Feasibility and preliminary effects of a tele-prehabilitation program and an in-person prehablitation program compared to usual care for total hip or knee arthroplasty candidates: a pilot randomized controlled trial

Factors Affecting the Length of Convalescent Hospital Stay Following Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty

Objectives

: An important role of convalescent rehabilitation wards is the short-term improvement of mobility and activities of daily living (ADL). We aimed to identify predictors associated with the length of stay (LOS) in a convalescent hospital after total hip and knee arthroplasty.

Methods

: This study included 308 patients hospitalized in a convalescent ward following total hip or total knee arthroplasty. The following factors were examined: age, sex, orthopedic comorbidities, motor component of the functional independence measure (M-FIM), M-FIM gain, pain, 10-m walk test, timed up and go (TUG) test, functional ambulation category (FAC), cognitive function, and nutritional status. LOS was categorized as shorter (≤40 days) or longer (>40 days), based on the national average LOS in a convalescent ward, and was statistically analyzed with predictor variables.

Results

: In our hospital, the average LOS was 36.9 ± 21.4 days, and the average M-FIM at admission to the convalescent ward and the M-FIM gain were 71.1 ± 7.0 and 16.3 ± 6.9, respectively. In univariate analysis, there was a significant correlation between LOS and M-FIM at admission and M-FIM gain, pain, TUG time, and FAC. Logistic multivariate analysis identified M-FIM at admission (odds ratio [OR] 0.93, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.88–0.98) and TUG time (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.03–1.18) as independent predictors of LOS.

Conclusions

: The M-FIM and TUG test can be used to accurately estimate LOS and to plan rehabilitation treatment in a convalescent rehabilitation ward after lower-limb arthroplasty. Furthermore, preoperative or early postoperative intervention may lead to better quality motor activity and shorter LOS during the convalescent period.

Applications of Digital Health Technologies in Knee Osteoarthritis: A Narrative Review (Preprint)

Background

With the increasing adoption of high-speed internet and mobile technologies by older adults, digital health is a promising modality to enhance clinical care for people with knee osteoarthritis (KOA), including those with knee replacement (KR).

Objective

This study aimed to summarize the current use, cost-effectiveness, and patient and clinician perspectives of digital health for intervention delivery in KOA and KR.

Methods

In this narrative review, search terms such as mobile health, smartphone, mobile application, mobile technology, ehealth, text message, internet, knee osteoarthritis, total knee arthroplasty, and knee replacement were used in the PubMed and Embase databases between October 2018 and February 2021. The search was limited to original articles published in the English language within the past 10 years. In total, 91 studies were included.

Results

Digital health technologies such as websites, mobile apps, telephone calls, SMS text messaging, social media, videoconferencing, and custom multi-technology systems have been used to deliver interventions in KOA and KR populations. Overall, there was significant heterogeneity in the types and applications of digital health used in these populations. Digital patient education improved disease-related knowledge, especially when used as an adjunct to traditional methods of patient education for both KOA and KR. Digital health that incorporated person-specific motivational messages, biofeedback, or patient monitoring was more successful at improving physical activity than self-directed digital interventions for both KOA and KR. Many digital exercise interventions were found to be as effective as in-person physical therapy for people with KOA. Many digital exercise interventions for KR incorporated both in-person and web-based treatments (blended format), communication with clinicians, and multi-technology systems and were successful in improving knee range of motion and self-reported symptoms and reducing the length of hospital stays. All digital interventions that incorporated cognitive behavioral therapy or similar psychological interventions showed significant improvements in knee pain, function, and psychological health when compared with no treatment or traditional treatments for both KOA and KR. Although limited in number, studies have indicated that digital health may be cost-effective for these populations, especially when travel costs are considered. Finally, although patients with KOA and KR and clinicians had positive views on digital health, concerns related to privacy and security and concerns related to logistics and training were raised by patients and clinicians, respectively.

