Comparative study of therapeutic effect of pulsed electromagnetic field and laser therapy in treatment of primary periarthritis shoulder

To compare the therapeutic effect of pulsed electromagnetic field [PEMF], laser and their combination in the treatment of primary periarthritis shoulder. Forty five patients with primary periarthritis shoulder were included in this study. They were divided randomly into 3 groups according to the line of treatment [15 patients each]. Group I: treated by PEMF with intensity of 3 mT and frequency of 4 Hz for 20 minutes per session. Group II: treated by GaAiAr IR-diode laser therapy of 880 nm wave length with a dose equal to 1 joule/cm[2] for 20 minutes per session. Group III: treated by combination of PEMF and laser in the same time and same parameters of the previous 2 groups. The patients of the 3 groups were subjected to exercise program. The sessions were continued for 2 months, 3 times per week. The follow up period was 2 months during which the patients were instructed to continue their exercise program at home. In the 3 studied groups there was statistically significant improvement in all shoulder parameters [pain, tenderness, range of motion and function] after treatment and in the follow up period compared to before treatment. The comparison of improvement in all shoulder parameters after treatment and follow up revealed statistically significant difference among the 3 studied groups with best improvement was in group III followed by group II, and lastly group I. PEMF therapy, laser therapy and their combination have proved to be efficient physical modalities for treating primary periarthritis shoulder. They lead to improvement in all shoulder parameters. Also, they are safe and have long lasting effects

Anti-endothelial cell antibodies and soluble adhesion molecules in rheumatoid arthritis complicated with peripheral neuropathy

To examine whether levels of anti-endothelial cell antibodies [AECA], soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 [sVCAM-1 and E-selectin were elevated in rheumatoid arthritis [RA] patients complicated with peripheral neuropathy [PN] as compared to RA patients without neuropathy and healthy controls. Also, to correlate these criteria with the parameters of disease activity. Levels of AECA, sVCAM-1 and E-selectin were determined with ELISA in 30 RA patients with PN, 30 RA patients without neuropathy and 25 healthy controls. RA patients with PN had significantly higher levels of AECA, sVCAM-1 and E-selectin than RA patients without neuropathy and healthy controls. Those three markers significantly correlated with the clinical and laboratory parameters of disease activity. Serum levels of AECA, sVCAM-1 and E-selectin proved to be higher in RA patients with PN than in RA patients without neuropathy. This reflects increased endothelial cell activation in RA patients complicated with neuropathy