Effects of manual therapy on treatment duration and motor development in infants with severe nonsynostotic plagiocephaly: a randomised controlled pilot study.

PURPOSE: Despite growing evidence regarding nonsynostotic plagiocephaly and their repercussions on motor development, there is little evidence to support the use of manual therapy as an adjuvant option. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a therapeutic approach based on manual therapy as an adjuvant option on treatment duration and motor development in infants with severe nonsynostotic plagiocephaly. METHODS: This is a randomised controlled pilot study. The study was conducted at a university hospital. Forty-six infants with severe nonsynostotic plagiocephaly (types 4-5 of the Argenta scale) referred to the Early Care and Monitoring Unit were randomly allocated to a control group receiving standard treatment (repositioning and an orthotic helmet) or to an experimental group treated with manual therapy added to standard treatment. Infants were discharged when the correction of the asymmetry was optimal taken into account the previous clinical characteristics. The outcome measures were treatment duration and motor development assessed with the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) at baseline and at discharge. RESULTS: Asymmetry after the treatment was minimal (type 0 or 1 according to the Argenta scale) in both groups. A comparative analysis showed that treatment duration was significantly shorter (p < 0.001) in the experimental group (109.84 ± 14.45 days) compared to the control group (148.65 ± 11.53 days). The motor behaviour was normal (scores above the 16th percentile of the AIMS) in all the infants after the treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Manual therapy added to standard treatment reduces the treatment duration in infants with severe nonsynostotic plagiocephaly.

Valoración del dolor crónico de hombro en población mayor: un enfoque biopsicosocial / Assessment of chronic shoulder pain in the elderly population: A biopsychosocial approach

Introducción. La prevalencia de dolor crónico de hombro entre la población mayor es muy alta. Los objetivos de este estudio fueron establecer el perfil clínico del paciente con dolor crónico de hombro incorporando un enfoque biopsicosocial a la valoración del paciente y examinar la interacción entre discapacidad y variables físicas y psicológicas. Material y métodos. Estudio descriptivo en el que se incluyeron 70 personas mayores de 60 años que acudieron al Servicio de Rehabilitación del Hospital por presentar dolor crónico inespecífico de hombro con duración de los síntomas superior a 3 meses, sin comorbilidades motoras asociadas a la extremidad superior. Un fisioterapeuta valoró las variables físicas referentes al rango de movimiento, la dinamometría, la algometría y la intensidad del dolor. Los participantes completaron un cuestionario de creencias de evitación por temor, kinesiofobia y de percepción de discapacidad. La interacción entre estas variables se estableció mediante un análisis correlacional. Resultados. Se encontró una correlación negativa significativa (p < 0,05) entre las variables físicas y en los aspectos psicológicos relativos al cuestionario de evitación por temor y la escala de kinesiofobia. Una correlación significativa (p < 0,001) se encontró entre discapacidad y las variables físicas y psicológicas. Conclusión. Nuestros resultados apoyan la existencia de una relación entre discapacidad y variables físicas y psicológicas en el dolor crónico de hombro. Estos hallazgos refuerzan la idea de que una aproximación biopsicosocial es necesaria para adecuar la terapéutica al paciente (AU)

Introduction. The prevalence of chronic shoulder pain within the elderly population is very high. This study has aimed to establish the clinical profile of patients with chronic shoulder pain, incorporating a biopsychosocial approach for the assessment and to study the relationship between disability and physical and psychological variables. Material and methods. A descriptive survey in which 76 participants aged over 60 years old who came to rehabilitation in the hospital with non-specific chronic shoulder pain without motor comorbidities associated to the upper limbs and with a duration of more than 3 months was performed. A physical therapist assessed the physical variables regarding range of motion, dynamometry, algometry, and pain intensity. The participants also filled out a questionnaire on fear-avoidance beliefs, kinesiophobia, and perception of disability. A correlation analysis was conducted to determine the interaction between these variables. Results. A significant negative significant (P < .05) correlation was found between the physical variables and psychological aspects regarding the fear avoidance questionnaire and the Kinesiophobia scale. There was a significant correlation (P < .001) between disability and physical and psychological variables. Conclusion. Our results support the existence of a strong association between disability and psychological and physical variables in chronic shoulder pain. These findings reinforce the idea that a biopsychosocial approach is necessary to adapt the therapy to the patient (AU)

