Depression and anxiety are common complaints in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The study objective was to investigate the factor structure, internal consistency, and correlates of the ...Croatian version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) in patients with MS. A total of 179 patients with MS and 999 controls were included in the online survey. All subjects completed the HADS and self-administered questionnaires capturing information of demographic, education level, disease-related variables, and the Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale-29 (MSIS-29). Psychometric properties were examined by estimating the validity, reliability, and factor structure of the HADS in patients with MS. The two HADS subscales (anxiety and depression) had excellent internal consistencies (Cronbach's α value 0.82-0.83), and factor analysis confirmed a two-factor structure. The convergent validity of the HADS subscales appeared to be good due to the significant correlations between HADS and MSIS-29. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis indicates that the HADS subscales have a significant diagnostic validity for group differentiation. Hierarchical regression analysis using MSIS-29 subscales as criterion variables showed consistent evidence for the incremental validity of the HADS. The HADS is a reliable and valid self-assessment scale in patients with MS and is suggested to be used in clinical monitoring of the psychiatric and psychological status of patients with MS.
Osteoporotski prijelomi predstavljaju velik teret kako za bolesnika tako i za zdravstveni sustav, uključujući visoke direktne i indirektne troškove. Starenjem stanovništva njihova se pojavnost ...povisuje. Prepoznavanje potrebe za liječenjem osteoporoze i posljedičnih prijeloma je nedostatno, a učinkovitost slaba uslijed relativno visokog stupnja nesuradljivosti (perzistencije i adherencije) na terapiju. Prethodni prijelom jedan je od najznačajnijih čimbenika rizika za sljedeći prijelom. Stoga se pojavila potreba za sustavnim strategijama sekundarne prevencije,
koje su razvijene i provode se u brojnim zemljama kroz programe naziva Servis povezan s prijelomom (engl. Fracture Liaison Service, skr. FLS). FLS uključuje zdravstvene stručnjake različitih profila, a ključnu ulogu ima koordinator. Identifikacija bolesnika s niskoenergetskim prijelomom polazišna je točka procesa FLS-a, a sam proces funkcionira na temelju utvrđenog postupnika. Tijekom hospitalizacije provodi se ciljana dijagnostička obrada, procjena rizika za sljedeće prijelome, edukacija bolesnika i njegovih bližnjih/skrbnika, a daju se preporuke za
temeljnu i specifičnu farmakološku antiosteoporotsku terapiju te za druge mjere i postupke (npr. fizikalna terapija, vježbe), uključujući modifikaciju čimbenika rizika i prevenciju padova. Svi nalazi te napose preporuke moraju biti jasno navedene u otpusnom pismu i komunicirane svim članovima tima, kao i liječniku obiteljske medicine. Važno je redovito praćenje tih bolesnika, uz naglasak na suradljivosti kao preduvjetu za uspjeh liječenja i sprječavanje novih prijeloma. Na temelju programa FLS koji je ustanovljen u Kliničkom bolničkom centru Sestre milosrdnice u
Zagrebu, grupa eksperata je konsenzusom predložila ključne elemente, ulogu pojedinih članova multidisciplinarnog tima i postupnik FLS-a HDFRM, s izborom prijeloma u području kuka kao indeksnog prijeloma. Prijedlog je dobio potvrdu na sastanku stručnog društva. Pritom se pridržavalo osnovnih načela FLS-a, identifikacije pacijenata s prijelomom, odgovarajuće evaluacije i individualizirane procjene rizika za sljedeći prijelom, promptnosti početka liječenja i praćenja bolesnika s osiguranjem kontinuiteta terapije. Ovaj dokument o stajalištu (engl. position paper) temeljni je dokument za FLS u hrvatskoj fizijatrijskoj zajednici te vjerujemo da će pridonijeti smanjenju morbiditeta, mortaliteta i sveukupnih zdravstvenih izdataka povezanih s osteoporotskim prijelomima.
Low muscle strength, functional score at discharge, and complications during a ten-day rehabilitation hospital stay can affect mortality rates in bedridden geriatric patients. This was a prospective ...observational study in a cohort of 105 bedridden geriatric patients admitted to the Rehabilitation ward after a major illness or surgery. All participants had a severe dependency on another person (Barthel's Index < 60). The one-year mortality rate in this cohort was 15.2%, with further subdivision according to the number of complications: 61.5% in patients with ≥3 complications during hospitalization, 17.6% in patients with two complications, 9.5% with one complication, and 3% in patients with no complications. The Barthel Index at discharge (OR = 0.95;
= 0.003) and ≥3 medical complications (OR = 8.33;
= 0.005) during rehabilitation ward stay were significant predictors for one-year mortality. The odds of one-year mortality after discharge increased eightfold in patients with ≥3 medical complications. Sarcopenia, age, and sex were not significant predictors of mortality in this cohort. The 10-day acute rehabilitation was too short to achieve progress from severe to moderate independence in 60% of patients. The Barthel Index at discharge and a number of complications affect the mortality rate. These findings provide valuable insights into the complex dynamics of mortality and functional outcomes in bedridden geriatric patients.