Conclusions

For people with KOA and KR, many studies found digital health to be as effective as traditional treatments for patient education, physical activity, and exercise interventions. All digital interventions that incorporated cognitive behavioral therapy or similar psychological treatments were reported to result in significant improvements in patients with KOA and KR when compared with no treatment or traditional treatments. Overall, technologies that were blended and incorporated communication with clinicians, as well as biofeedback or patient monitoring, showed favorable outcomes.

Patient Engagement Approaches in Total Joint Arthroplasty: A Review of Two Decades

Patient engagement is a comprehensive approach to health care where the physician inspires confidence in the patient to be involved in their own care. Most research studies of patient engagement in total joint arthroplasty (TJA) have come in the past 5 years (2015-2020), with no reviews investigating the different patient engagement methods in TJA. The primary purpose of this review is to examine patient engagement methods in TJA. The search identified 31 studies aimed at patient engagement methods in TJA. Based on our review, the conclusions therein strongly suggest that patient engagement methods in TJA demonstrate benefits throughout care delivery through tools focused on promoting involvement in decision making and accessible care delivery (eg, virtual rehabilitation, remote monitoring). Future work should understand the influence of social determinants on patient involvement in care, and overall cost (or savings) of engagement methods to patients and society.

Effectiveness of eHealth Tools for Hip and Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review

Objective: This study aimed to compare the effectiveness and costs of eHealth tools with usual care in delivering health-related education to patients' undergoing total hip or knee arthroplasty due to osteoarthritis.

Data Sources: Six electronic databases were searched to identify randomized controlled trials and experimental designs (randomized or not) examining the effect of eHealth tools on pre- or post-operative care. Only manuscripts written in English were included. In the current study, no specific primary or secondary outcomes were selected. Any study that investigated the impacts of eHealth tools on hip or knee arthroplasty outcomes were included.

Review Methods: Two researchers reviewed all titles and abstracts independently and in duplicate. Two researchers also conducted full-text screening and data extraction from the 26 selected articles.

Results: The data were descriptively reported, and themes could emerge from each outcome. Two researchers separately assessed the Risk of Bias for each paper using the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool. The majority of studies evaluated the impact of eHealth tools on physical (n = 23) and psychosocial outcomes (n = 19). Cost-related outcomes were measured in 7 studies. eHealth tools were found to be equivocal to usual care, with few studies reporting statistically significant differences in physical or psychosocial outcome measures. However, cost-related outcomes showed that using eHealth tools is more cost-effective than usual care.

Conclusions: This review demonstrated that eHealth tools might be as effective as usual care, and possibly more cost-effective, a crucial implication for many overly burdened health care systems.

Comparative effectiveness of exercise programs for psychological well-being in knee osteoarthritis: A systematic review and network meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

The benefits of exercise are well established for psychological well-being, but it is unknown whether one type of exercise can be recommended over another for psychological well-being in knee osteoarthritis (OA). This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of different types of exercise on psychological well-being in people with knee OA.

METHODS

Five databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials, CINAHL and PEDro) were searched from inception until April 2021. Randomised controlled trials comparing the effect of exercise with a non-exercise control or another type of exercise on overall mental health, depressive symptoms or anxiety in people with knee OA. Trial data were extracted independently by two researchers. Network meta-analyses using random-effect models were conducted. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation framework was used to appraise evidence certainty.

RESULTS

Strengthening exercise was more beneficial for overall mental health on the Short Form survey compared to aerobic (mean difference 15.88, 95%CI [6.77, 24.99]), mixed (12.77, 95%CI [5.12, 20.42]) and mind-body (12.51, [4.25, 20.77]) exercise based on 13 trials (n = 796). Strengthening exercise (standardised mean difference 6.81, [5.03, 8.58]), and mixed exercise (6.64, [4.88, 8.40]),) were more beneficial for depressive symptoms than stretching exercise based on 6 trials (n = 627). No differences were observed for anxiety based on 4 trials (n = 557). Certainty of the evidence ranged from very low to low.

CONCLUSION

The available evidence supports the recommendation of strengthening exercise as the most beneficial for overall mental health, and strengthening exercise or mixed exercise over stretching exercise for depressive symptoms. No exercise recommendations can be made for anxiety.

