Electroencephalography as a Biomarker for Functional Recovery in Spinal Cord Injury Patients.

BACKGROUND: Functional changes after spinal cord injury (SCI) are related to changes in cortical plasticity. These changes can be measured with electroencephalography (EEG) and has potential to be used as a clinical biomarker. METHOD: In this longitudinal study participants underwent a total of 30 sessions of robotic-assisted gait training (RAGT) over a course of 6 weeks. The duration of each session was 30 min. Resting state EEG was recorded before and after 30-session rehabilitation therapy. To measure gait, we used the Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury Scale, 10-Meter- Walking Test, Timed-Up-and-Go, and 6-Min-Walking Test. Balance was measured using Berg Balance Scale. RESULTS: Fifteen participants with incomplete SCI who had AIS C or D injuries based on American Spinal Cord Injury Association Impairment Scale classification were included in this study. Mean age was 35.7 years (range 17-51) and the mean time since injury was 17.08 (range 4-37) months. All participants showed clinical improvement with the rehabilitation program. EEG data revealed that high beta EEG activity in the central area had a negative correlation with gait (p = 0.049; ß coefficient: -0.351; and adj-R 2: 0.23) and balance (p = 0.043; ß coefficient: -0.158; and adj-R 2:0.24) measured at baseline, in a way that greater high beta EEG power was related to worse clinical function at baseline. Moreover, improvement in gait and balance had negative correlations with the change in alpha/theta ratio in the parietal area (Gait: p = 0.049; ß coefficient: -0.351; adj-R 2: 0.23; Balance: p = 0.043; ß coefficient: -0.158; and adj-R 2: 0.24). CONCLUSION: In SCI, functional impairment and subsequent improvement following rehabilitation therapy with RAGT correlated with the change in cortical activity measured by EEG. Our results suggest that EEG alpha/theta ratio may be a potential surrogate marker of functional improvement during rehabilitation. Future studies are necessary to improve and validate these findings as a neurophysiological biomarker for SCI rehabilitation.

Modelo de reabilitação hospitalar após acidente vascular cerebral em país em desenvolvimento / Intensive hospital rehabilitation model for patients with stroke in a developing country

Os serviços de reabilitação intensiva para os sobreviventes de acidente vascular cerebral (AVC) com tratamento padronizado são desejáveis porque esses programas de reabilitação contribuem para a melhoria funcional em contextos com menos recursos. Objetivo: Verificar se o programa de reabilitação hospitalar contribui para a melhora da funcionalidade em indivíduos com sequela de AVC. Método: Trata-se de um estudo transversal retrospectivo dos primeiros (2009-2010) e últimos 100 (2014-2015) pacientes neurológicos consecutivos admitidos na Rede de Reabilitação Lucy Montoro (Unidade Morumbi). Para esta análise, os pacientes foram analisados no dia da admissão e no dia de alta, utilizando a Escala de Rankin modificada (mRS). Para a comparação dos resultados foi utilizado o teste t para amostras independentes. A análise intragrupal com base no mRS foi realizada com o teste não paramétrico de Wilcoxon. Por outro lado, a análise intergrupos utilizou o teste não paramétrico de MannWhitney. O nível de significância para todos os testes estatísticos foi p <0,05. Os resultados funcionais < 3 na alta foram considerados favoráveis. Resultados: As Pontuações de Rankin modificadas (mRS) foram avaliadas imediatamente antes do início das terapias e na alta dos pacientes. O escore mRS mediano na admissão foi de 4 e 3 no momento da alta (p=0,0001), após 4 a 6 semanas no programa de AVC para ambos os grupos. Conclusão: O modelo de admissão em um serviço de reabilitação hospitalar que inclui terapias multidisciplinares promove ganhos funcionais em indivíduos com sequelas de AVC e ressaltase que esses ganhos são obtidos em um curto espaço de tempo

Intensive rehabilitation services with standardized treatment for stroke survivors are desirable once they contribute to the patients' functional improvement even in facilities with restricted financial resources. Objective: To verify whether the stroke program at our public inpatient Rehabilitation Center contributes to improvements in functional outcome. Method: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study of the first and last 100 neurological patients (2009-2010 and 2014-2015) admitted at the Lucy Montoro Rehabilitation Network (Morumbi Unit). For this study, the patients were analyzed at admission and at discharge by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). After testing for normality, an unpaired t-test was on the patients' clinical and demographic characteristics. Intragroup analysis was performed by the nonparametric Wilcoxon test. The intergroup analysis used the Mann-Whitney nonparametric test. Functional outcome scores < 3 at discharge were considered favorable. Results: The modified Rankin Scores (mRS) were assessed just before the initiation of the therapies and at the patients' discharge. Median mRS score at admission was 4 compared to 3 at discharge (p=0.0001), after 4 to 6 weeks in the stroke program. Conclusions: Short term, standardized intensive rehabilitation program with multidisciplinary therapies, in which the patient remains hospitalized, promote functional improvements of patients with stroke sequelae

Evaluation of body temperature in individuals with stroke.

