Exploring physical activity preferences and motivation in long-term cardiac prevention: An Austrian cross-sectional survey

Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) patients often do not sustain physical activity (PA) behaviour in the long run, once they progress into a self-management stage of secondary prevention. This study aimed to explore former CR patients' PA preferences, determinants (i.e., influencing factors) and motivation for sustained PA engagement. We conducted a cross-sectional multi-centre survey using an original questionnaire based on prior qualitative interviews with cardiac patients. Five CR centres in Austria posted 500 questionnaires to former CR patients who had completed CR approximately three years prior, and 117 patients (23%) responded. Descriptive analysis was used to analyse closed-ended questions, and self-determination theory (SDT) was applied as a qualitative framework to analyse open-ended questions concerning motivation for PA engagement. Patients were generally physically active, but the majority (75.3%) did not fulfil the World Health Organisation's recommendations for aerobic PA and muscle strengthening. Most patients preferred being physically active outdoors (70%), engaging in aerobic-related (95%), individual and non-competitive exercises, with cycling (52%), walking (32%) and hiking (25%) among the most popular activities. Main determinants of PA were health, pain and motivation for 80%, 68%, 67% of patients, respectively. A subset of patients (77%) expanded on their motivations behind PA. According to SDT, most reasons (90%) were regulated by autonomous motivation (either extrinsically autonomously-regulated or intrinsic motivation) and stemmed mostly from health-related goals (e.g., fitness, general health, weight control), future quality-of-life aspirations (e.g., self-sufficiency in old age, presence for loved ones, preserving mobility) and enjoyment of PA. Patients' responses underscore the importance of promoting not only general PA, but also muscle strengthening training in CR interventions to maximise optimal health benefits. Our data further suggest that interventions which are aligned to patients' health goals and foster autonomous motivation may be particularly beneficial in increasing adherence to PA in the long-term.

General and Disease-Specific Health Indicator Changes Associated with Inpatient Rehabilitation

OBJECTIVES

Rehabilitation plays a vital role in the mitigation and improvement of functional limitations associated with aging and chronic conditions. Moderating factors such as sex, age, the medical diagnosis, and rehabilitation timing for admission status, as well as the expected change related to inpatient rehabilitation, are examined to provide a valid basis for the routine assessment of the quality of medical outcomes.

DESIGN

An observational study was carried out, placing a focus on general and disease-specific health measurements, to assess representative results of multidisciplinary inpatient rehabilitation. Aspects that were possibly confounding and introduced bias were controlled based on data from a quasi-experimental (waiting) control group.

MEASURES

Existing data or general health indicators were extracted from medical records. The indicators included blood pressure, resting heart rate, self-assessed health, and pain, as well as more disease-specific indicators of physical function and performance (eg, activities of daily living, walking tests, blood lipids). These are used to identify moderating factors related to health outcomes.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

A standardized collection of routine data from 16,966 patients [61.5 ± 12.5 years; 7871 (46%) women, 9095 (54%) men] with different medical diagnoses before and after rehabilitation were summarized using a descriptive evaluation in terms of a content and factor analysis.

RESULTS

Without rehabilitation, general health indicators did not improve independently and remained stable at best [odds ratio (OR) = 0.74], whereas disease-specific indicators improved noticeably after surgery (OR = 3.20). Inpatient rehabilitation was shown to reduce the risk factors associated with certain lifestyles, optimize organ function, and improve well-being in most patients (>70%; cutoff: z-difference >0.20), with a standardized mean difference (SMD) seen in overall medical quality outcome of -0.48 ± 0.37 [pre- vs post-rehabilitation: η_p² = 0.622; d_Cohen = -1.22; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) -1.24 to -1.19]. The baseline medical values obtained at the beginning of rehabilitation were influenced by indication, age, and sex (all P < .001); however, these factors have less significant effects on improvements in general health indicators (η_p² < 0.01). According to the disease-specific results, the greatest improvements were found in older patients (SMD for patients >60 vs ≤60 years: 95% CI 0.08-0.11) and during the early rehabilitation stage (η_p² = 0.063).

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Compared with those who received no inpatient rehabilitation, patients who received rehabilitation showed greater improvements in 2 independent areas, general and disease-specific health measures, regardless of their diagnosis, age, and sex. Due to the study design and the use of a nonrandomized waiting group, causal conclusions must be drawn with caution. However, the comparability and stability of the presented results strongly support the validity of the observed improvements associated with inpatient rehabilitation.

Squamous Pulmonary Neoplasia Grafted on Lesions of Pulmonary Tuberculosis Sequelae

Clinical symptoms of hemoptysis, chest pain, dyspnea, night sweats and weight loss seen in a patient known for 14 years with pulmonary tuberculosis with sequelae lesions, will always guide the diagnose to a reactivated pulmonary tuberculosis. Yet, in this case, the latest pulmonary radiography revealed newly emerging bilateral lesions with the appearance of a macronodular opacity of medium intensity, discreetly non-homogeneous, located apical-sub-clavicular on the right side, but also with an apical-sub-clavicular cavity lesion on the left side, well defined, with uniform opaque content, and clear-cut outline. Complementary examinations, computed tomography and biopsy bronchoscopy, confirmed the diagnosis of upper right lobe pulmonary tumor with suspicion of aspergilloma in the upper left lobe.

[A method for the treatment of oviduct obstruction in cattle using CO2 insufflation into the uterus]

The investigations were carried out on 59 cows from Holstein half-breed, establishing that 8 cows suffered salpinx obstruction (5 cases with unilateral obstruction and 3 cases with bilateral obstruction). The authors are using an apparatus made by themselves, for insufflation of air in the obstructed uterus, and which is useful in desobstruction treatment, too. For diagnosis, CO2 was introduced inside of uterus. The authors used for treatment PBS (saline phosphate buffer) in addition with penicillin G, hydrocortisone and trypsin. Before air insufflation in uterus there will be infused 10-20 ml 2% Lidocaton. The cows must be examined in oestrus period, or 2 days after PGF2 alfa administration. The gas must be introduced under rectal palpation, and pressure must not be higher than 500 mm H2O column. If there is a permeable oviduct, after 15-20 sec. from gas introduction, ist is possible to palpate the filled oviduct. From ovary we can perceive a rustle produced by gas crossing in abdominal cavity. In case of salpinx obstruction, the treatment must be start as soon as possible. The utilized liquid for treatment will be introduce by gas pressure, inside of uterus and oviducts. Using this method, it managed the repermeability of oviducts at 3 from 8 treated cows. In each case, there were used 3 treatments at 48 h interval. After the second insemination (I.A.) 2 cows remained pregnant.