RESUMO
Purpose@#A group of patients who were hospitalized for diabetic foot ulcers was classified according to the University of Texas Staging System for Diabetic Foot Ulcers, and we attempted to evaluate whether this staging system could be a criterion for treatment success using vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) technique. @*Materials and Methods@#A total of 32 patients were diagnosed with diabetic foot ulcers according to the University of Texas Staging System for Diabetic Foot Ulcers. Of these, 24 patients who were evaluated as stage B according to the staging system were classified as Group 1, and 8 patients in stage D were classified as Group 2. After applying VAC, the treatment success rate was compared by evaluating the size and severity of ulcers between the two groups. @*Results@#The grade of granulation after VAC was on average 3.75±0.53 in Group 1 and 2.25±0.71 in Group 2. There was better granulation after VAC application in Group 1 (p<0.01). The success rate of the treatment was 22 cases (91.67%) in Group 1 and one case (12.5%) in Group 2. Thus there were statistically significant differences in the success rate of treatment between groups 1 and 2 (Pearson’s chisquare test, p=0.01; odd ratio 77.00, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.26~14.66; relative risk 4.30, 95% CI 1.26~14.66). @*Conclusion@#These results suggest that there was a higher success rate of treatment with VAC in stage B patients. The University of Texas Staging System for Diabetic Foot Ulcers can thus be an index for applying VAC to patients with infective diabetic foot ulcers.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Weakness of cervical extensor muscles causes loss of cervical lordosis, which could also cause neck pain. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of fat infiltration in cervical extensor muscles on cervical lordosis and neck pain. METHODS: Fifty-six patients who suffered from neck pain were included in this study. Fat infiltration in cervical extensor muscles was measured at each level of C2–3 and C6–7 using axial magnetic resonance imaging. The visual analogue scale (VAS), 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12), and Neck Disability Index (NDI) were used for clinical assessment. RESULTS: The mean fat infiltration was 206.3 mm2 (20.3%) at C2–3 and 240.6 mm2 (19.5%) at C6–7. Fat infiltration in cervical extensor muscles was associated with high VAS scores at both levels (p = 0.047 at C2–3; p = 0.009 at C6–7). At C2–3, there was a negative correlation between fat infiltration of the cervical extensor muscles and cervical lordosis (r = −0.216; p = 0.020). At C6–7, fat infiltration in the cervical extensor muscles was closely related to NDI (p = 0.003) and SF-12 (p > 0.05). However, there was no significant correlation between cervical lordosis and clinical outcomes (VAS, p = 0.112; NDI, p = 0.087; and SF-12, p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that fat infiltration in the upper cervical extensor muscles has relevance to the loss of cervical lordosis, whereas fat infiltration in the lower cervical extensor muscles is associated with cervical functional disability.