The Effects of Exercise Training on Functional Capacity and Quality of Life in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Systematic Review.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation. The purpose of this systematic review is to evaluate the effectiveness of exercise training on functional capacity and quality of life (QoL) in patients with RA. We performed a search in four databases, selecting clinical trials that included community or outpatient exercise training programs in patients with RA.

Effectiveness of high intensity interval training on cardiorespiratory fitness and endothelial function in type 2 diabetes: A systematic review.

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic syndrome characterized by insulin resistance and hyperglycemia that may lead to endothelial dysfunction, reduced functional capacity and exercise intolerance. Regular aerobic exercise has been promoted as the most beneficial non-pharmacological treatment of cardiovascular diseases. High intensity interval training (HIIT) seems to be superior than moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) in cardiovascular diseases by improving brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and cardiorespiratory fitness to a greater extent.

Beta-Blockers in Pregnancy: Clinical Update.

Purpose Of Review: The aim of this review was to determine the anticipated benefits and adverse effects of beta-blockers in pregnant women with hypertension. The other issue was to assess the possible adverse effects of beta-blockers for their babies and provide current consensus recommendations for appropriate selection and individualized antihypertensive treatment with beta-blockers in pregnancy-associated hypertension.

Recent Findings: Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy are a major cause of maternal and fetal morbidity, with consequences later in life.

Effects of exercise training on diastolic and systolic dysfunction in patients with chronic heart failure.

Background: Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a complex syndrome characterized by a progressive reduction of the left ventricular (LV) contractility, low exercise tolerance, and increased mortality and morbidity. Diastolic dysfunction (DD) of the LV, is a keystone in the pathophysiology of CHF and plays a major role in the progression of most cardiac diseases. Also, it is well estimated that exercise training induces several beneficial effects on patients with CHF.

A single-center, prospective, observational study on maternal smoking during pregnancy in Greece: The HELENA study.

Introduction: The unequivocal association between exposure to smoke and numerous complications of pregnancy, demonstrated in the last decades, has led to a significant decrease of smoking rates in pregnancy. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of maternal smoking and to elucidate factors predisposing to it among pregnant women in Athens, Greece.

Methods: A population of 1700 pregnant women (mean age: 31.

Cardiovascular disease in women: Executive summary of the expert panel statement of women in cardiology of the hellenic cardiological society.

The perception that women represent a low-risk population for cardiovascular (CV) disease (CVD) needs to be reconsidered. Starting from risk factors, women are more likely to be susceptible to unhealthy behaviors and risk factors that have different impact on CV morbidity and mortality as compared to men. Despite the large body of evidence as regards the effect of lifestyle factors on the CVD onset, the gender-specific effect of traditional and non-traditional risk factors on the prognosis of patients with already established CVD has not been well investigated and understood.

MicroRNAs in Preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia (PE) continues to represent a worldwide problem and challenge for both clinicians and laboratory-based doctors. Despite many efforts, the knowledge acquired regarding its pathogenesis and pathophysiology does not allow us to treat it efficiently. It is not possible to arrest its progressive nature, and the available therapies are limited to symptomatic treatment.

Respiratory drive and breathing pattern abnormalities are related to exercise intolerance in chronic heart failure patients.

Background: Patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) are characterized by exercise intolerance and ventilatory abnormalities that are related to poor prognosis. We hypothesized that CHF patients have increased respiratory drive and abnormal breathing pattern during exercise in relation to disease severity.

Materials And Methods: The study population consisted of 219 stable CHF patients and 30 healthy control subjects.

Effects of interval cycle training with or without strength training on vascular reactivity in heart failure patients.

Background: Exercise training confers beneficial effects on vascular reactivity in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). This randomized study compares the effects of interval cycle training combined with strength training versus interval training alone on vascular reactivity in CHF patients.

Methods: Twenty-eight consecutive stable CHF patients (23 males, 53 ± 10 years, 28.

Effects of interval exercise training on respiratory drive in patients with chronic heart failure.

Background: Patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) suffer from ventilatory abnormalities. This study examined the effects of interval exercise training on the respiratory drive in CHF patients.

