Functional Status in Peripheral Arterial Disease: Rehabilitated Versus Nonrehabilitated.

BACKGROUND: To analyze patient perception of functional status related to activity and participation of rehabilitated and nonrehabilitated individuals with peripheral arterial disease. METHODS: Cross-sectional study assessing the activity and participation domain using the Human Activity Profile (HAP) questionnaire and the Participation Scale, respectively. Groups were compared using Chi-squared test and unpaired t-test. RESULTS: A total of 87 individuals (36 rehabilitated) with 65.28 ± 8.29 years (66.7% male) were included. HAP classified 58.6% of individuals with weak or inactive physical activity level, and approximately half of the sample did not have participation restriction. HAP scores and Participation Scale (locomotion inside and outside home) were lower in nonrehabilitated than in rehabilitated individuals. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with peripheral arterial disease presented little participation restriction and a great activity limitation, the last one being more evident among nonrehabilitated.

Comparison of home-based rehabilitation and a centre-based exercise in terms of functional capacity, muscle oxygenation and quality of life in people with peripheral arterial disease: a protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is increasingly prevalent, and supervised physical exercise programmes are recommended as the first-line treatment. However, these programmes are underused. Alternative delivery models may be able to expand treatment coverage. The objective of this study was to compare a home-based exercise programme (HBEP) and a centre-based exercise (CBE) in terms of their effects on functional capacity, peripheral muscle oxygenation and quality of life in individuals with PAD. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This single-blind, parallel randomised clinical trial will consist of two groups: HBEP and CBE. A qualitative analysis will be carried out to investigate acceptability and satisfaction. The primary outcome will be functional capacity, assessed by the incremental shuttle walk test. Secondary outcomes will include functional capacity, assessed by a treadmill walking test; peripheral muscle oxygenation and quality of life; and self-reported functional impairment, risk factors, morbidity, level of physical activity, adherence, acceptability and satisfaction. The intervention protocols will consist of 12 weeks of intermittent walking until claudication symptoms, three times a week. Participants randomly assigned to the CBE group will participate in supervised face-to-face sessions. The HBEP group will perform exercises at home with remote supervision, monitored by a pedometer and heart rate monitor, and subjective perception of effort during each session will be recorded by participants in a training diary; follow-up will be conducted by telephone calls. Statistical analyses will follow the intention-to-treat principle. Participants allocated to the HBEP group will be interviewed about their experience of remote treatment using a qualitative approach. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. The results will be disseminated in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at international congresses. This research has the potential to improve the care of people with PAD because if home-based rehabilitation demonstrates effectiveness, it could be considered an alternative or support resource to the usual centre-based treatment models, expanding access, coverage and participation in vascular physiotherapy TRIAL REGISTRATION: https://ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-97vy9n7 on 14 April 2022.

A qualitative study of patient's perceptions of two cardiac rehabilitation models.

BACKGROUND: Understanding patients' perceptions about rehabilitation can guide healthcare administrators on modifications of program elements, which can ultimately improve cardiac rehabilitation (CR) use, adherence of heart-health behaviors, and improvements in clinical outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To examine the perception of patients about their participation in CR. METHODS: Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews, performed in a public CR center in Brazil. Twenty-eight patients were interviewed 2-years following participation in two CR models: exercise-based and comprehensive CR. RESULTS: Themes identified included: knowledge acquisition, improvement in functionality, and psychosocial well-being. It appeared that the perceived benefits of CR participation were overall positive and similar between the two models; however, those in the comprehensive CR identified additional subthemes: self-care need and knowledge transfer. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that patients from two different CR models perceived in the long term that the CR participation positively impacted their disease-related knowledge, promoted functional gains, and improved psychosocial well-being. Structured educational interventions seemed to be associated with improved participants' perception about CR, which could contribute to long-term maintenance of heart-health behavior and better outcomes.