Effects of swimming on spirometric parameters and bronchial hyperresponsiveness in children and adolescents with moderate persistent atopic asthma.

Objective: To investigate the medium-term benefits of a swimming program in schoolchildren and adolescents with moderate persistent atopic asthma (MPAA).

Methods: A randomized, prospective study of children and adolescents (age 7-18 years) with MPAA was carried out at the Hospital de Clínicas of Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil. After a 1-month run-in period, 61 patients (34 female) were randomized into two groups, a swimming group (n = 30) and a control group (n = 31), and followed for 3 months.

Use of 6-minute walk test in pulmonary hypertension management.

The 6-minute walk test (T6) is used to assess cardiopulmonary diseases due to its prognosis capacity, easy performance and reproducibility. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is defined and classified as a hemodynamic consequence leading to increased pulmonary arterial pressure and may result in right ventricular failure and consequent death. This case reports the prescription of T6 by the cardiology team at a university hospital as a means of physical control of a patient with HP, after the introduction and initiation of therapy.

[Antibiotic therapy and effects of respiratory physiotherapy techniques in cystic fibrosis patients treated for acute lung exacerbations: an experimental study].

Introduction: Intravenous antibiotics in combination with intensive respiratory physiotherapy were evaluated for acute lung exacerbations in chronic infections of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis patients. Forced expiratory technique (FET) was assessed during hospital stay and discharge. The aim of this study was 1) to evaluate the immediate effects of FET and of 2) Intravenous antibiotics in combination with daily respiratory physiotherapy (IA+RPT) on parameters of lung function, body anthropometry and clinical scores of cystic fibrosis patients with acute lung exacerbation with chronic infection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, during hospital stay and at hospital discharge after clearing the infection.