RESUMEN
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire is the most commonly used outcome measure in the assessment of carpal tunnel syndrome. The purpose of this study was to translate the original Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire into Finnish and validate its psychometric properties. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We translated and culturally adapted the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire into Finnish. Subsequently, 193 patients completed the Finnish version of the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire, 6-Item CTS Symptoms Scale, and EuroQol 5 Dimensions 12 months after carpal tunnel release. The Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire was re-administered after a 2-week interval. We calculated construct validity, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and coefficient of repeatability. We also examined floor and ceiling effects. RESULTS: The cross-cultural adaptation required only minor modifications to the questions. Both subscales of the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire (Symptom Severity Scale and Functional Status Scale) correlated significantly with the CTS-6 and EuroQol 5 Dimensions, indicating good construct validity. The Cronbach's alpha was 0.93 for both the Symptom Severity Scale and Functional Status Scale, indicating high internal consistency. Test-retest reliability was excellent, with an intraclass correlation coefficient greater than 0.8 for both scales. The coefficient of repeatability was 0.80 for the Symptom Severity Scale and 0.68 for the Functional Status Scale. We observed a floor effect in the Functional Status Scale in 28% of participants. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that the present Finnish version of the Boston Carpal Tunnel Questionnaire is reliable and valid for the evaluation of symptom severity and functional status among surgically treated carpal tunnel syndrome patients. However, owing to the floor effect, the Functional Status Score may have limited ability to detect differences in patients with good post-operative outcomes.
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Síndrome del Túnel Carpiano/diagnóstico , Síndrome del Túnel Carpiano/cirugía , Adulto , Anciano , Síndrome del Túnel Carpiano/complicaciones , Femenino , Finlandia , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Evaluación de Resultado en la Atención de Salud , Psicometría , Recuperación de la Función , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Evaluación de Síntomas , TraduccionesRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to investigate the relation between radiograph-based subchondral bone structure and cartilage composition assessed with delayed gadolinium enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of cartilage (dGEMRIC) and T2 relaxation time. DESIGN: Ninety-three postmenopausal women (Kellgren-Lawrence grade 0: n = 13, 1: n = 26, 2: n = 54) were included. Radiograph-based bone structure was assessed using entropy of the Laplacian-based image (ELap) and local binary patterns (ELBP), homogeneity indices of the local angles (HIAngles,mean, HIAngles,Perp, HIAngles,Paral), and horizontal (FDHor) and vertical fractal dimensions (FDVer). Mean dGEMRIC index and T2 relaxation time of tibial cartilage were calculated to estimate cartilage composition. RESULTS: HIAngles,mean (rs = -0.22) and HIAngles,Paral (rs = -0.24) in medial subchondral bone were related (P < 0.05) to dGEMRIC index of the medial tibial cartilage. ELap (rs = -0.23), FDHor,0.34 mm (r = 0.21) and FDVer,0.68 mm (r = 0.24) in medial subchondral bone were related (P < 0.05) to T2 relaxation time values of the medial tibial cartilage. FDHor at different scales in lateral subchondral bone were related (P < 0.01) to dGEMRIC index (r = 0.29-0.41) and T2 values of lateral tibial cartilage (r = -0.28 to -0.36). FDVer at larger scales were related (P < 0.05) to dGEMRIC index (r = 0.24-0.25) and T2 values of lateral tibial cartilage (r = -0.21). HIAngles,Paral (r = -0.25) and FDVer,0.68 mm (rs = 0.22) in the lateral tibial trabecular bone were related (P < 0.05) to dGEMRIC index of the lateral tibial cartilage. CONCLUSION: Our results support the presumption that several tissues are affected in the early osteoarthritis (OA). Furthermore, they indicate that the detailed analysis of radiographs may serve as a complementary imaging tool for OA studies.
