| 1. |
- Ahmad, Irma, et al.
(författare)
-
High prevalence of persistent symptoms and reduced health-related quality of life 6 months after COVID-19
- 2023
-
Ingår i: Frontiers In Public Health. - : Frontiers Media S.A.. - 2296-2565. ; 11
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: The long-term sequelae after COVID-19 constitute a challenge to public health and increased knowledge is needed. We investigated the prevalence of self-reported persistent symptoms and reduced health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in relation to functional exercise capacity, 6 months after infection, and explored risk factors for COVID-19 sequalae.METHODS: This was a prospective, multicenter, cohort study including 434 patients. At 6 months, physical exercise capacity was assessed by a 1-minute sit-to-stand test (1MSTST) and persistent symptoms were reported and HRQoL was evaluated through the EuroQol 5-level 5-dimension (EQ-5D-5L) questionnaire. Patients with both persistent symptoms and reduced HRQoL were classified into a new definition of post-acute COVID syndrome, PACS+. Risk factors for developing persistent symptoms, reduced HRQoL and PACS+ were identified by multivariable Poisson regression.RESULTS: Persistent symptoms were experienced by 79% of hospitalized, and 59% of non-hospitalized patients at 6 months. Hospitalized patients had a higher prevalence of self-assessed reduced overall health (28 vs. 12%) and PACS+ (31 vs. 11%). PACS+ was associated with reduced exercise capacity but not with abnormal pulse/desaturation during 1MSTST. Hospitalization was the most important independent risk factor for developing persistent symptoms, reduced overall health and PACS+.CONCLUSION: Persistent symptoms and reduced HRQoL are common among COVID-19 survivors, but abnormal pulse and peripheral saturation during exercise could not distinguish patients with PACS+. Patients with severe infection requiring hospitalization were more likely to develop PACS+, hence these patients should be prioritized for clinical follow-up after COVID-19.
|
|
| 2. |
|
|
| 3. |
- Marklund, Ingela, et al.
(författare)
-
Lower-extremity constraint-induced movement therapy improved motor function, mobility, and walking after stroke
- 2023
-
Ingår i: European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine. - : Edizioni Minerva Medica. - 1973-9087 .- 1973-9095. ; 59:2, s. 136-144
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: To regain the ability to walk is one of the most commonly stated goals for people who have had a stroke due to its importance in everyday life. Walking ability affects patients' mobility, self-care, and social lives. Constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) is known to be effective in improving upper extremity outcomes post-stroke. However, there is insufficient evidence regarding its efficacy in improving lower extremity outcomes.AIM: To investigate whether a highly intensive CIMT for lower extremity (LE-CIMT) function post-stroke can improve motor function, functional mobility, and walking ability. Furthermore, it also aimed to investigate whether age, gender, stroke type, more-affected side, or time after stroke onset affect the efficacy of LE-CIMT on walking ability outcomes. DESIGN: Longitudinal cohort study.SETTING: Outpatient clinic in Stockholm, Sweden.POPULATION: A total of 147 patients mean age 51 years (68% males; 57% right-sided hemiparesis), at the sub-acute or chronic phases post-stroke who had not previously undergone LE-CIMT.METHODS: All patients received LE-CIMT for 6 hours per day over 2 weeks. The Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) of the lower extremity, Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, Ten-Meter Walk Test (10MWT), and six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) were used to assess functional outcomes before and directly after the 2-week treatment was complete as well at 3-month post-intervention.RESULTS: Compared to baseline values, FMA (P<0.001), TUG (P<0.001), 10MWT (P<0.001) and 6MWT (P<0.001) scores were statistically significantly improved directly after the LE-CIMT intervention. These improvements persisted at the 3-month post-intervention follow-up. Those who completed the intervention 1-6 months after stroke onset had statistically significant larger improvements in 10MWT compared to those who received the intervention later than 6 months after stroke onset. Age, gender, stroke type, and more-affected side did not impact 10MWT results.CONCLUSIONS: In an outpatient clinic setting, high-intensity LE-CIMT statistically significant improved motor function, functional mobility, and walking ability in middle-aged patients in the sub-acute and chronic post-stroke phases. However, studies with more robust designs need to be conducted to deepen the understanding of the efficacy of LE-CIMT.CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT: High-intensity LE-CIMT may be a feasible and useful treatment option in outpatient clinics to improve post-stroke walking ability.
|
|
| 4. |
- Marklund, Ingela, 1970-
(författare)
-
Lower-extremity constraint-induced movement therapy in individuals with stroke : improvements, experiences, and health-related quality of life
- 2023
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Background: Stroke is the third-leading cause of disability worldwide, and there are rehabilitation needs not only in the first year but throughout the lifetime. The ability to walk is crucial in everyday life since it affects mobility, self-care, and social activities. National guidelines recommend treating impairments with repetitive task- and goal-oriented exercises. One form of highly intensive and task-specific treatment is constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT), a treatment method developed based on understanding brain plasticity with a behavioural explanatory model. There is insufficient evidence regarding CIMT for the lower extremities (LE-CIMT) since it has only been investigated in a few published studies involving only a small number of participants.Aim: The overall aims of this thesis were to explore the extent to which LE-CIMT (six hours per day for two weeks) can improve impaired body functions and limited activities, describe how the treatment is experienced, and investigate whether it affects the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in individuals with stroke.Methods: This thesis contains five papers that analysed data from two study populations using quantitative and qualitative research methods. A single-subject experimental study with five subjects and a longitudinal uncontrolled cohort study with 147 subjects with stroke treated with LECIMT and follow-up after three and six months were conducted. Subjects were assessed with Fugl–Meyer assessment, the Berg balance scale (BBS), single-leg stance, step test, timed up and go with and without dual-task, ten-metre (10MWT) and six-minute (6MWT) walk tests, one repetition maximum, and weight-bearing standing on two scales. Data were analysed with the two-standard deviation band method and linear mixed modelling, controlling for heterogeneity. Seven individual semistructured interviews were performed and analysed with qualitative content analysis to explore LE-CIMT experiences. Finally, a questionnaire including RAND-36 was sent out to former LE-CIMT participants, with 106 responses (response rate 65%). Data were compared with norm-baseddata and analysed with the summary independent-samples t-test. Univariable analysis was performed to investigate the linear relationships between RAND-36 health domain scores and the 6MWT result per 100meters, time since treatment, living alone, and need for home care. Independent t-tests were used for drop-out analyses.Results: Highly intensive LE-CIMT significantly improved motor function, strength, balance, dual-task ability, mobility, and walking ability in individuals in the sub-acute and chronic post-stroke phases. They maintained or improved their weight bearing on the more affected leg to provide a more symmetric distribution. The improvements remained at the three- and six-month follow-up. There was a significant interaction for time and age. Those who completed LE-CIMT within six months after their stroke onset had significantly greater improvements in 10MWT self-selected speed during the follow-up than those who completed LE-CIMT after at least seven months. Younger participants had higher BBS scores than older participants. The informants’ experiences generated the overall theme that LE-CIMT gave them knowledge about themselves and how their body works, facilitating the opportunity to live life more easily. There was still hope and opportunity for functional improvements to increase their independence and self-esteem. While LE-CIMT was intense and challenging, it was experienced as entirely necessary. The participants had significantly reduced HRQoL, overall and by sex in physical functioning, role-functioning physical, general health (not females), and social functioning compared to the general population. A significant relationship existed between their previous 6MWT result and the HRQoL physical functioning domain. Every 100-metre improvement in the 6MWT led to a 6.45 higher physical functioning score. No other significant associations were found. The dropout analysis showed no significant differences in characteristics between the participants and those who did not complete all three assessments or answer the questionnaire.Conclusion: LE-CIMT seems helpful in improving lower extremity body functioning and activities, even a long time after the stroke, leading to persistent improvements. The patients perceived LE-CIMT as entirely necessary. LE-CIMT may be a feasible treatment option and could be conducted in both day hospital rehabilitation and outpatient settings. Six minutewalk performance predicts physical functioning in HRQoL, emphasising the importance of mobility and gait training in rehabilitation after stroke.
|
|
