Muscle Power in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

This study aimed to review the impact of training on muscle power in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Randomized controlled trials evaluating the effects of exercise-based interventions on limbs muscle power and rate of force development in COPD patients were investigated. Five international databases were searched until October 2022. Meta-analyses were performed calculating the mean difference or standardized mean difference. Risk of bias in studies was assessed using Cochrane Risk of Bias tool 2.0. A total of nine studies were included in the analysis. There were concerns about risk of bias in seven out of nine studies. Comparison of exercising and non-exercising groups showed a significant effect of exercise in improving muscle power (P=0.0004) and rate of force development (P<0.001), in five and three trials, respectively. Four studies comparing different trainings showed no significant results on muscle power (P=0.45). Eight to 16 weeks of exercise-based intervention versus no intervention might be beneficial to enhance upper and lower limbs muscle power and rate of force development in people with COPD. In contrast, muscle power did not improve when different training modalities were compared. Future studies performing power training in COPD patients are encouraged.

Functional and Structural Neuroplastic Changes Related to Sensitization Proxies in Patients with Osteoarthritis: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: Several reports in literature have identified sensitization as a possible basis for the enhanced pain reactions associated with osteoarthritis (OA). The aim of this current systematic review is to summarize functional and structural brain changes associated with surrogate sensitization parameters assessed in patients with OA-related pain. DESIGN: Systematic review. SUBJECTS: Patients with OA related pain. METHODS: A literature search was conducted systematically in MEDLINE, CINAHL, EMBASE databases for human studies up to December 2019. Articles were included if they assessed brain imaging and sensitization parameters (quantitative sensory testing and questionnaires) in adults with OA-related pain. Methodological quality was assessed using the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS) score. RESULTS: Five studies reporting on 138 patients were included in this review. The MINORS scale yielded mean scores of 8.5/16 and 12.3/24, for the cohort and case-control studies respectively. Four low-quality studies suggest a greater pain matrix activation associated with clinical measures of sensitization in patients with OA, while another study underlined the presence of structural changes (reduced gray matter volume) in the cortical areas involved in the nociceptive processing possible also related to sensitization. CONCLUSIONS: This review shows conflicting evidence for structural and functional neuroplastic brain changes related to sensitization proxies in patients with OA.

Pressure algometry and palpation of the upper limb peripheral nervous system in subjects with hand osteoarthritis are repeatable and suggest central changes.

STUDY DESIGN: Case-control study. INTRODUCTION: A subset of patients with hand osteoarthritis (OA) shows evidence of central pain phenotypes. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: To examine whether differences exist in experimental pain responses in the affected and nonaffected sides of patients with unilateral hand OA. To investigate the test-retest reliability of pressure algometry and manual digital palpation in patients with unilateral hand OA. METHODS: The hand OA group consisted of 20 patients, and the control group consisted of 20 healthy subjects. Pressure pain threshold (PPT) measurements were made 2 times, consisting of 3 repeat trials, each using computerized algometry and manual digital palpation. Grip and key strength (dynamometer), pain (visual analog scale), and function (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand [short version]) were also measured. The 2-way analysis of variance was conducted to determine the differences between sides and groups. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and standard error of measurement were calculated. RESULTS: Patients with hand OA had decreased PPTs over the thumb carpometacarpal joint as well as radial and median nerves compared with controls (all P < .01). No significant group effect by side interaction was detected for any measure. The minimal detectable change values needed to detect change in subjects with hand OA were C5-C6 joint (0.3-0.5 kg/cm2), carpometacarpal joint (0.3-0.5 kg/cm2), hamate bone (0.2-0.4 kg/cm2), radial nerve (0.2-0.8 kg/cm2), median nerve (0.3-0.6 kg/cm2), and ulnar nerve (0.2-0.4 kg/cm2) for PPT. Test-retest reliability was calculated for both hands of participants with OA (ICC, 0.98-0.99) and healthy participants (ICC, 0.74-0.99). DISCUSSION: Although pressure algometry and manual digital palpation are techniques already used in previous studies and have been shown to be reproducible and moderately reliable for joint palpation, this current study suggests that pressure algometry and manual digital palpation could also be reliable methods of determining nerve sensitivity of the radial, ulnar and median nerves in subjects with hand OA. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperalgesia in patients with hand OA might be associated with clinical measures, and bilateral signs in unilateral OA could suggest central changes.

Lower Limb Tendinopathy Tissue Changes Assessed through Ultrasound: A Narrative Review.

