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(1) Background: Pressure ulcers (PUs) substantially impact the quality of life of spinal cord injury (SCI) patients and require prompt intervention. This study used machine learning (ML) techniques to develop advanced predictive models for the occurrence of PUs in patients with SCI. (2) Methods: By analyzing the medical records of 539 patients with SCI, we observed a 35% incidence of PUs during hospitalization. Our analysis included 139 variables, including baseline characteristics, neurological status (International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury [ISNCSCI]), functional ability (Korean version of the Modified Barthel Index [K-MBI] and Functional Independence Measure [FIM]), and laboratory data. We used a variety of ML methods-a graph neural network (GNN), a deep neural network (DNN), a linear support vector machine (SVM_linear), a support vector machine with radial basis function kernel (SVM_RBF), K-nearest neighbors (KNN), a random forest (RF), and logistic regression (LR)-focusing on an integrative analysis of laboratory, neurological, and functional data. (3) Results: The SVM_linear algorithm using these composite data showed superior predictive ability (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) = 0.904, accuracy = 0.944), as demonstrated by a 5-fold cross-validation. The critical discriminators of PU development were identified based on limb functional status and laboratory markers of inflammation. External validation highlighted the challenges of model generalization and provided a direction for future research. (4) Conclusions: Our study highlights the importance of a comprehensive, multidimensional data approach for the effective prediction of PUs in patients with SCI, especially in the acute and subacute phases. The proposed ML models show potential for the early detection and prevention of PUs, thus contributing substantially to improving patient care in clinical settings.
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OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical usefulness of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and tractography in the prediction of outcomes after traumatic cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) and to assess whether the predictability is different between DTI and tractography administered before and after surgery. METHODS: Sixty-one subjects with traumatic cervical SCI were randomly assigned to preop or postop groups and received DTI accordingly. Among the patients who had DTI before surgery, we assigned 10 patients who had received repeated DTI examinations at 8 weeks after injury to the follow-up group. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were obtained from DTI, and imaginary fiber and crossing fiber numbers were calculated from the tractography. Neurological status and functional status were assessed at 4 and 8 weeks after SCI. RESULTS: The neurologic and functional statuses of both groups improved after 4 weeks. Out of the initial 61 patients who were enrolled in the study, the failure rate of DTI image analysis was significantly higher in the postop group (n=17, 41.5%) than in the preop group (n=6, 20%). The FA values and fiber numbers in the preop group tended to be higher than those in the postop group, whereas ADC values were lower in the preop group. When comparing the tractographic findings in the follow-up group, imaginary fiber numbers at the C6 and C7 levels and crossing fiber numbers from the C3 to C6 levels were significantly decreased after surgery. Several DTI and tractographic parameters (especially the ADC value at the C4 level and imaginary fiber numbers at the C6 level) showed significant correlations with neurologic and functional statuses in both the preop and postop groups. These findings were most prominent when DTI and physical examination were simultaneously performed. CONCLUSION: Preoperative DTI and tractography demonstrated better FA and ADC values with lower interpretation failure rates than those obtained after surgery, whereas postoperative data significantly reflected the patient's clinical state at the time of evaluation. Therefore, DTI and tractography could be useful in predicting clinical outcomes after traumatic cervical SCI and should be interpreted separately before and after spine surgery.
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Poststroke depression (PSD) is a major psychiatric disorder that develops after stroke; however, whether PSD treatment improves cognitive and functional impairments is not clearly understood. We reviewed data from 31 subjects with PSD and 34 age-matched controls without PSD; all subjects underwent neurological, cognitive, and functional assessments, including the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), the Korean version of the Mini-Mental Status Examination (K-MMSE), computerized neurocognitive test (CNT), the Korean version of the Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI), and functional independence measure (FIM) at admission to the rehabilitation unit in the subacute stage following stroke and 4 weeks after initial assessments. Machine learning methods, such as support vector machine, k-nearest neighbors, random forest, voting ensemble models, and statistical analysis using logistic regression were performed. PSD was successfully predicted using a support vector machine with a radial basis function kernel function (area under curve (AUC) = 0.711, accuracy = 0.700). PSD prognoses could be predicted using a support vector machine linear algorithm (AUC = 0.830, accuracy = 0.771). The statistical method did not have a better AUC than that of machine learning algorithms. We concluded that the occurrence and prognosis of PSD in stroke patients can be predicted effectively based on patients' cognitive and functional statuses using machine learning algorithms.