BACKGROUND: A stroke can cause alterations in thermal sensitivity. OBJECTIVE: to verify the conditions of body temperature in hemiplegic patients after stroke as compared to healthy individuals, as well as establish relations between thermal sensitivity and gender, age, Body Mass Index (BMI), plegic side, time after stroke, reports of thermal alterations and the motricity of patients with stroke sequelae. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 100 patients (55.6±13 years) with ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke sequelae with unilateral hemiparesis and thirty healthy subjects (55±12.9 years). Individuals with nervous peripheral lesions, diabetes, peripheral vascular diseases or tumors were not included in this study. The volunteers underwent axillary temperature evaluations with the use of a cutaneous thermometer and evaluations of cutaneous temperature of hands and feet as measured by infrared thermography captured by an infrared sensor (ThermaCAMTM SC 500-FLIR Systems). The mean temperature (°C) was analyzed with the SigmaStat 3.5 statistical package. RESULTS: The results have shown that healthy individuals have similar temperatures on either side of the body. The hemiplegic subjects presented a lower temperature on the plegic side and compared to the healthy subjects, both feet of the hemiparetic individuals were colder. The results have also shown that age, body mass index, and the time after stroke have no influence on the alterations in temperature. Regarding the paretic side, individuals with hemiplegia on the right side (right foot) had a lower temperature than those affected on the left side. Motricity was not related to any difference in temperature between the limbs and the reports of temperature differences had no relation with the actual differences found in the study. CONCLUSIONS: Healthy individuals have temperature symmetry between between sides of the body, while individuals with stroke sequelae present lower temperature in the paretic side, especially on their feet.

Postural Control of Healthy Elderly Individuals Compared to Elderly Individuals with Stroke Sequelae.

A stroke and aging process can modify the postural control. We aimed to compare the postural control of health elderly individuals to that of individuals with stroke sequelae. This cross-sectional transversal study was made with individuals capable of walking without any assistance and that were considered clinically stable. The study had 18 individuals in the group with stroke sequelae (SG) and 34 in the healthy elderly control group (CG). The participants were evaluated for the timed up and go test (TUG) and force platform. The SG showed the worst results in relation to the time of execution of the TUG and the force platform evaluation. The displacement of center of pressure was worse for both groups in the eyes-closed situation, especially in the anteroposterior direction for the CG. The GS showed worse results in the static and dynamic postural control. The healthy elderly showed more dependence on sight to maintain their static balance and there was no difference in the balance tests in relation to the side affected by the stroke.

Pressure pain thresholds in patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain.

BACKGROUND: The lumbar back and hip muscles are important for a normal functioning of the human spine and they are considered to be of etiological significance in chronic nonspecific low back pain (nCLBP). Inactivity and a lower level of physical activity in patients with nCLBP may change muscle characteristics and may be associated with pain and disability. Pressure algometry has been found to be non-invasive, efficient and reliable in the exploration of physio-pathological mechanisms involved in muscle pain syndromes. The subjective characteristic of the pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) cannot be avoided once it is the very objective of the measurement, i.e. the minimum pain perceptible by the person, is a subjective factor. Most studies have revealed gender differences between PPTs, with females showing lower thresholds. OBJECTIVE: to determine whether demographic variables and PPTs, are related pain intensity and a disability in patients with nCLBP. METHODS: One hundred and twenty-four patients with nCLBP were included in the study. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and the Roland-Morris Questionnaire for Low Back Pain (RM) were used to evaluate the intensity of pain and degree of disability. The PPT was performed from L1 up to S2 dermatomes, at the muscles over the Gluteus medius, minimus and maximus, including a point located at the level of the piriformis, at the Quadratus lumborum, at the Iliopsoas and points of reference located at the level of the L1 up to L5 ligaments. The pain intensity was assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS) and the lumbar function by Roland Morris questionnaire (RM). Multiple linear regression models were used for both the VAS and the RM. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the PPTs measured at either left or right limb. The mean VAS value was 7.3 (± 1.5) and the RM score was 14.2 (± 5.3). The PPT-values showed significant negative correlations to the VAS and the RM. The highest correlation between the mean VAS and PPT-values were found at the level of the Gluteus medius (r= -0.34, p< 0.001), which was the only measurement correlated to the intensity of pain (r2 = 0.11, p< 0.001). The RM was correlated to the BMI, the level of education and the PPT values at the level of the Iliopsoas muscle and the L4-L5 supraspinous ligament. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that most PPT values are correlated to the VAS and the RM. Nevertheless, the variability explained by PPT values and demographic characteristics was low for pain intensity and function.

