Cardiac rehabilitation: pedagogical education strategies have positive effect on long-term patient-reported outcomes.

This study examined whether patients attending cardiac rehabilitation (CR) based on the pedagogical strategy learning and coping (LC) led to improved health-related quality of life (HRQL), reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression and improved self-management 6 and 12 months after the completion of CR compared with patients attending CR based on the pedagogical strategy 'Empowerment, Motivation and Medical Adherence' (EMMA). A pragmatic cluster-controlled trial of two pedagogical strategies, LC and EMMA, including 10 primary health care settings and 555 patients diagnosed with ischaemic heart disease and referred to CR between August 2018 and July 2019 was conducted. In total, 312 patients replied to the questionnaires collected at baseline, 12 weeks, 6 months and 12 months after completing CR. Linear regression analyses adjusted for potential confounder variables and cluster effects were performed. We found clinically relevant and statistically significant improvements in HRQL, anxiety, depression and self-management after completing CR. The improvements were sustained at 6 and 12 months after the completion of CR. We found no differences between the two evidence-based patient education strategies. In conclusion, this study supports the use of evidence-based patient education strategies, but there is no evidence to suggest that one pedagogical strategy is superior to the other.

Cost-effectiveness of a telehealth intervention in rheumatoid arthritis: economic evaluation of the Telehealth in RA (TeRA) randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Telehealth is rapidly gaining ground from usual treatment, not least because of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) measures. Within rheumatology, telehealth has been used for, inter alia, follow-up for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with low disease activity or in remission. This study aims to assess the cost-effectiveness of such a telehealth intervention. METHOD: In a randomized controlled trial, 294 patients were randomized into patient-reported outcome-based telehealth follow-up by either a nurse (PRO-TN) or a rheumatologist (PRO-TR) or to conventional outpatient follow-up (control). Cost-effectiveness was evaluated using costs per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained. Individual-level healthcare and productivity costs were retrieved from national Danish registers. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were calculated for the intervention groups compared to the control group. Bootstrapping with 10 000 replications was used to obtain confidence intervals. Furthermore, cost-effectiveness acceptability curves were generated. RESULTS: The cost comparison showed that PRO-TR was significantly less costly than the control group, whereas the relative reduction in costs for PRO-TN was not significant. The telehealth groups experienced minor, non-significant declines in QALYs, whereas the control group experienced a slight, non-significant increase. The cost-effectiveness analysis showed that for PRO-TR, the willingness to accept a QALY loss was 89 328 EUR. A similar but smaller and non-significant result was seen for PRO-TN. CONCLUSION: PRO-TR and PRO-TN seem to cost less but provide broadly similar health outcomes compared with conventional follow-up. Between the intervention groups, PRO-TR was significantly less costly. More studies are needed to conclude whether rheumatologist- or nurse-led telehealth is more cost-effective than conventional follow-up.

Hand-held dynamometry fixated with a tripod is reliable for assessment of back extensor strength in women with osteoporosis.

UNLABELLED: An appropriate method to assess back extensor strength in clinical practice has not yet been described. Our results showed that a hand-held dynamometry fixated with a tripod is reliable for assessing back extensor strength in women with osteoporosis. INTRODUCTION: Back strengthening exercises play an important role in the rehabilitation of patients with osteoporotic vertebral fractures. Evaluation of the effect of back strengthening exercises requires a method suitable for use in clinical practice to measure back extensor strength. A hand-held dynamometer (HHD) is quick and easy to handle in clinical practice. Currently, there is a lack of evidence whether a HHD is reliable for assessment of back extensor strength in people with osteoporosis. When using a HHD, it may be difficult for the tester to provide a counter pressure corresponding to the effort of the patient. In order to accommodate this, we have developed a tripod and a belt system, which was used to fixate the HHD. This study examined the intra-tester reliability of back extensor strength assessment in women with osteoporosis using a HHD. METHODS: Back extensor strength of the participants was measured on two events with 7-day intervals. Test procedures were standardized, and all tests were performed by the same tester. RESULTS: Forty-eight women with osteoporosis and vertebral fractures were included in the analysis. The coefficient of variation was 22% using a HHD fixated by the tester and 17% using a HHD fixated with the tripod. ICC was 0.75 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.63 and 0.88) when using a HHD with fixated by the tester and 0.90 (95% CI, 0.84 and 0.95) when using a HHD fixated with the tripod. CONCLUSION: A HHD fixated with a tripod is reliable for the assessment of back extensor strength in women with osteoporosis and vertebral fractures.