scholarly journals SHORT TERM (24 HOURS) AND LONG TERM (1 YEAR) ASSESSMENTS OF RELIABILITY IN OLDER ADULTS: CAN ONE REPLACE THE OTHER?

Author(s):  
T. Abe ◽  
S.J. Dankel ◽  
S.L. Buckner ◽  
M.B. Jessee ◽  
K.T. Mattocks ◽  
...  

There may be some individuals who do not adapt favorably to an exercise stimulus. This is most commonly determined by assessing the error of the measurement across two separate testing sessions separated by a short period of time. It has been recommended that this error be assessed over the same time frame as the intervention. We examined the 24-h test-retest reliability (n=18, aged 42 to 64 years) of forearm muscle thickness, handgrip strength, and “muscle quality” and compared that to the reliability observed when visits are separated by 1-year (n=80, aged 60 to 79 years). The measurement errors were greater in all measured variables following test-retest separated by 1-year than the test-retest separated by 24-hours. Our findings suggest that a time-matched control group is likely important to fully capture the error of the tester as well as the error associated with random biological variability within a timed intervention.

1969 ◽  
Vol 115 (524) ◽  
pp. 765-775 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. L. Jambor

In previous studies the estimation of the incidence of intellectual changes in multiple sclerosis has varied from as low as 2 per cent. (Cottrell and Wilson, 1926) to as high as 72 per cent. (Ombredane, 1929). In order to establish the incidence accurately, the most satisfactory method would clearly be a long-term follow-up (covering lifetime) of a sample of multiple sclerosis patients. Any cross-sectional study would include patients in varying degrees of advancement of the disease, and patients found to be free of intellectual deficits at the time of investigation would not necessarily remain so. Also, the indirect psychometric assessment of intellectual loss is notoriously difficult, and the direct method of follow-up would give much more accurate results. The only direct study up to date has been that of Canter (1951), who found a highly significant (i.e. 13·48 points) loss on re-testing multiple sclerosis patients on the Army General Classification Test after a four-year period. Even after such a short period as six months he found slight losses on most Wechsler-Bellevue subtests, in contrast to an average gain of six full IQ points of the control group.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niti Shrestha ◽  
Liang Wu ◽  
Xianodi Wang ◽  
Wenqing Jia ◽  
Fang Luo

Abstract Background: Laminoplasty and laminectomy have been used for decades for the treatment of intraspinal space occupying lesions, spinal stenosis, disc herniation, injuries, etc. After these procedures, patients often experience severe postoperative pain at the surgical site. Intense immediate postoperative pain after many spinal procedures makes its control of utmost importance.Preemptive injection of local anesthetics can significantly reduce postoperative pain during rest and movement, however, the analgesic effect is maintained for a relatively short period of time. Whether betamethasone combined with local anesthetic for laminoplasty or laminectomyhas better short-term and long-term effects than the local anesthetic alone has not been reported yet. Method: The PRE-EASEtrial is a prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded endpoint, single-center clinical study including 116 participants scheduled for elective laminoplasty or laminectomy, with a 6 months’ follow-up process. Preemptive local infiltration with betamethasone and ropivacaine (treatment group) or ropivacaine alone (control group) throughout the entire thickness of the planned incision site will be performed by the surgeon, prior to making the incision. The primary outcome will be the cumulative butorphanol consumption within the first 48 hours’ postoperative period. Discussion: This study will add significant new knowledge to the effect and feasibility of preemptive local infiltration of betamethasone for postoperative pain management in laminoplasty and laminectomy.


2001 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 314-320 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael H. Epstein ◽  
Melody A. Hertzog ◽  
Robert Reid

Most assessment is conducted from a deficit perspective and is intended to identify deficits, problems, and pathologies of the individuals who are assessed. However, deficit-based assessment may present a biased picture that limits or ignores a child's strengths. In this article we report data on long-term (6-month) test-retest reliability of the Behavior and Emotional Rating Scale (BERS), which is a strength-based assessment instrument. Participants included 95 randomly selected children from general education classrooms and 26 children identified as having or being at risk for emotional or behavioral disorders. Moderate to high test-retest correlations ranging from .527 to .787 were found across the instrument's subscales. Moreover, the lack of significant differences between ratings indicate that rater drift did not occur. Results suggest that BERS scores are stable over a 6-month time frame. Implications for the use of the BERS are discussed.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-20
Author(s):  
Luis C. O. Gonçalves ◽  
Douglas D. C. Santiago ◽  
Anibal M. M. Neto ◽  
Hugo da Silva Paulino Ferreira ◽  
Marcio V. A. Verli ◽  
...  

