Interventions are needed to improve health outcomes by increasing the practice of evidence based medicine ( EBM ). Patient mediated interventions have been little studied but hold promise : they target identified barriers to EBM and particular types of patient mediated intervention have shown success. Furthermore, consumers are now being given information about evidence but the effects of this on EBM have yet to be properly assessed. The aim of this study was to show whether informing patients about research evidence leads to improved application of that evidence in their medical care. The study trialed a relatively low cost manual, developed using current best practice, which summarised Cochrane Reviews of evidence. The study focused on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD ), a high - cost, high - burden chronic disease, showing a large gap between evidence and clinical practice. The study comprised a controlled before - and - after trial and a process evaluation. The trial assessed the success of this manual in changing medical practice for three indicator treatments ( influenza vaccination, bone density testing and pulmonary rehabilitation ) and in changing patient quality of life, knowledge, communication with doctor, satisfaction with information and anxiety. Results were analysed by median split of socioeconomic disadvantage. At 3 months the manual was associated with lower anxiety for participants with lowest socioeconomic disadvantage. At 12 months the manual was associated with higher pulmonary rehabilitation enrolment for participants with greatest socioeconomic disadvantage. Other outcome measures showed no significant change. Limitations included loss of power from unexpectedly good baseline care and adjustments for baseline differences. The process evaluation showed that the manual was read more than a control pamphlet at both 3 and 12 months but a minority of manual recipients reported talking to their doctor about topics from the manual. Very little treatment change was reported. Patient attitudes to evidence and doctor / patient communication norms appeared to be barriers for this patient group. New protocols for the design of behavioural interventions provide a framework for overcoming these barriers in future interventions. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--School of Medicine, 2006.

published_or_final_version / Public Health / Master / Master of Public Health

published_or_final_version / Nursing Studies / Master / Master of Nursing

To investigate the possibility that malnutrition is an important factor that prolongs respiratory failure (PRF), I studied the effects of pharmacologic injections of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH), an important anabolic stimulus, on nutritional and respiratory parameters in patients requiring mechanical ventilation for more than three days. Patients were excluded from consideration if dominating factors known to prolong ventilatory failure had not been stabilized. Over ten months, 106 patients in PRF were evaluated, but only six met the selection criteria. Three patients were randomized to receive standard nutritional support, and three into a group that received the equivalent nutrition plus 5 mg/day of rhGH for 14 days or until withdrawal of mechanical ventilation. Baseline characteristics of the selected patients were divergent as demonstrated by body mass indexes ranging from 14 to 42 (kg/m$ sp2),$ baseline maximal inspiratory pressures (PI$ sb{ max}$ from $-$15 to $-$70 cm H$ sb2$O, and Day 1 N balances from $-$13.5 to 1.2 g N/day. Despite increased plasma insulin-like growth factor-1 concentrations, the mean daily N balances of the rhGH-treated group were no better than the controls (1.3 $ pm$ 5.0 vs. 0.4 $ pm$ 2.6 g N/day; Mean $ pm$ SD), nor were there differences in PI$ sb{ max},$ level of ventilatory assistance required, and days to weaning. The persistence of respiratory failure in the overwhelming majority of patients in PRF appears to be due to factors already known to prevent weaning from mechanical ventilation. Even the carefully selected patients enrolled in the present study were insufficiently homogeneous or stable enough to allow proper testing of the experimental hypothesis.