Effects of Preoperative Telerehabilitation on Muscle Strength, Range of Motion, and Functional Outcomes in Candidates for Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Single-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial

This study aims to investigate the effect of a preoperative telerehabilitation (PT) program on muscle strength, knee range of motion (ROM), and functional outcomes in candidates for total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Sixty patients (all women, mean age 70.53 ± 2.7 years) scheduled for bilateral TKA participated in this study. The PT and preoperative patient education (PE) groups participated in a 3-week intensive exercise program (30 min/session, 2 times/day, 5 days/week), whereas the control group received the usual care before TKA. Quadriceps muscle strength, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), ROM of knee flexion, pain, and time up-and-go (TUG) test time were evaluated at 4 weeks preoperatively, post-interventionally, and 6 weeks after TKA. Significant differences were found in the time-by-group interaction for 60°/s extension peak torque [F(4, 100) = 2.499, p = 0.047, η²_p = 0.91], 180°/s extension peak torque [F(4, 100) = 3.583, p = 0.009, η²_p = 0.125], ROM [F(4, 100) = 4.689, p = 0.002, η²_p = 0.158], TUG time [F(4, 100) = 7.252, p < 0.001, η²_p = 0.225], WOMAC pain [F(4, 100) = 9.113, p < 0.001, η²_p = 0.267], WOMAC functional outcome [F(4, 100) = 6.579, p < 0.001, η²_p = 0.208], and WOMAC total score [F(4, 100) = 10.410, p < 0.001, η²_p = 0.294]. The results of this study demonstrate the early benefits of a PT program in elderly female patients with end-stage osteoarthritis. The PT program improved muscle strength, ROM, and functional outcomes before TKA, which contributed to better functional recovery after TKA.

Prehabilitation Coming of Age: IMPLICATIONS FOR CARDIAC AND PULMONARY REHABILITATION

While cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs traditionally involve exercise therapy and risk management following an event (eg, myocardial infarction and stroke), or an intervention (eg, coronary artery bypass surgery and percutaneous coronary intervention), prehabilitation involves enhancing functional capacity and optimizing risk profile prior to a scheduled intervention. The concept of prehabilitation is based on the principle that patients with higher functional capabilities will better tolerate an intervention, and will have better pre- and post-surgical outcomes. In addition to improving fitness, prehabilitation has been extended to include multifactorial risk intervention prior to surgery, including psychosocial counseling, smoking cessation, diabetes control, nutrition counseling, and alcohol abstinence. A growing number of studies have shown that patients enrolled in prehabilitation programs have reduced post-operative complications and demonstrate better functional, psychosocial, and surgery-related outcomes. These studies have included interventions such as hepatic transplantation, lung cancer resection, and abdominal aortic aneurysm (repair, upper gastrointestinal surgery, bariatric surgery, and coronary artery bypass grafting). Studies have also suggested that incorporation of prehabilitation before an intervention in addition to traditional rehabilitation following an intervention further enhances physical function, lowers risk for adverse events, and better prepares a patient to resume normal activities, including return to work. In this overview, we discuss prehabilitation coming of age, including key elements related to optimizing pre-surgical fitness, factors to consider in developing a prehabilitation program, and exercise training strategies to improve pre-surgical fitness.

Comparing an eHealth Program (My Hip Journey) With Standard Care for Total Hip Arthroplasty: Randomized Controlled Trial

Background

The role of eHealth programs to support patients through surgical pathways, including total hip arthroplasty (THA), is rapidly growing and offers the potential to improve patient engagement, self-care, and outcomes.

Objective

The aim of this study is to compare the effects of an eHealth program (intervention) versus standard care for pre- and postoperative education on patient outcomes for primary THA.

Methods

A prospective parallel randomized controlled trial with two arms (standard care and standard care plus access to the eHealth education program) was conducted. Participants included those who underwent THA. Outcome measures were collected preadmission, at 6 weeks, and at 3 and 6 months after surgery. The primary outcome was the Hip Dysfunction and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score. Secondary outcomes were a 5-level 5-dimension quality of life measure and the self-efficacy for managing chronic disease scale. Demographic and clinical characteristics were also collected. A satisfaction survey was completed by all participants 6 weeks after surgery, and those in the intervention arm completed an additional survey specific to the eHealth program.

Results

A total of 99 patients were recruited: 50 in the eHealth program (intervention) and 49 in standard care (control). Clinical improvements were demonstrated in both groups across all time points. Per-protocol analysis demonstrated no differences between the groups for all outcome measures across all time points. Participants in the eHealth program reported that the program was accessible, that they felt comfortable using it, and that the information was helpful.

Conclusions

This study demonstrated that the eHealth program, in addition to standard care, had no additional benefit to THA recovery compared with standard care alone. The study found that the eHealth program was highly valued by participants, and it supported the preoperative preparation, recovery, and postoperative rehabilitation of participants.

Trial Registration

Australian New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry ACTRN12617001433392; http://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=373657

Evaluation of Exercise Interventions and Outcomes After Hip Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

IMPORTANCE

Preoperative and postoperative exercise interventions are commonly used in patients with total hip arthroplasty despite a lack of established efficacy.

OBJECTIVE

To explore clinical outcomes associated with exercise training before and after hip arthroplasty.

DATA SOURCES

PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, EMBASE, and Google Scholar were searched from their inception to March 2020. Reference lists of included trials and related reviews were also searched.

STUDY SELECTION

Randomized clinical trials of land-based exercise interventions before or after total hip arthroplasty were included.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

This systematic review and meta-analysis is reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) reporting guideline. Data extraction was independently performed in duplicate. Random-effects meta-analyses with restricted maximum likelihood were performed for pooling the data.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES

The primary prespecified outcome was self-reported physical function. Secondary prespecified outcomes were self-reported pain intensity, quality of life, gait speed, lower body muscle strength, lower body flexibility, anxiety, hospital length of stay, and adverse events.

RESULTS

A total of 32 randomized clinical trials with 1753 patients were included in the qualitative synthesis, and 26 studies with 1004 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Compared with usual care or no or minimal intervention, postoperative exercise training was not associated with improved self-reported physical function, with a moderate level of certainty, at 4 weeks (standardized mean difference [SMD], 0.01; 95% CI, -0.18 to 0.20), 12 weeks (SMD, -0.08; 95% CI, -0.23 to 0.07) and 26 weeks (SMD, -0.04; 95% CI, -0.31 to 0.24) postoperatively, and low level of certainty at 1 year after surgical treatment (SMD, 0.01; 95% CI, -0.09 to 0.12). For preoperative exercise interventions, there was no association of exercised training with self-reported physical function compared with the control at the 12-week (SMD, -0.14; 95% CI, -0.61 to 0.32) or 1-year follow-ups (SMD, 0.01; 95% CI, -0.37 to 0.40) with very low certainty, and no association with length of stay (mean difference, -0.21; 95% CI, -0.74 to 0.31) at moderate certainty. Results for postoperative hip muscle strength were rated at very low certainty, with no statistical significance. Meta-analysis could not be performed for other outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

This systematic review and meta-analysis found low- to moderate-quality evidence that postoperative exercise interventions were not associated with improved self-reported physical function compared with usual care or no or minimal intervention. Furthermore, there was very low-quality evidence that preoperative exercise programs were not associated with higher self-reported physical function and hospital length of stay compared with usual care or no or minimal intervention.

Teleprehabilitation during COVID-19 pandemic: the essentials of "what" and "how"

In view of the COVID-19 pandemic and recent global events, the healthcare system and its services have been negatively affected, contributing towards extensive surgical backlogs. Oncological surgical candidates have been the most impacted by these changes and recommended self-isolation practices, which could result in emotional distress, sedentary behavior, and poor lifestyle habits. Preoperative supportive intervention, prehabilitation, has been proven to improve patients' functional status and clinical trajectories. Presently, there is a critical need for prehabilitation to optimize patient health, as they experience extended wait times. However, in-hospital delivery may not be an ideal approach due to public health and safety measures. Telehealth is a field of research and practice, which has grown and evolved significantly in the last two decades, allowing for the remote delivery of health services. Therefore, the current commentary addresses the different modalities of telehealth delivery in perspective of their known feasibility and potential application in prehabilitation.