The effects of a physiotherapy programme on patients with a pleural effusion: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of a physiotherapy protocol on patients with pleural effusion. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. SETTING: University hospital. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 104 consecutive inpatients with a medical diagnosis of pleural effusion. INTERVENTION: Patients were randomly allocated to a control group receiving standard treatment (medical treatment and drainage) or an intervention group treated with physiotherapy added to standard treatment. The physiotherapy programme included deep breathing exercises, mobilizations and incentive spirometry. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Spirometric predicted values and chest radiographs were measured before treatment and at discharge and the length of hospital stay was recorded. Assessors were blinded to the intervention. RESULTS: A comparative analysis showed a significant improvement of spirometric parameters in the intervention group; pre-to-post hospitalization predicted values showed significant changes in vital capacity (73.1 ± 12.6% to 72.13 ± 13.7 %, P<0.001 ), forced expiratory volume in first second (72.13 ± 13.7% to 78.98 ± 16.9%, P<0.001) and forced expiratory flow at 25-75 % (64.8 ± 35.1% to 76.78 ± 35.3%, P=0.198) compared to the control group that showed no significant changes across treatment. The radiographic findings showed better scores on the affected side of the thorax at discharge in the physiotherapy group. Length of hospital stay was also significantly (P=0.014) shorter in the intervention group (26.7 ± 8.8 days) compared to the control group (38.6 ± 10.7 days). CONCLUSIONS: A physiotherapy programme added to standard treatment improves the spirometric parameters and the radiological findings and reduces the hospital stay in patients with a pleural effusion.

Clinical profile and evolution of infants with deformational plagiocephaly included in a conservative treatment program.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of a conservative intervention in infants with plagiocephaly according to their specific clinical profile. METHODS: Prospective clinical trial in which 104 infants with plagiocephaly accompanied or not by congenital or positional torticollis were referred to Early Care and Monitoring Unit (USAT) of San Cecilio Hospital in Granada, between 2009 and 2012. All the infants, grouped into three categories of severity, were included in the physiotherapy protocol until adequate craniofacial morphology and motor development were achieved. The study included an assessment of parents and infants. Parents were assessed with a questionnaire about the mother's medical history and birth-related issues. The assessment of infants included anthropometric measures, a positional assessment, the observation of the head, the assessment of severity, and motor development. RESULTS: Birth characteristics were similar in the total sample but showed different clinical profiles according to treatment aspects. More specifically, infants with severe plagiocephaly were referred to treatment later and spent more time in treatment; use of an orthotic helmet was also more prevalent in this category. There were also significant differences (P < 0.05) in the acquisition of specific gross motor skills depending on the severity of plagiocephaly. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that the physiotherapy protocol presented is effective to correct plagiocephaly. Severity of plagiocephaly is a marker that should be taken into account when designing actions aimed at improving gross motor skill development.

[Risk factors for metabolic syndrome in a population with sleep apnea; evaluation in a population of Granada; the Granada study]. / Factores de riesgo para el síndrome metabólico en una población con apnea del sueño; evaluación en un grupo de pacientes de Granada y provincia; estudio GRANADA.

INTRODUCTION: The Metabolic Syndrome is one of the first health problems in the public health of the century. It's consider that the beginning of the syndrome is determined by numerous factors that developed two main metabolic disturbances: the insulin resistance and the central obesity. This relationship is concentrating the scientific world. As the cause-effect relationship has to be answered, the epidemiologic research has focused on without results. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 1,016 subjects were recruited in the sleep disorders laboratory in San Cecilio Hospital with sleep apnea suspicion. RESULTS: Significant correlation (p < 0,001) was found between sleep apnea severity and nocturnal saturation values and the different metabolic disturbances related to the metabolic syndrome (Hypertension, Diabetes and obesity). By the contrary, we doesn't found significant differences between No-Sleep apnea group and moderate sleep apnea group in the majority of the variables. CONCLUSIONS: Subjects with sleep apnea have significantly more possibilities to develop metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular pathology. These subjects had to be evaluated in this sense to reduce the impact associated to this pathology.

