Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Reducing Emergency Department Decision To Admit To Disposition Time Using The Sydney Triage To Admission Risk Tool, Jolyn Sackmann

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Practice Innovation Projects

Background: Long emergency department (ED) length of stay (LOS) is associated with increased mortality, delay in care, longer inpatient (IP) stays, readmission risk, poor patient satisfaction, and opportunity for error. Within the ED LOS is a quality indicator measuring the time a provider determines a patient will be admitted to the time the patient leaves the ED for an IP unit, called ED-2. Prolonged ED-2 indicates impaired ED output.
/="/">Local Problem: Despite previous interventions, the ED-2 at a rural Midwest hospital was about 63.5 minutes; the goal set forth by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid is 35 minutes …

Oral Cancer Inequalities: Unmasking Health Disparities Of Vulnerable Populations In The U.S., Harold Nii-Aponsah

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Oral health disparities remain a persistent and pressing public health issue in the United States, with access to dental care and outcomes disproportionately affected by socio-economic status, race, ethnicity, and insurance coverage. This three paper format dissertation highlights various aspects of disparities that do exist in oral health cancer incidence across the United States. The first paper utilizes data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program to analyze 19,378 invasive Oral cavity and pharyngeal cancers (OCPC) cases diagnosed between 2018 and 2021, categorized by HPV status. Findings highlight that HPV-positive OCPCs are more prevalent among males, individuals aged …

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease And The Components Of Metabolic Syndrome By Race/Ethnicity: Spotlight On Mexican Americans, Roy Valenzuela

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease is one of the most common forms of liver disease in the United States, which occurs when a buildup of fat droplets within the hepatocytes accounts for 5% of the liver’s total weight.

Using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), this study evaluated the relationship between suspected NAFLD and Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) and the individual components of MetS among five major racial/ethnic groups in the United States. Furthermore, this study compared the prevalence of NAFLD, MetS, and the components of MetS in four minority U.S. populations with that of non-Hispanic Whites. Data from four …

Using Mid-Upper Arm Circumference Z-Score Measurement To Support Youth Malnutrition Screening As Part Of A Global Sports And Wellness Program And Improve Access To Nutrition Care, Amy R. Sharn, Raissa Sorgho, Suela Sulo, Emilio Molina-Molina, Clara Rojas Montenegro, Mary Jean Villa-Real Guno, Susan Abdel-Rahman

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Objective

Historically, mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) has been instrumental to identifying malnutrition in children under 5 years living in resource restricted settings. Less attention is directed to at-risk, school-aged youth. Updated and validated pediatric age- and gender-specific MUAC growth curves expand malnutrition screening opportunities (2 months-18 years) including overweight/obesity. An innovative partnership was created to integrate MUAC z-score measurement trainings and screenings in the Real Madrid Foundation's (RMF) Social Sports Schools (S3) program, which provide sports and wellness programming to under-resourced communities. This work aimed to investigate the feasibility of leveraging non-healthcare professionals (non-HCPs) to identify malnutrition risk as part …

Impact Of Chronic Kidney Disease On The Outcomes Of Patients Undergoing Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion: Insights From A Large National Database, Frederick Berro Rivera, Sung Whoy Cha, Akanimo Antia, Polyn Luz S. Pine, Gabriel A. Tangco, Princess C. Lapid, Sathika Jariyatamkitti, Nathan Ross B. Bantayan, Wailea Faye C. Salva, Anne Mira Nicca Idian, Grace Nooriza Opay Lumbang, Charcel Lex Layese, Edgar V. Lerma, Fareed Moses S. Collado, Annabelle Santos Volgman, Amir Kazory

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Introduction

Studies exploring the effectiveness and safety of left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are limited.

Methods

We utilized the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) to identify hospitalizations for LAAO from 2016 to 2020 and further identified cases with concomitant CKD. The primary outcome was mortality, and secondary outcomes were cerebrovascular accidents, major bleeding, vasopressor requirements, percutaneous coronary intervention, cardiac arrest, acute respiratory failure, transfusion, length of stay (LOS), and total hospital charges. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to further adjust for covariates.

