Hepatitis E virus infection of transplanted kidneys.

Immunocompromised patients are at risk of chronic hepatitis E (HEV) infection. Recurrent T cell and borderline rejections in a pediatric patient with high HEV copy numbers led us to study HEV infection within renal transplants. To investigate the frequency of renal HEV infection in transplanted patients, 15 samples from patients with contemporaneous diagnoses of HEV infection were identified at our center. Ten samples had sufficient residual paraffin tissue for immunofluorescence (IF) and RNA-fluorescence-in-situ-hybridization (RNA-FISH). The biopsy of the pediatric index patient was additionally sufficient for tissue polymerase chain reaction and electron microscopy. HEV RNA was detected in paraffin tissue of the index patient by tissue polymerase chain reaction. Subsequently, HEV infection was localized in tubular epithelial cells by IF, RNA-FISH, and electron microscopy. One additional biopsy from an adult was positive for HEV by RNA-FISH and IF. Focal IF positivity for HEV peptide was observed in 7 additional allografts. Ribavirin therapy was not successful in the pediatric index patient; after relapse, ribavirin is still administered. In the second patient, successful elimination of HEV was achieved after short-course ribavirin therapy. HEV infection is an important differential diagnosis for T cell rejection within transplanted kidneys. Immunostaining of HEV peptide does not necessarily prove acute infection. RNA-FISH seems to be a reliable method to localize HEV.

Comparison of the effect of prolotherapy and paraffin wax for hand osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: Hand osteoarthritis (OA) is associated with considerable disability, especially in the elderly patient population. Paraffin wax (PW) and prolotherapy (P) are non-pharmacological treatment methods used in this setting. This study aimed to compare the therapeutic efficacy of P and PW in hand osteoarthritis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study was designed as a single-center, randomized-controlled trial conducted at our Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinic between February 2019 and July 2020. Patients with bilateral hand OA were divided into PW and P treatment groups. The PW group was treated 5 days per week for 2 weeks. The P group received an injection of dextrose solution into the ligaments of painful joints once weekly for three weeks. Visual analog scale (VAS), Duruoz Hand Index (DHI) scale, hand dynamometer for grip strength, and pinch meter for lateral pinch were used for baseline and post-treatment follow-up assessments. RESULTS: Overall, 42 patients were included. The VAS scores significantly decreased in both PW and P groups (p=0.024 and p=0.014). Baseline and third-month post-treatment VAS scores did not significantly differ (p=0.581). The DHI scores improved significantly in both groups (p<0.001 and p<0.001), being higher in the P than in the PW group (p=0.042). Right- and left-hand grip strength increased significantly in PW and P groups (p<0.001, p=0.001; p=0.013, p=0.002, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Both treatment methods were effective regarding pain and grip strength; however, P improved the hand functions more significantly.

Comparison of the short-term efficacy of peloid and paraffin treatments on pain and quality of life in the treatment of plantar fasciitis: a randomized controlled study.

Although peloid, paraffin, and exercise treatments are effective in patients with plantar fasciitis, there had been no comprehensive and comparative studies of these treatments for plantar fasciitis. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effects of peloid, paraffin, and exercise treatments on pain, functional status, and quality of life in patients with plantar fasciitis. A total of 104 patients, aged 18 years and over, who applied to our clinic with heel pain and were diagnosed with plantar fasciitis according to the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons Clinical Consensus Statement: Diagnosis and Treatment of Adult Acquired Infracalcaneal Heel Pain guideline, with pain at the level of 3 and more severe according to the visual analog scale were randomly divided into three groups: the peloid group (peloid therapy and home exercise), the paraffin group (paraffin therapy and home exercise), and the control group (home exercise). Peloid and paraffin applications were applied 5 days a week, a total of 15 sessions in 3 weeks. Participants were evaluated with the visual analog scale, heel tenderness index, and the foot and ankle outcome score before treatment, after treatment, and at the first month after treatment. Compared to pre-treatment evaluation, significant improvements were observed in all parameters after treatment and at the first month controls in all 3 groups (p < 0.05). In the peloidotherapy and paraffin therapy added groups, pain reduction and quality of life increase were higher than the exercise group (p < 0.05). Adding peloidotherapy or paraffin therapy to the home exercise program in the treatment of plantar fasciitis can further reduce pain and improve quality of life.

