A quasi-experimental study on a new service option of short-term residential care for older stroke patients

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Bond strengths of alginate adhesive

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Can short-term residential care for stroke rehabilitation help to reduce the institutionalization of stroke survivors?

Background: Stroke survivors may not be receiving optimal rehabilitation as a result of a shortage of hospital resources, and many of them are institutionalized. A rehabilitation program provided in a short-term residential care setting may help to fill the service gap. Objectives: The primary objectives of this study were, first, to examine whether there were significant differences in terms of rehabilitation outcomes at 1 year after admission to the rehabilitation program (defined as baseline) between those using short-term residential care (intervention group) and those using usual geriatric day hospital care (control group), and, second, to investigate whether lower 1-year institutionalization rates were observed in the intervention group than in the control group. Participants: 155 stroke survivors who completed at least the first follow-up at 4 months after baseline. Intervention: The intervention group was stroke survivors using self-financed short-term residential care for stroke rehabilitation. The control group was stroke survivors using the usual care at a public geriatric day hospital. Measurements: Assessments were conducted by trained research assistants using structured questionnaires at baseline, 4 months, and 1 year after baseline. The primary outcome measures included Modified Barthel Index score, Mini-Mental Status Examination score, and the institutionalization rate. Results: Cognitive status (as measured by Mini-Mental Status Examination score) of patients in both groups could be maintained from 4 months to 1 year, whereas functional status (as measured by Modified Barthel Index score) of the patients could be further improved after 4 months up to 1 year. Meanwhile, insignificant between-group difference in rehabilitation outcomes was observed. The intervention participants had a significantly lower 1-year institutionalization rate (15.8%) than the control group (25.8%). Conclusion: Short-term residential care for stroke rehabilitation promoted improvements in rehabilitation outcomes comparable with, if not better than, the usual care at geriatric day hospital. Furthermore, it had a significantly lower 1-year institutionalization rate. This type of service could be promoted to prevent institutionalization.published_or_final_versio

Androgen deprivation therapy and fracture risk in Chinese patients with prostate carcinoma

OBJECTIVE: Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) increases fracture risk in men with carcinoma of the prostate, but little is known about the fracture risk for different types of ADT. We studied the fracture risk amongst Chinese patients with carcinoma of the prostate prescribed different ADT regimens. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This was a single-centered observational study that involved 741 patients with carcinoma of the prostate from January 2001 to December 2011. RESULTS: After a median follow-up of 5 years, 71.7% of the study cohort received ADT and the incidence rate of fracture was 8.1%. Multivariable Cox regression analysis revealed that use of ADT was significantly associated with risk of incident fracture (Hazard Ratio [HR] 3.60; 95% Confidence Interval [95% CI] 1.41-9.23; p = 0.008), together with aged >75 years and type 2 diabetes. Compared with no ADT, all three types of ADT were independently associated with the risk of incident fracture: anti-androgen monotherapy (HR 4.47; 95% CI 1.47-13.7; p = 0.009), bilateral orchiectomy ± anti-androgens (HR 4.01; 95% CI 1.46-11.1; p = 0.007) and luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonists ± anti-androgens (HR 3.16; 95% CI 1.18-8.43; p = 0.022). However, there was no significant difference in the relative risks among the three types of ADT. CONCLUSIONS: Fracture risk increases among all types of ADT. Clinicians should take into account the risk-benefit ratio when prescribing ADT, especially in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes.published_or_final_versio

Accuracy of five algorithms to diagnose gambiense human African trypanosomiasis.

Algorithms to diagnose gambiense human African trypanosomiasis (HAT, sleeping sickness) are often complex due to the unsatisfactory sensitivity and/or specificity of available tests, and typically include a screening (serological), confirmation (parasitological) and staging component. There is insufficient evidence on the relative accuracy of these algorithms. This paper presents estimates of the accuracy of five algorithms used by past Médecins Sans Frontières programmes in the Republic of Congo, Southern Sudan and Uganda

Biomechanics and anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

For years, bioengineers and orthopaedic surgeons have applied the principles of mechanics to gain valuable information about the complex function of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). The results of these investigations have provided scientific data for surgeons to improve methods of ACL reconstruction and postoperative rehabilitation. This review paper will present specific examples of how the field of biomechanics has impacted the evolution of ACL research. The anatomy and biomechanics of the ACL as well as the discovery of new tools in ACL-related biomechanical study are first introduced. Some important factors affecting the surgical outcome of ACL reconstruction, including graft selection, tunnel placement, initial graft tension, graft fixation, graft tunnel motion and healing, are then discussed. The scientific basis for the new surgical procedure, i.e., anatomic double bundle ACL reconstruction, designed to regain rotatory stability of the knee, is presented. To conclude, the future role of biomechanics in gaining valuable in-vivo data that can further advance the understanding of the ACL and ACL graft function in order to improve the patient outcome following ACL reconstruction is suggested

Anti-müllerian hormone is not associated with cardiometabolic risk factors in adolescent females

<p>Objectives: Epidemiological evidence for associations of Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) with cardiometabolic risk factors is lacking. Existing evidence comes from small studies in select adult populations, and findings are conflicting. We aimed to assess whether AMH is associated with cardiometabolic risk factors in a general population of adolescent females.</p> <p>Methods: AMH, fasting insulin, glucose, HDLc, LDLc, triglycerides and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured at a mean age 15.5 years in 1,308 female participants in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Multivariable linear regression was used to examine associations of AMH with these cardiometabolic outcomes.</p> <p>Results: AMH values ranged from 0.16–35.84 ng/ml and median AMH was 3.57 ng/ml (IQR: 2.41, 5.49). For females classified as post-pubertal (n = 848) at the time of assessment median (IQR) AMH was 3.81 ng/ml (2.55, 5.82) compared with 3.25 ng/ml (2.23, 5.05) in those classed as early pubertal (n = 460, P≤0.001). After adjusting for birth weight, gestational age, pubertal stage, age, ethnicity, socioeconomic position, adiposity and use of hormonal contraceptives, there were no associations with any of the cardiometabolic outcomes. For example fasting insulin changed by 0% per doubling of AMH (95%CI: −3%,+2%) p = 0.70, with identical results if HOMA-IR was used. Results were similar after additional adjustment for smoking, physical activity and age at menarche, after exclusion of 3% of females with the highest AMH values, after excluding those that had not started menarche and after excluding those using hormonal contraceptives.</p> <p>Conclusion: Our results suggest that in healthy adolescent females, AMH is not associated with cardiometabolic risk factors.</p&gt

Role of biomechanics in the understanding of normal, injured, and healing ligaments and tendons

Ligaments and tendons are soft connective tissues which serve essential roles for biomechanical function of the musculoskeletal system by stabilizing and guiding the motion of diarthrodial joints. Nevertheless, these tissues are frequently injured due to repetition and overuse as well as quick cutting motions that involve acceleration and deceleration. These injuries often upset this balance between mobility and stability of the joint which causes damage to other soft tissues manifested as pain and other morbidity, such as osteoarthritis