Results

A total of 89,309 LAAO procedures from 2016 to 2020 were …

Association Between Encephalopathy And Clinical Outcomes Of Covid-19: Findings From The Philippine Corona Study, V. M.M. Anlacan, F. G.C. Gabriel, R. D.G. Jamora, E. Q. Villanueva, M. C.C. Sy, M. H.L. Lee Yu, A. I. Espiritu

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Introduction

This study aimed to determine whether encephalopathy is associated with such COVID-19 outcomes as disease severity, mortality, respiratory failure, intensive care unit (ICU) admission, duration of ventilator dependence, and length of ICU and hospital stay.

Methods

We performed a subgroup analysis comparing outcomes in patients with and without encephalopathy, based on data from a nationwide retrospective cohort study among adult patients hospitalized with COVID-19 at 37 hospital sites in the Philippines. The patient outcomes included for analysis were disease severity, mortality, respiratory failure, ICU admission, duration of ventilator dependence, and length of ICU and hospital stay.

Results

Of a …

End-Of-Life Care For Patients With End-Stage Heart Failure, Comparisons Of International Guidelines, Frederick Berro Rivera, Sarang Choi, Genquen Philip Carado, Arcel V. Adizas, Nathan Ross B. Bantayan, Gerard Jude P. Loyola, Sung Whoy Cha, John Paul Aparece, Anlene Jane B. Rocha, Siena Placino, Marie Francesca M. Ansay, Gerard Francis E. Mangubat, Mer Lorraine P. Mahilum, Abdullah Al-Abcha, Natasha Suleman, Nishant Shah, Tisha Marie B. Suboc, Annabelle Santos Volgman

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Heart failure (HF) is a chronic, debilitating condition associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and socioeconomic burden. Patients with end-stage HF (ESHF) who are not a candidate for advanced therapies will continue to progress despite standard medical therapy. Thus, the focus of care shifts from prolonging life to controlling symptoms and improving quality of life through palliative care (PC). Because the condition and prognosis of HF patients evolve and can rapidly deteriorate, it is imperative to begin the discussion on end-of-life (EOL) issues early during HF management. These include the completion of an advance directive, do-not-resuscitate orders, and policies on device …

Action Apac: Understanding Perceptions, Attitudes And Behaviours In Obesity And Its Management Across South And Southeast Asia, Kwang Wei Tham, Asma Ahmed, Apussanee Boonyavarakul, Mariana Mercado Garcia, Miroslava Guajardo, Zubaidah Nor Hanipah, Tran Quang Nam, Nemencio A. Nicodemus, Faruque Pathan, Jack Garcia Uranga Romano, Sidartawan Soegonda, Edgardo L. Tolentino, Ambika Gopalakrishnan (A G) Unnikrishnan, Brian J. Oldfield

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

To identify perceptions and attitudes among people with obesity (PwO) and healthcare professionals (HCPs) toward obesity and its management in nine Asia-Pacific (APAC) countries, a cross-sectional online survey was conducted among adult PwO with self-reported body mass index of ≥25 kg/m2 (≥27 kg/m2, Singapore), and HCPs involved in direct patient care. In total, 10 429 PwO and 1901 HCPs completed the survey. Most PwO (68%) and HCPs (84%) agreed that obesity is a disease; however, a significant proportion of PwO (63%) and HCPs (41%) believed weight loss was the complete responsibility of PwO and only 43% of PwO discussed weight …

Diagnostic Accuracy Of Bowel Ultrasonography In Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Sheza Malik, Sruthi Venugopalan, Bettina Gabrielle Tenorio, Shahab R. Khan, Priyadarshini Loganathan, Udayakumar Navaneethan, Babu P. Mohan

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Background

Bowel ultrasonography (BUS) is emerging as a promising noninvasive tool for assessing disease activity in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of BUS in IBD patients against the gold standard diagnostic method, standard colonoscopy.

