Pulmonary rehabilitation in follow-up and inpatient rehabilitation for Long COVID: twelve months of follow-up.

Background: Individuals with persistent impairments due to Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can receive pulmonary rehabilitation in Germany. To date, there is no evidence of the medium- or long-term effects of pulmonary rehabilitation on Long COVID.

Aim: This study examined changes in health and occupational outcomes over time and described the therapeutic content of pulmonary rehabilitation and aftercare.

[Pneumological Rehabilitation in Long COVID - A Comparative Exploratory Longitudinal Study of Long COVID and Asthma/COPD Rehabilitees].

Background: For some COVID-19 patients, symptoms and health impairments persist for an extended period of time (long COVID). Long-term consequences of the disease can lead to permanent limitations in participatory life. In these cases, medical rehabilitation may be useful.

[Pneumological Rehabilitation in Patients with Long Covid - Health Changes at the End of the Inpatient Rehabilitation Measure].

Background: Some people suffering from Covid-19 can be affected by persistent symptoms and long-term consequences of the disease (Long Covid) beyond their acute phase. Consequently, this can lead to restrictions in participation. Therefore, the focus is on medical rehabilitation in which Long Covid is treated as a new challenge.

Cardiac Rehabilitation in German Speaking Countries of Europe-Evidence-Based Guidelines from Germany, Austria and Switzerland LLKardReha-DACH-Part 2.

Background: Scientific guidelines have been developed to update and harmonize exercise based cardiac rehabilitation (ebCR) in German speaking countries. Key recommendations for ebCR indications have recently been published in part 1 of this journal. The present part 2 updates the evidence with respect to contents and delivery of ebCR in clinical practice, focusing on exercise training (ET), psychological interventions (PI), patient education (PE).

Study protocol medical rehabilitation after COVID-19 disease: an observational study with a comparison group with obstructive airway disease / Re_Co.

Background: Novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been the subject of a numerous research projects over the past year. In cases with a severe disease course or threatening long-term impairment due to disease, the German health care system offers insured persons the possibility of medical rehabilitation. In contrast to what was observed and expected at the beginning of the pandemic, COVID-19 patients with varying degrees of disease severity are represented in rehabilitation.

Preferences of patients with asthma or COPD for treatments in pulmonary rehabilitation.

Introduction: Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) aims to improve disease control in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. However, the success of PR-programs depends on the patients' participation and willingness to cooperate. Taking the patients' preferences into consideration might improve both of these factors.

[Recommendations from the German Respiratory Society for Pulmonary Rehabilitation in Patients with COVID-19].

The German Respiratory Society (DGP) has commissioned Assembly 12 "Rehabilitation, Prevention and Tobacco Control" to develop recommendations for the implementation of pulmonary rehabilitation in COVID-19 patients. This position paper is based on the current state of knowledge, which develops daily. This position paper describes the health consequences in COVID-19 as well as the indications for pulmonary rehabilitation.

COPD: Rethinking Patient Management - How to Approach a Challenging Patient Group Successfully.

In comparison to other chronically ill people, patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have many additional difficulties to face and conquer. Due to the contribution of avoidable causes of their illness ("smokers' lung"), society holds people with COPD responsible for their disease, which in return often leads to stigmatization and social isolation. In addition, COPD patients commonly belong to a less privileged social class, own a low socioeconomic status, and lower education.

[Expert Meeting: Integrated Care of the COPD Patients].

Despite considerable progress concerning pharmaceutical therapeutic options, many COPD patients show a markedly reduced quality of life and increased mortality risk. This workshop aimed to identify COPD-specific factors impeding an improved mode of care for patients with COPD. Such factors are: the generally lower social and educational status of the majority of COPD patients; the stigma of COPD as a self-inflicted disease ("smoker's lung"); the strict sectoral separation within the German health care system.

Short-Term Effects of a Multimodal 3-Week Inpatient Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programme for Patients with Sarcoidosis: The ProKaSaRe Study.

Background: Real-world data on the effects of a multicomponent pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) for patients with sarcoidosis are scarce.

Objective: To describe characteristics of patients with sarcoidosis referred for a 3-week inpatient PR, to assess the effects of PR on their quality of life (QoL) and clinical outcomes, and to investigate whether there are specific subgroups who particularly benefit from PR.

Methods: Using a prospective multicentre study design, data regarding 6-min walking distance (6MWD), QoL (Saint George's Respiratory Questionnaire, SGRQ), and the secondary outcomes of dyspnoea and psychological burden (fatigue, anxiety, and depression) were collected.

ProKaSaRe Study Protocol: A Prospective Multicenter Study of Pulmonary Rehabilitation of Patients With Sarcoidosis.

Background: Available data assessing the efficacy of pulmonary rehabilitation for patients with chronic sarcoidosis are scant; for Germany, there are none at all.

Objective: To gain information about the benefit of in-house pulmonary rehabilitation for patients with chronic sarcoidosis and for the health care system, we intend to collect data in a prospective multicenter "real-life" cohort trial.

