Impact of treadmill running on distal femoral cartilage thickness: a cross-sectional study of professional athletes and healthy controls.

PURPOSE: This present study aimed to assess the impact of treadmill running on distal femoral cartilage thickness. METHODS: Professional athletes aged 20 to 40 years with a history of treadmill running (minimum 75 min per week for the past three months or more) and age-, sex-, and body mass index (BMI)-matched healthy controls were recruited. Demographics and clinical features of participants were recorded. Athletes were divided into subgroup 1 with less than 12 months of treadmill running and subgroup 2 with 12 months or more of treadmill running. Distal femoral cartilage thicknesses were measured at the midpoints of the right medial condyle (RMC), right intercondylar area (RIA), right lateral condyle (RLC), left medial condyle (LMC), left intercondylar area (LIA), and left lateral condyle (LLC) via ultrasonography. RESULT: A total of 72 athletes (mean age: 29.6 ± 6.6 years) and 72 controls (mean age: 31.9 ± 6.7 years) were enrolled. Athletes had significantly thinner cartilages in the RLC (2.21 ± 0.38 vs. 2.39 ± 0.31 cm, p = 0.002), LLC (2.28 ± 0.37 vs. 2.46 ± 0.35 cm, p = 0.004), and LMC (2.28 ± 0.42 vs. 2.42 ± 0.36 cm, p = 0.039) compared with the control group. Furthermore, cartilage thickness was significantly thinner in subgroup 2 athletes compared with the control group in the RLC (2.13 ± 0.34 vs. 2.39 ± 0.31 cm, p = 0.001), LLC (2.22 ± 0.31 vs. 2.46 ± 0.35 cm, p = 0.005), and LMC (2.21 ± 0.46 vs. 2.42 ± 0.36 cm, p = 0.027); however, subgroup 1 athletes did not have such differences. There was a weak negative correlation between total months of treadmill running and cartilage thickness in the RLC (r = - 0.0236, p = 0.046) and LLC (r = - 0.0233, p = 0.049). No significant correlation was found between the distal femoral cartilage thickness at different sites and the patients' demographic features, including age, BMI, speed and incline of treadmill running, and minutes of running per session and week (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Compared with healthy controls, professional athletes with a history of long-term high-intensity treadmill running had thinner femoral cartilages. The duration (months) of treadmill running was weakly negatively correlated with distal femoral cartilage thickness. Longitudinal studies with prolonged follow-ups are needed to clarify how treadmill running affects femoral cartilage thickness in athletes.

Features of biliary tract diseases in ketamine abusers: a systematic review of case reports.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Anesthesiologists prefer ketamine for certain surgeries due to its effectiveness as a non-competitive inhibitor of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor in the brain. Recently, this agent has also shown promise as an antidepressant. However, ketamine can cause hallucinogenic effects and is sometimes abused as an illicit drug. Ketamine abuse has been associated with liver and bile duct complications. This systematic study aims to better understand cholangiopathy in ketamine abusers by reviewing case reports. METHODS AND MATERIAL: In this systematic review, a comprehensive literature search was conducted with the terms "biliary tract diseases" and "ketamine". Case reports and case series of adult patients with documented ketamine abuse and reported cholangiopathy or biliary tract disease were included. We extracted the data of relevant information and the results were reported through narrative synthesis and descriptive statistics. RESULTS: A total of 48 studies were initially identified, and 11 studies were finally included in the review. The mean age of the patients was 25.88 years. Of the 17 patients, 64.7% were men. Symptoms often included abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. Most patients were discharged with improved symptoms and liver function. Common bile duct dilation and other findings were observed in imaging results and other diagnostic studies. CONCLUSION: This review highlights the diverse presentations and diagnostic modalities used in ketamine-induced cholangiography. These patients tend to be young men with deranged liver function tests and abdominal pain, which should be taken into consideration. These patients often require a multidisciplinary approach in their management.

Efficacy comparison between ultrasound-guided injections of 5% dextrose with corticosteroids in carpal tunnel syndrome patients.

BACKGROUND: There is no standard guideline for treating mild to moderate carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). 5% dextrose perineural injection has been a potential and innovative treatment with long-term effects for CTS; however, there is few published randomized clinical trial comparing the efficacy of 5% dextrose perineural injection versus corticosteroid injection in treating CTS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this double-blinded randomized active-controlled trial, we randomly allocated 1 session of either 2 cc 5% dextrose or 1 cc methylprednisolone acetate mixed with 1 cc normal saline in 36 patients with mild to moderate CTS of single or both their wrists. The baseline VAS, BCTQ, electrophysiological studies, and sonography assessment of median nerve CSA were carried out at the baseline and 1-month and 3-month follow-ups, as well as recording demographic variables. RESULTS: A statistically significant decreasing trend in VAS (P < 0.0001), BCTQ-ss (P < 0.0001), median nerve CSA (P = 0.05), SNAP-PL (P < 0.0001), and CMAP-OL (P = 0.048) in both methylprednisolone and 5% dextrose groups was observed. No significant difference was observed in slope of the trend of studied parameters, including VAS (P = 0.95), BCTQ-ss (P = 0.88), BCTQ-F (P = 0.34), median nerve CSA (P = 0.321), SNAP-PL (P = 0.9), CMAP-OL (P = 0.799), SNAP-amplitude (P = 0.798), and CMAP-amplitude (P = 0.584). CONCLUSION: 5% dextrose perineural injection is an effective and safe treatment for mild to moderate CTS, in comparison with the short-term results attained from corticosteroids. Further randomized clinical trials with longer follow-up periods are warranted.

