Effect of moderate exercise on blood flow in the gastrointestinal tract in trained conscious miniature swine.

AIM: To examine how moderate exercise affects the blood flow in the gastrointestinal tract. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve miniature swine weighing 38-43 kg were used. All animals were trained on a cardiac exercise treadmill. Blood flow measurements were done on conscious animals using labeled microspheres with a diameter of 16.5 +/- 0.1 (SD) microm. The first flow was measured while the animal was awake and resting, the second flow after 15 min of exercise, the third flow after 30 min of rest. RESULTS: Flow in the oesophagus at rest was 19.5 +/- 1.3 (SEM) ml/min/100 g. During exercise the flow decreased to 13.3 +/- 1.2 (SEM) ml/min/100 g (ns). After 30 min of rest the flow was 9.9 +/- 1.2 (SEM) ml/min/100 g (p < 0.05 when comparing the flow before and after exercise). Flow in the cardia at rest was 23.1 +/- 1.3 (SEM) ml/min/100 g. During exercise the flow decreased to 14.0 +/- 1.2 (SEM) ml/min/100 g (p < 0.05). After 30 min of rest the flow was 15.0 +/- 1.2 (SEM) ml/min/100 g. Flow in the pylorus at rest was 38.9 +/- 1.1 (SEM) ml/min/100 g. During exercise the flow decreased to 24.6 +/- 1.1 (SEM) ml/min/100 g (p < 0.01). After 30 min of rest the flow was 26.9 +/- 1.2 (SEM) ml/min/100 g. Blood flow in the small and large intestine was mainly unaffected by moderate exercise. CONCLUSION: Under moderate exercise, blood flow in the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract declines while it is mainly unaffected in the duodenum, small and large intestine.

[Training on a wobble board following lateral ankle joint sprains]. / Traening med vippebraet efter laterale ankelledsdistorsioner.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether the number of patients with residual symptoms following ankle sprains could be reduced by training on a wobble board during a 12-week training recovery period. The effect of a 12-week training program was compared to no training. Forty-eight patients completed the study. In the follow-up period (mean 230 days) we found significantly fewer recurrent distorsions and fewer patients had functional instability in the study group compared to controls. There were no differences between the two groups concerning subjective complaints during the recovery period. Volumetric measurements revealed no difference in the speed of reduction of haematoma and oedema in the two groups. We conclude that training on a wobble board is effective in reducing residual symptoms following ankle sprains.

Spinal cord and nerve root blood flow in acute double level spinal stenosis.

STUDY DESIGN: Twenty-four pigs were randomized into three groups of eight pigs; a control group with 0% stenosis, a 25% stenosis group, and a 50% stenosis group. A fourth 75% stenosis group was added when results of the randomized experiment had been analyzed. Blood flow of the spinal cord and nerve roots and spinal evoked potentials were determined before and 1 hour after induction of the spinal stenoses. OBJECTIVES: To study the acute effects of different degrees of spinal stenosis on neural tissue blood flow and spinal evoked potentials. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Spinal cord dysfunction may be caused by vascular impairment or mechanical injury to neural tissue. Experimental double level compression of the cauda equina causes reversible nerve root edema, stasis, blood flow decrease, and compromised neural function. The vascular pathophysiology after spinal cord trauma was studied previously, and both increased and decreased neural tissue blood flow have been reported. METHODS: Two level spinal stenosis was introduced by placement of stenosing bands around the dural sac at L4 and L6. Neurologic function was monitored by sensory and motor evoked potentials. Regional blood flow (RBF) was measured in the stenotic segments between the bands and other regions of neural tissue by radioactive microspheres before and after induction of stenosis. RESULTS: Regional blood flow increased in the stenotic segments after 0% sham stenosis. Analysis of variance revealed no differences in RBF between the three randomized groups under comparable conditions of 0% stenosis. However, the RBF level of the added 75% group was lower than that of the other three groups. By comparison of RBF within groups before and after stenosis, no decrease in RBF was found between the stenosing bands in any of the groups. Fifty percent stenosis changed the amplitude of evoked potentials in half of the animals. Seventy-five percent stenosis caused severe changes in evoked potentials in 7 of 8 animals. CONCLUSIONS: Blood supply of the spinal cord and nerve roots in the segments between two central stenoses is preserved immediately after stenosis introduction by way of the segmental nerve pathway, even if nerve conduction is impaired.