Neuroplasticidade e recuperação funcional na reabilitação pós-acidente vascular encefálico / Neuroplasticity and functional recovery in rehabilitation after stroke

O conceito de reabilitação no acidente vascular encefálico (AVE) atualmente é baseado em evidências da neuroplasticidade, considerada responsável pela recuperação após AVE. A escassez de informações na literatura e, principalmente, de métodos que avaliem especificamente a neuroplasticidade não condiz com a sua importância funcional. A literatura aborda, geralmente, as avaliações funcionais dos membros após o AVE e poucos estudos se concentram no comprometimento cerebral. Objetivo: Revisar a literatura para avaliar os programas de reabilitação atuais em AVE e seu potencial para promover melhorias funcionais e plasticidade neuronal. Método: Foi realizada uma revisão de literatura com busca na base de dados do PubMed de artigos publicados de 2000 a 2015. Os descritores utilizados para a pesquisa foram: "Stroke/rehabilitation" OR "Stroke/therapy" AND "Neuronal Plasticity". Resultados: Foram encontrados 86 estudos, 36 foram classificados como Therapy/Narrow, sendo 17 artigos excluídos por não preencherem os critérios de inclusão ou por não apresentarem tema relevante à pesquisa. Após a seleção por título e resumo, 19 artigos foram lidos na íntegra. Destes, 6 foram excluídos por não contemplarem o objetivo da presente pesquisa. No total, 13 artigos foram revisados. Dentre estes 13 artigos, os instrumentos de avaliação variaram entre a ressonância magnética funcional, estimulação magnética transcraniana e tomografia computadorizada por emissão de fóton único (SPECT). As intervenções utilizadas foram específicas para os membros superiores, exceto por um artigo que teve a intervenção através da terapia de oxigênio hiperbárica. Conclusão: Poucos estudos avaliam a plasticidade neuronal na reabilitação do AVE, e a maioria dos artigos apresentou melhorias tanto funcionais quanto na neuroplasticidade. Entretanto, maiores estudos devem investigar e correlacionar ambos os aspectos na reabilitação dos pacientes com AVE

The concept of rehabilitation in stroke is currently based on evidence of neuroplasticity, considered to be responsible for recovery after a stroke. The scarcity of information in the literature, especially concerning methods that specifically evaluate neuroplasticity, does not match its functional importance. In general, the literature discusses the functional evaluations of limbs after a stroke and a few studies focus on cerebral impairment. Objective: To review the literature and evaluate current rehabilitation programs for stroke and their potential to promote functional improvement and neuronal plasticity. Method: A literature review was conducted searching the PubMed database with articles published from 2000 to 2015. The descriptors used were: "Stroke/rehabilitation" OR "Stroke/therapy" AND "Neuronal Plasticity". Results: From the 86 studies found, 36 were classified as Therapy/Narrow, with 17 articles being excluded either for not meeting the inclusion criteria or for not presenting a theme relevant to the study. After the selection by title and abstract, 19 articles were read entirely. Of those, six were excluded for not addressing the objective of the present study. In all, 13 articles were reviewed. The evaluation instruments in those 13 articles varied between functional magnetic resonance, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). The interventions used were specific for the upper limbs, except for one article about an intervention through hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Conclusion: Few studies evaluated the neuronal plasticity in rehabilitation after a stroke, and most articles presented improvements in function as well as in neuroplasticity. However, larger studies should investigate and correlate both aspects in the rehabilitation of stroke patients

Relación entre el miedo a caer, la movilidad y el tiempo de lesión cerebrovacular en los ancianos / Relationship between fear of falling, mobility and time of stroke in the elderly

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Concentration of cytokines in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee and fibromyalgia.

