Calidad de vida en los adolescentes con escoliosis idiopática: una comparación transcultural entre métodos de intervención

Aquesta tesi tracta de la Qualitat de vida dels adolescents amb Escoliosi idiopàtica (EIA) quan ese sotmeten a tractament conservador. Així mateix, concepte central és el de Qualitat de Vida relacionat amb la Salut (QVRS), dins del model biopsicosocial. Es tracta d'un model complex i multicausal, on ment i cos estan estrictament inter-relacionats. Per tant, considerem també: l'auto-imatge, l'estrès i la família. En l'EIA, definida com una desviació lateral de la columna associada a una rotació, es presenten dos factors importants: un possible deteriorament de l 'auto-imatge i una vivència de pèrdua de perfecció, per part dels pacients i dels seus pares. Potencials factors que poden dificultar l'elaboració d'aquest dol són la incertesa en relació a l'evolució de la corba i una possible herència genètica, normalment a càrrec de les mares. Els mètodes de intervencions, en relació a la gravetat de la deformació, comprenen: la simple observació, el tractament conservador amb corset i fisioteràpia, l'operació quirúrgica i/o la fisioteràpia. En relació a un interès sempre més fort per part d'investigadors i clínics, es van crear instruments de mesura que varien des dels genèrics als específics i als super-específics. Arran dels limitats estudis sobre els impactes de la fisioteràpia i del tractament “mixt” que inclou corset i fisioteràpia, hem dut a terme una investigació comptant amb una mostra d'adolescents provinents de dos centres, a Barcelona i a Milà. Els instruments utilitzats van ser: un qüestionari de dades soci-demogràfic, el test d'autoestima de Rosenberg, l'Autoconcepte Forma 5, l'Escala de satisfacció amb el propi cos, el SRS-22, el BSSQ (corset).es/it. Es van realitzar 4 estudis. El primer va ser un estudi de tipus descriptiu sobre la mostra. El segon, una comparació entre els dos grups de fisioteràpia de Milà i de Barcelona, va revelar un augment de la CVRS amb referència al Dolor en el grup de Milà; els dos Tractaments van tenir efectes diferents sobre l'AF-Emocional i el SRS-Autoimatge, amb puntuacions més altes en el grup de Barcelona. El tercer, una comparació entre el grup de fisioteràpia i el mixt en la mostra de Milà , va ensenyar una millora en CVRS quant a Dolor al llarg del temps en el grup de fisioteràpia en contra d'una reducció en el grup mixt. El quart, una comparació entre el grup de fisioteràpia i el sense tractament en la mostra de Barcelona, va indicar que independentment del tractament, hi va haver-una reducció de l'Auto concepte familiar. Tenint en compte el limitat nombre de la mostra, la seva composició heterogènia, les eines utilitzades, es plantegen investigacions més completes en el futur.Esta tesis trata de la Calidad de vida de los adolescentes con Escoliosis idiopática (EIA) cuando se someten a tratamiento conservador. Asimismo, concepto central es el de Calidad de Vida relacionado con la salud (CVRS), dentro del modelo biopsicosocial. Se trata de un modelo complejo y multicausal, donde mente y cuerpo están estrictamente inter-relacionados. Por lo tanto, consideramos también: la autoimagen, el estrés y la familia. En la EIA, definida como una desviación lateral de la columna asociada a una rotación, se presentan dos factores importantes: un posible deterioro de la autoimagen y una vivencia de pérdida de perfección, por parte de los pacientes y de sus padres. Potenciales factores que pueden dificultar la elaboración de este duelo son la incertidumbre en relación a la evolución de la curva y una posible herencia genética, normalmente a cargo de las madres. Los métodos de intervenciones, en relación a la gravedad de la deformación, comprenden: la simple observación, el tratamiento conservador con corsé y fisioterapia, la operación quirúrgica y/o la fisioterapia. En relación a un interés siempre más fuerte por parte de investigadores y clínicos, se crearon instrumentos de medición que varían desde los genéricos a los específicos y a los superespecíficos. A raíz de los limitados estudios sobre los impactos de la fisioterapia y del tratamiento “mixto” que incluye corsé y fisioterapia, hemos llevado a cabo una investigación contando con una muestra de adolescentes provenientes de dos centros, en Barcelona y en Milán. Los instrumentos utilizados fueron: un cuestionario de datos-socio-demográfico, el test de autoestima de Rosenberg, el Autoconcepto Forma 5, la Escala de satisfacción con el propio cuerpo, el SRS-22, el BSSQ (corsé).es/it. Se realizaron 4 estudios. El primero fue un estudio de tipo descriptivo sobre la muestra. El segundo, una comparación entre los dos grupos de fisioterapia de Milán y de Barcelona, reveló un aumento de la CVRS con referencia al Dolor en el grupo de Milán; los dos Tratamientos tuvieron efectos diferentes sobre el AF-Emocional y el SRS-Autoimagen, con puntuaciones más altas en el grupo español. El tercero, una comparación entre el grupo de fisioterapia y el mixto en la muestra de Milán, enseñó una mejora en CVRS en cuanto a Dolor a lo largo del tiempo en el grupo de fisioterapia en contra de una reducción en el grupo mixto. El cuarto, una comparación entre el grupo de fisioterapia y el sin tratamiento en la muestra de Barcelona, indicó que indiferentemente de l tratamiento, hubo una reducción del Autoconcepto familiar. Teniendo en cuenta el limitado numero de la muestra, su composición heterogénea, las herramientas utilizadas, se plantean investigaciones más completas en futuro.The present thesis deals with the quality of life of adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis (EIA) when subjected to conservative treatment. Besides, the main concept is the quality of life related to health (HRQOL), within the biopsychosocial model. This is a complex and multi-causal model, where mind and body are strictly interrelated. Therefore, we consider the following elements: self-image, stress and family. In the EIA, defined as a lateral deviation of the spine associated with a rotation, there are two important factors: a possible deterioration of the self-image and a feeling of the lost perfection perceived by the patients and their parents. Potential factors that may hinder the development of this grief are the uncertainty regarding the evolution of the curve and the possible genetic inheritance, usually from maternal side. The methods of intervention in relation to the severity of the deformity may be listed as follows: the simple observation, the conservative treatment with braces and physiotherapy, surgery and / or physiotherapy. With regard to the ever-stronger interest shown by researchers and clinicians, measurement tools ranging from generic to specific and super-specific have been created. Because of the limited studies on the impacts of the physiotherapy treatment and the "mixed" one, including brace and physical therapy, we investigated a sample of adolescents from two centres, in Barcelona and in Milan. The instruments used were a socio-demographic questionnaire, the Rosenberg self-esteem test, the Self-concept Form 5, the Scale of satisfaction with one's body, the SRS-22, BSSQ (brace). The following four studies were conducted . The first was a description of the sample. The second, a comparison between the two groups – from Milan and from Barcelona-, showed an increase of “pain referred HRQOL” in the Milan group; the two treatments had different effects on the AF-Emotional and SRS-Self-image, with higher scores in the Spanish group. The third, a comparison between the physiotherapy group and the mixed one in the sample from Milan, showed an improved “pain referred HRQOL” with the passing of time in the physiotherapy group against a reduction in the mixed group. The fourth, a comparison between the physiotherapy group and the untreated one in the sample from Barcelona, indicated that regardless of the treatment, there was a reduction of the family self-concept. Given the limited sample numbers, its heterogeneous composition, the tools used, the present study requires a more extensive investigation in the future

