Despite improving survival rates, people with advanced cancer face several physical and psychosocial concerns. Leisure-time physical activity (LPA) has been found to be beneficial after cancer diagnosis, but little is known about the current state of research exploring LPA in advanced cancer. Our objectives were to (a) map the literature examining LPA in people with advanced cancer, (b) report on the terms used to describe the advanced cancer population within the literature, and (c) examine how the concept of LPA is operationalized within the literature.

Our scoping review followed Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework. We performed a search of 11 electronic databases and supplementary sources (February 2018; database search updated January 2020). Two reviewers independently reviewed and selected articles according to the inclusion criteria: English-language journal articles on original primary research studies exploring LPA in adults diagnosed with advanced cancer. Descriptive and thematic analyses were performed.

Ninety-two articles met our criteria. Most included studies were published in the last decade (80%) and used quantitative methods (77%). Many study populations included mixed (40%), breast (21%), or lung (17%) cancers. Stages 3–4 or metastatic disease were frequently indicated to describe study populations (77%). Several studies (68%) described LPA programs or interventions. Of these, 78% involved structured aerobic/resistance exercise, while 16% explored other LPA types.

This review demonstrates a recent surge in research exploring LPA in advanced cancer, particularly studies examining exercise interventions with traditional quantitative methods. There remains insufficient knowledge about patient experiences and perceptions toward LPA. Moreover, little is known about other leisure activities (e.g., Tai Chi, dance, and sports) for this population. To optimize the benefits of LPA in people with advanced cancer, research is needed to address the gaps in the current literature and to develop personalized, evidence-based supportive care strategies in cancer care.

This study aimed to evaluate the benefits of betahistine or vestibular rehabilitation (Tetrax biofeedback) on the quality of life and fall risk in patients with Ménière's disease.

Sixty-six patients with Ménière's disease were randomly divided into three groups: betahistine, Tetrax and control groups. Patients’ Dizziness Handicap Index and Tetrax fall index scores were obtained before and after treatment.

Patients in the betahistine and Tetrax groups showed significant improvements in Dizziness Handicap Index and fall index scores after treatment versus before treatment (p < 0.05). The improvements in the Tetrax group were significantly greater than those in the betahistine group (p < 0.05).

Betahistine and vestibular rehabilitation (Tetrax biofeedback) improve the quality of life and reduce the risk of falling in patients with Ménière's disease. Vestibular rehabilitation (Tetrax biofeedback) is an effective management method for Ménière's disease.

This study aimed to investigate the association between long-term survival and different management of major aortopulmonary collateral arteries in patients with pulmonary atresia, ventricular septal defect, and major aortopulmonary collateral arteries.

From November, 2009 to October, 2018, a total of 98 consecutive patients with pulmonary atresia, ventricular septal defect, major aortopulmonary collateral arteries, and hypoplastic pulmonary arteries treated with modified Blalock–Taussig shunt or right ventricle–pulmonary artery connection were included. Fifty-five patients who received occlusion or ligation of major aortopulmonary collateral arteries during or after palliative procedure were occlusion group, and the other 43 patients were no occlusion group. The early and late outcomes were compared.

The mean duration of follow-up was 30.9 months in no occlusion group and 49.8 months in the occlusion group (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that only no occlusion of major aortopulmonary collateral arteries was predictive of total mortality (Hazard Ratio: 4.42, 95% CI: 1.27 to 15.42, p = 0.02). The Kaplan–Meier survival curves confirmed that patients without occlusion of major aortopulmonary collateral arteries demonstrated worse survival as compared with the occlusion group (p = 0.013). The Kaplan–Meier survival curves of patients who underwent different palliative procedures showed no differences.

For patients with pulmonary atresia, ventricular septal defect and major aortopulmonary collateral arteries when a primary repair is not feasible, those without occlusion of major aortopulmonary collateral arteries have a higher risk of death following an initial palliative procedure compared with patients who underwent occlusion of major aortopulmonary collateral arteries. The occlusion of major aortopulmonary collateral arteries is not associated with a higher rate of complete repair or better improvement of pulmonary artery growth.

As the pathophysiology of Covid-19 emerges, this paper describes dysphagia as a sequela of the disease, including its diagnosis and management, hypothesised causes, symptomatology in relation to viral progression, and concurrent variables such as intubation, tracheostomy and delirium, at a tertiary UK hospital.

During the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic, 208 out of 736 patients (28.9 per cent) admitted to our institution with SARS-CoV-2 were referred for swallow assessment. Of the 208 patients, 102 were admitted to the intensive treatment unit for mechanical ventilation support, of which 82 were tracheostomised. The majority of patients regained near normal swallow function prior to discharge, regardless of intubation duration or tracheostomy status.

Dysphagia is prevalent in patients admitted either to the intensive treatment unit or the ward with Covid-19 related respiratory issues. This paper describes the crucial role of intensive swallow rehabilitation to manage dysphagia associated with this disease, including therapeutic respiratory weaning for those with a tracheostomy.

The intention of this paper is to develop the personal concept of appropriate access. We report on the service access experiences and opportunities of adults with an acquired brain injury after leaving inpatient rehabilitation. The benefits of appropriate access underpin standards in early and long-term recovery, though users’ access needs are highly personal.

The study used a qualitative design involving 16 semi-structured interviews with Australian adults with an acquired brain injury after discharge from inpatient brain rehabilitation. Data were thematically analysed.

Three main themes were derived from the analysis. Theme 1 shows that participants valued being steered to services that providers thought appropriate for them early after discharge from inpatient rehabilitation. Theme 2 highlights the tensions between timing and personal recovery and perceived needs. Theme 3 captures participants’ insights into the challenges of gaining access vis-a-vis what the system offers and the enablers of actualising appropriate access.

The positive experiences of being directed to specialist services early after discharge suggest that continuity of care constitutes appropriateness of access for participants in this study. However, it is also clear that continuity should not displace flexibility in the timing of services, to accord with individuals’ perceived needs. This, in addition to enablement of access opportunities, through funding and transport, are important in maintaining a personalised approach.

To evaluate an abbreviated NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery (NIHTB-CB) protocol that can be administered remotely without any in-person assessments, and explore the agreement between prorated scores from the abbreviated protocol and standard scores from the full protocol.

Participant-level age-corrected NIHTB-CB data were extracted from six studies in individuals with a history of stroke, mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), treatment-resistant psychosis, and healthy controls, with testing administered under standard conditions. Prorated fluid and total cognition scores were estimated using regression equations that excluded the three fluid cognition NIHTB-CB instruments which cannot be administered remotely. Paired t tests and intraclass correlations (ICCs) were used to compare the standard and prorated scores.

Data were available for 245 participants. For fluid cognition, overall prorated scores were higher than standard scores (mean difference = +4.5, SD = 14.3; p < 0.001; ICC = 0.86). For total cognition, overall prorated scores were higher than standard scores (mean difference = +2.7, SD = 8.3; p < 0.001; ICC = 0.88). These differences were significant in the stroke and mTBI groups, but not in the healthy control or psychosis groups.

Prorated scores from an abbreviated NIHTB-CB protocol are not a valid replacement for the scores from the standard protocol. Alternative approaches to administering the full protocol, or corrections to scoring of the abbreviated protocol, require further study and validation.