Estudio controlado, doble ciego, randomizado, multicéntrico, para evaluar la eficacia de la combinación fija tiocolchicósido más diclofenaco potásico en contracturas / Multicentered, randomized, double-blind and controlled study for the evaluation of efficacy of a set combination of thiocolchicoside plus potasium diclofenac in spams

Objetivo: determinar la eficacia y la tolerabilidad de la combinación a dosis fija, en una sola tableta, de tiocolchicósido 4 mg más diclofenaco potásico 50 mg en la reducción de la contractura muscular aguda estriada dolorosa comparado contra placebo y el uso de paracetamol tabletas de 500 mg como medicación de rescate. Métodos: fueron reclutados 97 pacientes de 2 ciudades ecuatorianas, Quito y Guayaquil, en tres centros de investigación, públicos y privados, con cervicalgia, dorsalgia y lumbalgia, principalmente de causa funcional. Los pacientes fueron asignados al azar en dos grupos: 1) grupo medicación activa, tiocolchicósido más diclofenaco potásico, 50 pacientes, 2) grupo placebo 47 pacientes. La eficacia en ambos grupos se evaluó por la reducción de la contractura muscular apreciada por inspección, palpación y reducción del dolor medido por una escala visual análoga, después de 5 días de tratamiento. Resultados: la evolución del grado de contractura muscular en el grupo medicación activa por evaluación visual pasó de un 100 por ciento con contractura visible con o sin actividad antiálgica fija a 96 por ciento sin signos visibles de contractura; de un 82 por ciento de contractura moderada a severa con o sin dolor evocado por palpación a un 74 por ciento de contractura leve sin dolor y 26 por ciento de ausencia de contractura. El promedio de dolor según la escala visual análoga disminuyó de 6,66 cm antes del tratamiento a 0,86 cm al finalizar el quinto día de tratamiento. Los efectos adversos fueron leves en el grupo tratado. Conclusiones: la combinación fija de tiocolchicósido 4 mg más diclofenaco potásico 50 mg en una sola tableta, administrado dos veces al día, es eficaz en el manejo de la contractura muscular aguda dolorosa de diversa etiología de manera estadísticamente significativa, bien tolerada y no altera el rendimiento psicomotor(AU)

Objective: to determine the efficacy and tolerability of a combination at a set dose in a single tablet of thiocolchicoside 4 mg plus potassium diclofenac 50 mg in the reduction of painful acute muscle spasm compared with the placebo and the use of 500 mg paracetamol as rescue medication. Methods: ninety seven patients from two Ecuador cities, named Quito and Guayaquil, were recruited in three research centers, both public and private. They suffered cervical pain, low back pain and dorsal pain, mainly of functional cause. The patients were randomly assigned in two groups 1) active medication group with 50 patients treated with thiocolchicoside plus potassium diclofenac and 2) placebo group with 47 patients. The efficacy of both groups was evaluated by the reduction of muscle spams observed in checking, palpation and pain reduction measured in an analogue visual scale after 5 days of treatment. Results: the progress of the muscle spasm degree in the active medication group according to visual evaluation went from 100 percent with visible spasm with or without fixed antialgic activity to 96 percent with no visible signs of spasm; from 82 percent of moderate spasm to severe with or without evoked pain by palpation to 74 percent of mild spasm without pain and 26 percent of spasm-free muscle. The pain average according to the visual scale decreased from 6.66 cm before treatment to 0,86 cm after the 5th day. The adverse effects were mild in t he treated group. Conclusions: the fixed combination of thiocolchicoside 4mg plus potassium diclofenac 50 mg in a single tablet, administered two times a day is efficacious in the painful acute muscle spasm of diverse etiology in a statistically significant way, well-tolerated and with no alteration of the psychomotor performance(AU)

Parámetros cinemáticos en la prueba de Tapping en pacientes con enfermedad de Parkinson / Cinematic parameters in the Tapping test in patients with Parkinson's disease