Aim The aim of this study was to determine the contribution of occupational exposures to the burden of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) among a sample of hospital based patients. Methods Cases (n=110) with specialist physician diagnosed COPD from the three public sector specialist respiratory clinics in KZN and controls (n=102) from other nonrespiratory chronic ailment specialist clinics at the same institutions were selected. An interviewer administered questionnaire and exposure history was obtained for each participant. In addition, a valid lung function test was obtained for each case. Data was analysed using STATA version 10. Multivariate regression models were developed to examine the relationship between COPD and occupational exposures while adjusting for age, sex, smoking and previous history of tuberculosis. The relationship of FEV1 and occupational exposures, adjusted for age, height, previous history of tuberculosis and smoking history, was investigated among cases. Results Cases and controls were similar with respect to age and sex distribution. Cigarette smoking differed significantly between cases and controls with a larger proportion of cases having ceased to smoke compared to controls (72% vs 46%, p<0.01). A higher proportion of controls reported employment in administrative, managerial and quality control positions (21.3% vs 12.0%, 7.7% vs 2.6% and 5.4% vs 0.3% respectively). Employment in the construction and shoe manufacturing industries was reported more frequently by cases (10.3% vs 3.2% and 10.0% vs 4.9% respectively). Cases were more likely than controls to have been exposed to dust (72% vs 28%, p<0.001) or to chemicals, gas or fumes (74% vs 25.5%, p<0.001) and reported exposure durations 3-4 fold higher than that of controls (p<0.001). Dust and chemical, gas or fume exposure was associated with an increased odds of developing COPD. Exposure to dusts (OR 7.9, 95% CI 3.9-15.7, p<0.001), chemicals, gas or fumes (OR 6.4, 95% CI 3.2-12.8, p<0.001) were significantly associated with odds of developing COPD. In addition, previous history of tuberculosis, as well as smoking were associated with an increased odds of COPD (OR 5.7, 95% CI 1.2-27.4 p<0.001 and OR 6.4, 95% CI 2.3-17.7, p<0.001). Discussion and Conclusion This is one of the first hospital based case-control studies looking at occupational contribution to COPD undertaken in South Africa. In this sample of participants, strong associations were observed between self-reported occupational exposures to dust, and chemicals, gas or fumes, and physician’s diagnosis of COPD. The study also demonstrated a strong association between smoking and previous history of tuberculosis, and risk of COPD. The findings suggest that persons with known occupational exposures to respiratory irritants should be monitored to detect the onset of respiratory ill-health and that preventive strategies should reduce exposure to these agents in the workplace. / Thesis (M.Med.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

The objective of this study was to assess the oxygen cost of various intensities of steady-state cycling. VO2 (ml·min -1·kg-1) was measured at rest, during unloaded cycling (UL), 20 Watts, 50% (SS50) & 65% (SS65) of peak watts in 40 COPD patients (64 +/- 9 yrs; FEV1/FVC: 48 +/- 17 % predicted; FEV1:36 +/- 14 % predicted) and 28 age-matched healthy controls (CTRL). Despite higher VE (L·min -1) in COPD vs. CTRL (UL: 20.6 +/- 3.4 vs. 15.4 +/- 4.1; 20W: 24.3 +/- 4.5 vs. 17.8 +/- 4.2), VO2 at rest, at UL and 20W was not higher in COPD compared to CTRL. In addition, comparable slope and intercept coefficients for the VO2 vs. Watt relationship were obtained in COPD and CTRL for submaximal cycling of low to moderate intensity. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

Orientador: Irma Godoy / Banca: Suzana Erico Tanni / Banca: Hugo Hyung Bok Yoo / Banca: Oliver Augusto Nascimento / Banca: Marcia Maria Faganello / Resumo: Estudos mostram que os valores médios da Interleucina 6 (IL-6) e Proteína CReativa (PCR) não mudam significativamente em pacientes com DPOC no período de um ano. No entanto, o acompanhamento de longo prazo desses mediadores não está estabelecido. Portanto, o objetivo do atual estudo é verificar a evolução dos marcadores inflamatórios sistêmicos de pacientes com DPOC após três anos e verificar a associação entre eles e os demais marcadores da doença. Uma coorte de 77 pacientes com DPOC estável foi avaliada no momento basal e 53 (VEF1=56±21%) foram incluídos no estudo. Nós avaliamos IL-6, PCR, distância percorrida em seis minutos (DP6) e índice de massa corporal (IMC) no momento basal e após três anos. A concentração plasmática de IL-6 foi avaliada por meio de ensaios imunoenzimáticos (ELISA) ultrassensíveis e a PCR foi obtida por meio de imunonefelometria com uso de kits ultrassensíveis. Os valores da IL-6 aumentaram significativamente após três anos em comparação ao momento basal [0,8 (0,5-1,3) vs 2,4 (1,3-4,4) pg/ml, p <0,001] e foram associados com piora da DP6. Os resultados da análise de regressão de Cox mostraram que os valores aumentados de IL-6 no momento basal foram associados com a mortalidade [Hazard Ratio (95% CI)=2,68 (0,13; 1,84); p=0,02]. Os valores médios da PCR não apresentaram alteração significativa [5 (1,6-7,9) vs 4,7 (1,7-10) mg/ L, p=0,84]; embora, onze pacientes (21%) apresentaram aumento >3 mg/L da PCR no período de três anos. O processo inflamatório sistêmico, avaliado pela IL-6, parece ser persistente e progressivo e associado com mortalidade e piora da performance física em pacientes com DPOC / Abstract: Past studies have shown that mean values of Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and Creactive protein (CRP) do not change significantly in COPD patients over a one-year period. However, longer period follow-up studies are still lacking. Thus, the aim of this study is to evaluate plasma CRP and IL-6 concentration over three years in COPD patients and to test the association between these inflammatory mediators and disease outcome markers. A cohort of 77 outpatients with stable COPD was evaluated at baseline, and 53 (mean FEV1, 56% predicted) were included in the prospective study. We evaluated IL-6, CRP, six-minute walking distance (6MWD), and body mass index (BMI) at baseline and after three years. Plasma concentration of IL-6 was measured by high sensitivity ELISA, and CRP was obtained by high sensitivity particle-enhanced immunonephelometry. IL-6 increased significantly after 3 years compared to baseline measurements [0.8 (0.5-1.3) vs 2.4 (1.3-4.4) pg/ml; p<0.001] and was associated with worse 6MWD performance. In the Cox regression, increased IL-6 at baseline was associated with mortality [Hazard Ratio (95% CI)=2.68 (0.13, 1.84); p=0.02]. CRP mean values did not change [5 (1.6- 7.9) vs 4.7 (1.7-10) pg/L; p=0.84], although eleven patients (21%) presented with changes >3 mg/L in CRP after 3 years. The systemic inflammatory process, evaluated by IL-6, seems to be persistent, progressive and associated with mortality and worse physical performance in COPD patients / Doutor

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:32:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2013-01-31Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:21:36Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 ferrari_r_dr_botfm.pdf: 683564 bytes, checksum: 4f22fe73c82611851ed24de3858cb5e6 (MD5) / Estudos mostram que os valores médios da Interleucina 6 (IL-6) e Proteína CReativa (PCR) não mudam significativamente em pacientes com DPOC no período de um ano. No entanto, o acompanhamento de longo prazo desses mediadores não está estabelecido. Portanto, o objetivo do atual estudo é verificar a evolução dos marcadores inflamatórios sistêmicos de pacientes com DPOC após três anos e verificar a associação entre eles e os demais marcadores da doença. Uma coorte de 77 pacientes com DPOC estável foi avaliada no momento basal e 53 (VEF1=56±21%) foram incluídos no estudo. Nós avaliamos IL-6, PCR, distância percorrida em seis minutos (DP6) e índice de massa corporal (IMC) no momento basal e após três anos. A concentração plasmática de IL-6 foi avaliada por meio de ensaios imunoenzimáticos (ELISA) ultrassensíveis e a PCR foi obtida por meio de imunonefelometria com uso de kits ultrassensíveis. Os valores da IL-6 aumentaram significativamente após três anos em comparação ao momento basal [0,8 (0,5-1,3) vs 2,4 (1,3-4,4) pg/ml, p <0,001] e foram associados com piora da DP6. Os resultados da análise de regressão de Cox mostraram que os valores aumentados de IL-6 no momento basal foram associados com a mortalidade [Hazard Ratio (95% CI)=2,68 (0,13; 1,84); p=0,02]. Os valores médios da PCR não apresentaram alteração significativa [5 (1,6-7,9) vs 4,7 (1,7-10) mg/ L, p=0,84]; embora, onze pacientes (21%) apresentaram aumento >3 mg/L da PCR no período de três anos. O processo inflamatório sistêmico, avaliado pela IL-6, parece ser persistente e progressivo e associado com mortalidade e piora da performance física em pacientes com DPOC / Past studies have shown that mean values of Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and Creactive protein (CRP) do not change significantly in COPD patients over a one-year period. However, longer period follow-up studies are still lacking. Thus, the aim of this study is to evaluate plasma CRP and IL-6 concentration over three years in COPD patients and to test the association between these inflammatory mediators and disease outcome markers. A cohort of 77 outpatients with stable COPD was evaluated at baseline, and 53 (mean FEV1, 56% predicted) were included in the prospective study. We evaluated IL-6, CRP, six-minute walking distance (6MWD), and body mass index (BMI) at baseline and after three years. Plasma concentration of IL-6 was measured by high sensitivity ELISA, and CRP was obtained by high sensitivity particle-enhanced immunonephelometry. IL-6 increased significantly after 3 years compared to baseline measurements [0.8 (0.5-1.3) vs 2.4 (1.3-4.4) pg/ml; p<0.001] and was associated with worse 6MWD performance. In the Cox regression, increased IL-6 at baseline was associated with mortality [Hazard Ratio (95% CI)=2.68 (0.13, 1.84); p=0.02]. CRP mean values did not change [5 (1.6- 7.9) vs 4.7 (1.7-10) pg/L; p=0.84], although eleven patients (21%) presented with changes >3 mg/L in CRP after 3 years. The systemic inflammatory process, evaluated by IL-6, seems to be persistent, progressive and associated with mortality and worse physical performance in COPD patients

