This study aimed to investigate the changes in physical function, fatigue, and psychiatric symptoms in patients with hematological malignancy undergoing chemotherapy and low-intensity exercise training. Sixty-two hospitalized patients with hematological malignancy undergoing chemotherapy and low-intensity exercise were recruited. At the time of exercise initiation and hospital discharge, grip strength, knee extension muscle strength, maximum walking speed, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status, a measure of functional independence, cancer fatigue pain, and hospital anxiety and depression were evaluated. When longitudinal data were analyzed in each group, changes in grip strength and knee extension muscle strength were unevenly distributed: some patients showed a decrease in knee extension strength. On the other hand, maximum walking speed, the measure of functional independence, and ECOG performance status were maintained or improved in more than 90% of the patients. Results of fatigue, anxiety, and depression tended to show an improvement in female patients, but not in male patients. In conclusion, physical function was maintained in nearly all patients with hematological malignancy undergoing chemotherapy and low-intensity exercise training. Sex differences were found in changes of fatigue, anxiety, and depression.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Left-sided diverticulitis is increasing in Japan, and many studies report that left-sided diverticulitis is more likely to be severe. Therefore, it is important to identify the features and risk factors for left-sided diverticulitis. We hypothesized that left-sided diverticulitis in Japan is related to obesity and conducted a study of the features and risk factors for this disorder in Japan. METHODS: Right-sided diverticulitis and left-sided diverticulitis patients (total of 215) were compared with respect to background, particularly obesity-related factors to identify risk factors for diverticulitis. RESULTS: There were 166 (77.2%) right-sided diverticulitis patients and 49 (22.8%) left-sided diverticulitis patients. The proportions of obese patients (body mass index > or =25 kg/m2, p=0.0349), viscerally obese patients (visceral fat area > or =100 cm2, p=0.0019), patients of mean age (p=0.0003), and elderly patients (age > or =65 years, p=0.0177) were significantly higher in the left-sided-diverticulitis group than in the right-sided-diverticulitis group. The proportion of viscerally obese patients was significantly higher in the left-sided-diverticulitis group than in the left-sided-diverticulosis group (p=0.0390). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that obesity, particularly visceral obesity, was a risk factor for left-sided diverticulitis in Japan.
Aged ; Diverticulitis ; Humans ; Japan ; Obesity ; Obesity, Abdominal ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the amount of physical activity, including daily movement, and the factors related to the amount of physical activity undertaken by patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus at an outpatient clinic.Patients and Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 111 patients, aged 20 years or older, with type 2 diabetes mellitus, who visited a diabetes outpatient clinic. The amount of physical activity was investigated using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Long Version. Influencing factors were divided into individual attributes (age, sex, and employment status), disease-related factors (body mass index, treatment period, medication usage, insulin usage, symptoms of fatigue, and lethargy), and emotion-related factors (depression and optimism). These were tested using stepwise regression analysis.Results: Daily physical activity was 288 metabolic equivalents of task/minute. The sub-scores by the time of day showed “physical activity within the household” and “physical activity during leisure time” as the highest, with 51 metabolic equivalent of tasks/minute. Employment status, medication usage, and depression status were found to have a significant influence and explained 17.9% of the distribution of the entire model.Conclusion: The results suggest that the amount of daily physical activity among non-working patients should increase. Moreover, we highlight the need to provide diabetes education from the early treatment stages and the importance of early detection and care of patients’ psychological needs.