Background: Painfully decreased cervical range of motion accompanied by muscle spasm is a common presentation of whiplash injury of the neck. Stiffness of the cervical muscles can be assessed by ...ultrasound shear wave elastography (SWE), expressed in kilopascals (kPa). The hypothesis: SWE of the trapezius muscle is an objective measurement suitable for the initial screening and follow-up of patients who report whiplash injury. Methods and results: A total of 99 patients after whiplash injury were compared to 75 control participants. Mean trapezius stiffness was 82.24 ± 21.11 vs. 57.47 ± 13.82 for whiplash patients and controls, respectively. The cut-off value of SWE of 75.8 kPa showed 77% accuracy in correctly assigning patients to the whiplash or control group. To evaluate whether SWE can be used as a follow-up method of recovery after a whiplash injury, initial and endpoint SWE (after six months, n = 24) was carried out. Patients reporting no recovery showed similar SWE values as completely recovered patients. This finding refutes the second part of our hypothesis. Conclusions: SWE is a method that can be used for the initial screening of patients with whiplash injury, but we are still searching for an objective measurement that can be used in the follow-up of recovery.
This is the first case report where two patients were under uniform denosumab administration protocol in diffuse sclerosing osteomyelitis (DSO) treatment and were closely monitored for 18 months. ...Objectives: This study aimed to describe the beneficial effects of denosumab in DSO treatment as well as pain relief and the significant lack of long-term use due to poorer outcomes after repeated use. DSO of the jaw is a poorly understood rare chronic disease the treatment of which is still very challenging despite a rapid development of medicine. Different medical treatments have been proposed without any significant long-lasting success. Bisphosphonates have offered substantial clinical benefit in DSO therapy, but due to harmful pharmacodynamic properties, denosumab therapy has been used to replace bisphosphonate therapy. Patients had a reduction in pain intensity with each subsequent application of denosumab but with less success than the first administration of denosumab. This case report has shown that denosumab could be a promising conservative treatment option for pain treatment in patients suffering from DSO.
Healthcare workers who are in physical contact with patients are prone to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). Much is known about the prevalence of neck pain, but the extent of disability ...associated with neck pain among physical therapists (PTs), dentists, and family medicine specialists (FMs) is unknown.
The prevalence of neck pain and Neck Disability Index (NDI) data were collected from 239 PTs, 103 FMs, 113 dentists, and 112 controls from June to August 2022.
The highest prevalence of neck pain was found in FMs (58.3%), followed by dentists (50.4%), PTs (48.5%) and controls (34.8%). The NDI% in PTs and FMs had higher values than controls: 14.6 ± 12.4,
= 0.02 for PTs, 14.9 ± 12.4,
= 0.01 for FMs vs. 10.1 ± 10.1 controls. The dentist group did not differ from controls (11.9 ± 10.2,
= 0.13). Mild, moderate, or severe forms of disability were more common in medical professionals than in controls (44.2%, 9.5%, and 1.5% vs. 37.5%, 7%, and 0%). Dentists were the youngest group with high functionality and the lowest degree of disability, comparable to the control population. Gender or age had no effect on NDI scores in this population. FMs, who represented the oldest group, showed age dependency (eleven years older in higher disability groups). Gender had no effect on NDI. In PTs, females predominated in all disability categories and PTs became five years older with increasing disability level.
By using NDI in assessing neck-related WMSDs, we can detect medical professionals prone to more serious disability and potentially plan preventive actions.
Ubrzani gubitak koštane i mišićne mase, snage i funkcije mišića te krhkost kostiju obilježja su koja prate starenje te dovode do povećanog morbiditeta, mortaliteta te smanjenja kvalitete života. U ...novije vrijeme uočeno je kako su osteoporoza i sarkopenija često istovremeno prisutne kod osoba starije životne dobi što pridonosi povećanom riziku od padova i prijeloma. Stoga je iznimno važno na vrijeme dijagnosticirati osteosarkopeniju te ukloniti okolišne rizične čimbenike kao što su nekvalitetna prehrana i smanjena tjelesna aktivnost. Za zdravo starenje potrebno je održati dovoljan unos esencijalnih nutrijenata koji imaju anabolička/antikatabolička svojstva te nutrijenata koji imaju antioksidativna/antiinflamatorna svojstva. Uz adekvatan unos gore navedenih esencijalnih nutrijenata neophodno je provoditi redovitu tjelesnu aktivnost prema preporukama Svjetske zdravstvene organizacije prilagođenu dobi i komorbiditetima.
