Adherence to a guided walking program with amelioration of cognitive functions in subjects with schizophrenia even during COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Aim of the study was to enrol a group of individuals with schizophrenia in a long-term moderate-intensity physical activity program and to evaluate its effects on their cognitive functions and cardiovascular risk factors. An additional aim of the study was the comparison of the adherence to the physical activity program before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Forty sedentary patients diagnosed with schizophrenia (mean age 46.4 ± 9.6) followed by the Public Mental Health Department of Ferrara were included in the study. 28 of them followed a 1-year walking program consisting of two guided walking sessions/week, while 12 maintained their sedentary lifestyle and followed the usual Cognitive Rehabilitation program. To the participants following the walking program VO2 peak and walking speed were assessed at baseline and at the end of the program. All participants were evaluated on blood pressure and anthropometric variable. Cognitive functions were assessed with the Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Psychiatry (SCIP) and with the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) questionnaires. RESULTS: The 20 participants completing the walking program displayed significant improvements in cognitive functions (dppc2 0.35 for SCIP and 0.26 for FAB), with a positive correlation between SCIP score and the number of sessions attended (R = 0.86, p < 0.001), evident in the patients attending to at least 75 of the 100 walking sessions. Walking speed and VO2peak increased significantly and a decrease of body weight, BMI, systolic and diastolic blood pressure was also observed. The adherence to the walking program registered during Covid-19 period did not differ from that observed before the pandemic. The 12 CG (Control Group) patients maintaining the sedentary lifestyle did not display improvements of cognitive functions. CONCLUSIONS: The main finding of this study is the improvement of cognitive functions which is significantly related to the number of walking sessions attended by participants with schizophrenia. The walking program, guided by exercise specialists, proved to be an enjoyable activity for people with mental disorder feasible even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Trial registration Retrospectively registered on ISRCTN as non-randomized trial (n. ISRCTN14763786).

Improved percent-predicted peak VO2 is associated with lower risk of hospitalization in patients with coronary heart disease. Analysis from the FRIEND registry.

BACKGROUND: Normal standards for peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) are controversial because they tend to be population and protocol specific. This study was undertaken to examine the association between percentage of age-predicted VO2peak and all-cause hospital readmission in cardiac outpatients who were referred to an exercise-based secondary prevention program. METHODS: Hospital readmission was assessed in 1283 male patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) three years after enrolment, and related to the age-predicted VO2peak derived from the Fitness Registry and the Importance of Exercise: A National Data Base equation (FRIEND%PRED). VO2peak was estimated using a moderate perceptually regulated 1-km treadmill-walking test. Readmission was also assessed during the fourth-to-sixth years as function of improvement in FRIEND%PRED in 845 patients who were re-evaluated 3 years after baseline. RESULTS: During the 3-years after baseline, readmission rate was lower across increasing tertiles of FRIEND%PRED. Compared to the lowest tertile, the adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for the second and third tertile were 0.98 (95% CI 0.76-1.27, p = 0.90) and 0.71 (0.53-0.95, p = 0.002). The rate of readmission from the fourth-to-sixth years after baseline was lower across tertiles of improved FRIEND%PRED, with adjusted HRs 0.78 (0.60-1.03, p = 0.08) and 0.58 (0.42-0.75, p < 0.0001) for the intermediate and high tertiles vs the lowest tertile. After adjustment for confounders, every 1 unit % increase in FRIEND%PRED was associated with a 3% reduction in risk of readmission (HR 0.97, 0.95-0.98, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Age-predicted VO2peak estimated by a moderate treadmill-walk predicts hospital readmission in outpatients with CHD undergoing secondary prevention.

A dynamic objective evaluation of peripheral arterial disease by near-infrared spectroscopy.

