Snapshot of Fall Prevention in Patients Referred to a Neurorehabilitation Unit: A Feasibility Study on the Use of an Airbag Device.

Active wearable devices such as protective smart belts have been proposed to reduce hip impact in the event of a fall. This study primarily evaluated the feasibility and acceptance of a specific protective belt among selected patients identified as being at risk of falling who were admitted to an ICS Maugeri Neurorehabilitation Unit from September 2022 to April 2023. According to previous institutional observations, the device was worn between the 6th and 21st days of recovery.

Effects of Motor Rehabilitation on Balance and Functional Activities in Elderly Patients with Peripheral Neuropathy and Recurrent Falls.

To date, little is known about the effects of motor rehabilitation in peripheral neuropathy (PN) patients with a history of recurrent falls (RFH). This study aimed to assess balance and the activities of daily living (ADLs) in elderly lower limb PN patients with and without RFH and to verify the effects of motor rehabilitation on balance and ADLs in these patients. We collected data from 64 lower limb PN patients, who underwent a conventional motor rehabilitation program: 35 patients had a history of recurrent falls, and 29 did not.

Dysbiosis and leaky gut in hyper-inflated COPD patients: Have smoking and exercise training any role?

Background: To characterize the leaky gut syndrome in a cohort of COPD patients with lung hyperinflation according to their clinical history (i.e. hyperinflation severity, chronic respiratory failure [CRF] presence, GOLD stage, prescribed therapy, smoking history) and with or without recent exercise training activity.

Perceptual and qualitative voice alterations detected by GIRBAS in patients with Parkinson's disease: is there a relation with lung function and oxygenation?

Background: Impairments in respiration, voice and speech are common in people with Parkinson's disease (PD).

Aims: To evaluate the prevalence of dysphonia, assessed by a specific acoustic evaluation and description of the voice by the speech therapist (GIRBAS), and its relation with lung function and oxygenation, in particular cough ability and during the night or exercise desaturation.

Methods: This is a posthoc analysis of a prospective cross-sectional observational study on PD patients collecting anthropometric and clinical data, comorbidities, PD severity, motor function and balance, respiratory function at rest, during exercise and at night, voice function with acoustic analysis and presence of speech disorders, in addition to the GIRBAS scale.

Functional ability before and after rehabilitation in elderly patients with shortening and/or rotational deformity of the lower limb after hip fracture.

Background: Shortening and rotational deformity of the lower limb (SRD) is a major complication of hip fracture surgery. It causes not only hip joint dysfunction but also functional impairments due to abnormal gait parameters, decreased gait velocity, and poor balance. Despite a number of previous studies, the effect of SRD on the postsurgical recovery of these patients is still not clear.

Voice Alterations, Dysarthria, and Respiratory Derangements in Patients With Parkinson's Disease.

Purpose: Almost 90% of people with Parkinson's disease (PD) develop voice and speech disorders during the course of the disease. Ventilatory dysfunction is one of the main causes. We aimed to evaluate relationships between respiratory impairments and speech/voice changes in PD.

Feasibility of telepsychology support for patients with advanced cardiorespiratory diseases and their caregivers.

Objective: The aim of this study was to test the feasibility of telepsychology support for patients with severe cardiorespiratory disease and their caregivers. A secondary objective was to explore pre-post relationships between patients' and caregivers' clinical measures.

Methods: A telehealth program incorporating telepsychology support, i.

Walking function determinants in parkinson patients undergoing rehabilitation.

Background: To date little is known about factors affecting walking rehabilitation in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients.

Objective: This prospective observational cohort study evaluated the walking distance covered in 6 minutes (6 MWD) before and after conventional rehabilitation and verified which among PD motor disorders was the most important determinant of walking distance in PD patients undergoing rehabilitation.

Methods: Data were collected from 55 PD patients, performing a conventional outpatient motor rehabilitation program.

Relationship between perceived and neuromuscular fatigue in COPD patients with chronic respiratory failure with long-term oxygen therapy: a cross-sectional study.

Purpose: To evaluate perceived fatigue (PF) and neuromuscular fatigue (NMF) in patients with COPD and chronic respiratory failure (CRF) on long-term oxygen therapy (CRF-COPD group), and the relationships between PF, NMF, patient's characteristics, comparing severe patients with COPD to patients without CRF (COPD group).

Methods: This cross-sectional study compared 19 CRF-COPD patients with 10 COPD patients attending a rehabilitation program. PF was determined by Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), while dyspnea by the Barthel Dyspnea Index (BDI).

Exercise Intolerance and Oxygen Desaturation in Patients with Parkinson's Disease: Triggers for Respiratory Rehabilitation?

The role that oxygen desaturation plays in exercise tolerance and its rehabilitative implications in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) are unclear. We aimed to test exercise tolerance and oxygen saturation levels both during exercise and at night in PD patients to better define their rehabilitative needs. In clinically stable PD patients, undergoing inpatient rehabilitation, and in "ON" phase, we prospectively assessed clinical data, sleepiness, comorbidities, PD severity (Hoehn&Yahr, HY), motor function (ADLs, UPDRSII and UPDRSIII, Barthel Index, Functional Independence Measure), balance, spirometry, respiratory muscles (MIP/MEP), peak cough expiratory flow (PCEF), continuous night oxygen monitoring, and meters at 6MWT.

