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Cardiopulmonary research

Everything we have read on cardiopulmonary. Each paper is summarised from the full article rather than its abstract, so the limitations are in there too, and the funding wherever the paper declares it.

1,018 PAPERS · PAGE 18 OF 21 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTRCT2025Sternal interferential current stimulation after sternotomy: A randomized, sham-controlled trial on pain and wound healing.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAdding sternal interferential current stimulation to standard cardiac rehabilitation reduced pain more than sham treatment over 21 days. It also lowered painkiller use and inflammation markers, but did not improve breathing capacity or quality of life beyond the rehabilitation programme itself.
• PTCohort2025Severity Classification of Functional Impairment Based on ICF Qualifiers: A New Proposal for Assessing Individuals With Pulmonary Hypertension.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapyICF-based walk-test qualifiers did not show an association with WHO functional class in adults with pulmonary hypertension, although ICF groups differed in walk distance.
• PTPilot2025Novel magnetic resonance imaging methodology for dynamic visualization of respiratory thoracic motion: a pilot feasibility study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAn MRI method without a chest coil captured chest movement during deep breathing in semi-prone posture. In five healthy young men, head-foot expansion was smaller semi-prone than supine, while side-to-side expansion was slightly larger. No patient outcomes were tested.
• PTOther2025Effect of Pharmacological Treatment on Exercise-Induced Bronchoconstriction and Allergic Inflammatory Response in Endurance Athletes.International journal of sports physical therapyIn 13 treated elite male endurance athletes, 30 days of individualized respiratory medication reduced exercise-induced bronchoconstriction; 92.3% no longer showed EIB after a breathing challenge. Peak oxygen uptake and running speed improved, but allergic inflammatory markers did not change.
• PTOTSystematic Review2025Effects of telerehabilitation on physical function and activities of daily living in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a scoping review.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn ALS telerehabilitation studies, respiratory muscle training reported improved breathing pressure and ALS function, while aerobic exercise, stretching, and comprehensive physical therapy did not show significant improvement. Adherence and satisfaction were high, but evidence was low.
• PTOTSLPRCT2025Impact of positive expiratory pressure buddy during exercise on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients' functional performance, lung function, and sleep quality: a randomized controlled trial.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineAdding a hands-free expiratory pressure device to treadmill training for eight weeks improved breathlessness, lung function, walking distance, and sleep quality more than exercise alone. Both groups took prescribed medications, so the device's specific contribution is mixed with standard care and exercise.
• PTOTCohort2025Six-month trajectory of physical function in ICU survivors: Experience from an Eastern Cape centre.The South African journal of physiotherapyWalking distance improved from 6 weeks to 6 months, but 53 of 99 ICU survivors still walked less than 80% of expected distance for age, height, sex and weight at 6 months. Poorer walking was linked to lower physical and mental quality of life.
• PTOTSLPOther2026Feasibility and Effects of Exercise During Working Hours in Acute Hospital Staff - A Non-Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of occupational rehabilitationSupervised exercise during working hours was feasible for hospital staff. Participants showed improved aerobic capacity, blood pressure, and pain. However, adherence was low, and without a control group, these changes cannot be proven to result from the intervention alone.
• PTRCT2025Refining Maximal Heart Rate Estimation to Enhance Exercise Recommendations for Persons With Parkinson Disease.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationA Parkinson-specific formula using age and resting heart rate estimated maximal heart rate more accurately than age-only formulas, which overestimated it in 88% and 94% of participants.
• PTOTSLPNarrative Review2025The role of rehabilitation across the continuum of liver disease from cirrhosis to transplantation and beyond: A narrative review.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationRehabilitation is safe and improves function across liver disease stages. PTs focus on early mobility and endurance. OTs manage ADLs and tremor. SLPs address dysphagia and cognitive effects of encephalopathy. Evidence supports exercise for frailty, but long-term outcome data remain sparse.
