The objective effects of early mobilization on physical function in patients after cardiac surgery remain unknown. The purpose of the present study was to clarify the effects of early mobilization on physical function in patients after cardiac surgery through meta-analysis. Four electronic databases were searched on 2 August 2019. We used search keywords related to “early mobilization”, “cardiac surgery”, and “randomized controlled trials”. All randomized controlled trials conducting early mobilization after cardiac surgery were included. We defined early mobilization as the application of physical activity within the first five postoperative days. Citations and data extraction were independently screened in duplicate by two authors. The meta-analysis was conducted using random-effects modeling with EZR software. The primary outcome was the distance walked during the six-minute walking test at hospital discharge. Six randomized controlled trials comprising 391 patients were included following screening of 591 studies. All studies included coronary artery bypass grafting as the cardiac surgery conducted. Early mobilization started on postoperative days 1–2 and was conducting twice daily. Early mobilization showed a trend of being combined with respiratory exercise or psychoeducation. The meta-analysis showed that the distance walked during the 6-min walking test improved by 54 m (95% confidence interval, 31.1–76.9; I² = 52%) at hospital discharge. The present study suggested that early mobilization after cardiac surgery may improve physical function at discharge.

Social communication and motor skill deficits are prevalent characteristics of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This systematic research review investigates whether and how broad social skills and motor skills may be related among individuals with ASD. We performed a PubMed search of articles written in English, using these study inclusion criteria: (a) an association between social and motor and skills among individuals previously diagnosed with autism; (b) one or more social skills measures were used; and (c) one or more measures of gross or fine motor skills were used. We classified data into two categories, and we based the association of these variables on correlation coefficients, p-values, coefficients of determination, and authors’ description of “may be associated” and “may not be associated.” Despite heterogeneity among these relevant studies, a highly likely association between social and motor skills emerged. Of a total of 16 studies reviewed, 12 reported associations between these skill sets. Three studies reported that fine motor skills had a stronger relationship with social skills than did gross motor skills. Among the gross motor skills associated with social skills, object control skills seemed most closely linked to social skills. Among fine motor skills, manual dexterity seemed to most closely related to social skills.

Background Whether upper-extremity and lower-extremity muscle strength can predict a prognosis of congestive heart failure (CHF) patients is unclear. This study...

Background The present study examined the impact of an 8-week cardiac rehabilitation (CR) program on physiological outcomes and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods and Results A total of 124 consecutive AMI patients were divided into a supervised outpatient CR group (n=82) and a non-CR group as a control (n=42). Peak oxygen uptake, handgrip strength, and knee extension muscular strength were used as physiological outcome measures. HRQOL outcomes were assessed by the Medical Outcome Study Short Form 36 (SF-36). CR group patients performed both aerobic exercise and moderate resistance training from 1 month (T1) to 3 months (T2) after AMI onset. Age, sex, body mass index, medications, and ejection fraction were similar in both groups. Significantly greater increases in overall physiological outcomes from T1 to T2 were measured in the CR group compared with those of the non-CR group. There were also significantly greater improvements in 4 of the 8 SF-36 health status subscales (physical functioning, role-physical, general health, and vitality) in the CR group compared with the non-CR group. Conclusions Eight weeks of exercise training have specific effects on improvement in HRQOL and physiological outcomes in Japanese patients. (Circ J 2004; 68: 315 - 320)

Only a few research is available on the effects of home-based exercise training on pre-dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Therefore, we aimed to elucidate the effect of home-based exercise therapy on kidney function and arm and leg muscle strength in pre-dialysis CKD patients. Thirty-six male stage 3–4 pre-dialysis CKD patients (age, 68.7 ± 6.8 years; estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), 39.0 ± 11.6 ml/min/1.73 m2) who were being treated as outpatients were included. The subjects were randomly assigned to an exercise intervention group (Ex group: 18) and a control group (C group: 18). The Ex group wore accelerometer pedometers and were instructed to perform home-based aerobic and resistance exercises, such as brisk walking for 30 min per day, for 12 months. The C group subjects wore accelerometer pedometers but received no exercise therapy guidance; the number of steps covered during normal daily activities was recorded for the C group. The outcome measures were changes in kidney function and handgrip and knee extension muscle strength. Values at the baseline (T1) and 12 months later (T2) were compared. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups; however, the C group was more physically active than the Ex group. Eight subjects dropped out, and 28 subjects (14 in each group) were included in the final analysis. Physical activity increased significantly only in the Ex group. Grip strength (F = 7.0, p = 0.01) and knee extension muscle strength (F = 14.3, p < 0.01) were found to improve only in the Ex group. Further, the changes in eGFR were not significantly different between the two groups (F = 0.01, p = 0.93). Home-based exercise therapy for pre-dialysis CKD patients was feasible and improved arm and leg muscle strength without affecting kidney function. UMIN Clinical Trials Registry ( UMIN000005091 ). Registered 2/15/2011.