Digital technology to support lifestyle and health behaviour changes in surgical patients: systematic review

BACKGROUND

Digital technologies (such as smartphone applications, activity trackers, and e-learning platforms) have supported patients with long-term conditions to change their lifestyle health behaviours. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of digital technologies in supporting patients undergoing elective surgery to change their health behaviours.

METHODS

A systematic review was conducted of articles reporting a digital intervention supporting behaviour change in adult patients who underwent elective bariatric, oncological or orthopaedic surgery. MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched from inception to March 2019 for quantitative intervention studies with a specific focus on physical activity, dietary intake, and weight loss in patients before and after surgery (PROSPERO: CRD42019127972). The Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist was used to assess study quality.

RESULTS

Of 3021 citations screened, 17 studies were included comprising 4923 surgical patients; these included experimental (pre-post design, feasibility studies, and RCTs) and observational studies. Three factors were identified as effective for supporting health behaviour change in elective surgical populations: digital technology delivery, implementation, and theoretical underpinning. Six of eight studies that referred to behaviour change theories observed significant improvements in health behaviour relating to reduced weight regain, and improved lifestyle choices for physical activity and diet. Meta-analysis was not possible because of heterogeneous outcome measures.

CONCLUSION

Digital technologies may effectively support behavioural change in patients undergoing elective surgery.

Digital and Mobile Technologies to Promote Physical Health Behavior Change and Provide Psychological Support for Patients Undergoing Elective Surgery: Meta-Ethnography and Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Digital technology has influenced many aspects of modern living, including health care. In the context of elective surgeries, there is a strong association between preoperative physical and psychological preparedness, and improved postoperative outcomes. Health behavior changes made in the pre- and postoperative periods can be fundamental in determining the outcomes and success of elective surgeries. Understanding the potential unmet needs of patients undergoing elective surgery is central to motivating health behavior change. Integrating digital and mobile health technologies within the elective surgical pathway could be a strategy to remotely deliver this support to patients.

OBJECTIVE

This meta-ethnographic systematic review explores digital interventions supporting patients undergoing elective surgery with health behavior changes, specifically physical activity, weight loss, dietary intake, and psychological support.

METHODS

A literature search was conducted in October 2019 across 6 electronic databases (International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews [PROSPERO]: CRD42020157813). Qualitative studies were included if they evaluated the use of digital technologies supporting behavior change in adult patients undergoing elective surgery during the pre- or postoperative period. Study quality was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool. A meta-ethnographic approach was used to synthesize existing qualitative data, using the 7 phases of meta-ethnography by Noblit and Hare. Using this approach, along with reciprocal translation, enabled the development of 4 themes from the data.

RESULTS

A total of 18 studies were included covering bariatric (n=2, 11%), cancer (n=13, 72%), and orthopedic (n=3, 17%) surgeries. The 4 overarching themes appear to be key in understanding and determining the effectiveness of digital and mobile interventions to support surgical patients. To successfully motivate health behavior change, technologies should provide motivation and support, enable patient engagement, facilitate peer networking, and meet individualized patient needs. Self-regulatory features such as goal setting heightened patient motivation. The personalization of difficulty levels in virtual reality-based rehabilitation was positively received. Internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy reduced depression and distress in patients undergoing cancer surgery. Peer networking provided emotional support beyond that of patient-provider relationships, improving quality of life and care satisfaction. Patients expressed the desire for digital interventions to be individually tailored according to their physical and psychological needs, before and after surgery.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings have the potential to influence the future design of patient-centered digital and mobile health technologies and demonstrate a multipurpose role for digital technologies in the elective surgical pathway by motivating health behavior change and offering psychological support. Through the synthesis of patient suggestions, we highlight areas for digital technology optimization and emphasize the importance of content tailored to suit individual patients and surgical procedures. There is a significant rationale for involving patients in the cocreation of digital health technologies to enhance engagement, better support behavior change, and improve surgical outcomes.

Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Gamification, and Telerehabilitation: Psychological Impact on Orthopedic Patients' Rehabilitation

Background: Remote virtual rehabilitation aroused growing interest in the last decades, and its role has gained importance following the recent spread of COVID19 pandemic. The advantages of virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), gamification, and telerehabilitation have been demonstrated in several medical fields. In this review, we searched the literature for studies using these technologies for orthopedic rehabilitation and analyzed studies’ quality, type and field of rehabilitation, patients’ characteristics, and outcomes to describe the state of the art of VR, AR, gamification, and telerehabilitation for orthopedic rehabilitation. Methods: A comprehensive search on PubMed, Medline, Cochrane, CINAHL, and Embase databases was conducted. This review was performed according to PRISMA guidelines. Studies published between 2015 and 2020 about remote virtual rehabilitations for orthopedic patients were selected. The Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS) and Cochrane Risk-of-Bias assessment tool were used for quality assessment. Results: 24 studies (9 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 15 non-randomized studies) and 2472 patients were included. Studies mainly concern telerehabilitation (56%), and to a lesser extent VR (28%), AR (28%), and gamification (16%). Remote virtual technologies were used following knee and hip arthroplasty. The majority of included patients were between 40 and 60 years old and had a university degree. Remote virtual rehabilitation was not inferior to face-to-face therapy, and physical improvements were demonstrated by increased clinical scores. Orthopedic virtual remote rehabilitation decreased costs related to transports, hospitalizations, and readmissions. Conclusion: The heterogeneity of included studies prevented a meta-analysis of their results. Age and social context influence adaptability to technology, and this can modify compliance to treatment and outcomes. A good relationship between patient and physiotherapist is essential for treatment compliance and new technologies are useful to maintain clinical interactions remotely. Remote virtual technologies allow the delivery of high-quality care at reduced costs. This is a necessity given the growing demand for orthopedic rehabilitation and increasing costs related to it. Future studies need to develop specific and objective methods to evaluate the clinical quality of new technologies and definitively demonstrate advantages of VR, AR, gamification, and telerehabilitation compared to face-to face orthopedic rehabilitation.

Telerehabilitation for Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis: A Focused Review of Technologies and Teleservices

Background

Telerehabilitation programs are designed with the aim of improving the quality of services as well as overcoming existing limitations in terms of resource management and accessibility of services. This review will collect recent studies investigating telerehabilitation programs for patients with knee osteoarthritis while focusing on the technologies and services provided in the programs.

Objective

The main objective of this review is to identify and discuss the modes of service delivery and technologies in telerehabilitation programs for patients with knee osteoarthritis. The gaps, strengths, and weaknesses of programs will be discussed individually.

Methods

Studies published in English since 2000 were retrieved from the EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PubMed, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), and PsycINFO databases. The search words “telerehabilitation,” “telehealth,” “telemedicine,” “teletherapy,” and “ehealth” were combined with “knee” and “rehabilitation” to generate a data set of studies for screening and review. The final group of studies reviewed here includes those that implemented teletreatment for patients for at least 2 weeks of rehabilitation.

Results

In total, 1198 studies were screened, and the full text of 154 studies was reviewed. Of these, 38 studies were included, and data were extracted accordingly. Four modes of telerehabilitation service delivery were identified: phone-based, video-based, sensor-based, and expert system–based telerehabilitation. The intervention services provided in the studies included information, training, communication, monitoring, and tracking. Video-based telerehabilitation programs were frequently used. Among the identified services, information and educational material were introduced in only one-quarter of the studies.

Conclusions

Video-based telerehabilitation programs can be considered the best alternative solution to conventional treatment. This study shows that, in recent years, sensor-based solutions have also become more popular due to rapid developments in sensor technology. Nevertheless, communication and human-generated feedback remain as important as monitoring and intervention services.

