Development of a field test for evaluating aerobic fitness.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the reproducibility and utility of a standardised and externally paced field test (15-m Incremental Shuttle Walk and Run Test [15 mISWRT]) to assess aerobic fitness in middle-aged adults. 14 middle-aged participants performed the 15-m ISWRT 3 times within one week (Test 1, Test 2, Test 3). Reproducibility of the 15-m ISWRT was tested by comparing 15-m ISWRT performance (distance completed), HRmax, and VO 2max for each test. The utility of the 15-m ISWRT for evaluating VO 2max over a wide range in middle-aged adults was tested by comparing the range of VO 2max obtained from the portable expired gas analyzer with the VO 2max reference values and ranges for health promotion published by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. A multiple comparison of distance completed in the 15-m ISWRT Test 1, Test 2, and Test 3 found no significant difference between Test 2 and Test 3. The ICC was 0.99 for Test 2 vs. Test 3. VO 2max measured from the 15-m ISWRT in Test 3 had a minimum value of 22.8 ml/kg/min and a maximum value of 38.7 ml/kg/min. In conclusion, the 15-m ISWRT is reliable and useful for evaluating VO 2max in middle-aged adults.

Prevalence of and risk factors for depressive symptoms in non-tuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND: The presence of depressive symptoms in patients with non-tuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) is an important research topic; however, the prevalence of depressive symptoms and the factors that influence their development are unclear.OBJECTIVE: To analyse the association between CES-D (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale) scores and clinical parameters such as age, disease duration, pulmonary function, imaging findings, blood data, physical functions, sleep disturbances, respiratory symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQOL).METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional retrospective study of 114 patients with NTM-PD at a single centre from March 2016 to January 2021 to evaluate the relationship between CES-D scores and clinical parameters.RESULTS: Participants had a median age of 64 years; 32.5% of them had depressive symptoms. Disease duration, albumin, C-reactive protein, pulmonary function, dyspnoea, exercise capacity, respiratory symptoms, cough-related HRQOL and sleep disturbances were associated with depressive symptoms. Binomial logistic regression analyses indicated that the CES-D score was significantly associated with cough-related HRQOL and sleep disturbances.CONCLUSION: A high percentage of NTM-PD patients in this study experienced depressive symptoms, and these patients had abnormalities of various clinical parameters. Cough-related HRQOL and sleep disturbance had a strong influence on the development of depressive symptoms.

Health-related quality of life associates with clinical parameters in patients with NTM pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown a reduction in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with non-tuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD). However, the causes of this decline and the factors that contribute to it are unknown. This study was conducted to analyse the association between the St George´s Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and clinical parameters, including age, disease duration, body composition, pulmonary function, chest X-ray findings, blood data and physical function.METHODS: We performed a single-centre, cross-sectional, retrospective study of 101 patients with NTM-PD from December 2016 to October 2019. The relationship between the SGRQ scores and clinical parameters was evaluated.RESULTS: The median patient age was 67.0 years. Pulmonary function, radiological score, albumin levels, C-reactive protein levels and incremental shuttle walk test distance (ISWD) were significantly correlated with the total and component scores on the SGRQ. Multiple regression analysis showed that the SGRQ score was significantly associated with radiological score, pulmonary function and ISWD.CONCLUSION: This study was the first to assess the effect of clinical parameters on the SGRQ in patients with NTM-PD. HRQoL as determined using the SGRQ was associated with the radiological score, pulmonary function and ISWD in patients with NTM-PD.

A Comparison of Objective Physical Activity, Muscle Strength, and Depression among Community-dwelling Older Women Living in Sloped Versus Non-sloped Environments.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between the living location and outcomes of physical activity level and physical and psychological functioning in older women. The specific aim was to understand the association between living in a sloped versus non-sloped environment and these outcomes. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: 108 older women aged 65 years or older who resided in Nagasaki prefecture participated. MEASUREMENTS: Physical activity, lung function, muscle strength (hand grip and quadriceps force) and depressive symptoms were assessed objectively. RESULTS: In logistic regression, activity counts per day (OR 0.779, 95%CI 0.715-0.841, p<0.01), activity times per day (OR 0.821, 95%CI 0.801-0.913, p<0.01), hand grip force (OR 0.666, 95%CI 0.558-0.796, p<0.001), and depressed (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale score ≥16) (OR 1.093, 95%CI 1.019-1.427, p<0.05) showed statistically significant inverse associations with living in a sloped ground. CONCLUSIONS: Since dwelling on sloped ground was associated with negative (lower physical activity levels, lower grip strength, and more depression) outcomes, a comprehensive geriatric assessment, related to all aspects of older women, is recommended. Planning of home exercise programs for the elderly should take such environmental factors into consideration.

The effect of postoperative ataralgesia by manual therapy after pulmonary resection.

Muscle therapy, a form of manual therapy, was applied to control pain persisting for more than 1 week following posterolateral thoracotomy, and its efficacy for the alleviation of pain was investigated. Eight patients who underwent posterolateral thoracotomy and lung resection for cancer (n=7) or emphysema (n=1) received manual therapy to incised muscles and the muscles inserting into the ribs in the affected area for an average of 17 days postoperatively. Pressure-friction and stretching techniques were used. Treatment was continued until the intensity of the pressure-friction technique reached a level at which the patient complained of pain and a decrease in muscle tone was detected. Treatment was performed once a week for 3 weeks. Pain severity was measured using a visual analog scale (VAS) (0-10). Before the first treatment, the VAS was set at 10, and changes of the score were observed before and after the treatment as well as over time. After three sessions, all patients showed a decrease in pain from 10 to an average of 1.9 (range 1.3-2.6).