Functional predictors of poor outcomes in Chagas cardiomyopathy: The value of end-tidal carbon dioxide at peak exercise.

BACKGROUND: Functional impairment can be detected from the onset of heart disease in patients with Chagas cardiomyopathy (ChC) and the prognostic value of the end-tidal carbon dioxide at peak exercise (PETCO2 peak) should be investigated. OBJECTIVE: To verify the prognostic value of PETCO2 peak in patients with ChC. METHODS: Seventy-six patients with ChC (49.2 ± 9.8 years, NYHA I-III) were evaluated by echocardiography and Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing. Patients were followed up to four years and the end-point was defined as cardiovascular death, stroke, or cardiac transplantation. RESULTS: At the end of the follow-up period (29.0 ± 16.0 months), 16 patients (21%) had experienced adverse events. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve to identify the risk of adverse events by PETCO2 peak in patients with ChC was 0.83 (95% CI: 0.69 to 0.97), and the value of 32 mmHg was the optimal cut point (70% of sensitivity and 85% of specificity). In the Kaplan-Meier diagram, there was a significant difference (p<0.001) between patients with reduced (≤ 32 mmHg) and preserved PETCO2 peak (>32 mmHg). In the final Cox multivariate model, only reduced PETCO2 peak (HR 4.435; 95% CI: 1.228 to 16.016, p = 0.023) and VO2peak (HR 0.869; 95% CI: 0.778 to 0.971, p = 0.013) remained as independent predictors of poor outcome in ChC patients. CONCLUSION: Reduced PETCO2 peak and VO2peak demonstrated valuable prognostic value in patients with ChC. The cutoff points for both functional variables can be used during risk stratification and may help in the development of therapeutic strategies in ChC patients.

Determinants of minute ventilation-carbon dioxide production relationship in Chagas cardiomyopathy.

INTRODUCTION: The minute ventilation-carbon dioxide production relationship (VE/VCO2 slope) is among the main prognostic factors of Chagas cardiomyopathy whose determinants remain unknown. METHODS: Seventy-eight patients with Chagas cardiomyopathy were evaluated using clinical assessment, cardiopulmonary exercise test, echocardiography, and International Physical Activity Questionnaire. RESULTS: Age, functional class, International Physical Activity Questionnaire score, and dilated cardiomyopathy with systolic dysfunction were independent determinants of VE/VCO2 slope, and these variables explained 63% of its variance. CONCLUSIONS: The VE/VCO2 slope was related to age, functional class, physical activity level, and dilated cardiomyopathy with systolic dysfunction in patients with Chagas cardiomyopathy.

The impact of exercise training on calf pump function, muscle strength, ankle range of motion, and health-related quality of life in patients with chronic venous insufficiency at different stages of severity: a systematic review.

Exercise training (ET) is an important tool in the management of patients with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). The objective of this article was to discuss the effects of ET on the calf pump, functional parameters, and quality of life of patients with mild and advanced CVI. A systematic review was conducted and eleven studies were included. In patients with mild CVI, ET was effective for improving venous reflux, muscle strength, ankle range of motion, and quality of life. In advanced CVI patients, ET increased ejection fraction, reduced residual volume fraction, and improved muscle strength and ankle range of motion, but did not change venous reflux indices or quality of life. It is concluded that ET is effective for improving calf pump function, muscle strength, and ankle range of motion in CVI. In patients with mild CVI, additional benefits were observed in quality of life.

O treinamento físico é uma importante ferramenta no tratamento de pacientes com insuficiência venosa crônica. O objetivo foi discutir os efeitos do tratamento físico na bomba da panturrilha, os parâmetros funcionais e a qualidade de vida de pacientes com insuficiência venosa crônica leve e avançada. Uma revisão sistemática foi realizada, e 11 estudos foram incluídos. Na insuficiência venosa crônica leve, o treinamento físico foi eficaz na melhora do refluxo venoso, da força muscular, da amplitude de movimento do tornozelo e da qualidade de vida. Na insuficiência venosa crônica avançada, o treinamento físico aumentou a fração de ejeção, reduziu a fração de volume residual e melhorou a força muscular e amplitude de movimento do tornozelo, sem alterações nos índices de refluxo venoso e na qualidade de vida. Conclui-se que o treinamento físico é eficaz na melhoria da bomba da panturrilha, da força muscular e da amplitude de movimento do tornozelo na insuficiência venosa crônica. Em pacientes com insuficiência venosa crônica leve, foram encontrados benefícios adicionais na qualidade de vida.

Accuracy of health-related quality of life in identifying systolic dysfunction in patients with Chagas cardiomyopathy.

OBJECTIVE: Systolic dysfunction is a well-established marker of mortality in patients with Chagas cardiomyopathy (CC). However, its diagnosis is expensive and useful tools for screening these patients are required. The evaluation of the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) detects the patient's perception of the disease's impact. However, its accuracy in identifying patients with CC and systolic dysfunction is unknown. The study aimed to verify the sensitivity, specificity and predictive values of the physical and mental components related to HRQoL in identifying patients with CC and systolic dysfunction. METHODS: 75 patients with CC, aged 49 (95% confidence interval: 47-51) years, were evaluated by echocardiography and Short-Form of Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire. Systolic dysfunction was defined by left ventricular ejection fraction <52% for men and <54% for women and left ventricular diastolic diameter >55 mm. RESULTS: Most patients (73%) had systolic dysfunction, with lower HRQoL values in the physical functioning, physical role functioning and general health perceptions domains and in the physical component summary. The accuracy of identifying patients with systolic dysfunction by the scores of physical components was 73% and 62% of mental components. The optimal cut-off point was 46 for physical and 54 for mental components, with respective positive predictive values of 91% and 80%. CONCLUSION: The evaluation of the HRQoL by the SF-36, a low-cost instrument, can be useful in identifying patients with systolic dysfunction, assisting in the screening and risk stratification of patients.

