Effectiveness and Safety of Remote Cardiac Rehabilitation for Patients After Acute Coronary Syndrome

Cardiac rehabilitation improves cardiovascular outcomes in patients after acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Recently there has been a growing interest in remote cardiac rehabilitation (RCR) programs. We aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of RCR compared with center-based cardiac rehabilitation (CBCR). This is an observational study including patients after hospital admission for ACS. The study group included patients at low-to-moderate risk for cardiovascular complications who were referred for RCR. The control group included patients at similar risk who participated in CBCR. The primary end points were the improvement of at least 10% to 25% in exercise capacity after 6 months of cardiac rehabilitation. Included were 305 patients who completed 6 months of cardiac rehabilitation. Of them, 107 patients participated in RCR and 198 in CBCR. RCR patients were younger and more frequently males. Improvement of ≥10% in exercise capacity after 6 months was achieved more frequently in patients participating in RCR compared with CBCR (69.3% and 55% respectively, p = 0.03). A similar trend was observed for improvement of ≥25% in exercise capacity after 6 months (33.8% and 22.7% in RCR and CBCR, respectively, p = 0.05). While weight reduction and the increase in muscle mass were similar in the 2 groups, fat percent reduction was significantly greater in the RCR compared with the CBCR (2.5% and 1.4% respectively, p <0.005). We conclude that RCR program is an effective and safe option for low-risk patients after hospital admission for ACS. It enables optimizing the utilization of this important service for patients with coronary artery disease.

Is there any relationship between nCPAP therapy and signs of sinus hyperpneumatization?

OBJECTIVES

Both nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) therapy and nose blowing can generate high pressures in the nose and sinuses. Nose blowing generates higher pressures than nCPAP therapy, but the duration of nCPAP therapy is considerably longer than the duration of nose blowing. Therefore, nCPAP could cause bone deformation. The aim of this study was to document the influence of the pressure generated by nCPAP therapy on the structure and dimensions of the sinuses and on the nose-blowing patterns of the patients.

METHODOLOGY

The study included nine patients, who had recently been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and had not received any previous treatment for OSAS. Before nCPAP therapy was started, they all underwent computer tomography (CT) in the prone position with sequential coronal slices followed by pressure measurements during nose blowing. After the initial measurements, nCPAP therapy commenced. All of the patients were treated with a fixed-pressure device and nasal mask for 6 mo. nCPAP therapy compliance was checked after 6 mo. At the end of the 6 mo treatment with nCPAP, coronal CT scans of the sinuses and pressure measurements during nose blowing were repeated.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

Although CPAP therapy provides continuous positive pressure for several hours at night, bone structure and sinus dimensions appeared to be unchanged after 6 mo of therapy. However, CPAP therapy seemed to have an effect on the nose-blowing pattern of the patients, with a significant decrease in nose blowing pressure after 6 mo of CPAP treatment.

Analysis of paranasal sinus development and anatomical variations: a CT genetic study in twins

OBJECTIVE

To determine if anatomical variations in the paranasal sinuses of twins are the result of genetic or environmental influences.

STUDY DESIGN

A prospective, observational study.

SETTING

An academic hospital in Brussels, Belgium.

PARTICIPANTS

Twenty-five volunteer twins (17 identical twins and eight non-identical twins). Of the identical twins, six were both female and 11 both male. The mean age was 40.6 years (18-49). Of the non-identical twins, one pair was female and seven were male. The mean age was 39.6 years (25-48).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The CT-scan similarity in anatomical structures (frontal cells, agger nasi cells, concha bullosa, infraorbital cells and changes in the shape of the lamina orbitalis), and the intranasal and paranasal sinus morphology was compared between the twins.

RESULTS

Among the studied variables, there was no statistically significant difference between the two twin groups (Fisher's exact test, P > 0.05). Regarding combine-studied parameters, there were no identical CT scans in the twins. However, a tendency of non-genetic influence existed in the development of frontal cell type III and IV, and infraorbital cells, as well as a liability of genetic influence in the presence of concha bullosa.

CONCLUSION

In this study, the differences in anatomical structure of the paranasal sinuses between identical and non-identical twin pairs were not statistically significant. This indicates that environmental factors are more significant than genetic ones in the development of anatomical variations in paranasal sinus anatomy.

Final height and body disproportion in thalassaemic boys and girls with spontaneous or induced puberty

The aim of the study was to evaluate whether sex hormone replacement therapy adversely affected final height and body disproportion in thalassaemic boys and girls. Thirty-six patients with spontaneous (SP) or induced puberty (IP) were studied in order to define the pattern of height growth through three observations: the first (A) at the age of 7-9; the second (B) at onset of spontaneous or induced puberty; and the third (C) when final height was reached. We examined 14 females with SP (f-SP) and 8 with IP (f-IP); 7 males with SP (m-SP) and 7 with IP (m-IP). Girls with IP reached the same final height of girls with SP (f-IP 153.8 (4.3) versus f-SP 154.4 (5.5) cm); p > 0.05) close to target height (f-IP 155.9 (5.2) cm versus f-SP 155.5 (3.6) cm). Girls with IP reached the final height at older chronological age (CA) (17.0 (0.6) y) than girls with SP (CA of 15.3 (0.7) y), but at the same bone age (BA) (f-IP 15.1 (0.9) y versus f-SP 14.8 (0.6) y). There was no difference between the two groups for pubertal growth (f-SP 16.2 (7.7) cm versus f-IP 12.2 (7.4) cm (p > 0.05)) that was negatively correlated with both prepubertal growth and BA at onset of puberty in both groups. Values of sitting height (sds) with respect to BA (SHsdsBA) were not significantly different between the two groups, and showed a worsening from the first observation to final height, reaching values around -2 SD, in both groups. Values of subischial leg length (sds) with respect to BA (SLLsdsBA) were in the normal range at both observations in all girls. High serum ferritin levels were observed in both groups (f-SP 3189 (2296) ng/ml and f-IP 3998 (2545) ng/ml; p > 0.05). Also boys with induced puberty reached the same final height of those with spontaneous one (m-IP 160.9 (5.5) cm versus m-SP 161.8 (2.4) cm; p > 0.05), but it was lower than target height in both groups (m-IP 168.1 (4.1) cm versus m-SP 169.6 (3.2) cm). Boys with IP reached final height at CA of 18.6 (1.1) y slightly older than boys with SP (CA 17.2 (0.9) y), but at the same BA (m-IP 15.9 (1.5) y versus m-SP 16.3 (0.8) y). Pubertal growth values were significantly different between boys with SP 18.9 (5.3) cm and those with IP 13.8 (4.9) cm (p < 0.05), but they were negatively correlated with prepubertal growth values in both groups (m-SP r = -0.91; p < 0.002 and m-IP r = -0.51; p < 0.05). SHsdsBA showed a worsening from the first observation to final height, reaching values around -3 SD in both groups, while SLLsdsBA were always in the normal range in all patients. Serum ferritin levels were higher in boys with IP (3400 (1179) ng/ml) than in those with SP (2020 (496) ng/ml).

CONCLUSIONS

Our data showed that: (a) patients of both sexes with induced puberty reached the same final height of patients with spontaneous puberty; (b) all patients showed a body disproportion with truncal shortening and normal leg length that was more severe in boys of both groups at final height; (c) body disproportion was independent of pubertal or prepubertal period of greater height gain, suggesting that sexual steroids replacement therapy did not adversely affect either final height or body disproportion. Further studies, focused on the pathogenesis of the truncal shortening, are necessary in order to acquire more insight into the causes of this impairment.

Evidence of lymphocyte alveolitis by bronchoalveolar lavage in thalassemic patients with pulmonary dysfunction

Pulmonary dysfunction represents one of the least studied complications in thalassemic patients. Probably, it is due to the absence of pulmonary symptoms. There are few works in the literature, and contradictory results have been published. The aim of this study was to define the spirometric pattern and the possible causes of lung impairment by testing bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) with pathological pulmonary function tests (PFTs). Furthermore, diffusion capacity tests for carbon monoxide corrected for hemoglobin value (Dco*) were performed. We studied 48 thalassemic patients (27 F and 21 M), with an age range from 8 to 23 years, divided into two groups on the basis of PFTs results. Thus, group A was formed by 16 patients with restrictive spirometric patterns of whom 14 had also reduced Dco* values and group B consisted of 32 patients with normal PFTs and Dco* values. Patients of group A underwent chest high-resolution computing tomography (CHRCT) and BAL whose fluid was analyzed by microbiologic and cytological assays. A pathological CHRCT picture was present in 8 patients. Nine out of 16 patients who accepted to undergo BAL had a chronological age greater than 17 years with a mean bone age of 13.9 years. BAL results showed lymphocyte alveolitis in 6 patients and a normal cytogram in 3, while alveolar iron-laden macrophages were present in 4 out of 6 patients with alveolitis and 2 out of 3 patients with normal cytogram. Moreover, all examined BAL fluids showed a normal CD4/CD8 ratio, while only 2 patients showed an altered serum CD4/CD8 ratio. We demonstrated the presence of (1) lung-restrictive syndrome in 16 of the oldest thalassemic patients; (2) lymphocyte alveolitis in 6 patients, and (3) a picture of interstitial fibrosis by CHRCT in 8 of them. All these data are suggestive of a diagnosis of interstitial lung disease secondary to thalassemia. BAL helped to identify the presence of alveolar iron-laden macrophages that represented a local defense mechanism against free iron. This latter finding therefore might be the primary cause of the lung impairment promoting an oxidative damage. Further studies are needed to investigate this hypothesis and therapeutical potentials.

Bone age progression during five years of substitutive therapy for the induction of puberty in thalassemic girls--effects on height and sitting height

It is known that in thalassemic patients there is a disproportion between lower and upper segments whose causes have not yet been identified. We evaluated whether the administration of estrogens to induce puberty in hypogonadic thalassemic girls caused an inappropriate acceleration of bone maturation and whether this had a negative influence on final and sitting height.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twelve thalassemic patients with spontaneous puberty (Group A) and seven patients with hypogonadism (Group B) were studied. The mutations of the beta gene were identified by DNA analysis. We took into account four observations, ranging from the onset of spontaneous puberty in group A or the start of substitutive therapy in group B, to 5 years later. At each observation we considered: chronological age (CA), bone age (BA), height (Ht) expressed in cm and as standard deviation score (HtSDS) calculated with respect to CA (HtSDSCA) and BA (HtSDSBA), growth spurt, sitting height, expressed as SDS (SH-SDS), and height gain (HG). The delta BA and delta CA were calculated between the first and the final observation values to evaluate the bone age acceleration (delta BA/delta CA).

RESULTS

No acceleration of BA was noted. delta BA/delta CA was 0.98 +/- 0.1 in group A and 0.89 +/- 0.1 in group B (p > 0.05). All patients in group B had the most severe form (beta degree/beta degree) of thalassemia. During the final observation, SH-SDS was -1.43 +/- 1.2 and -2.9 +/- 0.6 in group A and B respectively (p < 0.002), while no difference between the two groups for HtSDSCA and HtSDSBA was observed. HG was greater in group A than in group B (17.7 +/- 5.4 cm vs 10.8 +/- 5.2 cm) (p < 0.002), such as the spurt 8.6 +/- 1.4 cm (group A) and 6.1 +/- 2.6 cm (group B) (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Girls with hypogonadism did not show an inappropriate acceleration of BA, as they reached near final height similar to girls with spontaneous puberty. The auxological parameters showed a more severe body disproportion with the prevalence of the lower segment in the hypogonadic girls. This could be explained by a higher degree of bone marrow hyperplasia related to the most severe form of thalassemia and a higher blood consumption. As a consequence, damage at the vertebral level might determine an inability of the bone tissue to respond to estrogens. We suggest beginning estrogen therapy earlier in order to obtain better truncal growth.