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 5 OF 21 · NEWEST FIRST

• PTRNRCT2026The Effect of Peanut Ball Use on the Labour Process and Maternal-Neonatal Outcomes in Parturient Women With High Maternal Body Mass Index: A Randomized Controlled Trial.International journal of nursing practicePeanut ball positioning did not shorten active labour. In high-BMI women without pharmacologic analgesia, upright sitting on a peanut ball lowered end-of-active-phase pain and increased birth satisfaction.
• PTOTRNSurvey2026Patient and Family Perspectives of Pressure Injury Prevention and Management in Acute Care: A Cross-Sectional Survey.Journal of clinical nursingMany patients and caregivers knew pressure injuries exist, but most did not hear about their risk or receive prevention resources during hospital admission. They preferred verbal information and brochures. Not hearing about risk was linked to more self-reported pressure injuries.
• PTOTSLPRNRCT2026Supporting Physical Activity and Quality of Life in Older Adults with Coronary Heart Disease: Development of a Web-Based Nursing Intervention.The Canadian journal of nursing research = Revue canadienne de recherche en sciences infirmieresOlder adults recovering from coronary surgery described fear of triggering symptoms and uncertainty about safe exercise as key barriers to being active. They asked for clear, personalized guidance and regular encouragement from a nurse to build confidence.
• PTRNCase Report2026Case Series: Episodes of Care in an Intensive Care Garden-Does Fresh Air Matter?Nursing in critical careICU patients used a garden space for end-of-life care and rehabilitation. Relatives and staff described it as private, natural and supportive, but the report cannot show fresh air improved outcomes.
• PTOTRNRCT2026A secondary analysis of how changes in pain interference relate to changes in health-related quality of life and physical function in heart failure.Heart & lung : the journal of critical careIn adults with heart failure, worsening pain interference tended to track with worsening physical function and quality of life over time. The links were modest and observational, so they do not prove pain treatment improves either outcome.
• PTRNMeta-Analysis2026Efficacy and Safety of Mechanical Insufflation-Exsufflation in Invasively Ventilated Critically Ill Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Nursing in critical careMechanical insufflation-exsufflation, alone or added to suctioning or physiotherapy, increased sputum clearance in invasively ventilated ICU adults, but did not significantly improve oxygenation, ventilator-free days or ICU stay. Use it as an adjunct for retained secretions, not as a proven way to shorten ventilation.
• PTRNSurvey2026Patients in Every Practice: Health Status and Health Experiences of an International Sample of Adults Born Preterm.Journal of nursing scholarship : an official publication of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of NursingMost participants born preterm reported ongoing health concerns, yet 67% had never been asked about preterm birth. Concerns were similar across gestational ages and birth eras, and respiratory, mental health and neurodevelopmental symptoms were common.
• PTRCT2024Early comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation for hospitalized patients with acute ex-acerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a randomized controlled trial.Journal of rehabilitation medicineWalking distance at discharge was not significantly different between early pulmonary rehabilitation and usual care. The rehabilitation group improved more, 47.5 m vs 23.0 m, and more patients reached the 30 m clinically important gain.
• PTOTSLPCohort2026Rehabilitation needs of long COVID patients in British Columbia.PM & R : the journal of injury, function, and rehabilitationMost people referred to a long COVID clinic needed rehabilitation by clinic criteria, especially for breathing and mental health. Many needed more than one service, so screening should ask about fatigue, breathlessness, mood, and function before choosing a single rehab pathway.
• PTOTOther2026Sex-related differences in the physical, functional, physiological, and emotional profile of adults with chronic vestibular hypofunction: a cross-sectional EXERVEST study.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesIn adults with chronic vestibular hypofunction, women and men differed in body composition, exercise capacity, visual balance, and sleep. They did not differ in depression, anxiety, dizziness handicap, activity, or fall risk. Use same-sex reference values rather than assuming one sex is worse.
• PTOther2026Handgrip strength reference values and dynapenia risk thresholds in an urban adult sample from Lima, Peru.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesIn Lima adults, grip strength was lower than commonly reported in European and North American groups, fell by 2.5 kg per decade, and age and sex reference values can guide local screening.
• PTPilot2026Application of Circadian Rhythm-Based Pulmonary Rehabilitation in Patients with Severe Pneumonia-A Feasibility Study With Convenience Sampling.Archives of rehabilitation research and clinical translationSevere pneumonia ICU patients receiving a bundle of airway care, positioning, breathing, limb, nutrition and psychological support timed to circadian rhythms had shorter ventilation and stay, better lung function, adherence and sleep than usual care. The bundle's components cannot be separated.
