External osteotomy in rhinoplasty: Piezosurgery vs osteotome

Purpose: To achieve the desired outcome in rhinoplasty depends on many factors. Osteotomy and surgical reshaping of nasal bones are important steps that require careful planning and execution. The availability of different tools raises the question of which one provides significant advantages for both technique and surgical outcome. Our prospective randomized pilot study compared the outcome of post-traumatic rhinoplasty performed with two different external techniques: ultrasound osteotomic cut using the Piezosurgery Medical Device (Mectron, Carasco, Italy) and traditional external osteotomy. Material and methods: Forty-four lateral osteotomies of the nasal wall were performed in twenty-two patients. In twelve patients the osteotomies were conducted with a 2-mm traditional osteotome (control group), while in the remaining ten patients these were done with the Piezosurgery Medical Device (experimental group). Results: At the postoperative evaluation, significantly lower pain, edema and ecchymosis were noticed in the experimental group (p < 0.05). Moreover, the endoscopic evaluation showed fewer mucosal injuries in the experimental group (p < 0.05), whereas bleeding, symmetry of the pyramid and presence of external scars, were similar in the two groups. Conclusions: In the present study, Piezosurgery Medical Device allowed for safe lateral osteotomies in rhinoplasty preliminarily demonstrating the potential to reduce some of the most frequent complications of rhinoplasty

Postural control data from prevalent kidney transplant patients with and without history of falls

From Elsevier via Jisc Publications RouterItem not available in this repository.This article presents data from a research paper entitled “Postural balance, muscle strength, and history of falls in end-stage renal disease patients living with a kidney transplant: a cross-sectional study” available in Journal Gait and Posture [1]. In this article, we reported the minimal detectable changes at the 95% level of confidence (MDC95) of postural balance variables measured in eyes open (EO) and eyes closed (EC) conditions, with a stabilometric platform, in 59 kidney transplant (KT) recipients (mean age= 53.2 ± 11 years). In addition, we also performed receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis to explore the ability of postural balance measures to discriminate fallers and non-fallers (history of falls: yes or no). Sensitivity, specificity and area under the curve (AUC) of mean center of pressure velocity (CoPv), sway area (SA), center of pressure range of displacement in the anterior-posterior (AP) and medio-lateral (ML) directions were calculated. These data can be used by researchers aiming to design psychometric studies of postural balance in KT patients and they also provide clinicians with information on possible prioritization of outcome assessment for future fall-risk research in this clinical population.31pubpu

Nordic Walking can be incorporated in the exercise prescription to increase aerobic capacity, strength and quality of life for elderly: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to summarize and analyze the effects of Nordic Walking on physical fitness, body composition and quality of life in the elderly. METHODS: keyword "Nordic Walking" associated with "elderly" AND/OR "aging" AND/OR "old subjects" AND/OR "aged" AND/OR "older adults" were used in the onlines database Medline, Embase, PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO and SPORTDiscus. Only studies written in English language and published in peer-reviewed journals were considered. A meta-analysis was performed and effect sizes calculated. RESULTS: 15 studies were identified; age of participants ranged from 60 to 92 years old. Comparing with a sedentary group, effect sizes showed that Nordic Walking was able to improve dynamic balance (0.30), functional balance (0.62), muscle strength of upper (0.66) and lower limbs (0.43), aerobic capacity (0.92), cardiovascular outcomes (0.23), body composition (0.30) and lipid profile (0.67). It seemed that Nordic Walking had a negative effect on static balance (-0.72). Comparing with a walking (alone) training, effect sizes showed that Nordic Walking improved the dynamic balance (0.30), flexibility of the lower body (0.47) and quality of life (0.53). Walking training was more effective in improving aerobic capacity (-0.21). Comparing Nordic Walking with resistance training, effect sizes showed that Nordic Walking improved dynamic balance (0.33), muscle strength of the lower body (0.39), aerobic capacity (0.75), flexibility of the upper body (0.41), and the quality of life (0.93). CONCLUSIONS: Nordic Walking can be considered as a safe and accessible form of aerobic exercise for the elderly population, able to improve cardiovascular outcomes, muscle strength, balance ability and quality of life

Reliability of an isometric and isokinetic strength testing protocol of the knee and ankle in young adults

Background: Isokinetic dynamometers are becoming very common in assessing muscle strength and pathology, both in research and clinical practice, but for most of those devices reliability studies are still needed to support their extended use. The aim of this study is to assess the test-retest reliability also in health adults. Methods: Thirty adults (13 male and 17 females; mean age 25.4 ± 2.7 years) were recruited among University students. They participated to two testing sessions (7 day apart) in which they performed isokinetic and isometric strength assessment of the knee and ankle flexion and extension. Results: All variable showed an Intra-class correlation coefficient higher than 0.7 (isometric knee extension 0.96; isokinetic knee extension 0.96; isokinetic knee flexion 0.97; isometric ankle right flexion pl and flexion do 0.75-0.96; isometric ankle left flexion pl and flexion do 0.78-0.97; isokinetic ankle right flexion pl and flexion do 0.88-0.73; isokinetic ankle right flexion pl and flexion do 0.88-0.85) and paired-sample t-test showed no significant difference. Moreover, most of the recorded values were included within the upper and lower limits of agreement. Conclusion: Multi-joint evaluation system is a reliable device to assess knee and ankle isokinetic and isometric strength among healthy adults

