Rehabilitation intervention safety in patients with malignant lymphoma with low blood cell counts.

[Purpose] We established criteria for patients with malignant lymphoma with low blood counts, who did not meet the criteria to discontinue rehabilitation or the blood transfusion criteria even though they were borderline for discontinuing rehabilitation. We investigated physical symptoms, activities of daily living, and adverse events in patients who were permitted to undergo rehabilitation intervention using the new criteria. [Participants and Methods] Forty-two patients met the criteria to discontinue rehabilitation based on blood data, and the new-criteria group included 153 patients who received permission for rehabilitation from a hematologist despite not meeting the criteria to discontinue rehabilitation. The survey items were Barthel index at the time of admission and discharge and the length of hospital stay. A two-group comparison was performed, and the occurrence of adverse events associated with exercise intervention were investigated. [Results] The length of hospital stay was shortened in the new-criteria group, and the rehabilitation intervention rate improved. [Conclusion] For patients with malignant lymphoma with low blood cell counts, continuing rehabilitation intervention with physician permission may prevent a decline in activities of daily living as well as maintain and improve motor function.

Safety of rehabilitation interventions for patients with hematologic diseases associated with low blood counts-verification focusing on blood cancer.

[Purpose] This study aimed to establish unique criteria for hematologic patients with low blood counts in the borderline region of or below the threshold for discontinuing cancer rehabilitation without meeting the criteria for blood transfusion, and to investigate the physical symptoms and activities of daily living. [Participants and Methods] Among the 251 participants, 128 had blood test results below the discontinuation criteria. They were permitted to engage in rehabilitation interventions by a hematologist based on the new criteria. The remaining 123 patients were classified under the discontinuation group. The Barthel Index scores during admission and discharge were compared between the two groups, in terms of chemotherapy, physical symptoms of nausea, petechial hemorrhage, pyrexia, and diarrhea. [Results] There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of the Barthel Index score during admission or discharge. Pyrexia occurred more frequently in patients managed under the new criteria. [Conclusion] Patients with low blood counts that fall between the criteria for discontinuing rehabilitation and receiving blood transfusions can continue undergoing rehabilitation interventions with the permission of their doctors, provided that measures are taken to manage adverse events. This strategy prevents activities of daily living reduction.

[Application of a jaw motion tracking device that measures six degrees of freedom using optoelectronic].

PURPOSE: A jaw motion tracking device that measures six degrees of freedom has recently been developed. Understanding jaw motion is useful, but previous measurement methods were impractical for use in dental clinics. The overall aim of this study was to demonstrate the simple operation, low cost, and high precision of a recently developed jaw tracking device. In addition, this study explored its potential clinical applications. METHODS: In this study, we compared two jaw motion tracking devices: a digital system type of device and an optical type of device. First we established a baseline occlusal plane from which to measure jaw motion in the same subject with both devices. The jaw motion signals were sampled at a frequency of 100 Hz. The subjects were three healthy women (mean age +/- SD = 26.3 +/- 1.2 years) who were recruited from among the crown-and-bridge faculty of Tsurumi University of Dentistry. The jaw motions measured were open-close movement, sagittal border movement, and frontal border movement. In addition, the kinematic axis point was calculated from the sagittal border movement. Data from the digital system type of device and data from the optical device were compared. The data were selected to measure rotation and translocation, i.e. jaw position about protrusion, both laterotrusion and maximal opening of the mouth. RESULTS: The root mean square (RMS) error of position measurement was 0.163 mm with MM-JI-E and 0.178 mm with the optical type of device. The RMS error of jaw motion measurement with the optical type of device was maximum at 0.8mm and minimum at 0.1mm. This was similar to that with digital system type of jaw motion tracking device. CONCLUSION: This study showed the possibility of developing clinical applications for this jaw motion device.

Green tea consumption and serum lipids and lipoproteins in a population of healthy workers in Japan.

PURPOSE: To examine the relation between green tea consumption and serum lipids and lipoproteins. METHODS: The subjects were 13,916 workers (8476 men and 5440 women) aged 40-69 years at over 1000 workplaces in Nagano prefecture, central Japan. They underwent health screening offered by a single medical institute between April 1995 and March 1996 and did not have morbid conditions affecting serum cholesterol levels. Serum concentrations of total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and triglycerides were measured at the screening. The consumption of green tea and other life-style characteristics were ascertained by a questionnaire. The data were analyzed with multivariate linear model. RESULTS: Daily consumption of green tea was reported by 86.7% of subjects. Green tea consumption was, statistically, significantly associated with lower levels of serum total cholesterol in both men and women while its associations with serum triglycerides and HDL cholesterol were not statistically significant. The inverse association of serum total cholesterol with green tea consumption appeared to level off at the consumption of more than 10 cups/day. Excluding the outlying subjects drinking more than 10 cups/day (0.4%), the regression analysis adjusting for age, body mass index, ethanol intake, smoking habit, coffee intake, and type of work showed that daily consumption of one cup of green tea was associated with a reduction in serum total cholesterol by 0.015 mmol/L (95% confidence interval 0.006 to 0.024, p < 0.001) in men and 0.015 mmol/L (0.004 to 0.025, p < 0.01) in women. After additional adjustment for selected dietary factors, the inverse association remained statistically significant; one cup of green tea per day was associated with a reduction in serum total cholesterol by 0.010 mmol/L (0.001 to 0.019, p = 0.03) in men and 0.012 mmol/L (0.001 to 0.022, p = 0.03) in women. CONCLUSION: Consumption of green tea was associated with lower serum concentration of total cholesterol in Japanese healthy workers age 40-69 years; however, green tea consumption was unrelated to serum HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides.