[Evaluation of visceral impairments by exercise testing: practice and problems in recently-developed exercise testing in disabled patients and an introduction of a newly-developed instrument for monitoring cardiopulmonary and postural parameters].
OBJECTIVE
Exercise testing plays a major role in evaluation of visceral impairments in disabled patients. We introduced recently-developed exercise testing and a newly-developed instrument for monitoring cardiopulmonary and postural parameters. We also evaluated the effects of cardiac phase II rehabilitation, pulmonary rehabilitation, and lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) in patients with cardiopulmonary diseases.


METHODS
1) The ratio of ischemic heart disease in stroke patients was assessed by exercise testing. 2) The physical status of the patients with myocardial infarction (MI) was assessed before and just after our hospitalized cardiac phase II rehabilitation program, and at a 6-month follow-up by cardiopulmonary exercise testing. 3) The physical status of the patient with idiopathic interstitial pneumonia was assessed before and after pulmonary rehabilitation by a six-minute walking test. 4) The physical status of the patients with pulmonary emphysema (PE) was assessed before and 3 months after LVRS. 5) We introduced a newly-developed instrument for monitoring cardiopulmonary and postural parameters (MCPP).


CONCLUSIONS
The ratio of ischemic heart disease (IHD) in stroke patients was 18%. Our hospitalized phase II cardiac rehabilitation program improved the management of cardiac risk factors and the physical status in patients with MI. The physical status of the patient with idiopathic interstitial pneumonia was markedly improved after pulmonary rehabilitation, and she did not need to undergo lung transplantation. The physical status and lung function of PE was significantly improved 3 months after LVRS. MCPP was made and used in the field of rehabilitation medicine. MCPP shows the picture and cardiopulmonary and postural parameters at the same time on a monitor, and is a very useful tool to evaluate the activities of daily living of the patients undergoing rehabilitation. MCPP may provide useful information to develop more efficient strategies for rehabilitation planning and patients' education.
Kohzuki
M
M
Section of Internal Medicine and Disability Prevention, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai.
Goto
Y
Y
Yoshida
T
T
Sasaki
M
M
Watanabe
M
M
Yoshida
K
K
Sato
T
T
D005080:Exercise Test / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011187:Posture; D011656:Pulmonary Emphysema / Q000503:physiopathology; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications