Effectiveness of exercise training on the dyspnoea of individuals with long COVID: A randomised controlled multicentre trial.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (CARDS) is a severe evolution of the Sars-Cov-2 infection and necessitates intensive care. COVID-19 may subsequently be associated with long COVID, whose symptoms can include persistent respiratory symptoms up to 1 year later. Rehabilitation is currently recommended by most guidelines for people with this condition. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effects of exercise training rehabilitation (ETR) on dyspnoea and health-related quality of life measures in people with continuing respiratory discomfort following CARDS. METHODS: In this multicentre, two-arm, parallel, open, assessor-blinded, randomised controlled trial, we enroled adults previously admitted with CARDS to 3 French intensive care units who had been discharged at least 3 months earlier and who presented with an mMRC dyspnoea scale score > 1. Participants received either ETR or standard physiotherapy (SP) for 90 days. The primary outcome was dyspnoea, as measured by the Multidimensional Dyspnoea Profile (MDP), at day 0 (inclusion) and after 90 days of physiotherapy. Secondary outcomes were the mMRC and 12-item Short-Form Survey scores. RESULTS: Between August 7, 2020, and January 26, 2022, 487 participants with CARDS were screened for inclusion, of whom 60 were randomly assigned to receive either ETR (n = 27) or SP (n = 33). Mean MDP following ETR was 42% lower than after SP (26.15 vs. 44.76); a difference of -18.61 (95% CI -27.78 to -9.44; p<10-4). CONCLUSION: People who were still suffering from breathlessness three months after being discharged from hospital with CARDS had significantly improved dyspnoea scores when treated with ETR therapy for 90 days unlike those who only received SP. Study registered 29/09/2020 on Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04569266).

Sexual Health after a Breast Cancer Diagnosis: Addressing a Forgotten Aspect of Survivorship.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women. The life expectancy after a breast cancer diagnosis is improving steadily, leaving many more persons with the long-term consequences of treatment. Sexual problems are a common concern for breast cancer survivors yet remain overlooked in both the clinical setting and the research literature. Factors that contribute to sexual health concerns in breast cancer survivors are biopsychosocial, as are the barriers to addressing and treating these health concerns. Sexual health needs and treatment may vary by anatomy and gender. Multidisciplinary management may comprise lifestyle modifications, medications, sexual health aids such as vibrators, counseling, and referrals to pelvic health physical therapy and specialty care. In this article, we review the contributing factors, screening, and management of sexual difficulties in cisgender female breast cancer survivors. More information is needed to better address the sexual health of breast cancer survivors whose sexual/gender identity differs from that of cisgender women.

Introducing Lifestyle Medicine Within the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine in Arizona.

Purpose: High-value care is becoming increasingly important as the United States shifts toward a more sustainable health care system. Lifestyle medicine (LM) may be the highest-value model of care. Surprisingly, however, it is taught in a minority of medical schools. In this article, we describe a pilot project of introducing a brief LM course taught within the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine in Arizona. The main purpose of the course was to introduce the students to LM as a specialty practice and to provide students with foundational knowledge of the pillars of LM. Results: Students reported improved personal health habits and increased confidence in LM competencies.

Public Health Response to Zika Virus Exposure of Air Force Members Deployed to Caribbean Islands, 2016.

INTRODUCTION: The emergence of Zika virus disease (ZVD) in areas of military operations provided a new opportunity for force health protection. ZVD infection had an estimated 4:1 asymptomatic-to-symptomatic ratio and can cause neurologic sequelae. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We provide a brief report of a field investigation utilizing laboratory-based surveillance and survey instruments to characterize ZVD risk among personnel deployed to the Dominican Republic in support of Operation NEW HORIZONS (NH). Additionally, we describe a cluster of 3 ZVD cases among 8 aircrew on a short mission to St. Croix (U.S. Virgin Islands). RESULTS: Following Operation NH, 6 of a total 189 deployed cohort members tested positive for ZVD by immunoglobulin M and confirmatory plaque reduction neutralization test (3.2%). Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction testing in urine or serum was positive in 4 of those 6 cases. All 6 cases reported at least one symptom, with 5 reporting subjective fever and arthralgia and 4 reporting rash. Cases were less likely to have air-conditioned living quarters (odds ratio = 0.1; 95% confidence interval 0.02-0.77; P < 0.03), but were otherwise similar to non-cases. Likewise, in St. Croix, 3/8 tested positive by immunoglobulin M and plaque reduction neutralization test for an attack rate of 38%. Similar to Operation NH, all three cases were symptomatic with subjective fever (67%), arthralgia (67%), and/or rash (100%). CONCLUSIONS: This field investigation identified differing, mission location-dependent ZVD attack rates and a 0:9 asymptomatic-to-symptomatic case ratio. As this was unexpected based on a previous report of a 4:1 ratio, it emphasizes the need to be cautious before generalizing outbreak characteristics between populations while also offering additional practical experience for force health protection.