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Cartílago Articular/diagnóstico por imagen , Osteoartritis de la Rodilla/diagnóstico por imagen , Posmenopausia , Tibia/diagnóstico por imagen , Anciano , Medios de Contraste , Estudios Transversales , Femenino , Gadolinio , Humanos , Imagen por Resonancia Magnética , Persona de Mediana Edad , Radiografía , Índice de Severidad de la EnfermedadRESUMEN
It is uncertain whether subjects with mild knee osteoarthritis, and who may be at risk of osteoporosis, can exercise safely with the aim of improving hip bone strength. This RCT showed that participating in a high-impact exercise program improved femoral neck strength without any detrimental effects on knee cartilage composition. INTRODUCTION: No previous studies have examined whether high-impact exercise can improve bone strength and articular cartilage quality in subjects with mild knee osteoarthritis. In this 12-month RCT, we assessed the effects of progressive high-impact exercise on femoral neck structural strength and biochemical composition of knee cartilage in postmenopausal women. METHODS: Eighty postmenopausal women with mild knee radiographic osteoarthritis were randomly assigned into the exercise (n = 40) or control (n = 40) group. Femoral neck structural strength was assessed with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The knee cartilage region exposed to exercise loading was measured by the quantitative MRI techniques of T2 mapping and delayed gadolinium-enhanced MRI of cartilage (dGEMRIC). Also, an accelerometer-based body movement monitor was used to evaluate the total physical activity loading on the changes of femoral neck strength in all participants. Training effects on the outcome variables were estimated by the bootstrap analysis of covariance. RESULTS: A significant between-group difference in femoral neck bending strength in favor of the trainees was observed after the 12-month intervention (4.4%, p < 0.01). The change in femoral neck bending strength remained significant after adjusting for baseline value, age, height, and body mass (4.0%, p = 0.020). In all participants, the change in bending strength was associated with the total physical activity loading (r = 0.29, p = 0.012). The exercise participation had no effect on knee cartilage composition. CONCLUSION: The high-impact training increased femoral neck strength without having any harmful effect on knee cartilage in women with mild knee osteoarthritis. These findings imply that progressive high-impact exercise is a feasible method in seeking to prevent hip fractures in postmenopausal women whose articular cartilage may also be frail.
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Terapia por Ejercicio/métodos , Cuello Femoral/fisiopatología , Osteoartritis de la Rodilla/rehabilitación , Osteoporosis Posmenopáusica/prevención & control , Absorciometría de Fotón , Cartílago Articular/diagnóstico por imagen , Cartílago Articular/fisiopatología , Ejercicio Físico/fisiología , Estudios de Factibilidad , Femenino , Fracturas de Cadera/etiología , Fracturas de Cadera/prevención & control , Humanos , Articulación de la Rodilla/diagnóstico por imagen , Articulación de la Rodilla/fisiopatología , Imagen por Resonancia Magnética , Persona de Mediana Edad , Osteoartritis de la Rodilla/complicaciones , Osteoartritis de la Rodilla/fisiopatología , Osteoporosis Posmenopáusica/etiología , Fracturas Osteoporóticas/etiología , Fracturas Osteoporóticas/prevención & control , Método Simple CiegoRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association between radiographically-assessed knee osteoarthritis and femoral neck bone characteristics in women with mild knee radiographic osteoarthritis and those without radiographic osteoarthritis. METHODS: Ninety postmenopausal women (mean age [SD], 58 [4] years; height, 163 [6] cm; weight, 71 [11] kg) participated in this cross-sectional study. The severity of radiographic knee osteoarthritis was defined using Kellgren-Lawrence grades 0=normal (n=12), 1=doubtful (n=25) or 2=minimal (n=53). Femoral neck bone mineral content (BMC), section modulus (Z), and cross-sectional area (CSA) were measured with DXA. The biochemical composition of ipsilateral knee cartilage was estimated using quantitative MRI measures, T2 mapping and dGEMRIC. The associations between radiographic knee osteoarthritis grades and bone and cartilage characteristics were analyzed using generalized linear models. RESULTS: Age-, height-, and weight-adjusted femoral neck BMC (p for linearity=0.019), Z (p for linearity=0.033), and CSA (p for linearity=0.019) increased significantly with higher knee osteoarthritis grades. There was no linear relationship between osteoarthritis grades and knee cartilage indices. CONCLUSIONS: Increased DXA assessed hip bone strength is related to knee osteoarthritis severity. These results are hypothesis driven that there is an inverse relationship between osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. However, MRI assessed measures of cartilage do not discriminate mild radiographic osteoarthritis severity.
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Huesos/diagnóstico por imagen , Cartílago/diagnóstico por imagen , Osteoartritis de la Rodilla/diagnóstico por imagen , Absorciometría de Fotón , Anciano , Densidad Ósea , Huesos/patología , Cartílago/patología , Estudios Transversales , Femenino , Cuello Femoral/diagnóstico por imagen , Cuello Femoral/patología , Humanos , Articulación de la Rodilla/diagnóstico por imagen , Articulación de la Rodilla/patología , Persona de Mediana Edad , Osteoartritis de la Rodilla/complicaciones , Osteoartritis de la Rodilla/patología , Osteoporosis/complicaciones , PosmenopausiaRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether neuromuscular performance predicts lower limb bone strength in different lower limb sites in postmenopausal women with mild knee osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: Neuromuscular performance of 139 volunteer women aged 50-68 with mild knee OA was measured using maximal counter movement jump test, isometric knee flexion and extension force and figure-of-eight-running test. Femoral neck section modulus (Z, mm(3)) was determined by data obtained from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Data obtained using peripheral quantitative computed tomography was used to asses distal tibia compressive (BSId, g(2)/cm(4)) and tibial mid-shaft bending (SSImax(mid), mm(3)) strength indices. RESULTS: After adjustment for height, weight and age, counter movement jump peak power production was the strongest independent predictor for Z (ß=0.44; p<0.001) and for BSId (ß=0.32; p=0.003). This was also true in concentric net impulse for Z (ß=0.37; p=0.001) and for BSId (ß=0.40; p<0.001). Additionally, knee extension force (ß=0.30; p<0.001) and figure-of-eight-running test (ß= -0.32; p<0.001) were among strongest independent predictors for BSId after adjustments. For SSImax(mid), concentric net impulse (ß=0.33; p=0.002) remained as the strongest independent predictor after adjustments. CONCLUSIONS: Neuromuscular performance in postmenopausal women with mild knee OA predicted lower limb bone strength in every measured skeletal site.
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Osteoartritis de la Rodilla/fisiopatología , Desempeño Psicomotor/fisiología , Tibia/diagnóstico por imagen , Absorciometría de Fotón , Anciano , Fuerza Compresiva , Femenino , Humanos , Persona de Mediana Edad , Posmenopausia , Tomografía Computarizada por Rayos XRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: Cognitive impairment occurs in multiple sclerosis already in the early stages of the disease. Less is known about the evolution of cognitive decline, especially in newly diagnosed MS patients. The results of existing studies are contradictory in that both cognitive preservation and progressive deterioration have been reported. The purpose of this study was to examine how cognitive impairment evolves over time in the early stages of MS. MATERIAL AND METHODS: At baseline, the participants were 36 newly diagnosed MS patients and 37 controls. A group of 30 patients were followed longitudinally at a mean test-retest interval of 6.1 years. The test battery covered attention, information processing, memory and learning, verbal and motor functions and reasoning. RESULTS: There was a significant decline in divided attention (dual task) and information-processing speed (SDMT) at follow-up, but no significant deterioration in overall cognitive performance. CONCLUSIONS: Overall cognitive functioning remained quite stable during the 6-year follow-up, whereas divided attention and processing speed deteriorated. However, deterioration in performance on the SDMT and the dual task does not seem to indicate more extensive cognitive deterioration. Given the impact of cognitive impairment on patients' quality of life, early detection of its occurrence in MS is extremely important.
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Trastornos del Conocimiento/etiología , Esclerosis Múltiple/complicaciones , Adulto , Atención/fisiología , Trastornos del Conocimiento/diagnóstico , Progresión de la Enfermedad , Femenino , Humanos , Estudios Longitudinales , Masculino , Memoria/fisiología , Procesos Mentales/fisiología , Persona de Mediana Edad , Esclerosis Múltiple/diagnóstico , Pruebas Neuropsicológicas , Desempeño Psicomotor/fisiología , Aprendizaje Verbal/fisiologíaRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the day-to-day reproducibility of the delayed gadolinium-enhanced MRI of cartilage (dGEMRIC) measurement at different knee joint surfaces in healthy subjects at 1.5 Tesla (T). METHODS: The dGEMRIC experiment was repeated for 10 asymptomatic volunteers three times with an average interval of 5 days between scans. The measurement was performed from a single sagittal slice through the center of the lateral femoral condyle and from the center of the patella in the axial plane. Cartilage was manually segmented into superficial, deep and full-thickness regions of interests (ROIs) at different topographical locations of the femur, tibia and patella. The reproducibility was evaluated separately for each ROI as well as for the entire bulk cartilage in the slice of each joint surface. RESULTS: The reproducibility at various ROIs expressed by root-mean-square average coefficient of variation (CV(RMS)) ranged between 4.7-12.9%. Thirty out of thirty-three ROIs showed a CV(RMS) less than 10%. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) ranged between 0.45 and 0.98. The CV(RMS) and ICC for bulk dGEMRIC were 4.2% and 0.95 for femur, 5.5% and 0.87 for tibia, and 4.8% and 0.97 for patella. CONCLUSIONS: The dGEMRIC technique showed good day-to-day reproducibility, on the average 8% for small deep or superficial segments, 7% for full-thickness ROIs and 5% for bulk ROIs covering all visible cartilage in a single joint surface. We conclude that dGEMRIC imaging at field strength 1.5 T can be used as a reliable instrument for the assessment of articular cartilage when staff has been carefully trained.
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Cartílago Articular/diagnóstico por imagen , Medios de Contraste , Gadolinio DTPA , Articulación de la Rodilla/diagnóstico por imagen , Adulto , Cartílago Articular/fisiología , Femenino , Humanos , Aumento de la Imagen , Articulación de la Rodilla/fisiología , Imagen por Resonancia Magnética/métodos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Cintigrafía , Reproducibilidad de los Resultados , Sensibilidad y EspecificidadRESUMEN
Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) has been linked to the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). HHV-6 antibodies in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 27 patients with clinically definite MS (CDMS) were compared with age- and sex-matched controls, including various other neurological diseases and symptoms (OND). In addition, we studied a series of 19 patients with clinically or laboratory supported possible MS (CPMS). Seroprevalence to HHV-6A was 100% in patients with MS, both in CDMS and CPMS, compared to 69.2% in patients with OND (P = .001 and .007). The mean immunoglobulin G (IgG) titers were significantly higher in patients with CDMS and CPMS than in controls (P = .005 and .00002). The proportion of acute primary infections without CSF involvement was similar in all groups; however, primary infections with intrathecal HHV-6 antibody production were more frequent in MS. In CSF, HHV-6A-specific antibodies were present in three (11.5%) and four (21.1%) patients with CDMS and CPMS, compared to none with OND (P = .06 and .01, respectively). Serological suggestions to HHV-6A infection occurred more often in both CDMS and CPMS than in OND (14.8% versus 21.1% versus 3.8%). We conclude that a subpopulation of MS patients, and even a greater proportion of possible MS subjects, has serological evidence of HHV-6A infection, which might provide new markers for diagnosis and therapy.
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Anticuerpos Antivirales/sangre , Herpesvirus Humano 6/inmunología , Esclerosis Múltiple/inmunología , Esclerosis Múltiple/virología , Infecciones por Roseolovirus/diagnóstico , Infecciones por Roseolovirus/inmunología , Enfermedad Aguda , Anticuerpos Antivirales/líquido cefalorraquídeo , ADN Viral/sangre , ADN Viral/líquido cefalorraquídeo , Femenino , Técnica del Anticuerpo Fluorescente , Herpesvirus Humano 6/genética , Humanos , Inmunoglobulina G/sangre , Inmunoglobulina G/líquido cefalorraquídeo , Masculino , Esclerosis Múltiple/epidemiología , Infecciones por Roseolovirus/epidemiología , Estudios SeroepidemiológicosAsunto(s)
Esclerosis Múltiple/líquido cefalorraquídeo , Esclerosis Múltiple/inmunología , Complicaciones del Embarazo/líquido cefalorraquídeo , Complicaciones del Embarazo/inmunología , Adulto , Formación de Anticuerpos , Femenino , Humanos , Inmunoglobulina G/líquido cefalorraquídeo , Interferón gamma/líquido cefalorraquídeo , Interleucina-4/líquido cefalorraquídeo , Esclerosis Múltiple/patología , Periodo Posparto , Embarazo , Complicaciones del Embarazo/patología , RecurrenciaRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: Glatiramer acetate (GA) is routinely used in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients who cannot tolerate or fail to respond to beta-interferon (IFN-beta). The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and tolerability of GA in these patients. METHODS: Fifteen relapsing-remitting MS patients who had discontinued IFN-beta therapy due to side effects were included in this open, 1-year prospective study. Neurologic examinations and laboratory assessments were performed every 3 months. The induction of MxA protein production was also evaluated. RESULTS: Eleven of fifteen patients (73%) tolerated GA well whereas four patients (27%) discontinued treatment due to side effects. The relapse rate reduced from 1.86 per year to 0.91 per year. Neither laboratory abnormalities nor MxA protein induction was found. CONCLUSION: GA can be considered as a good treatment alternative to IFN-beta-intolerant MS patients. However, some patients were not able to use available immunomodulative treatments, which emphasizes the need for new therapeutic options. The lack of MxA protein induction confirms the different mechanisms of action of GA and IFN-beta.
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Inmunosupresores/administración & dosificación , Esclerosis Múltiple Recurrente-Remitente/tratamiento farmacológico , Péptidos/administración & dosificación , Adyuvantes Inmunológicos/efectos adversos , Adulto , Femenino , Acetato de Glatiramer , Humanos , Inmunosupresores/efectos adversos , Interferón beta/efectos adversos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Péptidos/efectos adversos , Estudios Prospectivos , Resultado del TratamientoRESUMEN
The separate effects of 18 weeks of intensive strength and endurance training on isometric knee extension (KE) and flexion (KF) strength and walking speed were studied in 76- to 78- year-old women. Maximal voluntary isometric force for both KE and KF was measured in a sitting position on a custom-made dynamometer chair at a knee angle of 60 degrees from full extension. Maximal walking speed was measured over a distance of 10 m. The endurance-trained women increased KE torque and KE torque/body mass after the first 9 weeks of training when compared with the controls. when comparing the baseline, 9 week and 18 week measurements within the groups separately, both the endurance- and strength-training groups increased KE torque, KE torque/body mass and walking speed. Individual changes in KE torque/body mass before and after 18 weeks of training averaged 19.1% in the strength group, 30.9% in the endurance group and 2.0% in the controls. This study indicates that in elderly women the effects of physical training on muscle strength and walking speed occur after endurance as well as strength training. The considerable interindividual variation in change of muscle performance is also worth noticing.
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Envejecimiento/fisiología , Ejercicio Físico/fisiología , Contracción Isométrica/fisiología , Anciano , Femenino , Humanos , Rodilla/fisiología , Factores de Tiempo , CaminataRESUMEN
Capnocytophaga canimorsus is a fastidious, slow-growing, gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium that belongs to the normal oral flora of dogs and cats. Human septicemic infections are associated with a high mortality; most cases occur in immunocompromised patients with a history of dog bite. The fifth case of cat-associated septicemia caused by Capnocytophaga canimorsus is described. The six case reports presented here point out the characteristics reported previously: (a) cats are a source of human infection; (b) alcohol abuse is an important risk factor for the development of septicemic Capnocytophaga canimorsus infection; (c) septicemic infection often manifests with disseminated intravascular consumption coagulopathy or purpura; and (d) some cases of septicemia in humans result from pets that lick skin ulcers.