OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of three-modal exercise on fatigue, sleep, QoL as well as to determine the relationship between age, disease severity, disease stage and working years with women diagnosed with Parkinson's disease (PD).
METHODS: In this randomized controlled trial, 44 female educators in stages I-II with PD who were between the ages of 40 and 60 volunteered. For a total of 36 sessions over the course of six weeks, Group A received a three-modal fitness program through online video sessions, whereas Group B received Nordic walking. The outcome measures included the Fatigue Severity Scale, Parkinson's Disease Sleep Scale, and Parkinson's Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire-39.
RESULTS: Age, Hoehn and Yahr scale, working years, and PD in years did not correlate with each other (p > 0.50). The three-modal exercise experimental Group A showed statistically significant improvement in QoL (p 0.001), sleep (p 0.001), and fatigue (p 0.001).
CONCLUSION: Women in the field of education who participated in a three-modal exercise programme for PD reported a significant improvement in their level of exhaustion, sleep patterns, and quality of life.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study recruited women referred to physiotherapy to manage OA. The measurements included fatigue severity (fatigue severity scale); pain level (numerical rating scale); obesity indices (body mass index, fat %, waist circumference); functional performances (upper limb strength, lower limb strength, mobility, exercise capacity and quality of life). A simple linear regression analysis was used to determine which independent variable may be associated with fatigue severity.
RESULTS: Ninety-six women with unilateral KOA participated in this study (Mean age, 55.70, Standard Deviation, SD 6.90) years; Mean fatigue severity, 34.51, SD 14.03). The simple linear regression analysis showed that pain level (β=4.089, p<0.001), fat % (β=0.825, p<0.001) and QoL (β=0.304, p<0.001) were significantly associated with fatigue. After controlling for pain level, only fat % was significantly associated with fatigue (β=0.581, p=0.005).
CONCLUSION: Pain level, fat %, and QoL appear to be associated with fatigue severity in women with KOA. In addition, pain symptoms may interact with factors associated with fatigue severity.
Methods: Ten males recreational runners were randomised to three running trials with a 1 week recovery period between the trials. Each trial involved running at 75% maximum heart rate (HRmax) for 1 h, followed by a 15 min time trial. The participants used a CHO mouth rinse, placebo (PLA) solution or control (CON, no solution) every 15 min during the exercise. Heart rate (HR), rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and mood states were recorded pre-, during and post-exercise. Saliva samples were collected pre-, post- and 1 h post-exercise.
Results: There was no significant interaction and time effect (P > 0.05) on the salivary lysozyme concentration and running performance, but it was significant (P < 0.05) for HR and RPE (increase in all trials). However, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in salivary lysozyme concentrations, running performances, HR values or RPE between the trials. Mood states were not significantly different (P > 0.05) between the trials, but one of the mood sub-scales showed a significant (P < 0.001) time effect (increase fatigue in all trials).
Conclusion: CHO mouth rinsing did not affect physiological parameters, salivary lysozyme concentrations, mood states or running performance among recreational runners.
Methods: A single-centre, retrospective study evaluating posaconazole Cmin in LTx recipients receiving posaconazole suspension or MR tablets between January 2014 and December 2016.
Results: Forty-seven LTx patients received posaconazole suspension, and 78 received the MR tablet formulation; a total of 421 and 617 Cmin measurements were made, respectively. Posaconazole was concurrently administered with proton pump inhibitor in ≥ 90% of patients. The median (IQR) of initial posaconazole Cmin following 300 mg daily of posaconazole tablet was significantly higher than that of 800 mg daily of posaconazole suspension [1.65 (0.97-2.13) mg/L versus 0.81 (0.48-1.15) mg/L, P
METHODOLOGY: In this open labelled randomized clinical trial, 40 participants aged between 18 and 65 with head and neck cancer who completed chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy in Hospital USM, Kelantan Malaysia or Hospital Taiping were recruited and randomized into two groups: Tualang honey (experimental) group or Vitamin C (control) group. They were prescribed with either daily oral Tualang honey 20mg or vitamin C tablet 100 mg for 8 weeks. Level of fatigue and quality of life were measured using FACIT-Fatigue and FACT H&N questionnaires at baseline, 4 weeks and 8 weeks. The white cell count and C-reactive protein level were also measured at baseline, 4 weeks and 8 weeks.
RESULTS: After four and eight weeks of treatment with Tualang honey or Vitamin C, the fatigue level for experimental group was better than in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (p<0.05). Statistically significant improvements were seen on quality of life (p<0.05) for the experimental group at week 8, however, no significant improvements were seen in white cell count and C-reactive protein level between control and experimental group.
CONCLUSION: Our research provided support for the use of Tualang honey to improve CRF and QOL in head and neck cancer patients post chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
METHODS: This mixed-methods study includes (a) a systematic review of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) following PRISMA guidelines and (b) a constant-comparative qualitative analysis of effective intervention protocols.
RESULTS: Eleven published randomized clinical trials were reviewed. A total of 831 individuals were studied. Geographic settings include the USA, Australia, China, Hong Kong, and Malaysia. Qigong therapy was found to have positive effects on the cancer-specific QOL, fatigue, immune function, and cortisol levels of individuals with cancer. Qigong therapy protocols varied supporting a plurality of styles. Qualitative analyses identified common programming constructs. Content constructs included exercise (gentle, integrated, repetitious, flowing, weight-bearing movements), breath regulation, mindfulness and meditation, energy cultivation including self-massage, and emphasis on relaxation. Logistic constructs included delivery by qualified instructors, home practice, and accommodation for impaired activity tolerance.
CONCLUSIONS: There is global interest and a growing body of research providing evidence of therapeutic effect of Qigong therapy in supportive cancer care. While Qigong therapy protocols vary in style, construct commonalities do exist. Knowledge of the common constructs among effective programs revealed in this research may be used to guide future research intervention protocol and community programming design and development.
METHODS: The integration of object-oriented programming and a Model Oriented Simultaneous Engineering System were used to design the architecture of the decision support system.
RESULTS: Validation of the decision support system was carried out in two manufacturing companies. The validation process showed that the decision support system produced reliable results.
CONCLUSION: The decision support system is a reliable advisory tool for providing analysis and solutions to problems related to the discomfort and muscle fatigue associated with prolonged standing. Further testing of the decision support system is suggested before it is used commercially.