Applying the treatable traits approach in bronchiectasis-A scoping review of traits, measurements and treatments implemented by allied health professionals and nurses.

BACKGROUND: Using treatable traits as a management approach in bronchiectasis involves determining identifiable, clinically relevant, measurable and treatable problems to develop a management strategy in collaboration with the patient. OBJECTIVE: To identify new treatable traits not previously reported in the literature and treatment strategies for new and existing traits that could be implemented in an outpatient clinic or community setting by an allied health professional or nurse in adults with bronchiectasis. METHODS: A scoping review was conducted with searches of MEDLINE, CINAHL, AMED, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and PsycInfo. The search yielded 9963 articles with 255 articles proceeding to full text review and 114 articles included for data extraction. RESULTS: Sixteen new traits were identified, including fatigue (number of studies with new trait (n) = 13), physical inactivity (n = 13), reduced peripheral muscle power and/or strength (n = 12), respiratory muscle weakness (n = 9) and sedentarism (n = 6). The main treatment strategies for new and existing traits were airway clearance therapy (number of citations (n) = 86), pulmonary rehabilitation (n = 58), inspiratory muscle training (n = 20) and nebulised saline (n = 12). CONCLUSION: This review identifies several new traits in bronchiectasis and highlights the common treatments for new and existing traits that can be implemented in a treatable traits approach in an outpatient clinic or community setting by an allied health professional or nurse.

An observational study of self-reported sedentary behaviour in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and bronchiectasis.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined sedentary behaviour in chronic respiratory disease. The limited evidence suggests that increased levels of sedentary behaviour are associated with increased mortality. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to compare the level of self-reported sedentary behaviour in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and bronchiectasis as well as to identify associations between sedentary time with functional performance measures and health-related quality of life in the chronic respiratory disease group. METHODS: An observational study design was used. Participants completed the Sedentary Behaviour Questionnaire from which average sedentary time (hours/day) was determined. Functional performance was measured using the six-minute walk test, the four-metre gait speed test and the five sit-to-stand test. Health-related quality of life was measured using the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire. Sedentary time was compared between groups using an unpaired t-test. Univariate analysis explored relationships amongst variables. RESULTS: The convenience sample consisted of 103 people with COPD [52% male; mean±SD age: 73±9 years, FEV1% predicted: 56±23] and 33 people with bronchiectasis [52% male; 74±8 years, FEV1% predicted: 69±25]. Average self-reported sedentary time in COPD was 7.6±2.7 hours/day and in bronchiectasis was 8.0±4.1 hours/day, with no between-group difference (-0.4, 95% CI -1.7, 0.8). No associations were found between sedentary time and any functional performance outcome or with health-related quality of life. CONCLUSION: There was no difference in the high sedentary time between people with COPD and bronchiectasis. Sedentary behaviour was not associated with functional performance or disease-related health-related quality of life in people with chronic respiratory disease.

Exercise training to improve exercise capacity and quality of life in people with non-malignant dust-related respiratory diseases.

