The Diagnostic Role of Adding the Hoffman Reflex for L5 Radiculopathy in the Electrodiagnostic Laboratory: A Cross-sectional Study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate changes in the H-reflex in patients with monoradiculopathies involving L5 or S1 levels by stimulating the sciatic nerve and recording simultaneously from the tibialis anterior (TA), peroneus longus (PL), and soleus (S) muscles. METHODS: Patients with unilateral radicular back pain with L5 or S1 root compression on MRI, participated in this cross-sectional study. The H-reflex over the TA, PL, and S muscles was simultaneously recorded by sciatic nerve stimulation. The H-reflex latency was compared with that of the contralateral extremity. RESULTS: Fifty-eight patients (29 patients L5; 29 patients S1 radiculopathy) were included in the study. There were significant delays in the latency of the H-reflex over TA (30.95±2.31-29.21±1.4) and PL (31.05±2.85-29.02±1.99) muscles on the affected side in patients with L5 radiculopathy. However, the latency of the S H-reflex was similar on both sides. In contrast, in patients with S1 radiculopathy, there was a significant delay in the latency of soleus H reflex (32.76±3.45-29.9±3.19), while the significant delay was not detected in the TA and PL muscles. However, the cutoff values for the H-reflex latency of all muscles were not found to have clinical significance. CONCLUSIONS: The study presents that the H-reflex study, recorded from the TA, PL, and S muscles by sciatic nerve stimulation, is of interest but has minimal contribution to radiculopathy diagnosis in conventional electrodiagnostic tests.

Efficacy of Pulsed Radiofrequency Therapy to Dorsal Root Ganglion Adding to TENS and Exercise for Persistent Pain after Total Knee Arthroplasty.

The majority of patients achieve substantial pain relief and improved function after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), but a proportion continues to experience life-disturbing persistent postsurgical pain (PPSP) in the months and years after surgery. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), exercise, and pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) treatment on pain severity, neuropathic pain, knee flexion range of motion (ROM), functional status, and patient satisfaction in patients with PPSP after TKA. This is a retrospective study of prospectively collected data. Patients who were identified retrospectively from hospital charts were divided into two groups: group 1 (n = 17) received TENS and exercise treatment and group 2 (n = 22) received TENS, exercise, and PRF application to the dorsal root ganglion (DRG). The following procedure-related parameters were collected from the special registry form: visual analog scale (VAS), Douleur Neuropathique 4 (DN4) questionnaire, knee flexion ROM, the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and patient satisfaction scale scores. The mean follow-up was 253.8 ± 109 days. When the two groups were compared, a significant difference of at least 50% improvement in the VAS (activity) and a significant reduction in the DN4 scores following the last control examination were found in group 2. There was a significant reduction in total WOMAC scores in group 1 compared with group 2 for the four study periods. Higher scores for the patient satisfaction scale were found in group 1 compared with group 2 following the last control examination. Adding PRF to TENS and exercise therapy is useful in reducing the degree of pain and the neuropathic component of PPSP in patients with PPSP.

Total Knee Arthroplasty due to Knee Osteoarthritis: Risk Factors for Persistent Postsurgical Pain.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify whether different patient characteristics and clinical factors can be risk factors in patients with persistent postsurgical pain (PPSP) after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). METHODS: Patients who underwent TKA due to knee osteoarthritis were divided into two groups: those who experienced no or mild PPSP (Numerical Rating Scale [NRS] ≤ 3) (group 1, n = 91) and those who experienced moderate to severe PPSP (NRS > 3) (group 2, n = 183). Information on the characteristics of patients, comorbid diseases and pre-surgical NRS scores were obtained retrospectively from hospital charts. The follow-up time; pre-surgical and last control time walking distance; and ratings on the NRS, Pain DETECT Questionnaire (PDQ) and patient satisfaction scales were recorded from the standard questionnaire presented to patients during the telephone interview. RESULTS: The mean follow-up time was 22.8 ± 12.3 months. The rate of moderate to severe PPSP among patients amounted to 66.7% after TKA. No neuropathic pain was found in Group 1. In Group 2, 22.9% of patients experienced neuropathic pain, the results for 18% of patients were uncertain, and 59% of patients did not experience neuropathic pain. Group 2 had worse scores on the patient satisfaction scale following the last control time compared with Group 1. Being widowed, having a low education level, being a housewife, having employment that requires physical effort, pre-surgical pain intensity at rest and pre-surgical restricted walking distance are risk factors for Group 2. CONCLUSIONS: PPSP and the neuropathic component in PPSP after TKA are not underestimated for pain management and patient satisfaction. Subgroups of patients, particularly widowers, having a primary school education level or under, housewives, people with jobs that require physical effort, individuals with intense pre-surgical pain during rest and those suffering from pre-surgical restricted walking distance, are at higher risk of developing PPSP following TKA.

The association between bone mineral density, quality of life, quality of sleep and fatigue.

OBJECTIVES: This study was undertaken to examine quality of life (QoL), the quality of sleep and fatigue level in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis (OP) but without fractures, to assess the associations between these parameters and to compare the results with those for subjects who have osteopenia or normal bone mineral density (BMD). METHODS: In this study, 113 postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMO) subjects without fractures, 172 subjects with osteopenia and 102 subjects with normal BMD were included. The severity of pain, QoL, quality of sleep and fatigue were assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS), the QoL Questionnaire of the European Foundation for Osteoporosis (QUALEFFO-41), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Checklist of Individual Strength (CIS) questionnaire. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences between the three groups were found in terms of VAS and QUALEFFO-41 total scores (p > 0.05). On the other hand, PSQI and CIS total scores were significantly different in the PMO and osteopenia groups (P = 0.015 and 0.007, respectively) compared to the group with normal BMD. CONCLUSIONS: During the follow-up and treatment of women with PMO or osteopenia, QoL, quality of sleep and fatigue should be assessed and incorporated into treatment decisions, even in the absence of fractures.

Complex regional pain syndrome in stroke patients.

The objective of this study was to investigate the incidence, and the factors influencing the development, of complex regional pain syndrome-I in the upper extremity in hemiplegic patients within the first 28 weeks following a stroke. We followed up 82 stroke patients. All patients were evaluated at weeks 2, 6, 14 and 28 after suffering a stroke. Outcomes were assessed using passive range of motion of shoulder, presence of subluxation, Ashworth score, Motricity index arm score, Brunnstrom stages and depression score. The incidence of complex regional pain syndrome-I was 48.8% in the first 28 weeks. Significant correlation was found between complex regional pain syndrome-I and the presence of subluxation, Ashworth score, Motricity index arm score, Brunnstrom stage and depression score (r=0.259, P=0.019; r=0.271, P=0.014; r=-0.393, P<0.001; r=-0.385, P<0.001; r=0.293, P=0.008, respectively). In this study, there was a relationship between complex regional pain syndrome-I and subluxation, loss of range of motion, spasticity of shoulder muscles and muscle strength. In order to prevent the development of complex regional pain syndrome-I, exercises directed at increasing the range of motion for the glenohumeral joint, strengthening shoulder muscles and reduction of spasticity will establish the integrity of the shoulder joint.