Effects on temporomandibular disorder in the treatment of tension-type headache with acupuncture and therapeutic exercises. A secondary analysis from a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the effects of acupuncture and therapeutic exercise alone and in combination on temporomandibular joint symptoms in tension-type headache and to evaluate the potential interaction of existing temporomandibular dysfunction on the success of headache treatment. DESIGN: Pre-planned secondary analysis of a randomized controlled, non-blinded trial. SETTING: Outpatient clinic of a German university hospital. SUBJECTS: Ninety-six Participants with frequent episodic or chronic tension-type headache were randomized to one of four treatment groups. INTERVENTIONS: Six weeks of acupuncture or therapeutic exercise either as monotherapies or in combination, or usual care. Follow-up at 3 and 6 months. MAIN MEASURES: Subjective temporomandibular dysfunction symptoms were measured using the Functional Questionnaire Masticatory Organ, and the influence of this sum score and objective initial dental examination on the efficacy of headache treatment interventions was analyzed. RESULTS: Temporomandibular dysfunction score improved in all intervention groups at 3-month follow-up (usual care: 0.05 [SD 1.435]; acupuncture: -5 [SD 1.436]; therapeutic exercise: -4 [SD 1.798]; combination: -3 [SD 1.504]; P = 0.03). After 6 months, only acupuncture (-6 [SD 1.736]) showed a significant improvement compared to the usual care group (P < 0.01). Subjective temporomandibular dysfunction symptoms had no overall influence on headache treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Only acupuncture had long-lasting positive effects on the symptoms of temporomandibular dysfunction. Significant dental findings seem to inhibit the efficacy of acupuncture for tension-type headache.

[Validated German PROMs for People with Major Amputation of the Lower Extremity - A Narrative Review Based on the Final Report of the LEAD and COMPASS Initiative of the ISPO]. / Validierte deutschsprachige PROMs für Menschen mit Majoramputation der unteren Extremität ­ Ein narrativer Review anhand des Abschlussreports der LEAD- und COMPASS-Initiative der ISPO.

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) play an important role in the rehabilitation of people with major limb amputations. Patient-completed questionnaires help collect specific constructs on this patient population. The COMPASS and LEAD initiatives, carried out by the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO), underscore the importance of regularly collecting high-quality PROMs. These are essential for the evaluation of rehabilitation needs, progress, and success. In the final report of ISPO's major international initiative, PROMs recommendations of the expert panel are tabulated. In Table 3.2 of the report, ISPO lists n=12 PROMs that were included in the narrow consensus process were considered to be of acceptable quality, and therefore recommended. The aim of this systematic review was to specifically search for these recommended PROMS regarding their availability in a German and validated version in order to identify potential gaps. All PROMs that were available in a German and validated version were then examined further with regard to the quality of the validation study, using the checklist of COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN). Through a systematic literature search, six validated German-language versions were found. Only four of these met the quality standards of the COSMIN checklist sufficiently. Overall, this review shows serious gaps in the availability in the German language of validated versions of PROMs used internationally and recommended as standard by the ISPO. This gap needs to be closed by guideline-oriented translation and subsequent validation studies in order to be able to offer and collect the PROMS recommended by the ISPO also for German-speaking patient populations.