Factores de riesgo para el síndrome metabólico en una población con apnea del sueño; evaluación en un grupo de pacientes de Granada y provincia; estudio GRANADA / Risk factors for metabolic syndrome in a population with sleep apnea; evaluation in a population of Granada; the Granada study

Introducción: El síndrome metabólico se está convirtiendo en uno de los principales problemas de salud pública del siglo XXI. Se considera que la aparición del síndrome metabólico está determinada por la interacción de factores genéticos, ambientales y nerviosos centrales (disfunción de los centros hipotalámicos de hambre y saciedad) que generan dos alteraciones metabólicas importantes: la resistencia a la acción de la insulina y la obesidad visceral. La relación de este síndrome, que concentra en la actualidad al mundo científico, con las alteraciones del sueño sigue siendo un punto sin esclarecer. Aunque se ha teorizado sobre la relación causa efecto, se desconoce aún su interrelación convirtiéndose su estudio en un objetivo primario de la investigación epidemiológica. Muestra y métodos: Se reclutaron 1016 sujetos que acudieron al servicio de Fisiología Respiratoria del Hospital Universitario "San Cecilio" de Granada (España) por sospecha de Apnea de Sueño. Resultados: Se encontró una correlación significativa (p < 0,001) entre los valores de apneas hipopneas y los valores de saturación de Oxigeno nocturna con las diferentes alteraciones metabólicas asociadas al síndrome metabólico (Hipertensión, Diabetes y Obesidad). Por el contrario, no se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas test (t-Student) en la mayoría de las variables entre el grupo NO-Apnea y el grupo Apnea moderada. Conclusiones: Los sujetos con apnea de sueño poseen significativamente más riesgo de desarrollar síndrome metabólico, y por lo tanto de presentar patología cardiovascular. Estos sujetos deben ser evaluados en este sentido para reducir la morbimortalidad asociada a estas patologías (AU)

Introduction: The Metabolic Syndrome is one of the first health problems in the public health of the century. It's consider that the beginning of the syndrome is determined by numerous factors that developed two main metabolic disturbances: the insulin resistance and the central obesity. This relationship is concentrating the scientific world. As the cause-effect relationship has to be answered, the epidemiologic research has focused on without results. Material and methods: 1,016 subjects were recruited in the sleep disorders laboratory in San Cecilio Hospital with sleep apnea suspicion. Results: Significant correlation (p < 0,001) was found between sleep apnea severity and nocturnal saturation values and the different metabolic disturbances related to the metabolic syndrome (Hypertension, Diabetes and obesity). By the contrary, we doesn't found significant differences between No-Sleep apnea group and moderate sleep apnea group in the majority of the variables. Conclusions: Subjects with sleep apnea have significantly more possibilities to develop metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular pathology. These subjects had to be evaluated in this sense to reduce the impact associated to this pathology (AU)

La función pulmonar, factores físicos que la determinan y su importancia para el fisioterapeuta / Pulmonary function. the physical factors that determine it and its importance for the physiotherapist

Introducción. El fisioterapeuta emplea, dentro de sus herramientas de valoración, aquellas destinadas a la medición de la función pulmonar. Todos los factores que afectan la función pulmonar deben ser conocidos de manera exhaustiva por el fisioterapeuta. Este trabajo pretende esclarecer aquellos factores, de carácter físico, que condicionan la función pulmonar. Objetivo. Revisar la bibliografía disponible que relacione los factores físicos que influyen en la función pulmonar. Estrategia de búsqueda. Revisión bibliográfica sistemática en las bases de datos: CINAHL, ScienceDirect, Ovid, Scopus y PubMed. Con antigüedad inferior a 25 años. Síntesis de resultados. Se obtuvo un número total de 90 artículos. Los autores han reconocido que entre los factores físicos de la función pulmonar se encuentran la edad, el sexo, la talla, el peso y el grupo étnico. A estos factores se han sumado en los últimos años, gracias a numerosos autores, los musculoesqueléticos, como la morfología de la caja torácica y el desarrollo muscular. Conclusiones. Los diferentes estudios asocian la edad, el sexo, la raza, el peso y la altura, y los factores musculoesqueléticos torácicos a la función pulmonar. Sin embargo, son necesarios más estudios que expliquen esta influencia (AU)

Introduction: Within their assessment tools, the physical therapist uses those designated for the measurement of lung function. Having extensive knowledge about the physical factors affecting normal lung function is important for the physical therapist. This paper aims to clarify those physical factors that condition pulmonary function. Aims: To review the bibliography available that relate the physical factors having an influence on pulmonary function. Search strategy: The search was made with the following databases: CINAHL, Ovid, Scopus, ScienceDirect and PubMed, with time antiquity limited to the last 25 years. Synthesis of results: A total of 90 articles were obtained from the search. The authors have stated that physical factors of pulmonary function include age, sex, height, weight and ethnic group. In recent year, many authors have also added musculoskeletal factors, morphology of the thoracic cavity and muscle development. Conclusions: The different studies associate age, sex, race, height and weight and thoracic musculoskeletal factors to pulmonary function. However, more studies are needed to explain this influence (AU)