• PTOTSLPMeta-Analysis2025Effects of Nordic Walking in people with respiratory diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of rehabilitation medicineNordic walking did not beat other exercise on six-minute walk distance in the main analysis. It outperformed no exercise, but the positive result relied on removing one outlier study. All included trials had high risk of bias.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Overall outcome, functioning, and disability in older adults 3 to 14 years after traumatic brain injury.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationYears after TBI, many older adults kept the same overall outcome, while some improved and some worsened. Mild and moderate injury often meant better independence, but assistance, mobility aids, swallowing problems, and smell or taste change were still reported.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Community-Based Rehabilitation and Patient-Centered Outcomes in Survivors of Critical COVID-19 Attending an Intensive Care Recovery Clinic.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationSurvivors of critical COVID had poor walking endurance, frailty, and cognitive impairment, while many did not receive community rehabilitation. Those who did receive rehabilitation were worse at follow-up, so this cannot show benefit.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Associations of Sarcopenia With Medical Events and Inpatient Rehabilitation Outcomes in ACC/AHA Stage A, B, and C Heart Failure Individuals With Disabilities.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationHeart failure patients with sarcopenia had a higher risk of death or transfer to specialized care during rehabilitation. However, their actual gains in daily living independence were similar to those without sarcopenia. Screen for muscle weakness, but do not assume it limits rehabilitation progress.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Characterization of Ventilatory Drive in Community-Dwelling Adults with Chronic Spinal Cord Injury.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationMost adults with chronic spinal cord injury who breathe independently have normal resting breathing drive. This drive was strongly linked to body mass and BMI, not injury level. Higher drive correlated with faster breathing rates, suggesting body weight impacts respiratory effort more than injury severity in this group.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2025Assessing and Managing Agitation During Early Recovery in Children With Moderate-to-Severe Traumatic Brain Injury in Australia: A National Survey.The Journal of head trauma rehabilitationMost Australian clinicians managing agitated children with brain injury use general recovery scales, not agitation-specific tools. They rely on environmental changes and individualized care, with family education key. Practice varies widely, and formal training on agitation management is often lacking.
• PTOTRCT2025Safety and efficacy of add-on robotic therapy for early mobilization in intermediate neurocritical care: a pilot study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationAdd-on robot therapy for early mobilization in neurocritical care was safe, with no adverse events. It improved physical function scores more than standard physiotherapy alone. However, the study was tiny, unblinded, and participants in the robot group received extra daily therapy, so efficacy is not proven.
• PTOTSLPQualitative2026'I've never heard of pulmonary rehab': Healthcare professionals' perceptions in regards to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.Clinical rehabilitationClinicians on general medical wards rarely referred patients to pulmonary rehabilitation, often because they had never heard of it or assumed it was someone else's job. Many primary care staff deferred to nurses or hospital teams, creating a cycle where no one took responsibility for the referral.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025A comprehensive evidence-based intervention programme significantly reduces intensive care unit-acquired weakness and improves functional recovery: a retrospective analysis.Journal of rehabilitation medicineA bundled ICU programme combining early rehab, nutrition and psychology was linked to less ICU-acquired weakness (32.5% vs 57.3%), shorter stays and better self-care than standard care. Because all parts were delivered together, no single component can be credited.
• PTOTPilot2025Barriers to physical activity and patient profiling in the lifelong maintenance phase of coronary artery disease: a territorial mixed-methods pilot study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPatients prioritized environmental factors and motivation over physical limitations. Three distinct profiles emerged: those limited by fatigue, those by environment, and those by work demands. No single barrier fits all, suggesting tailored follow-up is needed.
• PTOTRCT2025From gains to decline: effects of structured pre-dialytic exercise training and detraining on physical fitness, quality of life, and inflammation in haemodialysis patients.Journal of rehabilitation medicineHaemodialysis patients who completed 72 pre-dialysis exercise sessions gained clinically meaningful fitness and quality of life. These gains vanished within 3 months of stopping. The study had no control group, so it shows what happened during the programme, not that it caused the change.
• PTRCT2025Influence of gait-synchronized functional electrical stimulation during exoskeleton-assisted ambulation on cardiorespiratory outcomes in individuals with incomplete spinal cord injury.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAdding gait-synchronized functional electrical stimulation to exoskeleton walking raised oxygen consumption per kilogram body mass in 11 adults with incomplete spinal cord injury. The increase was found in 10 of 11 participants, but this was one session and did not show training benefit.
• PTSystematic Review2026Utilisation of cardiopulmonary exercise testing for tailored pulmonary rehabilitation in people with interstitial lung diseases: A systematic review.Clinical rehabilitationIn studies with before-and-after data, tailored pulmonary rehabilitation based on exercise test results improved peak work rate and oxygen uptake, with no adverse events reported. Evidence is mixed, four studies had no control group, and this is not proof of benefit.
• PTCohort2025Autism Among Adults with Down Syndrome: Prevalence, Medicaid Usage, and Co-Occurring Conditions.Journal of autism and developmental disordersAdults with both Down syndrome and autism used significantly more Medicaid services and had higher costs than those with either condition alone. They also had the highest rates of epilepsy, though their overall chronic condition profile resembled that of adults with Down syndrome alone.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025The effect of pulmonary rehabilitation for post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesPulmonary rehabilitation improved walking distance, fatigue, and quality of life in long-COVID patients. Telerehabilitation worked as well as in-person sessions. Dyspnea scores did not change significantly. Try remote programs for patients who struggle to attend clinics.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Complete Spectrum of Physical Comorbidities with Autism Spectrum Disorder in a Nationwide Cohort.Journal of autism and developmental disordersPeople with autism have a higher risk of developing most physical diseases from childhood into adulthood compared to the general population. This risk is especially high for nervous system and ear diseases, and females with autism face greater physical health risks than males.
• PTOTSystematic Review2025Effect of exercise-based interventions on stroke rehabilitation: an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationExercise improves balance, strength, and walking after stroke, but the best type depends on how long it has been since the event. Trunk exercises help most in the subacute phase, while aerobic training aids chronic recovery. Most evidence is moderate quality, so tailor prescriptions carefully.
• PTOTSystematic Review2026Prescription of Exercise Programs for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Systematic Review.Journal of autism and developmental disordersCombined exercise programs improve cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, and quality of life in people with autism. Most studies were small, short, and had high risk of bias, so these benefits are promising but not firmly proven.
• PTOTSLPRCT2025Positive effects of functional electrical stimulation-assisted cycling on perception of effort, cerebral blood flow, and cognition in post-stroke patients.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationStroke patients reported significantly lower perceived effort during FES-assisted cycling compared to traditional cycling at the same workload. Cerebral blood flow increased similarly in both conditions, and cognitive benefits were inconsistent, with a potential advantage for FES on one attention task.
• PTOTSLPPilot2025Exhalation-synchronous robotic abdominal compression for user-centered respiratory assistance and training in neurological patients.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationA wearable abdominal compression device increased air flow and volume during exhalation in six patients with ALS or spinal cord injury. It replaced mechanical ventilation during therapy sessions, but the small sample and short duration mean efficacy and long-term safety remain unproven.
• PTOTCohort2025Dystrophin isoform deficiency and upper-limb and respiratory function in Duchenne muscular dystrophy.Developmental medicine and child neurologyParticipants with Duchenne muscular dystrophy predicted to lack Dp140 had lower grip strength, pinch strength and respiratory function than participants predicted to retain Dp140. Hand-tapping scores did not differ. This is an association, not proof that one cause explains the difference.
• PTOTQualitative2026Perspectives of early mobility in the cardiac surgery intensive care unit: an interpretive description study.Clinical rehabilitationClinicians in a cardiac surgery ICU described a gap between what they think early mobility means and what they actually do. This mismatch creates uncertainty about safety and timing, leading to inconsistent mobilization practices and rationales for keeping patients in bed.
• PTOTRCT2026Cardiorespiratory fitness in kidney transplant recipients: A pilot randomised controlled trial of structured home-based rehabilitation and a nested case-control analysis.Clinical rehabilitationA 12-week home-based aerobic and resistance programme improved peak oxygen uptake by 1.50 mL/kg/min in kidney transplant recipients compared to guideline care. The trial was a pilot, so these fitness gains require confirmation in larger studies before changing practice.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Respiratory admissions and impact of COVID-19 lockdowns for children with severe cerebral palsy.Developmental medicine and child neurologyLockdowns cut respiratory hospital admissions for children with severe cerebral palsy by nearly half, but admissions surged after restrictions lifted. Viral infections were the main trigger. This suggests community transmission drives these crises more than chronic lung disease alone.
• PTPilot2025Evaluation of a control paradigm allowing heart rate guided rehabilitative exercise for boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitationSix ambulatory boys with DMD actively cycled on a motor-assisted ergometer at a moderate heart-rate zone, producing 5.7 watts on average, with no adverse events. Remote supervision was feasible, but the paper reports feasibility rather than efficacy.
• PTOTSLPSystematic Review2025Prevalence and Incidence of Cardiovascular Disease in Adults With Intellectual Disabilities: A Systematic Review.Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRAdults with intellectual disabilities have very high rates of heart failure and stroke, but the numbers vary wildly across studies. Screening should not rely on medical records alone, as objective tests found far more cases. Treat these rates as a range, not a single number.
• PTOther2025Effect of Menthol on Dyspnea During Exercise in Individuals With COPD.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationMenthol under the chin during cycle ergometer exercise in COPD was associated with lower maximum breathlessness than the first no-menthol session. The study was open-label and the sessions were in a fixed order.
• PTOTCase Report2025A Dual Approach to Rehabilitation of an autoimmune ataxia : A case study involving the Adult-Onset Opsoclonus-Myoclonus-Ataxia Syndrome.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationA middle-aged man with autoimmune ataxia regained independence after intensive inpatient rehab. He moved from needing two-person assistance to walking alone, with balance scores rising from 25 to 53 out of 56. This describes one person's recovery, not proof that the specific therapies caused it.