Determinants of improvement in functional abilities in peripheral neuropathy patients undergoing rehabilitation: the role of Berg Balance Scale items.

Purpose: This prospective observational cohort study aimed to verify whether single Berg Balance Scale (BBS) items were important determinants of improvement in functional abilities in patients with peripheral neuropathy (PN).

Methods: Data were collected in 75 older patients with PN performing a standard motor rehabilitation program. Backward stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed to identify determinants of outcome measures.

Predictive factors of functional abilities in older patients with peripheral neuropathy.

Background And Aims: Little is known about the outcome predictors in peripheral neuropathy (PN). This prospective observational study aimed to identify possible factors predicting the functional abilities in older patients with PN undergoing motor rehabilitation.

Methods: Data were collected in 80 PN patients, aged over 65 years, performing a standard inpatient motor rehabilitation program.

Altered Vascular Endothelium-Dependent Responsiveness in Frail Elderly Patients Recovering from COVID-19 Pneumonia: Preliminary Evidence.

We evaluated vascular dysfunction with the single passive leg movement test (sPLM) in 22 frail elderly patients at 84 + 31 days after hospitalization for COVID-19 pneumonia, compared to 22 age-, sex- and comorbidity-matched controls (CTRL). At rest, all COVID-19 patients were in stable clinical condition without severe comorbidities. Patients (aged 72 ± 6 years, 73% male) had moderate disability (Barthel index score 77 ± 26), hypoxemia and normocapnia at arterial blood gas analysis and mild pulmonary restriction at spirometry.

Neuropsychological Pattern in a Series of Post-Acute COVID-19 Patients in a Rehabilitation Unit: Retrospective Analysis and Correlation with Functional Outcomes.

Intensive Care Unit delirium, insomnia, anxiety, and frontal/dysexecutive disorders have been described following COVID-19 infection. The aim of this case study was to re-evaluate the neuropsychological pattern in a series of patients with COVID-19 outcomes. We retrospectively evaluated 294 patients admitted to the Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri of Lumezzane (Brescia) (May-September 2020).

A decision making algorithm for rehabilitation after stroke: A guide to choose an appropriate and safe treadmill training.

Background: Walking independently after a stroke can be difficult or impossible, and walking reeducation is vital. But the approach used is often arbitrary, relying on the devices available and subjective evaluations by the doctor/physiotherapist. Objective decision making tools could be useful.

Patients recovering from exacerbations of COPD with and without hospitalization need: could ICF score be an additional pulmonary rehabilitation outcome?

Objective: To compare disability changes measured with the Respiratory ICF Maugeri core set on COPD patients, recovering from acute exacerbation with and without hospitalization, submitted to pulmonary rehabilitation (PR).

Materials And Methods: All COPD inpatients admitted for rehabilitation in 9 Respiratory Units (January-August 2019) were considered eligible. 2066 patients were included (540 discharged from an acute Hospital = Hospital group and 1526 coming from their home = Home group).

Patients recovering from COVID-19 pneumonia in sub-acute care exhibit severe frailty: Role of the nurse assessment.

Aims And Objectives: To document the level of frailty in sub-acute COVID-19 patients recovering from acute respiratory failure and investigate the associations between frailty, assessed by the nurse using the Blaylock Risk Assessment Screening Score (BRASS), and clinical and functional patient characteristics during hospitalisation.

Background: Frailty is a major problem in patients discharged from acute care, but no data are available on the frailty risk in survivors of COVID-19 infection.

Design: A descriptive cross-sectional study (STROBE checklist).

Hypoalbuminemia as a marker of protein metabolism disarrangement in patients with stable chronic heart failure.

Background: Despite therapeutic advances, chronic heart failure (CHF)-related mortality and hospitalization is still unacceptably high. Evidence shows that muscular wasting, sarcopenia, cachexia are independent predictors of mortality and morbidity in CHF and are signs of protein metabolism disarrangement (PMD), which involve all body proteins including circulating one. We postulate that circulating human serum albumin (HSA) could be a marker of PMD and catabolic low-grade inflammation (LGI) in CHF patients.

Nocturnal Hypoxemia Impacts Right Ventricle Diastolic Function in Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), although a growing healthcare problem and documented risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, is still under-diagnosed in cardiac patients. To investigate the correlation between OSA and echocardiographic parameters of right ventricle diastolic (RVD) dysfunction, in particular trans-tricuspid E-wave deceleration time (EDT), we retrospectively analyzed data of 103 pure (comorbidity-free) OSA patients with comprehensive echocardiographic examination (ETT). Apnea/hypopnea index (AHI), oxygen desaturation index (ODI), mean nighttime oxyhemoglobin saturation (SpO), time elapsed with SpO < 90% (T90) and mean peak desaturation of nocturnal events (Mdes, graded as mild, medium or severe) were compared with echocardiographic parameters.

Occupational therapy with Nordic walking and therapeutic touch: A pilot study for multidisciplinary rehabilitation in Parkinson's disease.

Background: Physical exercise combined with occupational therapy (OT) can lead to a global improvement in personal well-being.

Objective: To assess in PD patients: 1) if a rehabilitation program involving OT, Nordic walking (NW) and therapeutic touch (TT) yields motor/non-motor benefits; 2) if the time collocation of OT within the program influences results.

Methods: This is a pilot study on 17 PD patients undergoing a 10-week rehabilitation program consisting of OT, NW and TT.