Methods

Major databases were searched from inception to May 2023 for studies on BUS diagnostic accuracy in IBD. Outcomes of interest were pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV), and negative (NPV) predictive values. Endoscopic confirmation served as ground truth. Standard meta-analysis methods with a random-effects model and I2 statistics were applied. Risk of bias was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic …

Financial Sequelae Of Cancer For Patients' Family Members And Caregivers: A Focus On The Philippines, Rod Carlo Columbres, Erin Jay G. Feliciano, Lance Isidore Catedral, Jose Ma H. Zaldarriaga, Michelle Ann B. Eala, Jerickson Abbie Flores, Enrico D. Tangco, Narjust Florez, Frederic Ivan L. Ting, Edward Christopher Dee

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

No abstract provided.

Non-Coding Rnas Involved In The Molecular Pathology Of Alzheimer’S Disease: A Systematic Review, Reynand Jay Canoy, Jenica Clarisse Sy, Christian Deo Deguit, Caitlin Bridgette Castro, Lyoneil James Dimaapi, Beatrice Gabrielle Panlaqui, Wenzel Perian, Justine Yu, John Mark Velasco, Jesus Emmanuel Sevilleja, Anna Gibson

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the leading cause of dementia globally, having a pathophysiology that is complex and multifactorial. Recent findings highlight the significant role of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), specifically microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), circular RNAs (circRNAs), and piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) in the molecular mechanisms underlying AD. These ncRNAs are involved in critical biological processes such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, oxidative stress, amyloid-beta aggregation, tau phosphorylation, neuroinflammation, and autophagy, which are pivotal in AD development and progression. This systematic review aims to consolidate current scientific knowledge on the role of ncRNAs in AD, making it the first to encompass …

The Effect Modification Of Pm2.5 And Ozone On The Short-Term Associations Between Temperature And Mortality Across The Urban Areas Of Japan, Muhammad Abdul Basit Ahmad Tajudin, Ryusei Kubo, Chris Fook Sheng Ng, Masahiro Hashizume, Xerxes Seposo, Yoonhee Kim, Hironori Nishikawa, Hirohisa Takano, Kayo Ueda

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Background

The acute effects of temperature and air pollution on mortality are well-known environmental factors that have been receiving more recognition lately. However, the health effects resulting from the interaction of air pollution and temperature remain uncertain, particularly in cities with low levels of pollution. This study aims to examine the modification effects of particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 µm or less (PM2.5) and ozone (O3) on the association between temperature and mortality.

Methods

We collected the daily number of all-cause, cardiovascular, and respiratory mortality from 20 major cities in Japan from 2012-2018. We obtained meteorological data from …

Developmental Profile Of Filipino Children Born During The Sars-Cov-2 Pandemic: Pilot Study, Angel Belle Dy, Michelle Alexandra Edillon, Mikhaela Francesca Marietta A. Malonzo, Glenda Darlene Garcia, Alane Blythe C. Dy, Clarisse Joyce S. Espiritu, Ma Bianca Carmela Aquino, Shannen Louise T. So, Nina Linly D. Capulong, Rizza Victoria C. Dagal, Lourdes Bernadette Tanchanco

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Objective

The Philippines experienced one of the longest restriction periods during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to provide a developmental profile of 18-25 month-old children and identify factors associated with their development during their early years being born and raised during the pandemic.

Methods

The study population was recruited through convenience sampling among families living in proximity to the daycare centers in Cainta, Rizal, Philippines. 116 children qualified to participate and underwent developmental screening using the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Checklist and their parents were interviewed related to demographic and social factors.

