Predicting factors associated with frailty in aged patients with bone-arthrosis pain in the clinic.

OBJECTIVES: To identify frail and pre-frail patients in a group of patients older than 60 years. METHODS: The phenotype model of Fried's method was used to identify frailty and pre-frailty in total of 78 participants. Cognitive ability and psychosocial function tests were also given to 59 of the 78 patients. RESULTS: Prevalence of frailty and pre-frailty was 14.1% (11/78) and 46.2% (36/78), respectively. Of the 5 phenotype variables, weak grip strength was the most commonly seen variable with 53.8% of all participants and 100% in the frail group. Low energy expenditure, however, was not self-reported by any participant in the current study (0%). Prevalence of frailty in the present study is associated with chronological age. The current study indicates that 4 phenotypic variables (unintentional weight loss, self-reported exhaustion, gait speed and grip strength) contribute to the development to frailty, and that cognitive impairment and psychosocial frailty also predict frailty or pre-frailty in the patients older than 60 years old irrespective of chronic pain or osteoarthritis. The findings of the current study suggest frailty and pre-frailty are common in senior Chinese patients with chronic diseases. CONCLUSION: Recognition and identification of frailty in a rehabilitation clinic or hospital might help physicians to provide appropriate counseling to patients and families about adverse outcomes of certain treatments such as surgery, and could optimize management of coexisting chronic diseases that might contribute to or be affected by frailty.

Acupuncture for the Treatment of Oculomotor Paralysis: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial.

This study consisted of a single centre randomised controlled trial with two parallel arms: an acupuncture group (n = 20) with 27 affected eyes and a sham group (n = 20) with 23 affected eyes. Participants in the acupuncture group received acupuncture treatment once daily, three times weekly for four weeks. Participants assigned to the control group received sham acupuncture, the same protocol as that used for the acupuncture group but without insertion of needles into the skin. The primary outcome measure was the cervical range of motion (CROM) score. Secondary outcome measures were the palpebral fissure size, response rate, and adverse events. All 40 participants completed the study. In the comparison of acupuncture and sham acupuncture, a significant difference was observed between acupuncture and sham acupuncture in CROM score (21.37 ± 15.16 and 32.21 ± 19.54, resp.) (P < 0.05) and palpebral fissure size (7.19 ± 2.94 and 5.41 ± 2.45, resp.) (P < 0.05). Response rate was also significantly different in the acupuncture group (P < 0.05). No adverse events were reported in both groups in this study. In summary, it was demonstrated that acupuncture had a feasibility positive effect on oculomotor paralysis.

Effect of long-term pulsed electromagnetic field exposure on hepatic and immunologic functions of rats.

BACKGROUND: In this report, the effects of long-term pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) exposure on hepatic and immunologic functions were examined. METHODS: Male rats were randomly divided into four groups: a control group and three experimental groups exposed to a 50-Hz PEMF at 5, 10, or 20 mT for 10 weeks. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, activities of serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase and concentrations of serum, liver, and spleen Metabolism of lipid peroxidation (MDA) in the 10- and 20-mT PEMF groups were significantly increased. The activities of Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) in the serum, liver, and spleen and concentrations of serum immunoglobulins were significantly decreased. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that long-term exposure to PEMF can lead to oxidative damage of the liver and spleen.