High-intensity interval training can improve hand grip strength,inspiratory muscle,and quality of life in systemic sclerosis subjects

IntroductionSystemic sclerosis/scleroderma (SSc) is a chronic autoimmune disease with connective tissue, multi-organ, and multisystem involvement. The disease has three main characteristics, namely vasculopathy, fibrosis, and autoimmunity. The effect of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in aerobic exercise on other rheumatic diseases has been studied, for example in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). The purpose of this work is to investigate the effectiveness of HIIT of aerobics exercise on improving the inspiratory muscle, quality of life and functional ability for systemic sclerosis subjects.Material and methodsThe study was conducted on patients with confirmed systemic sclerosis who met the inclusion criteria. The research was carried out for 12 months in the outpatient clinic and gait laboratory of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.ResultsAfter HIIT in aerobic exercise, we found significant changes in inspiratory muscle (SNIP values 45.67 [30.92] vs. 54.25 [22.71]), handgrip (13.14 [4.42] vs. 15.63 [4.08]), walking speed (184.70 [26.86] vs. 246.6 [12.30]), metabolic equivalent (3.53 [0.30] vs. 4.21 [1.25]) and Scleroderma-Specific Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index for all visual analog scale (VAS) domains except Disability Index. Exercise approaches are characterized by repeated cycles of exercise interrupted by rest. For a range of clinical conditions, HIIT in aerobic exercise is known to remedy blood vessel function.ConclusionsOur results suggest that HIIT in aerobic exercise has improved functional ability, respiratory muscle strength, and quality of life in SSc subjects. Training twice a week in a 12-week HIIT program is considered to be safe for this population. We have to consider internal and external factors that influenced the result. A larger sample and further exploration of the feasibility of combined exercise in SSc patients should be the focus for future research.     

恒力法测量运动对动物肌腱,韧带横截面积的影响

本文介绍一种方便，适用的肌腱，韧带横截面积的测量工具－软组织横截面积测微计。通过对兔屈趾肌腱反复测量，其重复性精密度在０．０４４ｍｍ以内，变异系数在１．４％以下，用该测微计对大强度训练一段时间后的兔屈趾肌腱，跟腱和膝内侧副韧带的测量发现，训练训练后ＦＤＰ，ＡＣ的横截面积减小，ＭＣＬ有增大的趋势，据此，作用认为肌腱的变化与长期大强度训练后试件的“疲劳蠕变”有关，ＭＣＬ的变化则与在体内的负荷形式有关。     

QTcd、JTcd在运动试验中的意义

为了解QTcd、JTcd在心电图活动平板运动试验结果判断中的价值 ,对 10 0例活动平板运动试验阳性者及 80例阴性者运动前后的心电图QTcd、JTcd进行对比观察。结果表明 :运动前两组QTcd、JTcd差异均无显著性 ( P〉0 .0 5 ) ;运动后 2min运动试验阳性组与阴性组比较 ,QTcd、JTcd差异有高度显著性 (P <0 .0 1) ;阳性组运动试验后 2minQTcd、JTcd均较运动前显著延长 ( P <0 .0 1) ;阴性组运动后 2minQTcd、JTcd与运动前比较差异无显著性 ( P >0 .0 5 )。认为运动试验后QTcd、JTcd延长可作为判断运动试验结果的指标。     

Syndrome X in women is associated with oestrogen deficiency

This study was undertaken to ascertain whether gynaecologicalhistory or a reduction in ovarian hormones are triggers of anginain menopausal women with a positive exercise test and normalcoronary arteries. The majority of patients with angina pectoris,a positive exercise test and normal coronary arteries are female,suggesting that the female gender may be important in the aetiology.We studied the gynaecological features of 107 women (age 53±9 years) with syndrome X, taken from a population of134 patients including 27 males. Cardiological investigationswere undertaken and detailed gynaecological history obtainedfrom all the female patients. Menopausal status was confirmedby plasma levels of oestradiol-17ß100 pmol. l^–1. In 95 of the 107 female patients, chest pain began either duringthe perimenopausal period (32) or after the menopause (63).Of the 63 menopausal patients, 43 had undergone hysterectomyat an average of 8 ± 6 years prior to the onset of chestpain. The incidence of hysterectomy in the study population(40%) was four times greater than that of an age-matched population.These findings confirm that the majority of patients with syndromeX are women in whom the chest pain began after the onset ofmenopause. Ovarian hormone deficiency may, therefore, play arole in the onset of syndrome X in female patients.     

