ABSTRACT
Background: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disorder that affects approximately 1 billion people worldwide. Advanced age is a significant risk factor. Various treatment options have been explored to reduce the severity of OSA symptoms and physical exercise has emerged as a potential alternative therapy. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effects of a combined exercise program with sleep education on sleep quality and on the severity of OSA in older adults. Methods: This is a randomized clinical trial with two parallel groups that will involve individuals of both genders aged between 60 and 79 years who have an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of more than 15 events per hour and who have not received or are currently undergoing treatment for OSA. Older adults who have engaged in regular exercise in the last six months and individuals with contraindications to exercise will be excluded. The study will assess outcomes related to OSA, including AHI, oxygen desaturation index, minimum and mean oxyhemoglobin saturation, sleep efficiency, sleep latency, and the type of respiratory events. Additionally, sleep quality-related outcomes, daytime sleepiness, physical activity, physical fitness, aerobic capacity, cognitive status, anthropometric measures, and health-related quality of life will be analyzed. Participants will be randomized to two groups: a combined exercise group (involving both resistance and aerobic training) with sleep education, and a control group that will receive only educational recommendations for managing OSA. The intervention will last 12 weeks and will consist of three sessions per week, totaling 36 exercise sessions. Sample size calculation indicates a minimum number of 36 participants. Discussion: If the hypothesis is confirmed, this clinical trial will indicate an effective non-pharmacological intervention for treating OSA in older adults. This intervention could be used as an adjunct to existing approaches designed to improve OSA management. Clinical trail registration: Brazil Clinical Trials Registry (ReBEC), identifier RBR-9hk6pgz.
ABSTRACT
Purpose: To estimate the prevalence and severity of impairments in functional status, fatigue, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among critical COVID-19 survivors one-year after hospital discharge. Methods: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA statement and registered in PROSPERO (CRD42021258356), with searches in eight databases. Observational studies were selected. The prevalence meta-analysis of abnormalities was performed using random-effects models. Risk of bias was evaluated using the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute tool. Results: Twenty studies were included, with data collected between 12 and 13.5 months after hospital discharge and a total of 1828 participants. Of these, 71% were men, and 77.7% were intubated in the intensive care unit (ICU). Impairments and sequelae were identified in varying prevalence and degrees, with greater impact on functional capacity and physical components of fatigue and HRQoL. The prevalence of abnormalities of 32.3% [95% CI 23.9; 41.9] found in the meta-analysis is substantially high. Most studies were classified as having fair and poor quality. Conclusion: Critical COVID-19 survivors experience impairments in functional status, fatigue, and HRQoL to varying degrees one-year after hospital discharge, particularly among patients who stayed in the ICU and on MV for a prolonged period.
Critical COVID-19 survivors exhibit persistent impairments one-year post-discharge.Functional status, fatigue, and health-related quality of life are impaired to varying degrees in approximately one-third of patients.Long-term follow-up care for critical COVID-19 survivors should be prioritized.
ABSTRACT
Social isolation (SI) can have negative effects on health, although little is known about the SI consequences on patients with grade III obesity and even less if they are entering a prehabilitation program. OBJECTIVE: the present study analyzes the effects of SI determined by the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in people with grade III obesity who about to enter a prehabilitation program for bariatric surgery. METHODS: Five patients with grade III obesity who entered a prehabilitation program or which had to be stopped on March 17th, 2020 were evaluated. Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) (Epworth Sleepiness Scale - ESS) and sleep quality (SQ) (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index - PSQI) were investigated. Data collection took place in the week before the SI government decree and after 30 and 90 days of SI. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 20.0 and GraphPad Prism 8.0. The Friedman test was used to verify the difference between the times and a significance level of p < 0.05 was adopted. RESULTS: with SI, EDS improved by 8 points after 30 days and 3 points after 90 days (p < 0.05). The PSQI did not change (p = 0.819). CONCLUSION: the SI improved the EDS of individuals with grade III obesity entering the prehabilitation program, but did not change complementing their SQ. The improvement in EDS may be related to a longer daily sleep time provided by the SI and the lower number of daily work commitments. Measures to improve the SQ of these patients should be considered, including remote forms.
