Development of a Dyad-Focused Intervention for Stroke Survivors and Their Family Caregivers: A Feasibility Study.

IMPORTANCE: Transitioning from the hospital to the community poses significant challenges for stroke survivors and their caregivers. OBJECTIVE: To examine the feasibility and preliminary effects of a dyad-focused strategy training intervention. DESIGN: Single-arm trial with data collection at baseline, postintervention, and 3-mo follow-up. SETTING: Rehabilitation settings in Taiwan. PARTICIPANTS: Sixteen stroke survivor-caregiver dyads. INTERVENTIONS: Dyad-focused strategy training was provided to stroke survivor-caregiver dyads twice a week over 6 wk. The training included shared decision-making, goal setting, performance evaluation, strategy development and implementation, and therapeutic guided discovery. OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Feasibility indicators were Goal Attainment Scaling, Dyadic Relationship Scale, Participation Measure-3 Domains, 4 Dimensions, Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Trail Making Test, Stroop Color and Word Test, Preparedness for Caregiving Scale, and Zarit Burden Interview. RESULTS: In total, 15 dyads completed all intervention sessions with full attendance. Both stroke survivors and their caregivers demonstrated high engagement and comprehension and reported moderate to high satisfaction with the intervention. From baseline to postintervention, the effects on goal attainment, frequency and perceived difficulty of community participation, executive function, mobility function, and caregiver preparedness were significant and positive. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Our study supports the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of dyad-focused strategy training for stroke survivor-caregiver dyads transitioning from the hospital to the community in Taiwan. Our preliminary evidence indicates that dyads who receive strategy training exhibit advancement toward their goals and experience considerable enhancements in their individual outcomes. Plain-Language Summary: This study addresses the scarcity of interventions catering to both stroke survivors and their caregivers. By demonstrating the feasibility of our dyad-focused intervention, the research offers preliminary evidence that supports the potential advantages of involving both stroke survivors and their caregivers in the intervention process.

The Influence of Hemoglobin and Swallowing Ability on Daily Living Activities After Hospital Discharge in Taiwanese Stroke Patients: A Longitudinal Study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the mediating effect of swallowing ability on hemoglobin levels and activities of daily living (ADL). DESIGN: Prospective longitudinal study. SETTING: Two rehabilitation wards in a national referral center for Northern Taiwan, followed by discharge. PARTICIPANTS: 101 participants were admitted for first or recurrent infarction or hemorrhagic stroke and transferred to the rehabilitation ward of a medical center (N=101). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Hemoglobin data were collected from medical records. Swallowing ability and ADL were measured using the Functional Oral Intake Scale and Barthel Index, respectively, with higher scores indicating better functioning. RESULTS: Mediation analysis performed using path analysis illustrated that hemoglobin at the time of transfer to the rehabilitation ward had a direct and positive effect on swallowing ability at 1-3 days before discharge (path coefficient=0.21, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.04-0.35, P=.018), and swallowing ability at 1-3 days before discharge had a direct and positive effect on ADL at 1 month after discharge (path coefficient=0.36, 95% CI: 0.13-0.57, P=.002). Hemoglobin level at the time of transfer to the rehabilitation ward did not directly influence ADL 1 month after discharge (path coefficient=0.12, 95% CI: -0.05-0.28, P=.166). These results indicate that swallowing ability substantially mediates the relation between previous hemoglobin levels and subsequent ADL. CONCLUSION: Low hemoglobin levels and poor swallowing ability should be concurrently addressed to improve ADL performance.

Social network associated with depressed mood and sarcopenia among older adults in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: Social isolation is increasing in aging societies; however, its relationship with depressed mood and sarcopenia is not well studied. This study aims to examine the influence of social network on depressed mood and sarcopenia among community-dwelling older adults in Taiwan. METHODS: We collected data from a sample of 981 older adults residing in the community. These individuals received government-subsidized preventive healthcare services for adults at a district hospital in Taipei in 2021. The social network of the older adults who participated was assessed using the Lubben Social Network Scale, while depressed mood was assessed using the Geriatric Depression Scale. The definition of sarcopenia used in this study was based on the 2019 Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia. RESULTS: According to this study, sarcopenia was present in approximately 15 % of older adults. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that older adults who had poor social network and did not meet the recommended 150 min of regular physical activity per week were more likely to have depressed mood. Additionally, older adults who were older, underweight, did not engage in regular physical activity, and had poor social network were more likely to have sarcopenia. CONCLUSION: Poor social network was associated with increased risks of depressed mood and sarcopenia among older adults.