Results

The mean score of …

Pathways To Hypertension Control: Unfinished Journeys Of Low-Income Individuals In Malaysia And The Philippines, Benjamin Palafox, Dina Balabanova, Arianna Maever Loreche, Nafiza Mat-Nasir, Farnaza Ariffin, Mazapuspavina Md-Yasin, Mohamad Rodi Isa, Fadhlina Abd-Majid, Lia M. Palileo-Villanueva, Alicia Renedo, Maureen L. Seguin, Antonio L. Dans, Martin Mckee

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Background

Reducing inequities in hypertension control among those affected in low- and middle-income countries requires person-centred health system responses based on a contextualised understanding of the choices and care pathways taken by those who rely on the services provided, particularly those from poor and marginalised communities. We examine patterns of care seeking and pathways followed by individuals with hypertension from low-income households in the Philippines and Malaysia. This study aims to fill a significant gap in the literature by analysing the stages at which individuals make decisions that may affect the successful control of their blood pressure.

Methods

This study …

Projecting Temperature-Related Dengue Burden In The Philippines Under Various Socioeconomic Pathway Scenarios, Xerxes Seposo, Sary Valenzuela, Geminn Louis C. Apostol, Keith Alexius Wangkay, Percival Ethan Lao, Anna Beatrice Enriquez

Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health Publications

Introduction

As climate change advances, the looming threat of dengue fever, intricately tied to rising temperatures, intensifies, posing a substantial and enduring public health challenge in the Philippines. This study aims to investigate the historical and projected excess dengue disease burden attributable to temperature to help inform climate change policies, and guide resource allocation for strategic climate change and dengue disease interventions.

Methods

The study utilized established temperature-dengue risk functions to estimate the historical dengue burden attributable to increased temperatures. Future projections were derived using Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) scenarios to estimate the …

The Impact Of Waiting Times On Patient Satisfaction And Patient Care At A Tertiary Health Care Institution In Kenya: A Cross-Sectional Study, Soud Seif Soud

Master of Internal Medicine

Introduction: Patients spend significant time waiting for care. This often influences patient satisfaction, perceived quality and access to care, and utilisation of various healthcare services. Waiting time and resulting implications remain understudied in low- and middleincome countries like Kenya. This study aimed to describe the impacts of waiting times on patient satisfaction and care at a tertiary healthcare institution in Kenya.

Method: We conducted a prospective cross-sectional study between March 2023 and July 2023 at the Emergency Room (ER) at Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire, looking at demographics and patient wait …

Identifying Youth Appeals In Alcohol Alternative Social Media Content Through Framing, Melina Oneal

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Proposed regulations for alcohol advertising prevent beverage companies from targeting people under the legal drinking age. However, similar regulations for alcohol alternative beverages are less explored, which could allow alcohol alternative products to create awareness for alcoholic beverages among youth. Alcohol alternatives beverages, including no-alcohol and low-alcohol products, are increasing in popularity and can function as compliments to alcoholic products to decrease the total alcohol volume consumed or as substitutes for alcoholic products. Framing theory can be operationalized through the Content Appealing to Youth Index, an index of content elements found in research literature to be appealing to youth, to …

Investigating The Development Of Alcohol Tolerance In The Eskape Pathogens, Hannah Durkee

West Chester University Master’s Theses

Antiseptics and disinfectants are used globally to kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria to prevent infection. Considering the well-documented development of antibiotic resistance, the potential for evolved tolerance to alcohol-based antimicrobial agents raises concern. The ESKAPE bacterial pathogens (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter spp.) are a major cause of healthcare-associated mortality and present a threat to public health due to the progression of multi-drug resistance. We conducted an experiment to determine if the ESKAPE pathogens develop an increased tolerance to ethanol upon repeated exposure by selecting for survivors after a …

Pleated Plasma Membrane Complex In Spermatids Of The Western Siren, Siren Nettingi (Caudata: Sirenidae), S.E. Trauth

Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science

I investigated the pleated plasma membrane complex of linear folds and biflagellar entities in developing spermatids of the Western Siren, Siren nettingi. My primary goal was to reveal the ultrastructural morphology of these distinctive cellular folds (usually 8 in number) as they support the flagellar formation of biflagellated sperm found in this salamander and in other members in the family Sirenidae. My results reveal that the biflagellar components (2 sets of axonemes, undulating membranes, and axial fibers), termed biflagellar complex, develop between folds or are attached onto these folds. The folds themselves are transitory and do not directly contribute to …

Selecting And Evaluating Key Mds-Updrs Activities Using Wearable Devices For Parkinson's Disease Self-Assessment, Yuting Zhao, Xulong Wang, Xiyang Peng, Ziheng Li, Fengtao Nan, Menghui Zhuo, Jun Qi, Yun Yang, Zhong Zhao, Lida Xu, Po Yang

Information Technology & Decision Sciences Faculty Publications

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a complex neurodegenerative disease in the elderly. This disease has no cure, but assessing these motor symptoms will help slow down that progression. Inertial sensing-based wearable devices (ISWDs) such as mobile phones and smartwatches have been widely employed to analyse the condition of PD patients. However, most studies purely focused on a single activity or symptom, which may ignore the correlation between activities and complementary characteristics. In this paper, a novel technical pipeline is proposed for fine-grained classification of PD severity grades, which identify the most representative activities. We also propose a multi-activities combination scheme based …

การศึกษาบทบาทพยาบาลเวชศาสตร์การบิน, ศุภธิดา ผลแย้ม

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

การศึกษานี้เป็นการวิจัยเชิงบรรยาย มีวัตถุประสงค์เพื่อศึกษาบทบาทพยาบาลเวชศาสตร์การบิน โดยใช้เทคนิคเดลฟาย ผู้ให้ข้อมูลคือ ผู้เชี่ยวชาญด้านเวชศาสตร์การบิน จำนวน 19 คน ประกอบด้วย ผู้อำนวยการหรือผู้บริหารด้านเวชศาสตร์การบิน จำนวน 3 คน แพทย์เวชศาสตร์การบิน จำนวน 3 คน คณะกรรมการหลักสูตรหรืออาจารย์ผู้สอนในหลักสูตรที่เกี่ยวข้องกับงานด้านเวชศาสตร์การบิน จำนวน 3 คน หัวหน้าพยาบาลเวชศาสตร์การบินหรือลำเลียงผู้ป่วยทางอากาศ จำนวน 4 คน และพยาบาลเวชศาสตร์การบินหรือลำเลียงผู้ป่วยทางอากาศ จำนวน 6 คน เครื่องมือที่ใช้ในการวิจัย ประกอบด้วยแบบสอบถามแบบปลายเปิด และแบบสอบถามมาตราส่วนประมาณค่า 5 ระดับ การดำเนินการวิจัยประกอบด้วย 3 ขั้นตอน คือ 1) สัมภาษณ์ผู้เชี่ยวชาญเพื่อรวบรวมความคิดเห็นเกี่ยวกับบทบาทพยาบาลเวชศาสตร์การบิน 2) นำข้อมูลที่ได้จากการสัมภาษณ์มาวิเคราะห์เนื้อหาและนำมาสร้างแบบสอบถามเพื่อให้ผู้เชี่ยวชาญประมาณค่าระดับความสำคัญ 3) นำข้อมูลที่ได้จากการตอบแบบสอบถามประมาณค่าความสำคัญมาคำนวณค่ามัธยฐานและค่าพิสัยระหว่างควอไทล์ และส่งแบบสอบถามให้ผู้เชี่ยวชาญกลุ่มเดิมยืนยันความคิดเห็นอีกครั้ง ผลการวิจัย พบว่า บทบาทพยาบาลเวชศาสตร์การบิน ประกอบด้วย 6 บทบาท ดังนี้ 1) ด้านผู้ปฏิบัติการพยาบาลเวชศาสตร์การบินจำนวน 16 ข้อ 2) ด้านผู้จัดการนิรภัยการบินและนิรภัยภาคพื้น จำนวน 8 ข้อ 3) ด้านผู้จัดการความปลอดภัยและจัดการความเสี่ยง จำนวน 16 ข้อ 4) ด้านผู้ประสานงานและสื่อสาร จำนวน 11 ข้อ 5) ด้านผู้นำการทำงานเป็นทีม การจัดการ และการให้คำปรึกษา จำนวน 18 ข้อ และ 6) ด้านผู้พัฒนาคุณภาพและมาตรฐานการบริการ จำนวน 11 ข้อ

