Impact of COVID-19 on heart rate variability in post-COVID individuals compared to a control group.

This study investigated the impact of mild COVID-19 on HRV in groups stratified by time after infection and to compare to a healthy group of the same age without previous virus infection and without need of hospitalization. This is a cross-sectional study. We divided the sample into four groups: control group (CG) (n = 31), group 1 (G1): ≤6 weeks (n = 34), group 2 (G2): 2-6 months (n = 30), group 3 (G3): 7-12 months (n = 35) after infection.

Effect of Glycated Haemoglobin (HBA1c) on Cardiorespiratory Fitness (CRF) in a Population with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM): A Cross-Sectional Study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) measures, maximal oxygen consumption (VO max), and minute ventilation/carbon dioxide production (V/VCO slope and others) among the T2DM population based on glycated haemoglobin (HBA1c). The present study comprised a cross-sectional design, with two groups, based on HbA1c values (≤7 and ≥7.1).

Inter- and intra-examiner reliability of short-term measurement of heart rate variability on rest in patients hospitalized with COVID-19.

Measures reflecting cardiac sympathovagal activity, particularly those associated with heart rate variability (HRV), are widely recognized and utilized in both scientific and clinical contexts. This study aimed to assess the inter- and intra-examiner reliability of short-term HRV parameters in patients hospitalized with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). A total of 103 patients (both sexes) diagnosed with COVID-19 were included in the study.

Sex-Based Differences in Pulmonary Function and Cardiopulmonary Response 30 Months Post-COVID-19: A Brazilian Multicentric Study.

: (I) to verify if there are sex differences in respiratory function, respiratory muscle strength, and effort limitation in individuals recovered from severe acute COVID-19 30 months after the initial infection, and (II) to evaluate the influence of length of stay on cardiorespiratory capacity among men and women. : Cross-sectional observational multicentric study with participants from five Brazilian states (São Paulo, Amazonas, Minas Gerais, Bahia, and Brasília). We assessed lung function and respiratory muscle strength by maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximum expiratory pressure (MEP), and cardiorespiratory fitness by cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET).

Prognostic value of the duke activity Status Index Questionnaire in predicting mortality in patients with chronic heart failure: 36-month follow-up study.

Background: The Duke Activity Status Index (DASI) questionnaire has been the focus of numerous investigations - its discriminative and prognostic capacity has been continuously explored, supporting its use in the clinical setting, specifically during rehabilitation in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF).However, studies exploring optimal DASI questionnaire threshold scores are limited.

Objective: To investigate optimal DASI questionnaire thresholds values in predicting mortality in a CHF cohort and assess mortality rates based on the DASI questionnaire using a thresholds values obtained.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus negatively affects the functional performance of 6-min step test in chronic heart failure: a 3-year follow-up study.

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and chronic heart failure (CHF) present a decrease in functional capacity due to the intrinsic nature of both pathologies. It is not known about the potential impact of T2DM on functional capacity when assessed by 6-min step test (6MST) and its effect as a prognostic marker for fatal and non-fatal events in patients with CHF.

Objective: to evaluate the coexistence of T2DM and CHF in functional capacity through 6MST when compared to CHF non-T2DM, as well as to investigate the different cardiovascular responses to 6MST and the risk of mortality, decompensation of CHF and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) over 36 months.

Effect of Early Multiprofessional Mobilization on Quality Indicators of Intensive Care in a Less Economically Developed Country: An Action on "Rehabilitation 2030" in Brazil.

Objective: To investigate the effects of implementing early multiprofessional mobilization on quality indicators of intensive care in Brazil.

Design: This is a retrospective cohort study.

Setting: A Brazilian educational and research-intensive care unit (ICU).

The prognostic role of cardiopulmonary exercise testing in obesity.

Aim: Poor cardiorespiratory fitness has been suggested to increase the risk of chronic diseases in obesity. We investigated the ability of key variables from cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) to predict all-cause mortality in an obese cohort.

Methods: The sample included 469 participants of both sexes (mean age 40 ± 13 years) who underwent a CPET for clinical reasons between 1 March 2009 and 1 December 2023.