Feasibility and Preliminary Effectiveness of a Tele-Prehabilitation Program in Esophagogastric Cancer Patients

Tele-rehabilitation provides better access to healthcare services and optimizes exercise adherence. However, its feasibility and effectiveness are unknown in the preoperative period in esophagogastric cancer patients. We aimed to assess the feasibility and the preliminary effects of a “tele-prehabilitation” program in esophagogastric cancer patients requiring surgery. Enrolled participants performed an internet-based tele-prehabilitation including aerobic, resistance and inspiratory muscle training over 2–4 weeks. The primary outcome was feasibility, measured in terms of recruitment, retention and attendance rates, adverse events and patient satisfaction. Secondary outcomes (functional exercise capacity, fatigue, quality of life, anxiety and depression) were assessed at baseline, presurgery, and 4 and 12 weeks postsurgery. Among the 24 eligible subjects, 23 were enrolled, 22 performed the intervention and 15 completed the study. Recruitment and retention rates were both 96%. Attendances to aerobic and resistance sessions and inspiratory muscle training were 77% and 68%, respectively. No adverse events occurred, and the satisfaction was excellent. After prehabilitation, participants significantly improved fatigue (p = 0.039), quality of life (p = 0.009), physical well-being (p = 0.034), emotional well-being (p = 0.005) and anxiety (p = 0.044). This study demonstrated the feasibility of a tele-prehabilitation in esophagogastric cancer patients undergoing surgery, with a high recruitment rate, retention rate and satisfaction, a good attendance to exercise sessions and no exercise-related adverse events.

Prognostic factors for inpatient functional recovery following total hip and knee arthroplasty: a systematic review

Background and purpose - Essential for safe and timely hospital discharge, inpatient functional recovery following lower limb arthroplasty is also variable. A previous systematic review reported moderate and conflicting levels of evidence regarding patient-related predictors of inpatient recovery for primary total hip arthroplasty (THA). A systematic review of surgical prognostic factors for inpatient recovery following THA or total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is yet to be undertaken. We identified patient and surgical prognostic factors for inpatient functional recovery following THA and TKA; determined whether inpatient functional recovery varies between these procedures; and established whether validated outcome measures relevant to the patient's functional requirements for hospital discharge are routinely assessed.Patients and methods - Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklists assessed methodological quality, and a best-evidence synthesis approach determined the levels of evidence supporting individual prognostic factors. PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, Scopus, and PEDro databases were searched from inception to May 2019. Included studies examined patient or surgical prognostic factors and a validated measure of post-operative function within 2 weeks of primary, unilateral THA or TKA.Results - Comorbidity status and preoperative function are supported by a strong level of evidence for TKA. For THA, no strong level of evidence was found for patient-related prognostic factors, and no surgical factors were independently prognostic for either arthroplasty site. Limited evidence supports fast-track protocols in the TKA population.Interpretation - Preoperative screening and optimization is recommended. Assessment of Enhanced Recovery Pathways using validated outcome measures appropriate for the early postoperative period is warranted.

Sensor Positioning Influences the Accuracy of Knee Rom Data of an E-Rehabilitation System: A Preliminary Study with Healthy Subjects

E-rehabilitation is the term used to define medical rehabilitation programs that are implemented at home with the use of information and communication technologies. The aim was to test whether sensor position and the sitting position of the patient influence the accuracy of knee range of movement (ROM) data displayed by the BPMpathway e-rehabilitation system. A preliminary study was conducted in a laboratory setting with healthy adults. Knee ROM data was measured with the BPMpathway e-rehabilitation system and simultaneously with a BIOPAC twin-axis digital goniometer. The main outcome was the root mean squared error (RMSE). A 20% increase or reduction in sitting height led to a RMSE increase. A ventral shift of the BPMpathway sensor by 45° and 90° caused significant measurement errors. A vertical shift was associated with a diminution of the measurement errors. The lowest RMSE (2.4°) was achieved when the sensor was placed below the knee. The knee ROM data measured by the BPMpathway system is comparable to the data of the concurrent system, provided the instructions of the manufacturer are respected concerning the sitting position of the subject for knee exercises, and disregarding the same instructions for sensor positioning, by placing the sensor directly below the knee.