• PTOther2026Validation of heart rate measurements from the polar verity sense during the submaximal Ekblom-Bak test in adult individuals with obesity.Journal of rehabilitation medicineIn adults with obesity, arm-worn Polar Verity Sense matched chest strap heart rate during steady-state cycling, giving nearly identical estimated VO2 max. Most participants preferred the arm-worn device, but it was tested only during cycle ergometry.
• PTOTMeta-Analysis2026Effectiveness of Resistance Training in People With Down Syndrome: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARIDIn people with Down syndrome, resistance training improved muscle strength more than control groups. Physical function also showed improvement, but body size, heart and breathing capacity, and work tasks did not show clear changes.
• PTNarrative Review2026Low-cost pulmonary rehabilitation for chronic respiratory diseases: a narrative review.Frontiers in rehabilitation sciencesWhen structured, low-cost pulmonary rehabilitation can improve walking distance and quality of life mainly in COPD. It can use walking, elastic bands, bodyweight exercise and education. Evidence for other lung diseases is limited.
• PTRCT2016Acute effects of Expiratory Positive Airway Pressure (EPAP) on different levels in ventilation and electrical activity of sternocleidomastoid and parasternal muscles in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patients: a randomized controlled trial.Brazilian journal of physical therapyIn stable COPD, a 20 minute EPAP mask at 10 cmH2O increased parasternal muscle activity, lowered SCM activity, and reduced breathing rate and breathlessness. EPAP 15 improved tidal volume more, but parasternal activity rose less.
• PTRCT2016Effectiveness of prophylactic non-invasive ventilation on respiratory function in the postoperative phase of pediatric cardiac surgery: a randomized controlled trial.Brazilian journal of physical therapyProphylactic CPAP after pediatric cardiac surgery did not improve most respiratory function measures or shorten hospital and ICU stay. Peak expiratory flow was higher on postoperative day 1, but the difference did not persist.
• PTCohort2016Implementation of the physical function ICU test tool in a resource constrained intensive care unit to promote early mobilisation of critically ill patients- a feasibility study.Archives of physiotherapyIn a Zimbabwe ICU, mobilisation was feasible with no adverse events, and PFIT-s scores rose from 5.3 to 7.1 in patients completing the test. Sedation delayed start in 13 discharged patients, and cardiovascular instability in 7.
• PTOTOther2016Profile of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease classified as physically active and inactive according to different thresholds of physical activity in daily life.Brazilian journal of physical therapyAcross three daily-activity thresholds, COPD patients called active walked farther, had better body composition and lung function, and reported less daily-life limitation. The number called active changed with threshold, so the label depends on the cut-off.
• PTOther2016Differences in respirogram phase between taekwondo poomsae athletes and nonathletes.Journal of physical therapy scienceYoung male taekwondo poomsae athletes had a different forced breathing curve than nonathletes, with a larger inspiratory area and higher expiratory slopes. The study compares groups and does not test a treatment.
• PTOther2016The effect of feedback respiratory exercise on muscle activity, craniovertebral angle, and neck disability index of the neck flexors of patients with forward head posture.Journal of physical therapy scienceAfter two weeks, feedback breathing exercise and McKenzie exercise changed neck muscle activity, raised the craniovertebral angle and lowered neck disability in people with forward head posture. Feedback breathing changed SCM activity and neck disability more than McKenzie.
• PTOther2016Compression of the lungs by the heart in supine, side-lying, semi-prone positions.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn eight healthy people, the heart compressed the lung least in semi-prone positions and most in right side-lying. The scan measured lung compression only, not breathing outcomes, and no patients were studied.
• PTOTCase Series2016Deviation in the recovery of the lower limb and respiratory muscles of patients with polymyositis: a preliminary clinical study.Journal of physical therapy scienceFive people with polymyositis who received physiotherapy and prednisolone for four weeks showed improved leg strength, breathing muscle pressures, and daily function. Inspiratory muscle pressure improved less than expiratory muscle pressure. Because both treatments were given together, their separate effects cannot be identified.
• PTRCT2016The immediate effects of spinal thoracic manipulation on respiratory functions.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn healthy young adults, thoracic spinal manipulation immediately increased forced vital capacity by 0.2 liters and FEV1 by 0.1 liters; placebo showed no change. The authors called the gains very small.
