Developing a consensus-based motivational care pathway for individuals with lower limb fractures: a Delphi protocol.

Older adults with lower limb fractures often harbor concerns about losing their mobility, fearing a loss of independence. It is vital to develop strategies that foster their active engagement in the rehabilitation process. The present protocol aims to create a care pathway tailored to motivate individuals with lower limb fractures to adhere to rehabilitation.

Ventilatory and Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Responses Similarly Determine Anaerobic Threshold in Patients With Heart Failure.

Purpose: The present study compared the level of agreement of anaerobic threshold (AT) between ventilatory and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) techniques in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and healthy subjects.

Methods: Patients with CHF (n = 9) and a control group (CG; n = 14) underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing on a cycle ergometer until physical exhaustion. Determination of AT was performed visually by (1) ventilatory-expired gas analysis curves and (2) oxyhemoglobin (O2Hb) and deoxyhemoglobin (HHb) curves assessed by NIRS.

A practical approach to assess leg muscle oxygenation during ramp-incremental cycle ergometry in heart failure.

Heart failure is characterized by the inability of the cardiovascular system to maintain oxygen (O2) delivery (i.e., muscle blood flow in non-hypoxemic patients) to meet O2 demands.

Effects of tiotropium and formoterol on dynamic hyperinflation and exercise endurance in COPD.

Background: It is currently unclear whether the additive effects of a long-acting beta(2)-agonist (LABA) and the antimuscarinic tiotropium bromide (TIO) on resting lung function are translated into lower operating lung volumes and improved exercise tolerance in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods: On a double-blind and cross-over study, 33 patients (FEV(1) = 47.4 +/- 12.

Microvascular oxygen delivery-to-utilization mismatch at the onset of heavy-intensity exercise in optimally treated patients with CHF.

Impaired muscle blood flow at the onset of heavy-intensity exercise may transiently reduce microvascular O(2) pressure and decrease the rate of O(2) transfer from capillary to mitochondria in chronic heart failure (CHF). However, advances in the pharmacological treatment of CHF (e.g.