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  1. El-Ansary D, LaPier TK, Adams J, Gach R, Triano S, Katijjahbe MA, et al.
    Phys Ther, 2019 12 16;99(12):1587-1601.
    PMID: 31504913 DOI: 10.1093/ptj/pzz126
    Cardiac surgery via median sternotomy is performed in over 1 million patients per year worldwide. Despite evidence, sternal precautions in the form of restricted arm and trunk activity are routinely prescribed to patients following surgery to prevent sternal complications. Sternal precautions may exacerbate loss of independence and prevent patients from returning home directly after hospital discharge. In addition, immobility and deconditioning associated with restricting physical activity potentially contribute to the negative sequelae of median sternotomy on patient symptoms, physical and psychosocial function, and quality of life. Interpreting the clinical impact of sternal precautions is challenging due to inconsistent definitions and applications globally. Following median sternotomy, typical guidelines involve limiting arm movement during loaded lifting, pushing, and pulling for 6 to 8 weeks. This perspective paper proposes that there is robust evidence to support early implementation of upper body activity and exercise in patients recovering from median sternotomy while minimizing risk of complications. A clinical paradigm shift is encouraged, one that encourages a greater amount of controlled upper body activity, albeit modified in some situations, and less restrictive sternal precautions. Early screening for sternal complication risk factors and instability followed by individualized progressive functional activity and upper body therapeutic exercise is likely to promote optimal and timely patient recovery. Substantial research documenting current clinical practice of sternal precautions, early physical therapy, and cardiac rehabilitation provides support and the context for understanding why a less restrictive and more active plan of care is warranted and recommended for patients following a median sternotomy.
  2. Katijjahbe MA, Royse C, Granger C, Denehy L, Md Ali NA, Abdul Rahman MR, et al.
    Heart Lung Circ, 2021 Aug;30(8):1232-1243.
    PMID: 33608196 DOI: 10.1016/j.hlc.2020.12.009
    OBJECTIVES: To investigate the specific clinical features of pain following cardiac surgery and evaluate the information derived from different pain measurement tools used to quantify and describe pain in this population.

    METHODS: A prospective observational study was undertaken at two tertiary care hospitals in Australia. Seventy-two (72) adults (mean age, 63±11 years) were included following cardiac surgery via a median sternotomy. Participants completed the Patient Identified Cardiac Pain using numeric and visual prompts (PICP), the McGill Pain Questionnaire-Short Form version 2 (MPQ-2) and the Medical Outcome Study 36-item version 2 (SF-36v2) Bodily Pain domain (BP), which were administered prior to hospital discharge, 4 weeks and 3 months postoperatively.

    RESULTS: Participants experienced a high incidence of mild (n=45, 63%) to moderate (n=22, 31%) pain prior to discharge, which reduced at 4 weeks postoperatively: mild (n=28, 41%) and moderate (n=5, 7%) pain; at 3 months participants reported mild (n=14, 20%) and moderate (n=2, 3%) pain. The most frequent location of pain was the anterior chest wall, consistent with the location of the surgical incision and graft harvest. Most participants equated "pressure/weight" to "aching" or a "heaviness" in the chest region (based on descriptor of pain in the PICP) and the pain topography was persistent at 4 weeks and 3 months postoperatively. Each pain measurement tool provided different information on pain location, severity and description, with significant change (p<0.005) over time.

    CONCLUSION: Mild-to-moderate pain was frequent after sternotomy, improved over time and was mostly located over the incision and mammary (internal thoracic) artery harvest site. Persistent pain at 3 months remained a significant problem in the community within this surgical population.

  3. Katijjahbe MA, Granger CL, Denehy L, Royse A, Royse C, Bates R, et al.
    J Physiother, 2018 04;64(2):97-106.
    PMID: 29602750 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphys.2018.02.013
    QUESTION: In people who have undergone cardiac surgery via median sternotomy, does modifying usual sternal precautions to make them less restrictive improve physical function, pain, kinesiophobia and health-related quality of life?

