Research ArticleResearchPatient Education

Tai chi and resistance-stretching improved different motor outcomes in Parkinson disease trial

Behavioural Brain Research (PubMed)Jul 26, 2026

AI-summarized from the linked source. Educational brief, not medical advice.

Brief summary

A three-arm randomized trial in people with stage 2–3 Parkinson disease found that 14 weeks of tai chi or combined resistance-stretching exercise improved motor symptoms, physical function, and quality of life, with different strengths across the exercise approaches.

What NurseJet pulled from the source

Both exercise groups improved total motor scores. Tai chi particularly supported muscular endurance, motor control, and balance, while combined resistance-stretching produced larger improvements in muscular strength and functional fitness. Freezing-of-gait scores did not differ significantly between the two exercise groups.

Why this matters for nurses

Neuroscience nurses assess mobility, falls, function, medication timing, and participation in rehabilitation. The study supports exercise as a complementary part of the care plan while showing that different formats may target different functional priorities.

Bedside takeaway

Tai chi and resistance-stretching both improved Parkinson motor outcomes, with different benefits for balance, endurance, and strength.

How This Applies in Practice

Use this when: Supporting a person with stage 2–3 Parkinson disease during an ordered exercise or rehabilitation plan.

On your shift

Confirm the exercise plan, supervision level, assistive equipment, medication timing, and fall precautions with the care team.
Monitor gait, balance, strength, endurance, symptoms, and tolerance during participation and recovery.
Document functional changes and escalate falls, near falls, worsening symptoms, or unsafe participation to neurology and rehabilitation clinicians.

Keep in mind: The trial does not determine the safest or most effective program for an individual patient. Follow the rehabilitation protocol, facility policy, and patient-specific provider orders.

Key takeaways

The trial compared tai chi, combined resistance-stretching exercise, and a third arm over 14 weeks in stage 2–3 Parkinson disease.
Both exercise groups showed statistically significant, potentially clinically meaningful improvement in total motor scores.
Tai chi favored endurance, motor control, and balance; resistance-stretching favored strength and functional fitness.
The two exercise groups did not differ significantly on freezing-of-gait scores.

Practice implications

Reinforce the prescribed exercise or rehabilitation plan, assess fall risk and tolerance, and document changes in gait, balance, strength, endurance, and daily function. Coordinate concerning symptoms or unsafe participation with the rehabilitation and neurology teams.

Limitations & cautions

The abstract does not report group sizes, the third arm's details, adverse events, adherence, or outcomes beyond the 14-week intervention. The findings apply to the studied stage 2–3 population and do not identify one best exercise plan for an individual patient.
AI-summarized from the linked source. Review the original article before applying to practice.

Citations

Exact source links

Open source

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Behavioural Brain Research (PubMed)

Behavioural Brain Research (PubMed). Effects of Tai Chi on core motor symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease: A three-armed randomized controlled trial.

Open original source

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42082156/

Professional education only

This summary does not replace clinical judgment, facility policy, provider orders, or official guidelines. Verify practice changes against the original source and local protocol.

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A double-blind randomized trial found no reduction in vomiting or faster oral tolerance with intravenous pantoprazole versus placebo in children with acute gastroenteritis and persistent vomiting after ondansetron.

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The trial randomized 100 children. Vomiting episodes and oral tolerance at 6 and 12 hours did not differ significantly, while median hospital stay was 2 days with pantoprazole and 1 day with placebo.

Key takeaways

The median participant age was 14 months, and 67% of participants were male.
Oral tolerance at 12 hours was 86% in both groups.
The longer stay associated with pantoprazole requires cautious interpretation because this was a single-center trial.

Why this matters on shift

The trial does not support empiric intravenous proton-pump inhibition for persistent vomiting in pediatric acute gastroenteritis after ondansetron.

Bedside takeaway

Clarify the indication for empiric acid suppression and keep hydration and oral-tolerance assessment central to care.

Nursing implications

Prioritize the ordered hydration and oral-tolerance plan, document ongoing emesis, and clarify the indication before administering empiric acid suppression.

Limitations & cautions

Abstract-only summary. This was a single-center study of 100 children in Tehran, and the abstract does not describe adverse events or explain why hospitalization was longer in the pantoprazole group.
AI-summarized from the linked source. Review the original article before applying to practice.

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Pediatric emergency care (PubMed). Effect of Intravenous Pantoprazole on Clinical Outcomes in Pediatric Acute Gastroenteritis: A Placebo-Controlled RCT.

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AI-summarized from the linked source. Review the original article before applying to practice.

Journal of neurosurgical anesthesiology (PubMed)Sep 4, 2026Research Article

A five-center randomized trial found similar rescue-opioid use and moderate-to-severe PACU pain with dexmedetomidine-based opioid-sparing analgesia and fentanyl-based analgesia during elective craniotomy for brain tumors.

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The trial randomized 500 adults. Moderate-to-severe PACU pain occurred in 145 of 242 assessed participants in the fentanyl group and 138 of 233 in the dexmedetomidine group, with no significant difference.

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Intraoperative rescue fentanyl use did not differ significantly between groups.
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Other in-hospital outcomes were similar between the two regimens.

Why this matters on shift

An opioid-sparing label did not translate into better early pain control in this trial, and the differing hypotension and shivering profiles remain relevant during perioperative handoff and recovery monitoring.

Bedside takeaway

Monitor pain, hemodynamics, sedation, and shivering in relation to the analgesic regimen and local protocol.

Nursing implications

During PACU and postoperative handoff, monitor pain, hemodynamics, sedation, and shivering according to the administered regimen and local protocol.

Limitations & cautions

Abstract-only summary. The trial involved elective tumor craniotomy at five Indian centers, both groups also received locoregional analgesia, and the abstract does not provide longer-term outcome results in detail.
AI-summarized from the linked source. Review the original article before applying to practice.

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Journal of neurosurgical anesthesiology (PubMed). Opioid-Sparing Versus Opioid-Based Analgesia for Craniotomy: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial.

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A multicountry emergency-department analysis found that older patients' presenting complaints did not by themselves reflect underlying severity or disposition risk.

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The analysis included 2,794 adults aged 65 or older with one non-traumatic chief complaint across 36 emergency departments in nine European countries. Shortness of breath was associated with threefold admission odds and 2.2-fold in-hospital mortality odds.

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Shortness of breath, abdominal pain, chest pain, weakness or fatigue, and extremity symptoms accounted for 59% of presentations.
Age 85 or older, geriatric risk factors, polypharmacy, and shortness of breath were associated with admission.
The authors called for structured evaluation, staff training, and geriatric-specific care pathways.

Why this matters on shift

A seemingly routine complaint can coexist with frailty, polypharmacy, cognitive impairment, or other risks that change emergency assessment and disposition planning.

Bedside takeaway

Pair the presenting complaint with structured geriatric, medication, cognitive, functional, and physiologic assessment.

Nursing implications

Pair the chief complaint with structured geriatric, medication, cognitive, functional, and physiologic assessment using local emergency protocols.

Limitations & cautions

Abstract-only summary. This was a secondary observational analysis of seven-day samples collected during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic; associations do not prove causation and may not generalize to all emergency settings.
AI-summarized from the linked source. Review the original article before applying to practice.

Citations · exact source links

BMC geriatrics (PubMed). Non-traumatic chief complaints in older patients in European emergency departments and associated outcomes during the Covid-19 pandemic - a secondary analysis of the cross sectional EGERS study.

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AI-summarized from the linked source. Review the original article before applying to practice.

How This Applies in Practice

Key takeaways

Practice implications

Limitations & cautions

Exact source links

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