• PTCase-Control2017Assessment of functional capacity and sleep quality of patients with chronic heart failure.Hong Kong physiotherapy journal : official publication of the Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association Limited = Wu li chih liaoPatients with chronic heart failure had worse sleep quality scores, 8.7 ± 1.6 versus 3.8 ± 1.3, where higher is worse, and walked 242.4 ± 30.1 metres versus 467.1 ± 65.6 metres in controls.
• PTPilot2016Effects of fast expiration exercises without pressure on the respiratory muscle strength of healthy subjects.Journal of physical therapy scienceHealthy young adults who blew fast into a peak flow meter three times a week for four weeks showed significant increases in both expiratory and inspiratory muscle strength compared to controls. The training used no pressure resistance, relying only on speed of expiration.
• PTSLPRCT2016Effects of an upper-limb exercise program for improving muscular strength and range of movement on respiratory function of stroke patients.Journal of physical therapy scienceAdding 30 minutes of upper-limb training to standard physiotherapy for four weeks significantly improved lung capacity, breathing volume, and cough strength in stroke patients compared to standard care alone.
• PTOTSLPCohort2016Quality of life of critically ill patients in a developing country: a prospective longitudinal study.Journal of physical therapy scienceQuality of life improved significantly over six months for ICU survivors in Brazil. Physical scores started lower than mental scores but both rose steadily. Older age was linked to worse physical recovery, while time spent on ventilators or in the ICU did not predict final quality of life.
• PTOther2016The association between the body composition and lifestyle affecting pulmonary function in Japanese workers.Journal of physical therapy scienceMore visceral fat was linked to lower lung function in 97 healthy Japanese male workers. More fat-free mass was linked to better airflow, but lifestyle measures did not remain associated after age and height were considered.
• PTSLPOther2016The correlation of respiratory muscle strength and cough capacity in stroke patients.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn stroke patients receiving general physical therapy, including neurological treatment, cough peak flow gains after inspiratory and expiratory muscle training tracked most closely with expiratory strength gains. Both cough peak flow and respiratory muscle strength increased.
• PTProtocol2016Effects of comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation on functional capacity and cardiovascular risk factors in Brazilians assisted by public health care: protocol for a randomized controlled trial.Brazilian journal of physical therapyNo results are available. This is a protocol for a planned randomized trial comparing comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation with exercise-only rehabilitation or wait-list control in Brazilian public health care.
• PTOther2016An analysis of pulmonary function in different lying positions in the 20's normal adults.Journal of physical therapy scienceMeasured vital capacity was largest lying on the back and smallest lying face down in healthy young adults. Side-lying values were between them. This is a positioning observation, not proof that a treatment improves breathing.
• PTPilot2016The temporal relationship of thresholds between muscle activity and ventilation during bicycle ramp exercise in community dwelling elderly males.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn 11 active elderly men, the vastus lateralis and gastrocnemius muscles showed a change in activity before the ventilatory threshold, while the biceps femoris changed near it. This suggests surface EMG could guide safe cycling intensity without gas analysis.
• PTOTSLPOther2016The effects a respiration rehabilitation program on IADL, satisfaction with leisure, and quality of sleep of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.Journal of physical therapy scienceTwenty patients with COPD completed a 12-week breathing rehabilitation program. Scores for instrumental activities of daily living, leisure satisfaction, and sleep quality all improved after the intervention, though this was a small, uncontrolled study.
• PTCase Report2016Changes of heart rate variability and prefrontal oxygenation during Tai Chi practice versus arm ergometer cycling.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn one experienced Tai Chi practitioner, seated Tai Chi showed a heart-rate pattern associated with more parasympathetic control and a different prefrontal oxygenation pattern than similar arm cycling. This is a single case, not evidence Tai Chi works.
• PTOther2016The relationship between thoracic configuration and changes in volumes of hemithoraces in upright sitting.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn upright sitting, the left upper chest expanded more than the right, and the right lower chest expanded more than the left. This asymmetry was seen during quiet and volitional deep breathing. It was found in sedentary men, not patients.
• PTOTSLPOther2016Respiratory flow and vital signs associated with the intensity of functional electrical stimulation delivered to human abdominal muscles during quiet breathing.Journal of physical therapy scienceStimulating the abdominal muscles of healthy men increased expiratory airflow during quiet breathing. Vital signs remained stable, but pain rose with intensity. The authors suggest 60–80 mA balances airflow and comfort, though this was not tested in patients needing airway clearance.
• PTOther2016Cardiovascular response to bouts of exercise with blood flow restriction.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn 24 amateur athletes, one low-intensity calf exercise with groin blood flow restriction raised heart rate less than the same exercise without restriction. Blood pressure changes were mixed, and ECG measures of heart oxygen supply did not differ.