Clinical practice guidelines for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis in Taiwan: 2022 update.

Osteoporosis greatly increases the risk of fractures. Osteoporotic fractures negatively impact quality of life, increase the burden of care, and increase mortality. Taiwan is an area with a high prevalence of osteoporosis. This updated summary of guidelines has been developed by experts of the Taiwan Osteoporosis Association with the intention of reducing the risks of osteoporotic fractures and improving the quality of care for patients with osteoporosis. The updated guidelines compile the latest evidence to provide clinicians and other healthcare professionals with practical recommendations for the prevention, diagnosis, and management of osteoporosis under clinical settings in Taiwan.

Circulating MicroRNA-486 and MicroRNA-146a serve as potential biomarkers of sarcopenia in the older adults.

BACKGROUND: Age-related sarcopenia meaningfully increases the risks of functional limitations and mortality in the older adults. Although circulating microRNAs (c-miRNAs) are associated with aging-related cellular senescence and inflammation, the relationships between c-miRNAs and sarcopenia in the older adults remain unclear. This study investigates whether circulating myo-miRNAs and inflammation-related miRNAs are associated with sarcopenia in the older adults. METHODS: This investigation recruited 77 eligible subjects (41 males and 36 females) from 597 community-dwelling older adults, and then divided them into normal (n = 24), dynapenic (loss of muscular function without mass, n = 35), and sarcopenic groups (loss of muscular function with mass, n = 18). Moreover, myo- (c-miRNA-133a and c-miRNA-486) and inflammation- (c-miRNA-21 and c-miRNA-146a) related miRNAs, as well as, inflammatory-related cytokine and peroxide levels in plasma were determined using quantitative polymerase chain reaction and ELISA, respectively. RESULTS: Sarcopenic group exhibited lesser skeletal muscle mass index (SMI), handgrip strength, and gait speed, as well as, lower c-miR-486 and c-miR-146a levels, compared to those of normal and dynapenic groups. Moreover, c-miR-486 level was positively related to SMI (r = 0.334, P = 0.003), whereas c-miR-146a level was positively associated with SMI (r = 0.240, P = 0.035) and handgrip strength (r = 0.253, P = 0.027). In the receiver operating characteristic analysis for predicting sarcopenia, the area under the curve in c-miR-486 was 0.708 (95% confidence interval: 0.561-0.855, P = 0.008) and c-miR-146a was 0.676 (95% CI: 0.551-0.801, P = 0.024). However, no significant relationships were observed between SMI/handgrip strength/gait speed and plasma myeloperoxidase/interleukin-1훽/interleukin-6 levels. CONCLUSIONS: Myo-miRNA (c-miR-486) and inflammation-related miRNA (c-miR-146a) are superior to inflammatory peroxide/cytokines in plasma for serving as critical biomarkers of age-related sarcopenia.

Frailty Level Classification of the Community Elderly Using Microsoft Kinect-Based Skeleton Pose: A Machine Learning Approach.

Frailty is one of the most important geriatric syndromes, which can be associated with increased risk for incident disability and hospitalization. Developing a real-time classification model of elderly frailty level could be beneficial for designing a clinical predictive assessment tool. Hence, the objective of this study was to predict the elderly frailty level utilizing the machine learning approach on skeleton data acquired from a Kinect sensor. Seven hundred and eighty-seven community elderly were recruited in this study. The Kinect data were acquired from the elderly performing different functional assessment exercises including: (1) 30-s arm curl; (2) 30-s chair sit-to-stand; (3) 2-min step; and (4) gait analysis tests. The proposed methodology was successfully validated by gender classification with accuracies up to 84 percent. Regarding frailty level evaluation and prediction, the results indicated that support vector classifier (SVC) and multi-layer perceptron (MLP) are the most successful estimators in prediction of the Fried's frailty level with median accuracies up to 97.5 percent. The high level of accuracy achieved with the proposed methodology indicates that ML modeling can identify the risk of frailty in elderly individuals based on evaluating the real-time skeletal movements using the Kinect sensor.

