Strategies for Recruiting People With Dementia to Music Therapy Studies: Systematic Review.

Positive effects of music therapy for people with dementia and their family carers are reported in a growing number of studies. However, small sample sizes or low recruitment rates often limit the success of these research studies. More adequately powered evidence-based studies are needed to impact policy and funding in dementia care. This systematic review examined recruitment strategies in music therapy clinical trials involving people living with dementia and/or their family carers. Eligible studies described enrolment, consent, accrual, or recruitment methods as well as recruitment or consent rates. Thirty studies with a total of 1,192 participants were included. Recruitment and conversion rates in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) (14 studies) were substantially higher than in community-based studies (16 studies). Whereas studies in RACFs most commonly recruited participants through staff approaching residents face-to-face or conversing with residents' legal guardians, community-based studies utilized a vast array of strategies, including staff referral, demonstrations/information sessions by researchers, advertisements, and direct contact with residents. Recruitment rates are likely to be higher when recruiters have an existing relationship with potential participants and when an independent third-party dementia organization is involved. Randomized controlled trials led to equally or greater recruitment conversion rates than other designs. Findings suggest that recruitment in dementia trials is complex, challenging, and needs thorough planning and consideration to be time- and cost-effective. Future studies should include reporting of recruitment strategies, enrolment rates, and related aspects so that researchers can better design recruitment strategies and estimate resources needed to reach the target sample size.

Characteristics of Selected Anthropometric Foot Indicators in Physically Active Students.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the type of medial longitudinal arch (MLA) in students of Krakow universities, investigate the relationship between physical activity and the shaping of the feet, and examine the relationship between hallux valgus angle and the type of footwear chosen most often. METHODS: The study group consisted of 120 students, of which 56 respondents were students of the University School of Physical Education in Krakow, whereas the remaining 64 respondents were students of the Pedagogical University of Krakow. To evaluate the MLA, a podoscope was used, which allowed us to determine the length and width of the foot, and calculation of the Clarke angle, heel angle γ, and the angle of hallux valgus. All students were also subjected to a measurement of body weight and height. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant relationship between physical activity and the Clarke angle in the group of women studying at the University School of Physical Education. There was no correlation between the hallux valgus angle and the type of footwear chosen most often in the research groups. CONCLUSIONS: The most frequently diagnosed type of longitudinal and transverse arch foot in the research group was normal MLA. There was no relationship between physical activity and transverse arch foot in any of the research groups.

Effect of whole-body cryotherapy on the rheological parameters of blood in older women with spondyloarthrosis.

BACKGROUND: Cryotherapy is a physiotherapy method used to treat back pain in older persons. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate the changes in the rheological parameters of blood in older women with spondyloarthrosis, who underwent whole-body cryotherapy. METHODS: The experimental group comprised 69 older women with lumbar spondyloarthrosis, aged between 65 and 70 years. Due to the methodology of the procedure, the experimental group was randomly divided into three groups. Each group underwent two weeks of different types of physiotherapy: only whole-body cryotherapy (22 women); only kinesitherapy (23 women); and both cryotherapy and kinesitherapy (24 women). The control group comprised 25 women who did not undergo any form of therapy. The evaluation of the rheological properties of the blood encompassed measurements of the plasma viscosity, the erythrocyte elongation and aggregation indices, and the level of fibrinogen. RESULTS: The conducted rheological tests revealed a significant decrease in the erythrocyte elasticity and aggregation indices only in the group of women who had undergone both whole-body cryotherapy and kinesitherapy. CONCLUSIONS: Applying whole-body cryotherapy to older women with spondyloarthrosis decreases the elasticity of erythrocytes and, despite favourable changes in the aggregation parameters, problems with perfusion may still appear. For this reason, the benefit of using whole-body cryotherapy in these persons is debatable.

Effects of dance therapy on the selected hematological and rheological indicators in older women.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of dance therapy on selected hematological and rheological indicators in older women. METHODS: The study included 30 women (aged 71.8±7.4), and the control group comprised of 10 women of corresponding age. Women from the experimental group were subjected to a five-month dance therapy program (three 45-minute sessions per week); women from the control group were not involved in any regular physical activity. Blood samples from all the women were examined for hematological, rheological, and biochemical parameters prior to the study and five months thereafter. RESULTS: The dance therapy program was reflected by a significant improvement of erythrocyte count and hematocrit. Furthermore, the dance therapy resulted in a significant increase in the plasma viscosity, while no significant changes in glucose and fibrinogen levels were noted. CONCLUSIONS: Dance therapy modulates selected hematological parameters of older women; it leads to increase in erythrocyte count and hematocrit level. Dance therapy is reflected by higher plasma viscosity. Concentrations of fibrinogen and glucose are not affected by the dance therapy in older women, suggesting maintenance of homeostasis. Those findings advocate implementation of dance therapy programs in older women.

Association of Calcium and Phosphate Balance, Vitamin D, PTH, and Calcitonin in Patients With Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.

STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional study of 2 groups of patients with scoliosis, and an age-matched control group was conducted. Each of the groups such as patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) as well as control group were divided additionally into 2 groups: premenarcheal and postmenarcheal girls. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to determine the levels of 25-OH-vitamin D3, calcium and phosphate, parathyroid hormone (PTH), and calcitonin in serum of pre- and postmenarcheal girls with AIS and corresponding groups of scoliosis-free controls. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The primary etiology and pathogenesis of AIS remains unknown. It is assumed that vitamin D deficiency and genetic predisposition, for example, polymorphisms of vitamin D receptor, have a great significance. Vitamin D plays a key role in skeletal development and prevents bone atrophy, affects the absorption of calcium, maintains calcium-phosphate homeostasis, and the bone matrix mineralization. Its deficiency can result in a wide variety of skeletal deformities, low bone mass, and then leads to the disappearance of bone. Defects in trabecular bone structure and/or bone mineralization are the main features of scoliosis. Some studies have reported that Vitamin D deficiency is common among patients with AIS. The mechanism of Vitamin D action on scoliosis development is still unclear. METHODS: Determination of serum 25-OH-D3 levels was performed using high-performance liquid chromatography chromatography; concentrations of calcium and phosphate were measured using colorimetric methods, and concentration of PTH and calcitonin was measured using ELISA system. RESULTS: Reduction in the serum levels of 25-OH-D3 and calcitonin in girls with AIS compared with healthy girls was demonstrated. CONCLUSION: The phosphate-calcium balance and PTH level seem to be normal in patients with AIS. The calcitonin level in girls with AIS is 2-fold lower than in healthy subjects. It is possible that the deficiency of vitamin D can be involved in AIS. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.

Participation of sex hormones in multifactorial pathogenesis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

PURPOSE: In order to verify the potential association between the aetiopathogenesis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) and the process of sexual maturation, we determined the concentrations of oestrogens in pre- and postmenarcheal girls affected by this condition. AIS, occurring mostly in pubescent girls, is one of the most frequent forms of faulty posture. Therefore, it was assumed that the multifactorial pathomechanism of AIS involves significant deficiency of oestrogens. METHODS: The diagnosis of AIS was established on the basis of physical examination and analyses of radiograms. Concentrations of FSH, LH, oestrogens, progesterone, osteocalcin and RANKL were determined by ELISA. The activity of alkaline phosphatase (AP) was measured by kinetic method. The study included pre- and postmenarcheal girls with AIS and corresponding groups of scoliosis-free controls. RESULTS: In premenarcheal scoliotic girls, the levels of FSH, LH and oestradiol were lower; the levels of progesterone, oestrone and oestriol were higher; and the concentrations of oestrone and oestriol were similar compared to premenarcheal controls. Higher levels of RANKL, osteocalcin and AP were observed in premenarcheal adolescents with AIS compared to controls. The concentrations of FSH, LH, oestradiol, and progesterone in postmenarcheal girls with scoliosis were lower, oestrone were slightly lower and oestriol did not differ compared with the control group. Significantly higher levels of RANKL, osteocalcin and AP were observed in postmenarcheal scoliotic adolescents compared with controls. CONCLUSIONS: There is an interdependence between the concentration of oestradiol and development of scoliosis. Determination of estradiol may have diagnostic value in the screening of spinal pathologies associated with AIS.

Concentration of selected regulators of calcium-phosphate balance in girls with idiopathic scoliosis.

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic scoliosis is one of the most frequent spinal deformities diagnosed by orthopaedists. Our knowledge about the epidemiology and aetiology of this disease is still not broad enough. This paper analyses yet another factor that may influence the onset and progress of scoliosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study involved 109 girls, including 50 girls aged between 11 and 14 years with idiopathic scoliosis (Group A), and 59 healthy girls of the same age (Group B). The average degree of the curvature on the day of the examination was 310110 (min.=100, max.=600). The curvature was measured according to Cobb's method. There were 45 pre-menarche and 64 post-menarche girls in the group. RESULTS: Oestradiol levels in healthy girls were significantly higher than in girls with idiopathic scoliosis. There were significant differences between the healthy and scoliotic girls. Parathormone levels were also significantly higher in healthy girls than in scoliotic ones of the same age. Analyses showed statistically significant differences. The analysis of the calcium ion concentration did not show statistically significant differences between the groups of healthy and scoliotic girls. CONCLUSION: Basing on the results we found that girls with diagnosed idiopathic scoliosis had lower oestradiol levels compared to their healthy counterparts. Similar data were obtained for parathormone. These disorders of hormone secretion result in a metabolic system similar to that observed in postmenopausal women, in whom there is active destruction of bone tissue.

Concentration of estradiol in girls with idiophatic scoliosis.

Background. Idiopathic scoliosis is one of the most often diagnosed by orthopaedists forms of spine cord deformations. Our knowledge about epidemiology and aetiology of this disease is still not broad enough. Authors have focused on the analysis of a factor that may influence initiation and progress of scoliosis. Material and methods. Levels of estradiol in healthy and scoliotic girls aged 11-14 have been compared. Medium angle of the curve measured in Cobb's classification was 33 degrees 11 degrees (10 degrees -60 degrees ). Results. Comparison of analysed parameters between both groups has shown significant differences in estradiol levels. Medium level of the hormone in the control group was 50,030 pg/ml (sx=18,586) and was significantly higher than the level of hormone in the group of children with scoliosis where it equalled 28,201 pg/ml (sx=15,628). Conclusion. These results indicate a possible influence of estradiol secretion disorders during gender development on initiation and progression of the lateral curvature of the spine.