Can whole body vibration exercises promote improvement on quality of life and on chronic pain level of metabolic syndrome patients? A pseudorandomized crossover study

Quality of life (QoL) is one of the most important health outcome concepts expressed subjectively. Chronic pain (CP) is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage. Taking into account the poor QoL and the CP already described in metabolic syndrome (MSy) individuals, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of whole body vibration exercises (WBVE) on these parameters in this population. Thirty-three MSy patients were divided in subgroups A [whole body vibration exercise group (WBVeG), n = 17, 15 females/2 males, 61.1 ± 8.4 yr] and B (control group, n = 16, 14 females/2 males, 58.2 ± 9.1 yr). Subgroup A performed 10 sessions (2 times/wk) of WBVE (18 min/session, with a frequency from 5 up to 14 Hz and a peak-to-peak displacement of 2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 mm) on a side-alternating vibrating platform (VP). Subgroup B did the same protocol, but the VP was turned off. The individuals answered the World Health Organization Quality of Life bref (WHOQoL-bref) questionnaire before the first and after the 10th session. The chronic pain level (CPL) was measured by a numeric rating scale (0–10) before and at the end of each session. Significant improvements were found in physical health ( P = 0.05) and psychological health ( P = 0.04) domains of WHOQoL-bref in WBVeG. A significant acute reduction of the CPL was found in the WBVeG after the protocol, considering the first session and at the last session. WBVE marginally improved physical health and psychological health and decrease the CPL in acute interventions. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Metabolic syndrome patients experience poor quality of life, frequently associated with lack of exercise and bad dietary habits. Additionally, factors such as obesity, neuromusculoskeletal impairment, and peripheral endothelial dysfunction result in a chronic pain level. Whole body vibration exercise might represent a suitable physical therapy, since it is easy to perform, low cost, safe, and capable of promoting an improvement of quality of life and reducing chronic pain level during acute interventions in metabolic syndrome individuals

Effect of whole body cryotherapy interventions on health-related quality of life in fibromyalgia patients: A randomized controlled trial

Introduction: Although fibromyalgia syndrome (SFM) affects 2–4 percent of adults, research has not identified a preferred therapeutic option for patients worldwide yet. Based on recent findings, it can be expected that whole body cryotherapy can improve health-reported quality of life by alleviating the symptoms of musculoskeletal pain and fatigue. Objective: Our aim was to determine whether whole body cryotherapy only can result in improved perceived health and quality of life in fibromyalgia patients. Methods: 24 patients with fibromyalgia diagnosis were randomized into 2 groups (n= 11 in the whole body cryotherapy group, n=13 in the control group). In the whole body cryotherapy group, 10 sessions of whole body cryotherapy were performed (in addition to usual care) in a standard cryotherapy room over a duration of 8 days. Subjects in the control group did not change anything in their everyday activities. Quality of life was assessed just before and one month after treatment. Results: Compared with the control group, patients in the whole body cryotherapy group reported significantly improved for health-reported quality of life. These effects lasted for at least one month following intervention. Conclusion: Based on these findings, whole body cryotherapy can be recommended as an effective clinically adjuvant approach in the improvement of health-related quality of life in fibromyalgia patients

Abobotulinumtoxina injections in shoulder muscles for adult upper limb spasticity: Results from a phase 4 real-world study and a phase 3 open-label trial.

Botulinum toxins, such as abobotulinumtoxinA, are used to treat spasticity (muscle overactivity) in arm muscles. Spasticity in shoulder muscles occurs in many patients following a stroke. Shoulder spasticity can be painful and limit limb movement. This paper compares the results from patients who did and those who did not receive abobotulinumtoxinA injections in shoulder muscles (among other arm muscles) in 2 studies. In both studies, the results showed that more patients receiving treatment in shoulder muscles chose pain as a key goal for treatment and had reduced pain following treatment compared with patients not treated in the shoulder. In addition, patients receiving shoulder injections showed further improvement in arm movement compared with those not receiving shoulder injections. Overall, these results suggest that abobotulinumtoxinA treatment in shoulder muscles may improve outcomes for patients with arm spasticity involving the shoulder

Corrigendum to AbobotulinumtoxinA injections in shoulder muscles to improve adult upper limb spasticity: Results from a phase 4 real-world study and a phase 3 open-label trial.

The authors have unfortunately discovered that the originally published version of this article contains errors, due to incorrect data published in this manuscript. These errors lead to minor changes of the paper, but need to be corrected. In this corrigendum, we supply the corrected data in Fig. 4 (Cycle 3, Cycle 4 and Last Cycle), updated results section and also corrected data in Table SI. [...

Characteristics of COVID-19 Inpatients in Rehabilitation Units during the First Pandemic Wave: A Cohort Study from a Large Hospital in Champagne Region

International audienceBackground: Data describing patients hospitalized in medical rehabilitation wards after the acute phase of COVID-19 could help to better understand the rehabilitation needs in the current pandemic situation. Methods: Cohort including all patients with COVID-19 hospitalized in a single, large university hospital in Northeast France from 25 February to 30 April 2020. Results: 479 patients were admitted with COVID-19 during the study period, of whom 128 died (26.7%). Among the 351 survivors, 111 were referred to rehabilitation units, including 63 (17.9%) referred to physical and rehabilitation medicine (PRM) units. The median age of patients referred to rehabilitation units was 72 years. Patients who had been in intensive care, or who had had a long hospital stay, required referral to PRM units. Two biomarkers were associated with referral to rehabilitation units, namely, elevated troponin (p = 0.03) and impaired renal function (p = 0.03). Age was associated with referral to PRM units (p = 0.001). Conclusions: Almost one-third of COVID-19 patients required post-acute care, but only one-fifth had access to PRM units. The optimal strategy for post-acute management of COVID-19 patients remains to be determined. The need for rehabilitation wards during a pandemic is a primary concern in enabling the long-term functioning of infected patients

Exploring quality of life in people with slowly-progressive neuromuscular disease

International audienc

Can a new ergonomical ankle–foot orthosis (AFO) device improve patients’ daily life? A preliminary study

International audienc

Effects of a 6-month self-rehabilitation programme in addition to botulinum toxin injections and conventional physiotherapy on limitations of patients with spastic hemiparesis following stroke (ADJU-TOX): protocol study for a randomised controlled, investigator blinded study

The ADJU-TOX Study GroupInternational audienc