Decreased swallowing function in the sarcopenic elderly without clinical dysphagia: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Sarcopenia and dysphagia are prevalent health issues as the elderly population continues to grow. However, whether sarcopenia, defined by either reduced handgrip strength or gait speed, would lead to pathological effects on swallowing function is still a matter of debate. Studies focusing on subclinical changes in the swallowing function in the sarcopenic elderly are lacking. This study evaluates the swallowing function in the sarcopenic elderly without dysphagia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted including subjects recruited from the community. Ninety-four individuals aged 65 and older without dysphagia were divided into two groups: sarcopenia and nonsarcopenia. The swallowing assessment included tongue pressure measurement, hyoid displacement (HD), hyoid velocity (HV) measurement with submental ultrasonography, 100-ml water-swallowing test, and the 10-item Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10). RESULTS: The average tongue pressure was 47.0 ± 13.7 and 48.6 ± 11.5 kPa in the sarcopenia and nonsarcopenia groups, respectively (p = 0.55), whereas the average HD during swallowing was 15.3 ± 4.4 and 13.0 ± 4.2 mm in the sarcopenia and nonsarcopenia groups, respectively (p < 0.05). The median of HV during swallowing was 19.5 (6.41-45.86) and 15.9 (3.7-39.7) mm/s in the sarcopenia and nonsarcopenia group (p < 0.05). The median of time needed for consuming 100 ml water was 12.43 (3.56-49.34) and 5.66 (2.07-19.13) seconds in the sarcopenia and nonsarcopenia groups, respectively (p < 0.05). The median of the EAT-10 score was 0 (0-2) and 0 (0-1) in the sarcopenia and nonsarcopenia groups, respectively (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In elderly individuals, swallowing function was significantly impaired with sarcopenia before clinical symptoms become clear. However, tongue muscles exhibited resistance to sarcopenia. We observed compensative strategies in patients with sarcopenia, such as reduced swallowing speed and increased hyoid bone movement.

Evaluating soreness symptoms of fibromyalgia: Establishment and validation of the Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire with Integration of Soreness Assessment.

BACKGROUND: Fibromyalgia is a chronic disorder characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain. A common complaint is soreness. However, until now, no assessment tool is available to address soreness and evaluate its impact on disease severity. We aimed to establish a questionnaire for soreness assessment and to evaluate its validity in fibromyalgia patients. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia per the American College of Rheumatology criteria (2011) were recruited. The Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire with an integration of Soreness Assessment (FIQRS) was established by adding five items pertinent to soreness sensation to the existing FIQR. The participants were asked to evaluate their soreness symptoms by filling out the FIQRS twice. The test-retest reliability and internal consistency were assessed. Construct validity was evaluated by correlations with the FIQR and fibromyalgia symptom severity (SS) score. RESULTS: Sixty-two patients with fibromyalgia were recruited, including 57 females (91.9%; mean age: 51.4 years). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of test-retest reliability was 0.92 for the FIQRS overall score. The Cronbach's α of all the items in the FIQRS was 0.93. The correlation coefficient of the FIQRS total score with the FIQR was 0.97 (p < 0.0001) and that with the fibromyalgia SS scale was 0.52 (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The FIQRS has good reliability and internal consistency for the assessment of disease impact on fibromyalgia patients, thus providing a reliable tool for soreness evaluation. Future studies are warranted for further validation regarding its correlation with other psychometric properties and life quality measurements.

Involvement of Substance P in the Analgesic Effect of Low-Level Laser Therapy in a Mouse Model of Chronic Widespread Muscle Pain.