OBJECTIVES: Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS), suitable for dynamic measurements, is not routinely used for peripheral arterial disease (PAD). We propose a dynamic NIRS-based measurement to quantify variations in muscle metabolism in PAD. METHOD: Sixty-seven consecutive PAD patients (males=56, age 71.6+/-8.7 years) and 28 healthy subjects (males=12, age 30.4+/-11.9 years) were studied. An echo-colour Doppler (ECD) was performed and the ankle-brachial index (ABI) was calculated. Participants performed an incremental treadmill test with NIRS probes on the gastrocnemius. Variations in oxygenated (HbO(2)), deoxygenated (HHb), total (tHb=HbO(2)+HHb), and differential (dHb=HbO(2)-HHb) haemoglobin were recorded and quantified as area-under-curve (AUC) within the range 1.7-3.0 km h(-1). Heart rate was recorded, and the number of beats in the same interval was calculated (dHr). RESULTS: O(2)Hb(AUC), HHb(AUC) and dHb(AUC) differed between diseased and non-diseased legs (P<0.0001) and exhibited different patterns related to PAD severity according to the ABI value. A compensatory heart rate increase was observed in PAD patients. Compared with the ECD positivity for occlusions/stenoses or multiple plaques, only the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis of dHb(AUC) (area=0.932, P<0.0001) showed a sensitivity/specificity of 87.6/93.4 for values

Exercise training and endothelial progenitor cells in haemodialysis patients.

Haemodialysis patients have few endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and an unfavourable cardiovascular outcome. The effects on peripheral blood CD34(+) cells and EPCs of a 6-month walking exercise programme were studied. Thirty dialysis patients (20 males, age 67 +/- 12 years) were prescribed exercise (two daily 10-min home walking sessions at moderate intensity, group E, n = 16) or not prescribed exercise (control, group C, n = 14). On entry and after 6 months peripheral blood CD34(+) cells, EPCs (assessed as CD34(+) cells co-expressing AC133 and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 [VEGFR2], and as endothelial colony-forming units [e-CFU]) and exercise capacity (6-min walking distance, 6MWD) were evaluated. In group E, 6MWD and e-CFU increased significantly during the study period, with no significant changes in CD34(+) or CD34(+) AC133(+) VEGFR2(+) cell numbers. The change in e-CFU was directly and significantly correlated to patient-reported training load. Group C showed no significant change in any variable. In haemodialysis patients, moderate-intensity exercise selectively increased the number of e-CFU.

Blood parameters and biathlon performance.

AIM: Biathlon is a sport that combines cross-country skiing with rifle shooting. There is no well-described model of performance in this multi-sport event. This study aimed to identify the parameters influencing biathlon performance. In addition, the study aimed to search for a relationship between performance and measured blood parameters and to determine whether higher hemoglobin concentration [Hb] was associated with improved performance. METHODS: Eighty-three male biathletes underwent pre-competition blood sampling in selected World Cup competitions. For all athletes (N=83) and for a subgroup of top-athletes (N=37), performance parameters identified were related to final standings by univariate and multiple regression analyses and, subsequently, to blood parameters measured on the same day. In athletes tested twice with different [Hb], performance corresponding to competitions with lower and higher [Hb] was compared. RESULTS: Among the parameters considered, the percent variation for both groups in best skiing time and percent of missed targets were independent determinants of performance (R2=0.853, 0.834, respectively) and were not correlated to blood parameters. In athletes with two samples, despite significantly different (Hb), no corresponding changes in performance were observed. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the determinants of biathlon performance were identified. A relationship between measured blood parameters was not found, and the individual (Hb) variations observed were not associated with improved performance.

Influence of lifestyle measures on hypertriglyceridaemia.

Hypertriglyceridaemia is a common dyslipidaemia encountered in clinical practice. People with hypertriglyceridaemia are frequently obese, insulin-resistant, hypertensive or diabetic, all of which are risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Hypertriglyceridaemia also contributes to metabolic syndrome, in which an atherogenic diet, sedentary lifestyle, overweight/obesity and genetic factors interact. A multi-factorial intervention for all risk factors is necessary, including weight reduction, dietary modification and increased physical exercise. This review focuses on the influence of diet, sedentary lifestyle and negative habits (such as excessive alcohol intake, smoking and drug addiction) on hypertriglyceridaemia as well as the effects of lifestyle change.