    DESIGN: Two-centre, randomised, controlled trial with concealed allocation, blinded assessors and intention-to-treat analysis.

    PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-two adults who had undergone cardiac surgery via a median sternotomy were included.

    INTERVENTION: Participants were randomly allocated to one of two groups at 4 (SD 1) days after surgery. The control group received the usual advice to restrict their upper limb use for 4 to 6 weeks (ie, restrictive sternal precautions). The experimental group received advice to use pain and discomfort as the safe limits for their upper limb use during daily activities (ie, less restrictive precautions) for the same period. Both groups received postoperative individualised education in hospital and via weekly telephone calls for 6 weeks.

    OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was physical function assessed by the Short Physical Performance Battery. Secondary outcomes included upper limb function, pain, kinesophobia, and health-related quality of life. Outcomes were measured before hospital discharge and at 4 and 12 weeks postoperatively. Adherence to sternal precautions was recorded.

    RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in physical function between the groups at 4 weeks (MD 1.0, 95% CI -0.2 to 2.3) and 12 weeks (MD 0.4, 95% CI -0.9 to 1.6) postoperatively. There were no statistically significant between-group differences in secondary outcomes.

    CONCLUSION: Modified (ie, less restrictive) sternal precautions for people following cardiac surgery had similar effects on physical recovery, pain and health-related quality of life as usual restrictive sternal precautions. Similar outcomes can be anticipated regardless of whether people following cardiac surgery are managed with traditional or modified sternal precautions.

    TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ANZCTRN12615000968572. [Katijjahbe MA, Granger CL, Denehy L, Royse A, Royse C, Bates R, Logie S, Nur Ayub MA, Clarke S, El-Ansary D (2018) Standard restrictive sternal precautions and modified sternal precautions had similar effects in people after cardiac surgery via median sternotomy ('SMART' Trial): a randomised trial. Journal of Physiotherapy 64: 97-106].

  4. Katijjahbe MA, Denehy L, Granger CL, Royse A, Royse C, Bates R, et al.
    Trials, 2017 06 23;18(1):290.
    PMID: 28645301 DOI: 10.1186/s13063-017-1974-8
    BACKGROUND: The routine implementation of sternal precautions to prevent sternal complications that restrict the use of the upper limbs is currently worldwide practice following a median sternotomy. However, evidence is limited and drawn primarily from cadaver studies and orthopaedic research. Sternal precautions may delay recovery, prolong hospital discharge and be overly restrictive. Recent research has shown that upper limb exercise reduces post-operative sternal pain and results in minimal micromotion between the sternal edges as measured by ultrasound. The aims of this study are to evaluate the effects of modified sternal precautions on physical function, pain, recovery and health-related quality of life after cardiac surgery.

    METHODS/DESIGN: This study is a phase II, double-blind, randomised controlled trial with concealed allocation, blinding of patients and assessors, and intention-to-treat analysis. Patients (n = 72) will be recruited following cardiac surgery via a median sternotomy. Sample size calculations were based on the minimal important difference (two points) for the primary outcome: Short Physical Performance Battery. Thirty-six participants are required per group to counter dropout (20%). All participants will be randomised to receive either standard or modified sternal precautions. The intervention group will receive guidelines encouraging the safe use of the upper limbs. Secondary outcomes are upper limb function, pain, kinesiophobia and health-related quality of life. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarise data. The primary hypothesis will be examined by repeated-measures analysis of variance to evaluate the changes from baseline to 4 weeks post-operatively in the intervention arm compared with the usual-care arm. In all tests to be conducted, a p value <0.05 (two-tailed) will be considered statistically significant, and confidence intervals will be reported.

