Impact of Clinical and Quality of Life Outcomes of Long-Stay ICU Survivors Recovering From Rehabilitation on Caregivers' Burden.

Background: The objective of this work was to evaluate the time course of clinical and health-related quality of life outcomes of long-stay ICU survivors' and caregivers' burden.

Methods: The study included 23 subjects of mixed diagnosis (66 ± 11 y, body mass index 26.5 ± 5.

Italian registry of patients with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency: general data and quality of life evaluation.

Alpha1-antitrypsin Deficiency (AATD) is a rare hereditary disorder with an estimated prevalence of about 1/5000 individuals in Italy. Deficient patients are at a higher risk of developing lung emphysema and chronic liver disease. The low estimated prevalence of AATD prompted the establishment of a registry with the aim of learning more about the natural history and the quality of care of these patients.

A two-year longitudinal study on strain and needs in caregivers of advanced ALS patients.

Our objective was to explore strain and needs in caregivers of advanced ALS patients and correlate this burden with patient's clinical condition and caregiver's sociodemographic status. Fifty-eight caregivers completed the Family Strain Questionnaire-short form (FSQ-SF) and Caregiver Needs Assessment (CNA) during patients' hospitalization (T0); 39 caregivers were reassessed at 6-12 months (T1) and 13 caregivers at 18-24 months (T2) follow-up. FSQ-SF and CNA total scores (CNA-T), including the CNA subscores 'Emotional/Social Support Needs' (CNA-E) and 'Information/Communication Needs' (CNA-I), were compared to patients' clinical condition (measured by ALSFRS-R and FVC %) and caregivers' sociodemographic status.

A revised short version of the depression questionnaire.

Background: The Depression Questionnaire (QD) is an instrument designed to measure depression in an inpatient-rehabilitation setting. This study proposes a reduced version of the original 24-item QD, to make it better suited to the characteristics of patients in this setting.

Methods: The study population consisted of 801 individuals admitted to cardiac rehabilitation (564 males and 237 females) who had validly completed the original version of the QD.

A pilot trial of telemedicine-assisted, integrated care for patients with advanced amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and their caregivers.

Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) need a care programme as the disease progresses. We used telemedicine-assisted integrated care (TAIC) in 40 patients with ALS, for a mean duration of 8.6 months (range 1-12).

Seven-year time course of lung function, symptoms, health-related quality of life, and exercise tolerance in COPD patients undergoing pulmonary rehabilitation programs.

Aim: To evaluate the long-term course of outcome indexes in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) undergoing repeated pulmonary rehabilitation programs (PRP).

Design: Prospective, observational study.

Setting: Pulmonary Rehabilitation Center.

Cognitive and perceived health status in patient with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease surviving acute on chronic respiratory failure: a controlled study.

Objective: To evaluate the perceived health and cognitive status in survivors of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations requiring mechanical ventilation.

Design And Setting: Prospective controlled cohort study in a respiratory intermediate intensive care unit.

Patients: Sixty-three COPD patients at their first episode of acute on chronic respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation, controls were 34 consecutive stable COPD patients on long-term oxygen therapy with no previous ICU admission.