Glucose loading for heart failure protects the myocardium and improves physical function.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of glucose intake on physical function in a heart failure rat model. [Materials and Methods] Five-week-old male Wistar rats were used for this study. Monocrotalin (40 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally to rats to induce heart failure. The rats were divided into two groups, control and MCT; the MCT group was further classified according to glucose concentration (0%, 10%, and 50%). [Results] Glucose intake during heart failure prevented the loss of body weight, skeletal muscle, and fat mass. Myocardial metabolism in heart failure was enhanced by hypoxia, which in turn, enhanced the glycolytic system. [Conclusion] Glucose loading suppressed cardiac hypertrophy and improved physical function in the heart failure rat model.

Preoperative Factors Affecting Patient-reported Outcome Measures for Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the preoperative factors affecting health-related quality of life (HRQOL) at 3 and 12 months after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Methods: In total, 156 patients who underwent unilateral TKA for knee osteoarthritis were included in the study. The Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) was used as a measure of HRQOL before surgery and 3 and 12 months post-TKA. The Modified Gait Efficacy Scale (mGES) score, tibiofemoral angle, rest pain, walking pain, knee joint range of motion, knee joint extensor strength, and walking speed were recorded preoperatively. Pearson's correlation coefficient and the correlation ratio were used to calculate the correlation between KOOS and preoperative factors at 3 and 12 months post-TKA. Multiple regression analysis was performed using the stepwise method with the five postoperative KOOS subscales as dependent variables and the other preoperative factors as independent variables. Results: Preoperative mGES scores were significantly correlated with KOOS Activities of Daily Living, Sport/Rec, and QOL subscores at 3 months post-TKA and with all five KOOS subscales at 12 months post-TKA. Multiple regression analysis identified mGES as an influencing factor for all KOOS subscales except Pain at 3 months post-TKA and all KOOS subscales except Symptoms at 12 months post-TKA. Conclusions: Preoperative walking self-efficacy influenced HRQOL at 3 and 12 months post-TKA. Psychological factors such as self-efficacy should be considered when predicting postoperative outcomes.