Determinants of minute ventilation-carbon dioxide production relationship in Chagas cardiomyopathy

Abstract INTRODUCTION: The minute ventilation-carbon dioxide production relationship (VE/VCO2 slope) is among the main prognostic factors of Chagas cardiomyopathy whose determinants remain unknown. METHODS: Seventy-eight patients with Chagas cardiomyopathy were evaluated using clinical assessment, cardiopulmonary exercise test, echocardiography, and International Physical Activity Questionnaire. RESULTS: Age, functional class, International Physical Activity Questionnaire score, and dilated cardiomyopathy with systolic dysfunction were independent determinants of VE/VCO2 slope, and these variables explained 63% of its variance. CONCLUSIONS: The VE/VCO2 slope was related to age, functional class, physical activity level, and dilated cardiomyopathy with systolic dysfunction in patients with Chagas cardiomyopathy.

The impact of exercise training on calf pump function, muscle strength, ankle range of motion, and health-related quality of life in patients with chronic venous insufficiency at different stages of severity: a systematic review / O impacto do treinamento físico na função da bomba da panturrilha, força muscular, amplitude de movimento do tornozelo e qualidade de vida relacionada à saúde em diferentes estágios de gravidade da insuficiência venosa crônica: uma revisão sistemática

Abstract Exercise training (ET) is an important tool in the management of patients with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). The objective of this article was to discuss the effects of ET on the calf pump, functional parameters, and quality of life of patients with mild and advanced CVI. A systematic review was conducted and eleven studies were included. In patients with mild CVI, ET was effective for improving venous reflux, muscle strength, ankle range of motion, and quality of life. In advanced CVI patients, ET increased ejection fraction, reduced residual volume fraction, and improved muscle strength and ankle range of motion, but did not change venous reflux indices or quality of life. It is concluded that ET is effective for improving calf pump function, muscle strength, and ankle range of motion in CVI. In patients with mild CVI, additional benefits were observed in quality of life.

Resumo O treinamento físico é uma importante ferramenta no tratamento de pacientes com insuficiência venosa crônica. O objetivo foi discutir os efeitos do tratamento físico na bomba da panturrilha, os parâmetros funcionais e a qualidade de vida de pacientes com insuficiência venosa crônica leve e avançada. Uma revisão sistemática foi realizada, e 11 estudos foram incluídos. Na insuficiência venosa crônica leve, o treinamento físico foi eficaz na melhora do refluxo venoso, da força muscular, da amplitude de movimento do tornozelo e da qualidade de vida. Na insuficiência venosa crônica avançada, o treinamento físico aumentou a fração de ejeção, reduziu a fração de volume residual e melhorou a força muscular e amplitude de movimento do tornozelo, sem alterações nos índices de refluxo venoso e na qualidade de vida. Conclui-se que o treinamento físico é eficaz na melhoria da bomba da panturrilha, da força muscular e da amplitude de movimento do tornozelo na insuficiência venosa crônica. Em pacientes com insuficiência venosa crônica leve, foram encontrados benefícios adicionais na qualidade de vida.

Aerobic conditioning, blood pressure (BP) and body mass index (BMI) of older participants of the Brazilian Family Health Program (FHP) after 16 weeks of guided physical activity.

Because physical exercise is an efficient means to improve maximum consumption of oxygen (VO(2max)) and reduce body fat, the objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of 4 months of a guided physical activity program on BMI, BP and estimated VO(2max) of older participants of the FHP. The sample was composed of 70 older participants who were divided into two groups: the experimental group (EG) (26 women and 9 men) and the control group (CG) (20 women and 15 men). The program of physical activity included walking, hydrogymnastics, weight-training exercises and stretching exercises. The intensity of the aerobics exercises was set such that participants would achieve 55-65% of the estimated maximum heart rate, with the corresponding effort to be subjectively rated by the participant as 12-13 points on a 6-20 point scale. After 4 months of guided physical activity, there was a significant 19.26% improvement in the VO(2max) in the EG (p ≤ 0.001), and the diastolic pressure in the EG was significantly lower than that in the CG (p ≤ 0.001). In conclusion, the 16-week program of physical activity significantly improved the cardiorespiratory capacity of older individuals.

Efeito do exercício físico sobre o perfil lipídico de mulheres HIV+ dislipidemocas sob tratamento com HAART / Effect of exercise training on the lipid profiles of HIV+ women with dyslipidemia under HAART

Fundamentos: Poucos estudos avaliaram o efeito do exercício físico no perfil lipídico de indivíduos infectados pelo HIV sob tratamento com HAART. Todavia, nenhum avaliou esse efeito em indivíduos do mesmo gênero ou sob a mesma terapia antirretroviral. Objetivos: Analisar o impacto de 12 semanas de exercício físico aeróbico e de força em mulheres infectadas pelo HIV com lipodistrofia e dislipidemia, sob tratamento com antirretroviral de alta potência (HAART). Métodos: Foi analisado o perfil lipídico (colesterol total, LDL, HDL, triglicérideos séricos) antes e após o período de 12 semanas ...