Methods: Forty-six clinically stable CHF patients (38 males/8 women, mean age = 53 +/- 11 years) participated in an exercise rehabilitation program (ERP) 3 times/week, for 12 weeks by interval training modality with or without the addition of resistance training.

Association of resistin and adiponectin with different clinical blood pressure phenotypes.

We investigated whether the resistin (Res) and adiponectin (Adp) levels are associated with different clinical blood pressure (BP) phenotypes. Among 465 consecutive never-treated white subjects, we excluded those with diabetes mellitus; impaired glucose metabolism; history of any cardiovascular disease or other concurrent medical condition; secondary hypertension; ongoing vasoactive treatment. Three separate clinic BP measurements and ambulatory BP monitoring were implemented to divide 328 subjects (aged 48±6 years; 172 males) into hypertensives (n=105), masked hypertensives (n=41), white-coat hypertensives (n=52) and normotensives (n=130).

Impairment of autonomic nervous system activity in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension: a case control study.

Background: Chronotropic response to exercise (CR) and heart rate recovery (HRR) immediately after exercise are indirect indices of sympathetic and parasympathetic activity, respectively. The aim of this study was to evaluate CR and HRR in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in relation to disease severity.

Methods And Results: Ten PAH patients (6 females/4 males, mean age: 48+/-12 years) and 10 control subjects matched for age, gender, and body mass index (6 females/4 males, mean age: 46+/-6 years) performed a ramp incremental symptom-limited cardiopulmonary exercise test on a cycle ergometer.

Association of passive smoking with masked hypertension in clinically normotensive nonsmokers.

Background: We investigated ambulatory blood pressure (BP) levels among clinically normotensive nonsmokers exposed (PS) and not exposed (SF) to passive smoking aiming to evaluate the relative prevalence of masked hypertension (MH).

Methods: From 790 consecutive never-treated subjects who were self-referred to an outpatient hypertensive clinic, we excluded active smokers and those having a mean clinic BP >140/90 mm Hg. In the remaining population, echocardiography and routine biochemical profile assessment was performed, whereas by the implementation of additional exclusion criteria, all clinically normotensive subjects eligible to participate (i.

Free leptin is associated with masked hypertension in nonobese subjects: a cross-sectional study.

The aim of the study was to investigate whether diverse clinical blood pressure phenotypes are associated with free leptin surrogates, as reflected by plasma leptin, human soluble leptin receptor, and their ratio (ie, free leptin index) in nonobese normoglycemic subjects. Three separate clinic blood pressure measurements and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring were implemented to divide 494 subjects (aged 44+/-5 years; 272 men; body mass index: <30 kg/m(2)) into hypertensives (n=166), white-coat hypertensives (n=82), masked hypertensives (n=66), and normotensives (n=180). Participants underwent echocardiography, while, from fasting venous blood samples, metabolic profile, plasma leptin, and its receptor levels were assessed.

Adiponectin--insulin and resistin plasma levels in young healthy offspring of patients with essential hypertension.

Background: Accumulating epidemiological studies have shown that healthy offspring of hypertensive patients exhibit some metabolic disturbances such as hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, lipid disorders, elevated plasma leptin levels and reduced insulin receptor number, features that may be predictors of future cardiovascular events. The aim of this study was to determine insulin, adiponectin and resistin plasma levels in young healthy offspring of patients with essential hypertension, and to compare the findings to those of young healthy offspring of healthy normotensives matched for age, sex and body mass index (BMI).

Methods: Forty-six (24 male/22 female) healthy offspring of patients with essential hypertension-positive family history (FH+), mean age 18+/-3 years and BMI 22.

New insights into the exercise intolerance of beta-thalassemia major patients.

The purpose of our study was assessment of the relative contribution of the systems involved in blood gas exchange to the limited exercise capacity in patients with beta-thalassemia major (TM) using integrative cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) with estimation of oxygen kinetics. The study consisted of 15 consecutive TM patients and 15 matched controls who performed spirometric evaluation, measurement of maximum inspiratory pressure (Pimax) and an incremental symptom-limited CPET on a cycle ergometer. Exercise capacity was markedly reduced in TM patients as assessed by peak oxygen uptake (pVO(2), mL/kg/min: 22.

