Politécnico de Leiria

The goal of this randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the efficacy of a physical activity coaching intervention - delivered through an eHealth platform both during and after pulmonary rehabilitation - to enhance physical activity levels and health-related outcomes in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). All participants will attend the pulmonary rehabilitation program for 2 months; the experimental group will receive a physical activity coaching intervention at the end of the 1st month of the rehabilitation program, which will continue for 6 months following the completion of the program. Assessments will be conducted at the beginning, midway, and at the end of the coaching program, as well as 3 months and 6 months after its conclusion.

The goal of this randomized clinical trial] is to study the effect of a combined aquatic and land-based exercise program compared to an aquatic program on pain, functional disability, and quality of life in adults with chronic low back pain. The main question it aims to answer is: "Does a combined aquatic and land-based exercise program improve functional disability and quality of life and reduce pain in adults with chronic low back pain?".
Participants will perform an aquatic exercise program (control group) or a combined aquatic and land-based exercise program (experimental group).
Researchers will compare groups to find any differences in pain, funcional disability and quality of life.

The hypothesis to be tested by this study is that an intervention promoting adherence to the MedDiet can decrease symptoms of depression in patients with elevated inflammation biomarkers, namely C-reactive protein (CRP) and Interleukin 6 (IL-6) diagnosed with Major Depression Disorder (MDD), under treatment with antidepressant medication for a period of time less than or equal to 6 months.
The main aim of this study is to understand if promoting the adherence to the MedDiet, as an adjuvant strategy in the treatment of MDD, is effective in decreasing symptoms of depression in MDD patients, with elevated levels of inflammation biomarkers.
Other specific objectives of the study are
1. To assess the association between adherence to MedDiet and changes in inflammatory biomarkers;
2. To assess the association between changes in inflammatory biomarkers with symptoms of MDD;
3. To evaluate the association between adherence to MedDiet and effectiveness of psychiatric treatment of MDD;
4. To characterize the association between adherence to MedDiet and changes in health-related quality of life
5. To evaluate the economic cost-effectiveness of dietary counselling, as an adjuvant treatment in MDD.
The study will have a duration of 12 weeks, with a randomized parallel-group open controlled trial design, with two parallel groups with an allocation ratio of 1:1 - (a) intervention arm with six nutritional consultations with a registered nutritionist, promoting adherence to MedDiet, in addition to MDD Treatment-As-Usual (TAU) and (b) control group arm benefitting only from MDD TAU. A follow up assessment will be performed at 6- and 12-months.
Having into consideration an attrition of 40 percentage at the end of the intervention, the minimum sample size estimated is 190 (95 per arm).
The main outcome of the trial, changes in symptoms of depression, will be evaluated using the Beck Depression Inventory Second Edition (BDI-II).