Effects of acupuncture and medical training therapy on depression, anxiety, and quality of life in patients with frequent tension-type headache: A randomized controlled study.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the effects of acupuncture and medical training therapy in combination or individually with usual care on quality of life, depression, and anxiety in patients with tension-type headache. METHODS: In this single-center, prospective, randomized, controlled, unblinded trial, 96 adults (38.7(+/-13.3) years of age; 75 females/20 males/one dropout) with frequent episodic or chronic tension-type headache were randomized to one of four treatment groups (n = 24). The treatment groups received six weeks of either acupuncture or medical training therapy as monotherapies or in combination (12 interventions each), or usual care. We assessed depressiveness (PHQ-9), anxiety (GAD-7), and health-related quality of life (SF-12) as secondary outcome parameters at baseline, six weeks, three months, and six months after initiation of treatment. Linear mixed models were calculated. RESULTS: Both, acupuncture (baseline to six-weeks change scores: mean: -2(standard deviation: 2.5 points), three months: -2.4(2.4), six-months -2.7(3.6)) and the combination of acupuncture and medical training therapy (-2.7(4.9), -2.2(4.0), -2.2(4.2)) (each within-group p < .05) significantly reduced depressiveness-scores (PHQ-9) to a greater extent than medical training therapy (-0.3(2.0), -0.5(1.6), -0.9(2.6)) or usual care alone (-0.8(2.9), 0.1(2.8), 0.2(3.6)). We found similar results with anxiety scores and the physical sum scores of the SF-12. No severe adverse events occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture and the combination of acupuncture and medical training therapy elicit positive effects on depression, anxiety, quality of life, and symptom intensity in patients with episodic and chronic tension-type headache. Acupuncture appears to play a central role in mediating the therapeutic effects, underscoring the clinical relevance of this treatment. An additive benefit of the combination of both therapies does not appear to be relevant.Trial registration: Registered on 11 February 2019. German Clinical Trials Register, DRKS00016723.

[Outpatient rehabilitative care for patients with Long-COVID - a guideline-based clinical practice guideline]. / Ambulante rehabilitative Versorgung von Patienten mit Long-COVID ­ eine leitlinienorientierte klinisch-praktische Handlungsempfehlung.

BACKGROUND: Even after weeks and months, persisting and also newly occurring symptoms after SARS-CoV-2 infection are common and lead in many cases to a broad spectrum of impairments and participation restrictions in all areas of daily life. Scientific evidence on therapeutic options still is limited. The aim of this work is therefore to provide pragmatic treatment recommendations analogous to the current therapeutic appliances guideline. METHOD: In addition to a search in six electronic databases, the experiences from the treatment of more than hundred affected persons from the post-COVID outpatient rehabilitation service were used. Additionally, experiences with patients with similar symptoms from other diseases were included. All authors worked together to develop the pragmatic recommendations for the treatment of the main symptoms within the framework of outpatient therapy measures. A list of recommended diagnostics and functional assessments prior to therapy was also developed. RESULTS: For the main symptoms fatigue, dyspnoea and cognitive impairment, the catalog of therapeutic products offers a wide range of therapeutic options under the diagnosis U09.9. The therapy packages should be composed individually and adapted to the patient's performance level that regularly should be (re-)assessed. Informing the patient about possible relapses and deteriorations and how to deal with them should be also part of the treatment regimen. DISCUSSION: Physical modalities and rehabilitation interventions should be used in out-patient rehabilitation setting for the treatment of Long-COVID. In this regard, it is also important to take into account and treat serious complications after the disease, such as post-intensive care syndrome. Due to the rapid evolution of the knowledge a frequent review of scientific papers and recommendations should be conducted. High-quality intervention studies are necessary to achieve greater evidence in this field.

Development and Interrelation of Pain, Depression, and Anxiety in Music Students: Does Successful Treatment of Pain Have an Impact on Mental Health?

OBJECTIVE: Musculoskeletal pain is a common problem among professional musicians as well as music students. Studies have emphasized the effectiveness of music-specific physiotherapy for affected musicians. This study was designed to evaluate if physiotherapy treatment of pain-affected music students had an impact on pain perception as well as psychological well-being. To explore the possible development of musculoskeletal pain, depression, and anxiety, a second sample of pain-free music students, matched for age and gender, was examined twice at identical time intervals. METHODS: A convenience sample of 31 university music students with moderate to severe musculoskeletal pain and 31 pain-free music students, matched in age and gender, were included in the study. Both groups were examined physically and completed biographical, music-related, and psychological questionnaires. Perceived pain intensity was assessed with a visual-analogue scale (VAS), and depression and anxiety symptoms were assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HAD). Music students with pain received a series of 12 sessions of musician-specific physiotherapy, while controls waited for the same amount of time for retesting. RESULTS: On the 10-cm VAS, music students with pain reported an average improvement in pain intensity from a baseline of 6.25 (SD 1.95) to 2.7 (2.03) after the intervention, while the controls (music students without pain) did not change. Furthermore, music students with pain indicated higher depression and anxiety scores as compared to the control group before and after therapy. After intervention, music students with pain with higher BDI-II scores demonstrated clinical improvement concerning depression, but no significant improvement in mental health was found in the pain group taken as a whole. CONCLUSION: Physiotherapy was effective in reducing pain symptoms in music students affected by chronic musculoskeletal pain. However, physiotherapy did not improve mental health in pain-affected music students. Additional psychotherapeutic interventions may be needed to support music students with psychological comorbidities such as depression and anxiety.

One-year outcome of brain injured patients undergoing early neurological rehabilitation: a prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: The present study intended to analyze the outcome of patients with severe brain injury one-year after discharge from early rehabilitation. METHODS: Early neurological rehabilitation patients admitted to intensive or intermediate care units and discharged between June 2018 and May 2020 were screened for eligibility. The level of consciousness was evaluated using the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R) upon admission and at discharge. At one-year follow-up, the outcome was assessed with the Glasgow Outcome Scale-extended (GOSE). Demographical and clinical data collected during inpatient rehabilitation were used to predict the outcome 1 year after discharge. RESULTS: Two hundred sixty-four patients (174 males, 90 females) with a median age of 62 years (IQR = 51-75) and a median duration of their disease of 18 days (IQR = 12-28) were included in the study. At follow-up, the mortality rate was 27% (n = 71). Age and discharge CRS-R total score were independent predictors in a Cox proportional hazards model with death (yes/no) as the dependent variable. According to the GOSE interviews, most patients were either dead (n = 71; 27%), in a vegetative state (n = 28; 11%) or had a severe disability (n = 124; 47%), whereas only a few patients showed a moderate disability (n = 18; 7%) or a good recovery (n = 23; 9%) 1 year after discharge. Age, non-traumatic etiology, discharge CRS-R total score and length of stay independently predicted whether the outcome was good or poor at follow-up. CONCLUSION: Age was an important predictor for outcome at one-year follow-up, which might be due to altered brain plasticity and more comorbidities in elderly subjects. In addition, the present study demonstrated that the CRS-R total score at discharge might be more important for the prediction of one-year outcome than the initial assessment upon admission.

Validity of the Early Functional Ability scale (EFA) among critically ill patients undergoing early neurological rehabilitation.

BACKGROUND: A reliable assessment of the functional abilities of patients after severe brain damage is crucial for valid prognostication and treatment decisions, but most clinical scales are of limited use among this specific group of patients. AIM: The present study investigates the usefulness of the Early Functional Ability (EFA) scale, which determines the functional abilities of severely impaired patients. METHODS: Critically ill patients consecutively admitted to early neurological rehabilitation were screened for eligibility. We assessed the correlation between the EFA scale and (i) the Early Rehabilitation Barthel Index (ERBI), and (ii) the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R). The 1-year outcome on the Glasgow Outcome Scale-extended (GOSE) was used to examine the predictive validity. Demographical and medical variables were entered into univariate and multivariate binary regression models to identify independent predictors of 1-year outcome. RESULTS: Two hundred fifty-seven patients (168 men) with a median age of 62 years (IQR = 51-75) were enrolled. The correlation of the EFA scale with the CRS-R was high but low with the ERBI upon admission. Multivariate regression analysis yielded the vegetative subscale of the EFA scale as the only independent predictor for the 1-year outcome of patients admitted to early neurological rehabilitation. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows a high correlation of the EFA scale with the CRS-R but a weak correlation with the ERBI in patients with low functional abilities. With improving patient abilities, these correlations were partly reversed. Thus, the EFA scale is a useful tool to assess the functional abilities and the prognosis of critically ill patients adequately and may be more feasible than other scales.

Combination of acupuncture and medical training therapy on tension type headache: Results of a randomised controlled pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of acupuncture and medical training therapy alone and in combination with those of usual care on the pain sensation of patients with frequent episodic and chronic tension-type headache. DESIGN: This was a prospective single-centre randomised controlled trial with four balanced treatment arms. The allocation was carried out by pre-generated randomisation lists in the ratio 1:1:1:1 with different permutation block sizes. SETTING: The study was undertaken in the outpatient clinic of Rehabilitation Medicine of the Hannover Medical School.Participants and interventions: Ninety-six adult patients with tension-type headache were included and randomised into usual care (n = 24), acupuncture (n = 24), medical training (n = 24), and combination of acupuncture and medical training (n = 24). One patient was excluded from analysis because of withdrawing her/his consent, leaving 95 patients for intention to treat analysis. Each therapy arm consisted of 6 weeks of treatment with 12 interventions. Follow-up was at 3 and 6 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Pain intensity (average, maximum and minimum), frequency of headache, responder rate (50% frequency reduction), duration of headache and use of headache medication.Clinical results: The combination of acupuncture and medical training therapy significantly reduced mean pain intensity compared to usual care (mean = -38%, standard deviation = 25%, p = 0.012). Comparable reductions were observed for maximal pain intensity (-25%, standard deviation = 20%, 0.014) and for minimal pain intensity (-35%, standard deviation = 31%, 0.03). In contrast, neither acupuncture nor medical training therapy differed significantly from usual care. No between-group differences were found in headache frequency, mean duration of headache episodes, and pain medication intake. At 3 months, the majority of all patients showed a reduction of at least 50% in headache frequency. At 6 months, significantly higher responder rates were found in all intervention groups compared to usual care. CONCLUSIONS: In contrast to monotherapy, only the combination of acupuncture and medical training therapy was significantly superior in reduction of pain intensity compared to usual care.Trial registration: Registered on 11 February 2019. German Clinical Trials Register, DRKS00016723.

The influence of the CRS-R score on functional outcome in patients with severe brain injury receiving early rehabilitation.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to determine the role of the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R) in the prediction of functional status at the end of neurological early rehabilitative treatment. METHODS: Patients consecutively admitted to intensive or intermediate care units of a neurological rehabilitation center were enrolled in the study. Consciousness and functional status were assessed with the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R) and the Early Rehabilitation Barthel Index (ERBI), respectively. Both assessments were carried out weekly within the first month and at the end of early rehabilitation. Patient and clinical data were entered into a binary logistic regression model to predict functional status at discharge. RESULTS: 327 patients (112 females, 215 males) with a median age of 63 years (IQR = 53-75) and a median disease duration of 18 days (IQR = 12-28) were included. Most patients suffered from stroke (59 %), followed by traumatic brain injury (31 %), and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (10 %). Upon admission, 12 % were diagnosed as comatose, 31 % as unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS), 35 % as minimally conscious state (MCS) and 22 % already emerged from MCS (eMCS). Of all patients undergoing complete early rehabilitative treatment (n = 180), 72 % showed improvements in level of consciousness (LOC). In this group, age, initial CRS-R score and gains in CRS-R score after four weeks independently predicted functional outcome at discharge. CONCLUSIONS: The study confirms the relevance of the CRS-R score for functional outcome prediction. High CRS-R scores and young age facilitate functional improvements and increase the probability to continue treatment in subsequent rehabilitation phases. Moreover, results indicate that recovery might occur over a period of time that extends beyond acute care.

Long term outcome of functional independence and quality of life after traumatic SCI in Germany.

STUDY DESIGN: Multicenter observational study. OBJECTIVE: To describe the long-term outcome of functional independence and quality of life (QoL) for individuals with traumatic and ischemic SCI beyond the first year after injury. SETTING: A multicenter study in Germany. METHODS: Participants of the European multicenter study about spinal cord injury (EMSCI) of three German SCI centers were included and followed over time by the German spinal cord injury cohort study (GerSCI). Individuals' most recent spinal cord independence measure (SCIM) scores assessed by a clinician were followed up by a self-report (SCIM-SR) and correlated to selected items of the WHO short survey of quality of life (WHO-QoL-BREF). RESULTS: Data for 359 individuals were obtained. The average time passed the last clinical SCIM examination was 81.47 (SD 51.70) months. In total, 187 of the 359 received questionnaires contained a completely evaluable SCIM-SR. SCIM scores remained stable with the exception of reported management of bladder and bowel resulting in a slight decrease of SCIM-SR of -2.45 points (SD 16.81). SCIM-SR scores showed a significant correlation with the selected items of the WHO-QoL-BREF (p < 0.01) with moderate to strong influence. CONCLUSION: SCIM score stability over time suggests a successful transfer of acquired independence skills obtained during primary rehabilitation into the community setting paralleled by positively related QoL measurements but bladder and bowel management may need special attention.

Which factors have an association to the Quality of Life (QoL) of people with acquired Spinal Cord Injury (SCI)? A cross-sectional explorative observational study.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional explorative observational study. OBJECTIVES: To identify factors which have an association to the self-perceived Quality of Life (QoL) for persons with acquired spinal cord injury (SCI). SETTING: Eight specialized SCI-centers in Germany. The GerSCI survey is the German part of the International Spinal Cord Injury Survey (InSCI). METHODS: Self-disclosure questionnaire, created from the InSCI group, translated and adapted for Germany. The questionnaire collects a very broad range of data and, and due to its design as a self-report, is particularly suitable for the analysis on QoL. Because of the content, which is binding for all participating states, it allows a direct comparability of the results. Included in Germany were 1479 persons with acquired SCI aged 18 years and older. RESULTS: Various factors were identified with high associations to QoL, including changeable and unchangeable ones, such as those of particular importance: pain, sleep problems, sexual dysfunction, age, and time since onset of SCI. Some results confirmed reports of previous studies, others were surprising. CONCLUSION: this study provides an important basis for the planned analysis of the InSCI participating countries in the 6 WHO regions. Germany was able to contribute the largest study population. The concrete study design of InSCI allows us to directly compare data and helps us to improve ourselves within the framework of a "learning health system". Medical measures can be orientated towards the found results, in order to ensure the best possible care and support by the therapeutic team, individually adapted to the person, place of residence and impairment.

[Translation, Adaptation, Reliability and Validity of the German Version of the Prosthesis Mobility Questionnaire 2.0 (PMQ) on Patients with Major Lower Limb Amputation]. / Übersetzung und transkulturelle Adaptation des Prosthesis Mobility Questionnaire 2.0 (PMQ) ins Deutsche und dessen Reliabilität und Validität bei Patienten mit Majoramputation der unteren Extremität.

PURPOSE: The aim of this prospective validation study was to translate the Prosthesis Mobility Questionnaire 2.0 (PMQ) into German based on a guideline, following by psychometric testing for its validity and reliability using classical test theory. METHODS: The PMQ was translated into German according to ISPOR guidelines using double forward and double backward translations, finalized by pilot testing (N=10). Subsequently, assessment of the validity and reliability was performed from March 2020 to August 2020 on N=61 patients with unilateral lower limb amputation. Construct validity was determined by using the German version of the Locomotor Capabilities Index-5 (LCI-5-D), the Rivermead Mobility Index (RMI), the Timed up and go Test (TUG), and K-levels. Cronbach's alpha was calculated to check internal consistency and discriminatory power was determined by item correlations. Test-retest reliability was calculated using ICC (2,1). Based on the ICC, the minimum detectable difference (MDC) was calculated. RESULTS: The translation process required small changes after the pilot test. The validation study was performed on N=61 patients (56.59±13.16 years, m/f=38/23). A mean PMQ of 26.23±8.89 points was achieved. Ceilings or floor effects for total score did not appear. Construct validity showed strong positive correlations to LCI-5-D (r=0.74, p<0.001), RMI (r=0.63 p<0.001) as well as k-levels (r=0.61 p<0.001) and moderate negative correlation to TUG (r=- 0.49, p<0.001). Internal consistency was excellent with Cronbach's alpha=0.95). All items showed a value greater than r=0.40 for item-to-total score correlation. Test-retest reliability was excellent with an ICC (2,1)=0.98 with a timespan between T0 and T1 of 3.2±2.83 days. Based on this results, the MDC was 3.40 points. CONCLUSION: The German version of the Prosthesis Mobility Questionnaire 2.0 is a valid, reliable patient reported outcome measure (PROM) for measuring mobility and functional ability of patients with exoprosthesis due to unilateral lower limb amputation. It can be used for a German-speaking population.

Scope and Practices of Physical Therapists Working With Children: Results From an International Online Survey.

PURPOSE: To describe the scope of practice of physical therapists (PTs) working with children worldwide. METHODS: PTs working with children in any context and country were invited via social media and email campaigns to complete an online survey containing 42 questions about work context and service delivery. Descriptive statistics were computed. RESULTS: Of the 1133 participants from 77 countries, most worked with children full-time (51.8%), and in government-funded work settings (57.5%). Modalities of access to services varied across countries, work settings, and children's conditions, yet 46.7% of PTs reported that most children had direct access to services. PTs provided services to children with a variety of conditions, with cerebral palsy being most reported (83.3%). Interventions focused primarily on improving body function (42.0%) and on providing face-to-face individual treatment (96.6%). CONCLUSIONS: This study provides an international portrait of pediatric PT practice and illustrates the diversity of services in pediatric PT.

The p38/MK2 Axis in Monocytes of Fibromyalgia Syndrome Patients: An Explorative Study.

Background and Objectives: The aetiology and pathomechanism of fibromyalgia syndrome 12 (FMS) as one of chronic pain syndromes still need to be further elucidated. Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway has been proposed as a novel approach in pain management. Since the major symptom of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) patients is pain, it became of interest whether MAPK pathways, such as the stress-activated p38 MAPK/MK2 axis, are activated in FMS patients. Therefore, this study aimed at determining p38 MAPK/MK2 in FMS patients. Materials and Methods: Phosphorylation of MAPK-activated protein kinases 2 (MK2), a direct target of p38 MAPK, was measured in monocytes of FMS and healthy controls (HCs) to monitor the activity of this pathway. Results: The mean level of phosphorylated MK2 was fivefold higher in FMS patients as compared to HCs (p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis revealed that antidepressants did not influence the activity of MK2 in FMS patients. Conclusions: This result indicates that the p38/MK2 pathway could be involved in the pathomechanism of FMS, could act as a clinical marker for FMS, and could be a possible target for pain management in FMS patients.

Correction to: Impact of a combined multimodal-aerobic and multimodal intervention compared to standard aerobic treatment in breast cancer survivors with chronic cancer-related fatigue - results of a three-armed pragmatic trial in a comprehensive cohort design.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via the original article.

The International Spinal Cord Injury Survey: The Way Forward.

As a community survey of individuals living with spinal cord injury in 22 countries, representing all 6 of the World Health Organization regions, the International Spinal Cord Injury (InSCI) community survey is one of the few surveys that highlights not only basic medical issues, but also the impact of spinal cord injury (SCI) on the everyday lives of people. The InSCI survey is part of a much larger project known as the Learning Health System for SCI Initiative (LHS-SCI). The objective of this article is to highlight some of the ongoing and planned next steps at the national and international levels. The implementation phase of the LHS-SCI initiative, beginning with the publication of primary results and extending until 2023, will use the results of the InSCI survey as evidence for implementation of recommendations for improving the societal response to the needs of individuals with SCI at the national level. To illustrate the variety of implementation activities currently underway, we provide country examples from Australia, Morocco, Malaysia, and Germany to demonstrate the diversity of approaches to the implementation of InSCI data. The implementation phase of the LHS-SCI initiative promises to usher in a new era of SCI research that will be seamlessly linked to ongoing and effective implementation actions, at both international and national levels and across settings from clinical practice, health systems management, and national policy.

