Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation after Hyaluronic Acid Injections for Elderly with Knee, Hip, Shoulder, and Temporomandibular Joint Osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent degenerative joint condition characterized by cartilage deterioration, joint inflammation, and functional limitations, particularly impacting the elderly population. Rehabilitation and hyaluronic acid (HA) injections are common therapeutic approaches routinely used in clinical practice, but their synergistic potential is far from being fully characterized. Thus, the aim of this narrative review was to elucidate the multilevel benefits and synergies of integrating these two approaches in multidisciplinary OA rehabilitation. This narrative review follows the scale for the assessment of narrative review articles (SANRA) criteria and involves a comprehensive literature search from July to August 2023. Two independent reviewers screened studies, including those involving human subjects with OA, rehabilitation strategies, and outcomes following HA injection, published in English. Results: HA injections might improve joint biomechanics, reducing friction, absorbing shocks, and potentially regulating inflammation. Rehabilitation plays a pivotal role in strengthening muscles, increasing the range of motion, and enhancing overall function. Optimizing rehabilitation following HA injection might provide additional benefits in joint health. OA management requires a multidisciplinary approach integrating HA injections, rehabilitation, and personalized care. Challenges in patient adherence and healthcare resources currently exist, but emerging technologies offer opportunities to enhance patient engagement and monitoring optimizing sustainability and outcomes of patients with knee, hip, shoulder, and temporomandibular joint OA.

Treatment of severe pressure ulcers with protein-enriched filtered platelet-rich plasma (PEFPRP): a possible management.

Background: Biological dressings with non-transfusion blood components are among the treatments available for pressure ulcers (PUs). Biological dressings contain active concentrated pro-regenerative molecules that can modify and switch off local inflammatory pathways. This re-establishes the physiological homing, which results in healing. In our study, we used a biological component obtained by ultrafiltration of plasma-platelet concentrate: protein-enriched filtered platelet-rich plasma (PEFPRP) with a higher platelet and higher plasma protein concentration. We tested whether treatment with PEFPRP could improve healing in advanced-stage pressure ulcers with a large surface area. All the patients in this study had a surgical indication but were not able to undergo surgery for various reasons. Materials and methods: Ten patients with severe neurological disability and advanced-stage sacral pressure ulcers were treated with allogenic PEFPRP. The mean lesion surface area at T0 was 13.4 cm2 ( ± 9.8 SD). PEFPRP was derived from allogenic plasma-platelet apheresis that had been pre-ultrafiltered with a ProSmart™ filter (Medica, Italy) to obtain a concentration after filtration of the plasma protein (12-16 g/dL) and platelet (1-1.2 x 106 microL). Results and Conclusion: All cases showed a reduction in the surface area of the pressure ulcer and in the Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing (PUSH) score. The mean reduction values at week 6 were as follows: -52% for surface area and -21% for PUSH. Rapid wound healing is fundamental to avoid infections and improve patients' quality of life. This blood component builds new tissue by creating a new extracellular matrix. This, in turn, promotes rapid restoration of the three-dimensional structure of the tissue necessary for healing deeper wounds. PEFPRP shrinks the PU and improves its morphological features (reducing undermining and boosting granulation tissue). PEFPRP also promotes tissue restoration, obtaining an optimal scar. It is a safe and feasible treatment, and these preliminary results support the use of PEFPRP in the treatment of pressure ulcers. PEFPRP dressings could be integrated in the standard treatment of advanced-stage PU.

Effectiveness of robot-assisted arm therapy in stroke rehabilitation: An overview of systematic reviews.

BACKGROUND: Robot-assisted arm therapy (RAT) has been used mainly in stroke rehabilitation in the last 20 years with rising expectations and growing evidence summarized in systematic reviews (SRs). OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to provide an overview of SRs about the effectiveness, within the ICF domains, and safety of RAT in the rehabilitation of adult with stroke compared to other treatments. METHODS: The search strategy was conducted using search strings adapted explicitly for each database. A screening base on title and abstract was realized to find all the potentially relevant studies. The methodological quality of the included SRs was assessed using AMSTAR-2. A pre-determined standardized form was used to realize the data extraction. RESULTS: 18 SRs were included in this overview. Generally, positive effects from the RAT were found for motor function and muscle strength, whereas there is no agreement for muscle tone effects. No effect was found for pain, and only a SR reported the positive impact of RAT in daily living activity. CONCLUSION: RAT can be considered a valuable option to increase motor function and muscle strength after stroke. However, the poor quality of most of the included SRs could limit the certainty around the results.

