Success With an Inpatient Geriatric Unit: A Controlled Study of Outcome and Follow-up

1983 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 149-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
EVA LEFTON ◽  
SANDRA BONSTELLE ◽  
J. DERMOT FRENGLEY
Keyword(s):  
Controlled Study ◽  
Geriatric Unit

Brain FDG PET for the Etiological Diagnosis of Clinically Uncertain Cognitive Impairment During Delirium in Remission

2020 ◽  
Vol 77 (4) ◽  
pp. 1609-1622
Author(s):  
Franziska Mathies ◽  
Catharina Lange ◽  
Anja Mäurer ◽  
Ivayla Apostolova ◽  
Susanne Klutmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Fdg Pet ◽  
False Negative ◽  
Ground Truth ◽  
Etiological Diagnosis ◽  
Geriatric Unit ◽  
Positron Emission ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Hospitalized Geriatric Patients

Background: Positron emission tomography (PET) of the brain with 2-[F-18]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) is widely used for the etiological diagnosis of clinically uncertain cognitive impairment (CUCI). Acute full-blown delirium can cause reversible alterations of FDG uptake that mimic neurodegenerative disease. Objective: This study tested whether delirium in remission affects the performance of FDG PET for differentiation between neurodegenerative and non-neurodegenerative etiology of CUCI. Methods: The study included 88 patients (82.0±5.7 y) with newly detected CUCI during hospitalization in a geriatric unit. Twenty-seven (31%) of the patients were diagnosed with delirium during their current hospital stay, which, however, at time of enrollment was in remission so that delirium was not considered the primary cause of the CUCI. Cases were categorized as neurodegenerative or non-neurodegenerative etiology based on visual inspection of FDG PET. The diagnosis at clinical follow-up after ≥12 months served as ground truth to evaluate the diagnostic performance of FDG PET. Results: FDG PET was categorized as neurodegenerative in 51 (58%) of the patients. Follow-up after 16±3 months was obtained in 68 (77%) of the patients. The clinical follow-up diagnosis confirmed the FDG PET-based categorization in 60 patients (88%, 4 false negative and 4 false positive cases with respect to detection of neurodegeneration). The fraction of correct PET-based categorization did not differ between patients with delirium in remission and patients without delirium (86% versus 89%, p = 0.666). Conclusion: Brain FDG PET is useful for the etiological diagnosis of CUCI in hospitalized geriatric patients, as well as in patients with delirium in remission.

Topical Bimatoprost Insert for Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma and Ocular Hypertension Treatment - A Phase II Controlled Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francine Rubião ◽  
Alan Cezar Faria Araújo ◽  
João Bernardo Sancio ◽  
Bárbara Silva Nogueira ◽  
Juçara Ribeiro Franca ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ocular Hypertension ◽  
Primary Open Angle Glaucoma ◽  
Open Angle Glaucoma ◽  
T Test ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Therapeutic Drug ◽  
Eye Drops ◽  
Open Angle ◽  
Drug Concentrations