Influence of heart failure (HF) comorbidity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and isolated forms of HF and COPD on cardiovascular function during hospitalization.

Introduction: Coexistence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) and heart failure(HF) is associated with systemic inflammation, myocardial injury, and arterial stiffening, impacting cardiovascular risk and prognosis in patients. Arterial stiffness, reduced nitric oxide synthesis, and altered cardiac autonomic control further link COPD and HF pathophysiology, emphasizing the need for comprehensive cardiovascular assessment.

Objective: To investigate a cardiovascular profile in patients hospitalized with exacerbation COPD(ECOPD) in coexistence with HF compared with isolated diseases.

Functional Physical Analysis and Quality of Life in the Preoperative and Early Postoperative Periods of Cardiac Surgery and 30 Days After Hospital Discharge.

Introduction: The analysis of patients submitted to heart surgery at three assessment times has been insufficiently described in the literature.

Objective: To analyze chest expansion, maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximum expiratory pressure (MEP), distance traveled on the six-minute walk test (6MWT), and quality of life in the preoperative period, fourth postoperative day (4th PO), and 30th day after hospital discharge (30th-day HD) in individuals submitted to elective heart surgery.

Methods: A descriptive, analytical, cross-sectional study was conducted with 15 individuals submitted to elective heart surgery between 2016 and 2020 who did not undergo any type of physiotherapeutic intervention in Phase II of cardiac rehabilitation.

Development of a performance-based toolkit of the treatable traits of functioning in hospitalised patients with exacerbation of COPD: a survey-based study protocol.

Background: The management of COPD has been based on the premise of identifying problems that guide personalised treatment based on a multidimensional assessment, known as treatable traits. Exacerbation of COPD (ECOPD) results in physical and functional impairments, limitation of daily activities and negative impact on patients' quality of life and prognosis. In this context, identifying treatable traits in patients with ECOPD is essential to properly guide individualised patient care.

Left ventricular concentric remodeling in COPD patients: A cross-sectional observational study.

Objective: To investigate the association between left ventricular structure and disease severity in COPD patients.

Methods: Twenty-eight COPD patients were stratified according to the disease severity, using the BODE index, into L (n=17) and H (n=11) groups, composed of patients with lower severity (BODE <5) and higher severity (BODE ≥5), respectively. Left ventricle (LV) was assessed by 2D-echocardiography.

Inspiratory muscle endurance is similarly reduced in the early and late stages of chronic Chagas heart disease.

Objective: Inspiratory muscle strength (IMS) appears to be reduced in subjects with chronic Chagas heart disease (CHD), especially in the presence of heart failure (HF). However, only one study about IMS and inspiratory muscle endurance (IME) in those with CHD without heart failure is available. This study aimed to compare IMS and IME in subjects with CHD in the presence and absence of HF.

Phenotyping cardiopulmonary exercise testing measures in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: A comparison between Italy and Brazil.

Background: While patients with heart failure (HF) with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (HFrEF) constitutes a global health crisis the incidence, prevalence and prognosis of the disease may differ depending on the continent and country.

Objective: To profile, analyze and compare cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) data of patients with HFrEF between Italian and Brazilian cohorts.

Methods: In this observational study, a total of 630 patients with clinical and functional diagnosis of HFrEF (315 patients from Brazil and 315 patients from Italy) performed CPET.

The six-minute step test can predict COPD exacerbations: a 36-month follow-up study.

The six-minute step test (6MST) has been shown to be effective in assessing exercise capacity in individuals with COPD regardless of severity and, despite its easy execution, accessibility and validity, information on the prognostic power of this test remains uncertain. The aim of this study is to investigate whether the 6MST can predict the occurrence of exacerbations in patients with COPD. This is a prospective cohort study with a 36-month follow-up in patients with COPD.

Effect of Pulmonary Rehabilitation on Exercise Capacity, Dyspnea, Fatigue, and Peripheral Muscle Strength in Patients With Post-COVID-19 Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Objective: To establish the effects of pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) in patients with persistent symptoms after COVID-19 infection. In addition, to compare the modalities of PR services (face-to-face and telerehabilitation) and the duration of PR in weeks (4-8 weeks and >8 weeks).