Evaluation of a paraffin-based moisturizer compared to a ceramide-based moisturizer in children with atopic dermatitis: A double-blind, randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Moisturizers are first-line therapy for treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD). Although there are multiple types of moisturizers available, head-to-head trials between different moisturizers are limited. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate if a paraffin-based moisturizer is as effective as ceramide-based moisturizer in children with AD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this double-blind, randomized comparative trial of pediatric patients with mild to moderate AD, subjects applied either a paraffin-based or ceramide-based moisturizer twice daily. Clinical disease activity using SCOring Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD), quality of life using Children/Infants Dermatology Life Quality Index (CDLQI/IDLQI), and transepidermal water loss (TEWL) were measured at baseline and at follow-up at 1, 3, and 6 months. RESULTS: Fifty-three patients were recruited (27 ceramide group and 26 paraffin group) with a mean age of 8.2 years and mean disease duration of 60 months. The mean change in SCORAD at 3 months in the ceramide-based and paraffin-based moisturizer groups was 22.1 and 21.4, respectively (p = .37). The change in CDLQI/IDLQI, TEWL over forearm and back, amount and days of topical corticosteroid required, median time to remission and disease-free days at 3 months were similar in both groups. As the 95% confidence interval (CI) of mean change in SCORAD at 3 months in both groups (0.78, 95% CI: -7.21 to 7.52) was not within the predefined margin of equivalence (-4 to +4), the conclusion of equivalence could not be proven. CONCLUSION: Both the paraffin-based and ceramide-based moisturizers were comparable in improving the disease activity in children with mild to moderate AD.

Hydroquinone cream-based polymer microneedle roller for the combined treatment of large-area chloasma.

Melasma is a common hyperpigmented skin condition that occurs on the face and other areas prone to light exposure, seriously affecting people's quality of life. Microneedle, a new type of transdermal drug delivery device, can significantly improve skin permeability. In this study, we designed and fabricated a polymer microneedle roller (PMR) using a mold hot pressing method, and established a mouse model of melasma induced by ultraviolet radiation. The dynamometer and insertion test of MNs into parafilm and skin of mice indicates that the MNs have sufficient mechanical properties to insert parafilm and skin of mice. The two methods (apply hydroquinone cream (HQC) directly and pre-treat with PMR before applying HQC) were used to treat melasma. From the results of skin surface observation, determination of superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in skin and liver tissues, histological observation, and skin Optical coherence tomography (OCT), we confirmed both the two methods had a therapeutic effect while the PMR pretreatment group exhibited a better therapeutic effect. In addition, there were statistical differences between the UV group (P < 0.05). Together these results indicated that the MNs may be promising in future clinical applications in improving the UV irradiation-induced pigmentation like melisma.

The extent of agreement between frozen and paraffin block data from axillary samples in patients with early-stage breast cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with early-stage breast cancer currently undergo sentinel lymph node dissection to evaluate the axillary region. Frozen tissue blocks are evaluated intra operatively and paraffin-embedded samples are studied postoperatively. We explored whether sentinel lymph node dissection adequately reflected axillary involvement (as revealed by the paraffin blocks) in patients with early-stage breast cancer; we sought to avoid axillary dissection. METHODS: The agreement/non-agreement rates between the results of axillary ultrasonography and biopsy, sentinel lymph node and axillary dissections, and frozen and paraffin block results, were retrospectively analyzed for 200 patients with early-stage breast cancer. The positive predictive values and accuracies were recorded in those who were positive on both ultrasonography and biopsy. The negative predictive values were calculated for doubly negative cases. RESULTS: The frozen and paraffin block results disagreed in 19 (9.5 %) cases and agreed in 181 (90.5 %). The frozen block and dissection results differed in five of 38 patients who underwent axillary dissection (AD) (one patient did not undergo AD); the results were in agreement in 32. Of the 19 block-disagreement cases, 16 were in the non-neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) group and three in the NAC treatment group. Clinically, the negative predictive values of the frozen and paraffin block data were 80 % in patients lacking axillary involvement. CONCLUSION: Paraffin block evaluations only (thus, without frozen block examinations) of early-stage breast cancer lymph nodes seem to be sufficient to guide treatment. Also, a thorough clinical examination (with ultrasonography and axillary biopsy) reduces the dissection rate and the associated functional impairments.

Effect of chamomile oil on the intensity of nonspecific low back pain in prehospital emergency technicians.

INTRODUCTION: Low back pain (LBP) are prevalent in prehospital emergency (PE) technicians. This study aimed to investigate effect of chamomile oil on the intensity of LBP in PE technicians. METHODS: In this three-blind randomized clinical trial study, 90 PE technicians with LBP were randomly assigned to three groups: intervention, placebo and control. Intervention and placebo used 1.5 cc oil of chamomile and paraffin respectively, in lumbar region, three times a day for three weeks. Control group did not receive any intervention. Pain intensity and its interference with daily activities were measured by brief pain inventory (BPI), before intervention and end of first, second, and third weeks. RESULTS: Intervention group showed a significant drop in pain intensity and pain interference with daily activities at end of first, second, and third week (p < 0.001). At the end of first and second weeks, the mean pain reduction in intervention was significantly higher than that in placebo and control (p < 0.001), but at end of third week, there was no significant difference between three groups in this respect (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Topical chamomile oil application can reduce the intensity of LBP in PE technicians and its impact on their daily activities for a period of two weeks.

Comparison of the efficacies of peloid therapy and paraffin treatment given as an adjuncts to exercise therapy in patients with hallux rigidus: a randomized, uncontrolled, prospective study.

Although it is thought that peloid and paraffin treatments may have positive effect on pain, functional status, and quality of life in patients with hallux rigidus (HR), there are no comprehensive and comparative studies with a high level of evidence. We aimed to compare peloid and paraffin treatments in symptomatic hallux rigidus patients. A total of 113 patients diagnosed with HR between May 2019 and June 2021 were included in the study. After exclusion criteria, the remaining 90 patients were randomly divided into two groups: the peloid therapy group (peloid therapy + home exercise) and the paraffin therapy group (paraffin therapy + home exercise). Peloid and paraffin treatments were applied for 2 weeks (5 days a week for a total of 10 sessions). Patients were evaluated before treatment, at the end of treatment, and one month after treatment. The groups were compared in terms of pain, functional status, quality of life, and joint range of motion. In the final analysis, 40 patients in each treatment group were compared. Statistically significant improvements were achieved for all parameters at the end of treatment and at follow-up, and the treatments were found to be highly effective. As a result of the comparison, the methods were not found to be superior to each other. The present study is the first randomized study comparing peloid therapy and paraffin therapy given as an adjuncts to exercise therapy. Exercise therapy plus peloid and exercise therapy plus paraffin treatments seem to have similar effects on HR; however, controlled trials are necessary for confirmation of our results.

Cell HE staining smears and paired cell paraffin sections in detection of epithelial growth factor receptor gene of pleural fluid specimens. / 细胞HEæŸ“è‰²æ¶‚ç‰‡ä¸Žç»†èƒžèœ¡å—æ£€æµ‹æ™šæœŸéžå°ç»†èƒžè‚ºç™Œèƒ¸è ”ç§¯æ¶²æ ‡æœ¬ä¸­è¡¨çš®ç”Ÿé•¿å› å­å—ä½“åŸºå› çªå˜.

OBJECTIVES: The advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with pleural effusion have no opportunity for surgery treatment. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are the first-line drugs for these patients with EGFR-sensitive mutation. However, the disease progression and drug update during or after treatment of EGFR-TKIs bring more challenges and puzzles to clinical diagnosis and treatment, which inevitably requires archived pleural cell samples for EGFR re-examination or comparative study. Understanding the DNA quality of archived pleural fluid samples and effectively using archival data of pleural fluid cells are of great significance for tracing the origin of cases and basic medical research. This study aims to evaluate the consistency of EGFR mutant gene expression between the 2 methods, and to explore a reliable way for preserving cytological data and making full use of cytological archival data via cell HE staining smear and cell paraffin section. METHODS: A total of 57 pleural fluid cytology cases in the Department of Pathology of China Aerospace Center Hospital from October 2014 to April 2021 were selected. Tumor cells were detected by cell HE staining smears and immunohistochemical staining for TTF-1 and Napsin A in the paired cell paraffin sections. There were more than 200 tumor cells in cell HE staining smear and the proportion of tumor cells were ≥70% in matched cell paraffin sections. Patients with 2 cell smears (one for cell data retention and the other for DNA extraction) were selected as the research subjects, and 57 pleural fluid samples were enrolled. EGFR gene mutation was detected by amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction in 57 paired cell HE staining smears and cell paraffin sections. DNA concentration was 2 ng/µL. Cell HE smear was amplified side-by-side with DNA samples from paired cell paraffin sections. Result determination was according to the requirements of the reagent instructions. The external control cycle threshold (Ct) value of the No. 8 well of the samples to be tested was between 13 and 21, which was considered as successful and reliable samples. When the Ct value of EGFR gene mutation was <26, it was considered as positive; when the Ct value was between 26 and 29, it was critical positive; when the Ct value was equal or more than 29, it was negative. ΔCt value was the difference between mutant Ct value and externally controlled Ct value. The smaller the ΔCt value was, the better the quality of DNA of the detected sample was. RESULTS: Among the 57 pleural effusion samples, 42 patients were hospitalized with pleural effusion as the first symptom, accounting for 73.7% (42/57). EGFR mutation was detected in 37 samples [64.9% (37/57)]. The mutation rate for 19del was 37.8% (14/37) while for L858R was 48.6% (18/37). Females were 56.7% (21/37) of mutation cases. The mutation consistency rate of cell HE staining smear and matched cell paraffin sections was 100%. The ΔCt values of cell HE staining smears were less than those of matched cell paraffin sections. The mutation Ct values of 37 cytological samples were statistically analyzed according to the preservation periods of the years of 2014-2015, 2016-2017, 2018-2019, and 2020-2021. There were significant differences in cell paraffin section in the years of 2014-2015 and 2016-2017 compared with the years of 2018-2019 and 2020-2021, while no significant differences were found in cell HE staining smear. Statistical analysis of externally controlled Ct values of 57 cytological samples showed that there were significant differences between cell HE staining smears and cell paraffin section in the years of 2014-2015 and 2016-2017, compared with the years of 2018-2019 and 2020-2021. The mutational Ct values of 37 paired cell blocks and smears were all <26, and the externally controlled Ct values of 57 paired cell paraffin sections and HE staining smears were all between 13 and 21. CONCLUSIONS: The DNA quality of cell HE smears and matched cell paraffin section met the qualified requirements. Two methods possess show an excellent consistency in detecting EGFR mutation in NSCLC pleural fluid samples. The DNA quality of cell HE staining smear is better than that of cell paraffin sections, so cell HE staining smear can be used as important supplement of the gene test source. It should be noted that the limitation of cell HE staining smears is non-reproducibility, so multiple smears of pleural fluid are recommended to be prepared for multiple tests.

Combined treatment modality including topical 20% fluorescein dye in the management of phthiriasis palpebrarum - A case series.