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This study proposes the development of a wireless sensor system integrated with smart ultra-high performance concrete (UHPC) for sensing and transmitting changes in stress and damage occurrence in real-time. The smart UHPC, which has the self-sensing ability, comprises steel fibers, fine steel slag aggregates (FSSAs), and multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as functional fillers. The proposed wireless sensing system used a low-cost microcontroller unit (MCU) and two-probe resistance sensing circuit to capture change in electrical resistance of self-sensing UHPC due to external stress. For wireless transmission, the developed wireless sensing system used Bluetooth low energy (BLE) beacon for low-power and multi-channel data transmission. For experimental validation of the proposed smart UHPC, two types of specimens for tensile and compression tests were fabricated. In the laboratory test, using a universal testing machine, the change in electrical resistivity was measured and compared with a reference DC resistance meter. The proposed wireless sensing system showed decreased electrical resistance under compressive and tensile load. The fractional change in resistivity (FCR) was monitored at 39.2% under the maximum compressive stress and 12.35% per crack under the maximum compressive stress tension. The electrical resistance changes in both compression and tension showed similar behavior, measured by a DC meter and validated the developed integration of wireless sensing system and smart UHPC.
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ABSTRACT: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has become a global pandemic. Invasive mechanical ventilation is recommended for the management of patients with COVID-19 who have severe respiratory symptoms. However, various complications can develop after its use. The efficient and appropriate management of patients requires the identification of factors associated with an aggravation of COVID-19 respiratory symptoms to a degree where invasive mechanical ventilation becomes necessary, thereby enabling clinicians to prevent such ventilation. This retrospective study included 138 inpatients with COVID-19 at a tertiary hospital. We evaluated the differences in the demographic and clinical data between 27 patients who required invasive mechanical ventilation and 111 patients who did not. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that the duration of fever, national early warning score (NEWS), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels on admission were significantly associated with invasive mechanical ventilation in this cohort. The optimal cut-off values were: fever duration ≥1âday (sensitivity 100.0%, specificity 54.95%), NEWS ≥7 (sensitivity 72.73%, specificity 92.52%), and LDH >810âmg/dL (sensitivity 56.0%, specificity 90.29%). These findings can assist in the early identification of patients who will require invasive mechanical ventilation. Further studies in larger patient populations are recommended to validate our findings.
Subject(s)
COVID-19/physiopathology , Early Warning Score , Respiration, Artificial/statistics & numerical data , Adult , Age Factors , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Antiviral Agents/therapeutic use , Female , Fever/physiopathology , Humans , Hydroxychloroquine/therapeutic use , L-Lactate Dehydrogenase/blood , Logistic Models , Male , Middle Aged , Pandemics , Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction , Republic of Korea , Retrospective Studies , Risk Assessment , Risk Factors , SARS-CoV-2 , Sex Factors , Socioeconomic Factors , Tertiary Care Centers , Young Adult , COVID-19 Drug TreatmentABSTRACT
Neuralgic amyotrophy (NA) is markedly underdiagnosed in clinical practice, and its actual incidence rate is about 1 per 1000 per year. In the current article, we provide an overview of essential information about NA, including the etiology, clinical manifestations, diagnostic investigations, differential diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. The causes of NA are multifactorial and include immunological, mechanical, or genetic factors. Typical clinical findings are a sudden onset of pain in the shoulder region, followed by patchy flaccid paralysis of muscles in the shoulder and/or arm. A diagnosis of NA is based on a patient's clinical history and physical examination. Gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging and high-resolution magnetic resonance neurography are useful for confirming the diagnosis and choosing the appropriate treatment. However, before a diagnosis of NA is confirmed, other disorders with similar symptoms, such as cervical radiculopathy or rotator cuff tear, need to be ruled out. The prognosis of NA depends on the degree of axonal damage. In conclusion, many patients with motor weakness and pain are encountered in clinical practice, and some of these patients will exhibit NA. It is important that clinicians understand the key features of this disorder to avoid misdiagnosis.