Tendinopathy is a common disease that affects athletes, causing pain and dysfunction to the afflicted tendon. A clinical diagnose is usually combined with imaging and, among all the existing techniques, ultrasound is widely adopted. The aim of this review is to sum up the existing evidence on ultrasound as an imaging tool and guide for treatments in lower limbs tendinopathy. Using three different databases-PubMed, MEDLINE and CENTRAL-a literature search has been performed in May 2020 combining MeSH terms and free terms with Boolean operators. Authors independently selected studies, conducted quality assessment, and extracted results. Ultrasound imaging has a good reliability in the differentiation between healthy and abnormal tendon tissue, while there are difficulties in the identification of tendinopathy stages. The main parameters considered by ultrasound imaging are tendon thickness, hypoechogenicity of tendon structure and neovascularization of the tendon bound tissue. Ultrasound-guide is also used in many tendinopathy treatments and the available studies gave encouraging results, even if further studies are needed in this field.

[Serum polychlorinated biphenyls in workers of a second-smelting steel mill]. / Policlorobifenili sierici nei lavoratori di una acciaieria di seconda fusione.

SUMMARY: In the steel industry polychlorodibenzodioxins (PCDD), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) may be present deriving from the fusion of ferrous and non-ferrous scrap, as well as for the thermal decomposition of the plastic materials (thermoplastic and thermosetting resins) contained therein and not removed before melting at high temperatures. The aim of the study was to assess in 52 workers of a secondmelting steel plant the PCBs exposure deriving from the manual handling of ferrous scrap waste eventually contaminated. The population was divided by production department (scrap, casting and office). Static air sampling of PCDD, PCDF, PCBs and biological monitoring of serum dioxin-like PCBs (DL-PCBs) were performed. The comparison of serum DL-PCB values between workers from the scrap department and those from the casting did not find any statistically significant differences (Mann- Whitney U test). The range of serum DL-PCBs was 7.74-78.55 ng/g lipids with an average of 24.21 ng/g lipids, much lower than the reference values measured in the Italian general population in 2011. Mean and median TEQ WHO 1998 of DL-PCBs were 0.22 pg/g lipids and 0.15 pg/g lipids respectively. The low concentrations of serum DL-PCBS in the studied population can be explained by the progressive reduction of environmental PCBs contamination.

The Exercise aNd hEArt transplant (ENEA) trial - a registry-based randomized controlled trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of cardiac telerehabilitation after heart transplant.

BACKGROUND: Heart transplant (HTx) is gold-standard therapy for patients with end-stage heart failure. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a multidisciplinary intervention shown to improve cardiovascular prognosis and quality of life. The aim in this randomized controlled trial is to explore the safety and efficacy of cardiac telerehabilitation after HTx. In addition, biomarkers of rehabilitation outcomes will be identified, as data that will enable treatment to be tailored to patient phenotype. METHODS: Patients after HTx will be recruited at IRCCS S. Maria Nascente - Fondazione Don Gnocchi, Milan, Italy (n = 40). Consenting participants will be randomly allocated to either of two groups (1:1): an intervention group who will receive on-site CR followed by 12 weeks of telerehabilitation, or a control group who will receive on-site CR followed by standard homecare and exercise programme. Recruitment began on 20th May 2023 and is expected to continue until 20th May 2025. Socio-demographic characteristics, lifestyle, health status, cardiovascular events, cognitive function, anxiety and depression symptoms, and quality of life will be assessed, as well as exercise capacity and muscular endurance. Participants will be evaluated before the intervention, post-CR and after 6 months. In addition, analysis of circulating extracellular vesicles using Surface Plasmon Resonance imaging (SPRi), based on a rehabilomic approach, will be applied to both groups pre- and post-CR. CONCLUSION: This study will explore the safety and efficacy of cardiac telerehabilitation after HTx. In addition, a rehabilomic approach will be used to investigate biomolecular phenotypization in HTx patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05824364.

Factors associated with the use of medicines and self-medication during the COVID-19 pandemic in 12 Latin American countries.

Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has triggered a rise in the global phenomenon of self-medication. The use of medicines with unsubstantiated claims of benefit for the prevention and/or treatment of infected people has been widely adopted. Objective: To determine the factors associated with the use of medicines and self-medication by Latin American populations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted via an analysis of secondary data collected from 8777 responses from 12 Latin American countries obtained from a survey on the use of medicines and self-medication during the pandemic. Results: Respondents who reported using Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, or antibiotics (ABx) disclosed this as self-medication in 26.9%, 16.6%, and 9.7% of cases respectively. In our multivariate analysis, significant associations were found between: self-medication by individual choice and the use of Hydroxychloroquine, ABx, or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (p = 0.026, = 0.003, and <0.001 respectively); self-medication on the recommendation of a family member, with ABx, Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, or other NSAIDs (p <0.001, <0.001, <0.001, and <0.001 respectively); and self-medication on the recommendation of another person, with Chloroquine, Hydroxychloroquine, Azithromycin, Penicillin, other ABx, Warfarin, Ivermectin, Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, or other NSAIDs (p <0.001, <0.001, <0.001, = 0.001, <0.001, <0.001, = 0.004, <0.001, <0.001, and <0.001 respectively). Conclusion: There was a significantly high prevalence of self-medication in our Latin American study population, including the use of medicines not recommended for COVID-19 treatment and/or prevention. The implementation of public health measures aimed at combating the worrying COVID-19 infodemic is essential to prevent this ongoing issue and its associated negative impacts on both current public health and future medication efficacy. This is especially important in the case of ABx due to the threat of a future antimicrobial resistance pandemic.

Corrigendum: Time-Trends in Air Pollution Impact on Health in Italy, 1990-2019: An Analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/ijph.2023.1605959.].

Potential role of the microbiome in liver injury during COVID-19: Further research is needed.

Although different studies have associated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) with the occurrence of liver injury, the hepatic injury route during the COVID-19 course is not yet fully understood. In order to better understand the mechanisms of the disease, the human gut microbiota has been the subject of extensive discussion in the context of COVID-19 pathophysiology. However, many questions remain, including the risks of liver injury due to COVID-19 specific populations. Further research in this field could allow the discovery of new personalized treatment strategies aimed at improving the microbiota composition, thereby reducing COVID-19 severity and its complications in different populations. In this article, we discussed basic mechanisms of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection and recent evidence on the relationship between COVID-19, the gut microbiome and liver injury as well as proposed recommendations for further research.

Inequity in the global distribution of monkeypox vaccines.

Monkeypox (mpox) has been a public health emergency of international concern that emerged in mid-2022 and has spread to 110 countries. The clinical findings of the disease vary according to the seriousness of the cases. Although its case fatality risk has not been high, a significant percentage of patients require hospitalization. In this context, local initiatives were taken to extend the limited supply of vaccines against the disease; however, such measures have not been sufficient to contain the spread of cases and ensure an equitable distribution of health resources. As a result, endemic regions of low-income countries continue to have insufficient access to mpox vaccination. Despite this and considering the global scope of the disease, there is still little discussion in the literature about the difficulties in achieving adequate vaccination coverage rates for the target population of interest. In this article, we briefly discussed general aspects of the disease, including its surveillance, the current global context of challenges for mpox vaccination, and issues on global allocation of health resources as well as proposed related recommendations.

The Efficacy of Electromagnetic Diathermy for the Treatment of Musculoskeletal Disorders: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to establish the effect of electromagnetic diathermy therapies (e.g., shortwave, microwave, capacitive resistive electric transfer) on pain, function, and quality of life in treating musculoskeletal disorders. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review according to the PRISMA statement and Cochrane Handbook 6.3. The protocol has been registered in PROSPERO: CRD42021239466. The search was conducted in PubMed, PEDro, CENTRAL, EMBASE, and CINAHL. RESULTS: We retrieved 13,323 records; 68 studies were included. Many pathologies were treated with diathermy against placebo, as a standalone intervention or alongside other therapies. Most of the pooled studies did not show significant improvements in the primary outcomes. While the analysis of single studies shows several significant results in favour of diathermy, all comparisons considered had a GRADE quality of evidence between low and very low. CONCLUSIONS: The included studies show controversial results. Most of the pooled studies present very low quality of evidence and no significant results, while single studies have significant results with a slightly higher quality of evidence (low), highlighting a critical lack of evidence in the field. The results did not support the adoption of diathermy in a clinical context, preferring therapies supported by evidence.

Effects of an Interdisciplinary Approach in the Management of Temporomandibular Disorders: A Scoping Review.