Purpose: To study the clinical presentations and outcomes of phthiriasis palpebrarum (PP) managed with combined treatment modality comprising of 20% fluorescein dye, mechanical removal of the ectoparasites, and topical application of antibiotic eye ointment with paraffin base. Methods: This is a prospective interventional noncomparative hospital-based series of 13 patients of PP. All the patients underwent local application of 20% fluorescein dye over the eyelashes and eyebrows of both the eyes followed by the mechanical removal of all the ectoparasites and trimming of the eyelashes from the base followed by application of ophthalmic ointment. Results: Mean age of the patients was 28 ± 22 years (range 3-60 Years). Out of the total of 13 patients, 11 patients (85%) were having bilateral involvement. The mean duration of symptoms in 11 patients (rest 2 were accidental findings) was 4 ± 3 weeks (range 1-10 weeks). Three patients (23%) had a history of sexual contact with possible parasite-infested partners. Four patients (31%) had additional parasites in the pubic area or torso. All the patients were completely parasite free at the end of 1 month. There was no infestation of the treating medical personnel from the patient. The average follow-up was 8 ± 5 months (range 3-21 months). Conclusion: Itching and irritation of the eyes were the most common presentations of PP. Combined treatment modality comprising of 20% fluorescein dye, mechanical removal of ectoparasites, and topical application of antibiotic eye ointment with paraffin base is effective in the management of PP.

Different types of emollient cream exhibit diverse physiological effects on the skin barrier in adults with atopic dermatitis.

BACKGROUND: Eczema (atopic dermatitis; AD) is a very common itchy skin condition affecting 1 in 5 children and up to 1 in 10 adults worldwide. The skin of eczema sufferers is prone to redness, irritation and dryness because it does not form an effective barrier, i.e. the ability of the skin to stop irritants, allergens and microorganisms getting into the body. Skin barrier dysfunction is a hallmark of AD. The regular and liberal (600 g/week for an adult) use of emollients is recommended for all patients with eczema), even between episodes of itching and redness, to soften and soothe the skin. In England alone, almost 9 million prescriptions for emollient creams were issued in 2018, at a cost of over £50 million. Despite this widespread use, relatively little is known about how commonly prescribed emollient creams affect the skin's barrier, and thus the role of moisturizers in AD development and progression remains unclear. We set out to compare three different types of emollient cream and a no-treatment control. AIM: To compare the barrier-strengthening properties of a new moisturizer containing urea and glycerol (urea-glycerol cream; UGC), with those of a glycerol-containing moisturizer (glycerol cream; GC), a simple paraffin cream (PC) with no humectant, and a no-treatment control (NTC). METHODS: This was an observer-blinded prospective Phase 2 within-subject multilateral single-centre randomized controlled trial in adults with AD (Clinical Trials #NCT03901144). The intervention involved 4 weeks of treatment, twice daily, with the three products applied to one of four areas on the forearms the (the fourth area was the untreated control, randomized allocation). Skin properties [dryness, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), hydration and natural moisturizing factor (NMF) levels] were assessed before, during and after treatment to see what happened to the skin's barrier. The primary outcome was skin sensitivity to the irritant sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) after treatment. We performed tests on the skin before and after treatment to see what happened to the skin's barrier. RESULTS: In total, 49 patients were randomized, completed treatment and included in the analysis. UGC significantly reduced the response to SLS as indicated by a reduction in TEWL compared with NTC (-9.0 g/m2 /h; 95% CI -12.56 to -5.49), with PC (-9.0 g/m2 /h; 95% CI -12.60 to -5.44) and with GC -4.2 g/m2 /h; 95% CI 7.76 to -0.63). Skin moisturization improved at sites treated with UGC compared with NTC and PC, and this was accompanied by concordant changes in dryness and NMF levels. Subgroup analysis suggested FLG-dependent enhancement of treatment effects. CONCLUSION: The study showed that not all emollient creams for eczema are equal. The simple paraffin-based emollient, which represents the most widely prescribed type of emollient cream in England, had no effect on the skin's barrier and reduced the skin's NMF. UGC markedly improved the skin's barrier and protected against irritation. GC performed better than PC, but not as well as UGC. UGC strengthened the skin barrier through a mechanism involving increased NMF levels in the skin, and imparted protection from SLS-induced irritation. By helping correct a major pathophysiological process, UGC has the potential to improve the long-term control of AD. The results show that different emollient creams have different effects on our skin, and only certain types have the ability to improve the skin's barrier and protect against irritants that trigger eczema.

Chinese massage (Tuina) combline with paraffin therapy versus tuina or paraffin therapy alone for the treatment of congenital muscular torticollis: A protocol for systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Current studies in patients with congenital muscular torticollis (CMT) have predominantly focused on the role of tuina or paraffin therapy alone. This systematic review with Bayesian network meta-analysis will be performed to sum up the existing evidence on the effects and safety of tuina plus paraffin therapy for CMT in infants and children. METHODS: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyzes reporting guidelines will be followed to conduct this study. The electronic databases of PubMed, Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, EMBASE, the Chinese Scientific Journal Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WanFang Data, Taiwan Electronic Periodical Services, and Web of Science will be searched from the inception to November 2021 using the following key terms: "Tuina," "traditional Chinese medicine massage," "paraffin," and "congenital muscular torticollis," for all relevant studies. We impose no language restrictions. We include reports on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs of Tuina combline with paraffin therapy for the treatment of CMT in children and adolescents. We include studies that assessed effective rate, symmetry, improvements of range of motion, muscle length, and sternocleidomastoid tumor thickness, quality of life, and adverse events. The Cochrane Bias Risk Tool, which considers sequence generation, allocation concealment, and blinding and other aspects of bias, will be used to assess the risk of bias in studies. RESULTS: A Bayesian network meta-analysis is an appropriate statistical method to compare all treatment options by statistically simulating the estimated results of a comprehensive trial, and to compare treatments by common and associated comparators. In addition, Bayesian network meta-analysis can produce ranking probabilities of treatments, which may contribute to clinicians' clinical decision-making. REGISTRATION NUMBER: 10.17605/OSF.IO/K5EGN.

Beneficial Effects of Paraffin Bath Therapy as Additional Treatment of Chronic Hand Eczema: A Randomized, Single-Blind, Active-Controlled, Parallel-Group Study.

Objective: Chronic hand eczema (CHE) is a common inflammatory skin disease with a major psychological and socioeconomic impacts on patients' quality of life (QoL) and work ability. To the best of knowledge, this study is the first randomized-controlled trial conducted to evaluate the effect of paraffin bath therapy in management of hand eczema and its related symptoms. Design: This study was a parallel-group, active-control, randomized clinical trial with measures at pretreatment, 6th week, and 12th week of treatment. Settings: The study took place at the Outpatient Clinic of Faculty of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, and some licensed rehabilitation centers in Cairo for a 1-year period. Subjects: Sixty patients with moderate to severe CHE were randomly assigned into two groups of equal number; the paraffin bath therapy group and the control group. Interventions: The paraffin group received paraffin bath therapy for 5 days a week for 12 weeks, in addition to the routine skin care program, while the control group only received the routine skin care program. Outcome measures: SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) was used to assess the severity of atopic dermatitis and dermatology life quality index (DLQI) to assess the effect of CHE on quality of patients' life. All measurements were obtained before, at the 6th week, and at the 12th week of treatment. Results: Marked improvement in the severity of the disease symptoms was observed, reflected by a highly decrease in objective SCORAD score in the paraffin group over time more than the control group. The percentage of reduction was 28.6% in paraffin group versus 0.41% in control group. Subjective item score (itching and sleepiness) was reduced in the paraffin group more than the control group with a percentage of improvement (47% and 5.5%), respectively. Regarding QoL measure, there were highly positive changes in DLQI in paraffin group more than the control group. The percentage of improvement was 60% in paraffin group and 3.8% in control group. Conclusions: Paraffin bath therapy applied for a 12-week duration seems to be effective, both in reducing severity of eczema symptoms and improving QoL in patients with CHE.

Paraffin therapy induces a decrease in the passive stiffness of gastrocnemius muscle belly and Achilles tendon: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The purposes of this study were to examine the feasibility of using the MyotonPRO digital palpation device in measuring the passive stiffness of gastrocnemius muscle belly and Achilles tendon; to determine between-days test-retest reliability of MyotonPRO; and to evaluate the acute effect of paraffin therapy on stiffness measurements in healthy participants. METHODS: It is a randomized controlled trial. Twenty healthy participants (male, n = 10; female, n = 10; total, n = 20) were recruited to evaluate the passive stiffness of gastrocnemius muscle belly and Achilles tendon. Dominant and nondominant legs were randomly divided into an experimental side (20 cases) and a control side (20 cases). The experimental side received 20 minutes of paraffin therapy. RESULTS: The stiffness of muscle and tendon in the experimental side decreased significantly after paraffin therapy (P < .01), whereas no significant differences in stiffness measurements were found in the control side (P > .05). The passive stiffness of muscle and tendon was positively correlated with the ankle from 30° plantar flexion to10° dorsiflexion for dominant legs. Between-days test-retest reliability in stiffness measurements was high or very high (ICCs were above 0.737). CONCLUSION: Paraffin therapy induces a decrease in the passive stiffness of gastrocnemius muscle belly and Achilles tendon. Furthermore, the MyotonPRO can reliably determine stiffness measurements.

Effectiveness of Paraffin and Sustained Stretch in Treatment of Shoulder Contractures Following a Burn Injury.

OBJECTIVE: To examine if range of motion of the shoulder treated with paraffin will be better than that of the shoulder treated with sustained stretch alone. DESIGN: Pilot randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Regional burn center. PARTICIPANTS: Patients (N=23) who sustained a burn injury, with a shoulder active abduction and/or flexion in the +70° to +150° degree range, who were 14 years or older, were receiving follow-up physical therapy after discharge from hospital, and provided a signed consent to participate. INTERVENTIONS: Group A received sustained stretch and paraffin, and group B received sustained stretch only. Both groups had 6 sessions of treatment over 2 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Active range of motion (AROM) and active-assisted range of motion (AAROM) for shoulder flexion (SF) and shoulder abduction (SA) were measured before and after each treatment session. RESULTS: For pretreatment measurements, only the results for SF AAROM had significant time effects. For posttreatment measurements, SF AROM and SF AAROM had significant effects for time. Session 1 was significantly lower than sessions 2, 3, 4, and 6 for both measures, and additionally, session 1 was significantly lower than session 5 for SF AAROM. For SA AROM, a group-by-time interaction effect was significant, with scores for the paraffin group relatively stable across sessions, and the nonparaffin group had peaks at sessions 3 and 6. There were no significant effects for (1) within-session changes to examine improvement during a session or (2) presession scores across the 6 sessions showing maintenance of motion. Total change from the first session presession measurement to the sixth session postsession measurement for the 2 treatment groups were nonsignificantly different. CONCLUSIONS: As shown in this study, sustained stretching with paraffin may be a valuable adjunct to range of motion intervention for the shoulder after burn injury.

A randomised controlled trial of wax baths as an additive therapy to hand exercises in patients with systemic sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: The musculoskeletal features of systemic sclerosis (SSc) are a major cause of disability, causing limitations to movement and function. The study aim was to compare the effects of daily hand exercises with or without daily home wax bath hand treatment in patients with SSc. DESIGN: Assessor-blinded randomised controlled trial of parallel group design. SETTING: Single participating centre, undertaken in secondary care and in participants homes. PARTICIPANTS: 36 participants with hand skin tightening of SSc, two participants lost to follow up. INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomised into wax bath versus no wax bath groups. Both groups in addition performed regular hand exercises as part of standard care. The study period was 9weeks, with further measures of outcome undertaken at 18weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measure was the Hand Mobility in Scleroderma test (HAMIS). Secondary outcomes measures were the Scleroderma Health Assessment Questionnaire, grip and pinch strength and the Cochin Hand Function Scale. RESULTS: Between group comparisons of HAMIS scores showed no evidence of effectiveness of the wax bath treatment at 9-week follow up (adjusted difference in means (95% CI) experimental-control -1.47 (-3.55 to 0.61), P=0.16) or at 18-week follow up (adjusted difference in means (95% CI) experimental-control 1.94 (-1.07 to 4.95), P=0.20). Analysis of secondary outcomes also showed no evidence for effectiveness of the wax bath treatment at either 9 or 18weeks. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the addition of regular wax bath treatment confers no additional beneficial effect to standard care with daily home exercises. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN registry (http://www.isrctn.com) ISRCTN 66736089.