Motor slowness is the most characteristic motor deficit in Parkinson Disease (PD). The tapping test is a timed motor performance task which has been widely used in evaluation of PD. We study kinematics parameters of tapping test in PD and health control. Methods: Subjects consisted on 12 patients (2 women) with Parkinson's disease (PD) and 6 healthy control subjects (2 women). The mean age 63 +/- 9.7years PD and 64.8 +/- 13.3 years control. Duration of disease was 5.8 +/- 4.1 years. All patients were on levodopa medication. Procedures: All participants performed repetitive Hand/Arm movements between two points placed 25 cm apart horizontally for 20 successive taps ("as fast as possible"). The test was performed independently for each hand. Parkinson patients performed under the best ON condition. We assessed patients clinically using the motor section of the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). Informed consent was obtained. Apparatus: One standard video camera positioned perpendicularly from two target points recorded movement and referential xy system. A light reflective marker was attached to middle finger. The middle finger marker was manually digitized at a rate of 30 Hz using Kinematics Analysis software. Statistical analysis Kuskal-wallis one way analysis of variance, r spearman correlation. A p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Median Velocity in normal control was 94 +/- 11 cm/s and in PD was 67 +/- 15 cm/s (p < 0.001). Maximal velocity in normal control was 198 +/- 20 cm/s and in PD was 143 +/- 33 cm/s (p < 0.001). Median acceleration in normal control was 1630 +/- 331 cm/s2 in PD was 966 +/- 285 cm/s2 (p < 0.001). Median Movement amplitude in Y plane; in normal control was 28 +/- 5 cm and in PD was 21 +/- 8 cm (p < 0.01). Median Movement amplitude in Y plane correlated significantly with bradykinesia summary score (r = -0.59, p < 0.001)...

La bradicinecia es el déficit motor más característico de la enfermedad de Parkinson (EP), generalmente diagnosticado bajo diversos estudios como la prueba de tapping -ampliamente utilizada para determinar la enfermedad-, donde se mide la repetición de una tarea específica en un tiempo determinado. En el siguiente trabajo se estudiaron los parámetros cinemáticos del tapping en EP y controles. El estudio se realizó en 12 pacientes con EP con una edad media de 64,6 +/- 9,4 años -con duración promedio de la EP de 5,8 +/- 4,1 años. Todos los casos estaban en tratamiento con levodopa. Además, se estudiaron 7 controles en personas con una edad media de 64,8 +/- 12,8 años. Se les solicitó a todos que con los dedos de la mano tocaran en forma secuencial dos puntos separados por 25 cm. En el dedo medio se instaló una marca refractaria a la luz, utilizada como referencia para determinar la posición de la mano. El movimiento fue filmado mediante una cámara de video estándar con una velocidad de 30 cuadros por segundo. Los pacientes fueron evaluados clínicamente usando la escala unificada para la valoración de la enfermedad de Parkinson en su sección motora parte III (UPDRS-III). El análisis cinemático se realizó mediante un software especialmente diseñado para determinar la posición espacial de la marca en relación al sistema de referencia cartesiano. El análisis estadístico se realizó con Kurskal-Wallis test y correlaciones de Spearman. Se consideró significación estadística con p < 0,05. Resultados: La velocidad media en el control normal fue de 94 +/- 11 cm/seg y en la EP fue de 67 +/- 15 cm/seg (p <0,001). La velocidad máxima en el control normal fue de 198 +/- 20 cm /seg y en la EP fue de 143 +/- 33 cm/seg (p < 0,001). En el control de aceleración media normal fue 1.630 +/- 331 cm/seg² en la EP fue 966 +/- 285 cm/seg² (p < 0,001). Movimiento amplitud media en el plano Y, en el control normal fue de 28 +/- 5 cm y en la EP fue de 21 +/- 8 cm (p < 0,01)...

Tecleo e inducción visual del bostezo en pacientes ansiosos: La Lisa, Ciudad de La Habana, 2008-2009 / Tapping and yawning visual induction in anxious patients: La Lisa, Ciudad de La Habana, 2008-2009

Debido a la vida tan dinámica de hoy día, y a factores de índole ambiental, genético y social, la ansiedad ha pasado a ocupar uno de los lugares principales dentro de los trastornos psicológicos, no solo en Cuba, sino a nivel mundial. Actualmente el diagnóstico y su evaluación se basan en pruebas subjetivas fundamentalmente a través de test. Motivados por los elementos antes expuestos se decidió investigar con el objetivo de hacer una evaluación preliminar de un software encaminado a medir variables, mediante la prueba del tecleo (mouse finger tapping) e inducción del bostezo, que aporten elementos objetivos para la valoración de pacientes con trastornos de ansiedad. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo transversal sobre la observación de las pruebas realizadas en pacientes atendidos en el Centro Comunitario de Salud Mental La Lisa, Ciudad Habana, de enero de 2008 a septiembre de 2009. La población de estudio estuvo conformada por 90 sujetos, y fueron evaluados mediante la prueba de Scam. Se tomaron datos de la historia clínica individual, y posteriormente se procesaron y representaron en tablas arribando a resultados. Se concluyó que las pruebas de tecleo e inducción visual del bostezo, permiten diferenciar de manera eficiente los grupos de sujetos estudiados.