Pharmacological effects of concomitant administration of β-adrenoceptor blocker and agonist in normal subjects: characterization by heart rate response to exercise

The effects of a combination regimen of metoprolol and ₁-adrenoceptor agonist denopamine on resting and exercise heart rate have been studied in 10 normal volunteers. Maximal ramp upright bicycle exercise was performed three times at 1-week intervals. Two hours before each exercise test, 5 mg metoprolol plus 20 mg denopamine, 5 mg metoprolol plus a denopamine placebo, or two placebos were orally administered in a double-blind fashion.During exercise after placebo administration, heart rate increased in parallel with the exercise intensity. Compared to the placebo values, resting heart rate was significantly decreased by an average of 10 beats · min^–1 by 5 mg metoprolol, whereas it was not altered by the combination regimen. During exercise, however, both the combination regimen and metoprolol alone showed a significant negative chronotropic effect, decreasing peak exercise heart rate by an average of 14 and 21 beats · min^–1, respectively. Peak oxygen uptake was also significantly decreased by both regimens.We conclude that concomitant administration of 5 mg metoprolol and 20 mg denopamine exerts an effective -adrenoceptor blocking action during exercise but a minimal effect at rest in normal subjects. The combination regimen appears to have a favourable pharmacological profile for -adrenoceptor blocker therapy in patients with chronic heart failure.     

Pelvic floor exercise alone or with vaginal cones for the treatment of mild to moderate stress urinary incontinence in premenopausal women

The authors compared intensive pelvic floor exercise alone (A) with intensive pelvic floor exercise plus vaginal cones (B) in premenopausal women with mild to moderate stress urinary incontinence. Forty-six patients (mean 43±6 years) were randomized into two training groups and treated for 3 months. Pre- and post-therapy urethral pressure profiles at rest and under stress and subjective results were obtained from 29 patients. The subjective improvement rate of the compliant patients after 12 weeks was 85% in group A and 84% in group B. When the dropouts (9 in group A and 8 in group B) were included in the subjective results an overall improvement rate of 48% in group A and 52% in group B was obtained. In group A one pressure transmission ratio (PTR) improved significantly at 6 weeks and the position of maximum urethral closure pressure was shifted proximally at 12 weeks. In group B one PTR in the midurethra was improved significantly at 6 weeks. The other urodynamic parameters were unchanged. There were no differences between groups A and B in subjective results or urodynamic findings. These results suggest that intensive pelvic floor exercise with or without vaginal cones improves the symptoms of mild to moderate stress incontinence in about 85% of premenopausal women, but that it has little effect on urodynamic parameters. Vaginal cones provided no additional benefit but may be useful for women for whom closely supervised pelvic floor exercise is not available.Editorial Comment: It is becoming increasingly clear from the literature that pelvic floor muscle exercises are effective in improving continence in many women with straightforward stress incontinence. An appropriate quest continues to determine how the exercises can best be taught and done. This article demonstrates that with frequent supervision, similar continence status is achieved both with and without the use of vaginal cones. It would be interesting to compare outcomes with and without cones in women who saw a health care provider only once for their initial teaching. If cones were found to be more effective in this setting, that would be a great aid to primary care physicians.The authors state that there was no correlation between the cone weight and the degree of improvement of symptoms: however, only 2 of the subjects progressed to the next heaviest cone weight. My understanding of the principles of athletic muscles training is that as one increases the resistance the muscle fibers hypertrophy and strengthen. This is the principle behind building biceps. Body-builders or power-lifters continue to increase the amount of weight (resistance) they lift in order to increase bulk and strength. I wonder if this same principle is the reason for the differences in results between this study and the one by Peattie et al. quoted by the authors. My major concern is that people begin to devalue the amount of effort required to perform effective pelvic floor exercises and make assumptions that such exercises are not as good as a permanent surgical cure. I believe that we have not yet begun to develop really effective muscle strengthening regimens for the pelvic floor, and attitudes such as the above will only serve to inhibit our progress.