The regular use of an emollient improves symptoms of atopic dermatitis in children: a randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Emollients are considered as a first-line therapy for the treatment of atopic dermatitis (AD). However, evidence-based proof that the regular use of emollients reduces AD severity is lacking. OBJECTIVE: To assess whether the regular use of emollients results in a reduction in AD severity in children with AD. METHODS: In this multicentre randomized, parallel group, open-label study, children with mild-to-moderate AD were recruited during a flare. After flare resolution with a topical corticosteroid, patients were randomized to V0034CR emollient, reference emollient or no emollient (1:1:1 ratio), for 12 weeks. AD severity was assessed regularly by physicians [Scoring for Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) and subcomponents, IGA] and by parents (PO-SCORAD and POEM). RESULTS: A total of 335 patients were randomized to V0034CR (n = 111), reference emollient (n = 116) or no emollient (n = 108). After 12 weeks of treatment, SCORAD score was reduced by 5.28 points in the V0034CR group and by 3.36 points in the reference emollient group compared with the no emollient group (+4 points; P < 0.001 in both emollient groups vs. no emollient group). In a similar manner, PO-SCORAD score was reduced by 4.88 and 2.67 points in the V0034CR and reference emollient groups, respectively, but increased by 2.90 points in the no emollient group (P < 0.001). Similar results were observed for POEM. A continuous decrease in all scores was observed over the 12-week treatment period. At the end of the study, the percentage of patients in complete remission (i.e. without a new flare over the treatment period) was higher in the V0034CR (59.5%) and reference emollient (44.3%) groups than in the no emollient group (29.8%; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that the regular use of emollients in children with mild-to-moderate AD reduces the severity of symptoms and, therefore, support their use as a first-line treatment for these patients.

Efficacy of paraffin wax bath for carpal tunnel syndrome: a randomized comparative study.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most frequently diagnosed neuropathy of upper extremity entrapment neuropathies. We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of paraffin therapy in patients with CTS. Seventy patients diagnosed with mild or moderate CTS were randomly divided into two groups as splint treatment (during the night and day time as much as possible for 3 weeks) alone and splint (during the night and day time as much as possible for 3 weeks) + paraffin treatment (five consecutive days a week for 3 weeks). Clinical and electrophysiological assessments were performed before and 3 weeks after treatment. The patients were assessed by using visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, electroneuromyography (ENMG), and Boston Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Questionnaire (BCTSQ). The significant improvement was found in VAS scores in both groups when compared with pretreatment values (p < 0.05). There was no significant improvement in functional capacity score (p > 0.05), whereas a significant improvement was noted in the BCTQ symptom severity scale score in the splint group (p < 0.05). Significant improvements were demonstrated in both scorers in the combined treatment group. Similarly, significant improvements were found in the combined treatment group in terms of motor and sensory distal latency, sensory amplitude, and median sensory nerve velocity (p < 0.05). There was no significant change in electrophysiologic parameters in the splint group (p > 0.05), and the difference in these parameters between the groups was statistically significant (p < 0.05). In conclusion, using splinting alone in patients with CTS is an effective treatment for reducing symptoms in the early stages. Paraffin treatment with splint increases the recovery in functional and electrophysiological parameters.