Deficiency in dopaminergic system function may be one of the hypothetical reasons of the frailty syndrome but its role still remains unclear. The aim of our study was to assess the frailty phenotype prevalence in geriatric inpatients with mild parkinsonian signs (MPS) and to investigate levodopa test in the frail patients with MPS. We examined 118 participants: 90 with MPS and 28 in control group (without MPS). The frailty syndrome presence was evaluated by the Fried criteria. Deficiency in dopaminergic system function was assessed by one of the modifications of an acute levodopa challenge test (LCT): in MPS group every patient was examined by performing Up and Go Test and also Step Test before and 3 h after taking 125 mg of Madopar (levodopa + benserazide). Sixty-nine study subjects (58%) met criteria for frailty. Fifty-five participants in MPS group (61.1% of MPS group) and fourteen (50%) in control group. All of the patients that scored positive in walk speed criterion of frailty were frail. When all MPS patients were considered, the number of components scored positive for frailty was directly related to the walk speed (r = -0.70, p < 0.0001). In MPS group LCT scores were significantly higher for frailty patients compared to non-frailty (p = 0.0027). When all MPS patients were considered, the number of components scored positive for frailty was directly related LCT score (r = 0.37, p = 0.0004). There was a relationship between LCT and walk speed (r = -0.31, p = 0.0032). Our observations provide new information about the relationship between frailty and MPS, suggest the need for increased awareness of frailty in MPS patients and conversely. Our study provides data for a discussion on pathophysiological background of the frailty syndrome (FS), emphasizing the theories of the important impact of dopaminergic system deficit and encourages further research on the role of LCT in measuring it.

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The intensity of NW training in field conditions in patients after coronary events was 59% of VO₂ reserve, and its peak instantaneous intensity reached values obtained during CPET on a treadmill. EE during NW in the study group was 8.1 kcal/min. Chronotropic response during NW was 64% of HRR, and its instantaneous increase reached the maximum HR obtained during CPET.

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A b s t r a c tBackground: There is a clear association between knowledge on healthy lifestyle and intensity of healthy behaviours, especially among young people. Aim:We sought to verify this hypothesis among patients after acute coronary syndrome (ACS), who were subjected to early in-hospital complex cardiac rehabilitation (CCR), by assessing the relationship between initial knowledge on cardiovascular risk factors and efficiency of rehabilitation.Methods: Two hundred and five consecutive patients (153 man; age 62 ± 9 years) hospitalised between May 2013 and April 2014 were prospectively enrolled. On admission, the knowledge on risk factors was assessed by questionnaire. At the beginning, in the second and in the third week of CCR the six-minute walk test (6MWT) was performed. Effectiveness of rehabilitation was assessed by the 6MWT in the third week. Distance, speed, and metabolic equivalents (METs) were considered markers of improvement. Results:The most common number of correct answers was 11 (out of 20 questions) about risk factors (on average 54 ± 18%). Knowledge on more than 10 items was found for 99 subjects (48%) (i.e. good level of knowledge). Improvement of haemodynamic parameters and CCR effectiveness was found ('0' vs. Conclusions: Knowledge on the cardiovascular risk factors improves rehabilitation effectiveness among patients after ACS.