Made available in DSpace on 2015-08-20T17:09:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2015-02-24. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2015-08-20T17:26:26Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000841364.pdf: 1752368 bytes, checksum: 554dce65db90eaa82a7014120fd56047 (MD5) / Introdução: Exacerbação aguda (EA) é uma importante causa de perda de funções em pacientes que sofrem de doença pulmonar obstrutiva crônica (DPOC). Afeta negativamente a qualidade de vida, a função pulmonar, a fraqueza muscular, a utilização dos recursos da saúde e a sobrevida. Entretanto, o exercício físico realizado durante a exacerbação pode melhorar a qualidade de vida e a capacidade física do paciente. Nesse contexto, o presente estudo visa avaliar a influência da realização do exercício físico em pacientes hospitalizado por exacerbação da DPOC (EADPOC). Objetivo: O presente estudo visa avaliar os efeitos do exercício fisico aeróbio de curta duração nos pacientes hospitalizados por exacerbação aguda de DPOC no escore da dispneia, na qualidade de vida e na capacidade física. Pacientes e Métodos: Vinte e dois pacientes foram randomizados em dois grupos, o grupo controle que recebeu o tratamento clínico padrão e o grupo de intervenção que realizou o treinamento de exercício físico juntamente com os cuidados clínicos. Os pacientes foram submetidos às seguintes avaliações após 48 horas da hospitalização e após um mês da alta: espirometria, avaliação nutricional, distância percorrida no teste de caminhada de seis minutos (DP6), qualidade de vida, ansiedade e depressão, índice de BODE e intensidade de dispneia. O programa de exercício físico foi composto por treinamento aeróbio em esteira ergométrica, duas vezes ao dia, por 15 minutos cada sessão até o período da alta hospitalar. Resultados: O domínio impacto e o escore total da qualidade de vida apresentaram maior incremento no grupo intervenção em relação ao grupo controle (p < 0,001) quando comparado os momentos. Houve melhora de ambos os grupos após um mês de alta hospitalar no domínio atividade quando comparado ao momento basal, mas sem diferença entre os grupos. Além disso, apenas o grupo de intervenção apresentou... / Introduction: Acute Exacerbation (AE) is an important cause of impairment of function in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Negatively affects the quality of life, lung function, muscle weakness, the use of health resources and survival. However, physical exercise performed during the exacerbation can improve the quality of life and the physical capacity of the patient. In this context, this study aims to evaluate the influence of aerobic exercise in hospitalized COPD patients with exacerbation (AECOPD). Objective: To evaluate the effects of short duration aerobic exercise in AECOPD on dyspnea score, quality of life and exercise capacity. Patients and Methods: Twenty-two patients were randomized in two groups; the control group received standard medical treatment and the intervention group that performed aerobic exercise training. All patients performed spirometry, nutritional assessment, distance covered on the six-minute walk test (6MWD), quality of life (Saint George Respiratory Questionnaire- SGRQ), anxiety and depression ( The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), BODE index and intensity of dyspnea (Baseline Dyspnea Index and Modified Medical Research Council Score) after 48 hours of hospitalization and after one month of discharge. The exercise program consisted of aerobic training on a treadmill twice a day for 15 minutes until to the discharge. Results: The impact domain and the total score of quality of life showed a higher increase in the intervention group compared to the control group (p<0.001) when compared to the moments. Both groups showed improvement in the activity domain of SGRQ after one month of hospital discharge, but they did not show difference between groups. Furthermore, only the intervention group showed significant improvement in the symptom domain of SGRQ (p<0.001) and baseline dyspnea index (p=0.006) after one month. 6MWD and BODE did not show difference between ...