[Factors Influencing Access to Follow-Up Rehabilitation]. / Einflussfaktoren auf den Zugang in die Anschlussrehabilitation (AR/AHB).

PURPOSE: Identification of patient-related influencing factors on access to follow-up rehabilitation METHODS: Partially standardized, written survey of patients between the ages of 18 and 65 in 3 acute hospitals in Hanover, who were assigned to one of the following six defined indication groups on the basis of their diagnosis: (1) surgically treated bone fractures, (2) knee and hip endoprosthesis, (3) malignant disease from visceral surgery, (4) heart disease without surgical intervention, (5) heart disease with surgical intervention, and (6) stroke. In addition to personal information (such as age and gender) personal rehabilitation goals, rehabilitation motivation, disease processing, functioning, state of health, the knowledge of right to request and suffrage and the personal desire to start a follow-up rehabilitation were raised. RESULTS: Of the 1,227 patients surveyed, 42.5% received follow-up rehabilitation. The percentages between the groups of diagnoses varied widely and were lowest after conservatively treated heart disease (3.2%) and highest after knee and hip joint replacement (98.1%). Including cases with a follow-up rehabilitation relevant diagnosis (n=1,000), the proportion of persons with rehabilitation increased to 51.7% (p<0.001). Reasons for an untreated follow-up rehabilitation were in rare cases the rejection by the payer (0.7%), the rejection by the patient (1.6%) or the lack of rehabilitation ability (3.3%). However in most cases the application remained without further differentiation (28.5%). The most important factor influencing follow-up rehabilitation access were diagnosis. Compared to knee- and hip endoprosthesis, the patients from other relevant diagnosis groups had a much lower chance to start a follow-up rehabilitation (OR from 0,01 up to 0,07; p<0,001). The desire of the patient showed the second most and significant influence to get follow-up rehabilitation (OR=8.18; p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis was identified as the most important criterion for follow-up rehabilitation access. No measurable factors of functioning seem to have a big influence. Therefore, the individual doctor's decision to submit an application is of particular importance. Especially because of the low level of medical knowledge on the indication catalog of the German pension insurance, the medical treatment based on professional experience as well as the lack of further education possibilities (Gottschling-Lang, 2016), it can be assumed that the follow-up rehabilitation is less standardized and systematic. In order to ensure a need-based patient care, assessment procedures should be established and the training and continuing education of physicians should be supplemented with the topic of follow-up rehabilitation.

[Spinal Cord Injury in Germany - a Survey on the Living and Care Situation of People with Spinal Cord Injury]. / Querschnittlähmung in Deutschland ­ eine Befragung zur Lebens- und Versorgungssituation von Menschen mit Querschnittlähmung.

PURPOSE: Multiple organizations like UN and WHO call for the collection of internationally comparable data on living and supply conditions of people with disabilities. Furthermore, reliable national data are necessary for ensuring appropriate care. Regarding patients with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) in Germany, only data on diagnostics or therapeutic interventions is currently available. The International Spinal Cord Injury Survey aims at collecting reliable data of people with SCI in 21 countries and developing recommendations for actions to be taken by policy-makers and other decision-makers. METHODS: In 2017, eight specialized SCI-centers across Germany sent a standardized questionnaire to their patients who had diagnosis of SCI, and were older than 18 years (n=5,598). The questionnaire could be completed paper-based or online. RESULTS: 1,479 patients participated in the study and were included in data analysis. On average, participants were 55.3 years (SD=14.6) old, ¾ were male. The mean time of onset of paralysis was 13.9 years. Two thirds of the spinal cord injury causes were traumatic. In 51.2% SCI was classified as paraplegia. The most frequently cited health problem was sexual dysfunction. Medical treatment for this problem was rarely used. Serious environmental barriers were the inadequate accessibility of private households and public places. 42.5% of the respondents in working age were employed, which is 10% less than in Switzerland. DISCUSSION: Serious problems in environmental barriers, medical care and labor market participation were identified for people with SCI. The results will be reported to and discussed with political decision makers and further actors to create solutions. This requires extensive efforts, like modification in building law and home support.

COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia: Situation and challenges of rehabilitation medicine in Indonesia.

AbstrakCOVID-19 telah menjadi pandemik di Indonesia sejak ditemukannya kasus pertama pada tanggal 2 Maret 2020 di Depok. Peningkatan kasus perhari semakin tinggi sejak akhir Agustus 2020 yang mencapai lebih dari 2000 kasus per hari. Sistem kesehatan di Indonesia perlu ditingkatkan dalam hal kapasitas, termasuk rehabilitasi medik yang harus dilibatkan dari fase akut hingga jangka panjang dalam penanganan pasien COVID-19. Rehabilitasi medik juga diperlukan untuk pasien lain yang bukan COVID-19. Pentingnya keterlibatan, pelayanan rehabilitasi medik dan implementasinya dimasa pandemic COVID-19 memerlukan strategi tersendiri yang harus dilakukan baik oleh pekerja kesehatannya, rumah sakit dan kebijakan pemerintah. Hal ini diperlukan untuk percepatan peningkatan kesehatan pasien, percepatan pemulangan dan menghindari readmisi pasien, dan juga pengoptimalan program kembali bekerja untuk pasien yang sembuh dari COVID-19.AbstractCOVID-19 has become a pandemic in Indonesia since the first cases have been positively diagnosed on 2 March 2020 in Depok. The cases have been increased gradually since the end of August 2020 that has reached 1000 cases per day. The health system in Indonesia needs to be improved in terms of capacity, including rehabilitation medicine that should be involved in all health phases (from acute to long-term) in managing patients with COVID-19. Rehabilitation is also still needed for other non-COVID-19 patients. The importance of involvement and implementation of rehabilitation services during the COVID-19 pandemic will need special strategies that should be done by rehabilitation professionals, hospitals, and government. These are necessary to accelerate the improvement of patients' health, discharge, and avoid re-admission, as well as optimize return-to-work for patients who are recovered from COVID-19.

[Work-related Functional Capacity Evaluation with the Sapphire System®: Assessment of Consistency and Pain Behavior in the Context of Employment Status]. / Arbeitsbezogene Leistungsdiagnostik mit dem Sapphire-System®: Konsistenzbewertung und Schmerzverhalten unter Berücksichtigung des Erwerbsstatus.

OBJECTIVE: The study investigates pain behaviour and consistency of results in the framework of work-related functional capacity evaluation with the FCE assessment system Sapphire®. METHODS: We included 129 inpatients from orthopaedic rehabilitation. The subjects were subdivided into 4 groups according to their Sapphire test results: (1) overt pain behaviour, no test inconsistency, (2) lack of consistency, no pain-related self-limitation, (3) overt pain behaviour with test inconsistency (complex peculiarities) and (4) no peculiarities in pain behaviour or in test consistency (reference group). Multinomial logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the associations with potential predictors of these peculiarities. RESULTS: Disability claim was strongly associated with biased test results co-occurring with overt pain behaviour. In contrast, no associations were observed between disability claim and isolated appearance of pain behaviour. CONCLUSION: Assessments of consistency and pain behaviour are helpful for detecting biased test results and maladaptive coping with pain. Further research to clarify the role of maladaptive coping with pain and motivational deficits can be advocated.