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Brachial Plexus Neuritis , Radiculopathy , Brachial Plexus Neuritis/diagnosis , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Physical Examination , ShoulderABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To identify the variables of videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) that are useful for predicting the risk of aspiration pneumonia in elderly patients with dysphagia. METHODS: A total of 251 patients (aged 65 years or more) were included and divided into a pneumonia group (n=133) and a non-pneumonia group (n=118). The pneumonia group included patients who had been diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia, and individuals in the non-pneumonia group did not have pneumonia but were referred for VFSS. The medical records and results of VFSS were reviewed and compared between the groups retrospectively. RESULTS: The pneumonia group exhibited a male preponderance and a higher 8-point Penetration-Aspiration Scale (8PPAS) score. The mean values of 8PPAS score for swallowing thick liquid and rice porridge was significantly higher in the pneumonia group. The pharyngeal delay time (PDT) and pharyngeal transit time (PTT) were significantly longer in the pneumonia group. The amounts of vallecular and pyriform sinus residue were increased in the pneumonia group. The delay in swallowing reflex and the decrease in laryngeal elevation were more frequently observed in the pneumonia group. Among those variables, PDT and PTT were identified as significant predictors of aspiration pneumonia based on logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSION: The present study delineated the findings of VFSS, suggesting an increased risk of aspiration pneumonia in elderly patients with dysphagia. The results demonstrate that prolonged PDT and PTT are significant predictors of aspiration pneumonia.
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A case of myelitis following Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease is reported, in which diagnosis and treatment were delayed. A 43-year-old male patient diagnosed with VKH disease presented at the Spine Centre of Yeungnam University Hospital, Daegu, Republic of Korea, with motor weakness, sensory deficit in both lower extremities, and dysuria for the previous 3 months. VKH disease had been diagnosed 15 months previously, based on vision loss in both eyes and the presence of bilateral nontraumatic granulomatous iridocyclitis, exudates, and retinal oedema. The patient exhibited severe motor weakness (right lower extremity, Medical Research Council (MRC) muscle scale, grade 2-0; left lower extremity, MRC grade 0). On cervical magnetic resonance imaging, a high-intensity T2 signal was observed in the spinal cord C4-C7 segments. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed slightly elevated white blood cell counts. The patient was diagnosed with myelitis complicating VKH disease. Intravenous and oral corticosteroid therapy was administered. After steroid treatment, the patient's motor function in the right lower extremity was significantly improved (MRC grade 4-3). However, the left lower extremity did not show any improvement (MRC grade 0). To achieve a good treatment outcome, the diagnosis and treatment of myelitis in VKH disease should not be delayed.
Subject(s)
Myelitis , Uveomeningoencephalitic Syndrome , Adult , Delayed Diagnosis , Humans , Male , Myelitis/diagnostic imaging , Myelitis/drug therapy , Republic of Korea , Uveomeningoencephalitic Syndrome/complications , Uveomeningoencephalitic Syndrome/diagnosis , Uveomeningoencephalitic Syndrome/drug therapyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Minocycline is known to reduce microglial activation, suggesting that it may reduce neuropathic pain. We reviewed studies in humans that evaluated the effectiveness of minocycline in alleviating neuropathic pain. METHODS: We searched the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane library, and SCOPUS databases for papers published before January 06, 2021, using the search words minocycline and pain. The inclusion criteria for the selection of articles were (1) minocycline administered to humans and (2) minocycline administered to control neuropathic pain. RESULTS: The primary literature search yielded 2299 relevant papers. Based on the assessment of the titles, abstracts, and full-text, nine publications were selected for this review. Only four of the nine studies showed a positive pain-reducing outcome after minocycline administration. Two of the three studies on chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain showed a positive pain-reducing effect. Minocycline was effective in controlling pain from diabetic and leprotic neuropathies. However, minocycline was not effective in controlling lumbar radicular pain and pain resolution after carpal tunnel release. CONCLUSION: Our review provides evidence that minocycline may have some potential for reducing neuropathic pain. Further high-quality studies need to be conducted to validate this potential.
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The obturator nerve lies deep within the pelvis, and it can be damaged by direct injury during surgery. In this study, nerve conduction was used to confirm an obturator nerve injury in a patient who presented with hip adductor weakness following gynecological surgery for endometrial cancer. A 56-year-old woman complained of weakness in the right adductor muscles after a laparoscopic hysterectomy due to endometrial cancer. Seven days after surgery, the degree of weakness of the right hip adductor was Medical Research Council (MRC) Scale 1; thus, a nerve conduction velocity test was conducted. To obtain the compound muscle action potentials of the obturator nerve, stimulation was performed (1.5 cm inferior and 1.5 cm lateral to the pubic tubercle) with a surface electrical simulator and recording (midpoint of the right medial thigh) of the adductor muscles. The compound muscle action potentials of the right obturator nerve showed lower amplitude (left side: 2.7 mV vs. right side: 0.3 mV) and delayed onset latency (left side: 3.2 ms vs. right side: 2.2 ms). These results indicate a partial right obturator neuropathy. Therefore, nerve conduction could be useful to diagnose an early-stage obturator nerve injury and provide information on the degree of damage.
