The Clinical Pattern of Knee Osteoarthritis in Jordan: A Hospital Based Study.
The clinical pattern of knee osteoarthritis in jordan: a hospital based study.
Int J Med Sci. 2013; 10(6): 790-5
M Hawamdeh Z, Al-Ajlouni JM
Background: Different clinical profiles of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) have been reported in the literature. The aim of this investigation was to describe the clinical patterns of KOA in an ethnically distinct and homogenous population that has not been widely reported. Patients with KOA were seen in outpatient rehabilitation and orthopedic clinic of Jordan University Hospital (JUH), to determine any possible association between age, BMI, radiographic severity, and pain severity. Methods: Patients diagnosed with KOA attending an outpatient rehabilitation clinic at JUH were studied to describe their clinical characteristics. They were included based on criteria developed by the American College of Rheumatology. Detailed histories, clinical examinations and X-rays, and anthropometric data were obtained. Data analysis focused on descriptive statistics and correlations among demographic and clinical characteristics. Results: The study included 214 patients with a mean age of 55.3 years (range = 30-84 years). The mean BMI was 29.5± 5.6. We found a significant moderate positive correlation between age and radiographic severity of KOA (0.435; p <. 001) and pain severity (0.383; p. <. 001). There was also a significant weak positive correlation between BMI, radiographic severity of KOA (0.242, p <. 05), and pain severity (0.266, p. <. 01). Conclusions: We concluded that in this hospital-based cohort study in Jordan, the clinical pattern of KOA is comparable to Western cultures. However, the combination of BMI and mechanical loading during everyday activities that include different religious and cultural habits and may help explain the high level of radiographic severity in our sample. HubMed – rehab
Effects of primary caregiver participation in vestibular rehabilitation for unilateral neglect patients with right hemispheric stroke: a randomized controlled trial.
Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2013; 9: 477-84
Dai CY, Huang YH, Chou LW, Wu SC, Wang RY, Lin LC
The current study aims to investigate the effects of primary caregiver participation in vestibular rehabilitation (VR) on improving the measures of neglect, activities of daily living (ADL), balance, and falls of unilateral neglect (UN) patients.This study is a single-blind randomized controlled trial. Both experimental (n = 24) and control groups (n = 24) received conventional rehabilitation. The experimental group undertook VR for a month. During the first and second weeks, a registered nurse trained the experimental group in VR. The primary caregivers in the experimental group supervised and guided their patients in VR during the third and fourth weeks. The outcome measures were neglect, ADL, balance, and falls.The two groups of UN patients showed a significant improvement in neglect, ADL, and balance over time. Based on the generalized estimating equations model, an interaction was observed between groups and times. Significant interactions were observed between the VR group at days 14 and 28 in the areas of neglect, ADL, and balance. No significant difference was observed between the two groups in the number of falls.Neglect, ADL, and balance among UN patients with right hemispheric stroke can be improved through the participation of primary caregivers in VR. Trained informal caregivers were recommended to provide VR guidance and supervision to patients who suffer from UN. HubMed – rehab
Cost-effectiveness of exercise therapy after corticosteroid injection for moderate to severe shoulder pain due to subacromial impingement syndrome: a trial-based analysis.
Rheumatology (Oxford). 2013 Apr 28;
Jowett S, Crawshaw DP, Helliwell PS, Hensor EM, Hay EM, Conaghan PG
Objective. To perform a cost-effectiveness analysis of subacromial corticosteroid injection combined with exercise compared with exercise alone in patients with moderate to severe shoulder pain from subacromial impingement syndrome.Methods. A within-trial cost-effectiveness analysis with 232 patients randomized to physiotherapy-led injection combined with exercise (n = 115) or exercise alone (n = 117). The analysis was from a health care perspective with 24-week follow-up. Resource use information was collected from all patients on interventions, medication, primary and secondary care contacts, private health care use and over-the-counter purchases. The measure of outcome was quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), calculated from EQ-5D responses at baseline and three further time points. An incremental cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted.Results. Mean per patient NHS costs (£255 vs £297) and overall health care costs (£261 vs £318) were lower in the injection plus exercise arm, but this difference was not statistically significant. Total QALYs gained were very similar in the two trial arms (0.3514 vs 0.3494 QALYs), although slightly higher in the injection plus exercise arm, indicating that injection plus exercise may be the dominant treatment option. At a willingness to pay of £20,000 per additional QALY gained, there was a 61% probability that injection plus exercise was the most cost-effective option.Conclusion. Injection plus exercise delivered by therapists may be a cost-effective use of resources compared with exercise alone and lead to lower health care costs and less time off work.Trial registration: International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number Register, http://www.controlled-trials.com/isrctn/, ISRCT 25817033. HubMed – rehab
How Many Meta-Analyses Does it Take to Settle a Question?
Psychosom Med. 2013 Apr 29;
Linden W
Psychological treatments (PTs) are used as adjuncts to cardiac care. This issue of Psychosomatic Medicine provides a meta-analysis by Rutledge et al. (3) on the effects of PT and cardiac rehabilitation on depression and cardiac outcomes, and the journal recently published a systematic review and meta-regression on a similar topic by Dickens et al. (4). This editorial compares the results from these two meta-analyses and discusses the problems associated with combining different types of PT and other treatments, dose-response effects, floor effects, collapsing across outcomes, and therapist qualifications. PTs have mixed but generally positive effects on reducing mortality and cardiac outcomes, but it remains a challenge explaining how such beneficial outcomes can be achieved by relatively small effects on well-being (typical effect sizes: d = 0.2-0.3). Randomized controlled trials are needed on timing of PT, patients with cardiac problems who will benefit most from PT, and the mechanisms by which PT improves cardiac outcomes. HubMed – rehab