The Effectiveness of Goal-Oriented Dual Task Proprioceptive Training in Subacute Stroke: A Retrospective Observational Study.

OBJECTIVE: To show the effectiveness of goal-oriented proprioceptive training in subacute stroke for balance, autonomy, and fall risk. METHODS: Out a total of 35 patients, consistent in age (75.31±8.65 years), type of stroke (ischemic, 3 to 11 weeks before), and motor impairment, 18 patients underwent solely proprioceptive rehabilitation, the other 17 dual task exercises. The study assessed autonomy using Barthel Index, fall risk with Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), balance through Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and Tinetti test. RESULTS: After two months, significant improvements were recorded in Barthel Index, BBS (p<0.0001), Tinetti test (p<0.0001 in dual task group, p=0.0029 in single task group), and TUG (p=0.0052 in dual task group, p=0.0020 in single task group) in both groups. Comparing the two groups, dual task group showed a significant difference in Tinetti balance assessment (p=0.0052), between the total score of Tinetti test and TUG in single (p=0.0271), and dual task (p=0.0235). Likewise, Tinetti gait test was significantly related to TUG in single (p=0.0536), and dual task (p=0.0466), while Tinetti balance test to Barthel Index (p=0.0394), BBS (p<0.0001), and TUG in single (p=0.0219), and dual task (p=0.0196). Lastly, there is a positive correlation of the use of aids with BBS (p=0.0074), and total score of Tinetti test (p=0.0160). CONCLUSION: In subacute stroke, goal-oriented proprioceptive training improved balance, but only partially autonomy. Furthermore, the use of aids after dual-task exercises improved recovery of balance, but did not reduced falls.

Ustekinumab safety and effectiveness in patients with ulcerative colitis: results from a large real-life study.

BACKGROUND: Ustekinumab (UST) is an interleukin-12/interleukin-23 receptor antagonist recently approved for treating ulcerative colitis (UC) but with limited real-world data. Therefore, we evaluated the effectiveness and safety of UST in patients with UC in a real-world setting. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This is a multicenter, retrospective, observational cohort study. The primary endpoints were the clinical remission rate (partial Mayo score, PMS, ≤1) and the safety of UST. Other endpoints were corticosteroid-free remission (CSFR) rate, clinical response rate (PMS reduction of at least 2 points), and fecal calprotectin (FC) reduction at week 24. RESULTS: We included 256 consecutive patients with UC (M/F 139/117, median age 52). The clinical remission and clinical response rates at eight weeks were 18.7% (44/235) and 53.2% (125/235), respectively, and 27.6% (42/152) and 61.8% (94/152) at 24 weeks, respectively. At 24 weeks, CSFR was 20.3% (31/152), and FC significantly dropped at week 12 (p = 0.0004) and 24 (p = 0.038). At eight weeks, patients naïve or with one previous biologic treatment showed higher remission (p = 0.002) and clinical >response rates (p = 0.018) than patients previously treated with ≥ 2. Adverse events occurred in six patients (2.3%), whereas four patients (1.6%) underwent colectomy. CONCLUSION: This real-world study shows that UST effectively and safely treats patients with UC.

Long-term real-life efficacy and safety of infliximab and adalimumab in the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases outpatients.

BACKGROUND: Infliximab and adalimumab are widely used for the treatment of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. AIM: To compare the long-term efficacy and safety of infliximab and adalimumab in a large cohort of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis patients reflecting real-life clinical practice. METHODS: Seven hundred twelve patients were retrospectively reviewed, 410 with Crohn's disease (268 treated with adalimumab and 142 with infliximab; median follow-up 60 months, range, 36-72) and 302 with ulcerative colitis (118 treated with adalimumab and 184 with infliximab; median follow-up 48 months, range, 36-84). RESULTS: In Crohn's disease, clinical remission was maintained in 75.0% of adalimumab vs. in 72.5% of infliximab patients (P = 0.699); mucosal healing and steroid-free remission were maintained in 49.5% of adalimumab vs. 63.9% of infliximab patients (P = 0.077) and in 77.7% of adalimumab vs. 77.3% in infliximab group (P = 0.957), respectively. In ulcerative colitis, clinical remission was maintained in 50.0% of adalimumab vs. 65.8% of infliximab patients (P < 0.000); mucosal healing and steroid-free remission were maintained in 80.6% of adalimumab vs. 77.0% of infliximab patients (P = 0.494) and in 90.2% of adalimumab vs. 87.5% of infliximab patients (P = 0.662), respectively. At the multivariate analysis, ileocolonic location and simple endoscopic score for Crohn's disease >10 were predictors of failure in Crohn's disease; treatment with adalimumab, BMI ≥30 and Mayo score >10 were predictors of failure in ulcerative colitis. infliximab was more likely to cause adverse events than adalimumab (16.6 vs. 6.2%, P < 0.000). CONCLUSION: Both adalimumab and infliximab are effective in long-term outpatients management of inflammatory bowel diseases. Adalimumab had a lower rate of adverse events.

Vedolizumab is effective and safe in real-life treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases outpatients: A multicenter, observational study in primary inflammatory bowel disease centers.

BACKGROUND: Italian data currently available in managing ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) patients with vedolizumab (VDZ) are coming just from secondary and tertiary centers. The present study aimed to assess the real-life efficacy and safety of VDZ to achieve remission in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) outpatients in primary gastroenterology centers. METHODS: Clinical activity was scored according to the Mayo score in UC and to the Harvey-Bradshaw Index (HBI) in CD. The primary endpoints were the achievement of clinical remission and safety. Secondary endpoints were clinical response to treatment, achievement of mucosal healing (MH), and steroid discontinuation. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-six pts. were enrolled (91 UC and 45 CD pts). During an 18-month median follow-up, clinical remission was present in 63 (46.3%) pts.: in particular, it occurred in 48 (52.7%) patients in UC group and in 15 (33.3%) patients in CD group (p = 0.003). more in UC group. Fecal calprotectin ≥400 µg/g and presence of comorbidities were factors significantly related to the failure of remission in UC and CD, respectively. Ten (7.3%) cases of adverse events were recorded (2 required suspension of treatment). Clinical response was present in 105 (72.2%) pts.: 71 (78.0%) in UC and 34 (75.5%) in CD group. MH occurred in 47 (62.7%) UC and in 9 (50.0%) CD patients. Steroids discontinuation occurred in 92 (67.6%) pts.; 61 (67.0%) UC and 31 (68.9%) CD pts. CONCLUSION: VDZ is effective and safe in IBD outpatients, especially in UC patients.

Effectiveness and safety of adalimumab to treat outpatient ulcerative colitis: A real-life multicenter, observational study in primary inflammatory bowel disease centers.

Adalimumab (ADA) was approved in Italy for the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) unresponsive to standard treatments in 2014, but no data from real life are currently available. The aim of the present study was to assess the real-life efficacy and safety of ADA in managing UC outpatients in some Italian primary inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) centers after approval of ADA reimbursement.Consecutive UC outpatients with at least 3-month follow-up were retrospectively evaluated. The primary end point was the induction and maintenance of remission in UC, defined as Mayo score ≤2.One hundred seven patients were included. At 3-month follow-up, obtained in 102 (95.3%) patients, 56 (54.9%) patients achieved a clinical remission. At univariate analysis, both Mayo partial score >7 and Mayo subscore for endoscopy = 3 at entry showed to be significantly associated with the lack of remission induction.During a median (95% confidence interval [CI]) follow-up of 18 (12-24) months, 56.6% of patients were under clinical remission; clinical response was achieved in 89.2% of cases. Mucosal healing was achieved in 66 (76.7%) patients, and colectomy occurred in 3 (2.8%) patients. Both C-reactive protein and fecal calprotectin values significantly decreased during follow-up. Steroids discontinuation occurred in 67 (66.7%) patients, and ADA dose escalation was adopted in 9 (16.1%) patients under remission. No factor was significantly related to the maintenance of clinical remission.This first Italian experience found ADA safe and effective to induce and maintain remission in real-life UC outpatients.