Social participation and quality-of-life of patients with traumatic brain injury living in the community: A mixed methods study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the quality-of-life (QoL) and social participation of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI) living in the community in Japan. METHODS: A mixed-methods study of 29 post-TBI patients and 12 family members was conducted. Objective scales were used to evaluate QoL (Short Form Health Survey SF-36), depression (Zung Self-rating Depression Scale) and psychosocial function (Sydney Psychosocial Reintegration Scale, 2nd edition). Subjective views of changes in social functioning, participation and suitability of family support were obtained by a semi-structured interview. Participants were classified into 'change' and 'no-change' groups for social participation and between-group comparisons of QoL and determinant factors of QoL were evaluated. RESULTS: The SF-36 social role component was significantly associated with the suitability of family support, followed by their understanding. However, QoL was not significantly associated with changes in social participation. Social participation was particularly influenced by the absence of rehabilitation support for low-skill labourers and housewives, whether they lost their employment or not. CONCLUSIONS: Advances in rehabilitation services are required, particularly to meet the specific needs of housewives and low-skill labourers. Families should receive sufficient education and short- and long-term strategies for providing suitable support to patients and their families should be implemented.

Rehabilitation needs and participation restriction in patients with cognitive disorder in the chronic phase of traumatic brain injury.

The purpose of this study was to clarify psychosocial factors/problems, social participation, quality of life (QOL), and rehabilitation needs in chronic-phase traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients with cognitive disorder discharged from the level-1 trauma center (L1-TC), and to inspect the effects of rehabilitation intervention to these subjects.A mixed-method research (cross-sectional and qualitative study) was conducted at an outpatient rehabilitation department.Inclusion criteria of subjects were transfer to the L1-TC due to TBI; acute-stage rehabilitation treatment received in the L1-TC from November 2006 to October 2011; age of ≥18 and <70 years at the time of injury; a score of 0-3 on the Modified Rankin Scale at discharge and that of 4-5 due to physical or severe aggressive behavioral comorbid disorders. Study details were sent, via mail, to 84 suitable candidates, of whom 36 replied. Thirty-one subjects (median age: 33.4 years; male: 17; and average time since injury: 48.1 months), who had consented to study participation, were participated. Cognitive function, social participation, QOL, psychosocial factors/problems, rehabilitation needs, and chronic-phase rehabilitation outcomes were evaluated using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Third Edition, the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised, the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale, the Sydney Psychosocial Reintegration Scale, Version 2, and the Short Form 36, Version 2, qualitative analysis of semistructured interviews, etc.Participants were classified into achieved-social-participation (n = 11; employed: 8), difficult-social-participation (n = 12; unemployed: 8), and no-cognitive-dysfunction groups (n = 8; no social participation restriction). Relative to the achieved-social-participation group, the difficult-social-participation group showed greater injury and cognitive dysfunction and lower Sydney Psychosocial Reintegration Scale and Short Form 36 role/social component summary scores (64.9/49.1 vs 44.3/30.4, respectively, P < 0.05). Linear regression analysis showed that the social participation status was greatly affected by the later cognitive disorders and psychosocial factors/problems not by the severity of TBI. No changes were observed in these scores following chronic-phase rehabilitation intervention.Chronic-phase TBI with cognitive disorder led to rehabilitation needs, and improvement of subjects' psychosocial problems and QOL was difficult.

Acute myeloid leukemia presenting with complete paraplegia and bilateral total blindness due to central nervous system involvement.

We report a case of central nervous system (CNS) involvement in a 29-year-old man with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Although leukemic cell invasion of the CNS in patients with AML has been reported in ~3% cases, multiple invasions of the CNS are rare. A 29-year-old man presented with rapidly progressive flaccid paralysis of the lower extremities. Laboratory findings showed blast cells, accounting for 79% of his white blood cell count. Thoracic spine magnetic resonance imaging showed a T2-hyperintense intramedullary lesion at the T6 level. Peroxidase staining was positive in cells isolated from a paravertebral mass as well as the bone marrow aspirate. The patient was diagnosed as having AML, with CNS involvement. We performed an emergency laminectomy between T6 and T9 with tumor resection. Following chemotherapy, although the patient achieved complete remission, the paraplegia did not improve. The patient showed signs of involvement of the cranial nerves and bilateral total blindness because of the involvement of visual areas in the cortex; these were considered to be caused by another lesion. Furthermore, heterotopic ossification resulted in left hip contractures. Despite the patient achieving complete remission of AML and improvement in overall prognosis, the patient's physical function remained limited.

