Physical fitness, everyday physical activity, and fatigue in ambulatory adults with bilateral spastic cerebral palsy.

This study assessed physical fitness and its relationships with everyday physical activity (PA) and fatigue in cerebral palsy (CP). Participants were 42 adults with ambulatory bilateral spastic CP (mean age 36.4 ± 5.8 years; 69% males; 81% with good gross motor functioning). Progressive maximal aerobic cycle tests determined VO(2peak) (L/min). Objective levels of everyday PA were measured with accelerometry and self-reported levels of everyday PA with the Physical Activity Scale for Individuals with Physical Disabilities. Fatigue was assessed with the Fatigue Severity Scale. The average aerobic capacity of adults with CP was 77% of Dutch reference values. Participants were physically active during 124 min/day (85% of Dutch reference values), and half experienced fatigue. In women, lower physical fitness was related to lower self-reported levels of PA (R(p)=0.61, P=0.03), and in men to higher levels of fatigue (R(p)=-0.37, P=0.05). Other relationships were not significant. Results suggest that ambulatory adults with CP have low levels of physical fitness, are less physically active than able-bodied age mates and often experience fatigue. We found little evidence for relationships between the level of physical fitness and everyday PA or fatigue.

Results of treatment of the adenocarcinoma of the esophagus.

The results of treatment in 74 patients treated in 1978-1990 for adenocarcinoma of the esophagus were retrospectively analyzed. The overall five-year survival was 7.8%, the median survival 10.0 months. Eighteen patients underwent a resection, in 13 patients with curative and in 5 patients with palliative intent. The median survival for these groups was 13.5 and 5.8 months, respectively. Thirty-one patients were irradiated. The response rate according to the WHO passage score was 79%. The median duration of response and survival was 6.0 and 9.5 months, respectively. Twenty patients were given palliative treatment, in the form of an endoprosthesis (10 patients), an endoprosthesis with chemotherapy (4 patients) or only chemotherapy (6 patients). The median duration of survival of patients in the palliative group was 6.5 months. The data are discussed in relation to results of treatment described in the literature.