• PTOther2016Association between respiratory muscle strength and reduction of arterial blood pressure levels after aerobic training in hypertensive subjects.Journal of physical therapy scienceThe increase in respiratory muscle strength after 8 weeks of aerobic training was not linked to the blood pressure reduction, although training lowered systolic and diastolic pressure and improved walking distance.
• PTOther2016Evaluation of research trends in physical therapy through analysis of articles published at the world confederation for physical therapy congress.Journal of physical therapy scienceMusculoskeletal spine, human movement analysis, and care for older people were the most common research topics at the 2015 World Confederation for Physical Therapy congress. Primary health care and technology were the least represented. This maps the field's focus but provides no data on patient outcomes.
• PTCase Report2016Scoliosis in adulthood-a case with untreated early onset scoliosis presenting at the age of 76 years.Journal of physical therapy scienceA 76-year-old man with untreated early-onset scoliosis exceeding 100° maintained an active lifestyle despite severe lung restriction. He reported shortness of breath but no other major health failures, demonstrating that surgery is not universally required for survival in such cases.
• PTOTOther2016Reliability and validity of the sequential weight-shifting test: a new functional approach to the assessment of the sitting balance of older adults.Journal of physical therapy scienceA new seated weight-shifting test gave moderately consistent results when repeated a week later in older adults who needed help walking. It also tracked reach, grip strength, mobility, and breathing measures. It needs force platforms, so it is not a simple clinic test.
• PTRCT2017Effects of diaphragm breathing exercise and feedback breathing exercise on pulmonary function in healthy adults.Journal of physical therapy scienceHealthy adults improved both slow vital capacity and forced vital capacity after either feedback breathing or diaphragm breathing. Forced vital capacity after exercise differed between groups, but the study does not make clear which exercise should be preferred.
• PTOther2017Effects of posture on chest-wall configuration and motion during tidal breathing in normal men.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn 15 healthy men, posture changed rib-cage breathing motion: sitting increased vertical and front-to-back motion, side-lying increased side-to-side motion. Tidal volume did not change, and abdomen moved similarly front-to-back in all postures.
• PTRCT2017Factors Associated With Ambulatory Activity in De Novo Parkinson Disease.Journal of neurologic physical therapy : JNPTPeople with early Parkinson disease who were not on dopaminergic medication and were not regular exercisers averaged 5,362 ± 2,890 steps/day. Higher step count was associated with higher fitness, no fear of falling, lower motor signs, recent diagnosis, and having a cardiovascular condition.
• PTCohort2017Effectiveness of new sedation and rehabilitation methods for critically ill patients receiving mechanical ventilation.Journal of physical therapy scienceAfter adding sedation vacation, propofol with dexmedetomidine, default wheelchair orders, nurse-therapist collaboration, and seven-day rehab, ventilated patients got out of bed, stood, and walked sooner and had shorter emergency ward stays.
• PTOTSLPOther2017Comparison of differences in respiratory function and pressure as a predominant abnormal movement of children with cerebral palsy.Journal of physical therapy scienceChildren with ataxic cerebral palsy had the lowest lung capacity and inspiratory strength, while those with spastic type had the highest. Dyskinetic type fell in between. Assessing respiratory function is necessary because these differences depend on the specific movement disorder.
• PTPilot2017Reliability of lower extremity muscle strength measurements with handheld dynamometry in stroke patients during the acute phase: a pilot reliability study.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn 15 acute stroke ICU patients, a handheld dynamometer gave consistent lower-limb strength readings in bed, with two therapists and across days. It may help physical therapists record hip, knee and ankle strength in pounds, but not yet proven against sitting tests.
• PTOTCohort2016Active Lifestyle Is Associated With Reduced Dyspnea and Greater Life Satisfaction in Spinal Cord Injury.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitationPlanned exercise was associated with less reported breathlessness in people with spinal cord injury. More time away from home and organized sports were linked with greater life satisfaction, but planned exercise alone was not.
• PTPilot2017Effect of inspiratory muscle training on respiratory capacity and walking ability with subacute stroke patients: a randomized controlled pilot trial.Journal of physical therapy scienceIn subacute stroke inpatient rehab, with usual physical and occupational therapy, both inspiratory muscle training and cycle exercise improved breathing and walking measures. The inspiratory training group had greater gains in breathing capacity, one-second breathing volume and six-minute walk, not oxygen saturation or 10-meter speed.