Evaluating The Severity Of Disc Herniation : A Comparative Analysis Of Standing Spine Radiographs And Mri Findings, Suttinont Surapuchong

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Objective: The degree of spinal canal compromise in lumbar disc herniation (LDH) significantly influences treatment outcomes. Although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) remains the gold standard for assessing LDH severity, limited access in primary and secondary care settings can delay diagnosis and referral. This study aimed to determine whether radiological parameters observed on standing spine radiographs can predict the severity of LDH and support timely referral for advanced care. Methods: In this retrospective cross-sectional study, patients diagnosed with LDH who underwent both standing whole-spine radiographs and lumbar MRI between June 2014 and January 2024 were included. Radiographic parameters evaluated included disc …

Participatory Training On Health Literacy To Improve Body Composition Among Female Overweight And Obese-High School Students, Phatthalung Province, Thailand : A Quasi Experimental Study, Chamaiporn Thongphet

Chulalongkorn University Theses and Dissertations (Chula ETD)

Children and adolescents aged 5-19 over 340 million were overweight and obese, the prevalence has risen dramatically. Overweight and obesity are linked to more deaths worldwide than underweight. Using health literacy-focused strategies, the intervention was robust in achieving reductions for participants of varying health literacy status. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of “Participatory Training Health Literacy” on reducing risk behavior and improving body composition among the female overweight and obese high school students, Phatthalung province, Thailand. The study design was 2 designs including cross-sectional study (n=572) design and quasi- experimental research (intervention=36 and control=31). The assessment had conducted …

Severe Preeclampsia With Heart Failure: A Cardiac Rehabilitation Case Report, Han Yang, Yi-Ching Lai, Chien-Chu Huang, Nai-Hsin Meng

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

This study presents a case of a 37-year-old woman who developed severe preeclampsia with heart failure at the 36th week of her first pregnancy, with a left ventricular ejection fraction of 25%. After delivering her twin babies via emergency Cesarian section, she was successfully weaned off mechanical ventilation and discharged in two weeks. We prescribed cardiac rehabilitation and assessed her functional recovery using cardiopulmonary exercise testing. During the 8 months after the delivery, we observed improvements in the left ventricular ejection fraction, peak oxygen uptake, anaerobic threshold, and oxygen uptake efficiency slope although improvement in oxygen pulse was limited. Our …

Midwifery Students' Experiences Of Learning To Be 'With Woman': A Scoping Review, Ashlee Guerin, Sadie Geraghty, Sheena Mcchlery, Mary Byrne

Nursing Papers and Journal Articles

Background: Being ‘with woman’ is a fundamental concept deeply embedded within the midwifery profession and profoundly impacts maternal and infant wellbeing and outcomes. The clinical experiences of midwifery students shape their learning outcomes, future practice, and career aspirations. Understanding midwifery students' experiences of learning to be ‘with woman’ is vital in shaping and optimising learning strategies for providing midwifery students with positive and effective student-centred learning outcomes.

Objective: This scoping review aims to gain meaningful insight and understanding into the existing literature on midwifery students’ experiences of learning to be ‘with woman’.

Design: The scoping review was conducted according to …

Influence Of Proximal And Distal Upper-Limb Motor Function On Self-Care Skills In Patients With Stroke, Masanobu Iwai, Kazuya Takeda, Soichiro Koyama, Yuichi Hirakawa, Ikuo Motoya, Hiroaki Sakurai, Yoshikiyo Kanada, Nobutoshi Kawamura, Mami Kawamura, Shigeo Tanabe

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Background/Purpose: Some studies have reported on the influence of proximal (shoulder, elbow, and forearm) and distal (hand and fingers) upper limb function on self-care skills; however, the possibility of a spurious correlation caused by the level of function of the other affected region (proximal or distal) was not eliminated. This study investigated the partial correlations between the proximal or distal function of the affected upper limb with self-care skills after controlling for the effect of the other affected region.

Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study included 53 patients with stroke. We examined the relationship between the proximal or distal Fugl–Meyer Assessment- …

Ultrasound-Guided Regenerative Injection For Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Narrative Review And Authors' Clinical Experience, Yung-Tsan Wu, King Hei Stanley Lam, Chueh-Hung Wu, Ke-Vin Chang, Wei-Ting Wu, Tyng-Guey Wang, Wen-Shiang Chen, Chih-Peng Lin, Kenneth Dean Reeves

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common peripheral entrapment neuropathy but current conservative treatments are unsatisfactory. Recently, clinical trials using ultrasound-guided regenerative injection with 5% dextrose water or platelet-rich plasma have reported clinically and statistically significant benefits compared to current conservative treatments for the treatment of CTS. Regenerative injection for CTS is increasingly being utilized, proportional to the worldwide expansion of skills in the use of ultrasound guidance for precise injection and localization, and due to accumulating evidence that it enhances the success rate of conservative treatment, and reduces the rate of surgery. In this narrative review, our goals …

Effects Of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy On Spasticity In Post-Stroke Patients: A Narrative Review, Yen‐Hua Chen, Shu-Mei Yang

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Spasticity is a common complication following a stroke, often leading to pain, joint contractures, and functional limitations, all of which reduce the quality of life of survivors. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) is recognized as a safe, non-invasive, and promising alternative treatment option for post-stroke spasticity (PSS). This narrative review aims to synthesize the current evidence from randomized controlled trials regarding the efficacy of ESWT in treating PSS. Specifically, we focused on evaluating treatment protocols, technical parameters, outcome measurements, the duration of treatment effects, and the combined effect of ESWT with other therapies, aiming to establish a comprehensive understanding of …

Shoulder Pain In Polymyalgia Rheumatica: How Ultrasound Can Help, Younes El Anbari, Souhail Yachaoui, Abdulla Alrahoomi, Nabila Ouasmi, Ahmed Amine El Oumri

Rehabilitation Practice and Science

Background: chronic shoulder pain is a frequent and debilitating symptom in patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatism, such as polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). Diagnosis and management of shoulder pain in this condition are often challenging due to overlapping clinical features with other musculoskeletal disorders. Recent advances in musculoskeletal ultrasonography have provided a valuable tool for diagnosing and guiding treatment, particularly for ultrasound-guided corticosteroid injections. Objectives: This case report aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of ultrasoundguided interventions in the diagnosis and management of shoulder pain in a patient with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). Methods: One female patient presenting with chronic shoulder pain underwent ultrasound …

The Anthropometric Determinants Of Peak Expiratory Flow Rate Among Children In Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, Willbroad Kyejo, Nancy Matillya, Neelam Ismail, Gloria Gachocha, Hajaj Salum, Rosebella Iseme, Mariam Noorani

Family Medicine, East Africa

Background: Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) is an important tool for assessing lung function, which can be affected by environmental and physical factors such as altitude, nutrition, genetics, age, height, and weight. Conducting a study to assess the correlation between peak expiratory flow rate and anthropometric measurements in Tanzanian schoolchildren is crucial to derive a population-specific prediction formula and further simplify respiratory health assessment.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in a single center private primary and secondary school in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania using data from an asthma screening camp. Variables of interest were height, weight, Body Mass Index …