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.

Effects of high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation combined with inspiratory muscle training for treating respiratory sequelae of long COVID: A case series.

Introduction: Long COVID occurs when numerous symptoms begin 3 weeks after acute infection and last for 12 months or more. High-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) has been tested in patients with COVID-19; however, previous studies did not investigate the HD-tDCS use combined with inspiratory muscle training (IMT) for respiratory sequelae of long COVID.

Case Presentation: Six individuals (four women and two men) aged between 29 and 71 years and presenting with respiratory sequelae of long COVID were included.

Accuracy of infrared thermography evaluation in burn wound healing: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Accurate assessment of burn depth and burn wound healing potential is essential to determine early treatments. Infrared thermography (IRT) is a non-invasive and objective tool to do this. This systematic review evaluated the accuracy of IRT to determine burn wound healing potential.

Effects of a cardiopulmonary rehabilitation protocol on functional capacity, dyspnea, fatigue, and body composition in individuals with post-COVID-19 syndrome: A randomized controlled trial.

Background And Objective: Reduced functional capacity, dyspnea, fatigue, and changes in body composition are common in patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome (PCS), and cardiopulmonary rehabilitation may improve these parameters. Thus, the present study verified the effects of cardiopulmonary rehabilitation (respiratory, aerobic, and resistance muscle training) on submaximal exercise tolerance, dyspnea, fatigue, and body composition.

Methods: This controlled and randomized clinical trial applied a six-week outpatient intervention protocol in individuals over 18 years old (n = 33) with a diagnosis of COVID-19 confirmed by polymerase chain reaction.

Respiratory Muscle Strength and Quality of Life in Patients With Heart Failure and Their Main Correlated Factors: A Cross-sectional Study.

Background: Heart failure may cause peripheral and respiratory muscle alterations, dyspnea, fatigue, and exercise intolerance, worsening the quality of life of patients.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to analyze respiratory muscle strength and quality of life of patients with heart failure and correlate them with clinical variables and functional classification.

Methods: This cross-sectional study involved patients with heart failure.

Validity, sensitivity and specificity of a measure of medication adherence instrument among patients taking oral anticoagulants.

Although self-report instruments are currently considered a valuable tool for measuring adherence, due to their low cost and ease of implementation, there are still important factors that impact measurement accuracy, such as social desirability and memory bias. Thus, the Global Assessment of Medication Adherence Instrument (GEMA) was developed to provide an accurate measure of this construct. The aim of this study was to evaluate the properties of the measurement of the Global Evaluation of Medication Adherence Instrument (GEMA) among patients with chronic diseases.

Driveline dressings used in heartmate patients and local complications: A retrospective cohort.

Background: Patients with long-term ventricular assist devices (VAD) are predisposed to infection, bleeding, and pressure injuries at the insertion of the driveline. There is no consensus on a driveline dressing protocol. Chlorhexidine is often used to clean the driveline exit site and has been associated with lower rates of infection.

Communicating bad news in the practice of nursing: an integrative review.

Objective: To analyze current scientific knowledge about communication of bad news by nurses.

Methods: This is an integrative literature review carried out by searching articles published in national and international journals indexed at SciELO, MEDLINE® (PubMed®), Scopus, Bireme and CINAHL, from 2010 to 2020, by crossing the controlled descriptors "communication", "revelation of the truth", and "nursing", and the uncontrolled descriptor "bad news".

Results: Ten articles with qualitative and cross-sectional design, as well as case reports were included.

Efficacy of a rehabilitation protocol on pulmonary and respiratory muscle function and ultrasound evaluation of diaphragm and quadriceps femoris in patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome: a series of cases.

This study assessed the efficacy of a pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) on pulmonary and respiratory muscle function and thickness of quadriceps femoris and diaphragm of patients with post-COVID-19 syndrome. This series of cases followed nine patients who performed PR twice a week for six weeks. Patients received the following PR program: lung expansion therapy; respiratory muscle training; upper limb strength exercises; aerobic exercises on a treadmill.

Analysis of respiratory muscle strength and its relationship with functional capacity between different field tests in patients with heart failure.

Objective: To analyze respiratory muscle strength of patients with heart failure (HF) and correlate with functional capacity.

Methods: This cross-sectional study involved patients with compensated HF of both sexes, aged above 18 years. Respiratory muscle strength was assessed by measuring maximum inspiratory (MIP) and expiratory pressures (MEP) using a manovacuometer.

Impact of a Theory-Based Intervention to Promote Medication Adherence in Patients With a History of Myocardial Infarction.

Background: Patient discontinuation of cardioprotective medications after a cardiac ischemic event commonly occurs early after hospital discharge. Theory-based interventions could be effective in promoting better patient self-regulation of health-related behaviors and positive intentions to adhere to the recommended medical regimen.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential efficacy and feasibility of a theory-based intervention to promote adherence to cardioprotective medications.

Implementing healthcare professionals' training during COVID-19: a pre and post-test design for simulation training.

Background: Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) has imposed a new reality that presents several challenges for healthcare professionals. The main challenge has been the lack of proper training in relation to an unknown disease.

Objective: To investigate healthcare professionals' acquisition of knowledge of a new airway management protocol for COVID-19 through their participation in simulation training.

Respiratory muscle training in children and adults with neuromuscular disease.

Background: Neuromuscular diseases (NMDs) are a heterogeneous group of diseases affecting the anterior horn cell of spinal cord, neuromuscular junction, peripheral nerves and muscles. NMDs cause physical disability usually due to progressive loss of strength in limb muscles, and some NMDs also cause respiratory muscle weakness. Respiratory muscle training (RMT) might be expected to improve respiratory muscle weakness; however, the effects of RMT are still uncertain.

Profile of potential organ donors and factors related to donation and non- donation of organs in an Organ Procurement Service.

Objective: to characterize the profile of potential and effective organ donors, and to identify the factors related to non-donation.

Methods: the data was collected from the Organization of Organ Donation forms during the period of January 2013 to April 2018. The statistical analysis was done by the Biostatistic Service of the School of Medical Sciences of UNICAMP.

Reliability and construct validity of the Instrument to Measure the Impact of Valve Heart Disease on the Patient's Daily Life.

Objective: evaluate the practicality, acceptability and the floor and ceiling effects, estimate the reliability and verify the convergent construct's validity with the instrument called the Heart Valve Disease Impact on daily life (IDCV) of the valve disease in patients with mitral and or aortic heart valve disease.

Method: data was obtained from 86 heart valve disease patients through 3 phases: a face to face interview for a socio-demographic and clinic characterization and then other two done through phone calls of the interviewed patients for application of the instrument (test and repeat test).

Results: as for the practicality and acceptability, the instrument was applied with an average time of 9,9 minutes and with 110% of responses, respectively.

Factor analysis of an instrument to measure the impact of disease on daily life.

Objective: to verify the structure of factors of an instrument to measure the Heart Valve Disease Impact on Daily Life (IDCV) when applied to coronary artery disease patients.

Method: the study included 153 coronary artery disease patients undergoing outpatient follow-up care. The IDCV structure of factors was initially assessed by means of confirmatory factor analysis and, subsequently, by exploratory factor analysis.

Adaptation and evaluation of the measurement properties of the Brazilian version of the Self-efficacy for Appropriate Medication Adherence Scale.

Objectives: to undertake the cultural adaptation of, and to evaluate the measurement properties of, the Brazilian version of the Self-efficacy for Appropriate Medication Adherence Scale in coronary heart disease (CHD) patients, with outpatient monitoring at a teaching hospital.

Method: the process of cultural adaptation was undertaken in accordance with the international literature. The data were obtained from 147 CHD patients, through the application of the sociodemographic/clinical characterization instrument, and of the Brazilian versions of the Morisky Self-Reported Measure of Medication Adherence Scale, the General Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Self-efficacy for Appropriate Medication Adherence Scale.

Construct Validity of the Brazilian Version of the Self-Efficacy for Appropriate Medication Adherence Scale.

Background And Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and the construct validity of the Brazilian version of the Self-Efficacy for Appropriate Medication Adherence Scale (SEAMS).

Methods: One hundred forty-seven patients with coronary artery disease participated in the study. Reliability was estimated by composite reliability (CR).

Construct Validity of the Brazilian Version of the Self-Efficacy for Appropriate Medication Adherence Scale.

Background And Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and the construct validity of the Brazilian version of the Self-Efficacy for Appropriate Medication Adherence Scale (SEAMS).

Methods: One hundred forty-seven patients with coronary artery disease participated in the study. Reliability was estimated by composite reliability (CR).

Influence of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics at the impact of valvular heart disease.

Objective: to analyze the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients with valvular heart disease and to verify the influence of these variables on the impact of valve disease in daily life.

Method: the study involved 86 outpatients. Data collection was performed in two stages - face-to-face interview for sociodemographic and clinical characterization and through telephone contact for the application of the Instrument to Measure the Impact of Valvular Heart Disease on Patient's Everyday Life (IDCV).

[Measure of disease impact: instrument construct validity in patients with coronary artery disease].

This study estimated the known groups construct validity for the Instrument to Measure the Impact of Coronary Disease on Patient's Everyday Life (IDCV) related to signs and symptoms, ventricular systolic function, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in 153 outpatients with coronary artery disease. Data was obtained through application of IDCV and Brazilian versions of the instruments The Medical Study 36-item Short Form Health Survey - SF-36 and the MacNew Heart Disease Health-related Quality of Life Questionnaire . Mann-Whitney test was used to verify the ability of IDCV in discriminating impact of signs and symptoms, LVEF and ventricular systolic dysfunction.