Immediate Effects of Diaphragmatic Breathing with Cervical Spine Mobilization on the Pulmonary Function and Craniovertebral Angle in Patients with Chronic Stroke

Background and Objectives: Patients with stroke have a forward neck posture due to neurological damage and often have impaired pulmonary function. This study investigated the effect of diaphragmatic breathing with cervical mobilization to improve pulmonary function cervical alignments. Materials and Methods: This study used a one-group pre-test–post-test design including 20 patients with stroke. Two types of cervical joint mobilization techniques, consisting of left and right lateral glide mobilization and posterior–anterior mobilization, were utilized. During joint mobilization, the patients performed diaphragmatic breathing. The measurements were performed immediately after the intervention. Pulmonary function was evaluated using a spirometer to measure the forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and peak expiratory flow (PEF). The craniovertebral angle (CVA) was measured using lateral photographs. Results: After diaphragm breathing with cervical joint mobilization, subjects had significantly increased FEV1, FVC, PEF and CVA. Conclusion: Diaphragm breathing with cervical joint mobilization are possible interventions to increase pulmonary function and improve the craniovertebral angle in patients with stroke. However, a complete conclusion can be reached only after a follow-up study has been conducted with a comparison of more subjects and controls.

Assessment of Metal Concentrations and Associations with Pulmonary Function among Children with Asthma in Chicago, Illinois

Individuals living in areas with the potential for elevated metal exposure from industrial sources may have reduced pulmonary function. We evaluated cross-sectional associations of toenail concentrations of 17 metals within a community area of residence and asthma control in 75 children, and pulmonary function measures [forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1; liters), forced vital capacity (FVC; liters), FEV1 to FVC ratio (FEV1:FVC), and mid-exhalation forced expiratory flow rate (FEF 25–75%; liters/second)], in a subsample of 39 children with diagnosed asthma in Chicago, Illinois. Linear regression models were used to estimate adjusted regression coefficients and standard errors (SE) for the associations between ≥ median versus <median metal exposures and natural log-transformed (ln) pulmonary function test parameters. Toenail levels of cadmium, cobalt, iron, manganese, and vanadium were higher among children residing near an industrial corridor than those in a comparison community. Copper concentrations were inversely associated with lnFEV1 (β = −0.10, SE = 0.04, p = 0.01), lnFEV1:FVC (β = −0.07, SE = 0.03, p = 0.02) and lnFEF 25–75% (β = −0.25, SE = 0.09, p = 0.01); manganese concentrations were inversely associated with lnFEV1 (β = −0.11, SE = 0.04, p = 0.01), lnFEV1:FVC (β = −0.07, SE = 0.03, p = 0.02), and lnFEF 25–75% (β = −0.28, SE = 0.10, p = 0.004), and vanadium concentrations were inversely associated with lnFEV1 (β = −0.08, SE = 0.04, p = 0.05) and lnFVC (β = −0.07, SE = 0.03, p = 0.03). Nickel and copper were associated with uncontrolled asthma (OR = 6.8; 95% CI 2.0, 22.8 and OR = 4.6; 95% CI 1.0, 21.0, respectively). These data suggest that selected metal exposures may be associated with impaired pulmonary function parameters and reduced asthma control among children with preexisting asthma.

Organizing pneumonia following Covid19 pneumonia

SummaryThe potential mid-term and long-term consequences after severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infections are as yet unknown. This is the first report of bronchoscopically verified organizing pneumonia as a complication of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid19). It caused persisting dyspnea, impaired pulmonary function, and radiological abnormalities over 5 weeks after onset of symptoms. While organizing pneumonia frequently requires treatment with systemic corticosteroids, in this case it resolved spontaneously without treatment after 6 weeks. Healthcare professionals should consider organizing pneumonia in patients with persisting respiratory symptoms after Covid19.

Inflammatory profiles and clinical features of COVID-19 survivors three months after discharge in Wuhan, China

Background Post-discharge immunity and its correlation with clinical features among patients recovered from COVID-19 are poorly described. This prospective cross-sectional study explored the inflammatory profiles and clinical recovery of COVID-19 patients at 3 months post-discharge. Methods COVID-19 patients discharged from four hospitals in Wuhan, recovered asymptomatic patients (APs) from an isolation hotel, and uninfected healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. Viral nucleic acid and antibody detection, laboratory examination, computed tomography, pulmonary function assessment, multiplex cytokine assay, and flow cytometry were performed. Results The 72 age-, sex- and body mass index-matched participants included 19 severe/critical patients (SPs), 20 mild/moderate patients (MPs), 16 APs, and 17 HCs. At 3 months after discharge, levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and factors related to vascular injury/repair in recovered COVID-19 patients had not returned to those of the HCs, especially among recovered SPs compared to recovered MPs and APs. These cytokines were significantly correlated with impaired pulmonary function and chest CT abnormalities. However, levels of immune cells had returned to nearly normal levels and were not significantly correlated with abnormal clinical features. Conclusion Vascular injury, inflammation, and chemotaxis persisted in COVID-19 patients and were correlated with abnormal clinical features 3 months after discharge, especially in recovered SPs.

