Physiotherapy - Research Publications

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    Early rehabilitation in critical care (eRiCC): functional electrical stimulation with cycling protocol for a randomised controlled trial
    Parry, SM ; Berney, S ; Koopman, R ; Bryant, A ; El-Ansary, D ; Puthucheary, Z ; Hart, N ; Warrillow, S ; Denehy, L (BMJ PUBLISHING GROUP, 2012)
    INTRODUCTION: Intensive care-acquired weakness is a common problem, leads to significant impairment in physical functioning and muscle strength, and is prevalent in individuals with sepsis. Early rehabilitation has been shown to be safe and feasible; however, commencement is often delayed due to a patient's inability to co-operate. An intervention that begins early in an intensive care unit (ICU) admission without the need for patient volition may be beneficial in attenuating muscle wasting. The eRiCC (early rehabilitation in critical care) trial will investigate the effectiveness of functional electrical stimulation-assisted cycling and cycling alone, compared to standard care, in individuals with sepsis. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is a single centre randomised controlled trial. Participants (n=80) aged ≥18 years, with a diagnosis of sepsis or severe sepsis, who are expected to be mechanically ventilated for ≥48 h and remain in the intensive care ≥4 days will be randomised within 72 h of admission to (1) standard care or (2) intervention where participants will receive functional electrical muscle stimulation-assisted supine cycling on one leg while the other leg undergoes cycling alone. Primary outcome measures include: muscle mass (quadriceps ultrasonography; bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy); muscle strength (Medical Research Council Scale; hand-held dynamometry) and physical function (Physical Function in Intensive Care Test; Functional Status Score in intensive care; 6 min walk test). Blinded outcome assessors will assess measures at baseline, weekly, at ICU discharge and acute hospital discharge. Secondary measures will be evaluated in a nested subgroup (n=20) and will consist of biochemical/histological analyses of collected muscle, urine and blood samples at baseline and at ICU discharge. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval has been obtained from the relevant institution, and results will be published to inform clinical practice in the care of patients with sepsis to optimise rehabilitation and physical function outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12612000528853.
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    Can an accelerometer-based monitor be used to accurately assess physical activity in a population of survivors of critical illness?
    Edbrooke, L ; Lythgo, N ; Goldsworthy, U ; Denehy, L (Canadian Center of Science and Education, 2012-04-28)
    PURPOSE: To investigate the validity and reliability of the Activity Monitoring Pod (AMP331) to record gait parameters in  healthy young adults (YA) and intensive care unit inpatients (ICU). METHODS: Fifteen YA completed a series of over-ground walks. Another 15 YA completed a series of treadmill walks. The ICU group (N=20) completed a series of over-ground walks with repeat trials. Gait parameters were recorded simultaneously for each walk. RESULTS: For the YA over-ground condition, no significant differences were found between the measures recorded by the systems. For the YA treadmill condition, 43% of the measures differed (P < .05). For the ICU group, the AMP331 underestimated distance and speed by 3m and 25cm/s respectively. Reliability measures for distance (ICC 0.99, 95%CI 0.98 - 0.99) and step count (ICC 0.99, 95%CI 0.99 - 1.00) were excellent. CONCLUSIONS: The AMP 331 is a valid instrument for recording basic gait parameters for over-ground walking in healthy YA and ICU survivors.
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    Exercise intervention to improve exercise capacity and health related quality of life for patients with Non-small cell lung cancer: A systematic review
    Granger, CL ; McDonald, CF ; Berney, S ; Chao, C ; Denehy, L (ELSEVIER IRELAND LTD, 2011-05)
    CONTEXT: The role of exercise intervention for patients with Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has not been systematically reviewed to date. OBJECTIVE: To identify, evaluate and synthesize the evidence examining (1) the effect of exercise intervention on exercise capacity, health related quality of life (HRQoL), physical activity levels, cancer symptoms and mortality for patients with NSCLC; and (2) the safety and feasibility of exercise intervention for a population with NSCLC. DATA SOURCES: A systematic review of articles using the electronic databases MEDLINE (1950-2010), CINAHL (1982-2010), EMBASE (1980-2010), TRIP (1997-2010), Science Direct (1994-2010), PubMed (1949-2010), Cochrane Library (2010), Expanded Academic ASAP (1994-2010), Meditext Informit (1995-2010), PEDRO (1999-2010) and DARE (2010). Additional studies were identified by manually cross referencing all full text reports and personal files were searched. No publication date restrictions were imposed. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR STUDY SELECTION: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs), case-control studies and case series assessing exercise intervention to improve exercise capacity, HRQoL, level of daily physical activity, cancer symptoms or mortality of patients with NSCLC were included. Only articles available in English and published in a peer reviewed journal were included. DATA EXTRACTION: A data collection form was developed by one reviewer and data extracted. Data extraction was cross checked by a second reviewer. RESULTS AND DATA SYNTHESIS: 16 studies on 13 unique patient groups totalling 675 patients with NSCLC met the inclusion criteria. The majority of studies were case series (n=9) and two RCTs were included. Studies exercising participants pre-operatively reported improvements in exercise capacity but no change in HRQoL immediately post exercise intervention. Studies exercising participants post-treatment (surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy) demonstrated improvements in exercise capacity but conflicting results with respect to the impact on HRQoL immediately post exercise intervention. Heterogeneity among studies was observed and a meta-analysis was deemed inappropriate. PRISMA guidelines were followed in reporting this systematic review. CONCLUSION: Exercise intervention for patients with NSCLC is safe before and after cancer treatment. Interventions pre-operatively or post-cancer treatment are associated with positive benefits on exercise capacity, symptoms and some domains of HRQoL. The majority of studies are small case series therefore results should be viewed with caution until larger RCTs are completed. Further research is required to establish the effect of exercise during and after cancer treatment and in the advanced stage of disease, the optimum type of exercise training and the optimum setting for delivery.
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    Quantifying Physical Activity Levels of Survivors of Intensive Care: A Prospective Observational Study
    Denehy, L ; Berney, S ; Whitburn, L ; Edbrooke, L (OXFORD UNIV PRESS INC, 2012-12)
    BACKGROUND: Promotion of increased physical activity is advocated for survivors of an intensive care unit (ICU) admission to improve physical function and health-related quality of life. OBJECTIVE: The primary aims of this study were: (1) to measure free-living physical activity levels and (2) to correlate the measurements with scores on a self-reported activity questionnaire. A secondary aim was to explore factors associated with physical activity levels. DESIGN: This was a prospective cohort study. METHODS: Nested within a larger randomized controlled trial, participants were block randomized to measure free-living physical activity levels. Included participants wore an accelerometer for 7 days during waking hours at 2 months after ICU discharge. At completion of the 7 days of monitoring, participants were interviewed using the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) questionnaire. Factors associated with physical activity were explored using regression analysis. RESULTS: The ICU survivors (median age=59 years, interquartile range=49-66; mean Acute Physiologic Chronic Health Evaluation [APACHE II] score=18, interquartile range=16-21) were inactive when quantitatively measured at 2 months after hospital discharge. Participants spent an average of 90% of the time inactive and only 3% of the time walking. Only 37% of the sample spent 30 minutes or more per day in the locomotion category (more than 20 steps in a row). Activity reported using the PASE questionnaire was lower than that reported in adults who were healthy. The PASE scores correlated only fairly with activity measured by steps per day. The presence of comorbidities explained one third of the variance in physical activity levels. LIMITATIONS: Accelerometer overreading, patient heterogeneity, selection bias, and sample size not reached were limitations of the study. CONCLUSIONS: Survivors of an ICU admission greater than 5 days demonstrated high levels of inactivity for prolonged periods at 2 months after ICU discharge, and the majority did not meet international recommendations regarding physical activity. Comorbidity appears to be a promising factor associated with activity levels.
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    Clinical determinants of the 6-Minute Walk Test in bronchiectasis
    Lee, AL ; Button, BM ; Ellis, S ; Stirling, R ; Wilson, JW ; Holland, AE ; Denehy, L (W B SAUNDERS CO LTD, 2009-05)
    BACKGROUND: The 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) is a widely used measurement of functional exercise capacity in chronic lung disease. While exercise intolerance has been identified in patients with bronchiectasis, the clinical determinants of the 6MWT in this population have not been examined. The aim of this study was to 1) establish the relationship between the 6-Minute Walk Distance (6MWD), disease severity and Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) and 2) identify predictors of exercise tolerance in adults with bronchiectasis. METHODS: The 6MWT was performed in 27 patients with bronchiectasis (mean [SD] FEV(1) 73.9% predicted [23.4]). Disease severity was assessed using spirometry and HRCT scoring while HRQOL was evaluated using the St George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and the Short-Form 36 (SF-36). The relationships were evaluated using correlation and multiple regression. RESULTS: The 6MWD correlated positively with FVC (r=0.52, p<0.01), generations of bronchopulmonary divisions (r(s)=0.38, p<0.05) and SF-36 physical summary (r=0.71, p<0.001) while a negative correlation was observed between all domains of the SGRQ (all correlations r>0.5, p<0.001). Multiple regression analysis indicated that the SGRQ activity, symptom scores and generations of bronchial divisions involved were identified as independent predictors of the 6MWD, explaining 76% of the variance. CONCLUSIONS: Measures of HRQOL demonstrated a stronger association with the 6MWD compared to physiological measures of disease severity in patients with predominantly mild to moderate bronchiectasis.