Muscle tissue oxygenation in individuals with peripheral arterial disease of different walking abilities: An exploratory study.

Background: Blood flow restriction caused by peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is reflected in reduced walking capacity. The peripheral mechanisms that may affect the walking capacity of individuals with PAD are not yet fully understood. This study aimed to 1) compare tissue oxygenation and muscle metabolism of individuals with PAD with different walking capacities and 2) evaluate which variables have the greatest potential to explain the variability in distance walked between performance levels.

Short physical performance battery in aerobic capacity and physical activity evaluation of individuals with peripheral artery disease: An exploratory study.

Background: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) negatively affects functional ability. Persons with PAD experience gait limitation, and changes in mobility, muscle strength, and balance. Assessing individuals with PAD with tests of lower limb performance during activities other than walking may provide information about aerobic capacity.

Heel Rise Test Accuracy in the Assessment of the Functional Capacity of Individuals With Peripheral Arterial Disease.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of heel rise test (HRT) for assessing the functional capacity (FC) of individuals with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and determine the best sensitivity cutoff point to stratify individuals with worse FC.

Methods: This retrospective methodological study included adults of both sexes diagnosed with PAD and intermittent claudication. Individuals performed the HRT (number of plantar flexions, execution time, and execution rate were recorded) and the incremental shuttle walking test (distance walked was recorded).

Exercise Training Reduces Inflammation and Fibrosis and Preserves Myocardial Function and Perfusion in a Model of Chronic Chagas Cardiomyopathy.

Background: Chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy (CCC) is caused by an inflammatory process induced by Trypanosoma cruzi, which leads to myocarditis with reactive and reparative fibrosis. CCC progresses with myocardial perfusion abnormalities and histopathological events that affect cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF).

Objectives: We evaluated the effects of aerobic physical training (APT) on myocardial perfusion and on morphological and functional impairments related with inflammation and fibrosis in Syrian hamsters with CCC.

Impact of cardiac structure and function on exercise intolerance in Chagas cardiomyopathy: Insights from CPET and echocardiography.

Introduction: Chronic Chagas cardiomyopathy (CCC), the most severe clinical condition of Chagas disease, often leads to a reduction in functional capacity and the appearance of symptoms such as fatigue and dyspnea on exertion. However, its determinant factors remain unclear. We aimed to evaluate the peak oxygen consumption (VO) in patients with CCC and identify its determining factors.

Osteoconductive composite membranes produced by rotary jet spinning bioresorbable PLGA for bone regeneration.

Bone defects and injuries are common, and better solutions are needed for improved regeneration and osseointegration. Bioresorbable membranes hold great potential in bone tissue engineering due to their high surface area and versatility. In this context, polymers such as poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) can be combined with osteoconductive materials like hydroxyapatite (HA) nanoparticles (NPs) to create membranes with enhanced bioactivity and bone regeneration.

Concurrent validity between field tests and cardiopulmonary exercise testing in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Background: Maximal treadmill cardiopulmonary exercise testing is the gold standard for assessing functional capacity in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

Purpose: Primarily to investigate the concurrent validity between three field tests and cardiopulmonary exercise testing in these patients.

Methods: Patients performed the cardiopulmonary exercise testing, a six-minute walk test, an incremental shuttle walk test, and, the Glittre-ADL test.

Functional Status in Peripheral Arterial Disease: Rehabilitated Versus Nonrehabilitated.

Background: To analyze patient perception of functional status related to activity and participation of rehabilitated and nonrehabilitated individuals with peripheral arterial disease.

Methods: Cross-sectional study assessing the activity and participation domain using the Human Activity Profile (HAP) questionnaire and the Participation Scale, respectively. Groups were compared using Chi-squared test and unpaired t-test.

Accuracy of commercial ELISA and ICT for screening schistosomiasis infections at a low endemicity area in Brazil.

Background: Control interventions recommended by the World Health Organization have successfully resulted in low-intensity schistosomiasis transmission areas. To achieve elimination of transmission, new diagnostic screening tools are needed to overcome less than adequate sensitivity of the currently used Kato-Katz faecal thick smear method. Ideally, in-house serological tests should be avoided due to not having a continuous supply of kits as would be necessary for large population studies.

A Scoping Review of Measurement Tools Evaluating Awareness and Disease-Related Knowledge in Peripheral Arterial Disease Patients.

Background: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is the third leading cause of atherosclerotic cardiovascular morbidity worldwide, with high prevalence and associated complications, and is often overlooked and undertreated. Research has shown that there is a profound lack of PAD-related knowledge and awareness; additionally, information sources are not often reliable and accessible. The objective of this scoping review was: (1) to identify and critically appraise instruments that measure patients' disease-related knowledge/awareness about PAD, and (2) to characterize the current state of knowledge/awareness levels among these patients.

Multifaceted Strategy Based on Automated Text Messaging After a Recent Heart Failure Admission: The MESSAGE-HF Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Readmissions after an index heart failure (HF) hospitalization are a major contemporary health care problem.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of an intensive telemonitoring strategy in the vulnerable period after an HF hospitalization.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This randomized clinical trial was conducted in 30 HF clinics in Brazil.

Predictive validity of the Denver developmental screening test (Denver-II) to detect risk of developmental coordination disorder in preterm children.

Introduction: The Denver-II is widely used as a screening tool, however, no studies were found about its validity to predict the risk of Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) in preterm children.

Objective: To verify the predictive validity and accuracy of the Denver-II to identify the risk of DCD in preterm children.

Methods: Methodological study with 121 preterm children, evaluated with the Denver-II at ages 1, 2, 3, 4 and/or 5 years and with the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC-2) at 7 years.

Variation in sociodemographic, clinical and functional characteristics of patients with chronic venous insufficiency in a single public health center.

Objectives: Describe and analyze the sociodemographic, clinical and functional characteristics of individuals with chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) and compare the clinical severity with levels of mobility.

Methods: Exploratory cross-sectional study in a single public health center. The study cohort comprised 99 individuals.

Feasibility of Remote Delivering an Exercise and Lifestyle Education Program for Individuals Living with Prediabetes and Diabetes in Brazil.

This study aimed to test the feasibility of remote delivering a 12-week exercise and lifestyle education program (ExLE) or a 12-week exercise program (Ex) for individuals with prediabetes and diabetes in terms of acceptability, implementation, practicality, and limited efficacy. The programs were internet- or telephone-based delivered, depending on the participants' internet access and technology literacy. Of the 196 individuals screened, 15 were included in the study (internet-based delivery ( = 13); telephone-based delivery ( = 2)).

Reference values for triceps surae tissue oxygen saturation by near-infrared spectroscopy.

To establish the reference values for peripheral tissue perfusion of the triceps surae muscle assessed by Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) at rest and in progressive effort.A total of 288 apparently healthy individuals of both sexes were included; between 30 and 79 years of age; nonsmokers; without diagnosis of diabetes mellitus, systemic arterial hypertension, kidney disease, symptoms of angina and intermittent claudication, or any musculoskeletal alteration that would prevent physical exertion; and without diagnosis of Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) or other associated symptoms. All individuals performed anthropometric measurements, physical activity levels, and tissue oxygen saturation (StO) assessments by NIRS during and after arterial occlusion maneuver and incremental shuttle walking test.

Exercise and Lifestyle Education program for Brazilians living with prediabetes and diabetes: A pilot randomized trial.

Aims: To test the Diabetes College Brazil Study feasibility, the acceptability of study interventions and their preliminary effectiveness, and describe the study protocol modifications due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Single-center, double-blinded pilot randomized trial with two parallel groups, Exercise and Lifestyle Education (ExLE; 12-week exercise and educational interventions) and Exercise (Ex; 12-week exercise intervention only) involving patients with prediabetes or diabetes. Feasibility (eligibility, recruitment, retention, completeness of variables measures and participation rates), acceptability (satisfaction), and preliminary effectiveness of interventions (variables: functional capacity, physical activity (PA), exercise self-efficacy, diabetes knowledge, health literacy, adherence to Mediterranean food pattern, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), anthropometric measures, cardiac autonomic control, depression, and quality of life (QofL)).

Cardiac telerehabilitation in a middle-income country: analysis of adherence, effectiveness and cost through a randomized clinical trial.

Background: The benefits of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) are already well established; however, such intervention has been underused, mainly in low- and middle-income countries.

Aim: To compare adherence, effectiveness, and cost of a home CR with the traditional CR (TCR) in a middle-income country (MIC).

Design: Single-blind randomized control trial.

Impairments in ankle range of motion, dorsi and plantar flexors muscle strength and gait speed in patients with chronic venous disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To verify the differences in ankle range of motion (ROM), muscle strength of dorsi and plantar flexors, and gait speed among healthy subjects, and patients with chronic venous disorders (CVD) with and without venous leg ulcer.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis (http://osf.io/b7n3k) were conducted following a search of MEDLINE, Web of Science, CINAHL, LILACS, Scopus, and EMBASE databases.

Changes in Cytokines Concentration Following Long-Distance Running: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Long-distance running is an exhausting effort for the whole organism. Prolonged aerobic exercise induces changes in inflammatory markers. However, predicting muscle damage in response has limitations in terms of selecting biomarkers used to measure inflammatory status.

Oxygen pulse best predicts energy expenditure during stair ascent and descent in individuals with chronic stroke.

Background: To determine whether minute ventilation-to-carbon dioxide production (VE/VCO), oxygen pulse (VO/HR), and rate pressure product (RPP: VO * HR/1000) can explain energy expenditure during stair ascent/descent and whether energy expenditure during stair ascent/descent can discriminate between walking abilities in individuals with chronic stroke.

Materials And Methods: Regression analysis of cross-sectional data from 50 individuals between 1 and 4 years post-stroke was carried out to investigate the prediction of energy expenditure during stair ascent/descent. In addition, discriminant analysis was carried out to investigate the discrimination between walking abilities for energy expenditure: community (walking speed ≥ 0.

Differences in health-related quality of life in patients with mild and severe chronic venous insufficiency: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) has a broad spectrum of clinical expression, ranging from mild to severe cases, which negatively impacts the health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, the comparison in HRQoL between mild and severe CVI has not yet been systematically discussed, which could assist in the adoption of preventive strategies METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted (protocol register https://osf.io/mr4aj/) following a search of the MEDLINE, CINAHL, Web of Science, LILACS, and Scopus databases, using the terms related to CVI and HRQoL.