TOPIC

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 21 OF 21 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTOther2026Impact of respiratory sarcopenia on attention function in community-dwelling older adults: a preliminary cross-sectional study.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn 59 community-dwelling older adults, respiratory sarcopenia was linked to slower sequential number-connecting (TMT-A) but not to the alternating number-and-letter task (TMT-B). Only six participants had respiratory sarcopenia, so this is a preliminary association, not proof of cause.
• PTRCT2026Therapeutic Effects of Capacitive and Resistive Monopolar Radiofrequency on Muscle Stiffness and Local Hemodynamics of the Rectus Femoris: A Randomized Crossover Study of Female University Soccer Players.International journal of sports physical therapyA 448-kHz radiofrequency device reduced rectus femoris stiffness in the stretched position immediately after treatment, more than a hot pack or sham. The effect was gone by 30 minutes. Deep-tissue oxygen levels stayed elevated at 30 minutes only after radiofrequency.
• PTQualitative2026Clinical reasoning in intensive care: Insights from novice and expert physiotherapists.The South African journal of physiotherapyNovices in ICU described constant alarms, unfamiliar ventilators, and fear of end-of-life patients as making it hard to think clearly. Both groups started from patient records and charts, but experts described more automatic pattern recognition. Novices said clinician prompts and repeated exposure helped them reason.
• PTMeta-Analysis2026The addition of motivational interventions to pulmonary rehabilitation does not improve physical and psychosocial outcomes in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review with metanalyses.European journal of physical and rehabilitation medicineAdding motivational tools such as pedometers and behavioral plans to pulmonary rehabilitation did not improve daily steps, sedentary time, anxiety, depression, or quality of life in COPD patients. One combination raised steps slightly, but the authors say this fell short of a clinically meaningful amount.
• PTRCT2025Higher Heart Rates During Locomotor High-Intensity Interval Training Are Associated With Gait Asymmetry and Fatigue After Stroke.Cardiopulmonary physical therapy journalMore asymmetric step length and less fatigue at baseline predicted higher heart rate in the first week of HIIT for 27 people with chronic stroke. No baseline walking measure predicted intensity across 12 weeks. Intensity rose by session 6.
• PTOTPilot2026Use of sensory dynamic orthosis in paediatric neuromuscular scoliosis: A pilot single-group pre-post study.Journal of pediatric rehabilitation medicineThe SDO did not change spinal curvature over six months in 25 non-ambulatory children with neuromuscular scoliosis. It did improve posture while worn, and caregivers reported high satisfaction. No pain or function changes were detected.
• PTOther2026Lung function and ventilatory response during high-intensity treadmill walking in adults with cerebral palsy: a cross-sectional study.Journal of rehabilitation medicineAdults with CP who walk have largely normal resting lung function, yet 40% report breathlessness as their main exercise limiter and 70% show reduced breathing reserve at maximal effort. This is not a pulmonary pathology, and breathing reserve does not predict who feels breathless.
• PTCohort2026Impact of weight loss on cardiovascular function in adolescents and young adults with overweight/ obesity and intellectual and developmental disabilities.Disability and health journalWeight loss of about 6.5% over six months was associated with a small improvement in left ventricular contraction (GLS from −17.3% to −19.6%) in 49 young people with Down syndrome or autism and obesity. Blood pressure, arterial stiffness, and exercise capacity did not change.
• PTOTNarrative Review2026Physiotherapy management of Long-COVID: an evidence-based approach.Brazilian journal of physical therapyPhysiotherapy for Long-COVID should centre on pacing and energy conservation, individualised exercise (not fixed-protocol graded exercise), and screening for post-exertional malaise before any physical testing. Most exercise evidence comes from hospitalised patients, and the condition is too varied for one-size-fits-all protocols.
• PTPilot2026Verticalization with Erigo® in early rehabilitation in patients with severe acquired brain injury: evidence from a pilot study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesRobotic verticalization was safe and well-tolerated in 22 patients with severe brain injury. Consciousness and disability scores improved, spasticity stayed stable, but all were in the 1–4 month window of fastest natural recovery with full concurrent therapy, so gains cannot be credited to the device.
• PTNarrative Review2026Targeting dyspnoea through exercise intensity: insights from pulmonary rehabilitation and beyond, a narrative review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesExercise training at a high enough intensity to challenge the person is the core of pulmonary rehabilitation for breathlessness, and the evidence now supports using it well beyond COPD. In long-COVID, interstitial lung disease, and other conditions. Programme length matters less than intensity.
• PTOther2026Postural stability during low-intensity respiratory loading in pre-COPD and healthy adults: a cross-sectional study.Archives of physiotherapyIn 31 adults, those with pre-COPD had faster postural sway in all breathing conditions and a larger sway increase when breathing against low inspiratory resistance, compared to healthy controls. The authors call this exploratory and not yet clinically meaningful.
• PTNarrative Review2026Neurocognitive and neurophysiological consequences of sleep-disordered breathing in bronchiectasis: the role of respiratory rehabilitation.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAbout half of bronchiectasis patients have undiagnosed sleep apnea that may worsen thinking, mood, and daily function. Treating it with a breathing mask shows some benefit, but the evidence is thin and mostly from cystic fibrosis patients.
• PTOther2026Reliability and Construct Validity of the Six-Minute Step Test in Individuals With Non-Specific Chronic Low Back Pain.Physiotherapy research international : the journal for researchers and clinicians in physical therapyThe six-minute step test reliably measures stepping performance and clearly separates people with chronic low back pain from healthy controls (37 fewer steps). It is a practical stepping test, not a measure of aerobic fitness.
• PTNarrative Review2026Efficacy of reduced exertion high intensity interval training to modify cardiovascular disease-related risk factors-a narrative review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesA review of fewer than 20 small studies suggests 6–12 weeks of brief all-out sprints (REHIT) can significantly raise aerobic fitness and modestly improve blood pressure, but the evidence is too thin to recommend it over standard exercise for preventing heart disease.
• PTOther2026Association between comorbidity burden and subclinical cardiac dysfunction in cancer patients prior to chemotherapy.Hong Kong physiotherapy journal : official publication of the Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association Limited = Wu li chih liaoAmong 110 cancer patients before their first chemotherapy, higher comorbidity scores and lower functional status were weakly but significantly associated with early heart muscle impairment. These routine scores may help prioritise who gets a baseline echo.
• PTOther2026Evaluation of AI-generated exercise prescriptions for diverse cardiac conditions in rehabilitation: a simulation study using the DeepSeek model.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesAn AI model wrote exercise plans for five made-up cardiac patients that two experts rated as safe and guideline-consistent. No real patients were involved and no comparison to clinician-written plans was made. This is a proof-of-concept, not evidence the AI can prescribe exercise.
• PTOTOther2026Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator modulator therapy and lived experiences in South Africa: A mixed-methods study.The South African journal of physiotherapyThirty-seven South Africans on CFTR modulator therapy reported major improvements in breathing, treatment burden, exercise, and attendance. Findings are self-reported and retrospective, so the size of change may be exaggerated, but the direction is consistent across every domain.