BACKGROUND: Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) is widely used in pain control in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation and is effective for fibromyalgia pain. However, its analgesic mechanism remains unknown. A possible mechanism for the effect of LLLT on fibromyalgia pain is via the antinociceptive signaling of substance P in muscle nociceptors, although the neuropeptide has been known as a neurotransmitter to facilitate pain signals in the spinal cord. OBJECTIVE: To establish an animal model of LLLT in chronic muscle pain and to determine the role of substance P in LLLT analgesia. METHODS: We employed the acid-induced chronic muscle pain model, a fibromyalgia model proposed and developed by Sluka et al., and determined the optimal LLLT dosage. RESULTS: LLLT with 685 nm at 8 J/cm2 was effective to reduce mechanical hyperalgesia in the chronic muscle pain model. The analgesic effect was abolished by pretreatment of NK1 receptor antagonist RP-67580. Likewise, LLLT showed no analgesic effect on Tac1-/- mice, in which the gene encoding substance P was deleted. Besides, pretreatment with the TRPV1 receptor antagonist capsazepine, but not the ASIC3 antagonist APETx2, blocked the LLLT analgesic effect. CONCLUSIONS: LLLT analgesia is mediated by the antinociceptive signaling of intramuscular substance P and is associated with TRPV1 activation in a mouse model of fibromyalgia or chronic muscle pain. The study results could provide new insight regarding the effect of LLLT in other types of chronic pain.

Ultrasound-Guided Standard vs Dual-Target Subacromial Corticosteroid Injections for Shoulder Impingement Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare dual-target injection with standard ultrasound (US)-guided subacromial injection in patients with subacromial impingement syndrome (SIS) and possible disorders of the biceps long-head tendons. DESIGN: Double-blind, randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Rehabilitation outpatient clinic. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with SIS (N=60). INTERVENTION: (1) US-guided standard subacromial bursa; (2) dual-target (subacromial bursa plus proximal biceps long-head tendon) injection, with 40-mg triamcinolone acetonide administered to patients in each group. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical assessments were performed at baseline. The outcomes, including results from a self-administered questionnaire, the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI), and a self-pain report, the visual analog scale (VAS) scores for pain at rest, at night, and during overhead activities, were evaluated at baseline and at the first and third months postintervention. RESULTS: No significant difference was observed in baseline evaluations between groups (n=30 in each treatment arm) prior to injections. Both groups exhibited significant SPADI and VAS-score improvements after the first month. The dual-target injection group had less rebounding pain at the 3-month follow-up. The standard injection group had more patients reporting worsening pain within 1 day postinjection. CONCLUSION: US-guided dual-target corticosteroid injection showed similar short-term efficacy to standard subacromial injections, but with an extended duration of symptom relief. Therefore, dual-target corticosteroid injections may be useful for shoulder pain treatment in patients with SIS.

Musculoskeletal ultrasound workshops in postgraduate physician training: a pre- and post-workshop survey of 156 participants.

BACKGROUND: Use of ultrasonography has revolutionized diagnosis of musculoskeletal disorders. Until now, few studies have investigated usefulness of a short-period workshop for musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSKUS) education. In this research, we attempted to explore (1) whether the physicians felt it useful to attend this type of courses for improving knowledge of sonoanatomy and scanning skills, (2) if the attendees' perceived confidence in musculoskeletal diagnoses by using ultrasound increased following the program and (3) whether differences existed in perceived usefulness and confidence regrading different sessions of the course. METHODS: The target participants of the courses were postgraduate physicians without limitation of their specialties. The attendees' responses to questionnaires before and after the course were reviewed. The workshop contained didactic and practical sessions on 6 major joints in accordance with the scanning protocols of EURO-MUSCULUS/USPRM. The course usefulness and perceived confidence in MSKUS examination were evaluated using a 5-point Likert scale. Data relevant to participants' pre-workshop confidence levels were also analyzed. If any participant attended the course for more than 1 time, only their first survey was used for analysis. RESULTS: The study included 156 participants. The average rating for the course usefulness ranged between 4 (useful) to 5 (very useful). There was no difference in perceived usefulness between the didactic and hands-on practical sessions. Participants' perceived confidence significantly increased after the workshop but appeared to be lowest for evaluation on the hip joint. Previous experience in performing MSKUS (in years) was consistently associated with the level of pre-workshop confidence. CONCLUSION: A short period ultrasound workshop might be useful regarding making musculoskeletal diagnoses by using ultrasound based on an increase in post-workshop confidence in MSKUS examinations. The perceived confidence of hip scanning was lower than that of other joints after the course, indicating inadequacy of education in hip sonoanatomy and intensity of hand-on practice in the present program. An increase in the faculty-to-student ratio or length of practice in the hip section should be implemented in the future course.

