Background and objective:In patients with COPD, this study evaluated the effect on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of adding ongoing feedback to a 12-month unsupervised maintenance walking programme. Methods: Participants were randomized to either an intervention group (IG) or control group (CG). Both groups completed the same 2-month supervised, walking training programme followed by a 12-month unsupervised maintenance walking programme. During the maintenance programme, the IG received ongoing feedback (telephone calls, biofeedback and progressive goal setting) and the CG received no feedback. Results: A total of 75 participants completed the study (mean (SD): age 69 (8) years; forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV 1 ) 43 (15) % predicted). There was no between-group differences in the magnitude of change in HRQoL when data collected on completion of the 12-month maintenance programme were compared with that collected either before the 2-month supervised programme (mean between-group difference (MD) in total St George's Respiratory Questionnaire change scores: 1 point, 95% CI: −9 to 7) or on completion of the 2-month supervised programme (MD: 4 points, 95% CI −2 to 10). Conclusion: Following a 2-month supervised walking training programme, ongoing feedback was no more effective than no feedback in maintaining HRQoL during a 12-month unsupervised walking programme.

NCT01000519.

Existing clinical guidelines recommend weight loss for adults with knee osteoarthritis and obesity, but the supporting evidence to date remains inadequate. There is also no pooled data on physical function and quality of life. This study aims to examine the efficacy of weight loss on pain, self-reported disability, physical function and quality of life in adults with knee osteoarthritis and obesity. A systematic database search (from 1990 to June 2017) was conducted, and seven studies were eligible for inclusion. The meta-analyses demonstrated that a 5% to 10% weight loss significantly improved pain (effect size 0.33, 95% confidence intervals 0.17 to 0.48), self-reported disability (effect size 0.42, 95% confidence intervals 0.25 to 0.59) and quality of life (physical) (effect size 0.39, 95% confidence intervals 0.24 to 0.54). The results were based on adults with mean body mass index 33.6 to 36.4 kg m and mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis. Results for physical function were inconclusive due to the lack of eligible studies and incomprehensive outcome measures used.

No abstract