23 females, average age 56.47 &#177; 9.52) with COPD treated in Physiotherapy Department of MSWiA Hospital in Glucholazy, with unchanged pharmacological treatment for the duration of the therapy. Before treatment, efficiency treadmill test by Bruce modified protocol and dyspnea assessment with the modified 20-point Borg scale was given to qualify each patient for physiotherapy. All patients participated in a 3-week multi-treatment pulmonary physiotherapy programme based on efficiency training on a cycloergometer. The physical workload was determined individually for each patient based on the assessment of individual exercise tolerance. Standard physiotherapy programme also included respiratory muscles&#8217; training with particular emphasis on training of abdominal muscles and diaphragm, inhalations with isotonic saline, drainage, chest clapping, relaxations and walking. IL-8 concentration in each patient&#8217;s induced sputum was collected prior to complex physiotherapy, and after it has been completed. IL-8 concentration was determined with the use of the ELISA test. Results: It was found that the concentration of IL-8 was significantly lower in patients with COPD after a 3-week physiotherapy programme. It fell from 18.91 &#177; 25.2 to 9.69 &#177; 14.06 ng/ml (p = 0.0215). The most significant IL-8 concentration decrease was observed in patients with the highest initial level of IL-8. Conclusions: The study shows that multi-treatment pulmonary physiotherapy causes decrease of IL-8 level in the induced sputum in patients with COPD, what can suggest decrease activity of neutrophils, which may be one of the factors leading to the improvement in patients&#8217; clinical condition. Pneumonol. Alergol. Pol. 2011; 79, 3: 184-18

Results of the COVID-19 mental health international for the general population (COMET-G) study.

INTRODUCTION: There are few published empirical data on the effects of COVID-19 on mental health, and until now, there is no large international study. MATERIAL AND METHODS: During the COVID-19 pandemic, an online questionnaire gathered data from 55,589 participants from 40 countries (64.85% females aged 35.80 ± 13.61; 34.05% males aged 34.90±13.29 and 1.10% other aged 31.64±13.15). Distress and probable depression were identified with the use of a previously developed cut-off and algorithm respectively. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Descriptive statistics were calculated. Chi-square tests, multiple forward stepwise linear regression analyses and Factorial Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) tested relations among variables. RESULTS: Probable depression was detected in 17.80% and distress in 16.71%. A significant percentage reported a deterioration in mental state, family dynamics and everyday lifestyle. Persons with a history of mental disorders had higher rates of current depression (31.82% vs. 13.07%). At least half of participants were accepting (at least to a moderate degree) a non-bizarre conspiracy. The highest Relative Risk (RR) to develop depression was associated with history of Bipolar disorder and self-harm/attempts (RR = 5.88). Suicidality was not increased in persons without a history of any mental disorder. Based on these results a model was developed. CONCLUSIONS: The final model revealed multiple vulnerabilities and an interplay leading from simple anxiety to probable depression and suicidality through distress. This could be of practical utility since many of these factors are modifiable. Future research and interventions should specifically focus on them