Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science

Review articles

Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
Creating home-based pulmonary rehabilitation programs for patients with asthma: insights from practice: Cahidenur Koçak, Massimiliano Polastri, Esra Pehlivan; J Yeungnam Med Sci. 2025;42:57. Published online September 17, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.12701/jyms.2025.42.57

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Abstract PDF: Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) plays a crucial role in the management of asthma symptoms and addresses the physical, psychological, and social consequences of asthma. However, difficulties in accessing hospital-based PR programs could result in underutilization of these services. Alternative models such as home-based PR and telerehabilitation are promising in their potential to mitigate barriers and improve adherence. It is well known that PR has a significant positive impact on both respiratory and physical functions, as well as individual well-being. Indeed, such effects have been confirmed in several studies in which psychological symptoms (i.e., anxiety and depression), physical capacity, and health-related quality of life improved in patients with asthma. Nonetheless, to sustain treatment-related benefits in the long term, PR programs must be tailored to individual needs and planned using a multidisciplinary and holistic approach. Given the high prevalence of asthma in children, home-based PR programs may offer substantial benefits to the pediatric population and warrant further investigation. The present review describes the characteristics of home-based PR and provides evidence on current practices for the management of asthma and the development of a patient-centered therapeutic approach.

Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
Effects of postoperative rehabilitation on functional exercise capacity, dyspnea, and quality of life after pulmonary endarterectomy: a systematic review: Massimiliano Polastri; J Yeungnam Med Sci. 2025;42:32. Published online April 10, 2025; DOI: https://doi.org/10.12701/jyms.2025.42.32

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Abstract PDF: Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) leads to increased vascular resistance and progressive right heart failure resulting from occlusion of proximal pulmonary arteries by fibrotic intravascular material. The elective surgical treatment for CTEPH is pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA), which involves removal of the chronic thromboembolic material from the entire pulmonary arterial tree. This study aimed to verify the effects of acute and subacute postoperative rehabilitation on the functional exercise capacity, dyspnea, and quality of life (QoL) of patients with CTEPH undergoing PEA. This was a systematic review of seven primary databases. At the end of the selection process, five documents were included in the final analysis. Three of these five studies were conducted in Italy, one in Korea, and one in Germany. Of 204 patients, 95 (47%) were male. This systematic review determined that in patients with CTEPH pre-PEA, the 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) ranged between 284.7 m and 371.95 m and that at 6 to 12 weeks post-PEA, after having attended postoperative rehabilitation, the 6MWD was 434.1 m to 483.6 m. The Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire was administered to evaluate QoL 3 and 22 weeks after PEA. At 22 weeks, the SF-36 physical component summary score improved from baseline (42.78±18.37 points) by 19.55±19.42 points (p=0.001), and the SF-36 mental component summary score improved from baseline (55.76±23.94 points) by 6.36±20.44 points (p=0.137).

Physical therapy, Sports Therapy, and Rehabilitation
Postoperative conditions of rehabilitative interest in lung transplantation: a systematic review: Massimiliano Polastri, Esra Pehlivan, Robert M. Reed, Allaina Eden; J Yeungnam Med Sci. 2024;41(4):235-251. Published online August 22, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.12701/jyms.2024.00521

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1 Web of Science
3 Crossref

Abstract PDF

Lung transplantation is an elective treatment option for end-stage respiratory diseases in which all medical therapy options have been exhausted. The current study aimed to identify updated information on the postoperative conditions that may impair rehabilitation after lung transplantation and to provide specific considerations of their clinical relevance during the recovery process. The present study is a systematic review conducted by searching three primary databases: the United States National Library of Medicine PubMed system, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library. The databases were searched for articles published from database inception until May 2024; at the end of the selection process, 27 documents were included in the final analysis. The retrieved material identified 19 conditions of rehabilitative interest that potentially affect the postoperative course: graft dysfunction, dysphagia, postsurgical pain, cognitive impairment, chronic lung allograft dysfunction-bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome, phrenic nerve injury, delayed extracorporeal membrane oxygenation weaning, airway clearance, refractory hypoxemia, mediastinitis, reduced oxidative capacity, sternal dehiscence, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), gastroparesis, ossification of the elbow, Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, airway dehiscence, recurrent pleural effusion, and scapular prolapse. Although some patients are not amenable to rehabilitation techniques, others can significantly improve with rehabilitation.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

