Purpose:  This systematic review aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the validity and reliability of existing measurement instruments for quantifying head and neck lymphedema.  Methods:  Four databases were searched on January 31st, 2022. The COnsensus-based Standards for selecting health Measurement …

Introduction: Besides dyspnoea and cough, patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) or sarcoidosis may experience distressing non-respiratory symptoms, such as fatigue or muscle weakness. However, whether and to what extent symptom burden differs between patients with IPF or sarcoidosis and individuals …

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune disease which is characterized by vasculopathy, tissue fibrosis and activation of the innate and adaptive immune system. Clinical features of the disease consists of skin thickening and internal organ involvement. Due to the heterogeneous nature of the disease …

Background Transition clinics (TCs) are advocated as best practice to support young people with cystic fibrosis (CF) during transition to adulthood and adult care. We aimed to research the functioning of a TC for young people with CF compared with direct hand‐over care and to evaluate whether those treated …

Background: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a nosocomial pathogen that causes severe infections in immunocompromised patients. Biofilm plays a significant role in the resistance of this bacterium and complicates the treatment of its infections. In this study, the effect of lyticase and β-glucosidase enzymes …

Introduction: Cystic fibrosis is a life-limiting, inherited multi-organ disorder affecting Caucasians in the world today. The respiratory system is most often involved, which results in a limited life-span and decreased quality of life. Exercise is an important part of the therapy for cystic fibrosis; …

Objectives Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains, colonize the respiratory tract of cyctic fibrosis patients. These strains are phenotypically difficult to discriminate, but differ greatly in their pathogenic potential and species identification is relevant. Here, three …

BACKGROUND: Chest physiotherapy is widely used in people with cystic fibrosis in order to clear mucus from the airways. OBJECTIVES: To determine the effectiveness and acceptability of chest physiotherapy compared to no treatment or spontaneous cough alone to improve mucus clearance in cystic fibrosis. …

Thirty years ago, in the summer of 1982, I was introduced to pediatric nursing during my internship in the Sophia Children’s Hospital, Academic Hospital Rotterdam (now Erasmus MC). One of my unforgettable patients was Dirk, a 24-year-old man with cystic fibrosis (CF), who spent his time in hospital in …

The six-minute walk test (6MWT) is a self-paced, submaximal exercise test used to assess functional exercise capacity in patients with chronic diseases (Chang 2006, Solway et al 2001). It has been used widely in adults, and is being utilised increasingly in paediatric populations; it has been used as …