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) is an umbrella term that encompasses many musculoskeletal problems that include the masticatory muscles, the temporomandibular joint, and other associated structures. TMD can be divided into two large groups: those that affect the musculature and those that affect the joint. The treatment of TMD requires the combined skills of physiotherapists and dentists, as well as sometimes psychologists and other medical specialists. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of the interdisciplinary approach using physiotherapy and dental techniques on pain in patients with temporomandibular disorders (TMDs). This is a Scoping Review of studies investigating the effects of combined therapy on patients with TMD. PRISMA guidelines were followed during this review's design, search, and reporting stages. The search was carried out in the MEDLINE, CINHAL, and EMBASE databases. A total of 1031 studies were detected and analyzed by performing the proposed searches in the detailed databases. After removing duplicates and analyzing the titles and abstracts of the remaining articles, six studies were ultimately selected for this review. All the included studies showed a positive effect on pain decreasing after a combined intervention. The interdisciplinary approach characterized by the combination of manual therapy and splint or electrotherapy can positively influence the perceived symptoms; positively decrease pain; and reduce disability, occlusal impairments, and perception of change.

Association between the use of Sci-Hub and consultation of scientific journals by medical students from six Latin American countries: A secondary analysis.

Introduction and objective: Sci-Hub is a website that allows users to download full-text versions of millions of scientific articles for free. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between the use of Sci-Hub and consultation of scientific journals by medical students from six Latin American countries. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of data from a 2017 cross-sectional study of medical students from six Latin American countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, and Peru). Consultation of scientific journals was considered as the dependent variable, while the independent variable was the use of Sci-Hub. Responses were categorized as: "do not know"; "did not use it"; "used it at least once a week"; "used it more than once a week"; and "used it every day of the month". In simple and multiple regression analyses, multivariate random-effects models were used to estimate prevalence ratios (PR), with 95% confident intervals (CI). Results: Of the 6632 participants, 38.2% consulted scientific journals and 10.3% used Sci-Hub once a week. Using Sci-Hub at least once a week was associated with a 20% increase in the prevalence of consulting scientific journals (PR: 1.20, 95% CI: 1.10-1.31, p < 0.001). The variables positively associated with Sci-Hub use included being in the sixth year of medical school (PR: 2.34), affiliation to more than one academic research group (PR: 1.81), being a medical student in Colombia (PR: 1.63), intermediate (PR: 1.16) and advanced levels of English (PR: 1.23), and daily use of PubMed (PR: 1.66), SciELO (PR: 1.87), and/or SCOPUS (PR: 1.58). Conclusion: Amongst medical students surveyed from the above six Latin American countries, the use of Sci-Hub at least once a week was significantly associated with the self-reported prevalence of consulting scientific journals.

Time-Trends in Air Pollution Impact on Health in Italy, 1990-2019: An Analysis From the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019.

Objectives: We explored temporal variations in disease burden of ambient particulate matter 2.5 µm or less in diameter (PM2.5) and ozone in Italy using estimates from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. Methods: We compared temporal changes and percent variations (95% Uncertainty Intervals [95% UI]) in rates of disability adjusted life years (DALYs), years of life lost, years lived with disability and mortality from 1990 to 2019, and variations in pollutant-attributable burden with those in the overall burden of each PM2.5- and ozone-related disease. Results: In 2019, 467,000 DALYs (95% UI: 371,000, 570,000) were attributable to PM2.5 and 39,600 (95% UI: 18,300, 61,500) to ozone. The crude DALY rate attributable to PM2.5 decreased by 47.9% (95% UI: 10.3, 65.4) from 1990 to 2019. For ozone, it declined by 37.0% (95% UI: 28.9, 44.5) during 1990-2010, but it increased by 44.8% (95% UI: 35.5, 56.3) during 2010-2019. Age-standardized rates declined more than crude ones. Conclusion: In Italy, the burden of ambient PM2.5 (but not of ozone) significantly decreased, even in concurrence with population ageing. Results suggest a positive impact of air quality regulations, fostering further regulatory efforts.

A probiotic intervention on pain hypersensitivity and microbiota composition in patients with osteoarthritis pain: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to examine the effects of probiotics on pain hypersensitivity at the end of a six-week intervention program in patients with osteoarthritis (OA)-related pain. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial with two parallel arms will be conducted between January 2021 and July 2022. At least 30 participants (age range, 50 to 90 years) of both sexes with a diagnosis of symptomatic hip or knee (Kellgren-Lawrence scale ≥3) will be recruited in each arm (total n=60) to achieve adequate statistical power in the analyses. The intervention will be administered for six weeks followed by a four-week follow-up period. The experimental group will receive a probiotic product plus the usual medical care. The control group will receive a probiotical sham plus the usual medical care. Assessment points will be measured at baseline, end of intervention, and one-month post-intervention. The outcomes of this intervention will be a change in visual analog scale pain and the gut microbiota composition. Group by time effects will be compared using mixed-model analysis of variance. CONCLUSION: A reduction in pain hypersensitivity in patients with knee OA-related pain could suggest an involvement of microbiota, or part of it, in chronic pain state mechanisms.