To identify the acute hematological and biochemical changes induced by a Crossfit™ class, ten men were divided into CF group (N = 5) and control group (N = 5). Blood and urine were collected: pre-exercise (T1), after exercise (T2), and 12 post-exercise (T3). Blood cells, urea, cortisol, lactate, creatine Kinase (CK), and microalbuminuria (MAU) had measured. There was a record of handgrip strength (HGS), heart rate (HR), and systolic blood pressure (SBP), with the calculation of the double product (DP). MAU showed an increase in the order of 14,000%, with a return to normal (T3). The DP increased 83% in response to exercise, and this increase seems to be due to HR, which increased 76%. Cortisol and lactate showed an acute increase induced by the method, 47% for cortisol and 874% for lactate, respectively, with recovery less than 12 hours. The correlations between the study variables represent a future perspective for studies in sports medicine. The acute excretion of proteins by the kidneys in an acute way, already in the first exercise session, can in the long-term cause damage to this organ. MAU presented itself as more indicated than urea, the most usual renal marker.   Para identificar as alterações hematológicas e bioquímicas agudas induzidas por uma aula Crossfit™, dez homens foram divididos em grupo CF (N = 5) e grupo controle (N = 5). Foram coletados sangue e urina: pré-exercício (T1), pós-exercício (T2) e 12 pós-exercício (T3). Células sanguíneas, uréia, cortisol, lactato, creatina quinase (CK) e microalbuminúria (MAU) foram medidos. Houve registro da força de preensão manual (FPM), frequência cardíaca (FC) e pressão arterial sistólica (PAS), com o cálculo do duplo produto (DP). A MAU apresentou aumento da ordem de 14.000%, com retorno ao normal (T3). O DP aumentou 83% em resposta ao exercício, e esse aumento parece ser devido à FC, que aumentou 76%. O cortisol e o lactato apresentaram aumento agudo induzido pelo método, 47% para o cortisol e 874% para o lactato, respectivamente, com recuperação inferior a 12 horas. As correlações entre as variáveis ​​de estudo representam uma perspectiva futura para os estudos em medicina do esporte. A excreção aguda de proteínas pelos rins de forma aguda, já na primeira sessão de exercícios, pode, a longo prazo, causar danos a esse órgão. O MAU apresentou-se mais indicado que a ureia, o marcador renal mais usual.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2;17 (2;3) ◽  
pp. 197-202
Author(s):  
Chang-Hyung Lee

Background: We previously published an article about the pressure effect using a rheumatoid animal model. Hyperbaric therapy appears to be beneficial in treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by reducing the inflammatory process in an animal model. In this sense, acquiring the optimal pressure-treatment time parameter for RA is important and no optimal hyperbaric therapy time has been suggested up to now. Objective: The purpose of our study was to acquire the optimal time for hyperbaric therapy in the RA rat model. Study Design: Controlled animal study. Methods: Following injection of complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA) into one side of the knee joint, 32 rats were randomly assigned to 3 different time groups (1, 3, 5 hours a day) under 1.5 atmospheres absolute (ATA) hyperbaric chamber for 12 days. The pain levels were assessed daily for 2 weeks by weight bearing force (WBF) of the affected limb. In addition, the levels of gelatinase, MMP-2, and MMP-9 expression in the synovial fluids of the knees were analyzed. Results: The reduction of WBF was high at 2 days after injection and then it was spontaneously increased up to 14 days in all 3 groups. There were significant differences of WBF between 5 hours and control during the third through twelfth days, between 3 hours and control during the third through fifth and tenth through twelfth days, and between 3 hours and 5 hours during the third through seventh days (P < 0.05). The MMP-9/MMP-2 ratio increased at 14 days after the CFA injection in all groups compared to the initial findings, however, the 3 hour group showed a smaller MMP-9/MMP-2 ratio than the control group. Limitation: Although enough samples were used for the study to support our hypothesis, more samples will be needed to raise the validity and reliability. Conclusion: The effect of hyperbaric treatment appears to be dependent upon the elevated therapy time under 1.5 ATA pressure for a short period of time; however, the long-term effects were similar in all pressure groups. Further study will be needed to acquire the optimal pressuretreatment parameter relationship in various conditions for clinical application. Key words: Pressure effect, arthritic knee, arthritic pain, long-term effect of pressure, biophysiologic assessment, pain behavior assessment, arthritis treatment


2007 ◽  
Vol 89 (6) ◽  
pp. 609-615 ◽  
Author(s):  
MD Pacifico ◽  
RA Pearl ◽  
R Grover