Head lifting strength is associated with dysphagia and malnutrition in frail older adults.

AIM: The purpose of the present study was to assess the association between head lifting strength, dysphagia and malnutrition in frail older adults. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out in 386 frail older adults aged 65 years and older with dysphagia or suspected dysphagia. Head lifting strength was assessed by the Medical Research Council score. The severity of swallowing and nutritional status was evaluated using the Dysphagia Severity Scale and the Mini-Nutritional Assessment Short Form, respectively. Univariate and logistic regression analyses were applied to examine the associations between head lifting strength, dysphagia and malnutrition. RESULTS: There were 129 men and 257 women. The mean age was 83 years. The median Barthel Index score was 30 (interquartile range 5-65). A total of 189 (49%) older adults could independently lift their head. Based on the Dysphagia Severity Scale, 79 participants had no dysphagia, 138 had dysphagia without aspiration and 169 had dysphagia with aspiration. The Mini-Nutritional Assessment Short Form showed that 175 older adults were malnourished, 171 were at risk for malnutrition and 40 had a normal nutritional status. The Medical Research Council score in men was higher compared with women. Head lifting strength was significantly correlated with age (r = -0.256), the Barthel Index (r = 0.540), the Dysphagia Severity Scale (r = 0.458) and the Mini-Nutritional Assessment Short Form (r = 0.331). In logistic regression analysis, the Medical Research Council score was independently associated with both dysphagia with aspiration and malnutrition. CONCLUSIONS: Head lifting strength is associated with dysphagia with aspiration and malnutrition in frail older adults.

Malnutrition is associated with poor rehabilitation outcome in elderly inpatients with hospital-associated deconditioning a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between nutritional status and rehabilitation outcome in elderly inpatients with hospital-associated deconditioning. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study. SUBJECTS/PATIENTS: One hundred sixty-nine consecutive elderly inpatients diagnosed with hospital-associated deconditioning. METHODS: Nutritional status at referral was assessed by the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form at the University Medical Center. Body mass index, haemoglobin, albumin, total lymphocyte count, C-reactive protein, cause of malnutrition, and feeding route were also investigated. Primary outcome was Barthel Index score at discharge. RESULTS: A total of 148 patients (87.6%) were malnourished, and 21 were at risk for malnutrition. There were no patients with normal nutritional status. Malnourished patients had a lower Barthel Index score at discharge than those at risk for malnutrition. Chronic disease-related malnutrition, oral intake, and parenteral nutrition were associated with the Barthel Index score at discharge. There were significant correlations between the Barthel Index score at discharge and nutritional score, albumin, and total lymphocyte count. In multiple regression analysis, Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form, albumin, and chronic disease-related malnutrition were significantly associated with the Barthel Index score at discharge. CONCLUSION: Most elderly inpatients with hospital-associated deconditioning are malnourished. Nutritional status, albumin, and chronic disease-related malnutrition are associated with poor rehabilitation outcome in hospital-associated deconditioning.

Association between gait speed as a measure of frailty and risk of cardiovascular events after myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to determine the additional clinical value of gait speed to Framingham risk score (FRS), cardiac function, and comorbid conditions in predicting cardiovascular events in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. BACKGROUND: There is growing evidence that gait speed is inversely associated with all-cause mortality, particularly cardiovascular mortality, among the elderly. METHODS: We undertook a single-center prospective observational study of gait speed in 472 patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in Japan, between 2001 and 2008. Gait speeds were measured using a 200-m course before discharge in all patients, and we followed up cardiovascular events, which consist of cardiovascular deaths, nonfatal myocardial infarctions, and nonfatal ischemic strokes. RESULTS: During the 2,596 person-years of follow-up, 83 patients (17.6%) experienced cardiovascular events. Cardiovascular events increased across decreasing tertiles of gait speed (fastest tertile: n = 5, 3.2%; middle tertile: n = 20, 12.6%; slowest tertile, n = 58, 36.7%). By multiple adjusted Cox proportional hazards analysis, gait speed was a significant and independent predictor of cardiovascular events (hazard ratio for increasing 0.1 m/s of gait speed: 0.71, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.63 to 0.81, p < 0.001). The addition of gait speed to the model incorporating FRS, B-type natriuretic peptide levels, and comorbidity index improved reclassification (net reclassification index: 32.8%, 95% CI: 17.4 to 48.3, p < 0.001) and the C-statistics with a reasonable global fit and calibration (C-statistics: from 0.703 [95% CI: 0.636 to 0.763] to 0.786 [95% CI: 0.738 to 0.829]). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, slow gait speed was significantly associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events. (Gait Speed for Predicting Cardiovascular Events After Myocardial Infarction; NCT01484158).