Effect Analysis of Protein Intake of Pedicab Driver in Surabaya

Approximately 64 million people suffer from copd and 3 million people die from copd. No exception to pedicab rickshaw drivers, which is one job that has a high risk of copd. From workplace factors that are always exposed to vehicle fumes and dust pollution and also lifestyles such as smoking habits. Pedal rickshaw drivers are also classified as low economic groups, so their daily food intake is sometimes insufficient. Thus making daily protein intake also reduced, protein intake is very important in copd disease. Where protein can improve the performance of respiratory muscles and improve immune function. This study uses a 24-hour recall method by recording the respondent's food history in the last 24 hours to see how daily food protein intake. In this study lung function measurements were also performed using spirometry where the normal value is if fev1 / fvc> 70%. Obtained a total of 124 respondents with a total of 62 in the lung function disorder group and 62 non-impaired groups of respondents aged an average of 55-64 years with a history of working as a pedicab driver for approximately 5 years. In the different test the asymp sig has a result of 0.000 where the conclusions in this study are as follows: there is a significant difference between daily food protein intake in the pedicab rickshaw driver group with impaired pulmonary function and non pedestrian pedicab driver.

Intravenous Tramadol versus Nalbuphine in Perioperative Management of Pain and Stress - A Comparative Study

BACKGROUND Managing pain and stress during and after any surgical procedure is a real challenge and a matter of concern for both surgeons and anaesthesiologists. Various analgesics like tramadol and nalbuphine have been used as adjuncts to anaesthetic agents with different efficacy. We wanted to do a comparative assessment of efficacy between intravenous (IV) administration of tramadol and nalbuphine in managing perioperative pain and stress. METHODS This was a single blinded randomised control trial, which included 60 female adult patients in the age group of 30 - 50 years who were posted for surgical procedures like elective vaginal hysterectomy under spinal block. Patients with comorbidities like diabetes, obesity, hypertension, impaired pulmonary function, recent history of medication with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors were excluded from the study. Study participants were divided into two groups - group tramadol (TR) and group nalbuphine (NA) with 30 patients in each group. Group TR was given tramadol 0.5 - 0.7 mg / Kg whereas group NA was given nalbuphine 0.1 - 0.2 mg / Kg after an hour of spinal block. Both drugs were administered intravenously. Midazolam 0.01 - 0.05 mg / Kg was administered intravenously within first hour of surgery for sedation. Pain, stress and sedation score, requirement of rescue analgesics and occurrence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) over 12 hours postoperatively were compared. RESULTS Significant lowering of pain and stress scores and higher sedation score was observed in group NA in comparison to group TR. The requirement of rescue analgesic and occurrence of side effects like nausea and vomiting were less in group NA. CONCLUSIONS Intravenous administration of nalbuphine was found to be more effective in perioperative control of pain and stress and can be a better choice than intravenous tramadol. KEYWORDS Efficacy, Tramadol, Nalbuphine, Rescue Analgesia

Pulmonary function and radiological features four months after COVID-19: first results from the national prospective observational Swiss COVID-19 lung study

BackgroundThe coronavirus infectious disease (COVID-19) pandemic is an ongoing global health care challenge. Up to one third of hospitalised patients develop severe pulmonary complications and ARDS. Pulmonary outcomes following COVID-19 are unknown.MethodsThe Swiss COVID-19 lung study is a multicentre prospective cohort investigating pulmonary sequela of COVID-19. We report on initial follow-up 4 months after mild/moderate or severe/critical COVID-19 according to the WHO severity classification.Results113 COVID-19 survivors were included (mild/moderate 47, severe/critical 66). We confirmed several comorbidities as risk factors for severe/critical disease. Severe/critical disease was associated with impaired pulmonary function, i.e. diffusing capacity (DLCO) %-predicted, reduced 6-MWD, and exercise-induced oxygen desaturation. After adjustment for potential confounding by age, sex, and BMI, patients after severe/critical COVID-19 had a 20.9 (95% CI 12.4–29.4, p=0.01) lower DLCO %-predicted at follow up. DLCO %-predicted was the strongest independent factor associated with previous severe/critical disease when age, sex, BMI, 6MWD, and minimal SpO2 at exercise, were included in the multivariable model (adjusted odds ratio [OR] per 10%-predicted 0.59 [95% CI 0. 37–0.87], p=0.01). Mosaic hypoattenuation on chest computed tomography at follow-up was significantly associated with previous severe/critical COVID-19 including adjustment for age and sex (adjusted OR 11.7 [95%CI 1.7–239), p=0.03).ConclusionsFour months after SARS CoV-2 infection, severe/critical COVID-19 was associated with significant functional and radiological abnormalities, potentially due to small airway and lung parenchymal disease. A systematic follow-up for survivors needs to be evaluated to optimise care for patients recovering from COVID-19.