    DISCUSSION: The Sternal Management Accelerated Recovery Trial (S.M.A.R.T.) is a two-centre randomised controlled trial powered and designed to investigate whether the effects of modifying sternal precautions to include the safe use of the upper limbs and trunk impact patients' physical function and recovery following cardiac surgery via median sternotomy.

    TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry identifier: ACTRN12615000968572 . Registered on 16 September 2015 (prospectively registered).

  5. Katijjahbe MA, Denehy L, Granger CL, Royse A, Royse C, Logie S, et al.
    Clin Rehabil, 2020 Jan;34(1):132-140.
    PMID: 31610700 DOI: 10.1177/0269215519879476
    OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the shortened version of the Functional Difficulties Questionnaire (FDQ).

    DESIGN: This is a multisite observational study.

    SETTING: The study was conducted in four tertiary care hospitals in Australia.

    SUBJECTS: A total of 225 participants, following cardiac surgery, were involved in the study.

    INTERVENTION: Participants completed the original 13-item FDQ and other measures of physical function, pain and health-related quality of life.

    METHOD: Item reduction was utilized to develop the shortened version. Reliability was evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), the smallest detectable change and Bland-Altman plots. The validity and responsiveness were evaluated using correlation. Anchor and distribution-based calculation was used to calculate the minimal clinical important difference (MCID).

    RESULTS: Item reduction resulted in the creation of a 10-item shortened version of the questionnaire (FDQ-s). Within the cohort of cardiac surgery patient, the mean (SD) for the FDQ-s was 38.7 (19.61) at baseline; 15.5 (14.01) at four weeks and 7.9 (12.01) at three months. Validity: excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's α > 0.90) and fair-to-excellent construct validity (>0.4). Reliability: internal consistency was excellent (Cronbach's α > 0.8). The FDQ-s had excellent test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.89-0.92). Strong responsiveness overtime was demonstrated with large effect sizes (Cohen's d > 1.0). The MCID of the FDQ-s was calculated between 4 and 10 out of 100 (in cm).

    CONCLUSION: The FDQ-s demonstrated robust psychometric properties as a measurement tool of physical function of the thoracic region following cardiac surgery.

  6. Md Ali NA, El-Ansary D, Abdul Rahman MR, Ahmad S, Royse C, Huat CT, et al.
    BMJ Open, 2023 Jul 14;13(7):e067914.
    PMID: 37451709 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-067914
    INTRODUCTION: There is no consistency in current practice pertaining to the prescription and progression of upper limb resistance exercise following cardiac surgery via median sternotomy. The aim of this study is to investigate whether less restrictive sternal precautions with the addition of early-supervised resistance training exercise improves upper limb function and facilitates recovery following median sternotomy.

    METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is double-blind randomised controlled trial, with parallel group, concealed allocation, blinding of patients and assessors, and intention-to-treat analysis. 240 adult participants who had median sternotomy from eight hospitals in Malaysia will be recruited. Sample size calculations were based on the unsupported upper limb test. All participants will be randomised to receive either standard or early supervised incremental resistance training. The primary outcomes are upper limb function and pain. The secondary outcomes will be functional capacity, multidomain recovery (physical and psychological), length of hospital stay, incidence of respiratory complications and quality of life. Descriptive statistics will be used to summarise data. Data will be analysed using the intention-to-treat principle. The primary hypothesis will be examined by evaluating the change from baseline to the 4-week postoperative time point in the intervention arm compared with the usual care arm. For all tests to be conducted, a p value of <0.05 (two tailed) will be considered statistically significant, and CIs will be reported. The trial is currently recruiting participants.

    ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study was approved by a central ethical committee as well as the local Research Ethics Boards of the participating sites (UKM:JEP-2019-654; Ministry of Health: NMMR-50763; National Heart Centre: IJNREC/501/2021). Approval to start was given prior to the recruitment of participants commencing at any sites. Process evaluation findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at relevant academic conferences.

    TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: International Standard Randomised Controlled Trials Number (ISRCTN17842822).

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