Effects of robotic upper limb treatment after stroke on cognitive patterns: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Robotic therapy (RT) has been internationally recognized for the motor rehabilitation of the upper limb. Although it seems that RT can stimulate and promote neuroplasticity, the effectiveness of robotics in restoring cognitive deficits has been considered only in a few recent studies. OBJECTIVE: To verify whether, in the current state of the literature, cognitive measures are used as inclusion or exclusion criteria and/or outcomes measures in robotic upper limb rehabilitation in stroke patients. METHODS: The systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. Studies eligible were identified through PubMed/MEDLINE and Web of Science from inception to March 2021. RESULTS: Eighty-one studies were considered in this systematic review. Seventy-three studies have at least a cognitive inclusion or exclusion criteria, while only seven studies assessed cognitive outcomes. CONCLUSION: Despite the high presence of cognitive instruments used for inclusion/exclusion criteria their heterogeneity did not allow the identification of a guideline for the evaluation of patients in different stroke stages. Therefore, although the heterogeneity and the low percentage of studies that included cognitive outcomes, seemed that the latter were positively influenced by RT in post-stroke rehabilitation. Future larger RCTs are needed to outline which cognitive scales are most suitable and their cut-off, as well as what cognitive outcome measures to use in the various stages of post-stroke rehabilitation.

Surgical Treatment of Stage Four Knee Pressure Injury with Pedicled Fasciocutaneous Flap in Patient Affected by Spina Bifida - Case Report.

Introduction: Patients affected by spina bifida (SB) can present varying degrees of paralysis, limited mobility, impaired sensation, orthopedic problems and bowel, bladder, and renal impairments. Skin wounds are reported as one of the primary diagnosis associated with hospitalizations in SB affected patients. In young patients, pressure injuries can occur more frequently at the lower limb. A multidisciplinary approach and a proper surgical technique are mandatory to obtain favorable long-term outcomes, in terms of adequate coverage and risk of recurrence. Case Presentation: A Caucasian male 21-year-old wheelchair-bound patient with history of SB was admitted to our department with stage four pressure injury on the medial aspect of knee joint and osteomyelitis. After antibiotic therapy wound preparation and debridement, we covered the pressure sore with a pedicled fasciocutaneous flap harvested from the medial compartment of the thigh. In the distal part, we splitted the fascia from the flap and used it to reconstruct the exposed knee joint. We did not report any complications and no recurrence was observed at 1-year follow-up examination. Conclusion: In this reported case, the multidisciplinary approach and the surgical technique allowed us to cover the soft-tissue defect around knee joint, reducing morbidity, surgical time, and cost with good long-term outcomes.

Impact of exercise training on muscle mitochondria modifications in older adults: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

BACKGROUND: Previous evidence showed that cellular aging is a multifactorial process that is associated with decline in mitochondrial function. Physical exercise has been proposed as an effective and safe therapeutical intervention to improve the mitochondria network in the adult myocytes. AIMS: The aim of this systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was to assess the exercise-induced muscle mitochondria modifications in older adults, underlining the differences related to different exercise modalities. METHODS: On November 28th, 2021, five databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane, and PEDro) were systematically searched for RCTs to include articles with: healthy older people as participants; physical exercise (endurance training (ET), resistance training (RT), and combined training (CT)) as intervention; other different exercise modalities or physical inactivity as comparator; mitochondrial modifications (quality, density and dynamics, oxidative, and antioxidant capacity) as outcomes. The quality assessment was performed according to the PEDro scale; the bias risk was evaluated by Cochrane risk-of-bias assessment tool. RESULTS: Out of 2940 records, 6 studies were included (2 assessing ET, 2 RT, 1 CT, and 1 both ET and RT). Taken together, 164 elderly subjects were included in the present systematic review. Significant positive effects were reported in terms of mitochondrial quality, density, dynamics, oxidative and antioxidant capacity, even though with different degrees according to the exercise type. The quality assessment reported one good-quality study, whereas the other five studies had a fair quality. DISCUSSION: The overall low quality of the studies on this topic indicate that further research is needed. CONCLUSION: RT seems to be the most studied physical exercise modality improving mitochondrial density and dynamics, while ET have been related to mitochondrial antioxidant capacity improvements. However, these exercise-induced specific effects should be better explored in older people.

Upper Limb Robotic Rehabilitation for Patients with Cervical Spinal Cord Injury: A Comprehensive Review.

The upper extremities limitation represents one of the essential functional impairments in patients with cervical spinal cord injury. Electromechanics assisted devices and robots are increasingly used in neurorehabilitation to help functional improvement in patients with neurological diseases. This review aimed to systematically report the evidence-based, state-of-art on clinical applications and robotic-assisted arm training (RAT) in motor and functional recovery in subjects affected by cervical spinal cord injury. The present study has been carried out within the framework of the Italian Consensus Conference on "Rehabilitation assisted by robotic and electromechanical devices for persons with disability of neurological origin" (CICERONE). PubMed/MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) databases were systematically searched from inception to September 2021. The 10-item PEDro scale assessed the study quality for the RCT and the AMSTAR-2 for the systematic review. Two different authors rated the studies included in this review. If consensus was not achieved after discussion, a third reviewer was interrogated. The five-item Oxford CEBM scale was used to rate the level of evidence. A total of 11 studies were included. The selected studies were: two systematic reviews, two RCTs, one parallel-group controlled trial, one longitudinal intervention study and five case series. One RCT was scored as a high-quality study, while the systematic review was of low quality. RAT was reported as feasible and safe. Initial positive effects of RAT were found for arm function and quality of movement in addition to conventional therapy. The high clinical heterogeneity of treatment programs and the variety of robot devices could severely affect the generalizability of the study results. Therefore, future studies are warranted to standardize the type of intervention and evaluate the role of robotic-assisted training in subjects affected by cervical spinal cord injury.

Robot-assisted arm therapy in neurological health conditions: rationale and methodology for the evidence synthesis in the CICERONE Italian Consensus Conference.

BACKGROUND: Robot-assisted Arm Therapy (RAT) has been increasingly applied in the last years for promoting functional recovery in patients with disabilities related to neurological health conditions. Evidence of a knowledge-to-action gap for applying robot-assisted technologies in the rehabilitation of patients with neurological health conditions and the difficulty to apply and tailor the knowledge to the local contexts solicited the need for a national consensus conference on these interventions. AIM: The aim of this paper was to explain the methodology used by the working group dedicated to synthesizing evidence on the effectiveness of RAT in neurological health conditions in the context of the CICERONE Italian Consensus Conference. DESIGN: The methodological approach of the working group. SETTING: All rehabilitation settings. POPULATION: Patients with disability following a neurological health condition. METHODS: Following the indications proposed by the Methodological Manual published by the Italian National Institute of Health, a Promoting Committee and a Technical Scientific Committee have been set up. Six working groups (WGs) have been composed to collect evidence on different questions, among which WG2.2 was focused on the effectiveness of RAT in neurological health conditions. RESULTS: WG2.2 started its work defining the specific research questions. It was decided to adopt the ICF as the reference framework for the reporting of all outcomes. Literature search, data extraction and qualitative assessment, evidence analysis and synthesis have been performed. CONCLUSIONS: This paper summarized the methodological approaches used by the WG2.2 of the CICERONE Italian Consensus Conference to define the effectiveness of RAT in the management of patients with neurological health conditions. CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT: WG2.2 synthesis might help clinicians, researchers, and all rehabilitation stakeholders to address the use of RAT in the Individualized Rehabilitation Plan, to guide the allocation of resources and define clinical protocols and indications for the management of patients with different neurological health conditions.

Systematic review of guidelines to identify recommendations for upper limb robotic rehabilitation after stroke.

INTRODUCTION: Upper limb motor impairment is one of the most frequent stroke consequences. Robot therapy may represent a valid option for upper limb stroke rehabilitation, but there are still gaps between research evidence and their use in clinical practice. The aim of this study was to determine the quality, scope, and consistency of guidelines clinical practice recommendations for upper limb robotic rehabilitation in stroke populations. EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: We searched for guideline recommendations on stroke published between January 1st, 2010 and January 1st, 2020. Only the most recent guidelines for writing group were selected. Electronic databases (N.=4), guideline repertories and professional rehabilitation networks (N.=12) were searched. We systematically reviewed and assessed guidelines containing recommendation statements about upper limb robotic rehabilitation for adults with stroke (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42020173386). EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Four independent reviewers used the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II instrument, and textual syntheses were used to appraise and compare recommendations. From 1324 papers that were screened, eight eligible guidelines were identified from six different regions/countries. Half of the included guidelines focused on stroke management, the other half on stroke rehabilitation. Rehabilitation assisted by robotic devices is generally recommended to improve upper limb motor function and strength. The exact characteristics of patients who could benefit from this treatment as well as the correct timing to use it are not known. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review has identified many opportunities to modernize and otherwise improve stroke patients' upper limb robotic therapy. Rehabilitation assisted by robot or electromechanical devices for stroke needs to be improved in clinical practice guidelines in particular in terms of applicability.

Early cardiac rehabilitation: could it improve functional outcomes and reduce length of stay and sanitary costs in patients aged 75 years or older? A retrospective case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is considered as a cornerstone in improving physical function in older people after cardiac procedures; however, its effects in patients aged more than 75 years are still debated. AIMS: To assess the effectiveness of early CR in improving functional outcomes and reducing the length of stay (LOS) and sanitary costs in patients aged ≥ 75 years. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed data from medical records of patients aged ≥ 75 years performed CR after cardiac procedures. Patients were divided into two groups according to the median timing lasting from the cardiac procedure and CR start: 'early rehabilitation' (< 8 days) and 'delayed rehabilitation' (≥ 8 days). Six-minutes walking test (6MWT), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), LOS, and sanitary costs were assessed. RESULTS: The 160 patients (mean aged 79.18 ± 3.13 years) included were divided into two groups: 'early rehabilitation' (n = 80) and 'delayed rehabilitation' (n = 80). Both groups showed a significant improvement (p < 0.0001) in 6MWT and LVEF but there were no differences between groups in all clinical outcomes. On the other hand, the 'early rehabilitation' group showed significantly lower LOS (25.8 ± 5.3 vs 34.1 ± 10.8 days; p < 0.0001) and sanitary costs (22,282.08 ± 3242.68 euros vs. 44,954.03 ± 22,160.11 euros; p < 0.0001). DISCUSSION: Beginning CR in the first week seems to be effective in improving physical performance after cardiac procedures in patients aged ≥ 75 years, reducing LOS and sanitary costs. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that early CR could be performed with positive effects on functional outcomes, leading to a reduction in LOS and sanitary costs in elderly.

Can scoliosis lead to spinal cord ischaemia? Early diagnosis and rehabilitation: A paradigmatic case report and literature review.

INTRODUCTION: Scoliosis is frequently associated with pain and radiculopathy, but it is not considered a possible cause of acute spinal cord injury (SCI). Here we present a case report in which scoliosis was apparently linked to spinal cord ischaemia. CASE PRESENTATION: A 20-year-old woman with conservatively treated severe scoliosis presented with acute spinal cord infarction, which occurred during a spinal flexion while she was tidying up the bed. Other causes of SCI were excluded. Early rehabilitation was started and the patient progressively regained motor and sensory functions, with an AIS reduction from A to C. Bowel and bladder disorders persisted and were autonomously managed with a trans-anal irrigation device and intermittent catheterisation after voluntary micturition. DISCUSSION: Early detection and management of spinal curvature disorders are essential in preventing long-term complications of scoliosis. Although the aetiology of spinal cord ischaemia in severe scoliosis should be better clarified, this rare case report suggests that scoliosis might be involved in its pathogenesis. Thus, we recommend early diagnosis of spinal curvature disorders and adequate rehabilitative treatment in order to prevent potential subsequent neurological complications.