Browsing by Author "Pimenta, Nuno"
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- Analysing the effects of different types of exercise on dyspnoea and fatigue in adults through COPD - systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised clinical trialsPublication . Couto, Nuno; Cid, Luís; Alves, Susana; Brito, João Paulo; Pimenta, Nuno; Bento, TeresaBackground: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a heterogeneous lung condition, the main symptoms of which are dyspnoea and fatigue. Though exercise has been recommended for subjects with COPD, its benefits remain unclear. The aim of this study was to summarise, through a systematic review and meta-analysis, the available evidence on the effects of aerobic, resistance, stretching, and combined exercise on the main symptoms of COPD. Methods: Search was performed using the electronic databases PubMed and Web of Science. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) with interventions based on aerobic, resistance and/or combined exercise published until July 2022 were identified. The effects were summarised based on standardised mean differences (95% confidence intervals) using random and fixed effect models. Results: Eight studies were selected, including a total of 375 subjects. The results obtained showed that resistance exercise, aerobic exercise and combined exercise seem to improve dyspnoea and fatigue symptoms in COPD subjects. Conclusions: In general, we can conclude that exercise-based interventions appear to improve the main COPD symptoms and may benefit quality of life in this population.
- Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) for the assessment of body composition in oncology: a scoping reviewPublication . Branco, Mariana Garcia; Mateus, Carlota; Capelas, Manuel Luís; Pimenta, Nuno; Santos, Teresa; Mäkitie, Antti; Ganhão-Arranhado, Susana; Trabulo, Carolina; Ravasco, PaulaBioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) is a reliable, non-invasive, objective, and cost-effective body composition assessment method, with high reproducibility. This scoping review aims to evaluate the current scientific and clinical evidence on BIA for body composition assessment in oncology patients, under active treatment. Literature search was conducted through MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus and Web of Science databases, following PRISMA-ScR Guidelines. Inclusion criteria comprised studies reporting the use of BIA for body composition evaluation in adults with cancer diagnosis. Studies including non-cancer pathology or only assessing nutritional status were excluded. This scoping review comprised a total of 36 studies: 25 were original studies including 18 prospective studies, six cross-sectional studies and one retrospective study and 11 were systematic reviews. Population size for the included original articles ranged from 18 to 1217 participants, comprising a total of 3015 patients with cancer with a mean baseline Body Mass Index (BMI) ranging from 20.3 to 30.0 kg/m2 and mean age ranging between 47 and 70 years. Review articles included a total of 273 studies, with a total of 78,350 participants. The current review considered studies reporting patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) (n = 8), breast cancer (BC) (n = 4), esophageal cancer (EC) (n = 2), liver cancer (n = 2), pancreatic cancer (PC) (n = 3), gastric cancer (GC) (n = 3), colorectal cancer (CRC) (n = 8), lung cancer (LC) (n = 1), skin cancer (SK) (n = 1) and multiple cancer types (n = 6). BIA is a suitable and valid method for the assessment of body composition in oncology. BIA-derived measures have shown good potential and relevant clinical value in preoperative risk evaluation, in the reduction of postoperative complications and hospital stay and as an important prognostic indicator in persons with cancer. Future research on the diagnostic value and clinical applications of BIA and BIA-derived phase angle (PhA) should be conducted in order to predict its impact on patient survival and other clinical outcomes.
- Body composition analysis in metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer: depicting sarcopenia in Portuguese tertiary carePublication . Mendes, José Leão; Ferreira, Rita Quaresma; Mata, Inês; Barreira, João Vasco; Rodrigues, Ysel Chiara; Dias, David Silva; Capelas, Manuel; Mäkitie, Antti; Guerreiro, Inês; Pimenta, Nuno; Ravasco, PaulaBackground/Objectives: Sarcopenia is an emergent prognostic biomarker in clinical oncology. Albeit increasingly defined through skeletal muscle index (SMI) thresholding, literature cut-offs fail to discern heterogeneous baseline muscularity across populations. This study assesses the prognostic impact of using cohort-specific SMI thresholds in a Portuguese metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer (mNSCLC) cohort. Methods: Retrospective study including mNSCLC patients treated between January 2017 and December 2022. ImageJ v1.54g was used to assess cross-sectional CT imaging at the third lumbar vertebra (L3) and calculate L3SMI. Sarcopenia was defined both according to Prado et al. and L3SMI thresholds derived from receiver operating characteristic analysis. Overall survival (OS) was the primary endpoint. Secondary endpoints included first-line (1L) progression-free survival (PFS) and sarcopenia subgroup analysis regarding body mass index impact on OS. Results: The initial cohort included 197 patients. Mean age was 65 years (± 11.31). Most tumors were adenocarcinomas (n = 165) and presented with metastasis (n = 154). SMI was evaluable in 184 patients: cohort-specific thresholds (< 49.96 cm2/m2 for men; < 34.02 cm2/m2 for women) yielded 46.74% sarcopenic patients (n = 86) versus 66.30% (n = 122) per the literature definition. Cohort-specific thresholds predicted both OS (12.75 versus 21.13 months, hazard ratio [HR] 1.654, p = 0.002) and PFS (7.92 versus 9.56 months, HR 1.503, p = 0.01). Conversely, Prado et al. definition lacked prognostic value. Among sarcopenic patients, overweight (HR 0.417, p = 0.01) and obesity (HR 2.723, p = 0.039) had contrasting impacts on OS. Conclusions: Amid reclassification of nearly one-fifth of the cohort, cohort-specific thresholds improved sarcopenia prognostication in mNSCLC. Homogeneity regarding both cancer treatment setting and ethnicity could be key to defining sarcopenia based on SMI.
