[Physical therapy intervention during hospitalization in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and pneumonia: A randomized clinical trial]. / Intervención fisioterápica durante la hospitalización en pacientes con exacerbación aguda de la enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica y neumonía: un ensayo clínico aleatorizado.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Respiratory infections involve not only hospitalization due to pneumonia, but also acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD). The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a physical therapy intervention during hospitalization in patients admitted due to community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and AECOPD. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Randomized clinical trial, 44 patients were randomized into 2 groups: a control group which received standard medical therapy (oxygen therapy and pharmacotherapy) and an experimental group that received standard treatment and a physical therapy intervention (breathing exercises, electrostimulation, exercises with elastic bands and relaxation). RESULTS: Between-groups analysis showed that after the intervention (experimental vs. control) significant differences were found in perceived dyspnoea (P=.041), and right and left quadriceps muscle strength (P=.008 and P=.010, respectively). In addition, the subscale of "domestic activities" of the functional ability related to respiratory symptoms questionnaire showed significant differences (P=.036). CONCLUSION: A physical therapy intervention during hospitalization in patients with AECOPD and CAP can generate skeletal muscle level gains that exceed the deterioration caused by immobilization during hospitalization.

[Effect of naphthalan and therapeutic mud applications on clinical and roentgenological characteristics in patients with protracted pneumonia].

The influence of application of naftalan and therapeutic muds on clinical and roentgenological parameters, external respiration function, biochemical and immunological characteristics of the inflammatory process was studied in 82 patients presenting with protracted pneumonia and compared with the outcome of therapy using no physical factors. The application of naftalan and therapeutic muds was shown to reduce activity of inflammatory processes, improve airway patency and the state ofbronchial mucosa. Naftalan produced better therapeutic effect than muds.

Neumonías de repetición y fisioterapia respiratoria: a propósito de un caso clínico / Recurrent pneumonia and respiratory physiotherapy: a case report

Objetivos: valorar el efecto de las técnicas de fisioterapia respiratoria en un paciente de 4 años de edad que sufre neumonías de repetición en diferentes localizaciones, lóbulo inferior izquierdo, lóbulo medio derecho y lóbulo inferior derecho.Paciente y métodos: el paciente es derivado por neumología para recibir tratamiento de fisioterapia respiratoria en clínica privada. El tratamiento se llevó a cabo durante 3 semanas en las que se realizaron técnicas de expansión pulmonar y desobstrucción bronquial.Resultados: en la auscultación disminuye el número de sibilancias, aumenta la ventilación y desaparecen los crujidos; los principales valores espirométricos aumentan (FEF 25-75% del 23 al 89%; FEV1/FVC del 86,38 al 96%), disminuye el uso de fármacos y desaparecen las condensaciones pulmonares en radiología.Conclusiones: el programa de fisioterapia respiratoria expuesto resuelve el caso clínico presentado(AU)

Aims: To evaluate the effect of the respiratory physiotherapy techniques in a 4-year old patient who suffered recurrent pneumonia in different sites, these being the lower left lobe, middle right lobe and lower right lobe.Patient and methodsThe patient was referred by the pneumology department for respiratory physiotherapy treatment in a private clinic. Treatment was given for 3 weeks, performing pulmonary expansion and disobstruction maneuver techniques.Results: The auscultation showed a decrease in number of whistling rales, increase in ventilation and disappearance of crepitations. The main spirometric values increased from FEF 25%-75%: 23% to 89%, FEV1/FVC: 86, 38% to 96%. Uses of drugs decreased and the pulmonary condensations disappeared.Conclusions: The respiratory physiotherapy program presented solved the clinical presented case(AU)

[The rehabilitation of patients with acute pneumonia in the convalescence phase by using balneotherapy procedures]. / Reabilitatsiia bol'nykh ostroi pnevmoniei v faze rekonvalestsentsii s ispol'zovaniem vodolechebnykh protsedur.

Effects of balneotherapy (underwater douche-massage, Gauffe baths, contrast douche) on clinical course of acute pneumonia (AP), external respiration function, cardiohemodynamics, surface activity of pulmonary surfactant, lipid peroxidation were studied in 88 AP convalescents. It was found that underwater douche-massage is indicated in prevailing hemodynamic disorders and moderate obstruction of the large bronchi. The efficacy of the douche was 93.8%. Gauffe baths were preferable (clinical response 88.9%) in marked bronchial obstruction with affection of all the bronchi but in satisfactory cardiovascular function. Contrast douche was not effective in AP convalescents (response--56.9%).

Benefits of osteopathic manipulative treatment for hospitalized elderly patients with pneumonia.

While osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) is thought to be beneficial for patients with pneumonia, there have been few clinical trials--especially in the elderly. The authors' pilot study suggested that duration of intravenous antibiotic use and length of hospital stay were promising measures of outcome. Therefore, a larger randomized controlled study was conducted. Elderly patients hospitalized with acute pneumonia were recruited and randomly placed into two groups: 28 in the treatment group and 30 in the control group. The treatment group received a standardized OMT protocol, while the control group received a light touch protocol. There was no statistical difference between groups for age, sex, or simplified acute physiology scores. The treatment group had a significantly shorter duration of intravenous antibiotic treatment and a shorter hospital stay.

[The use of an aerosol of natural brine and of sinusoidal modulated currents in chronic pneumonias in children]. / Primenenie aérozolia rapy i sinusoidal'nykh modulirovannykh tokov pri khronicheskikh pnevmoniiakh u detei.

Inhalations of 1% natural brine in combination with SMC electrophoresis of 1% natural brine above the lesion proved to ensure good correction of the defense of respiratory tract mucosa and to prolong remission to 15-18 months. This method can be applied in sanatoria, in rehabilitation centers, in pulmonary disease departments.

Bottle-blowing in hospital-treated patients with community-acquired pneumonia.

A study was carried out to determine whether bottle-blowing has any positive effects in patients with pneumonia. In a prospective open study 145 adults with untreated community-acquired pneumonia requiring hospitalization were randomized to early mobilization (group A), to sit up and take 20 deep breaths on 10 occasions daily (group B), or to sit up and to blow bubbles in a bottle containing 10 cm water through a plastic tube 20 times on 10 occasions daily (group C). Peak expiratory flow (PEF), vital capacity (VC), forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1) and serum concentration of C-reactive protein (CRP) were determined on admission, and on days 4 and 42. Fever duration and hospital stay were recorded. In a subset of 16 patients, single breath diffusion capacity of carbon monoxide was measured on 3 occasions. The patients in group A were hospitalized for a mean of 5.3 days, group B for 4.6 days and group C for 3.9 days. Treatment was a significant factor (p = 0.037) in a Cox regression model, with group C significantly better than group A (p = 0.01). The number of days with fever was 2.3, 1.7 and 1.6 in groups A, B and C respectively. These differences were not significant (p = 0.28). No significant differences were found between the groups regarding CRP, PEF, VC, FEV1, or diffusion capacity. Intensive bottle-blowing shortens the hospital stay in patients with pneumonia. The underlying mechanism is not clear.

[The use of sea mud in the combined therapy of patients with acute pneumonia at a hospital]. / Primenenie morskoi ilovoi griazi v kompleksnoi terapii bol'nykh ostroi pnevmoniei v usloviiakh statsionara.

Basing on the observation on 246 patients with acute pneumonia, it is inferred that application of mud can be beneficial since the hospital treatment day 4-5. Compared to conventional, combined treatment with application of mud seems more favourable permitting more rapid attenuation of clinical symptoms and DIC syndrome, promoting active enzyme fibrinolysis and antithrombin-III, x-ray infiltration disappeared 4 days earlier, respiratory reserves and forced expiration grew.

[Thermovibrotherapy in the combined rehabilitation of children with a history of acute pneumonia]. / Termovibroterapiia v komplekse reabilitatsii dete, perenesshikh ostruiu pnevmoniiu.

A clinical response and the effect on local bronchopulmonary immunity have been assessed for thermotherapy and vibrotherapeutics used in convalescent young children who had acute pneumonia. The clinical and immunological appearance of the children was found to improve due to combined rehabilitation measures involving thermovibrotherapy.