Pulmonary function at peak exercise in patients with chronic heart failure.

Background: Various respiratory abnormalities are associated with chronic heart failure (CHF). However, changes in inspiratory capacity (IC) and breathing pattern from rest to exercise in patients with CHF have not been thoroughly investigated in these patients.

Materials And Methods: Seventy seven (66 male/11 female) patients with clinical stable CHF (age: 52+/-11 years) were studied.

Effects of exercise rehabilitation program on heart rate recovery in patients with chronic heart failure.

Background: Heart rate recovery (HRR1) immediately after exercise reflects parasympathetic activity, which is markedly attenuated in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients. The aim of our study was to examine both continuous and interval exercise training effects on HRR1 in these patients.

Design: The population study consisted of 29 stable CHF patients that participated at a rehabilitation program of 36 sessions, three times per week.

Early heart rate recovery after exercise predicts mortality in patients with chronic heart failure.

Background: Patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) have multiple abnormalities of autonomic regulation that have been associated to their high mortality rate. Heart rate recovery immediately after exercise is an index of parasympathetic activity, but its prognostic role in CHF patients has not been determined yet.

Methods: Ninety-two stable CHF patients (83M/9F, mean age: 51+/-12 years) performed an incremental symptom-limited cardiopulmonary exercise testing.

VE/VCO2 slope is associated with abnormal resting haemodynamics and is a predictor of long-term survival in chronic heart failure.

Background: Patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) present with exercise-induced hyperpnea, but its pathophysiological mechanism has not been thoroughly investigated. We aimed to determine the relationship between exercise-induced hyperpnea, resting haemodynamic measurements and the validity of ventilatory response (V(E)/V(CO(2)) slope) as a mortality predictor in CHF patients.

Methods: Ninety-eight CHF patients (90M/8F) underwent a symptom-limited treadmill cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET).

Changes in metalloproteinases in healthy normotensive patients with high-normal blood pressure.

Introduction: High-normal blood pressure (HNBP) seems to be related to increased cardiovascular risk in healthy, normotensive subjects, while essential hypertension is associated with an increase in extracellular matrix content, especially fibrillar collagen type I. The aim of our study was to investigate whether collagen degradation is altered in healthy normotensives with HNBP, and whether this alteration could be related to disturbances in the matrix metalloproteinases plasma concentration, and to compare the findings to those of healthy normotensives with normal blood pressure (NBP) levels, matched for age, sex and BMI.

Methods: Twenty six (14 males, 12 females) healthy, normotensive patients with HNBP, mean age 52 +/- 5 yrs, and BMI 23 +/- 1.

Insulin receptor number is reduced in healthy offspring of patients with essential hypertension.

Background: Epidemiologic studies have shown that healthy offspring of hypertensive patients exhibit many features of the metabolic syndrome, such as hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, and lipid disorders. Patients with essential hypertension have reduced numbers of insulin receptors. The aim of this study was to examine whether the number of insulin receptors is reduced in the erythrocytes of healthy offspring of hypertensive patients in comparison to the offspring of healthy normotensive subjects.

Ventilatory response to exercise and kinetics of oxygen recovery are similar in cardiac transplant recipients and patients with mild chronic heart failure.

Background: Exercise capacity, assessed by cardiopulmonary exercise treadmill testing (CPET), does not return to normal following heart transplantation. This study evaluated the ventilatory response to exercise and the kinetics of oxygen (O(2)) recovery in heart transplant recipients (HTR) compared to healthy volunteers (HV) and heart failure patients.

Methods: Eighteen patients with end-stage heart failure (ESHF), 12 with mild heart failure (MHF) matched for peak oxygen consumption (Vo(2)) with the HTR, 12 HTR and 12 HV underwent CPET for measurements of peak Vo(2), Vo(2) at anaerobic threshold (AT), first-degree slope of Vo(2) decline during early recovery (Vo(2)/t-slope), time required for a 50% fall from peak Vo(2) (T(1/2) of Vo(2)) and the slopes of VE/Vco(2) and VE/Vo(2).