Background: The most common treatment for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is the daily use of eye drops. Sustained-release drug delivery systems have been developed to improve patient adherence by achieving prolonged therapeutic drug concentrations in ocular target tissues while limiting systemic exposure. The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy and safety of bimatoprost inserts with bimatoprost eye drops in patients with POAG and ocular hypertension (OH). Methods: We include OH and POAG patients aged between 40 and 75 years-old. Both OH and POAG patients had intraocular pressure (IOP) greater than 21 and ≤30 mmHg at 9:00 am without glaucoma medication and normal biomicroscopy. Five normal patients with IOP≤14 mmHg constitute the control group. A chitosan-based insert of bimatoprost was placed at the upper conjunctival fornix of the right eye. In the left eye, patients used one drop of LumiganTM daily at 10:00 pm. For statistical analysis, we used a two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Student t-test, and paired t-test. Results: Sixteen POAG and 13 OH patients with a mean age of 61 years were assessed. In both eyes, IOP reduction was similar during three weeks of follow-up (19.5±2.2 mmHg and 16.9±3.1 mmHg), insert, and eye drop, respectively; P=0.165). The percentage of IOP reduction in the third week was 30% for insert and 35% for eye drops (P=0.165). No intolerance or discomfort with the insert was reported. Among the research participants, 58% preferred the use of the insert while 25% preferred eye drops, and 17% reported no preference. Conclusions: Bimatoprost-loaded inserts showed similar efficacy to daily bimatoprost eye drops during three weeks of follow up, without major side effects. This might suggest a possible change in the daily therapeutic regimen for the treatment of POAG and OH.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of Abdominal and Gluteus Medius Training in Lumbo-Pelvic Stability and Adductor Strength in Female Soccer Players. A Randomized Controlled Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 1528
Author(s):  
Héctor Guerrero-Tapia ◽  
Rodrigo Martín-Baeza ◽  
Rubén Cuesta-Barriuso
Keyword(s):  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Gluteus Medius ◽  
Soccer Players ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Extrinsic Factors ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Limb Injuries ◽  
Experimental Group

Background. Abdominal and lumbo-pelvic stability alterations may be the origin of lower limb injuries, such as adductor pathology in soccer players. Imbalance can be caused by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Methods: In this randomized controlled trial over 8 weeks, 25 female footballers were randomly allocated to an experimental group (isometric abdominal training and gluteus medius-specific training) or a control group (isometric abdominal training). Evaluations were performed at baseline, at the end of the intervention and after a 4-week follow-up period. The exercise protocol in common for both groups included three exercises: Plank, Lateral plank and Bird dog. Specific exercises for the gluteus medius were: Pelvic drop and Stabilization of the gluteus medius in knee valgus. Outcome measures were lumbar-pelvic stability and adductor strength. Results: After the intervention, there was an increase in lumbo-pelvic stability in both groups, being greater in the control group than in the experimental group (mean differences [MD]: 4.84 vs. MD: 9.58; p < 0.01) with differences in the analysis of repeated measures (p < 0.001), but not in group interaction (p = 0.26). Changes were found in adductor strength in the experimental group (MD: −2.48; p < 0.001 in the left adductor; MD: −1.48; p < 0.01 in right adductor) and control group (MD: −1.68; p < 0.001 in the left adductor; MD: −2.05; p < 0.001 in the right adductor) after the intervention, with differences in the analysis of repeated measures in left (p < 0.001) and right (p < 0.001) adductor strength. Conclusions: An abdominal and gluteal training protocol shows no advantage over a protocol of abdominal training alone for lumbo-pelvic stability and adductor strength, while improvements in both variables are maintained at four weeks follow-up.

scholarly journals AB0642 SACROILIAC JOINT INJECTIONS PERFORMED WITH ULTRASOUND GUIDANCE IN PATIENTS WITH SACROILIITIS

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1615.2-1616
Author(s):  
A. R. Cunha ◽  
C. Mazeda ◽  
R. Aguiar ◽  
A. Barcelos
Keyword(s):  
Sacroiliac Joint ◽  
Ultrasound Guidance ◽  
Disease Duration ◽  
Corticosteroid Injection ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Ultrasound Guided ◽  
Sonographic Guidance ◽  
Number Of Patients ◽  
Joint Injections