Assessment of L-carnitine effectiveness on carpal tunnel syndrome.

Background: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most prevalent entrapment neuropathy. Due to the results of recent studies about the protective effects of L-carnitine on nerves, this study was conducted to evaluate the effects L-carnitine on CTS improvement in terms of patient's function, electrodiagnostic study (EDX), and median nerve sonography. Methods: In this double-blind, randomized, controlled trial, patients with CTS were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and then, divided into two groups of placebo and L-carnitine at a dose of 500 mg twice daily for 6 weeks. They were assessed at baseline, and 4 and 6 weeks later using Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (BCTQ) , median nerve conduction study (EDX), and sonography. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the intervention and control groups in terms of BCTQ scores, electrodiagnostic findings, and sonographic indexes. Although based on the results of the repeated measures test of the intervention and control groups separately, there was a statistically significant difference in some electrodiagnostic criteria and BCTQ scores. These indexes improved after the intervention. Conclusion: The effectiveness of L-carnitine on mild to moderate CTS improvement cannot be approve based on the findings of this study and more studies and systematic reviews are required in this regard.

Comparison of the Effectiveness of Ultrasound-Guided Prolotherapy in Supraspinatus Tendon with Ultrasound-Guided Corticosteroid Injection of Subacromial Subdeltoid Bursa in Rotator Cuff-Related Shoulder Pain: A Clinical Trial Study.

BACKGROUND: Shoulder pain is the third most common type of musculoskeletal disorder and rotator cuff (RC) tendinopathy is the most frequent diagnosis. Ultrasound is the most preferable guidance tool for diagnostic and interventional purposes. The aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness of the prolotherapy injection with corticosteroid injection in patients with RC dysfunction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty to sixty-five-year-old patients with chronic RC disease were divided into two groups. Ultrasound-guided dextrose prolotherapy of supraspinatus tendon was done for one group and ultrasound-guided corticosteroid injection in the subacromial bursa was done for the other groups. Visual analog scale (VAS) and Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) were evaluated for both groups at baseline, 3 and 12 weeks after injections. RESULTS: Thirty-three patients were included in the result. Both the groups showed significant improvement in VAS and SPADI scores in 3 and 12 weeks after injections compared with preinjection times with no difference between two groups neither in 3 weeks nor in 12 weeks after injections. CONCLUSION: Both ultrasound-guided dextrose prolotherapy and CS injections are effective in the management of RC-related shoulder pain in both short-term and long-term with neither being superior to the other. Therefore, prolotherapy may be a safe alternative therapy instead of corticosteroid injection due to lack of its side effects.

Efficacy of acupuncture versus local methylprednisolone acetate injection in De Quervain's tenosynovitis: a randomized controlled trial.

There is no consensus on the management of De Quervain's tenosynovitis, but local corticosteroid injection is considered the mainstay of treatment. However, some patients are reluctant to take steroid injections. This study was performed to compare the efficacy of acupuncture versus corticosteroid injection for the treatment of this disease. Thirty patients were consequently treated in two groups. The acupuncture group received five acupuncture sessions of 30 minutes duration on classic points of LI-5, LU-7, and LU-9 and on ahshi points. The injection group received one methylprednisolone acetate injection in the first dorsal compartment of the wrist. The degree of disability and pain was evaluated by using the Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (Q-DASH) scale and the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) at baseline and at 2 weeks and 6 weeks after the start of treatment. The baseline means of the Q-DASH and the VAS scores were 62.8 and 6.9, respectively. At the last follow-up, the mean Q-DASH scores were 9.8 versus 6.2 in the acupuncture and injection groups, respectively, and the mean VAS scores were 2 versus 1.2. We demonstrated short-term improvement of pain and function in both groups. Although the success rate was somewhat higher with corticosteroid injection, acupuncture can be considered as an alternative option for treatment of De Quervain's tenosynovitis.

A study of interpolation method in diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome.

CONTEXT: The low correlation between the patients' signs and symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and results of electrodiagnostic tests makes the diagnosis challenging in mild cases. Interpolation is a mathematical method for finding median nerve conduction velocity (NCV) exactly at carpal tunnel site. Therefore, it may be helpful in diagnosis of CTS in patients with equivocal test results. AIM: The aim of this study is to evaluate interpolation method as a CTS diagnostic test. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Patients with two or more clinical symptoms and signs of CTS in a median nerve territory with 3.5 ms ≤ distal median sensory latency <4.6 ms from those who came to our electrodiagnostic clinics and also, age matched healthy control subjects were recruited in the study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Median compound motor action potential and median sensory nerve action potential latencies were measured by a MEDLEC SYNERGY VIASIS electromyography and conduction velocities were calculated by both routine method and interpolation technique. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Chi-square and Student's t-test were used for comparing group differences. Cut-off points were calculated using receiver operating characteristic curve. RESULTS: A sensitivity of 88%, specificity of 67%, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of 70.8% and 84.7% were obtained for median motor NCV and a sensitivity of 98.3%, specificity of 91.7%, PPV and NPV of 91.9% and 98.2% were obtained for median sensory NCV with interpolation technique. CONCLUSIONS: Median motor interpolation method is a good technique, but it has less sensitivity and specificity than median sensory interpolation method.