Eficacia de la férula nocturna y el ultrasonido para tratar el síndrome del túnel carpiano. Estudio clínico controlado y aleatorizado / Night splinting effectiveness in carpal tunnel syndrome. A randomized controlled clinical trial

Objetivo: Comparar la eficacia de la inmovilización nocturna de la muñeca con una férula cubital en ángulo neutro junto con la aplicación de ultrasonido en pacientes con síndrome del túnel carpiano leve y moderado. Materiales y Métodos: Entre octubre de 2007 y marzo de 2010, se incluyó a pacientes >18 años con síndrome del túnel carpiano confirmado por electromiografía en un hospital de Buenos Aires. Se realizó una aleatorización estratificada, con bloques permutados aleatorios, y apareamiento por sexo y edad. Los pacientes fueron asignados al grupo experimental (GE) o al grupo de control (GC). Ambos grupos recibieron ultrasonido de 1 MHz pulsante por 15 min, 3 veces por semana, durante 6 semanas. Los pacientes del GE, además, utilizaron una férula nocturna. Se evaluaron el dolor y la parestesia con la escala analógica visual de 100 mm, la PSFS y el test de Moberg, al comenzar, a las 3 semanas y, al finalizar, a las 6 semanas, y durante el seguimiento, al mes, y a los 3 y 6 meses, con evaluador a ciego. Resultados: Se analizó a 32 pacientes del GC y a 33 del GE. Al finalizar el tratamiento, todas las variables habían mejorado en ambos grupos, con diferencia de medias estadísticamente significativa para el dolor a favor del GE a las 3 semanas de tratamiento 1,64 (IC95% 0,38-2,91; p = 0,012), pero sin diferencia clínica significativa. No se informaron efectos adversos. Conclusión: El tratamiento con una férula nocturna y ultrasonido no es superior al ultrasonido solo en pacientes con STC. Nivel de Evidencia; II

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of night wrist immobilization using an ulnar splint in neutral angle versus the use of ultrasound (US) in patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS). Materials and Methods: Study population included over 18 years of age that were treated for electromyography-confirmed CTS between October 2007 and March 2010 at a Buenos Aires hospital. A sex- and age-stratified randomization was performed by using randomly permuted blocks, allocating patients into the experimental group (EG) and control group (CG). Pulsed US therapy was administered for 15 minutes to all patients three times a week for six weeks at a frequency of 1 MHz. In addition, EG patients were also prescribed night splint. Pain and paresthesia were evaluated using a 100mm Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), the Patient Specific Functional Scale (PSFS), and the Moberg pickup test (MPUT) at baseline, at 3 and 6 weeks, and at 3 and 6 months after treatment institution by a blinded investigator. Results: Study population consisted of 85 cases (65 patients) that were randomly allocated to CG (n=42) or EG (n=43). Improvement of all the variables was observed at the end of treatment in both groups, with a 1.64 (95% CI: 0.38-2.91, P=0.012) statistically significant difference in means for pain in favor of the EG at 3 weeks of treatment, but without a significant clinical difference. No adverse effects were observed. Conclusion: The effectiveness of combined night splint and US therapy is not superior to the US alone treatment in CTS patients. Level of Evidence; II

Efficacy of core exercises in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee: A randomized controlled clinical trial.

TRIAL DESIGN: Randomized, evaluator blinded, controlled, parallel group. METHODS: This trial was conducted between July 2011 and January 2015 at a public hospital in Argentina. Patients older than 40 years with a medical diagnosis of osteoarthritis (OA) were randomly assigned to the experimental group (EG) or control group (CG). Both groups performed conventional exercises 3 times a week for 12 weeks and core exercises were added to the EG intervention. The objective was to compare the efficacy of conventional treatment combined with core muscle strengthening exercises, with conventional treatment alone in terms of short- and medium-term pain reduction and physical function in patients with knee OA. The primary outcome was knee pain assessed using a visual analog scale and the secondary outcome was physical function assessed at baseline, week 8 and 12, and 2 follow-up visits held 1 month and 3 months after the end of treatment. RESULTS: 113 patients were randomized to a CG (n = 60) or EG (n = 53). 66 patients were eliminated and 25 patients in the EG and 22 in the CG were analyzed. Both pain reduction and improved physical function were observed throughout the intervention in both groups. At the end of the treatment, a statistically and clinically significant pain reduction was observed in the EG. No adverse effects were reported. CONCLUSION: The combination of core muscle activation exercises and conventional treatment was more effective in short-term pain reduction in patients with knee OA.