BACKGROUND: Non-malignant dust-related respiratory diseases, such as asbestosis and silicosis, are similar to other chronic respiratory diseases and may be characterised by breathlessness, reduced exercise capacity and reduced health-related quality of life. Some non-malignant dust-related respiratory diseases are a global health issue and very few treatment options, including pharmacological, are available. Therefore, examining the role of exercise training is particularly important to determine whether exercise training is an effective treatment option in non-malignant dust-related respiratory diseases. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of exercise training for people with non-malignant dust-related respiratory diseases compared with control, placebo or another non-exercise intervention on exercise capacity, health-related quality of life and levels of physical activity. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, PEDro and AMED (all searched from inception until February 2015), national and international clinical trial registries, reference lists of relevant papers and we contacted experts in the field for identification of suitable studies. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included only randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that compared exercise training of at least four weeks duration with no exercise training, placebo or another non-exercise intervention. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane. Two review authors independently assessed study eligibility and risk of bias, and extracted data. We employed the GRADE approach to assess the overall quality of evidence for each outcome and to interpret findings. We synthesized study results using a random-effects model based on the assessment of heterogeneity. We conducted subgroup analyses on participants with dust-related interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) and participants with asbestos related pleural disease (ARPD). MAIN RESULTS: Two RCTs including a combined total of 40 participants (35 from one study and five from a second study) met the inclusion criteria. Twenty-one participants were randomised to the exercise training group and 19 participants were randomised to the control group. The included studies evaluated the effects of exercise training compared to a control group of no exercise training in people with dust-related ILDs and ARPD. The exercise training programme in both studies was in an outpatient setting for an eight-week period. The risk of bias was low in both studies. There were no reported adverse events of exercise training. Following exercise training, six-minute walk distance (6MWD) increased with a mean difference (MD) of 53.81 metres (m) (95% CI 34.36 to 73.26 m). Improvements were also seen in the domains of health-related quality of life: Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire (CRQ) Dyspnoea domain (MD 2.58, 95% CI 0.72 to 4.44); CRQ Fatigue domain (MD 1.00, 95% CI 0.11 to 1.89); CRQ Emotional Function domain (MD 2.61, 95% CI 0.74 to 4.49); and CRQ Mastery domain (MD 1.51, 95% CI 0.29 to 2.72). Improvements in exercise capacity and health-related quality of life were also evident six months following the intervention period: 6MWD (MD 52.68 m, 95% CI 27.43 to 77.93 m); CRQ Dyspnoea domain (MD 3.03, 95% CI 1.41 to 4.66); CRQ Emotional Function domain (MD 5.57, 95% CI 2.34 to 8.81); and CRQ Mastery domain (MD 2.66, 95% CI 1.08 to 4.23). Exercise training did not result in improvements in the Modified Medical Research Council (MMRC) dyspnoea scale immediately following exercise training or six months following exercise training. The improvements following exercise training were similar in a subgroup of participants with dust-related ILDs and in a subgroup of participants with ARPD compared to the control group, with no statistically significant differences in treatment effects between the subgroups. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: The evidence examining exercise training in people with non-malignant dust-related respiratory diseases is of very low quality. This is due to imprecision in the results from the small number of trials and the small number of participants, the indirectness of evidence due to a paucity of information on disease severity and the data from one study being from a subgroup of participants, and inconsistency from high heterogeneity in some results. Therefore, although the review findings indicate that an exercise training programme is effective in improving exercise capacity and health-related quality of life in the short-term and at six months follow-up, we remain unsure of these findings due to the very low quality evidence. Larger, high quality trials are needed to determine the strength of these findings.

Physical activity in people with asbestos related pleural disease and dust-related interstitial lung disease: An observational study.

This study aimed to measure the levels of physical activity (PA) in people with dust-related pleural and interstitial lung diseases and to compare these levels of PA to a healthy population. There is limited data on PA in this patient population and no previous studies have compared PA in people with dust-related respiratory diseases to a healthy control group. Participants with a diagnosis of a dust-related respiratory disease including asbestosis and asbestos related pleural disease (ARPD) and a healthy age- and gender-matched population wore the SenseWear(®) Pro3 armband for 9 days. Six-minute walk distance, Medical Outcomes Study 36-item short-form health survey and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale were also measured. Fifty participants were recruited and 46 completed the study; 22 with ARPD, 10 with dust-related interstitial lung disease (ILD) and 14 healthy age-matched participants. The mean (standard deviation) steps/day were 6097 (1939) steps/day for dust-related ILD, 9150 (3392) steps/day for ARPD and 10,630 (3465) steps/day for healthy participants. Compared with the healthy participants, dust-related ILD participants were significantly less active as measured by steps/day ((mean difference 4533 steps/day (95% confidence interval (CI): 1888-7178)) and energy expenditure, ((mean difference 512 calories (95% CI: 196-827)) and spent significantly less time engaging in moderate, vigorous or very vigorous activities (i.e. >3 metabolic equivalents; mean difference 1.2 hours/day (95% CI: 0.4-2.0)). There were no differences in levels of PA between healthy participants and those with ARPD. PA was reduced in people with dust-related ILD but not those with ARPD when compared with healthy age and gender-matched individuals.

Exercise training for asbestos-related and other dust-related respiratory diseases: a randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The study aimed to determine the short and long-term effects of exercise training on exercise capacity and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) compared to usual care in people with dust-related pleural and interstitial respiratory diseases. No previous studies have specifically evaluated exercise training in this patient population. METHODS: Participants with a diagnosis of a dust-related respiratory disease including asbestosis and asbestos related pleural disease were recruited and randomised to an eight-week exercise training group (EG) or a control group (CG) of usual care. Six-minute walk distance (6MWD), St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and Chronic Respiratory Disease Questionnaire (CRQ) were measured at baseline, eight weeks and 26 weeks by an assessor blinded to group allocation. RESULTS: Thirty-three of 35 male participants completed the study. Sixty-nine percent of participants had asbestos related pleural disease. At eight weeks, compared to the CG, the EG showed a significantly increased 6MWD (mean difference (95%CI)) 53 metres (32 to 74), improved SGRQ total score, -7 points (-13 to -1) and increased CRQ total score, 6.4 points (2.1 to 10.7). At 26 weeks significant between-group differences were maintained in 6MWD, 45 metres (17 to 73) and CRQ total score, 13.1 points (5.2 to 20.9). CONCLUSION: Exercise training improved short and long-term exercise capacity and HRQoL in people with dust-related pleural and interstitial respiratory diseases. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ANZCTR12608000147381. Date trial registered: 27.03.2008.