INTRODUCTION In order to tackle increasing waiting lists the UK Government's ‘two-week rule’ was introduced for a number of cancers, including melanoma, in 2000. Whilst there is evidence that secondary prevention (i.e. early diagnosis) improves patient outcome, particularly in melanoma where early surgical excision is the only intervention to improve survival, there is as yet no evidence base for a 2-week limit. Any survival benefit from this Government target will not be demonstrable until long-term follow-up is available, realistically 10-year mortality figures in 2010. PATIENTS AND METHODS To investigate an evidence base for the two-week rule in melanoma, we performed a retrospective study on patients with suspected skin cancers referred to a rapid access Pigmented Lesion Clinic (PLC) over a 4-year period with long-term survival data, and compared them to a historical control group. RESULTS A total of 4399 patients attended the PLC from January 1993 to December 1996 and all were seen within 2 weeks. Ninety-six melanomas were diagnosed during this period with 96% treated within 2 weeks of GP referral, the majority (74%) excised on the day of PLC attendance. Melanoma patients (n = 78) diagnosed in the 2 years prior to the inception of the PLC waited 3–34 days for consultation and 4–74 days for treatment. Melanoma patients diagnosed in the PLC had significantly thinner tumours (Mann Whitney test, P < 0.001) and improved overall survival (χ2 18.1924; P < 0.001) compared with melanoma patients diagnosed before the inception of the clinic. CONCLUSIONS This is, to our knowledge, the first example that consultation within a 2-week time-frame of GP referral impacts patient survival and the first evidence base behind Government guidelines for this particular cancer.


VASA ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 243-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Drinda ◽  
Neumann ◽  
Pöhlmann ◽  
Vogelsang ◽  
Stein ◽  
...  

Background: Prostanoids are used in the treatment of Raynaud’s phenomenon and acral perfusion disorders secondary to collagenosis. In subjective terms, intravenous administration of these agents produces success in more than 50% of patients. The therapeutic outcome of clinical administration of alprostadil or iloprost may vary from individual to individual. Patients and methods: The following variables were analysed in a cross-over study in 27 patients with collagenosis and Raynaud’s phenomenon: plasma viscosity and erythrocyte aggregation (rheological variables), partial pressure of oxygen and laser Doppler flowmetry in the finger region, and lymphocyte phenotyping and interleukin (IL) determinations (immunological variables). Results: Laser Doppler flowmetry revealed significant differences between patients with secondary Raynaud’s phenomenon and a control group of 25 healthy subjects. Laser Doppler readings did not change significantly as a result of the treatments. Therapy with iloprost produced a reduction in IL-1beta, L-selectin (CD 62 L) and IL-6. Conclusion: The change in immunological variables due to iloprost may explain the long-term effects of prostaglandins in the treatment of Raynaud’s phenomenon. From our results it is not possible to infer any preference for iloprost or alprostadil.


1987 ◽  
Vol 57 (01) ◽  
pp. 55-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
J F Martin ◽  
T D Daniel ◽  
E A Trowbridge

SummaryPatients undergoing surgery for coronary artery bypass graft or heart valve replacement had their platelet count and mean volume measured pre-operatively, immediately post-operatively and serially for up to 48 days after the surgical procedure. The mean pre-operative platelet count of 1.95 ± 0.11 × 1011/1 (n = 26) fell significantly to 1.35 ± 0.09 × 1011/1 immediately post-operatively (p <0.001) (n = 22), without a significant alteration in the mean platelet volume. The average platelet count rose to a maximum of 5.07 ± 0.66 × 1011/1 between days 14 and 17 after surgery while the average mean platelet volume fell from preparative and post-operative values of 7.25 ± 0.14 and 7.20 ± 0.14 fl respectively to a minimum of 6.16 ± 0.16 fl by day 20. Seven patients were followed for 32 days or longer after the operation. By this time they had achieved steady state thrombopoiesis and their average platelet count was 2.44 ± 0.33 × 1011/1, significantly higher than the pre-operative value (p <0.05), while their average mean platelet volume was 6.63 ± 0.21 fl, significantly lower than before surgery (p <0.001). The pre-operative values for the platelet volume and counts of these patients were significantly different from a control group of 32 young males, while the chronic post-operative values were not. These long term changes in platelet volume and count may reflect changes in the thrombopoietic control system secondary to the corrective surgery.


Author(s):  
Blaurock-Busch E

The heavy metal burden of patients with Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has been widely discussed [1-5]. Present knowledge suggests that ASD patients, compared to ‘normal’s’ show a greater metal burden, which may be a cause of the ASD pathogenesis, possibly due to a limited detoxification potential. We thus aimed to evaluate if the metal burden of ASD children is due to comprised detoxification ability, and if missing of enzymes such as the glutathione-S-transferases provide an explanation, or if additional factors play a role. Genetically, we noticed a slight difference in the detoxification ability of the ASD group compared to the Control group. In the ASD group, carrier of the genotype GSTT1 null genotype (i.e. the homozygous loss) are 1.7 times more common as in the Control group and the GSTT1 allele is more frequent in the ASD patient collective. These findings are not statistically significant but indicate a trend. In addition, our data indicates that levels of potentially toxic metals in blood and hair of both groups demonstrate a similar immediate and long-term exposure. However, 36% of the ASD group showed signs of zinc deficiency compared to 11% of the Control group and this points towards inefficiency of the Phase I detoxification pathway. More research is needed to explore the role of other elements in the detoxification pathway.


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