Is sarcopenia associated with hepatic encephalopathy in liver cirrhosis? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Hepatic encephalopathy (HE), a major neuropsychiatric complication in advanced liver disease, is associated with poor prognosis. Sarcopenia, characterized by a decline in muscle mass, strength, and physical performance, is prevalent in liver cirrhosis. This study aims to explore whether sarcopenia is associated with HE in cirrhotic patients. METHODS: PubMed and EMBASE were searched for relevant cohort and case-control studies investigating the association between sarcopenia and HE up to July 2018. Data of patients' characteristics, definition of low muscle mass, and protocols of grading/diagnosing HE were retrieved. The primary outcome was estimated by a pooled odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval (CI), using a random effect model. RESULTS: The meta-analysis enrolled 6 studies, comprising 1795 patients. Sarcopenia was positively associated with the presence of HE (OR 2.74 with a 95% CI, 1.87 to 4.01). The association was less likely to be influenced by differences in research designs, focused study outcomes, muscle mass measurements, and protocols of grading/diagnosing HE. There was lack of evidence supporting higher serum ammonia levels in patients with sarcopenia. CONCLUSION: In patients with liver cirrhosis, there is a significant association between sarcopenia and HE. A greater number of prospective studies are necessary to clarify whether the association remains even after adjusting relevant confounders and to suggest effective prevention of HE in patients with coexisting sarcopenia.

Sensing acidosis: nociception or sngception?

BACKGROUND: Sensing tissue acidosis is an important function of the somatosensory nervous system to response to noxious stimuli. MAIN BODY: In the pain clinic, acid or soreness sensation is a characteristic sensory phenotype of various acute and chronic pain syndromes, such as delayed onset muscle soreness, fibromyalgia, and radicular pain. However, soreness sensation is a sign of successful analgesia for acupuncture and noxipoint therapy. Thus, the nature of acid or soreness sensation is not always nociceptive (or painful) and could be anti-nociceptive. To facilitate the investigation of the molecular and neurobiological mechanisms of soreness sensation, we propose a concept called "sngception (sng- ception)" to describe the response of the somatosensory nervous system to sense tissue acidosis and to distinguish it from nociception. "Sng" is a Taiwanese word that represents the state of soreness while at the same time imitates the natural vocalization of humans feeling sore. CONCLUSION: Here we propose sngception as a specific somatosensory function that transmits the acid sensation from the peripheral to the central nervous system. Sngception could partially overlap with nociception, but it could also transmit antinociception, proprioception, and pruriception.

Impact of Self-Report and eGFR-Based Chronic Kidney Disease on the Risk of Chronic Kidney Disease-Related Complications and Geriatric Syndromes in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Awareness of chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been low among affected patients, particularly the older ones. However, whether such awareness is synonymous with the presence of laboratory-diagnosed CKD among older adults is currently unclear. METHODS: We enrolled community-dwelling old adults (≥ 65 years) who received health examinations between 2013 and 2016 from a regional metropolitan hospital. Clinical information and geriatric syndromes including depression, cognitive impairment, fall, quality of life, and visual disturbance were evaluated during the medical interview. We compared the differences in clinical features between those with and without self-reported or estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)-based CKD and investigated their influences and interactions on the risk of CKD complications and geriatric syndromes. RESULTS: Among the 2932 enrolled older adults (mean 73.4 ± 7 years), 93 (3%) reported that they had CKD by history, while 306 (10%) had an eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73m2 persisted for over 3 months. The prevalence of hyperlipidemia, body mass index, waist circumference, leukocyte count, and the incidence of fall differed only between those with and without eGFR-based CKD, but not between those with and without self-reported CKD. A synergistic effect was found between self-reported and eGFR-based CKD regarding the CKD complication severity, including malnutrition (albumin), anemia (hemoglobin), dyslipidemia (serum cholesterol), and geriatric syndromes (cognitive and quality of life impairment). Multivariate regression analyses showed that self-reported CKD exhibited better predictive efficacy for lower serum albumin and hemoglobin than eGFR-based CKD, while the latter outperformed the former for predicting lower serum cholesterol and a higher risk of cognitive impairment. CONCLUSION: Among older adults, self-reported CKD may not be a surrogate for laboratory-diagnosed CKD and has an independent effect on CKD-related complications.