Bra.Di.P.O. and P.I.G.R.O.: Innovative Devices for Motor Learning Programs

Two mechatronics prototypes, useful for robotic neurotreatments and new clinical trainings, are here presented. P.I.G.R.O. (pneumatic interactive gait rehabilitation orthosis) is an active exoskeleton with an electropneumatic control. It imposes movements on lower limbs in order to produce in the patient’s brain proper motor cortex activation. Bra.Di.P.O. (brain discovery pneumatic orthosis) is an MR-compatible device, designed to improve fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) analysis. The two devices are presented together because both are involved in the study of new robotic treatments of patients affected by ictus or brain stroke or in some motor learning experimental investigations carried out on healthy subjects

Chemotherapy effects on brain glucose metabolism at rest

Background: A growing number of studies reports that chemotherapy may impair brain functions inducing cognitive changes which can persist in a subset of cancer survivors. Aims: To investigate the neural basis of the chemotherapy-induced neurobehavioral changes by means of metabolic imaging and voxel-based statistical parametric mapping analyses. Methods: We studied the resting brain [18]FDG-PET/CT images of 43 adult cancer patients with solid (n=12, 28%) or hematologic malignancies (n=31, 72%); 12 patients were studied prior to chemotherapy (No chemotherapy) while treated patients were divided into two matched subgroups: Early High (6 chemotherapy cycles, n=10), and Late Low (>9 months after chemotherapy, <6 chemotherapy cycles, n=21). Findings: Compared to No chemotherapy, the Early High subgroup showed a significant bilateral (p<0.05) lower regional cerebral metabolic rate of glucose metabolism in both the prefrontal cortices and white matter, cerebellum, posterior medial cortices and limbic regions. A similar pattern emerged in the Early High versus Low Late comparison, while no significant result was obtained in the Low Late versus No chemotherapy comparison. The number of cycles and the post-chemotherapy time were negatively and positively correlated, respectively, with a set of these same brain regions. Interpretation: The present study shows that chemotherapy induces significant transient changes in the glucose metabolism of multiple cerebral cortical and white matter regions with a prevailing involvement of the prefrontal cortex. The severity of these changes are significantly related with the number of chemotherapy cycles and a subset of brain regions seems to present longer lasting, but more subtle, metabolic changes

Spanish validation of Bad Sobernheim Stress Questionnaire (BSSQ (brace).es) for adolescents with braces

