ABSTRACT
ABSTRACT Objective: To compare the effects of a home-based pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) program with and without telecoaching on health-related outcomes in COVID-19 survivors. Methods: A total of 42 COVID-19 patients who completed medical treatment were randomly divided into two groups: the study (telecoaching) group (n = 21) and the control (no telecoaching) group (n = 21). Both groups participated in an 8-week home-based PR program including education, breathing exercises, strength training, and regular walking. The study group received phone calls from a physiotherapist once a week. Both groups of patients were assessed before and after the program by means of the following: pulmonary function tests; the modified Medical Research Council dyspnea scale; the six-minute walk test; extremity muscle strength measurement; the Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire (to assess disease-related quality of life); the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36, to assess overall quality of life); and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Results: In both groups, there were significant improvements in the following: FVC; the six-minute walk distance; right and left deltoid muscle strength; Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire activity domain, impact domain, and total scores; and SF-36 social functioning, role-physical, role-emotional, and bodily pain domain scores (p < 0.05). Decreases in daily-life dyspnea, exertional dyspnea, and exertional fatigue were significant in the study group (p < 0.05), and the improvement in SF-36 social functioning domain scores was greater in the study group (p < 0.05). Conclusions: A home-based PR program with telecoaching increases social functioning and decreases daily-life dyspnea, exertional dyspnea, and exertional fatigue in COVID-19 survivors in comparison with a home-based PR program without telecoaching.
RESUMO Objetivo: Comparar os efeitos de um programa de reabilitação pulmonar (RP) domiciliar com e sem coaching por telefone (telecoaching) nos desfechos relacionados à saúde em sobreviventes da COVID-19. Métodos: Um total de 42 pacientes com COVID-19 que completaram o tratamento médico foram aleatoriamente divididos em dois grupos: o grupo com telecoaching (grupo de estudo; n = 21) e o grupo sem telecoaching (grupo controle; n = 21). Ambos os grupos participaram de um programa de RP domiciliar que teve 8 semanas de duração e incluiu educação, exercícios respiratórios, treinamento de força e caminhada regular. O grupo de estudo recebeu telefonemas de um fisioterapeuta uma vez por semana. Ambos os grupos foram avaliados antes e depois do programa por meio de testes de função pulmonar, escala modificada de dispneia do Medical Research Council, teste de caminhada de seis minutos, mensuração da força muscular dos membros superiores e inferiores, Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire (para avaliar a qualidade de vida relacionada à doença), Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36, para avaliar a qualidade de vida global) e Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Resultados: Em ambos os grupos, houve melhoria significativa da CVF; da distância percorrida no teste de caminhada de seis minutos; da força dos músculos deltoides direito e esquerdo; da pontuação obtida nos domínios "atividade" e "impacto" do Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire, bem como da pontuação total no questionário; e da pontuação obtida nos domínios "aspectos sociais", "função física", "função emocional" e "dor corporal" do SF-36 (p < 0,05). A redução da dispneia na vida diária, da dispneia aos esforços e da fadiga aos esforços foi significativa no grupo de estudo (p < 0,05), e a melhoria da pontuação obtida no domínio "aspectos sociais" do SF-36 foi maior no grupo de estudo (p < 0,05). Conclusões: Um programa de RP domiciliar com telecoaching melhora os aspectos sociais e diminui a dispneia na vida diária, a dispneia aos esforços e a fadiga aos esforços em sobreviventes da COVID-19 em comparação com um programa de RP domiciliar sem telecoaching.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To investigate the in vitro and in vivo effect of whole plant extracts of Peristrophe bicalyculata on Trypanosoma brucei brucei-infected rats. Methods: The experiment was divided into two phases: In the first phase, the anti-trypanosomal activity of the hot water, cold water, methanol and butanol extracts of the whole plant were determined by incubating with Trypanosoma brucei brucei. The cold water extract was partially-purified and the anti-trypanosomal activity of the fractions determined. In the second phase, Trypanosoma brucei brucei-infected rats were treated with fraction 2c for nine days. Packed cell volume (PCV), high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TAG), aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferases (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total and direct bilirubin levels were determined at the end of the experiment. Results:Cold water extract immobilized 90%of the parasites after 60 min of incubation, and fraction 2c completely immobilized the parasites after 35 min. It significantly increased PCV in Trypanosoma brucei brucei-infected rats. Decreased TC, TAG, HDL and LDL levels of infected rats increased significantly when rats were treated with the fraction, while elevated levels of total bilirubin and ALT also decreased. The difference in urea, direct bilirubin and ALP was not significant when infected rats were compared to rats in other groups. Conclusions:The ability of the plant to ameliorate the infection-induced biochemical changes calls for detailed investigation of the potentials of the plant for antitrypanosomiasis drug delivery.