Due to the agitated dynamic of the current life and many other environmental, genetic and social factors, the anxiety has passed to occupy one of the main places among the psychological dysfunctions, not only in Cuba, but at the world level. Nowadays the diagnosis and evaluation of this illness are based fundamentally on subjective tests. Motivated by the previously exposed elements, we decided to carry out a research with the objective of preliminary evaluating a software made for measuring variables, by means of the tapping test (mouse finger tapping) and yawn induction that renders objective elements in the evaluation of patients with anxiety dysfunctions. We carried out a cross-sectional descriptive study on the observation of the tests made in patients attended at the Communitarian Center of Mental Health La Lisa, Ciudad de La Habana, from january 2007 to september 2008. The studied population was formed by 90 subjects that were evaluated by means of the Scam test. We collected data from the individual clinical history. They were processed and shown in tables and charts arriving to conclusions. We concluded that the tapping test and the test of yawning visual induction allow differentiating, in an efficient way, the groups of studied patients.

Neuropsychological Functioning in Detoxified Alcoholics by Seoul Computerized Neurocognitive Function Test / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: To demonstrate consistent and significant findings of neurocognitive functioning in detoxified alcoholics have been inconclusive. The purpose of this study was to evaluate cognitive functions in detoxified alcoholics and the relationship between neuropsychological test scores and alcohol consumption patterns. METHODS: Twenty-four alcoholics, aging between 30 and 50 years, at least 4 weeks after the beginning of detoxification and 24 normal controls equated for age and education were exmained on Seoul computerized neurocognitive function tests in order to evaluate neurocognitive functions, which include attention, memory function, executive function, motor performance. RESULTS: Compared to controls, alcoholics were more impaired on both finger tapping test (FTT, right: p<0.05, left: p0.01), but there were no significant differences between two groups on any measures including attention, memory function, and executive function. Even though there were significantly negative associations between length of drinking history and performances on FTT with both hands (right: r=-0.55, p0.01; left: r=-0.48, p0.05) in alcohol group, multiple regression analyses showed that age and STAI contributed significantly to the prediction of FTT, ameliorating the dignostic effect. CONCLUSION: There was no evidence of significant declines in attention, memory, and executive functions in alcoholics compared to normal controls, except impaired motor performance functions which may be related to concurrent anxiety.

Neuropsychological Functioning in Detoxified Alcoholics by Seoul Computerized Neurocognitive Function Test / 신경정신의학

OBJECTIVES: To demonstrate consistent and significant findings of neurocognitive functioning in detoxified alcoholics have been inconclusive. The purpose of this study was to evaluate cognitive functions in detoxified alcoholics and the relationship between neuropsychological test scores and alcohol consumption patterns. METHODS: Twenty-four alcoholics, aging between 30 and 50 years, at least 4 weeks after the beginning of detoxification and 24 normal controls equated for age and education were exmained on Seoul computerized neurocognitive function tests in order to evaluate neurocognitive functions, which include attention, memory function, executive function, motor performance. RESULTS: Compared to controls, alcoholics were more impaired on both finger tapping test (FTT, right: p<0.05, left: p0.01), but there were no significant differences between two groups on any measures including attention, memory function, and executive function. Even though there were significantly negative associations between length of drinking history and performances on FTT with both hands (right: r=-0.55, p0.01; left: r=-0.48, p0.05) in alcohol group, multiple regression analyses showed that age and STAI contributed significantly to the prediction of FTT, ameliorating the dignostic effect. CONCLUSION: There was no evidence of significant declines in attention, memory, and executive functions in alcoholics compared to normal controls, except impaired motor performance functions which may be related to concurrent anxiety.