Made available in DSpace on 2015-01-26T13:21:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2014-08-21Bitstream added on 2015-01-26T13:30:38Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000795302.pdf: 290369 bytes, checksum: 58bda7f024f4cce4b41311ea8576a046 (MD5) / Introdução: Não está claro na literatura se os valores do índice bispectral (BIS) e da taxa de supressão do traçado de eletroencefalograma (TS), estão relacionados à disfunção cognitiva pós-operatória (DCPO). Objetivo: Avaliar os valores de BIS e TS e sua relação com a DCPO após cirurgia de revascularização do miocárdio (CRM) em pacientes submetidos a anestesia com sevoflurano (SEVO) guiada pelo BIS. Tipo de estudo: Observacional prospectivo. Local do estudo: Hospital de ensino. Pacientes: Noventa pacientes adultos programados para CRM com ou sem circulação extra-corpórea (CEC). Intervenções: A anestesia foi induzida com propofol, remifentanil e atracúrio e mantida com concentrações expiradas de SEVO (ETSEVO) em valores de concentração alveolar mínima (CAMSEVO) adaptada à idade, tendo como alvo valores de BIS de 40-60. O Mini-Exame do Estado Mental (MEEM) para avaliação cognitiva dos pacientes foi aplicado na admissão hospitalar e três meses após a cirurgia. Variáveis estudadas: Os valores de BIS, TS, ETSEVO e CAMSEVO foram registrados a cada 5 minutos durante o procedimento. Redução de um desvio padrão (DP) ou mais no MEEM basal foi definida como DCPO. Resultados: A proporção de DCPO foi de 40%. Os pacientes foram alocados em dois grupos: com (n = 36) ou sem DCPO (n = 54). Não houve diferença significativa na incidência de DCPO entre os pacientes que foram submetidos à CRM com ou sem CEC (p = 1,0). Quanto às características dos pacientes, somente os valores de índice de massa corporal (IMC) foram maiores no grupo sem DCPO (p = 0,009). Valores médios de BSR, ETSEV e MACSEV foram maiores no grupo sem DCPO (p < 0,05). Em uma análise multivariada, valores menores de TS (Razão de Chances-RC 0,008, Intervalo de Confiança-IC 95% [0,001-0,53], p = 0,02), CAMSEVO (RC 0,001, IC 95% [0,001-0,08], p = 0,008), ETSEVO (RC 0,03, IC 95% [0,002-0,66], p = 0,02) e ... / Background: It is still controversial whether bispectral index (BIS) and burst suppression ratio (BSR) values are related to postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate BIS and BSR values and their relation to POCD after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery in patients undergoing BIS-guided sevoflurane (SEVO) anaesthesia. DESIGN: Prospective, observational study. SETTING: Teaching hospital. PATIENTS: Ninety adult patients scheduled for on- or off-pump CABG surgery. INTERVENTIONS: Anaesthesia was induced with propofol, remifentanil and atracurium and maintained with end-tidal SEVO (ETSEVO) at age-adapted minimum alveolar concentration (MACSEVO) targeting BIS values of 40-60. Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) for cognitive assessment of the patients was applied on hospital admission and at 3 months after surgery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: BIS, BSR, ETSEVO and MACSEVO values were recorded every 5 minutes during the procedure. A decrease of 1 standard deviation or more from the basal MMSE was defined as POCD. RESULTS: The POCD proportion was 40%. The patients were allocated into two groups: with POCD (n=36) or no POCD (n=54). There was no difference of POCD incidence between patients who were submitted to on- versus off-pump CABG (P=1.0). With regard to the patient’s characteristics, only body mass index (BMI) was higher in the no-POCD group (P=0.009). Mean BSR, ETSEVO and MACSEVO values were higher in the no-POCD group (P<0.05). In a multivariable analysis, lower values of BSR (odds ratio-OR 0.008; 95%CI [0.001-0.53]; P=0.02), MACSEVO (OR 0.001; 95%CI [0.001-0.08]; P=0.008), ETSEVO (OR 0.03; 95%CI [0.002-0.66]; P=0.02) and BMI (OR 0.82; 95%CI [0.70-0.96]; P=0.01) were independent predictors of risk for POCD incidence. BIS values did not influence POCD incidence (OR 1.0; 95%CI [0.95-1.11]; P=0.40). CONCLUSION: BIS-guided SEVO anaesthesia titrated to a range between 40 and 60 is not a predictive factor ...