Safety and feasibility of cardiopulmonary exercise testing in head and neck cancer survivors.

Purpose: Assess safety and feasibility of the cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) for evaluating head and neck cancer (HaNC) survivors. Also compare their cardiorespiratory fitness to age and sex-matched norms and establish current physical activity levels.

Methods: Fifty HaNC survivors [29 male; mean (SD) age, 62 (8) years], who had completed treatment up to 1 year previously, were recruited.

Effect of treatment of peripheral arterial disease on the onset of anaerobic exercise during cardiopulmonary exercise testing.

Objective: Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is often used to assess pre-operative fitness in elderly patients, in whom peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is highly prevalent, but may affect the results of CPET by early lactate release due to muscle ischemia. This study investigated the effect revascularization of PAD on oxygen delivery (VO ) during CPET.

Method: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 30 patients, who underwent CPET before and after treatment of ilio-femoral PAD.

Use of zonal distribution of lung crackles during inspiration and expiration to assess disease severity in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Purpose Of The Study: To measure the number and distribution of crackles in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and assess how this relates to measures of disease severity.

Study Design: Fourteen patients with IPF had both the number of crackles per litre of lung volume and lung function measured every 3 months for 1 year. Crackle counts were expressed according to position (upper and lower zones) and whether they occurred during inspiration and expiration.

Effect of β-blockade on lung function, exercise performance and dynamic hyperinflation in people with arterial vascular disease with and without COPD.

Introduction: β Blockers are important treatment for ischaemic heart disease and heart failure; however, there has long been concern about their use in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) due to fear of symptomatic worsening of breathlessness. Despite growing evidence of safety and efficacy, they remain underused. We examined the effect of β-blockade on lung function, exercise performance and dynamic hyperinflation in a group of vascular surgical patients, a high proportion of who were expected to have COPD.

Effect of peripheral arterial disease on the onset of lactate threshold during cardiopulmonary exercise test: study protocol.

Introduction: Cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET) is widely used in preoperative assessment and cardiopulmonary rehabilitation. The effect of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) on oxygen delivery (VO) measured by CPET is not known. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of PAD on VO measurements during CPET.

Objective cough frequency in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Background: Cough is a common presenting symptom in patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). This study measured cough rates in IPF patients and investigated the association between cough and measures of health related quality of life and subjective cough assessments. In addition, IPF cough rates were related to measures of physiological disease severity and compared to cough rates in health and other respiratory conditions.