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>As a result of scientific and medical professionals gaining interest in Stress and Health Related Quality of Life (HRQL), the aim of our research is, thus, to validate into Spanish the German questionnaire <b>Bad Sobernheim Stress Questionnaire (BSSQ) (mit Korsett)</b>, for adolescents wearing braces.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The methodology used adheres to literature on trans-cultural adaptation by doing a translation and a back translation; it involved 35 adolescents, ages ranging between 10 and 16, with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) and wearing the same kind of brace (Rigo System Chêneau Brace). The materials used were a socio-demographics data questionnaire, the SRS-22 and the Spanish version of BSSQ(brace).es. The statistical analysis calculated the reliability (test-retest reliability and internal consistency) and the validity (convergent and construct validity) of the BSSQ (brace).es.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>BSSQ(brace).es is reliable because of its satisfactory internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.809, p < 0.001) and temporal stability (test-retest method with a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.902 (p < 0.01)).</p> <p>It demonstrated convergent validity with SRS-22 since the Pearson correlation coefficient was 0.656 (p < 0.01). By undertaking an Exploratory Principal Components Analysis, a latent structure was found based on two Components which explicate the variance at 60.8%.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>BSSQ (brace).es is reliable and valid and can be used with Spanish adolescents to assess the stress level caused by the brace.</p

Bizarre Pigmented Lesion on the Scalp: A Quiz

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Emotional indicators in young patients with Idiopathic Scoliosis: a study through the drawing of Human Figure

Background: Investigating Health Related Quality of Life (HRQL) is considered determinant in patients with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) in clinical as in research field. The aim of the present study is to explore the most relevant aspects of personality of the patients with AIS and its relationship with HRQL. Method: 50 patients (mean age = 16 years) were given a socio-demographic data questionnaire, the Human Figure Drawing (HFD) and SRS (Scoliosis Research Society) -22. Results: In Subtotal SRS-22, patients presented a mean value of 3.9. In HFD, half of these patients presented physical and/or emotional tensions with reference to the shoulders and almost all of them did not show any expression of aggressiveness. No relationship between personality and HRQL was confirmed. The older the patients were, the more body tension was discovered as well as the more concerns about their bodies they showed to have. There was also a correlation between growing old and a decreasing in Mental Health. Previous conservative treatment did not show any impact on personality or on HRQL. Conclusions: Patients with AIS suffer stress and general concern more frequently with the increase of age. We suggest an appropriate supportive treatment for this type of patients

Shared "Core" Areas between the Pain and Other Task-Related Networks

The idea of a 'pain matrix' specifically devoted to the processing of nociceptive inputs has been challenged. Alternative views now propose that the activity of the primary and secondary somatosensory cortices (SI, SII), the insula and cingulate cortex may be related to a basic defensive system through which significant potentially dangerous events for the body's integrity are detected. By reviewing the role of the SI, SII, the cingulate and the insular cortices in the perception of nociceptive and tactile stimuli, in attentional, emotional and reward tasks, and in interoception and memory, we found that all these task-related networks overlap in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, the anterior insula and the dorsal medial thalamus. A thorough analysis revealed that the 'pain-related' network shares important functional similarities with both somatomotor-somatosensory networks and emotional-interoceptive ones. We suggest that these shared areas constitute the central part of an adaptive control system involved in the processing and integration of salient information coming both from external and internal sources. These areas are activated in almost all fMRI tasks and have been indicated to play a pivotal role in switching between externally directed and internally directed brain networks.status: publishe

Cerebellar Clustering and Functional Connectivity During Pain Processing.

The cerebellum has been traditionally considered a sensory-motor structure, but more recently has been related to other cognitive and affective functions. Previous research and meta-analytic studies suggested that it could be involved in pain processing. Our aim was to distinguish the functional networks subserved by the cerebellum during pain processing. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) on 12 subjects undergoing mechanical pain stimulation and resting state acquisition. For the analysis of data, we used fuzzy c-mean to cluster cerebellar activity of each participant during nociception. The mean time courses of the clusters were used as regressors in a general linear model (GLM) analysis to explore brain functional connectivity (FC) of the cerebellar clusters. We compared our results with the resting state FC of the same cluster and explored with meta-analysis the behavior profile of the FC networks. We identified three significant clusters: cluster V, involving the culmen and quadrangular lobules (vermis IV-V, hemispheres IV-V-VI); cluster VI, involving the posterior quadrangular lobule and superior semilunar lobule (hemisphere VI, crus 1, crus 2), and cluster VII, involving the inferior semilunar lobule (VIIb, crus1, crus 2). Cluster V was more connected during pain with sensory-motor areas, cluster VI with cognitive areas, and cluster VII with emotional areas. Our results indicate that during the application of mechanical punctate stimuli, the cerebellum is not only involved in sensory functions but also with areas typically associated with cognitive and affective functions. Cerebellum seems to be involved in various aspects of nociception, reflecting the multidimensionality of pain perception