The Role of Pulmonary Rehabilitation in Lung Transplantation for Cystic Fibrosis
Esra Pehlivan
OBM Transplantation.2025; 09(01): 1. CrossRef
Early mobilization after lung transplantation: A scoping review protocol
Matthieu Reffienna, Adéla Foudhaïli, Colin Sidre, Damien Vitiello, Jonathan Messika
MethodsX.2025; 14: 103404. CrossRef
Seven-day rehabilitation services in hospital settings: benefits and drawbacks
Massimiliano Polastri, Luciana Scuotto
International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation.2024; 31(12): 1. CrossRef

Communicationses

Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine
Rehabilitative goals for patients undergoing lung retransplantation: Massimiliano Polastri, Robert M. Reed; J Yeungnam Med Sci. 2024;41(2):134-138. Published online April 5, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.12701/jyms.2024.00241

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3 Web of Science
3 Crossref

Abstract PDF

Lung retransplantation (LRT) involves a second or subsequent lung transplant (LT) in a patient whose first transplanted graft has failed. LRT is the only treatment option for irreversible lung allograft failure caused by acute graft failure, chronic lung allograft dysfunction, or postoperative complications of bronchial anastomosis. Prehabilitation (rehabilitation before LT), while patients are on the waiting list, is recognized as an essential component of the therapeutic regimen and should be offered throughout the waiting period from the moment of listing until transplantation. LRT is particularly fraught with challenges, and prehabilitation to reduce frailty is one of the few opportunities to address modifiable risk factors (such as functional and motor impairments) in a patient population in which there is clearly room to improve outcomes. Although rehabilitative outcomes and quality of life in patients receiving or awaiting LT have gained increased interest, there is a paucity of data on rehabilitation in patients undergoing LRT. Frailty is one of the few modifiable risk factors of retransplantation that is potentially preventable. As such, it is imperative that professionals involved in the field of retransplantation conduct research specifically exploring rehabilitative techniques and outcomes of value for patients receiving LRT, because this area remains unexplored.

Citations

Citations to this article as recorded by

Experimental and Clinical Transplantation.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Postoperative conditions of rehabilitative interest in lung transplantation: a systematic review
Massimiliano Polastri, Esra Pehlivan, Robert M. Reed, Allaina Eden
Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science.2024; 41(4): 235. CrossRef
Seven-day rehabilitation services in hospital settings: benefits and drawbacks
Massimiliano Polastri, Luciana Scuotto
International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation.2024; 31(12): 1. CrossRef

Physical therapy, Sports Therapy, and Rehabilitation
Odynophagia in individuals with neck pain: the importance of differential diagnosis in physiotherapy practice: Massimiliano Polastri, Luca Di Marco, Ernesto Andreoli; J Yeungnam Med Sci. 2023;40(Suppl):S129-S133. Published online November 14, 2023; DOI: https://doi.org/10.12701/jyms.2023.00843

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Abstract PDF: Odynophagia refers to painful swallowing caused by various underlying factors that must be excluded to determine the best treatment approach. Neck pain is a debilitating condition requiring treatment in rehabilitative settings. There are several circumstances in which odynophagia and neck pain coexist, such as tendinitis of the longus colli muscle and paravertebral calcification, prevertebral and retropharyngeal abscess, esophageal perforation, aortic dissection, thyroid cartilage fracture, thyrohyoid ligament syndrome, pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema, and after physical exercise. Physiotherapists are professionals most likely to encounter individuals with neck pain and provide interventions such as massage, manual therapy, exercise, and electrotherapy. Therefore, it is important to recognize that neck pain can stem from different clinical conditions that require interventions other than physiotherapy. A differential diagnosis is crucial to ensure appropriate referrals for therapeutic interventions.

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