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Muscle, Skeletal , Obturator Nerve , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Neural ConductionABSTRACT
The shoulder joint is a ball and socket joint which provides an extensive range of motion. Shoulder pain and weakness are common complaints among patients, which can lead to disability and affect a person's ability to perform daily activities. Shoulder pain and weakness may be associated with shoulder conditions such as rotator cuff disorders adhesive capsulitis, superior labrum anterior to posterior lesions, lesions in the biceps, acromioclavicular joint disease, or instability. Often, a thorough understanding of the network of bony, ligamentous, muscular, and neurovascular anatomy is required to properly identify and diagnose shoulder pathology. Identifying a specific shoulder pathology may be challenging, considering the numerous structures involved in shoulder function. Appropriate physical examination of the shoulder is important for making an accurate diagnosis and distinguishing certain pathologies of the shoulder. Evaluation of shoulder problem may be reliant upon physical examination, which involves inspection, palpation, assessment of range of motion, strength, and neurovascular integrity. In addition, specific tests are used to reproduce symptoms and signs that would help physicians identify the pathology of the shoulder problem. The aim of this study was to review the shoulder anatomy and describe the specific tests used to evaluate common shoulder conditions to facilitate accurate diagnosis and guide proper treatment of these conditions.
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Joint Instability , Shoulder Joint , Humans , Joint Instability/diagnosis , Physical Examination , Range of Motion, Articular , ShoulderABSTRACT
Profilin-1 (PFN1) regulates actin polymerization and cytoskeletal growth. Despite the essential roles of PFN1 in cell integration, its subcellular function in keratinocyte has not been elucidated yet. Here we characterize the specific regulation of PFN1 in DNA damage response and repair machinery. PFN1 depletion accelerated DNA damage-mediated apoptosis exhibiting PTEN loss of function instigated by increased phosphorylated inactivation followed by high levels of AKT activation. PFN1 changed its predominant cytoplasmic localization to the nucleus upon DNA damage and subsequently restored the cytoplasmic compartment during the recovery time. Even though γH2AX was recruited at the sites of DNA double strand breaks in response to DNA damage, PFN1-deficient cells failed to recruit DNA repair factors, whereas control cells exhibited significant increases of these genes. Additionally, PFN1 depletion resulted in disruption of PTEN-AKT cascade upon DNA damage and CHK1-mediated cell cycle arrest was not recovered even after the recovery time exhibiting γH2AX accumulation. This might suggest PFN1 roles in regulating DNA damage response and repair machinery to protect cells from DNA damage. Future studies addressing the crosstalk and regulation of PTEN-related DNA damage sensing and repair pathway choice by PFN1 may further aid to identify new mechanistic insights for various DNA repair disorders.
Subject(s)
DNA Repair-Deficiency Disorders/genetics , DNA Repair/genetics , Histones/genetics , Profilins/genetics , Actins/genetics , Apoptosis/genetics , Cell Cycle Checkpoints/genetics , Checkpoint Kinase 1/genetics , Cytoplasm/genetics , Cytoskeleton/genetics , DNA Damage/genetics , DNA Repair-Deficiency Disorders/pathology , Humans , Keratinocytes/metabolism , Keratinocytes/pathology , Phosphorylation/geneticsSubject(s)
Radiculopathy , Catheters , Humans , Injections, Epidural , Pain , Radiculopathy/drug therapy , Steroids/therapeutic useABSTRACT
Exercise training is a traditional method to maximize remaining function in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI), but the exact mechanism by which exercise promotes recovery after SCI has not been identified; whether exercise truly has a beneficial effect on SCI also remains unclear. Previously, we showed that epigenetic changes in the brain motor cortex occur after SCI and that a treatment leading to epigenetic modulation effectively promotes functional recovery after SCI. We aimed to determine how exercise induces functional improvement in rats subjected to SCI and whether epigenetic changes are engaged in the effects of exercise. A spinal cord contusion model was established in rats, which were then subjected to treadmill exercise for 12 weeks. We found that the size of the lesion cavity and the number of macrophages were decreased more in the exercise group than in the control group after 12 weeks of injury. Immunofluorescence and DNA dot blot analysis revealed that levels of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) in the brain motor cortex were increased after exercise. Accordingly, the expression of ten-eleven translocation (Tet) family members (Tet1, Tet2, and Tet3) in the brain motor cortex also elevated. However, no macrophage polarization was induced by exercise. Locomotor function, including Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan (BBB) and ladder scores, also improved in the exercise group compared to the control group. We concluded that treadmill exercise facilitates functional recovery in rats with SCI, and mechanistically epigenetic changes in the brain motor cortex may contribute to exercise-induced improvements.