Behavioral Interventions to Prevent or Delay Dementia: Protocol for a Randomized Comparative Effectiveness Study.

BACKGROUND: Currently, people at risk for dementia and their caregivers are confronted with confusing choices about what behavioral interventions are most effective. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to determine which empirically supported behavioral interventions most impact the outcomes highly valued by patients with mild cognitive impairment and their partners. METHODS: This protocol describes a comparative effectiveness trial targeting 300 participants with mild cognitive impairment and their study partners. The trial is being conducted at the Mayo Clinic campuses in Arizona, Florida, Minnesota, and the University of Washington in Seattle. The study examines the contribution of five behavioral interventions (yoga, memory compensation training, computerized cognitive training, support groups, and wellness education) on primary outcomes of participant and partner quality of life and self-efficacy. In this unique 10-day multicomponent intervention, groups of couples were randomized to have one of the five interventions withheld while receiving the other four. Although the longitudinal follow-up is still under way, enrollment results are available and reported. RESULTS: In total, 272 couples have been enrolled in the trial and follow-up visits continue. Outcomes will be assessed at the end-of-intervention and 6-, 12-, and 18-month follow-ups. We anticipate reporting on our primary and secondary outcomes across time points in the next 2 years. CONCLUSIONS: This paper describes the protocol for a randomized comparative effectiveness study of behavioral interventions to prevent or delay dementia. We describe of the rationale, design, power analysis, and analysis plan. Also because enrollment is complete and we are in follow-up phases of the study, we have included enrollment data from the trial. TRIAL REGISTRATION:  ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02265757; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ctsshow/ NCT02265757 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6ueRfwSYv).

Diagnosis of 2009 pandemic influenza A (pH1N1) and seasonal influenza using rapid influenza antigen tests, San Antonio, Texas, April-June 2009.

Clinicians frequently use influenza rapid antigen tests for diagnostic testing. We tested nasal wash samples from 1 April to 7 June 2009 from 1538 patients using the QuickVue Influenza A+B (Quidel) rapid influenza antigen test and compared the results with real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) assay (gold standard). The prevalence of 2009 pandemic influenza A (pH1N1) was 1.98%, seasonal influenza type A .87%, and seasonal influenza type B 2.07%. The sensitivity and specificity of the rapid test for pH1N1 was 20% (95% CI, 8-39) and 99% (95% CI, 98-99), for seasonal influenza type A 15% (95% CI, 2-45) and 99% (95% CI, 98-99), and for influenza type B was 31% (95% CI, 9-61) and 99% (95% CI, 98-99.7). Rapid influenza antigen tests were of limited use at a time when the prevalence of pH1N1 and seasonal influenza in the United States was low. Clinicians should instead rely on clinical impression and laboratory diagnosis by rRT-PCR.

Household transmission of pandemic (H1N1) 2009, San Antonio, Texas, USA, April-May 2009.

To assess household transmission of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 in San Antonio, Texas, USA, during April 15-May 8, 2009, we investigated 77 households. The index case-patient was defined as the household member with the earliest onset date of symptoms of acute respiratory infection (ARI), influenza-like illness (ILI), or laboratory-confirmed pandemic (H1N1) 2009. Median interval between illness onset in index and secondary case-patients was 4 days (range 1-9 days); the index case-patient was likely to be < or =18 years of age (p = 0.034). The secondary attack rate was 4% for pandemic (H1N1) 2009, 9% for ILI, and 13% for ARI. The secondary attack rate was highest for children <5 years of age (8%-19%) and lowest for adults > or =50 years of age (4%-12%). Early in the outbreak, household transmission primarily occurred from children to other household members and was lower than the transmission rate for seasonal influenza.