The experience of low back pain in people with incomplete spinal cord injury in the USA, UK and Greece

Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council's (EPSRC

Factors affecting anxiety-fear of surgical procedures in dentistry

Aim: To compare dental anxiety and fear during procedures performed under local anesthesia either in the operating room or in the clinic as well as to investigate the potential factors that might influence this psychological condition.Subjects and Methods: Patients who were admitted to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery of the universities in two cities, which have a different sociocultural patient profile, were enrolled. In addition to the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS), and Dental Fear Scale (DFS), the patients were asked to answer the questions concerning previous dental experience, education level, and previous psychiatric therapy.Statistical Analysis Used: The results of STAI were analyzed by Mann–Whitney U-test and results of DAS and DFS were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance test.Results: Two hundred patients, of whom 76 were enrolled in the first center and 124 were enrolled in the second center. A statistically significant difference was observed in state anxiety levels of the patients between the two centers, whereas the difference in trait anxiety levels was not significant. The results of DAS, DFS, and STAI-trait (STAI-T) displayed a significant difference between genders; the levels of anxiety and fear were higher in females than in males (DAS P = 0.025, DFS P = 0.017, STAI-T P = 0.045). Comparison between the patients with and without previous dental experience revealed a statistically significant difference regarding the results of STAI.Conclusions: The study found that sociocultural structure and gender are the significantly effective factors on dental anxiety and fear.Keywords: Dental Anxiety Scale, Dental Fear Scale, gender, sociocultural structure, state-trait anxiet

Surgical treatment of bilateral femoral stress fractures related with long-term alendronate therapy.

A 67-year-old female patient admitted to our outpatient clinic suffering from pain in both thighs for one year without any history of trauma. Patient was receiving alendronate therapy for five years. Physical examination revealed pain increasing with weight-bearing in both thighs with full range of hip and knee movements. Radiographs showed an area of thickened cortex of middle femoral diaphysis in both femurs, but no fracture. Bone scan showed a single area of increased uptake of radioisotope. These images were compatible with stress fractures of both femurs. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry revealed a T-score of -3.2 for the lumbar spine and -3.5 for the hip. Alendronate treatment was ceased. Calcium and vitamin D treatment were started. Patient was performed prophylactic surgical stabilization by titanium elastic nails in May 2009. On first day after the surgery, unsupported mobilization and weight-bearing activities were started. Upon persistence of pain on left thigh, plate fixation was performed for the nonunion in June 2012. Patient is now pain-free and able to walk with full weight-bearing without any complications