Are static posturography-assisted biofeedback exercises effective in Parkinson's disease?

BACKGROUND: Parkinson disease (PD) is a progressive condition that causes disorders in movement and balance. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of static posturography-assisted biofeedback exercises in PD-related balance disorder. METHODS: We screened 83 patients, 48 of whom were enrolled, and 41 completed the study. The sample was randomized into two groups, one submitted to static posturography-assisted biofeedback exercises and the other, to a conventional exercise program. The patients in the biofeedback group (n = 20) performed biofeedback exercises in addition to conventional balance exercises. Those in the conventional exercise group (n = 21) performed classic balance exercises. Both groups were treated for 20 minutes per session 3 times a week for 6 weeks. The patients were evaluated using the Hoehn and Yahr Scale, the Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS), the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), the Tinetti Gait and Balance Assessment (TGBA), the Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), the Tandem Stance Test (TST), a Turkish version of the Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) before and at the end of the treatment. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of the MDS-UPDRS, BBS, TGBA, TST, TUG, HAQ, or BDI measurements before and after the treatment (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Improved balance parameters were observed following balance training in the patients with PD, although static posturography-assisted biofeedback exercises appeared to provide no additional benefit. However, larger, randomized controlled trials are needed to investigate their effectiveness.

ANTECEDENTES: A doença de Parkinson (DP) é uma doença degenerativa que causa alterações no movimento e no equilíbrio. OBJETIVO: Avaliar a eficácia dos exercícios com biorretroalimentação assistidos por posturografia estática na alterações do equilíbrio derivadas da DP. MéTODOS: Selecionamos 83 pacientes, 48 dos quais foram incluídos, e 41 completaram o estudo. A amostra foi randomizada e dividida em dois grupos, um submetido a exercícios com biorretroalimentação assistidos por posturografia estática, e outro submetido a um programa de exercícios convencional. Os pacientes do grupo de biorretroalimentação (n = 20) fizeram exercícios com biorretroalimentação e exercícios convencionais de equilíbrio. E o grupo dos exercícios convencionais (n = 21), fez exercícios clássicos de equilíbrio. Ambos os grupos receberam tratamento durante 20 minutos por sessão, 3 vezes por semana, por 6 semanas. Os pacientes foram avaliados antes e depois do tratamento pela Escala de Hoehn e Yahr, Escala Unificada de Avaliação da Doença de Parkinson (EUADP) da Movement Disorder Society (MDS), a Escala de Equilíbrio Berg (EEB), Avaliação de Equilíbrio e Marcha Tinetti (AEMT), o Teste Timed Up and Go (TUG), o Teste de Apoio Tandem (TAT), a versão em turco do Questionário de Avaliação de Saúde (QAS) de Stanford, e o Inventário de Depressão de Beck (IDB). RESULTADOS: Não se observaram diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre os dois grupos quanto às medições do EUADP, EEB, AEMT, TAT, TUG, QAS ou IDB realizadas antes e depois do tratamento (p > 0.05). CONCLUSõES: Verificou-se uma melhoria dos parâmetros de equilíbrio após os exercícios de equilíbrio nos pacientes com DP, apesar de não ter sido detectado sem nenhum benefício adicional aparente dos exercícios com retroalimentação assistidos por posturografia estática. Contudo, é necessário efetuar ensaios maiores, randomizados e controlados para estudar a sua eficácia.

Are inflammatory parameters an independent predictor of hip osteoarthritis severity? A prospective cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the presence of hip osteoarthritis and the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-lymphocyte ratio, monocyte-lymphocyte ratio, and neutrophil-monocyte ratio. METHODS: Participants with hip osteoarthritis and healthy controls aged 45-75 years were recruited in the study. The participants with hip osteoarthritis were divided into two groups: mild/moderate hip osteoarthritis and severe hip osteoarthritis. Complete blood parameters of the participants were recorded, and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, neutrophil-monocyte ratio, monocyte-lymphocyte ratio, and platelet-lymphocyte ratio were calculated. Pain severity was evaluated using a visual analog scale. RESULTS: A total of 76 participants with hip osteoarthritis and 59 healthy controls were included in the study. The mean age of the participants was 57.6±6.11 years. Mean neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and neutrophil-monocyte ratio values were statistically significantly different between the hip osteoarthritis group and healthy control group (p<0.05). Platelet-lymphocyte ratio, monocyte-lymphocyte ratio, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein values were not significantly different between the groups. Also, there was no difference between all inflammatory parameters and hip osteoarthritis severity (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio and neutrophil-monocyte ratio values were higher in patients with hip osteoarthritis than in healthy controls. Mean platelet-lymphocyte ratio, monocyte-lymphocyte ratio, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein values did not change according to the presence of hip osteoarthritis. Not all hematological indices give valuable information regarding the severity of hip osteoarthritis.

Effect of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy in patients with supraspinatus tendon tear.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), ultrasound (US), and pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) combination with TENS and US therapy alone in patients with supraspinatus tear. METHODS: Forty patients were included in this study. The patients were randomly divided into two groups as follows: PEMF (n=20) and Sham (n=20) groups. PEMF was applied to the first group at a frequency of 50 Hz, 25 G intensity, and 20 min/session. The device was turned off while PEMF was applied to the second group. Diathermy (US) and electrotherapy (TENS) were applied to both groups for 10 sessions. Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) Shoulder Scale, and Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) were used as outcome measures. RESULTS: In both groups, there was a significant improvement in the NRS, UCLA Shoulder Scale, and SPADI scores after treatment compared with pretreatment (p<0.05). In the comparison of the difference between the pretreatment and posttreatment measurement values between the groups, no significant difference was found between PEMF and Sham groups according to the NRS (p=0.165), UCLA Shoulder Scale (p=0.141), and SPADI (p=0.839) scores. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, a combination of PEMF therapy with conventional physical therapy modalities was not found to be superior to the conventional therapy alone, and adding it to the routine treatment of symptomatic supraspinatus tear would not provide any additional benefit.

Effect of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy in patients with supraspinatus tendon tear

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), ultrasound (US), and pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) combination with TENS and US therapy alone in patients with supraspinatus tear. METHODS: Forty patients were included in this study. The patients were randomly divided into two groups as follows: PEMF (n=20) and Sham (n=20) groups. PEMF was applied to the first group at a frequency of 50 Hz, 25 G intensity, and 20 min/session. The device was turned off while PEMF was applied to the second group. Diathermy (US) and electrotherapy (TENS) were applied to both groups for 10 sessions. Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) Shoulder Scale, and Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) were used as outcome measures. RESULTS: In both groups, there was a significant improvement in the NRS, UCLA Shoulder Scale, and SPADI scores after treatment compared with pretreatment (p<0.05). In the comparison of the difference between the pretreatment and posttreatment measurement values between the groups, no significant difference was found between PEMF and Sham groups according to the NRS (p=0.165), UCLA Shoulder Scale (p=0.141), and SPADI (p=0.839) scores. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, a combination of PEMF therapy with conventional physical therapy modalities was not found to be superior to the conventional therapy alone, and adding it to the routine treatment of symptomatic supraspinatus tear would not provide any additional benefit.