Ultrasound findings and prognosis of shoulder pain: A role for Doppler signal?

PURPOSE: To find ultrasound prognostic factors for shoulder pain. METHODS: This was an observational, prospective study, comparing the evolution of ultrasound findings with clinical outcomes, in patients with shoulder pain. Data were collected in two appointments, from February 2018 to March 2021. Two-tailed non-parametric statistics were used, and p values <0.05 were considered significant. RESULTS: A total of 79 participants were included in this study (median age 59 years, range 24-70, 61 women). A positive Doppler signal on tendons (p = 0.002) and absent tendon heterogeneity (p = 0.01) were associated with the patient's self-reported improvement. Tendon calcifications with poorly defined contours (p = 0.03) and sparse distribution (p = 0.001) were associated with VAS improvement. A reduction in the number of calcifications (p = 0.004), in the supraspinatus tendon thickness (p = 0.01), in subacromial effusions (p = 0.03), and in color Doppler grade (p = 0.02), between initial and follow-up exams, was found in patients with an improved DASH outcome. CONCLUSION: A positive Doppler signal on shoulder tendons can be a marker for a better prognosis in shoulder pain. Poorly defined and sparsely distributed calcifications can also indicate a better course of the disease.

Towards a common oil spill risk assessment framework ­ Adapting ISO 31000 and addressing uncertainties.

Oil spills are a transnational problem, and establishing a common standard methodology for Oil Spill Risk Assessments (OSRAs) is thus paramount in order to protect marine environments and coastal communities. In this study we firstly identified the strengths and weaknesses of the OSRAs carried out in various parts of the globe. We then searched for a generic and recognized standard, i.e. ISO 31000, in order to design a method to perform OSRAs in a scientific and standard way. The new framework was tested for the Lebanon oil spill that occurred in 2006 employing ensemble oil spill modeling to quantify the risks and uncertainties due to unknown spill characteristics. The application of the framework generated valuable visual instruments for the transparent communication of the risks, replacing the use of risk tolerance levels, and thus highlighting the priority areas to protect in case of an oil spill.

Management of Unresectable Localized Pelvic Bone Sarcomas: Current Practice and Future Perspectives.

Bone sarcomas (BS) are rare mesenchymal tumors usually located in the extremities and pelvis. While surgical resection is the cornerstone of curative treatment, some locally advanced tumors are deemed unresectable and hence not suitable for curative intent. This is often true for pelvic sarcoma due to anatomic complexity and proximity to vital structures, making treatment options for these tumors generally limited and not unanimous, with decisions being made on an individual basis after multidisciplinary discussion. Several studies have been published in recent years focusing on innovative treatment options for patients with locally advanced sarcoma not amenable to local surgery. The present article reviews the evidence regarding the treatment of patients with locally advanced and unresectable pelvic BS, with the goal of providing an overview of treatment options for the main BS histologic subtypes involving this anatomic area and exploring future therapeutic perspectives. The management of unresectable localized pelvic BS represents a major challenge and is hampered by the lack of comprehensive and standardized guidelines. As such, the optimal treatment needs to be individually tailored, weighing a panoply of patient- and tumor-related factors. Despite the bright prospects raised by novel therapeutic approaches, the role of each treatment option in the therapeutic armamentarium of these patients requires solid clinical evidence before becoming fully established.

Ultrasound Features Associated With Shoulder Complaints: Calcifications Larger Than 6 mm in Young Patients and Positive Doppler Are Associated With Pain.