Isolated Resistance Training Programs to Improve Peripheral Muscle Function in Outpatients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: A Systematic Review.

This systematic review aims to establish which isolated resistance training (RT) programs have been used in outpatients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and their impact on all aspects of peripheral skeletal muscle function. Electronic databases were systematically searched up to June 2021. The eligibility criteria were: (1) randomized controlled trials investigating the effects of supervised and isolated RT programs in outpatients with COPD and (2) RT programs lasting 8-12 weeks, (3) including at least one outcome measure related to trainable muscle characteristics. Initially, 6576 studies were identified, whereas 15 trials met the inclusion criteria. All the included trials reported that isolated RT improved both upper and lower limbs' maximal strength. Muscle endurance and power also increased after RT but received less attention in the analysis. Furthermore, few studies assessed the effect of RT on muscle mass and cross-sectional area, reporting only limited improvement. Isolated RT programs carried out 2-3 days a week for 8-12 weeks improved skeletal muscle function in individuals with COPD. The RT program should be specifically focused to the trainable muscle characteristic to be improved. For this reason, we further encourage the introduction of a detailed assessment of muscle function and structure during the pulmonary rehabilitation practice.

Effects of Ischemic Compression on Trigger Points in the First Dorsal Interosseous Muscle in Patients with Thumb Carpometacarpal Osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Thumb carpometacarpal osteoarthritis (CMC OA) is a common disorder that interferes with the ability to perform the activities of daily life. The purpose of this study was to investigate the immediate effects of ischemic compression on myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) in the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) muscle in patients with the diagnosis of thumb CMC OA. METHODS: In a quasi-experimental clinical trial, thirty-one patients, 87% female (age: 82 ± 9.4 years), with thumb CMC OA, were consecutively assigned to either an experimental treatment that included the ischemic compression of the FDI MTrP or a sham treatment of the FDI MTrP for one session. The main outcome considered in the study was the pressure pain threshold (PPT). Measurements were taken pre- and post-treatment and at a 1-week follow-up period. RESULTS: The PPT over the right (affected) FDI muscle showed statistically significant differences between groups at 1-week follow up (F = 3.518; p = 0.04) in favor of the experimental group. CONCLUSIONS: The ischemic compression of FDI-MTrPs is an appropriate part of a multimodal treatment to decrease local pain sensitivity in patients with CMC OA.

Effects of Neurodynamic Mobilizations on Pain Hypersensitivity in Patients With Hand Osteoarthritis Compared to Robotic Assisted Mobilization: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of the neurodynamic mobilization techniques compared with passive robotic physiologic movement in patients with hand osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: We conducted a randomized controlled trial. A total of 72 patients (mean ± SD age 71 ± 11 years) with dominant symptomatic hand OA were randomized in 2 groups, and both received 12 treatment sessions over 4 weeks. The experimental group received neurodynamic mobilization of the median, radial, and ulnar nerves, and the control group received robotic-assisted passive movement treatment. Both groups also participated in a program of hand stability exercises. Outcome measures included pain intensity, pressure pain thresholds (PPTs), and strength measurements. Group-by-time effects were compared using mixed-model analyses of variance. RESULTS: After the intervention, the experimental group had statistically significant, higher PPTs than the control group at the thumb carpometacarpal joint by 0.7 kg/cm2 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.6, 0.8), the median nerve by 0.7 kg/cm2 (95% CI 0.6, 0.7), and the radial nerve by 0.5 kg/cm2 (95% CI 0.3, 0.6); however, the difference was not statistically significant at 3 months postintervention. Although mean values in the experimental group were higher than in the control group at all PPT sites at both assessments, these differences were not statistically significant. The experimental group experienced a statistically significant reduction in pain immediately postintervention, but this was not present at the 3-month follow-up. There were no statistically significant differences in pinch or grip strength between groups. CONCLUSION: We found that neurodynamic mobilizations decreased hypersensitivity in patients with hand OA immediately after the intervention; however, differences were no longer present at 3 months. The results suggest that these techniques may have some limited value in the short term but do not have lasting effects.