Ulnar Nerve Cross-Sectional Area for the Diagnosis of Cubital Tunnel Syndrome: A Meta-Analysis of Ultrasonographic Measurements.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the performance of sonographic cross-sectional area (CSA) measurements in the diagnosis of cubital tunnel syndrome (CuTS). DATA SOURCES: Electronic databases, comprising PubMed and EMBASE, were searched for the pertinent literature before July 1, 2017. STUDY SELECTION: Fourteen trials comparing the ulnar nerve CSA measurements between participants with and without CuTS were included. DATA EXTRACTION: Study design, participants' demographic characteristics, diagnostic reference of CuTS, and methods of CSA measurement. DATA SYNTHESIS: Among different elbow levels, the between-group difference in CSA was the largest at the medial epicondyle (6.0mm2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.5-7.4mm2). The pooled mean CSA in participants without CuTS was 5.5mm2 (95% CI, 4.4-6.6mm2) at the arm level, 7.4mm2 (95% CI, 6.7-8.1mm2) at the cubital tunnel inlet, 6.6mm2 (95% CI, 5.9-7.2mm2) at the medial epicondyle, 7.3mm2 (95% CI, 5.6-9.0mm2) at the cubital tunnel outlet, and 5.5mm2 (95% CI, 4.7-6.3mm2) at the forearm level. The sensitivities, specificities, and diagnostic odds ratios pooled from 5 studies, using 10mm2 as the cutoff point, were .85 (95% CI, .78-.90), .91 (95% CI, .86-.94), and 53.96 (95% CI, 14.84-196.14), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The ulnar nerve CSA measured by ultrasound imaging is useful for the diagnosis of CuTS and is most significantly different between patients and participants without CuTS at the medial epicondyle. Because the ulnar nerve CSA in healthy participants, at various locations, rarely exceeds 10mm2, this value can be considered as a cutoff point for diagnosing ulnar nerve entrapment at the elbow region.

Comparative effectiveness of botulinum toxin versus non-surgical treatments for treating lateral epicondylitis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the effectiveness of botulinum toxin compared with non-surgical treatments in patients with lateral epicondylitis. METHODS: Data sources including PubMed, Scopus, Embase and Airity Library from the earliest record to February 2017 were searched. Study design, patients' characteristics, dosage/brand of botulinum toxin, injection techniques, and measurements of pain and hand grip strength were retrieved. The standardized mean differences (SMDs) in pain relief and grip strength reduction were calculated at the following time points: 2-4, 8-12, and 16 weeks or more after injection. RESULTS: Six randomized controlled trials (321 participants) comparing botulinum toxin with placebo or corticosteroid injections were included. Compared with placebo, botulinum toxin injection significantly reduced pain at all three time points (SMD, -0.729, 95% confidence interval [CI], -1.286 to -0.171; SMD, -0.446, 95% CI, -0.740 to -0.152; SMD, -0.543, 95% CI, -0.978 to -0.107, respectively). Botulinum toxin was less effective than corticosteroid at 2-4 weeks (SMD, 1.153; 95% CI, 0.568-1.737) and both treatments appeared similar in efficacy after 8 weeks. Different injection sites and dosage/brand did not affect effectiveness. Botulinum toxin decreased grip strength 2-4 weeks after injection, and high equivalent dose could extend its paralytic effects to 8-12 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: When treating lateral epicondylitis, botulinum toxin was superior to placebo and could last for 16 weeks. Corticosteroid and botulinum toxin injections were largely equivalent, except the corticosteroid injections were better at pain relief in the early stages and were associated with less weakness in grip in the first 12 weeks.

