A new modification of KAFO for assistance in knee extension

In this paper, a dynamic knee-ankle-foot orthosis (KAFO) extension assisted with elastic support, has been described which contributes to stance phase stability and swing phase freedom. The temporal distance factors including velocity, cadence, stride length, and clinical gait assessment score (CGAS) with bare foot and orthosis have been documented. The orthosis enables walking without fully immobilizing the knee. © 2007 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved

Association between serum ferritin level and fibromyalgia syndrome

Background/Objectives: Iron is essential for a number of enzymes involved in neurotransmitter synthesis. Analysis of cerebrospinal fluid in fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) has shown a reduction in the concentration of biogenic amine metabolites, including dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin. This study aimed to investigate the association of ferritin with FMS. Subjects/Methods: A total of 46 patients with primary FMS participated in this case-control study, and 46 healthy females who were age matched to the patients were used as the control group. Venous blood samples collected from all subjects were used to evaluate serum ferritin, vitamin B12 and folic acid levels. Results: The mean serum ferritin levels in the fibromyalgia (FM) and control groups were 27.3±20.9 and 43.8±30.8 ng/ml, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.003). Binary multiple logistic regression analysis with age, body mass index, smoking status and vitamin B12, as well as folic acid and ferritin levels showed that having a serum ferritin level <50 ng/ml caused a 6.5-fold increased risk for FMS. Conclusions: Our study implicates a possible association between FM and decreased ferritin level, even for ferritin in normal ranges. We suggest that iron as a cofactor in serotonin and dopamine production may have a role in the etiology of FMS. © 2010 Macmillan Publishers Limited All rights reserved

The effect(s) of a six-week home-based exercise program on the respiratory muscle and functional status in ankylosing spondylitis

BACKGROUN

Is osteoporosis generalized or localized to central skeleton in ankylosing spondylitis?

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis at the lumbar spine and at the femur is a well-established complication in ankylosing spondylitis (AS), but the exact mechanism and the distribution of osteoporosis are not known absolutely. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the osteoporosis is generalized or localized to central skeleton and to examine the relation between bone mineral density (BMD) and disease activity and radiologic progression in patients with AS. METHODS: In this study, 26 patients with AS and 33 healthy controls matched for age and sex were recruited to the study. Hip and forearm BMD were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Laboratory and clinical disease activity parameters were documented, and anteroposterior sacroiliac radiographs were taken to determine the radiologic progression. RESULTS: The urine deoxypyridinoline levels of the patients with AS were statistically significantly higher (P = 0.02) and the serum osteocalcin levels were significantly lower with respect to controls (P = 0.03). The femoral neck and femur BMD values and T scores were significantly lower in patients with AS compared with the controls (P = 0.019, 0.003, 0.01, and 0.01, respectively). The differences in BMD values and T scores of the distal 1/3 radius between 2 groups were not statistically significant. The relation between BMD and disease activity, and radiologic progression in patients with AS could not detected. CONCLUSION: Sparing of distal regions such as the as radius suggests that osteoporosis might be due to localized effects of inflammatory activity or immobility rather than a systemic effect. Both increased resorption and decreased formation might be involved in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis. Radius BMD may not be appropriate to evaluate bone loss in patients with AS. © 2007 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc

Biering-Sorensen test scores in coal miners

Objectives: Biering-Sorensen test is an isometric back endurance test. Biering-Sorensen test scores have varied in different cultural and occupational groups. The aims of this study were to collect normative data on Biering-Sorensen holding times, to determine the discriminative ability of the Biering-Sorensen test in Turkish coal miners, and to examine the association between Biering-Sorensen test result and functional disability. Methods: One hundred and fifty male coal miners participated in this study. Trunk extensor muscle strength was measured using the Biering-Sorensen test. Oswestry disability index was used to measure the functional disability level of low back pain. Results: The mean Biering-Sorensen holding time for the total subject group was 107.3 ± 22.5 s. The mean time of Biering-Sorensen test of the subjects with and without low back pain were 99.9 ± 19.8 and 128.6 ± 15.2 s, respectively. The difference between the subjects with and without low back pain was statistically significant (p < 0.001). There was a statistically significant negative correlation between Oswestry functional disability score and Biering-Sorensen holding time (r = -0.824, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Turkish coal miners have low mean back extensor endurance holding times. Biering-Sorensen test had a good discriminative ability in our study group. Trunk muscle strength has a significant effect on the disability level of low back pain. Thus trunk muscle endurance training exercise therapy may be effective for the reduction of disability in patients with low back pain. © 2008 Société Française de Rhumatologie

Biering-Sorensen test scores in coal miners [Résultats du test de Biering-Sorensen chez des mineurs de charbon]

[No abstract available

Psychological status and patient-assessed health instruments in ankylosing spondylitis

Background: Determination of the relationships between disease and psychological status in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is needed for clinical assessment and management, as well as selection and monitoring of AS patients for biological therapy. Objective: The study aimed to describe associations between self-reported health status and psychological factors in AS patients and to compare the Symptom Checklist 90-Revised (SCL-90-R) profiles of the AS patients and the control subjects. Methods: Disease status was determined through the Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), Bath AS Functional Index (BASFI), and the Bath AS Metrology Index (BASMI). Psychological status was measured using the SCL-90-R. Results: BASDAI and BASFI scores correlated with somatization, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, depression, and hostility subscales of SCL-90-R (P ? 0.05). BASFI scores were significantly correlated with interpersonal sensitivity and phobic anxiety subscales of SCL-90-R (P < 0.05), whereas no correlation was observed between BASDAI and interpersonal sensitivity and phobic anxiety subscales. BASMI scores were significantly correlated with somatization and interpersonal sensitivity subscales (P < 0.05). After age and sex adjustments, a statistically significant difference was determined between the somatization scores of the AS patients and control subjects (P = 0.005). Conclusion: AS is a chronic disease, which causes deformities and workforce decline. This, in turn, might lead to psychological distress. There is a need to assess the mood of patients with AS. Completion of self-report assessment tools are potentially confounded by reporting biases that result from psychological factors. Some patients may overreport symptoms or disability because of a tendency to somatize. Thus, during interpretation of these tools, psychological status should be taken into account especially deciding the treatment regimen including biologic therapies. Copyright © 2010 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins