Clinical values of diaphragmatic movement in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: The limitation of activity due to dyspnea in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients is affected by diaphragmatic dysfunction and reduced lung function. This study aimed to analyze the association between diaphragm function variables and forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1) and to estimate the clinical significance of diaphragm function in the correlation between COPD severity and lung function.

Methods: This prospective, single-center, cross-sectional observational study enrolled 60 COPD patients in a respiratory outpatient clinic.

Early cardiac rehabilitation after heart transplantation in a patient with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy: A case report.

Rationale: Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) after heart transplantation (HT) decreases the mortality rate and increases exercise capacity of patients. Dilated cardiomyopathy develops in most patients with muscular dystrophy (MD), leading to advanced heart failure, necessitating the use of left ventricular assist devices or HT. As the clinical outcomes of left ventricular assist devices and HT in patients with myopathy differ from those in patients without myopathy, CR adapted to patients with MD should be considered.

Ergonomics and Personalization of Noninvasive Ventilation Masks.

Although noninvasive ventilation (NIV) is administered to manage respiratory failure due to various causes, safety and effectiveness issues associated with the use of NIV masks have been reported. The present article aims to provide health professionals with a comprehensive review of the ergonomic considerations of NIV masks in terms of design, evaluation, and personalization. Based on a review of 93 papers, we provide guidelines for mask selection and troubleshooting during mask use as well as ergonomic approaches including face anthropometry, sizing systems, mask design, evaluation, and personalization.

Correlation of Swallowing Function With Bilateral Diaphragmatic Movement in Hemiplegic Stroke Patients.

Objective: To investigate difference in bilateral diaphragm movement of patients with tracheal aspiration according to post stroke residue severity and determine correlations of Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS), residue scale, and bilateral diaphragm movement.

Methods: A total of 47 patients diagnosed with hemiplegic stroke were enrolled in this study. PAS, severity of valleculae, and pyriform sinus retention during videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) were assessed.

An Assessment of the Relationship Between Abdominal Obesity and the Severity of Upper Extremity Lymphedema.

Background: Obesity is one of the well-known initiating and aggravating factors of lymphedema. Body mass index (BMI) is typically used to define obesity, but in Asian populations, health risks are elevated at lower BMI levels, and abdominal fat may be a better obesity metric. Thus, we assessed the potential association between abdominal obesity and lymphedema severity in postoperative breast cancer patients.