Walking difficulties in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) are one of the most pronounced predictors affecting patients' quality of life. The study objective was to determine the psychometric ...properties of the Croatian version of the Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale (MSWS-12) among pwMS in Croatia and to examine the association between MSWS-12 and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), and Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale-29 (MSIS-29).
A cross-sectional study included a sample of pwMS (N = 148). Psychometric properties were examined by estimating the validity and reliability of the MSWS-12. The predictive validity of MSWS-12 and demographic and disease-related factors were assessed by a hierarchical regression model using MSIS-29 and DASS-21 as criterion variables.
Scale reliability was good for the MSWS-12 scale, expressed by Cronbach's alpha coefficient (α = 0.98). Correlations between MSWS-12 and DASS-21 (0.20-0.27) and between MSWS-12 and MSIS-29 subscales (0.47-0.83) provided initial support for the convergent validity. Factor analysis demonstrated the unidimensional structure of the MSWS-12.
The Croatian version of the MSWS-12 is a reliable, valid, and clinically useful tool for assessing walking impairments in pwMS.
Implications for rehabilitation
Walking difficulties in people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) are one of the most pronounced predictors affecting patients' quality of life.
Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale (MSWS-12) is a measure of the disease's impact on walking abilities from the patient's perspective.
MSWS-12 is a reliable scale for assessing walking speed, endurance, and gait quality in multiple sclerosis and is validated in several languages (Korean, Italian, Brazilian, and Persian).
The Croatian version of the MSWS-12 is a reliable, predictive, and valid tool for screening walking impairments in pwMS.
Summary
Objective
Longitudinal study to test the validity and reliability of the Croatian version of the neck disability index (NDI-CRO) for use in patients.
Methods
Three groups were given NDI-CRO ...on two occasions, 48 h apart: acute whiplash neck injury group (
n
= 30), hospital physiotherapists—professional chronic neck pain group (
n
= 56) and control group (
n
= 65). To test validity, correlation between NDI-CRO and the pain VAS and PHQ‑9 questionnaire for depression was analyzed. Reliability testing was done using the test-retest experiment and item-total score correlation.
Results
Test-retest showed excellent correlation in all groups: whiplash 0.86, control 0.95 and physiotherapist 0.89 (Spearman r). Item-total score in the 3 analyzed groups showed positive correlation in all 10 categories, varying from 0.43–0.85. The NDI-CRO score showed significant difference between groups (median whiplash 38%, physiotherapist 12% and control 6%,
p
< 0.05). Validity testing showed positive correlation between NDI and pain VAS (control r = 0.63, physiotherapist r = 0.68 and whiplash r = 0.83,
p
< 0.05) and PHQ‑9 (control r = 0.49, physiotherapist r = 0.71 and whiplash r = 0.69,
p
< 0.05). No correlation was found between NDI-CRO and age, gender or radiographic findings. In the whiplash injury group 75% of patients showed moderate to severe disability. The majority of physiotherapists showed mild to moderate disability due to neck pain while 40% showed no disability. In the control group two out of three people reported no disability.
Conclusion
The NDI-CRO is a valid index for measuring the degree of neck disability in people with acute and chronic neck pain and in control group. It is strongly correlated with pain VAS and PHQ‑9 index.
Summary
Background
Whiplash injury of the cervical spine is the most common injury after a car accident and in 25% of patients it progresses into chronic neck pain.
Aim of the study
To investigate ...the difference in neck muscle stiffness using shear wave ultrasound elastography between subjects who suffered an uncomplicated whiplash injury and a control group. Possible recognition of patients who insist on physical therapy in order to support their false whiplash injury claims.
Methods
This study included 75 whiplash injury patients and 75 control subjects. Trapezius, splenius capitis and sternocleidomastoid muscles were examined by ultrasound shear wave elastography.
Results
Increased muscle stiffness was noticed in trapezius muscle bilaterally in the whiplash group when compared to the control group (
p
< 0.001; right 57.47 ± 13.82 kPa vs. 87.84 ± 23.23 kPa; left 54.4 ± 12.68 kPa vs. 87.21 ± 26.47 kPa). Muscle stiffness in splenius capitis and sternocleidomastoid muscles was not suitable for analysis because of asymmetrical data distribution. Patients with less than 76 kPa of muscle stiffness in trapezius muscle are unlikely to belong in whiplash injury group (sensitivity 90% for right and 97% for left trapezius muscle, specificity 72% and 73%, respectively).
Conclusion
Patients measuring below 76 kPa of muscle stiffness in the trapezius muscle might have no whiplash injury. Further follow-up of the patients measuring higher than cut-off value might be beneficial for detecting patients with prolonged neck muscle spasm that can lead to chronic cervical pain syndrome.
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