INTRODUCTION: Fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis may present a relationship with the concentration of cytokines. The aim of this study was to compare the serum concentrations of IL-12p70, tumor necrosis factor, IL-10, IL-6, IL-1ß, and IL-8 in patients with knee osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 53 women (71.2±7.6 years old) diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis with moderate-to-severe pain (visual analog scale >4) for at least 3 months. Sixty women (54.1±8.1 years old) diagnosed with fibromyalgia according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria and with moderate-to-severe pain (visual analog scale >4) also participated in this study. For the dosage of cytokines, blood was collected in the morning: 5 mL from the cubital vein. The material was centrifuged at 4°C, separated into 100 µL aliquots and stored at -80°C until processing. Serum concentrations of the studied cytokines were assessed using the BD Cytometric Bead Array method. Data were analyzed with Student's t-test and the Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: We found higher levels of IL-6, IL-10, and IL-1ß in fibromyalgia patients. After adjustment of age as a covariate, there was no statistically significant difference in the concentration of any cytokine between fibromyalgia and knee osteoarthritis patients. CONCLUSION: Patients with knee osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia with the same duration and intensity of pain demonstrate similar concentrations of cytokines. Aging may play a role in cytokine profile, a finding not so extensively addressed in the literature and one that should be further investigated.

Aplicação das escalas Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) e Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) na recuperação funcional do membro superior em pacientes pós-acidente vascular encefálico crônico: revisão de literatura / Application of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) and the Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) in the recovery of upper limb function in patients after chronic stroke: a literature review

Estima-se que de 45 a 75% dos adultos que sofreram um Acidente Vascular Encefálico (AVE) têm dificuldade de utilizar o membro superior (MS) hemiparético nas atividades de vida diária (AVD’s) na fase crônica. Escalas funcionais são utilizadas na prática da reabilitação e em pesquisas para diagnósticos, prognósticos e resposta a tratamentos. As escalas Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) e Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) são instrumentos muito citados na literatura. Objetivo: o objetivo deste estudo foi verificar a aplicação das escalas WMFT e FMA na recuperação funcional do membro superior em pacientes pós AVE crônico. Método: Foi realizada uma revisão de literatura com busca nas bases de dados do MedLine (PubMed) de artigos publicados de 2000 a 2013. Adotou-se como estratégia de pesquisa o método (P.I.C.O.). Os descritores utilizados para a pesquisa foram: (stroke OR cerebrovascular disorders OR intracranial arteriosclerosis OR intracranial embolism and thrombosis) AND (fugl-meyer assessment OR wolf motor function test). Foi utilizado therapy narrow como filtro de busca. Resultados: foram encontrados 181 estudos, 89 foram eliminados por não preencherem os critérios de inclusão ou por não apresentarem tema relevante à pesquisa. Após a seleção por título e resumo, 92 artigos foram lidos na íntegra. Destes, 47 foram excluídos por não contemplarem o objetivo da presente pesquisa. No total, 45 artigos foram revisados. Houve predomínio da utilização da ferramenta FMA e verificou-se que 80% dos estudos aplicaram esta escala para avaliar respostas a diferentes tipos de terapias. Nestes estudos, a intervenção mais utilizada foi a Terapia de Contensão Induzida (TCI) (25%), seguida pela Terapia Robótica (22,2%). Apesar do WMFT ter sido inicialmente desenvolvido para avaliar os efeitos da TCI, nos dias de hoje verifica-se sua utilização para avaliar a recuperação funcional de pacientes com sequelas de AVE após aplicação de outras técnicas. Em nossa pesquisa, 44,4% dos estudos...

It is estimated that 45-75% of chronic adult stroke patients have difficulty in using the hemiparetic upper limb (MS) in their daily life activities (DLAs). Functional scales are used in the practice of rehabilitation, in the search for diagnoses and prognoses, and in evaluating response to treatment. The Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) and Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) scales are the instruments most commonly mentioned in the literature. Objective: The aim of this study was to review the use of the WMFT and FMA scales in the recovery of upper limb function in patients after chronic stroke. Method: We searched the MedLine database (PubMed) for articles published from 2000 to 2013. The PICO method was adopted as the search strategy. The descriptors used for the search were: (stroke OR cerebrovascular disorders OR intracranial arteriosclerosis OR thrombosis intracranial embolism) AND (Fugl-Meyer assessment OR wolf motor function test). Therapy/narrow was used as a search filter. Results: We found 181 studies, 89 of which were excluded because they did not meet the inclusion criteria or did not have a topic relevant to the review search. After selection by title and by abstract, 92 articles were fully read. Of these articles, 47 were excluded because they did not fulfil the search objective. All in all, 45 articles were reviewed. FMA is the tool most used and it was found that 80% of the studies applied this scale to evaluate responses to the different therapies. In these studies, the interventionmost used was the Constrained Induced Therapy (CIT) (25%), followed by Robotics Therapy (22.2%). Although the WMFT was initially developed to assess the effects of CIT, nowadays this scale is used, after the application of other techniques, to assess the functional recovery of patients with stroke sequelae. In our survey, 44.4% of the studies used WMFT; of these, 35% assessed the effects of CIT, 15% assessed robotic therapy for the upper limbs, and 65% for different...

Relação entre a medida de independência funcional e o Core Set da Classificação Internacional de Funcionalidade, Incapacidade e Saúde para acidente vascular encefálico / The Relationship between the Functional Independence Measure and the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health Core Set for stroke

Para a avaliação da funcionalidade do paciente com acidente vascular encefálico (AVE) existem diversos instrumentos, entre eles a Medida de Independência Funcional (MIF). A partir da aprovação da Classificação Internacional de Funcionalidade, Incapacidade e Saúde (CIF) foi desenvolvido o Core Set para indivíduos com AVE, o qual passou a considerar os componentes da CIF para o entendimento da funcionalidade e da incapacidade física destas pessoas. Objetivo: foi estabelecer uma relação entre a MIF e o Core Set da CIF para pacientes com sequelas de AVE. Método: considerando as descrições das atividades da MIF e as definições das categorias da CIF, foram selecionadas as categorias do Core Set da CIF para pessoas com AVE relacionados às tarefas avaliadas pela MIF. Foi considerado o que contemplava cada atividade da MIF, a descrição detalhada e as definições de cada categoria da CIF. Foi proposta uma relação entre os indicadores quantitativos e qualitativos da CIF e as escalas e níveis de função da MIF. Estabeleceu-se uma relação inversa entre a escala da MIF e os qualificadores da CIF, pois quanto menor a escala da MIF maior o comprometimento, já para a CIF, quanto menor o qualificador menor o comprometimento. Resultados: das 130 categorias de segundo nível utilizadas no Core Set 27 (20,8%) foram relacionadas às atividades da MIF, sendo oito (29,6%) dos componentes das funções do corpo, 17 (63%) das atividades e participação e dois (7,4%) dos fatores ambientais. Para as 10 categorias que fazem parte da versão abreviada deste Core Set, apenas cinco foram relacionadas às atividades da MIF. Conclusão: o presente estudo evidenciou que a escala MIF está centrada no indivíduo, não correlacionando fatores externos que influenciam na realização das atividades. A escala CIF possui parâmetros adequados e permite uma visão biopsicossocial do indivíduo, abrangendo desde as disfunções e deficiências dos indivíduos acometidos com por AVE até a influência destes fatores nas...

The Functional Independence Measure (FIM) is one of many instruments available for assessing the functionality of stroke patients. However, with the approval of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF), the Core Set that was developed for stroke patients, a new tool for understanding functionality and disability of these patients is available. Objective: to establish a relationship between the FIM and the ICF Core Set for stroke. Four researchers of different health care backgrounds, all working in the field of rehabilitation, considered the descriptions of the activities of the FIM and the definitions of the ICF categories. Method: they selected the categories of the ICF Core Set for stroke, which could be related to the tasks assessed by the FIM. Once the relationship was established, the researchers came to a consensus for the inclusion or exclusion of those categories. Results: From the 130 second-level categories used in the Core Set, 27 (20.8%) were related to the activities of FIM, eight (29.6%) regarded the bodily functions component (b), 17 (63%) concerned activity and participation (d), and two (7.4%) considered environmental factors (e). As for the 10 categories that are part of the Brief Core Set for stroke, only five were related to the activities of FIM. Conclusion: the FIM is focused on the individual, while the ICF is concerned not only with the dysfunctions and disabilities of the patient, but also considers these factors within social activities, as well as environmental influences, either as a facilitator or a barrier to functional independence.