Objectives: To identify ultrasound (US) features associated with the presence of shoulder complaints. Methods: This observational, case-control study, compared US findings between participants with and without shoulder complaints, matched for age, sex, and dominancy. Data was collected from February 2018 to June 2020. Two-tailed Fisher's and Mann-Whitney U-tests were used, with p-values < 0.05 considered significant. Results: A total of 202 participants were enrolled (median age 56 years, range 18-70, 155 women), comprising 140 cases and 62 controls. A calcification size ≥6 mm, when age < 56 (p = 0.02), and a distance to tendon insertion ≥6 mm, when age ≥56 (p = 0.009), were only found in symptomatic shoulders. Color Doppler in rotator cuff (RC) tendons predominated in the presence of symptoms (26/140 vs. 2/62, p = 0.003). An algorithm also combining the number of calcifications, tendon echotexture and insertional thickening, osseous irregularity, cuff tears, and subacromial effusion showed a 92% (57/62) specificity for shoulder pain on this study sample. Conclusion: Calcification diameter of 6 mm or more is associated with shoulder pain in patients younger than 56 years. A distance from calcification to tendon insertion of 6 mm or more is related to pain in older patients. Doppler signal also is associated with shoulder pain. An algorithm based on a set of specific ultrasonographic criteria have a strong association with the presence of symptoms.

Palm-up test and range of motion in flexion and external rotation provide best correlation with disability and perceived pain in patients with shoulder complaints.

The aim of this study was to find a reliable set of clinical tests to predict pain and disability in patients with shoulder pain. Shoulder pain is the second most frequent musculoskeletal complaint in the primary care setting and has a great impact in work and leisure activities. Patient reported outcomes measuring pain and disability are available, but they are time-consuming, often biased by psychological and sociological factors and depend on patient collaboration. This was an observational, cross-sectional study, including patients with shoulder pain aged 18 to 70 years. Patients filled in the questionnaires Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand outcome measure (DASH) and Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) pain scale. A Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for current pain was applied and sociodemographic and clinical data were collected. Physical examination included the Jobe, Neer and palm-up signs, range of motion (ROM) of shoulder abduction, flexion and rotation (internal and external), both active and passive. An independent t-test to compare differences between groups and the Spearman's coefficient for evaluation of bivariate correlation were used. Linear regression analysis was applied to relevant predictors. Tests were two-tailed and p values < 0.05 were considered significant. A total of 127 patients were included. Female patients and those with a positive Jobe, Neer or palm-up tests, complaints on dominant side, no leisure activity involving shoulder effort, a history of previous shoulder tendinopathy or taking analgesics had significantly higher DASH scores. Age and all range of motion variables significantly correlated with DASH scores. A linear regression model with six dependent variables (Palm-up test, range of motion in active flexion and external rotation, age, gender and complaints on dominant side) produced the highest correlation (R = 0.665), explaining 44% of the variance of DASH score. A model based on few physical examination items and individual objective data like age, gender and dominancy, can help predict disability and perceived pain in shoulder disorders. Palm-up test and range of motion in active flexion, abduction and external rotation showed best correlation with the outcome, but abduction was found redundant for the obtained prediction model.

Wind and freshwater influence over hydrocarbon dispersal on Patos Lagoon, Brazil.

The two-dimensional barotropic, hydrodynamic and transport model MOHID is applied to the Patos Lagoon system using a nested modelling approach to reproduce both the lagoon and estuary hydrodynamics. A new Lagrangian oil spill model is presented and used to simulate a hypothetical oil spill in the estuary. Hydrodynamic fields are validated and used to force the oil model. Results show that the hydrodynamics of this system is mainly controlled by the wind and freshwater discharge. The dispersion, concentration and thickness evolution of the oil in the first day after the spill is determined by the equilibrium between these two factors. The freshwater discharge is the major factor controlling the oil dispersion for discharges greater than 5000 m3 while the wind assumes control for lower discharge amounts. The results presented are a first step toward a coastal management tool for the Patos Lagoon.

Trauma Patient with Fat Embolism Detected on Computed Tomography.

Fat embolism is frequent following fractures of long bones, however the development of the clinical syndrome of fat embolism (characterized by progressive respiratory distress, mental status depression and petechial rash) is rare, but relevant because of its potential severity. We report a case of a trauma patient with multiple fractures of the right lower limb in whom an emergency computed tomography scan showed fat emboli within the lumen of the homolateral common femoral vein. The imaging detection of macroscopic fat emboli should alert the clinician to the potential for subsequent fat embolism syndrome.

