Short- and Long-Term Effects of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation on Poststroke Visuospatial Neglect: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

OBJECTIVE: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess the effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and select a suitable protocol for poststroke visuospatial neglect. DESIGN: PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases were searched for relevant studies from the inception date to October 31, 2021. The inclusion criteria were (1) randomized controlled trials, (2) people with visuospatial neglect, (3) treatment with different repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation protocols, (4) comparison with sham or blank control, and (5) reports of performance measurements. RESULTS: Data were obtained from 11 randomized controlled trials. The effects of immediate and 1-mo postintervention were measured using line bisection test, cancellation test, and Catherine Bergego Scale. Results showed statistically significant improvement when applying low-frequency (0.5-1 Hz) repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation or continuous theta burst stimulation to the left hemisphere on short- and long-term line bisection test (standardized mean difference = -1.10, 95% confidence interval = -1.84 to -0.37; standardized mean difference = -1.25, 95% confidence interval = -2.11 to -0.39) and cancellation test (standardized mean difference = 1.08, 95% confidence interval = 0.45 to 1.71; standardized mean difference = 1.45, 95% confidence interval = 0.42, 2.47). CONCLUSIONS: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation may be considered a treatment option for poststroke visuospatial neglect. This review proves that a decrease in neuronal excitation in the left hemisphere, which restores the interhemispheric balance, benefits poststroke visuospatial neglect.

Mechanical pain sensitivity of deep tissues in children--possible development of myofascial trigger points in children.

BACKGROUND: It is still unclear when latent myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) develop during early life. This study is designed to investigate the mechanical pain sensitivity of deep tissues in children in order to see the possible timing of the development of latent MTrPs and attachment trigger points (A-TrPs) in school children. METHODS: Five hundreds and five healthy school children (age 4- 11 years) were investigated. A pressure algometer was used to measure the pressure pain threshold (PPT) at three different sites in the brachioradialis muscle: the lateral epicondyle at elbow (site A, assumed to be the A-TrP site), the mid-point of the muscle belly (site B, assumed to be the MTrP site), and the muscle-tendon junction as a control site (site C). RESULTS: The results showed that, for all children in this study, the mean PPT values was significantly lower (p < 0.05) at the assumed A-TrP site (site A) than at the other two sites, and was significantly lower (p < 0.05) at the assumed MTrP site (site B) than at the control site (site C). These findings are consistent if the data is analyzed for different genders, different dominant sides, and different activity levels. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that a child had increased sensitivity at the tendon attachment site and the muscle belly (endplate zone) after age of 4 years. Therefore, it is likely that a child may develop an A-Trp and a latent MTrP at the brachioradialis muscle after the age of 4 years. The changes in sensitivity, or the development for these trigger points, may not be related to the activity level of children aged 7-11 years. Further investigation is still required to identify the exact timing of the initial occurrence of a-Trps and latent MTrPs.

Wernicke encephalopathy concurrent with polyradiculoneuropathy in a young man after bariatric surgery: A case report.

RATIONALE: Bariatric surgery is the recommended treatment for morbid obesity because of its rapid and sustained body weight loss effect. Nutrient deficiency-related neurological complications after bariatric surgery are often disabling. Thus, early recognition of these complications is important. Neurological complications involving the central and peripheral nerve system after bariatric surgery were reported. However, the report on the clinical course of the concurrent involvement of central and peripheral nervous system is limited. We present a rare case of a patient who developed Wernicke encephalopathy concurrent with polyradiculoneuropathy after receiving bariatric surgery. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 22-year-old man with a history of morbid obesity presented progressive bilateral lower limbs weakness, blurred vision, and gait disturbance 2 months after receiving laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. Bilateral lower limb numbness and cognition impairment were also noted. DIAGNOSIS: Brain magnetic resonance imaging and electrophysiologic studies confirmed the diagnosis of Wernicke encephalopathy concurrent with acute polyradiculoneuropathy. INTERVENTIONS: Vitamin B and folic acid were given since admission. He also received regular intensive rehabilitation program. OUTCOMES: The subject's cognitive impairment and diplopia improved 1 week after admission under medical treatments, yet lower limb weakness and gait disturbance were still noted. After a month of intensive inpatient rehabilitation, he was able to ambulate with a walker for 30 munder supervision. LESSONS: Nutrient deficiency-related neurological complications after bariatric surgery are often disabling and even fatal. Prevention of neurological complications can be improved through close postsurgical follow-up of the nutritional status. Recognizing the signs and symptoms and evaluating the medical history are critical to the early diagnosis and treatment of this potentially serious yet treatable condition.

Remote therapeutic effectiveness of acupuncture in treating myofascial trigger point of the upper trapezius muscle.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the remote effect of acupuncture (AcP) on the pain intensity and the irritability of the myofascial trigger point in the upper trapezius muscle. DESIGN: Forty-five patients were equally divided into three groups: patients in the placebo control group received sham AcP, those in the simple needling group were treated using simple needling, and those in the modified AcP received AcP with the rapid "screwed in and out" into multiple sites to elicit local twitch responses. The acupoints of Wai-guan and Qu-chi were treated. The outcome assessments included changes in subjective pain intensity, pressure pain threshold, range of motion, and mean amplitude of endplate noise in the myofascial trigger point region. RESULTS: Immediately after acupuncture, all measured parameters improved significantly in the simple needling and modified AcP groups, but not in the placebo control group. There were significantly larger changes in all parameters in the modified AcP group than that in the simple needling group. CONCLUSIONS: The myofascial trigger point irritability could be suppressed after a remote acupuncture treatment. It appears that needling to the remote AcP points with multiple needle insertions of modified AcP technique is a better technique than simple needling insertion of simple needling technique in terms of the decrease in pain intensity and prevalence of endplate noise and the increase in pressure pain threshold in the needling sites (represented either AcP points and or myofascial trigger points). We have further confirmed that the reduction in endplate noise showed good correlation with a decreased in pain.

Myofascial trigger points in early life.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether latent myofascial trigger points (MTPs) can be identified in healthy infants and in healthy adult subjects. DESIGN: Blind comparison. SETTING: Ambulatory. PARTICIPANTS: A convenience sample of 60 healthy adults and 60 infants (age range, 0-12mo). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: An algometer was used to measure the pressure pain threshold (PPT) on 3 different sites, including a midpoint (assumed to be the MTP site) in the brachioradialis muscle. RESULTS: The mean PPT values at the MTP site were significantly lower than the other sites in the adult muscles. However, no significant differences in PPT values among these 3 sites were found in the infants. Taut bands were found in all the adult muscles but none in the infants. CONCLUSIONS: In the adult subjects, the midpoint of brachioradialis muscle was significantly more irritable than other sites and the midpoint was probably a latent MTP. However, in the infants younger than 1 year old, such a phenomenon could not be observed in this study. It is very likely that the latent MTPs might not exist in early life, but develop in later life.