Reliability of muscle thickness and muscle echo intensity evaluation of the posterior medial tibia in long-distance athletes using an ultrasound imaging device.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to verify the reliability of muscle thickness and luminance evaluation of the deep leg muscles using an ultrasound device. DESIGN: Cohort study. SETTING: Track and field, Participants: high school track and field long distance athletes (N = 10, female: 50.0%, age = 16.0 ± 2.8 years, BMI = 18.2 ± 2.3 kg/m2) PARTICIPANTS: This study included Japanese high school track and long-distance field athletes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The thickness and echo intensity of tibialis posterior, flexor digitorum longus, and soleus muscles in the posterior medial tibia were clarified. RESULTS: The echo intensity evaluation of the tibialis posterior muscle showed an additive error. CONCLUSION: The study suggested that the results could be clinically applied clinically, except for the evaluation of echo intensity of the posterior tibialis muscle.

Effects of interventions on life-space mobility for community-dwelling older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM: The present study aimed to conduct a meta-analysis to evaluate the methods and effects of interventions to increase life-space mobility among community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: Records were identified through nine databases. Eligible study designs for inclusion in the review were randomized controlled trials of interventions on life-space mobility for community-dwelling older adults. The risk of bias was assessed using the Risk of Bias 2 tool. We followed the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach to summarize the evidence. RESULTS: Four studies (558 participants) identified via search strategies were included. Two studies involved individualized exercise and lifestyle interventions. In three out of the four studies, individual interventions were applied. Overall, when compared with a control group, the intervention group was more likely to positively affect increasing life-space mobility (standardized mean difference 0.47, 95% confidence interval [0.020 to 0.92]). The heterogeneity statistic indicated considerable heterogeneity (I2 = 84%). The evidence was downgraded one step owing to imprecision. CONCLUSIONS: Interventions on increasing life-space mobility for community-dwelling older adults have a positive effect. Combination interventions may be more effective than single interventions, and individual interventions may be more effective than group interventions. However, owing to the limited number of studies, conducting further research to enhance the generalizability of results is crucial. Additionally, subgroup analysis should be conducted to clarify differences in intervention methods and effects. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2023; 23: 842-848.

Factors Associated with Low Inter-Session Reliability of Conditioned Pain Modulation in Older People with or Without Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain.

Purpose: Conditioned pain modulation (CPM) is a measurement of the descending pain pathways that inhibit or facilitate afferent noxious stimuli. The reliability of CPM in older individuals with or without chronic musculoskeletal pain has not been sufficiently reported. This study aimed to examine the inter-session reliability of CPM in these cohorts and the factors in CPM reliability. Patients and Methods: Individuals aged 65 or older were recruited in Narita, Japan. The measurements were performed on separate days 2 weeks apart (sessions 1 and 2). Each participant's hand was immersed in cold water, and we measured pressure pain threshold (PPT) before and after the immersion. The ratio before and after PPT measurements was presented as CPM index. The autonomic activities (heart rate variability, heart rate, and blood pressure) were simultaneously measured. An absolute reliability of CPM index was analyzed by the adjusted two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the Bland Altman plot, and relative reliability was analyzed by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Spearman's rho correlation and the adjusted multivariate regression analysis were utilized for examining the CPM reliability factors. Results: Thirty-two participants were divided into two groups: chronic pain (n=19) and non-chronic pain (n=13) groups. The mean difference between session 1 and 2 in CPM index showed a systematic error in the chronic pain group at 17.3 (confidence interval, CI: 15.0 to 19.7), but none in the non-chronic pain group at 3.7 (CI: -0.02 to 7.4). The adjusted two-way ANOVA for CPM index did not identify any differences. ICC was not significant at p=-0.247 in the non-chronic and 0.167 in chronic pain. Multivariate regression analysis revealed total power and low/high frequencies as significant factors for CPM index. Conclusion: This study identified low inter-session reliability in older adults with chronic musculoskeletal pain and autonomic nervous system activities as factors in CPM reliability.

