Measurement of abdominal muscle thickness using ultrasound: A reliability study on patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain

Background and purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the Within-day and Between-days reliability of abdominal muscles size measurement in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain (LBP) using ultrasound (US). Materials and methods: In this study, 15 patients with chronic non-specific LBP (20-50 years old) were recruited. The reliability of the abdominal muscle size (External and Internal oblique, and Transversus abdominis) was assessed in a relaxed and contraction state by a real time US. Two images were taken on the same day with an hour interval to assess the within day reliability and the third image was taken a week later to determine the between- days reliability. Results: Within-day and between-days reliability of abdominal muscles thickness measurements using US in patients with nonspecific chronic LBP in both rest and contraction state found to be high, ICC = 0.90 for within and ICC=0.85 for between-days of Transversus abdominis muscle in rest state and ICC= 0.82 and 0.86 in contraction state, respectively. For Internal oblique muscle, ICC=0.90 (82) and ICC=0.88 (88) were found for within-day and between-days in rest and contraction state, respectively. Within-day and between-days reliability at rest of ICC=0.86 (79) and in contraction state of ICC=0.79 (75) were demonstrated for External Oblique muscle. Conclusion: Results of the present study suggest US as a reliable method to evaluate the thickness of the abdominal muscles which could be used as a reliable tool in the assessment of patients and also in evaluating the effect of different therapeutic interventions. © 2015, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

HDAC9 is implicated in atherosclerotic aortic calcification and affects vascular smooth muscle cell phenotype.

Aortic calcification is an important independent predictor of future cardiovascular events. We performed a genome-wide association meta-analysis to determine SNPs associated with the extent of abdominal aortic calcification (n = 9,417) or descending thoracic aortic calcification (n = 8,422). Two genetic loci, HDAC9 and RAP1GAP, were associated with abdominal aortic calcification at a genome-wide level (P < 5.0 × 10-8). No SNPs were associated with thoracic aortic calcification at the genome-wide threshold. Increased expression of HDAC9 in human aortic smooth muscle cells promoted calcification and reduced contractility, while inhibition of HDAC9 in human aortic smooth muscle cells inhibited calcification and enhanced cell contractility. In matrix Gla protein-deficient mice, a model of human vascular calcification, mice lacking HDAC9 had a 40% reduction in aortic calcification and improved survival. This translational genomic study identifies the first genetic risk locus associated with calcification of the abdominal aorta and describes a previously unknown role for HDAC9 in the development of vascular calcification

Exercise-induced abdominal muscle fatigue in healthy humans

Exercise-induced abdominal muscle fatigue in healthy humans. J Appl Physiol 100: 1554–1562, 2006. First published January 19, 2006; doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.01389.2005.—The abdominal muscles have been shown to fatigue in response to voluntary isocapnic hyperpnea using direct nerve stimulation techniques. We investigated whether the abdominal muscles fatigue in response to dynamic lower limb exercise using such techniques. Eleven male subjects [peak oxygen uptake (V˙ O2 peak) 50.0 1.9 (SE) ml kg 1 min 1] cycled at 90% V˙ O2 peak to exhaustion (14.2 4.2 min). Abdominal muscle function was assessed before and up to 30 min after exercise by measuring the changes in gastric pressure (Pga) after the nerve roots supplying the abdominal muscles were magnetically stimulated at 1–25 Hz. Immediately after exercise there was a decrease in Pga at all stimulation frequencies (mean 25 4%; P 0.001) that persisted up to 30 min postexercise ( 12 4%; P 0.001). These reductions were unlikely due to changes in membrane excitability because amplitude, duration, and area of the rectus abdominis M wave were unaffected. Declines in the Pga response to maximal voluntary expiratory efforts occurred after exercise (158 13 before vs. 145 10 cmH2O after exercise; P 0.005). Voluntary activation, assessed using twitch interpolation, did not change (67 6 before vs. 64 2% after exercise; P 0.20), and electromyographic activity of the rectus abdominis and external oblique increased during these volitional maneuvers. These data provide new evidence that the abdominal muscles fatigue after sustained, high-intensity exercise and that the fatigue is primarily due to peripheral mechanisms