Methods: ProKaSaRe (Prospektive Katamnesestudie Sarkoidose in der pneumologischen Rehabilitation) [Prospective Catamnesis Study of Sarcoidosis in Pulmonary Rehabilitation] will assess a multimodal 3-week inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation program for adult patients with chronic sarcoidosis over a 1-year follow-up time.

[Pulmonary rehabilitation in COPD].

COPD as a widespread disease will need much more attention of all health care providers in future. Otherwise COPD could lead to increasing costs, especially caused by the systemic nature of this disease and the large number of comorbidities as well as an increase of morbidity with reduced personal fitness and quality of life. As a result, the occupational and social participation subsequently decrease.

[Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and nasal mechanical ventilation].

Background: Patients suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) can profit from nasal mechanical ventilation and improve in the quality of life.

Patients And Methods: Thirty-eight patients were introduced to nasal mechanical ventilation, using pressure- and volume-cycled respirators. The daily periods of mechanical ventilation varied from 8 to 24 hours.

[Nasal mechanical ventilation in children].

Background: Nasal mechanical ventilation is not only applicable to adults but also in childhood when necessary.

Patients And Methods: Thirty-six children suffering from various neuromuscular diseases were brought up by their parents to learn nasal mechanical ventilation. Thirty children had to be ventilated, because of symptomatic ventilatory failure, reduced ventilatory muscle capacity or hypercapnia.

[Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and intermittent self ventilation therapy. Indications and follow-up].

Background: Fully informed patients were willing to start with IPPV.

Patients And Methods: Twenty-three patients with amyothropic lateral sclerosis (ALS) were treated with noninvasive intermittent mechanical ventilation (7 women, 16 men, mean age 59 years). The major symptoms were dyspnoe, heavy sleep disruption resulting in severely reduced quality of life.

Comparison of the antihypertensive efficiency of nitrendipine, metoprolol, mepindolol and enalapril using ambulatory 24-hour blood pressure monitoring.

In a randomized 6-month study of 201 patients, the antihypertensive efficiency of the calcium antagonist nitrendipine, the beta 1-selective blocker metoprolol, mepindolol, the beta blocker with intrinsic activity and the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor enalapril were compared as monitored by 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (BP) measurements. The study was designed so that a comparable decrease in casual BP values was obtained with all 4 drugs. If normotension was not achieved with monotherapy, a diuretic also was administered.

[24-hour blood pressure measurement in normal pregnancy in hypertensive pregnant patients].

Noninvasive 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was performed in 17 normotensive and 19 preeclamptic pregnant women. The normotensive women showed a significant nightly decline in their systolic and diastolic blood pressure. In contrast, the preeclamptic women demonstrated either an attenuated circadian rhythm or no circadian rhythm at all.

Low atrial natriuretic peptide plasma concentrations in 100 patients with essential hypertension.

Although atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) plays a key role in electrolyte and volume regulation and causes direct vasorelaxation, controversial results have been reported in hypertensive patients. We studied 58 men and 42 women, aged 19 to 78 years, with essential hypertension (blood pressure: 150 to 210/95 to 110 mm Hg) using 24 h blood pressure recording, treadmill exercise and x-ray of the chest. In 70 patients ANP plasma concentrations were found to be completely within the normal range of healthy controls (17 to 38 fmol/mL; n = 50) and 52% were detected within the lower third or even below the normal range.

[24-hour blood pressure behavior in patients with untreated and treated hypertension in comparison with normotensive patients].

Blood pressure was continuously monitored over 24 h in 201 patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension using a noninvasive method. Measurements were made both before and after 6 months of antihypertensive treatment and the data were compared to results from 100 normotensive patients. The frequency with which blood pressure values above 140/90 mm Hg occurred during the 24-h period proved to be the most reliable parameter for distinguishing between hypertensive and normotensive profiles.

[Absence of nocturnal decrease in blood pressure in 24-hour blood pressure monitoring: an indication of secondary hypertension].

Non invasive 24 hours ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was performed in 81 patients with secondary hypertension (renoparenchymatous nephropathy n = 15, diabetic nephropathy n = 10, Conn's disease n = 4, renal artery stenosis n = 15, pheochromocytoma n = 2, hemodialysis patients n = 15 and patients after kidney transplantation n = 20). The results were compared to 201 patients with essential hypertension. The results showed that 98.

[Ambulatory continuous 24-hour blood pressure monitoring in the diagnosis and therapy of arterial hypertension and modification by the antihypertensive agents enalapril, metoprolol, mepindolol and nitrendipine].

After improvement of technical equipment continuous ambulatory blood pressure monitoring is more and more used in the diagnosis of hypertension. New fully automatic systems permit a reliable registration and evaluation of 24-h blood pressure profiles. Typical circadian rhythmics of blood pressure, independent of a variability with different grades of activity, can be demonstrated in normotensive persons and also in patients with essential hypertension.