Paraplegia after aortic aneurysm repair versus traumatic spinal cord injury: functional outcome, complications, and therapy intensity of inpatient rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVE: To compare outcomes, complications, and therapy intensity of inpatient rehabilitation in patients with paraplegia caused by spinal cord injury associated with aortic aneurysm repair (SCI-AA) versus patients with traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI). DESIGN: Case-controlled study. SETTING: SCI unit in a rehabilitation center. PARTICIPANTS: Seventeen patients with SCI-AA and 17 patients with traumatic SCI. INTERVENTION: Standard rehabilitation therapy for SCI. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Length of stay (LOS) in acute and rehabilitation hospitals; FIM instrument scores; FIM change; FIM efficiency; complications; therapy intensity; and ambulatory state and return to community at discharge. RESULTS: No significant differences were noted in acute and rehabilitation LOS and admission FIM scores. Discharge FIM scores, FIM change, and FIM efficiencies were significantly lower in the SCI-AA group, which had many complications related to AA and SCI. Intensity of rehabilitation sports therapy in the SCI-AA group was significantly lower than that of the traumatic SCI group, but total therapy intensity did not differ significantly. Both had similar rates of return to ambulatory state and discharge to the community. CONCLUSIONS: SCI-AA patients had many complications that interfered with rehabilitation therapy, and could not achieve functional gains comparable to those with traumatic SCI. However, both groups achieved comparable success with return to ambulatory state and discharge to the community.

Relation between 24-h heart rate variability and blood pressure fluctuation during exercise in stroke patients.

BACKGROUND: In some stroke patients blood pressure (BP) fluctuates extensively during medical rehabilitation, so the present study investigated the influence of autonomic nervous dysfunction on the change in BP during exercise. METHODS AND RESULTS: The subjects consisted of 55 stroke inpatients (males, 29; mean age, 58.8 years old; ischemic/hemorrhagic etiology, 30/25) who were admitted to the Stroke Center within 2 weeks of their first stroke. The control group consisted of 15 age-matched healthy volunteers. The 24-h heart rate (HR) variability (HRV) and BP variability (BPV) were examined, and then the increase and recovery of BP and HR were measured during bicycle ergometer exercise at 4 METs. Components of 24-h HRV (low-frequency power (LF), high-frequency power (HF), LF/HF, and asleep-awake ratio of LF/HF (LF/HF(d-n)) were lower (p < 0.01) and BPV was greater in the stroke group (p < 0.05) than in the control group. There was a negative correlation between BP change during exercise and LF/HF or LF/HF(d-n) (r = -0.43 or r = -0.58, p < 0.01), and a greater increase in systolic BP (102 +/-9.8 mmHg, n = 7) during exercise was observed in stroke patients with lower LF/HF(d-n) (< or = 1.0). CONCLUSIONS: Lower HRV in stroke patients may relate to an increase in BP during exercise. HRV is useful for estimating the risk during medical rehabilitation.

Kinematic effects on gait of a newly designed ankle-foot orthosis with oil damper resistance: a case series of 2 patients with hemiplegia.

The ankle joint of ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) should restrict plantarflexion to prevent foot drop during the swing phase. However, excessive plantarflexion resistance causes excessive knee flexion during the stance phase. Plantarflexion resistive moment should be easily adjustable according to the gait ability of patients with hemiplegia. Because it is difficult to adjust plantarflexion resistive moment exactly, we developed an AFO with an oil damper. It is a small shock absorber that utilizes hydraulic resistance. The oil damper generates a resistive moment to the plantarflexion rotation of the ankle joint at the initial stance phase. The magnitude of the plantarflexion resistive moment at the heel strike can be easily adjusted to accommodate each patient's condition by simply turning an adjustment screw. We used a gait analysis system to compare the gait of 2 hemiplegic patients while they were wearing either the AFO with the oil damper or the AFO with the plantarflexion stop. The AFO with the oil damper achieved sufficient plantarflexion of the ankle and mild flexion of the knee by adjusting a proper plantarflexion resistive moment during initial stance phase, and provided a more comfortable gait than did the AFOs with a plantarflexion stop.