Subject(s)
DNA Methylation/genetics , Physical Conditioning, Animal , Spinal Cord Injuries/genetics , 5-Methylcytosine/analogs & derivatives , 5-Methylcytosine/metabolism , Animals , Axons/pathology , Cell Polarity , Epigenesis, Genetic , Female , Hydroxylation , Inflammation/pathology , Macrophages/pathology , Motor Cortex/metabolism , Nerve Regeneration , Rats, Sprague-Dawley , Recovery of Function , Spinal Cord/pathology , Spinal Cord Injuries/complications , Urinary Bladder, Neurogenic/etiologyABSTRACT
The effectiveness of the chin tuck maneuver is still controversial, despite being widely used in clinical practice. The chin tuck maneuver has been shown to be able to reduce or eliminate aspiration in a group of patients with a number of favorable conditions, but its effectiveness in preventing or managing penetration remains unclear. This study was designed to investigate whether the chin tuck maneuver is effective in reducing penetration. Images from a videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) taken from 76 patients with penetration were collected and reviewed retrospectively. The severity of penetration was assessed by the penetration ratio (ratio of the penetration depth to the length of the epiglottis) measured and calculated from the images in which the deepest penetration was observed. The penetration ratio was significantly decreased in the chin tuck posture compared with the ratio in the neutral position (p = 0.001). Significant reducing effect was observed in 26 (34.2%) out of 76 patients. When comparing other parameters of VFSS, residues in the vallecular and pyriformis sinuses were less severe in the effective group. Chin tuck significantly decreased residues in both effective and ineffective group. The results demonstrate that the chin tuck maneuver can reduce penetration, but its effectiveness is limited.
Subject(s)
Deglutition Disorders , Larynx , Chin/diagnostic imaging , Deglutition , Deglutition Disorders/diagnostic imaging , Humans , Larynx/diagnostic imaging , Retrospective StudiesABSTRACT
In clinical practice, clinicians often meet patients suffering from mid-back pain. One of the possible causes of mid-back pain is penetrating atherosclerotic aortic ulcer (PAU), but the diagnosis is often delayed owing to its low incidence. Here, we report a patient with mid-back pain due to a PAU, who was diagnosed after receiving several procedures for reducing musculoskeletal pain. A 65-year-old man visited our pain clinic for mid-back pain [numeric rating scale (NRS): 7] experienced for 2 months. The pain was radiated to the lateral chest area and was aggravated when in the supine and standing positions. Trigger point injection, medial branch block, and pulsed radiofrequency were ineffective. The cardiac evaluation and abdominal computed tomography (CT) results showed no abnormalities. On CT aortography at 3 months after pain onset, intraluminal thrombus, multiple ruptured PAUs, and aneurysmal change of the descending thoracic aorta were found. Accordingly, PAU was diagnosed as the origin of the patient's pain. We administered nicardipine with a rate of 1.15 mcg/kg/min and esmolol with a rate of 100 mcg/kg/min for controlling the systolic blood pressure. In addition, an anticoagulant was administered orally. To alleviate the pain, we further administered intravenous opioid. Approximately 6 h after, the systolic blood pressure decreased to 100-120 mmHg, and the pain rating decreased to NRS 1. Two weeks after the discharge, the patient's pain rating was sustained at NRS 1. Clinicians should be aware of the fact that PAU can be a cause of mid-back or chest pain.