Relationship between malnutrition and possible sarcopenia in the AWGS 2019 consensus affecting mortality in hemodialysis patients: a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The first objective of this study was to determine the relationship between muscle strength or physical performance and mortality, and the second objective was to show the relationship of Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) to muscle strength and physical performance decline. METHODS: We examined handgrip, the 5-times chair stand test, and GNRI in 635 maintenance hemodialysis patients and followed up for 72 months. Predictors for all-cause death were examined using Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional analysis. The relationship between possible sarcopenia and nutritional disorder (GNRI) was constructed receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. We used the Youden index to determine the optimal cutoff points for GNRI. RESULTS: The multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis revealed that the GNRI did not show any significance, although handgrip (HR 3.61, 95% CI 1.70-7.68, p < 0.001) and the 5-times chair stand test (HR 1.71 95% CI 1.01-2.90, p = 0.045) were significant predictors for mortality. On the evaluation of possible sarcopenia by handgrip strength, the area under curve (AUC) on ROC curve analysis were 0.68 (95% CI 0.64-0.72), and 5-chair stand, the AUC on ROC were 0.55 (95% CI 0.51-0.60). The cut-off value for the GNRI discriminating those at possible sarcopenia by handgrip strength based on the Youden index was 91.5. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that the handgrip strength test of the AWGS 2019 sarcopenia consensus was a simple and useful tool to predict mortality in chronic hemodialysis patients. Furthermore, GNRI assessment can be a useful tool for screening before assessing possible sarcopenia when it is difficult to perform SARC-F to all patients.

Utility of the ability for basic movement scale II as a prediction method of ambulation ability in patients after the hip fracture surgery.

BACKGROUND: This study was to investigate whether the Ability for Basic Movement Scale II (ABMS II) at admission of the convalescent rehabilitation ward (CRW) could predict the ambulation ability in patients after hip fracture surgery. METHODS: The data of the ABMS II and Functional Ambulation Category (FAC) of 118 postsurgical patients with hip fracture who were transferred to the CRW were retrospectively analyzed (mean age 82.7 ± 7.9, female/male: 89/29). Binary logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis were used to investigate the predictive value of ABMS II for walking ability at discharge. RESULTS: Spearman's correlation analysis showed that there were significantly positive correlations between the ABMS II score at admission and FAC score at discharge (ρ = 0.70, P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that ABMS II and BMI can be the predictor in both FAC <4 or ≥4 groups. ROC analysis indicated that an optimal cutoff of 24.5 points of ABMS II score predicted independent walking ability (area under the Curve (AUC) 0.87, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The ABMS II at admission in CRW can be a prediction method of ambulation recovery for the patients after hip fracture surgery. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective clinical study.

The Ability for Basic Movement Scale II Can Predict Functional Outcome and Discharge Destination in Stroke Patients.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to identify whether the Ability for Basic Movement Scale II (ABMS II) at admission would predict the functional status and discharge destination in convalescent stroke patients. METHODS: Ninety-four stroke patients admitted to convalescent rehabilitation ward were investigated. Their functions were evaluated by the ABMS II and Functional Independence Measure (FIM) at admission, FIM and Functional Ambulation Category at discharge. Furthermore, the age, gender, diagnosis, lesion side, onset type, interval between onset and convalescent admission, length of stay (LOS) and discharge destination were recorded. Discharge destination was divided into home and facility. RESULTS: Multiple linear regression identified the ABMS II at admission as a significant predicator of discharge FIM in convalescent stroke patients (ß = .747, P < .05). Binary logistic regression analysis showed the ABMS II significantly predicting basic walk ability (odds ratio 1.29) and home discharge (odds ratio 1.241) of these patients. Receiver operating characteristic analysis indicated that an optimal cutoff of 18 points of ABMS II predicted basic walk ability (area under the curve = .863, P < .05) and home discharge (area under the curve = .827, P < .05). Moreover, a significant negative correlation between the ABSM II at admission and LOS was found (Correlation coefficients -.680, P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Higher score of the ABMS II at admission predicted better functional recovery, shorter LOS and more possibility to home in convalescent stroke patients. This new, easy scale is expected to be widely used for stroke patients.