Update on the sudden hearing loss

Aims: Sudden hearing loss is defined as a sensory neural hearing deafness of at least 30 dB in three consecutive speech frequencies that as occurred within the 3 days. It is a medical emergency and the treatment should start as soon as possible; up to now therapies are empirically addressed to improve hearing. Materials and Methods: We have evaluated 558 patients with a diagnosis of sudden hearing loss. In our study, we have investigated possible prognostic factors of hearing loss and their influence on the recovery of the pathology. Results and Discussion: Sudden hearing loss requires an immediate therapeutic intervention. The corticosteroid therapy remains the most accredited one at which are reported the most satisfactory results. We have recognized as negative prognostic factors hearing loss on acute frequencies in the audiometric exam, the presence of a severe-deep hearing loss and a delay in starting therapy. Conclusion: The sudden hearing loss is an otologic emergency which requires an immediate therapeutic intervention. The most accredited therapy remains the corticosteroid therapy. Frequencies we have recognized as negative prognostic factors hearing loss on acute frequencies. The presence of a severe-deep hearing loss, and a delay in starting therapy

Diagnostic and therapeutic features associated with modification of quality-of-life's outcomes between one and six months after major surgery for head and neck cancer

INTRODUCTION: Treatments used in head and neck cancer greatly impact the physical, psychological and functional state of patients. Evaluation of quality of life has become an integral part of the treatment. OBJECTIVES: This retrospective study evaluates features involved in changes in quality of life after major surgery for head and neck cancer within six months, according to self-reported outcomes. METHODS: One hundred and thirty patients completed the University of Washington Quality of Life questionnaire one and six months after major surgery for head and neck cancer. A multivariate model was used to evaluate which diagnostic and therapeutic features were related to improvement of quality of life within a six-month period. RESULTS: Significant improvement in most features related to quality of life was already recognizable at six months. Patients submitted to more invasive treatment had the biggest improvement in quality of life between time-points, as well as those patients with bigger tumors. CONCLUSIONS: After major surgery, patients may undergo fast recovery, with overall quality of life likely to improve in the short-term. Clinicians must be aware of the importance of dealing with treatment-related issues immediately after surgery, with hopeful possibility of on-the-upgrade results

Diagnostic and therapeutic features associated with modification of quality-of-life's outcomes between one and six months after major surgery for head and neck cancer

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: Treatments used in head and neck cancer greatly impact the physical, psychological and functional state of patients. Evaluation of quality of life has become an integral part of the treatment. OBJECTIVE: This retrospective study evaluates features involved in changes in quality of life after major surgery for head and neck cancer within six months, according to self-reported outcomes. METHODS: One hundred and thirty patients completed the University of Washington Quality of Life questionnaire one and six months after major surgery for head and neck cancer. A multivariate model was used to evaluate which diagnostic and therapeutic features were related to improvement of quality of life within a six-month period. RESULTS: Significant improvement in most features related to quality of life was already recognizable at six months. Patients submitted to more invasive treatment had the biggest improvement in quality of life between time-points, as well as those patients with bigger tumors. CONCLUSION: After major surgery, patients may undergo fast recovery, with overall quality of life likely to improve in the short-term. Clinicians must be aware of the importance of dealing with treatment-related issues immediately after surgery, with hopeful possibility of on-the-upgrade results

Health Benefits of Zumba Fitness Training: A Systematic Review

As an alternative to the traditional approach to physical exercise, new kinds of organized physical activity have been developed designed to engage large segments of the population. Among these, Zumba fitness is extremely popular, with a growing number of participants. This article aims to summarize and analyze the body of evidence on the effects of Zumba fitness interventions on physical function, fitness, and wellbeing. TYPE: Systematic review

The Role of Facebook® in Promoting a Physically Active Lifestyle: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: it is well known in literature that sedentary lifestyle contributes to worsening people’s health. This issue highlights the need for effective interventions to promote an active lifestyle. Research suggested multilevel intervention strategies to promote adherence to recommended physical activity levels, including the use of social networks that may simplify access to health notions. Being Facebook® the most extensive worldwide social network, this document aimed to analyze the current body of evidence on the role of Facebook® in the promotion of physical activity. Methods: eighteen manuscripts were considered eligible for this systematic review, and it was performed a meta-analysis (PRISMA guidelines) for overall physical activity parameters in eleven out of eighteen studies. Results: significant improvements were detected in the total amount of physical activity. In parallel, an increase in other parameters, such as cardiovascular, body composition, and social support, were found. The aerobic training, with supervised and tailored modalities, showed more considerable improvements. Conclusions: this study showed that Facebook® might be considered a feasible and accessible approach to promoting regular exercise practice and achieving health benefits indicators. Future research on the cross-link between physical activity and social network management could also focus on strength training to verify if a more structured intervention would show an effect