Functional exercise capacity and health-related quality of life in people with asbestos related pleural disease: an observational study.

BACKGROUND: Functional exercise capacity in people with asbestos related pleural disease (ARPD) is unknown and there are no data on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The primary aims were to determine whether functional exercise capacity and HRQoL were reduced in people with ARPD. The secondary aim was to determine whether functional exercise capacity was related to peak exercise capacity, HRQoL, physical activity or respiratory function. METHODS: In participants with ARPD, exercise capacity was measured by the six-minute walk test (6MWT) and incremental cycle test (ICT); HRQoL by the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire and physical activity by an activity monitor worn for one week. Participants also underwent lung function testing. RESULTS: 25 males completed the study with a mean (SD) age of 71 (6) years, FVC 82 (19)% predicted, FEV1/FVC 66 (11)%, TLC 80 (19)% predicted and DLCO 59 (13)% predicted. Participants had reduced exercise capacity demonstrated by six-minute walk distance (6MWD) of 76 (11)% predicted and peak work rate of 71 (21)% predicted. HRQoL was also reduced. The 6MWD correlated with peak work rate (r=0.58, p=0.002), St George's Respiratory Questionnaire Total score (r=-0.57, p=0.003), metabolic equivalents from the activity monitor (r=0.45, p<0.05), and FVC % predicted (r=0.52, p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: People with ARPD have reduced exercise capacity and HRQoL. The 6MWT may be a useful surrogate measure of peak exercise capacity and physical activity levels in the absence of cardiopulmonary exercise testing and activity monitors. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ANZCTR12608000147381.

Effects of exercise on respiratory flow and sputum properties in patients with cystic fibrosis.

BACKGROUND: The physiologic mechanisms by which exercise may clear secretions in subjects with cystic fibrosis (CF) are unknown. The purpose of this study was to compare ventilation, respiratory flow, and sputum properties following treadmill and cycle exercise with resting breathing (referred to as "control"). METHODS: In 14 adult subjects with CF, ventilation and respiratory flow were measured during 20 min of resting breathing, treadmill exercise, and cycle exercise in a 3-day crossover study. Treadmill and cycle exercise were performed at the work rate equivalent to 60% of the subject's peak oxygen uptake. Ease of expectoration and sputum properties (solids content and mechanical impedance) were measured before and immediately after the interventions and after 20-min recovery. RESULTS: Ease of expectoration improved following exercise. Ventilation and respiratory flow were significantly higher during treadmill and cycle exercise compared with control. Sputum solids content did not change following treadmill or cycle exercise. There was a significantly greater decrease in sputum mechanical impedance following treadmill exercise compared with control, but no significant decrease in sputum mechanical impedance following cycle exercise compared with control. CONCLUSIONS: The improvement in ease of expectoration following exercise may have been due to the higher ventilation and respiratory flow. The reductions in sputum mechanical impedance with treadmill exercise may have been due to the trunk oscillations associated with walking. TRIAL REGISTRY: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry; No. 12605000422628; URL: www.anzctr.org.au.

Gas exchange and exercise tolerance following bullectomy.

This study evaluates the physiological responses to giant bullectomy. A 42-year-old female with bilateral giant bullae presented with dyspnoea and exercise limitation. At baseline and 3 months after bullectomy she had tests of lung function; exercise capacity via a symptom-limited cycle test and a 6-min walk test (6MWT). Quality of life (QoL) and gas exchange using the multiple inert gas elimination technique (MIGET) were also assessed. There were significant improvements in pulmonary function following surgery with the FEF(25-75%) predicted increasing from 16 to 96. The 6MWT increased by 10% and the peak leg work capacity by 48%. A MIGET measure of the distribution of perfusion (Log SDQ) fell from 0.52 to 0.36. There was also radiological improvement in hyperinflation and diaphragmatic configuration. The QoL total score decreased from 56 to 25. This patient demonstrated significant improvements in exercise tolerance, gas exchange and QoL following bullectomy.