Background:Sacroiliitis is the hallmark of axial Spondyloarthritis (axSpA). ASAS-EULAR management recommendations for axSpA, consider glucocorticoid injections directed to the local site of musculoskeletal inflammation as a treatment option for pain relief, besides treatment with oral non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAIDs) before starter biotechnological treatment. However, there are few studies to evaluate efficacy of this technique with a small number of patients and a short follow-up. Ultrasonography has been used as a valuable option to guide this technique.Objectives:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided injections of sacroiliac joints (SIJs) in patients with sacroiliitis using clinical and laboratory outcomes at baseline and at 4-6thweeks.Methods:This study involved patients with axSpA with acute sacroiliitis, ≥18 and ≤ 65 years old, with body mass index (BMI) < 30kg/m2attending the Rheumatology Outpatient Clinic, which had been poorly controlled (ASDAS>2.1) by conventional therapy (physiotherapy, NSAIDs at maximum tolerated dosing during ≥ 4 weeks). Sociodemographic, clinical (disease duration, BMI, BASDAI, BASFI, ASDAS) and laboratory (CRP) data was collected from the medical records at baseline and at 4-6thweeks.Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS version 25. Continuous variables were described with mean/median ± standard deviation (SD).SIJs injection was performed, under ultrasound guidance, using standard procedures with 2mL of lidocaine 1% and 40mg of methylprednisolone, with a 22-gauge needle. The procedure was performed by the same operator. Written informed consents were obtained from all patients.Results:We performed eleven sacroiliac injection in eleven consecutive patients (one procedure per patient). Nine patients (81.8%) were female, mean age (±SD) of 40.6(±9.4) years, median disease duration(±SD) of 0.9(±6.2) years and median BMI(±SD) of 24.2(±3.3). Eight patients (72.7%) had Nr-axSpA. All patients were non-responders to NSAIDs.At 4-6thweeks there was a decreased in median (±SD) BASDAI (5.4±1.9 vs 4.1±1.9), BASFI (4.2±1.4 vs 3.5±2.3) and ASDAS (3.2±0.8 vs 2.2±0.6) indexes.Conclusion:As previous studies demonstrated, this technique seems to be safe and quite effective.Our goal is to increase the number of patients undergoing this technique and have a longer follow up to evaluate its efficacy. The study has several limitations: the mid- and long-term effects should be evaluated in the future based on the results of the short-term effects and the study was not conducted as a double-blinded, controlled study.References:[1]van der Heijde D, Burgos-Vargas R, Ramiro S.,et al. ASAS/EULAR recommendations for the management of ankylosing spondylitis. Ann Rheum Dis 2017; 76:978–991[2]Maugars Y, Mathis C, Vilon P, Prost A. Corticosteroid injection of the sacroiliac joint in patients with seronegative spondylarthropathy. Arthritis Rheum 1992; 35:564–8.[3]Pekkafahli MZ, Kiralp MZ, Basekim CC et al. Sacroiliac joint injections performed with sonographic guidance. J Ultrasound Med 2003;22:553–9[4]Klauser A, De Zordo T, Feuchtner G et al. Feasibility of ultrasound-guided sacroiliac joint injection considering sonoanatomic landmarks at two different levels in cadavers and patients. Arthritis Rheum 2008; 59:1618–1624.Disclosure of Interests:Ana Rita Cunha: None declared, Carolina Mazeda: None declared, Renata Aguiar: None declared, Anabela Barcelos Speakers bureau: Bene, Eli-Lilly, Pfizer, MSD, Novartis

scholarly journals The effect of a 24-week training focused on activities of daily living, muscle strengthening, and stability in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: a monocentric controlled study with follow-up

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maja Špiritović ◽  
Barbora Heřmánková ◽  
Sabína Oreská ◽  
Hana Štorkánová ◽  
Olga Růžičková ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Strength ◽  
Activities Of Daily Living ◽  
Daily Living ◽  
Substantial Proportion ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies ◽  
Inflammatory Myopathies ◽  
Local Inflammatory Response ◽  
Secondary Outcomes

Abstract Background The structural and functional changes of the skeletal muscles in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) caused by inflammation and immune changes can be severely disabling. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of a 24-week program combining a supervised training of activities of daily living (ADL), resistance, and stability with home exercise for improving muscle function, compared to a daily home-based exercise representing the regular outpatient care. Methods Fifty-seven patients with IIM were consecutively and non-selectively enrolled in an intervention (IG, n = 30) or control (CG, n = 27) group. Both groups were provided a standard-of-care pharmacological treatment and follow-up. Only the IG underwent the supervised intervention twice a week for 1 h per session. At baseline, 12, 24, and 48 weeks, all patients were assessed by an assessor blinded to the intervention for primary outcomes: muscle strength (Manual Muscle Testing of eight muscle groups [MMT-8]) and endurance (Functional Index-2 [FI-2]), and secondary outcomes: stability and body composition. Secondary outcomes also included questionnaires evaluating disability (Health Assessment Questionnaire [HAQ]), quality of life (Short Form 36 [SF-36]), depression (Beck’s Depression Inventory-II [BDI-II]), and fatigue (Fatigue Impact Scale [FIS]), and analysis of the systemic and local inflammatory response and perceived exertion to assess the safety of the intervention. Results Twenty-seven patients in the IG and 23 in the CG completed the entire program and follow-up. At week 24, compared to deterioration in the CG, we found a significant improvement in the IG in muscle strength (mean % improvement compared to baseline by 26%), endurance (135%), disability (39%), depression (26%), stability (11%), and basal metabolism (2%) and a stabilization of fitness for physical exercise. The improvement was clinically meaningful (a 24-week change by >20%) in most outcomes in a substantial proportion of patients. Although the improvement was still present at 48 weeks, the effect was not sustained during follow-up. No significant increase in the systemic or local expression of inflammatory markers was found throughout the intervention. Conclusions This 24-week supervised intervention focused on ADL training proved to be safe and effective. It not only prevented the progressive deterioration, but also resulted in a significant improvement in muscle strength, endurance, stability, and disability, which was clinically meaningful in a substantial proportion of patients. Trial registration ISRCTN35925199 (retrospectively registered on 22 May 2020).

scholarly journals Vascular and Cardiac Prognostic Determinants in Patients with Gynecological Cancers: A Six-Year Follow-up Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (13) ◽  
pp. 6091
Author(s):  
Pietro Scicchitano ◽  
Marco Tucci ◽  
Gabriella Ricci ◽  
Michele Gesualdo ◽  
Santa Carbonara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Brachial Artery ◽  
Cox Regression ◽  
Intima Media Thickness ◽  
Carotid Intima Media Thickness ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Gynecological Cancers ◽  
Roc Curve Analysis ◽  
Cox Regression Analysis ◽  
All Cause Mortality

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the role of cardiac and vascular parameters as all-cause mortality determinants in patients suffering from gynecological cancers. Methods: This was an observational, prospective, non-randomized, and non-controlled study. Forty-seven consecutive patients (mean age: 58 ± 13 years) were enrolled after cancer staging. All patients underwent evaluation of vascular (common carotid intima-media thickness (mean C-IMT), flow-mediated dilation of the brachial artery (FMD), and antero-posterior diameter of the infrarenal abdominal aorta (APAO)) and cardiac function and morphology before cancer-related interventions. A 6-year follow-up was carried out to assess the overall survival of the whole population. Results: Twenty patients (42%) died by the time of the 6-year follow-up. The brachial artery FMD values were higher in the survivors than the non-survivors (9.71 ± 3.53% vs. 6.13 ± 2.62%, p < 0.001), as well as the LVEF (60.8 ± 3.0% vs. 57.8 ± 4.4%, p = 0.009). There were no differences in the mean C-IMT, APAO, and other echocardiographic parameters. ROC curve analysis identified a baseline LVEF < 57% and FMD value < 5.8% as the best cut-offs. Kaplan–Meier evaluation showed that the LVEF, tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, and FMD were the best predictors of all-cause mortality, although only the LVEF and FMD were confirmed in multivariate Cox regression analysis. Conclusions: The LVEF and brachial artery FMD are independent prognostic determinants in patients with gynecological cancers.

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