Ultrasonographic assessment of transverse abdominal muscle in healthy subjects and patients with chronic low back pain: a systematic review

Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Low back pain [LBP] is a common and complicated disorder which is influenced by a number of factors, among them is the lack of spinal stability provided by muscle contraction. One of the most important muscles which has a role in spinal stability is musculus transversus abdominis. A literature search for the period of 2000-11 was performed in PubMed, ProQuest, Science Direct, Thomson, EMBASE, OVID, CINAHL and MEDLINE databases using musculus Transversus Abdominis, ultrasonography, chronic nonspecific low back pain as keywords. Nineteen articles were selected according to the inclusion criteria of the study. Evidences demonstrated that thickness of transversus abdominis reduces in patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain [LBP] and ultrasonography seemed to be a valid and highly reliable instrument for measuring thickness of transversus abdominis in patients with LBP and healthy subjects on different positions and states. Studies demonstrated that there are adequate evidences to confirm the merit of ultrasonography in the assessment of musculus transversus abdominis in patients with chronic LBP and healthy subjects

Motor developmental delay in 7500 Iranian infants: prevalence and risk factors

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and the most common risk factors of motor developmental delay in infants. Following ethical approval, a study was carried out on the prevalence and risk factors of infants with motor developmental delay. The first stage was conducted through a cross-sectional study to determine the prevalence of motor developmental delay on 7500 infants and the second stage was an analytic case - control survey to identify the most common risk factors on 140 infants, aged one month to three years with motor developmental delay. Data was collected using a demographic questionnaire, the Parents Evaluation of Developmental Status questionnaire, the Denver Developmental Screening Test II, a neurological assessment form, and the movement and tone assessment form. The prevalence of motor developmental delay in 7500 infants was 18.7/1000. The most common risk factors in infants with motor developmental delay were prematurity [25.6%], low birth weight [19.2%], neonatal seizures [7.5%], hyaline membrane disease [6.7%], systemic infections of mothers during pregnancy [5.9%], severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia [5%] in sequence. Motor developmental delay was significantly correlated with consanguinity of parents [p=0.001], prematurity [p=0.046], abnormal head circumference at birth [p=0.038], and low birth weight [p=0.026]. The prevalence of motor developmental delay appears to be high and further studies should focus on different preventive strategies, controlling the most common risk factors and emphasizing on early detection and treatment of high risk infants

[Epidemiological aspects of low back pain in nurses]

Among all occupation, the highest rate of musculoskeletal injuries especially back pain is seen in nurses. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of back injuries in nursing personnel and to study how individual and occupational characteristics affect it. Following ethical approval, 1226 nurses were randomly selected from 13 hospitals in Mazandaran province in the north of Iran. Data were gathered by questionnaires included individual and occupational characteristics, prevalence of back pain, probable causes and its effects on nursing activities. Point, one month, 6 month, one year and lifetime prevalence of LBP [Low back pain] in nurses reported 51.5%, 56.3%, 58.9%, 59.6% and 62%, respectively. Lifting heavy things was the most common cause of back injury [30.4%]. Prolonged standing and rest were found to be the significant aggravating and relieving factors, respectively [57.6% and 59.2%]. Absence from work because of LBP during the last month was reported 33.7% of the sample. There was a significant correlation between the type of ward and LBP [P<0.001], the highest prevalence of LBP was in emergency ward and the lowest one was in NICU and urology ward. There was also a reverse correlation between job satisfaction and prevalence of LBP in nurses [P<0.001]. The results demonstrate that the magnitude of LBP amongst nursing personnel appears to be high and associated with some occupational and individual characteristics. Therefore, more resources should be allocated to prevent such an injury in nursing profession