Background: We planned to investigate the effect of preoperative short period intensive physical therapy on lung functions, gas-exchange, and capacity of diffusion, and ventilation-perfusion distribution of patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Methods: Sixty patients with lung cancer, who were deemed operable, were randomly allocated into two groups. Intensive physical therapy was performed in patients in the study group before operation. Both groups received routine physical therapy after operation. Results: There was no difference in pulmonary function tests between the two groups. Intensive physical therapy statistically significantly increased peripheral blood oxygen saturation. At least one complication was noted in 5 patients (16.7%) in the control group, and 2 (6.7%), in the study group. However, there was no statistically significant difference (p = 0,4). The hospital stay has been found to be statistically significantly shortened by intensive physical therapy (p <0.001). Ventilation-perfusion distribution was found to be significantly effected by intensive physical therapy. The change was prominent in the the contralateral lung (p <0.001). Conclusions: Intensive physical therapy appeared to increase oxygen saturation, reduce hospital stay, and change the ventilation/perfusion distribution. It had a significant, positive effect on the exercise capacity of patients.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the timed sit-to-stand (STS) test performances of healthy young adults and to investigate the relationship of timed STS tests with 6-minute walk test (6MWT). A cross-sectional study was performed. A total of 40 healthy volunteers (mean age: 21.7 ± 1.2 years) were evaluated with 10, 30, and 60 seconds STS tests and 6MWT. Fatigue and shortness of breath were rated using Borg category-ratio scale (CR10) before and after each test. Weekly energy expenditures of volunteers were calculated using International Physical Activity Questionnaire. 30 and 60 seconds STS tests were moderately (r = 0.611 and r = 0.647, respectively) (P < .001) and 10 seconds STS test was weakly (r = 0.344) (P = .028) correlated with 6MWT. Among correlations of each STS test with 6MWT, none of them was statistically stronger to one another (P > .05). Borg fatigue scores after 10, 30, and 60 seconds STS tests were weakly correlated with fatigue score after 6MWT (r = 0.321, r = 0.378, and r = 0.405, respectively) (P < .05). Weekly energy expenditure (MET-min/week) was moderately correlated with 10, 30, and 60 seconds STS tests and 6MWT (r = 0.533, r = 0.598, r = 0.598, and r = 0.547, respectively) (P < .001). Considering the statistically significant relationship between timed STS tests and 6MWT, any of the timed STS tests may be used for a quick and alternative measurement of physical performance and functional capacity in healthy young adults.

Objectives: To measure respiratory functions of ambulatory patients with multiple sclerosis and compare the results with expected values from healthy general population data. Further, to study the correlation of respiratory function impairment with the multiple sclerosis-induced disability level. Subjects: Thirty-eight patients with definite diagnosis of multiple sclerosis from the multiple sclerosis outpatient clinic. Methods: The Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores (mean 4.34±1.39) were evaluated to measure disability level. Respiratory functions tested in the laboratory included spirometric (FVC, FEV₁, FEV₁/FVC), maximal inspiratory (MIP) and expiratory (MEP) mouth pressure measurements. Patients were clinically assessed using a pulmonary dysfunction index (PDI) and dyspnoea index; various breathing features were also recorded. Results: With respect to expected values from healthy general population, important decreases were found in mouth pressures with MIP (77%±23%, p ≃ 0) and MEP (60%±13%, p ≃ 0) while spirometric measures were significantly but less affected (FVC 94%±12%, p < 0.01, FEV₁ 91%±16%, p < 0.001). FEV₁/FVC ratios were normal. Notable increases in PDI (5.58±0.68, p ≃ 0) and dyspnoea index (0.32±0.47, p ≃ 0) were observed. Significant relationships (p < 0.01) between respiratory function impairment and the multiple sclerosis disability level could be detected for FVC, MEP and PDI. Conclusions: Multiple sclerosis clearly impairs respiratory functions; maximal mouth pressures are more severely reduced. This impairment increases with multiple sclerosis-induced disability level but is found to be independent from duration of disease.

Objective: To investigate the effect of home exercises on the motor performance of patients with Parkinson's disease. Design: A prospective blinded study with allocation of patients into their groups by alternate weeks. Setting: A University Hospital neurology and physiotherapy department. Subjects: Recruited from a movement disorders outpatient clinic of Cerrahpasa School of Medicine diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, classified as Hoehn and Yahr Grades I, II and III. Interventions: Patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were recruited to the study. Each patient was evaluated at the end of first and second month after the baseline evaluation. Patients were divided into two groups. Those in the first and third week were put in the exercise group and second and fourth week in the control group. Patients in the exercise group (n=15) were given a schedule of exercises to undertake at home; the others (n=15) did not receive this instruction. Measures: Ten- and 20-m walking test, first pace length, pace number in 10 m, walking around a chair, Nine Hole Peg Board (NHPB) test. Results: Following the home exercise programme, patients in the exercise group showed improvement in walking 10 and 20 m, time elapsed to complete walking around a chair and length of the first pace length, and in the motor performance of both hands (p < 0.001). Conclusions: A home-based rehabilitation programme for patients with Parkinson's disease helped to improve motor performance compared to patients who did not take advantage of a regular, professionally designed exercise programme.

Objective: To investigate the effects of inspiratory and expiratory muscle training on pulmonary functions in patients with slowly progressive neuromuscular disease. Design: Prospective randomized controlled double-blinded study. Setting: Chest diseases clinic of university hospital. Subjects: Twenty-six patients with slowly progressive neuromuscular disease followed for respiratory problems were included in the study. Patients were randomly divided into two groups; experimental ( n = 14; age 31.6 ±12.3 years) and sham ( n = 12; age 26.5 ±8.6 years) groups. Methods: Spirometry, peak cough flow, maximal inspiratory pressure, maximal expiratory pressure, and sniff nasal inspiratory pressure were measured before the eighth week of study, and subsequently at end of it. Respiratory muscle training was performed by inspiratory (Threshold Inspiratory Muscle Trainer) and expiratory (Threshold Positive Expiratory Pressure) threshold loading methods. Training intensities were increased according to maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures in the experimental group, while the lowest loads were used for training in the sham group. Patients performed 15 minutes inspiratory muscle training and 15 minutes expiratory muscle training, twice a day, five days/week, for a total of eight weeks at home. Training intensity was adjusted in the training group once a week. Results: Maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures (cmH₂O, % predicted) (respectively p = 0.002, p = 0.003, p = 0.04, p = 0.03) and sniff nasal inspiratory pressure ( p = 0.04) were improved in the experimental group when compared with the sham group. However, there was no improvement in spirometric measurements when groups were compared ( p > 0.05). Conclusions: As a conclusion of our study, we found that respiratory muscle strength improved by inspiratory and expiratory muscle training in patients with slowly progressive neuromuscular disease.