@article{MuellerNordhornMuckelbauerEnglertetal.2014, author = {Mueller-Nordhorn, Jacqueline and Muckelbauer, Rebecca and Englert, Heike and Grittner, Ulrike and Berger, Hendrike and Sonntag, Frank and V{\"o}ller, Heinz and Prugger, Christof and Wegscheider, Karl and Katus, Hugo A. and Willich, Stefan N.}, title = {Longitudinal association between body mass index and health-related quality of life}, series = {PLoS one}, volume = {9}, journal = {PLoS one}, number = {3}, publisher = {PLoS}, address = {San Fransisco}, issn = {1932-6203}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0093071}, pages = {10}, year = {2014}, abstract = {Objective: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is an important outcome in individuals with a high risk for cardiovascular diseases. We investigated the association of HRQoL and body mass index (BMI) as an indicator for obesity. Design: Secondary longitudinal analysis of the ORBITAL study, an intervention study which included high-risk cardiovascular primary care patients with hypercholesterolemia and an indication for statin therapy. Methods: HRQoL was determined with the generic Short Form (SF)-12 health status instrument. Body weight and height were assessed at baseline and at months 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36. We used a linear and a linear mixed-effects regression model to investigate the association between BMI and SF-12 summary scores at baseline as well as between change in BMI and SF-12 summary scores over 3 years. We adjusted for age, sex, smoking status, and in the longitudinal analysis also for the study arm and its interaction term with time. Results: Of the 7640 participants who completed the baseline questionnaire, 6726 participants (mean age: 61 years) were analyzed. The baseline BMI was inversely associated with physical and mental SF-12 summary scores (beta [95\% CI] per 1 kg/ m(2) : -0.36 [-0.41; -0.30] and -0.05 [-0.11; -0.00], respectively). A significant association between the change in BMI and physical SF-12 summary scores over time was only present in women (-0.18 [-0.27; -0.09]) and only in obese participants (-0.19 [-0.29; -0.10]). A change in BMI was directly associated with mental SF-12 summary scores (0.12 [0.06; 0.19]) in the total population. Conclusion: Increases in BMI were associated with decreases in physical HRQoL, particularly in obese individuals and in women. In contrast, the mental HRQoL seemed to increase with increasing BMI over time. Thus, body weight management with respect to the HRQoL should be evaluated differentially by sex and body weight status.}, language = {en} } @article{FloeelWernerGrittneretal.2014, author = {Fl{\"o}el, Agnes and Werner, Cordula and Grittner, Ulrike and Hesse, Stefan and J{\"o}bges, Michael and Knauss, Janet and Seifert, Michael and Steinhagen-Thiessen, Elisabeth and Goevercin, Mehmet and Dohle, Christian and Fischer, Wolfgang and Schlieder, Regina and Nave, Alexander Heinrich and Meisel, Andreas and Ebinger, Martin and Wellwood, Ian}, title = {Physical fitness training in Subacute Stroke (PHYS-STROKE) - study protocol for a randomised controlled trial}, series = {Trials}, volume = {15}, journal = {Trials}, publisher = {BioMed Central}, address = {London}, issn = {1745-6215}, doi = {10.1186/1745-6215-15-45}, pages = {12}, year = {2014}, abstract = {Background: Given the rising number of strokes worldwide, and the large number of individuals left with disabilities after stroke, novel strategies to reduce disability, increase functions in the motor and the cognitive domains, and improve quality of life are of major importance. Physical activity is a promising intervention to address these challenges but, as yet, there is no study demonstrating definite outcomes. Our objective is to assess whether additional treatment in the form of physical fitness-based training for patients early after stroke will provide benefits in terms of functional outcomes, in particular gait speed and the Barthel Index (co-primary outcome measures) reflecting activities of daily living (ADL). We will gather secondary functional outcomes as well as mechanistic parameters in an exploratory approach. Methods/Design: Our phase III randomised controlled trial will recruit 215 adults with moderate to severe limitations of walking and ADL 5 to 45 days after stroke onset. Participants will be stratified for the prognostic variables of "centre", "age", and "stroke severity", and randomly assigned to one of two groups. The interventional group receives physical fitness training delivered as supported or unsupported treadmill training (cardiovascular active aerobic training; five times per week, over 4 weeks; each session 50 minutes; total of 20 additional physical fitness training sessions) in addition to standard rehabilitation treatment. The control intervention consists of relaxation sessions (non-cardiovascular active; five times per week week, over 4 weeks; each session 50 minutes) in addition to standard rehabilitation treatment. Co-primary efficacy endpoints will be gait speed (in m/s, 10 m walk) and the Barthel Index (100 points total) at 3 months post-stroke, compared to baseline measurements. Secondary outcomes include standard measures of quality of life, sleep and mood, cognition, arm function, maximal oxygen uptake, and cardiovascular risk factors including blood pressure, pulse, waist-to-hip ratio, markers of inflammation, immunity and the insulin-glucose pathway, lipid profile, and others. Discussion: The goal of this endpoint-blinded, phase III randomised controlled trial is to provide evidence to guide post-stroke physical fitness-based rehabilitation programmes, and to elucidate the mechanisms underlying this intervention.}, language = {en} }