Vol 7, No 1 (2025)

BACKGROUND: Implementation of new approaches to enhance the effectiveness of poststroke rehabilitation remains a pressing challenge. Promising experimental data on the neuroprotective effects of hypothermia and the beneficial outcomes of craniocerebral hypothermia in the acute phase of ischemic stroke formed the basis for this study.

AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of craniocerebral hypothermia as part of a rehabilitation program at the early recovery phase of ischemic stroke.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This single-center prospective pilot study included 95 patients (70 in the intervention group and 25 in the control group) who were at the early recovery phase of moderate ischemic stroke (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale [NIHSS] score 5–15) with an activity limitation of 3–4 on the modified Rankin Scale. Both groups received standard rehabilitation therapy, while patients in the intervention group additionally underwent daily 90-minute craniocerebral hypothermia sessions for 10 days. Intracranial temperature in the frontal region was measured before and after treatment in both groups using noninvasive radiothermometry. Clinical effectiveness of the craniocerebral hypothermia was assessed using functional and cognitive scales.

RESULTS: Scale-based assessment revealed significant improvements in functional independence, mobility, and self-care ability.

CONCLUSION: Craniocerebral hypothermia may be recommended as part of an early rehabilitation program after ischemic stroke to improve treatment outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Stroke is the leading cause of primary disability, necessitating the search for new approaches to evaluating restorative treatment in patients with acute cerebrovascular events. Such approaches would facilitate the more effective implementation of medical rehabilitation measures. Studying of the dynamics of cardiovascular system dysfunction during ischemic stroke, determination of the potential for optimizing restorative treatment, and improvement of rehabilitation measures will enhance the clinical and social prognosis for patients, improve their quality of life, and reduce the incidence of complications and mortality.

AIM: To evaluate the functional state of the cardiovascular system and its adaptive potential at the second stage of rehabilitation in patients after ischemic stroke.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-six patients aged 41 to 82 years underwent the second stage of rehabilitation after ischemic stroke, with an assessment of the functional state of the cardiovascular system. Holter electrocardiogram and blood pressure monitoring was performed on the first and tenth days of rehabilitation treatment. The analysis included blood pressure and heart rate. The changes in cardiovascular system function and adaptive potential were assessed using cardiovascular system function indices.

RESULTS: An integral assessment of the functional state of the cardiovascular system demonstrated mobilization of the body’s adaptive capabilities during rehabilitation. A gradual decrease in systolic and diastolic blood pressure was noted, along with improvements in pulse pressure parameters, the functional change index, adaptive potential, Kerdo’s vegetative index, Robinson’s index, and endurance coefficient. A positive trend in cardiovascular system function was observed in 83.3% of cases (n=66). Women demonstrated better progress in circulatory system performance compared with men.

CONCLUSION: During post-stroke rehabilitation, the use of integral indices to assess the functional state of the cardiovascular system is relevant and pathogenetically justified. A distinct positive trend in functional values and an increase in the adaptive potential of the cardiovascular system were observed, confirming the effectiveness of the rehabilitation measures taken. The proposed assessment methods may be useful for monitoring the effectiveness of rehabilitation in patients after ischemic stroke.

Breast cancer treatment often involves drugs with significant cardiotoxicity. One of the novel approaches to preventing and managing heart failure and reduced exercise tolerance in patients with breast cancer is cardio-oncology rehabilitation. A submaximal exercise test allows for the assessment of physical load tolerance and the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs.

The aim of this review was to evaluate the feasibility of using the six-minute walk test for prescribing and assessing the effectiveness of cardiac training programs in patients with breast cancer through the analysis of randomized clinical trials.

The six-minute walk test has demonstrated reliability and validity when performed in oncology patients, although its results may be influenced by numerous factors.

The maximum heart rate obtained during the six-minute walk test can be used to determine training intensity, and the test results can assess the effectiveness of rehabilitation programs. Changes in health status can be monitored using treadmill testing, while wearable medical devices enable the use of the six-minute walk test in remote rehabilitation. Actual testing is necessary to determine exercise tolerance: the six-minute walk test can be utilized for dynamic monitoring of patients’ health both in conventional settings and on a treadmill.

Intensified training is a widely accepted approach to improving athletic performance. To achieve consistently high performance, athletes require a balance between training and recovery. Without adequate recovery and muscle rest, an athlete may progress from optimal training to overreaching and, ultimately, to overtraining syndrome, which negatively affects physical health and performance.

The issue of overtraining syndrome remains an underexplored area in sports medicine. Monitoring of pre-competition training is crucial for adjusting training programs. Various physiological and biochemical markers are commonly used to assess athletic conditioning. Changes in these markers help coaches and athletes understand physical status and training effects as they reflect muscle condition, endurance, fatigue, and inflammation response in tissues. However, the sensitivity of individual biomarkers in detecting overtraining is limited, and reference ranges for different training levels are not clearly defined. Systematic assessment of pre-competition preparation and diagnosis of overtraining syndrome remain challenging as the factors, signs/symptoms, and mechanisms of maladaptation are individualized, sport-specific, and understudied. Thus, identification of biomarkers that could aid in monitoring athletic conditioning and preventing and diagnosing overtraining syndrome is a critical research objective.