Dr. Rozenberg’s research aims to understand the impact of physical fitness and skeletal muscle function on daily physical function, quality of life, frailty, health care use, and survival before and after lung transplantation. Dr. Rozenberg is applying novel imaging techniques and non-invasive measures to quantify muscle mass, strength and physical function to gain a greater understanding of the functional impairments experienced by patients and their response to rehabilitation. He is collaborating with colleagues to evaluate several modalities of rehabilitation including inspiratory muscle training, telerehabilitation strategies, and implementation of educational resources. Dr. Rozenberg is looking to translate his clinical expertise and passion for exercise training to improve health outcomes in individuals with chronic lung disease and solid organ transplantation.
How Frailty Can Impact Lung Disease
Study Status: completed
Institute: Toronto General Hospital Research Institute
Study Purpose: The study focused on assessing frailty and aimed to compare the clinical characteristics of frail and non-frail patients before and 1-year after hospitalization.
Background: Interstitial lung diseases (ILD) are a group of lung disorders that cause progressive scarring and declining lung function. Every year, 3% to 14% of patients with ILD suffer acute exacerbations—flare-ups (AE-ILD), which are associated with increased symptoms, decreased function, and lower survival. Identifying risk factors for predicting outcomes, allocating resources, assessing eligibility for lung transplant surgery, and optimizing recovery is crucial.
Study Methods: A chart review was conducted on patients who experienced an AE-ILD between January 2015 and October 2019.
Key Findings: Patients who were frail were typically older, had a higher number of additional health conditions such as diabetes or cardiac disease, showed reduced physical function prior to hospital admission, and demonstrated greater need for supports. Frail patients also experienced more medical complications (32% of frail patients compared to 10% of non-frail patients) and needed more support from various medical professionals during their hospital stay. Â Frailty was not associated with 1-year survival when accounting for lung transplantation.
This study highlights the importance of identifying frailty in ILD patients, as it can assist health care providers in understanding prognosis, allocating resources more effectively, and tailoring care plans to address individuals' specific needs.
Health Conditions:
Lungs & Breathing conditions, Lung Transplant
Importance of Breathlessness on Cognitive and Physical Function in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Study Status: active
Institute: Toronto General Hospital Research Institute
Health Conditions:
Lungs & Breathing conditions, Lung Transplant
External Links:
Inspiratory Muscle Training in Lung Transplantation
Study Status: active
Institute: Toronto General Hospital Research Institute
Health Conditions:
Lungs & Breathing conditions, Lung Transplant
External Links:
Dr. Dmitry Rozenberg is a Respirologist at University Health Network and is affiliated with the Ajmera Multi-Organ Transplant Program. He is an Associate Professor in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. He began his studies in Kinesiology and Health Science at York University, which sparked his passion for physical fitness and exercise training. He received his PhD through the Institute of Medical Science at the University of Toronto, focusing on skeletal muscle dysfunction in lung transplantation supported by the Eliot Phillipson Clinician-Scientist Training Program and CIHR Vanier Scholarship. He held the Sandra Faire and Ivan Fecan Professorship in Rehabilitation Medicine (UHN/University of Toronto, 2019-2024). He currently holds the National Sanitarium Association Chair in Respiratory Rehabilitation Research at West Park Healthcare Centre (University Health Network).
- Division of Respirology and Ajmera Multi-Organ Transplant Program, University Health Network
- Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, University of Toronto
- Associate Member, Institute of Medical Science, University of Toronto