An investigation of the use of the Kinect system as a measure of dynamic balance and forward reach in the elderly.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the reliability and correlations of Kinect-derived valuables of forward reach distance and velocity with the traditional functional reach distance, scores on posturography, and other measures of physical fitness. DESIGN: Observational study. SETTING: Community hospital. SUBJECTS: Individuals >65 years who attended a geriatric health examination were enrolled. MAIN MEASURES: The Kinect system was used to record the reach distance and velocity of the forward reach test. Center of pressure displacement was measured by posturography. Physical fitness performance was assessed using the 2-Minute Step Test, the 30-Second Chair Stand Test, the Sit-and-Reach Test, grip strength, and walking speed. RESULTS: A total of 442 individuals were enrolled (mean age: 73.3 ± 5.2 years). Forward reach tracking using the Kinect system showed good repeatability and correlated with traditional functional reach ( r = 0.719, P < 0.001); the reaching velocity correlated with scores on posturography ( r = -0.257, P = 0.047). Reach distances were significantly decreased in the older group (≥75 years) than in the younger group (<75 years) ( P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The Kinect system provides a simple, reliable, and age-sensitive assessment of balance in older adults. The valuables correlate with the traditional functional reach, scores on posturography, and physical fitness performance. It provides alternative representation of both static and dynamic balance function.

Effects of exercise improves muscle strength and fat mass in patients with high fracture risk: A randomized control trial.

BACKGROUND: The deterioration of the musculoskeletal system imposes significant impact on physical activity. Exercise is an important strategy which minimizes these changes. It is not clear which type of exercise provides better improvement on low physical performance, low muscle mass and low strength of sarcopenia. We aim to develop an integrated care (IC) model and compare its relative efficacy in limb fat free mass, muscle strength, and physical performance with low extremities exercise (LEE) in community dwelling older adults with high risk of fractures (Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX®)) ≧3% for hip fracture, ≧20% for major osteoporotic fracture or 1-min osteoporosis risk test (≧1 point) or fall (≧2 falls in previous year). METHODS: Patients were assigned randomized to participate in either IC or LEE group (n = 55 each) for 3 months. All participants received education including home-based exercise. The IC group consisted of different modalities of exercise while the LEE group performed machine-based low extremities exercise. Fat free mass, muscle strength, and physical performance were measured at their baseline and 3-months follow-up. RESULTS: Mean age was 73.8 ± 7 years with 69.1% women. Entire cohort demonstrated significant increment in fat free mass, muscle strength (4 indicators) and physical performance (3 indicators). However, between group differences were not significant. CONCLUSION: With regular supervise exercise; both groups are equally effective in decreasing fat mass and increasing physical performance, muscle mass and strength. However, the IC group required fewer resources and thus more financially feasible in a community setting.

Human serum RNase-L level is inversely associated with metabolic syndrome and age.

BACKGROUND: Ribonuclease-L (RNase-L) was known to be a ubiquitous enzyme involved in several cellular functions, especially innate immunity. It was recently shown to participate in adipogenesis in rodents. Here, we developed a method to measure serum levels of RNase-L and analyzed the relationship between RNase-L and metabolic syndrome (MetS). METHODS: A total of 396 subjects were recruited from a health check-up program. An in-house RNase-L immunoassay was developed. The serum RNase-L levels of these subjects were measured, and the association of MetS-related factors with RNase-L levels was assessed. RESULTS: The mean serum level of RNase-L of the subjects with MetS were lower than those without (16.5 ± 6.4 vs. 18.4 ± 8.0 µg/ml, P = 0.018). The subjects with central obesity, elevated blood pressure, or impaired fasting glucose also had lower serum RNase-L levels in comparison to those without. In multivariate linear regression analysis, diastolic blood pressure (ß = -0.129, P = 0.024) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (ß = 0.127, P = 0.036) were related to serum RNase-L. For every 5 µg/ml increase in serum RNase-L levels, it is associated with a reduced risk of MetS (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.71-0.98, P = 0.028), central obesity (OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.71-0.94, P = 0.005), or low HDL-C (OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.74-1.00, P = 0.042). Moreover, age is inversely related to serum RNase-L levels in various analyses. CONCLUSIONS: The serum RNase-L levels were inversely associated with MetS, unfavorable metabolic profiles, and age.