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Aortic Diseases , Atherosclerosis , Aged , Aortic Diseases/diagnostic imaging , Aortography , Back Pain , Humans , Male , UlcerABSTRACT
Spine diseases are common and exhibit several causes, including degeneration, trauma, congenital issues, and other specific factors. Most people experience a variety of symptoms of spine diseases during their lifetime that are occasionally managed with conservative or surgical treatments. Accurate diagnosis of the spine pathology is essential for the appropriate management of spine disease, and various imaging modalities can be used for the diagnosis, including radiography, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and other studies such as EOS, bone scan, single photon emission CT/CT, and electrophysiologic test. Patient (or case)-specific selection of the diagnostic modality is crucial; thus, we should be aware of basic information and approaches of the diagnostic modalities. In this review, we discuss in detail, about diagnostic modalities (radiography, CT, MRI, electrophysiologic study, and others) that are widely used for spine disease.
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OBJECTIVE: To investigate the comprehensive outcomes in aphasic patients, including their cognitive and functional status after ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. It also aimed to clarify whether aphasia is a prognostic factor for cognitive and functional improvements in stroke patients. METHODS: Sixty-seven ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke patients in the subacute stage who had been diagnosed with aphasia using the Korean version of Frenchay Aphasia Screening Test (K-FAST) were included in the study. Forty-six stroke patients without aphasia were used as controls. All patients were examined with the Korean version of the Western Aphasia Battery (K-WAB). Cognitive and functional assessments of the patients including the Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE), and the Korean version of Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI) were performed during admission and 4 weeks after the initial assessments. RESULTS: The initial and follow-up total K-MMSE and K-MBI scores were significantly lower in aphasic patients than in non-aphasic controls. The K-WAB scores highly correlated with the total K-MMSE scores at the follow-up stage in all aphasic stroke patients. The K-WAB scores moderately correlated with the follow-up scores of the K-MBI in ischemic stroke patients but not in hemorrhagic stroke patients. CONCLUSION: Aphasia influences the cognitive and functional status of stroke patients and has a greater impact on cognitive improvement. Aphasia severity can be one of the prognostic factors for cognitive status in aphasic patients with stroke.
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OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on neurological and functional recovery in patients with central cord syndrome (CCS) involving the upper extremities between the treated and non-treated sides of the treated group and whether the outcomes are comparable to that of the untreated control group. METHODS: Nineteen CCS patients were treated with high-frequency (20 Hz) rTMS over the motor cortex for 5 days. The stimulation side was randomly selected, and all the subjects received conventional occupational therapy during the rTMS-treatment period. Twenty CCS patients who did not receive rTMS were considered as controls. Clinical assessments, including those by the International Standard for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury, the Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test, and the O'Connor Finger Dexterity Test were performed initially and followed up for 1 month after rTMS treatment or 5 weeks after initial assessments. RESULTS: The motor scores for upper extremities were increased and the number of improved cases was greater for the treated side in rTMS-treated patients than for the non-treated side in rTMS-treated patients or controls. The improved cases for writing time and score measured on the Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test were also significantly greater in number on the rTMS-treated side compared with the non-treated side and controls. There were no adverse effects during rTMS therapy or the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: The results of the application of high-frequency rTMS treatment to CCS patients suggest that rTMS can enhance the motor recovery and functional fine motor task performance of the upper extremities in such individuals.
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OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether fracture type, surgical procedure, or fracture grade affect knee pain during postoperative rehabilitation after a hip fracture. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective case-controlled study of 139 patients during postoperative rehabilitation after surgery for hip fractures. Patients were divided into two groups: patients experiencing knee pain during the first week of postoperative rehabilitation, and patients without knee pain. We compared the types of fracture, surgical procedure, and fracture grade between the two groups. RESULTS: We enrolled 52 patients (37.4%) with knee pain during the first weeks of postoperative rehabilitation. For type of fracture, knee pain was more common with intertrochanteric fracture than with femur neck fracture (48.8% vs. 21.1%, respectively; p=0.001). For the surgical procedure, there was no significant difference between the groups. For the fracture grade, the grades classified as unstable fractures were more common in the group of intertrochanteric fracture patients with knee pain than in those without knee pain (74.1% vs. 36.4%, respectively; p=0.002). CONCLUSION: Intertrochanteric fracture affected knee pain after hip fracture surgery more than did femur neck fracture, particularly in unstable fractures. Furthermore, there was no difference in each fracture type according to the surgical procedure. Careful examination and management for knee pain is needed in patients with hip fracture surgery.