- Identifying and assessing self-management behavioursPublication . Henriques, Helga Rafael; Camolas, José; Pimenta, Nuno; Mendes, AnabelaThis chapter firstly describes target behaviours for chronic diseases, chosen based on their prevalence and potential for self-management: type 2 diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypertension, heart failure, obesity, asthma and ischaemic heart disease. High-level target behaviours (e.g. diet, physical activity, medication adherence, smoking cessation, symptom monitoring and management) are presented for each of these diseases when applicable, accompanied by low-level target behaviours. Next, we address ways of assessing these target behaviours – diet, physical activity, medication adherence and smoking cessation – a necessary first step for understanding these behaviours and identifying needs.
- Promoting physical activity in older adults with type 2 diabetes via an anthropomorphic conversational agent: development of an evidence and theory-based multi-behavior interventionPublication . Pimenta, Nuno; Félix, Isa Brito; Monteiro, Diogo; Marques, Marta Moreira; Guerreiro, Mara PereiraIntroduction: Anthropomorphic conversational agents (ACA) are a promising digital tool to support self-management of type 2 diabetes (T2D), albeit little explored. There is a dearth of literature on the detailed content of these interventions, which may limit effectiveness and replication. Our aim is to describe the development of an evidence and theory-based intervention to improve physical activity in older adults with T2D, subsumed in a multi-behavior intervention via a mobile application with an ACA. Methods: Overall decisions on the multi-behavior intervention design, such as the use of standardized behavior change techniques (BCTTv1), guided the development of the physical activity component. Firstly, recommendations on ambulatory activity were used to select the target behavior (walking). Meta-research on effective behavior change techniques (BCTs) was then identified. One meta-analysis linked effective BCTs with the three basic psychological needs of the self-determination theory (SDT). This meta-analysis, taken together with additional evidence on SDT, led to the selection of this theory to inform the design. BCTs were extracted from meta-research; we selected the most appropriate to be operationalized via the conversational agent through multidisciplinary discussions. Rules governing the dialogue flow and BCTs tailoring, taking the form “if some conditions hold then execute some action,” were derived based on the Basic Psychological in Exercise Scale (competence, autonomy, and relatedness scores), in conjunction with published evidence and multidisciplinary discussions. Results: Thirteen BCTs were implemented in the prototype via the ACA (e.g., goal setting behavior 1.1). Six if-then rules were derived and depicted in the dialogue steps through process flow diagrams, which map how the system functions. An example of a rule is “If competence score ≤ 10 then, apply BCT 1.1 with 500 steps increments as options for the daily walking goal; If competence score > 10 then, apply BCT 1.1 with 1,000 steps increments as options for the daily walking goal.” Conclusion: Evidence and SDT were translated into a mobile application prototype using an ACA to promote physical activity in older adults with T2D. This approach, which includes 13 BCTs and six if-then rules for their tailoring, may leverage the efforts of others in developing similar interventions.
- Supplementary online resources for the development of behaviour change support competenciesPublication . Štiglic, Gregor; Braam, Katja; Carmo, Maria Beatriz; Correia, Luís; Gosak, Lucija; Lorber, Mateja; Pimenta, Nuno; Cláudio, Ana PaulaThe final chapter presents open-access educational products that supplement this book: case studies and a web application to simulate behaviour change support in persons with chronic disease. The former is of particular interest for academic educators, while the latter may interest students independently pursuing training outside the classroom. These products can also be useful for professionals aiming to enhance behaviour change competencies in practice. First, we address key aspects of product development , including hallmarks such as the incorporation of behaviour change science and transnational co-production with users. Then, the main features of case studies and the web application with 2D virtual humans are described.
- The impact of pre-, pro- and synbiotics supplementation in colorectal cancer treatment: a systematic reviewPublication . Moreira, Mariana Melo; Carriço, Marta; Capelas, Manuel Luís; Pimenta, Nuno; Santos, Teresa; Ganhao-Arranhado, Susana; Mäkitie, Antti; Ravasco, PaulaIntroduction: The effectiveness of the supplementation of prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics as a therapeutic approach in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear. The aim of this systematic review is to critically examine the current scientific evidence on the impact of modulating the microbiota, through the use of prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics, in patients diagnosed with CRC undergoing treatment, to determine the potential therapeutic use of this approach. Methods: This systematic review was made according to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Inclusion criteria were randomized controlled trials (RCT) comparing the impact of pre-, pro-, or synbiotic supplementation with placebo or standard care in patients with CRC undergoing treatment. Exclusion criteria were nonhuman studies, non-RCTs, and studies in languages other than English or Portuguese. Six databases were consulted, namely, Cochrane Library, Pubmed, Scopus, Cinahl, MedicLatina and Web of Science until May of 2023. RAYYAN software was used to manage the search results and risk of bias was assessed according to the guidelines of the Cochrane Collaboration using the Rob 2.0 tool. Results: Twenty-four RCTs met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. Administration of pre-, pro-, or synbiotics improved surgical outcomes such as the incidence of infectious and non-infectious postoperative complications, return to normal gut function, hospital length of stay, and antibiotic usage. The supplementation of these microorganisms also alleviated some symptoms from chemotherapy and radiotherapy, mainly diarrhea. Evidence on the best approach in terms of types of strains, dosage and duration of intervention is still scarce. Conclusions: Pre-, pro-, and synbiotics supplementation appears to be a beneficial therapeutic approach in CRC treatment to improve surgical outcomes and to alleviate side-effects such as treatment toxicity. More RCTs with larger sample sizes and less heterogeneity are needed to confirm these potential benefits and to determine the best strains, dosage, and duration of administration in each situation.