Fatiguing Trunk Flexor Exercise Decreases Pain Sensitivity in Postpartum Women

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is common in the general population and among postpartum women. Abdominal muscle exercise is often used to treat LBP, but it is unknown if fatiguing abdominal muscle exercise can produce exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH). Objectives: To assess pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) at rest and following fatiguing trunk flexor exercise (EIH) in (1) nulligravid and postpartum women to evaluate the impact of pregnancy and childbirth and (2) nulligravid women and men to examine sex differences. Methods: Seventy healthy adults (31 postpartum women, 23 nulligravid women, 16 men) participated. Postpartum and nulligravid women were tested twice (16–18 weeks apart) to identify changes in EIH with postpartum recovery. PPTs were measured at the nailbed and superior rectus abdominis before and after exercise to investigate systemic and local EIH, respectively. Rectus abdominis muscle thickness was assessed with ultrasound. Results: Postpartum women reported lower PPTs than nulligravid women at the abdomen (p \u3c 0.05) whereas postpartum women had lower PPTs at the nailbed during the first session only. Men reported higher nailbed PPTs (p = 0.047) and similar PPTs at the abdomen than women (p = 0.294). All groups demonstrated EIH at the abdomen (p \u3c 0.05). Systemic EIH was absent in postpartum and nulligravid women (p \u3e 0.05), while men demonstrated hyperalgesia. Local EIH was positively associated with muscle thickness for men and women, which was not significant at the second timepoint. Limitations: Acute exercise response may not reflect changes that occur with exercise training. Conclusion: Fatiguing trunk flexor exercise produced local EIH for all groups including postpartum and nulligravid women. Clinically, trunk exercises may be useful for acute pain relief for clinical populations that are characterized by pain and/or weakness in the abdominal region muscles in populations with abdominal pain syndromes

Associations of Abdominal Muscle Area and Radiodensity with Adiponectin and Leptin: The Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

ObjectiveThis study examined the associations of muscle area and radiodensity with adiponectin and leptin.MethodsA total of 1,944 participants who enrolled in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis underwent computed tomography to quantify body composition and measurements of adiponectin, leptin, interleukin-6, C-reactive protein, and resistin.ResultsThe mean age and BMI of participants were 64.7 years and 28.1 kg/m2 and 49% were female. With adjustment for age, gender, race/ethnicity, traditional cardiovascular disease risk factors, inflammatory biomarkers, physical activity, and sedentary behavior, a 1-SD increment in total abdominal, stability, and locomotor muscle area was associated with a 19%, 17%, and 12% lower adiponectin level, respectively (P < 0.01 for all) but not leptin (P > 0.05). Muscle radiodensity was more robustly associated with adiponectin and leptin in the multivariable linear regression models. That is, with full adjustment for all covariates, a 1-SD increment in total abdominal, stability, and locomotor muscle radiodensity was associated with a 31%, 31%, and 18% lower adiponectin level (P < 0.01 for all) and a 6.7%, 4.6%, and 8.1% higher leptin level (P < 0.05 for all), respectively.ConclusionsThe data suggest that increases in muscle area and radiodensity may have positive impacts on chronic inflammation and, in turn, reduce the risk of cardiometabolic disease

Increased collagen synthesis rate during wound healing in muscle

Wound healing in muscle involves the deposition of collagen, but it is not known whether this is achieved by changes in the synthesis or the degradation of collagen. We have used a reliable flooding dose method to measure collagen synthesis rate in vivo in rat abdominal muscle following a surgical incision. Collagen synthesis rate was increased by 480% and 860% on days 2 and 7 respectively after surgery in the wounded muscle compared with an undamaged area of the same muscle. Collagen content was increased by approximately 100% at both day 2 and day 7. These results demonstrate that collagen deposition during wound healing in muscle is achieved entirely by an increase in the rate of collagen synthesis

CONDITION OF GLUTATHIONE (GSH) METABOLISM SYSTEM AT ALLOTRANSPLANTATION OF EMBRYONIC MUSCULE TISSUE AT RATS

This article presents the results of determination of the of reduced glutathione content, glutathione reductase and glutathione peroxidase during allotransplantation of the embryo muscle tissue. During the research there was carried out 2 kinds of surgery: 1st - allotransplantation of embryo muscle tissue; 2nd - surgery without replanting. To obtain embryos we used female rats from gestation 3-4 weeks. We took an abdominal muscle tissue from embryo that was hemmed to homologous tissue of the adult rat. The same procedure was carried out with femoral muscle tissue.It was found that allotransplantation of the embryo muscle tissue leads to an increasing of restored glutathione at day 7 of experiment in femoral and abdominal muscle of adult rat, leads the increasing of glutathione glutathione reductase activity in all researched tissues on day 7 of the experiment, except the femoral muscle of the adult rat. At experiment day 7 during surgery without replanting glutathione increased in femoral and abdominal muscle tissue, and activity of glutathione reductase increased only in the abdominal muscle, while activity of glutathione peroxidase in the abdominal muscle tissue decreased