Data Sources: PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase (Elsevier), Central/Cochrane Library, SciELO Citation Index (Web of Science), and CINAHL.

Discriminative value of pulse wave velocity for arterial stiffness and cardiac injury in prediabetic patients.

Background: Prediabetes (PD) is defined as impaired fasting glucose and/or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and may be associated with high risk of cardiovascular injury. It is recommended that PD patients be screened for signs of arterial stiffness and cardiovascular injury to reinforce therapeutic strategies.

Objectives: To identify pulse wave velocity values discriminative for arterial stiffness and cardiovascular injury in PD patients.

Impact of long COVID on the heart rate variability at rest and during deep breathing maneuver.

While the majority of individuals with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) recover completely, a significant percentage experience persistent symptom, which has been characterized as Long COVID and may be associated with cardiac and autonomic dysfunction. We evaluated heart rate variability (HRV) at rest and during deep-breathing (M-RSA) in patients with Long COVID. Case-control design involved 21 patients with Long COVID and 20 controls; the HRV was evaluated (POLAR system) at rest in the supine position and during M-RSA and expressed in time domain and non-linear analysis.

Regular Physical Exercise Adherence Scale (REPEAS): a new instrument to measure environmental and personal barriers to adherence to regular physical exercise.

Objective: To create, develop, and validate a scale that identifies the environmental and personal barriers that make it difficult to adhere to the practice of physical exercise on a regular basis in a population of Brazilian adults.

Methods: We include adult individuals, aged 18-59 years, practitioners or former practitioners of physical exercise, with Brazilian Portuguese as their mother tongue. In the development and validation phases of the process, 6 specialists in the field of the health assessed the content validity: firstly, the specialists were asked to freely list the questions they would ask to investigate the barriers to adherence to regulating physical activity.

Inspiratory Muscle Strength in Chagas Cardiomyopathy: A Systematic Scoping Review.

The increase in inflammatory markers associated with persistent chronic fibrosing myocarditis, a characteristic of chronic Chagas disease, can result in a reduction in inspiratory muscle strength (IMS) in Chagas cardiomyopathy (CC). However, literature in this field is still scarce. This review aimed to map and summarize the evidence regarding IMS in patients with CC.

Case-Finding tool for COPD in LMIC (COLA) - translation and cross-cultural adaptation into Brazilian Portuguese language.

Objective: To translate and cross-culturally adapt the COPD in Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) Assessment (COLA) questionnaire into Brazilian Portuguese, a case-finding instrument for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods: Translation and cross-cultural adaptation were completed in six steps: the original version was translated into Brazilian Portuguese by two native speakers of the target language; the translated versions were synthesized; back-translation was performed by two native speakers of the original language; the back-translation and the Brazilian Portuguese version of the COLA were reviewed and harmonized by an expert committee of specialists; and, then, the pre-final version was tested by 30 health professionals who were asked if the items were clear to understand. The acceptability, clarity, and understandability of the translated version were evaluated.

Predictors of cardiopulmonary exercise testing in COPD patients according to the Weber classification.

Background: Weber classification stratifies cardiac patients based on peak oxygen consumption (V̇O), the gold-standard measure of exercise capacity.

Objective: To determine if Weber classification is a useful tool to discriminate clinical phenotypes in COPD patients and to evaluate if disease severity and other clinical measures can predict V̇O.

Methods: Three hundred and six COPD patients underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPX) and were divided according to Weber class: 1) Weber A (n = 34); 2) Weber B (n = 88); 3) Weber C (n = 138); and 4) Weber D (n = 46).

Exercise oscillatory ventilation in patients with coexisting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and heart failure: Clinical implications.

Background: Exercise oscillatory ventilation (EOV) is considered an important variable for predicting poor prognosis in patients with heart failure (HF) with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (HFrEF). However, there are no studies evaluating EOV presence in the coexistence chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and HFrEF.

Aims: I) To compare the clinical characteristics of participants with coexisting HFrEF-COPD with and without EOV during cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET); and II) to identify the impact of EOV on mortality during follow-up for 35 months.