• PTOTCohort2025Post-COVID Rehabilitation Outcomes: A Comparative Cohort Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationPatients with post-COVID improved their walking distance significantly during multidisciplinary rehabilitation, but their self-rated quality of life remained lower than other groups. This suggests physical gains do not automatically resolve subjective well-being deficits in post-COVID recovery.
• PTOTSLPSurvey2025Otolaryngologic Symptom Severity Post SARS-CoV-2 Infection.Journal of voice : official journal of the Voice FoundationFour hundred and seventy post-COVID patients reported that hospitalization was linked to worse breathing and cough symptoms, which often lingered or worsened over a year. Voice and swallowing problems remained mild and below clinical thresholds, regardless of how sick the patient was.
• PTQualitative2025Perspectives of Individuals With Long COVID on Virtual Physical Rehabilitation: A Qualitative Study.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationPeople with long COVID valued the kinesiologist's direct supervision to pace exercises safely. They found independent sessions harder to sustain without that guidance. Many requested a longer program duration and ongoing support to maintain their routine after the 8 weeks ended.
• PTOTRCT2026Women and men profit equally from cardiac rehabilitation: a secondary analysis of the OPTICARE RCT.Journal of rehabilitation medicineWomen and men gain similar benefits from cardiac rehabilitation for walking distance, activity, and quality of life. Women improved more in depressive symptoms. Men benefited more from extra group counselling for physical activity, while women gained more from counselling for mental health.
• PTOther2026Better sleep is associated with improved mobility in adults: a scoping review.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAcross 107 adult studies, better sleep was usually linked with better mobility, especially walking and changing position. No study found better sleep linked with worse mobility. This is an association, not proof that treating sleep improves mobility.
• PTQualitative2026Physiotherapy practice with mechanically ventilated spinal cord injury patients in the intensive care unit (ICU): A qualitative study of physiotherapists' experiences and perspectives.Clinical rehabilitationOntario ICU physiotherapists said co-treating, nurse and occupational therapist collaboration, and mentorship helped care for ventilated spinal cord injury patients. They named time, equipment, training, and autonomy as barriers.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Swallowing Evaluation in Post-COVID-19 Patients with Oropharyngeal Dysphagia.DysphagiaPost-COVID patients who failed swallowing screening early after discharge had high rates of aspiration and silent aspiration. Those screened weeks later had far fewer abnormalities. Higher EAT-10 scores and respiratory rates predicted aspiration risk.
• PTOTSLPPilot2025Motor Imagery Practice to Improve Respiratory and Cough Function.DysphagiaFive weeks of imagining cough or expiratory exercises improved peak cough flow in healthy adults, but did not change expiratory pressure. High adherence suggests this mental practice is feasible, though evidence of effectiveness is preliminary.
• PTOTSLPCase Report2025Dysphagia and Muscle Weakness Caused by Botulinum Toxin Poisoning after Cosmetic Injection: Three Case Reports and Clinical Warnings.DysphagiaThree patients developed severe swallowing and speech difficulties after cosmetic botulinum toxin injections at non-medical facilities. Symptoms included muscle weakness and choking. All three required hospitalization, antitoxin treatment, and swallowing rehabilitation, with significant recovery achieved.
• PTSLPCohort2025Development of Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia in Young Infants With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Preterm Birth, and Typical Development.Autism research : official journal of the International Society for Autism ResearchInfants born preterm showed lower heart rate variability in the first 6 months, but this difference vanished when age was corrected for prematurity. Infants later diagnosed with autism showed higher variability from 9 to 24 months. These physiological differences were not explained by cognitive or language skills.
• PTRCT2026Effects of diaphragmatic breathing and manual diaphragm relaxation on respiratory muscle strength, chest expansion, pulmonary function, and sitting ability in children with diplegic cerebral palsy: A randomized controlled trial.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineAdding diaphragmatic breathing and manual relaxation to standard physiotherapy significantly improved inspiratory and expiratory muscle strength and lower chest expansion in children with diplegic cerebral palsy. There were no additional benefits for lung function or sitting ability compared to standard therapy alone.
• PTOTSLPCohort2025Occurrence and overlap of physical and mental health conditions in autistic adults.Autism : the international journal of research and practiceAutistic adults reported significantly more mental and physical health conditions than non-autistic adults, with mood disorders affecting 44% of the autistic group. Physical health quality of life was lower. The study found no single bridge condition; instead, multiple connections existed between mental and physical health clusters.