Functional outcome after laparoscopic and open incisional hernia repair

Abstract: Background: The debate about the advantages of laparoscopic versus open incisional hernia repair is still ongoing. The primary outcomes of already published studies are mainly recurrence, pain and quality of life. Data on postoperative abdominal wall function after these corrections is still lacking. In this single center study muscle strength and transverse abdominal muscle thickness were analysed with regard to open and laparoscopic techniques. Methods: Thirty-five patients that underwent open and laparoscopic midline incisional hernia correction were included. Approximation of the rectus muscles was included in some open procedures but never in laparoscopic correction. Twelve healthy subjects without any abdominal operation functioned as a control group. Trunk flexion muscle strength of all operated patients and 12 healthy subjects was studied with the Biodex® isokinetic dynamometer and conventional abdominal muscle trainers for the rectus and oblique abdominal muscles. All patients underwent ultrasound examination of the abdominal wall for analysing transverse abdominal muscle thickness. Results: The mean torque/weight (%) for trunk flexion, measured with the Biodex®, was significantly higher in the control compared with the total patient group. Comparing trunk flexion with the Biodex® after either laparoscopic or open incisional hernia repair showed a trend in favour of the open group after adjusting for gender. The muscle strength measured by the conventional abdominal muscle trainers showed no differences between the operation groups. The transverse abdominal muscle thickness difference between rest and contraction was significantly higher in the open repair group. Conclusions: The isokinetic strength of trunk flexor muscles is reduced after an operation for incisional hernia. There is some evidence that open repair with approximation of the rectus abdominis muscles results in higher muscle strength of the rectus muscles and higher thickness differences between res

Supplementation of olive mill wastes in broiler chicken feeding

This work was conducted in order to study the value of olive mill wastes as diet on the growth performance, abdominal and muscle fat deposition, adipose and muscle tissues fatty acid composition in broilers. 200 male chickens that were 2 weeks old, 50 for each diet, were assigned to one of the three diets containing 5, 10 or 15% olive mill wastes (OMW) compared to control diet (CD). There were no significant differences in body and weight gain, final body carcass, thighs and pectoral muscle weight between birds. The same observation was seen for abdominal tissue fat (% of body weight) of which no differences were detected in birds fed OMW diet compared to those fed on the control diet. Linoleic acid proportion increases significantly in the pectoral muscle (p < 0.0001) with the three diets containing OMW, but its level decreases in tight muscle with 5 and 10% OMW diets (p < 0.0001) and remainunchanged in abdominal fat. Oleic acid proportion increases in thigh muscle (p < 0.006) and remain unchanged in pectoral muscle and in abdominal adipose tissue. Palmitic acid proportion decreasessignificantly in pectoral muscle (p < 0.0001) and in abdominal adipose tissue (p < 0.002), but increases significantly in thigh muscle (p < 0.05). In conclusion, OMW diet gives attractive results. It bringsidentical growth performances and affect abdominal and muscle fat deposition and fatty acid composition

The Relationship Between Arm Muscle Strength and Abs to Upper Service Ability in Volleyball Games Pogar State Elementary School Students of Bangil

Service is the first step in starting a volleyball game, so elements that can support service are needed. In addition to regular training, the elements of arm muscle strength and abdominal muscle strength are the capital to be able to do service in volleyball games. The problem in this study is whether there is a relationship between the strength of the arm muscles and abdominal muscles with the ability to serve on the volleyball game for the students of SD Negeri Pogar Bangil. The population of this study were all students of SD Negeri Pogar Bangil. The sample of this research is the fifthgrade students of SD Negeri Pogar Bangil.This study uses a quantitative approach with the type of correlation research (relationship). The data are push-up test data for arm muscle strength and sit-up test for abdominal muscle strength. The data analysis technique used in this research is to use the product moment correlation formula from Karl Pearson and the contribution of the predictor. The results showed that r xy = 0.972 for the arm muscle strength variable, and r xy = 0.892 for the abdominal muscle strength variable. There is a significant relationship between the strength of the arm and abdominal muscles with the ability to serve on volleyball for the students of SD Negeri Pogar Bangil. The calculation of the predictor contribution shows that the total contribution is 95.900, namely the contribution of the arm muscle strength variable at 71.347 and the abdominal muscle strength variable at 24.553, so that the arm muscle strength variable has a greater relationship than the abdominal muscle strength variable to the top service ability in volleyball games