A embolia gorda é frequente no contexto de fracturas de ossos longos, contudo o desenvolvimento da síndrome clínica da embolia gorda (caracterizada por dificuldade respiratória progressiva, depressão do estado de consciência e rash petequial) constitui uma ocorrência rara, embora relevante pela sua gravidade. Apresentamos o caso de um politraumatizado com fraturas múltiplas do membro inferior direito a quem foi detetada, em tomografia computorizada de urgência, a presença de êmbolos de gordura no lúmen da veia femoral comum homolateral. A visualização de êmbolos macroscópicos de gordura através de métodos de imagem deverá alertar o clínico para a possibilidade de desenvolvimento da síndrome da embolia gorda.

The main autoimmune and nonautoimmune etiologies of endogenous hyperthyroidism do not seem to influence the increased prevalence of morphometric vertebral fractures and osteoporosis in Portuguese men.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of hyperthyroidism and their etiology on bone mineral density (BMD), on body soft tissue composition, on the prevalence of vertebral fractures detected by vertebral fracture assessment (VFA) and on the trabecular bone score (TBS). METHODS: From an initial population of 119 Portuguese men (78 with hyperthyroidism [HT]+ 41 controls [CTs]) admitted to the Endocrinology Department we selected 41 men aged over 50 with clinical hyperthyroidism to participate; each one was matched by age and height with a control person. BMD (g/cm2) at the lumbar spine, hip, radius 33% and whole body and the total body masses (kg) were studied by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). VFA with Genant semiquantitative method was used to detect fractures. The TBS was obtained from lumbar spine DXA images. No patient had been treated previously for hyperthyroidism or osteoporosis. Adequate statistical tests were used. RESULTS: In the hyperthyroidism group, total lean mass (CT 58.16 ± 7.7 vs. HT 52.3 ± 5.7, P = 0.03) and distal radius BMD (CT 0.769 ± 0.05 vs. HT 0.722 ± 0.08, P = 0.005) were lower; there was a significantly higher prevalence of osteoporosis (CT 9.7% vs. HT 29.3%, P = 0.015) and vertebral fractures (CT 2.4% vs. HT 24.4%, P = 0.007). TBS was similar in both groups (CT 1.328 ± 0.11 vs. HT 1.356 ± 0.11, P = not significant). Comparing patients with Graves' disease with patients with toxic goiter, there were no differences regarding BMD, BMD qualification, prevalence of fractures and TBS and just total lean mass was significantly lower in patients with Graves' disease. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that in a group of hyperthyroid men aged over 50 there are significant decreases in cortical bone BMD and lean mass and a higher prevalence of osteoporosis and silent vertebral fractures, but the etiology of the hyperthyroidism does not seem to influence it. Besides the antithyroid drugs, some patients may benefit from bone-directed treatments.

Enhancing the management response to oil spills in the Tuscany Archipelago through operational modelling.

A new approach towards the management of oil pollution accidents in marine sensitive areas is presented in this work. A set of nested models in a downscaling philosophy was implemented, externally forced by existing regional operational products. The 3D hydrodynamics, turbulence and the oil transport/weathering models are all linked in the same system, sharing the same code, exchanging information in real time and improving its ability to correctly reproduce the spill. A wind-generated wave model is also implemented using the same downscaling philosophy. Observations from several sources validated the numerical components of the system. The results obtained highlight the good performance of the system and its ability to be applied for oil spill forecasts in the region. The success of the methodology described in this paper was underline during the Costa Concordia accident, where a high resolution domain was rapidly created and deployed inside the system covering the accident site.

Marine spatial planning and oil spill risk analysis: finding common grounds.

A flow of key information links marine spatial planning (MSP) and oil spill risk analysis (OSRA), two distinct processes needed to achieve true sustainable management of coastal and marine areas. OSRA informs MSP on areas of high risk to oil spills allowing a redefinition of planning objectives and the relocation of activities to increase the ecosystem's overall utility and resilience. Concomitantly, MSP continuously generates a large amount of data that is vital to OSRA. The Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) mapping system emerges as an operational tool to implement the MSP-OSRA link. Given the high level of commonalities between ESI and MSP data (both in biophysical and human dimensions), ESI tools (both paper maps and dynamic GIS-based product) are easily developed to further inform MSP and oil spill risk management. Finally, several other benefits from implementing the MSP-OSRA link are highlighted.