A Retrospective Study of the Risk Factors for Postoperative Foot or Ankle Pain in 90 Patients with Varus Osteoarthritis of the Knee who Underwent Total Knee Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND The reasons for foot and ankle pain following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for knee varus osteoarthritis are unknown. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the risk factors for postoperative foot and ankle pain in patients with varus osteoarthritis of the knee who underwent TKA. MATERIAL AND METHODS We enrolled 90 patients who underwent TKA for varus knee osteoarthritis. The visual analog scale (VAS) was used to evaluate patients' foot or ankle pain before and after surgery. The correlation between independent variables (eg, age, sex, body mass index [BMI], ankle osteoarthritis, and varus angle) and foot and ankle pain in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee was measured. Moreover, radiological changes were compared between the groups with and without worsened pain. RESULTS No significant difference in VAS was found between patients <60 and ≥60 years of age (P>0.05). Male sex and BMI <30 kg/m² were weakly correlated with preoperative foot or ankle pain. However, patients with varus of ≥6° and preexisting ankle osteoarthritis had a higher incidence of foot or ankle pain before surgery. Moreover, no significant differences in radiological changes were found between the groups with and without worsened foot or ankle pain after surgery (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS In male patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, a BMI <30 kg/m², varus of <6°, and no preexisting ankle osteoarthritis were protective factors for foot and ankle pain. TKA corrected knee and ankle malalignment. Therefore, postoperative foot and ankle pain was not associated only with TKA surgery.

[Discrimination of varieties of peony in Huangqin decoction].

By studying the varieties of peony and analyzing the prescription of Huangqin decoction, the authors explored the differences between Paeoniae Radix Alba and Radix Paeoniae Rubra in varieties, origin, processing method and clinical efficacy and compare their efficacies to define Paeoniae Radix Alba or Paeoniae Radix Rubra in Huangqin decoction recorded in Treatise on Febrile Diseases. In the study, the authors clarified the development and change of the variety in various historical periods according to the earliest ancient herbal book recording the variety and the development sequence of main herbs, and made clear the relations between Paeoniae Radix Alba and Paeoniae Radix Rubra. The modern application of Paeoniae Radix Alba started in the Song Dynasty. Although it was processed in different ways from Paeoniae radix Rubra, they shared the same original plant varieties. On the basis of the historical origin, botanical origin, producing place and processing method, the authors made clear the evolvement of peony varieties, discussed and analyzed the developments and changes for the combined to the separate administration of Paeoniae Radix Alba and Paeoniae Radix Rubra and defined the peony variety in Huangqin decoction. Through the textual research on ancient herbal books, the authors confirmed that more than 2 000 years ago, Paeoniae Radix Alba didn't appear when Treatise on Febrile Diseases was written. According to the records in Miscellaneous Records of Famous Physicians that "its roots were collected and dried in February and August", it was inferred that the use of Paeoniae Radix Rubra conformed to the historical facts.

Efficacy of non-bridging external fixation in treating distal radius fractures.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of non-bridging external fixation in treating distal radius fractures (DRF) and its effect on wrist joint function. METHODS: The medical records of 207 patients who were treated for DRF between May 2008 and April 2017 in our hospital (age, 18.0-70.0 years; 99 males and 108 females) were retrospectively analyzed. All patients had evident wrist trauma and the diagnosis of DRF was confirmed by imaging tests. A total of 101 patients received bridging external fixation (control group), whereas another 106 received non-bridging external fixation (study group). At 12 weeks after the procedure, the treatment effect was measured using the Dienst scoring system (rating scale: ≤3 points, excellent; 4-7 points, good; 8-11 points, fair; >12 points, poor), and the wrist joint function was evaluated by Gartland and Werley classification (rating scale: 0-2 points, excellent; 3-8 points, good; 9-20 points, fair; >21 points, poor); meanwhile, the radial length, radial inclination, and palmar tilt were examined by X-ray. Follow-up visits were conducted once every 2 weeks for 6 months, and the incidences of complications in the two groups within 6 months after operation were recorded, including incision infection, Kirschner wire loosening, delayed fracture healing, and arthritis. RESULTS: There were no differences in the sex ratio, mean age, mean injury period, Arbeitsgemeinschaft fur osteosynthesefragen classification, and cause of fracture between the two groups (all P > 0.05). In terms of the treatment effects, the study group had a higher percentage of excellent results (P < 0.001) and lower percentages of fair and poor results (P = 0.002, P = 0.001) than the control group 12 weeks after treatment, while both groups had similar percentages of good results (P = 0.109). In terms of the score of the wrist joint function, the study group had a higher proportion of excellent result than the control group 12 weeks after treatment (P = 0.029), whereas no intergroup differences in the proportion of good, fair, and poor results were observed (all P > 0.05). After follow-up for 6 months, the incidences of incision infection, Kirschner wire loosening, delayed fracture healing, and arthritis, as well as the total complication rate were found to be similar between the two groups (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Using non-bridging external fixation for treating DRF allows some level of wrist movement during the early stage of fixation, effectively maintains the radial length, radial inclination, and palmar tilt, and achieves better outcomes than bridging external fixation.

Bimodal antibacterial system based on quaternary ammonium silane-coupled core-shell hollow mesoporous silica.

Hollow mesoporous silica (HMS) have been extensively investigated as a biomaterial for drug delivery. The present study developed quaternary ammonium silane-grafted hollow mesoporous silica (QHMS) to create a metronidazole (MDZ) sustained delivery system, MDZ@QHMS, with bimodal, contact-kill and release-kill capability. The QHMS was assembled through a self-templating method. Metronidazole was incorporated within the QHMS core using solvent evaporation. Antibacterial activities of the MDZ@QHMS were investigated using single-species biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC25923), Escherichia coli (ATCC25922) and Porphyromonas gingivalis (ATCC33277). The MDZ@QHMS maintained a hollow mesoporous structure and demonstrated sustained drug release and bacteridal actvity against the three bacterial strains at a concentration of 100 µg/mL or above. These nanoparticles were not relatively cytotoxic to human gingival fibroblasts when employed below 100 µg/mL. Compared with HMS, the MDZ@QHMS system at the same concentration demonstrated antibiotic-elution and contact-killing bimodal antibacterial activities. The synthesized drug carrier with sustained, bimodal antibacterial function and minimal cytotoxicity possesses potential for localized antibiotic applications. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The present study develops quaternary ammonium silane-grafted hollow mesoporous silica (QHMS) to create a metronidazole (MDZ) sustained delivery system, MDZ@QHMS, with bimodal, contact-kill and release-kill capability. This system demonstrates sustained drug release and maintained a hollow mesoporous structure. The synthesized drug carrier with sustained, bimodal antibacterial function and excellent biocompatibility possesses potential for localized antibiotic applications.

[Correlation between circadian rhythm and rapid palatal expansion].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlation between circadian rhythm and rapid palatal expansion (RPE). METHODS: One hundred and eleven consecutive patients (55 males and 56 females) using the same rapid palatal expansion devices were included in the study. The mean age of males was (11.2 ± 2.1) years and the mean age of the females was (11.4 ± 2.7) years, According to the activation time (0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 and 21 o'clock), the patients were divided into eight groups. The data were analyzed using Halberg methods for cosinor-rhythmometry and t test. RESULTS: The results of the tooth movement in eight different groups fitted to a cosine curve. The acrophase and bathyphase appeared at 21 and 9 o'clock, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The human circadian rhythm could affect the rapid palatal expansion. This study demonstrated that the best activation time for patients with RPE was around 21 o'clock.