[Cross-cultural adaptation and Argentine validation of the Lower Extremity Functional Scale Questionnaire]. / Adaptación transcultural y validación argentina del cuestionario Lower Extremity Functional Scale.

The Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) is a self-report questionnaire created to evaluate a patient's functional status in a wide spectrum of lower extremity musculoskeletal conditions. Thus far, there is no valid version in Argentina. The aims of this study were to translate the LEFS, cross-culturally adapt it for use in the Argentine population, and validate it in our country by determining its psychometric properties in patients over the age of 18 with lower extremity musculoskeletal conditions, comparing it with the SF-36 and the following functional tests: step test and timed up and go. One hundred and thirty three patients were included between July 2010 and January 2012. The test-retest reliability was high, with an ICC of 0.91 (95% CI 0.85 - 0.94). The correlation of the LEFS with the physical functioning subscale and the physical component summary score of the SF-36 was high (p < 0.001) and showed moderate response with the timed up and go and step test at the baseline (p < 0.001). This version of the LEFS is a valid, reliable tool used in Argentina to measure functional status in patients with lower extremity musculoskeletal conditions that we recommend for future clinical research projects and daily clinical use.

Adaptación transcultural y validación Argentina del cuestionario Lower Extremity Functional Scale / Cross-cultural adaptation and Argentine validation of the Lower Extremity Functional Scale Questionnaire

El Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) es un cuestionario autoadministrado, creado para evaluar el estado funcional en pacientes con una amplia variedad de condiciones musculoesqueléticas del miembro inferior. No existe una versión argentina validada. Los objetivos del trabajo fueron traducir, adaptar transculturalmente el LEFS para su uso en la población argentina y validarlo en nuestro país determinando sus propiedades psicométricas en pacientes mayores de 18 años con afecciones musculoesqueléticas del miembro inferior, comparándolo con el SF-36 y los test funcionales timed up and go y step test. Se incluyeron 133 pacientes desde julio de 2010 hasta enero de 2012. La fiabilidad test-retest fue alta, con un CCI 0.91 (95% IC 0.85 - 0.94). La correlación del LEFS con la subescala de función física y el resumen del componente físico del SF-36 fue alta (p < 0.001) y con el step test y el timed up and go, moderada al inicio (p < 0.001). Esta versión del LEFS es una herramienta válida y confiable para evaluar el estado funcional de pacientes con condiciones musculoesqueléticas del miembro inferior, en la Argentina. Se recomienda su uso para la práctica clínica y para futuras investigaciones.

The Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) is a self-report questionnaire created to evaluate a patient's functional status in a wide spectrum of lower extremity musculoskeletal conditions. Thus far, there is no valid version in Argentina. The aims of this study were to translate the LEFS, cross-culturally adapt it for use in the Argentine population, and validate it in our country by determining its psychometric properties in patients over the age of 18 with lower extremity musculoskeletal conditions, comparing it with the SF-36 and the following functional tests: step test and timed up and go. One hundred and thirty three patients were included between July 2010 and January 2012. The test-retest reliability was high, with an ICC of 0.91 (95% CI 0.85 - 0.94). The correlation of the LEFS with the physical functioning subscale and the physical component summary score of the SF-36 was high (p < 0.001) and showed moderate response with the timed up and go and step test at the baseline (p < 0.001). This version of the LEFS is a valid, reliable tool used in Argentina to measure functional status in patients with lower extremity musculoskeletal conditions that we recommend for future clinical research projects and daily clinical use.