Does physiotherapy after rotator cuff repair require supervision by a physical therapist?: a meta-analysis

Background A supervised physiotherapy program (SPP) is a standard regimen after surgical rotator cuff repair (RCR); however, the effect of a home-based exercise program (HEP), as an alternative, on postoperative functional recovery remains unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this meta-analysis was to compare the functional effects of SPP and HEP after RCR. Methods We searched electronic databases including Central, Medline, and Embase in April 2022. The primary outcomes included the Constant score, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, University of California Los Angeles shoulder score, and pain score. Secondary outcomes included range of motion, muscle strength, retear rate, and patient satisfaction rate. A meta-analysis using random-effects models was performed on the pooled results to determine the significance. Results The initial database search yielded 848 records, five of which met our criteria. Variables at 3 months after surgery were successfully analyzed, including the Constant score (mean difference, −8.51 points; 95% confidence interval [CI], −32.72 to 15.69; P=0.49) and pain score (mean difference, 0.02 cm; 95% CI, −2.29 to 2.33; P=0.99). There were no significant differences between the SPP and HEP. Other variables were not analyzed owing to the lack of data. Conclusions Our data showed no significant differences between SSP and HEP with regard to the Constant and pain scores at 3 months after RCR. These results suggest that HEP may be an alternative regimen after RCR. Level of evidenceI

Drinking Ice-Cold Water Reduces the Severity of Anticancer Drug-Induced Taste Dysfunction in Mice

Taste disorders are common adverse effects of cancer chemotherapy that can reduce quality of life and impair nutritional status. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying chemotherapy-induced taste disorders remain largely unknown. Furthermore, there are no effective preventive measures for chemotherapy-induced taste disorders. We investigated the effects of a combination of three anticancer drugs (TPF: docetaxel, cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil) on the structure and function of mouse taste tissues and examined whether the drinking of ice-cold water after TPF administration would attenuate these effects. TPF administration significantly increased the number of cells expressing apoptotic and proliferative markers. Furthermore, TPF administration significantly reduced the number of cells expressing taste cell markers and the magnitudes of the responses of taste nerves to tastants. The above results suggest that anticancer drug-induced taste dysfunction may be due to a reduction in the number of taste cells expressing taste-related molecules. The suppressive effects of TPF on taste cell marker expression and taste perception were reduced by the drinking of ice-cold water. We speculate that oral cryotherapy with an ice cube might be useful for prophylaxis against anticancer drug-induced taste disorders in humans