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Objective: To establish reference values for the Unsupported Upper Limb EXercise (UULEX) test, which measures peak arm exercise capacity, in healthy adults in Brazil. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study, involving presumably healthy individuals ≥ 30 years of age who completed questionnaires and underwent spirometry. All of the individuals underwent two UULEX tests 30-min apart. The outcome measure was the maximum time (in min) to completion of the test. Results: We included 100 individuals between 30 and 80 years of age. The mean test completion time was 11.99 ± 1.90 min among the women and 12.89 ± 2.15 min among the men (p = 0.03). The test completion time showed statistically significant correlations with age (r = −0.48; p < 0.001), gender (r = 0.28; p = 0.004), body mass index (BMI, r = −0.20; p = 0.05), and height (r = 0.28; p = 0.005). Linear regression analysis showed that the predictors of UULEX completion time were age (p = 0.000), BMI (p = 0.003), and gender (p = 0.019), which collectively explained 30% of the total variability. The mean UULEX completion time was 6% lower for the women than for the men. Conclusions: The present study was able to establish reference values for the UULEX test in healthy adults in Brazil. The values were influenced by age, gender, and BMI.

Introduction: Cerebrovascular accident (CVA) or stroke results in weakness of the trunk muscles and physical unfitness. Objectives: To evaluate respiratory changes caused by stroke and correlate them with the functional capacity of chronic stroke patients who were treated at the Clinical Center of Physical Therapy of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais, Betim. Methods: Fifteen patients were recruited for assessment of respiratory function and functional capacity. We measured maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximal expiratory pressure (MEP), peak expiratory flow (PEF), vital capacity (VC), and functional capacity using the six-minute walk test (6MWT). Test results were compared with reference values using an (1):95-102Machado ACM, Silva NGM, Diniz GCL, Pessoa BP, Scalzo PL 96 unpaired Student's t-test or the Mann-Whitney test. Respiratory variables were correlated with the distance walked in the 6MWT using Spearman's correlation test. Results: The sample had a mean age of 58.2 ± 13.4 years, and most patients had a diagnosis of ischemic stroke and left hemiparesis. The following values were obtained: MIP (47.7 ± 22.2 cmH2O); MEP (47.5 ± 20.3 cmH2O); PEF (351.3 ± 90.8 L/min); VC (3.0 ± 0.91 L); and 6MWT (222.4 ± 101.6 m). The MIP, MEP, PEF, and 6MWT values measured in this study were statistically significantly lower (p < 0.001) than the reference values. There was no statistically significant correlation between the distance walked in the 6 MWT and respiratory variables (p > 0.005). Conclusion: Our results suggest that, despite the decrease in respiratory muscle strength, PEF, and VC, these variables did not correlate with the functional capacity of the chronic stroke patients assessed in this study. Introdução: O acidente vascular encefálico (AVE) resulta em fraqueza dos músculos do tronco e descondicionamento físico. Objetivos: Avaliar as alterações respiratórias e correlacioná-las com a capacidade funcional de pacientes pós AVE crônicos do Centro Clínico de Fisioterapia da PUC Minas Betim. Métodos: Foram recrutados 15 pacientes para avaliação respiratória e da capacidade funcional. Foram avaliadas a pressão inspiratória máxima (PImáx), pressão expiratória máxima (PEmáx), pico de fluxo expiratório (PFE), capacidade vital (CV) e a capacidade funcional a partir do teste de caminhada de seis minutos (TC6M). Os resultados foram comparados com os valores de referência utilizando os testes t de Student não pareado ou teste Mann-Whitney. As variáveis respiratórias foram correlacionadas com a distância percorrida no TC6M por meio do Coeficiente de Correlação de Spearman.Resultados: A amostra apresentou idade média de 58,2 ± 13,4 anos, sendo que o diagnóstico da maioria foi AVE isquêmico e hemiparesia à esquerda. Os valores obtidos foram PImáx (47,722,2 cmH 2 O); PEmáx (47,5 20,3 cmH 2 O); PFE (351,390,8 L/min); CV (3,00,91 L) e TC6m (222,4101,6 m). Quando comparados com os valores de referência, os valores de PImáx, PEmáx, PFE e TC6M foram estatisticamente menores (p < 0,001). Não houve correlação es...

Background Although dementia has emerged as an important risk factor for severe SARS-CoV-2 infection, results on COVID-19-related complications and mortality are not consistent. We examined the clinical presentations and outcomes of COVID-19 in a multicentre cohort of in-hospital patients, comparing those with and without dementia. Methods This retrospective observational study comprises COVID-19 laboratory-confirmed patients aged ≥60 years admitted to 38 hospitals from 19 cities in Brazil. Data were obtained from electronic hospital records. A propensity score analysis was used to match patients with and without dementia (up to 3:1) according to age, sex, comorbidities, year and hospital of admission. Our primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. We also assessed admission to the intensive care unit (ICU), invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), kidney replacement therapy (KRT), sepsis, nosocomial infection, and thromboembolic events. Results Among 8,947 eligible patients, 405 (4.5%) had a diagnosis of dementia and were matched with 1,151 patients without dementia. Compared to a group of similar demographics and comorbidities, patients with dementia presented a lower duration of symptoms (5.0 vs. 7.0 days; p<0.001) and frequency of dyspnoea, cough, myalgia, headache, ageusia, and anosmia. Fever and delirium were more frequent in patients with dementia than the control group. Patients with dementia also received more palliative care than the control group. Dementia was associated with lower admission (32.7% vs. 47.1%, p<0.001) and length of stay (7 vs. 9 days, p<0.026) in the ICU, frequency of sepsis (17% vs. 24%, p=0.005), KRT (6.4% vs. 13%, p<0.001), and IVM (4.6% vs. 9.8%, p=0.002). We did not find differences in hospital mortality among those with and without dementia. Conclusion Clinical manifestations of COVID-19 differ in older patients with and without dementia in the hospital, with delirium being highly prevalent among those with dementia. Our findings indicate that dementia alone might not explain higher short-term mortality after severe COVID-19. Clinicians should include other risk factors such as acute morbidity severity and baseline frailty when evaluating the prognosis of COVID-19 in the hospital.