Comparing hot pack, short-wave diathermy, ultrasound, and TENS on isokinetic strength, pain, and functional status of women with osteoarthritic knees: a single-blind, randomized, controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the therapeutic effects of physical agents administered before isokinetic exercise in women with knee osteoarthritis. DESIGN: One hundred patients with bilateral knee osteoarthritis were randomized into five groups of 20 patients each: group 1 received short-wave diathermy + hot packs and isokinetic exercise; group 2 received transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation + hot packs and isokinetic exercise; group 3 received ultrasound + hot packs and isokinetic exercise; group 4 received hot packs and isokinetic exercise; and group 5 served as controls and received only isokinetic exercise. RESULTS: Pain and disability index scores were significantly reduced in each group. Patients in the study groups had significantly greater reductions in their visual analog scale scores and scores on the Lequesne index than did patients in the control group (group 5). They also showed greater increases than did controls in muscular strength at all angular velocities. In most parameters, improvements were greatest in groups 1 and 2 compared with groups 3 and 4. CONCLUSIONS: Using physical agents before isokinetic exercises in women with knee osteoarthritis leads to augmented exercise performance, reduced pain, and improved function. Hot pack with a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulator or short-wave diathermy has the best outcome.

Clinical and epidemiologic evaluation of pressure ulcers in patients at a university hospital in Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to measure the incidence of pressure ulcer development at a university health center in Turkey, and to determine whether the Waterlow Pressure Sore Risk (PSR) Scale score predicted pressure ulcer development, stage, or number of ulcers. DESIGN: We prospectively evaluated patients who were hospitalized at our university-based medical center. SETTING AND SUBJECTS: We analyzed data from 22,834 patients hospitalized at the Baskent University Adana Teaching and Medical Research Center in Ankara, Turkey from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2004, including 360 patients who developed pressure ulcers. INSTRUMENTS: The Waterlow PSR Scale was used to assess pressure ulcer risk. In addition, age, sex, the ward or unit in which the patient was hospitalized, reason for hospitalization, and location and stage of ulcers were collected on a data form designed specifically for this study. METHODS: A single nurse physiotherapist assessed all patients daily during their hospitalization. When a pressure ulcer was diagnosed by the nurse physiotherapist, a physician staged the pressure ulcers based on the US National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) staging system. RESULTS: Three hundred sixty out of 22,834 patients developed 1 or more pressure ulcers, resulting in an incidence rate of 1.6%. Most ulcers (59.2%) occurred in patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit (n = 213). A positive correlation between the Waterlow PSR Scale score and number of ulcers per patient (r: 0.178, P < .01) was identified. No significant correlation was found linking Waterlow PSR Scale score and ulcer stage or the development of a single ulcer. CONCLUSION: We found significantly lower pressure ulcer incidence rates than those commonly reported in the literature, which we believe is principally attributable to short hospital stays and a strong emphasis on preventive nursing care. While high Waterlow PSR scale Scores correlated positively with development of multiple ulcers, this did not predict ulcer stage or the presence of a single pressure ulcer.

Coexistence of fibromyalgia, temporomandibular disorder, and masticatory myofascial pain syndromes.

The purpose of this study was to determine the association of fibromyalgia (FM) with temporomandibular disorder (TMD) and masticatory myofascial pain (MMP). Thirty-one consecutive women diagnosed as having FM according to American College of Rheumatology criteria and 21 consecutive women diagnosed as having TMD were included in this prospective study. All patients were examined by a dentist and a physiatrist to identify the coexistence of FM and TMD. In the FM group, TMD was found in 25 (80%) patients, and only 6 (19%) patients had arthrogenous origin with MMP, whereas 19 (81%) patients had only MMP without arthrogeonous orgin of those 25 women exhibited TMD. In the TMD group, the prevalence of FM was 52%, which was significantly higher in those with TMD of arthrogenous origin with MMP. Our results indicate that coexistence of FM and TMD with MMP is high. Pain and tenderness in the masticatory muscles appear to be an important element in FM, so in some patients it may be the leading complaint.

Value of the D-dimer test in diagnosing deep vein thrombosis in rehabilitation inpatients.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the utility of the D-dimer test-a widely available, less costly, and less time-consuming test than others used to diagnose or exclude deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism. DESIGN: Blind comparison. SETTING: An inpatient rehabilitation facility in Turkey. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-eight consecutive inpatients being rehabilitated after stroke, spinal cord injury, hip arthroplasty, or traumatic brain injury. INTERVENTIONS: A latex D-dimer assay was performed on each patient at admission and then weekly throughout the hospital stay. Color Doppler ultrasonography of the lower limbs was also done for each patient at admission and was repeated when indicated by clinical signs and symptoms of DVT or by elevated D-dimer levels. Main outcome measures Patients' clinical findings, D-dimer test results, and ultrasonography results were recorded. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values were calculated for the D-dimer test, each clinical finding, and combinations of D-dimer results and clinical findings in relation to DVT diagnosis. RESULTS: The sensitivity and negative predictive value of the D-dimer test were high, at 95.2% and 96.2%, respectively. The specificity and positive predictive value were low, at 55.3% and 48.7%, respectively. No single clinical finding was reliably diagnostic for DVT. CONCLUSIONS: The D-dimer assay is a reliable method for ruling out DVT. In the rehabilitation setting, it can be used as a routine screening test or to assess cases of suspected DVT. D-dimer testing may reduce the need for sophisticated, time-consuming, and expensive diagnostic workup of rehabilitation inpatients, a group that is at increased risk for DVT.