Publications
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Belgian rheumatologists’ preferences regarding measures of disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis Vrije Universiteit Brussel KU Leuven
The reliability and clinical usefulness of the different composite disease activity scores and their individual components in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) are still debated. This study investigated which measures of disease activity were preferred by rheumatologists. A mixed-method study was performed. First, ten Belgian rheumatologists were invited for individual interviews on their current practice and preferences for measurement of RA disease ...
Physical activity is associated with attenuated disease progression in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Ghent University KU Leuven
Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) progression is variable and affects several disease domains, including decline in lung function, exercise capacity, muscle strength, and health status as well as changes in body composition. We aimed to assess the longitudinal association of physical activity (PA) with these a priori selected components of disease progression. Methods: We studied 114 COPD patients from the PAC-COPD ...
Smartphone-based physical activity telecoaching in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease : mixed-methods study on patient experiences and lessons for implementation Ghent University KU Leuven
Background: Telecoaching approaches can enhance physical activity (PA) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, their effectiveness is likely to be influenced by intervention-specific characteristics. Objective: This study aimed to assess the acceptability, actual usage, and feasibility of a complex PA telecoaching intervention from both patient and coach perspectives and link these to the effectiveness of the ...
Physical fitness matters more than physical activity in controlling cardiovascular disease risk factors KU Leuven
BACKGROUND: Physical activity (PA) and physical fitness (PF) are inversely associated with the clustering of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors (RF) associated with the metabolic syndrome (MS). However, the role of individual components of PA, that is, intensity, duration and volume, and the inter-relationship with PF in the prevention of the MS and its individual components remains elusive. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis. METHODS: The ...
Measuring and enhancing physical activity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease KU Leuven
Physical activity is an important outcome in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), related to poor prognosis. Patients with COPD are less active compared to healthy age-matched controls, even in mild disease, and this inactivity worsens with increased disease severity. Because of this, measuring of and intervening with the physical activity level of patients with COPD has gained more and more interest in research. Even ...
Skin Involvement in Psoriatic Arthritis Worsens Overall Disease Activity, Patient-Reported Outcomes, and Increases Healthcare Resource Utilization: An Observational, Cross-Sectional Study KU Leuven
Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is an inflammatory arthropathy that exhibits heterogeneity in clinical presentation and severity of skin and joint symptoms. This heterogeneity results in an incomplete understanding of the relationship between the skin and joint components of PsA, and their relative impact on PsA disease activity and patient-reported outcomes. The objective of the study was to Investigate the clinical presentation of joint and active ...
Patient-reported Outcomes and Disability Are Associated with Histological Disease Activity in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis: Results from the APOLLO Study KU Leuven
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Treating beyond endoscopic remission, aiming for histological remission, is an emerging target in ulcerative colitis [UC]. Patient-reported outcome measurements [PROMs] become increasingly important, but their association with histology is unclear. METHODS: Multiple PROMs were prospectively collected in UC patients undergoing colonoscopy. Mayo endoscopic sub-score [MES] and ulcerative colitis endoscopic index of severity ...
The relationship between disease activity and depressive symptoms severity and optimism-results from the IMPROVED study University of Antwerp
To assess depressive symptoms severity and dispositional optimism in patients with recent onset arthritis both before and after 4 months treatment. Two hundred twenty-two patients with recent onset RA and undifferentiated arthritis in the IMPROVED study filled out the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) to assess depressive symptoms severity and the Life Orientation Test Revised (LOT-R) to measure optimism before and after 4 months of treatment. ...
Anti-inflammatory effects of physical activity in relationship to improved cognitive status in humans and mouse models of Alzheimer's disease University of Antwerp
Physical activity has been correlated with a reduced incidence of cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease in human populations. Although data from intervention-based randomized trials is scarce, there is some indication that exercise may confer protection against age-related deficits in cognitive function. Data from animal models suggests that exercise, in the form of voluntary wheel running, is associated with reduced amyloid deposition and ...