Publications by authors named "Carmela Cilione"
Background: Occupational therapy (OT) has been defined as a task of rehabilitation for disabled patients, giving them maximal function and independence to sustain specific activities of daily living.
Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of OT as an adjunctive measuring during pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) of hospitalized COPD patients.
Methods: A prospective clinical trial with parallel groups was undertaken in severely disabled COPD patients (n = 71, age 73 +/- 5 years).
Background: The use of respiratory therapist-directed (RD) protocols in non-ICU hospitalized patients decreases respiratory care charges as compared with physician-directed (PD) protocols.
Objectives: To determine whether RD or PD protocol assessments in COPD patients may impact: (1) prescription of respiratory treatments, and (2) outcomes of pulmonary rehabilitation program (PRP).
Methods: In a retrospective observational case-control study, 73 cases (RD) were compared with controls (PD) matched for age, sex, FEV1 and diagnosis of either chronic airflow obstruction (CAO), pulmonary emphysema (PE) or chronic respiratory insufficiency (CRI).
Background: In order to evaluate the factors associated with change in exercise capacity after comprehensive inpatient Pulmonary Rehabilitation (IPR) we studied 132 consecutive adults with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) recovering from an acute exacerbation.
Material/methods: Lung function, arterial blood gases, and respiratory muscle strength were measured at baseline. Perceived breathlessness (B), 6-minute walk distance (6MWD), dyspnea at rest and post-exertion (D), hospital anxiety and depression (HAD), and health-related quality of life were assessed before (T0) and after (T1) IPR.