Wobble board training after partial sprains of the lateral ligaments of the ankle: a prospective randomized study.

Ankle sprains are often complicated by functional instability and repeated sprains. Rehabilitation with wobble boards in patients with functional instability has been tested, and significant improvement has been found compared to no training. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the number of patients with residual symptoms following ankle sprains could be reduced by training on a wobble board during 12-week recovery period. In addition, the influence of training in the time course reduction of edema was investigated. We performed a prospective study including 61 patients, all active in sports for more than 2 hours a week with primary ankle sprains. The effect of a 12-week training program with wobble board was compared with no training. Forty-eight patients completed the study. In the follow-up period (mean X = 230 days), we found significantly fewer recurrent sprains, and significantly fewer patients in the training group had functional instability of the ankle compared with the no training group. There were no differences in the two groups in the time which elapsed before patients were painless at walking, during running, or at sports. Volumetric measurements revealed no difference in the speed of reduction of hematoma and edema of the ankle and foot between the two groups. We conclude that training on a wobble board early after primary stage 2 ankle sprains is effective in reducing residual symptoms following this lesion and that training does not seem to affect the time course reduction in edema.

Two-level spinal stenosis in minipigs. Hemodynamic effects of exercise.

STUDY DESIGN: Twenty-two Göttingen minipigs were trained to run on a treadmill. Two-level lumbar spinal stenosis was created in 12 pigs, 10 were unoperated control subjects. Blood flow of the spinal cord and nerve roots was determined with microspheres at rest, during exercise, and after exercise. OBJECTIVES: To study the effect of lumbar spinal stenosis and exercise on blood flow of spinal neural tissue. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Neurogenic claudication, the key symptom of lumbar spinal stenosis, may be caused by vascular impairment or mechanical distress of neural tissue during exercise. Experimental compression of the cauda equina causes reversible nerve root edema, stasis, blood flow decrease, and compromised neural function. The vascular pathophysiology of spinal stenosis during exercise has not been studied previously. METHODS: Pigs were trained daily for 3 months. Two-level 25% lumbar spinal stenosis was introduced by placement of stenosing bands around the dural sac. Neurologic function was monitored before surgery by evoked potentials and after surgery by the Tarlov score. Regional blood flow in lumbosacral neural tissue was measured 3 days after chronic catheterization using microspheres at rest, during exercise at 3 km/h for 15 minutes, and at rest 30 minutes after exercise. RESULTS: Blood flow of grey and white matter increased during exercise in both groups, with no differences between groups. slight hyperemia prevailed after exercise in white matter of the stenotic area but not in grey matter. Nerve root blood flow was largely unchanged in control subjects during exercise but was reduced in spinal stenosis at rest, further depressed during exercise, and normalized after exercise. Dural blood flow was elevated throughout. CONCLUSION: The study suggests that exercise-induced impairment of spinal nerve root blood flow plays a role in the pathophysiology of neurogenic claudication.

Vasoconstrictive action of neuropeptide Y in bone. The porcine tibia perfused in vivo.

The hemodynamic effects of neuropeptide Y (NPY) and norepinephrine (NE) in bone were studied by infusion into the nutrient artery of an in vivo and in situ perfused tibia in 19 pigs. NPY and NE caused elevation of the perfusion pressure and decline in intraosseous pressure, which was evidence of intraosseous vasoconstriction. The study suggests that NPY, along with NE, acts as a sympathetic neurotransmitter in the control of vascular tone in bone.

[Naproxen versus indomethacin as night-time medication for patients with rheumatoid arthritis]. / Naproxen versus indometacin som natlig behandling til patienter med reumatoid arthritis.

The investigation consisted of a double-blind cross-over study of the effect of 75 mg indometacin, 500 mg naproxen or a placebo in 63 patients with rheumatoid arthritis accompanied by night pain and morning stiffness. All the patients received day treatment with 250 mg naproxen b.i.d. Only a few patients benefitted from the treatment at night and no differences in the effect of indometacin and naproxen were observed. Naproxen was better tolerated than indometacin. Day treatment with naproxen, which has a relatively long half life time decrease the need for supplementary treatment at night.

[Festival injuries. Injury patterns at the Midtfyn Music Festival in 1988]. / Festivalskader. Skademønstret på Midtfynsfestivalen 1988.

A first-aid station was established at the Midtfyn Music Festival in 1988. A total of 174 patients were treated. The diseases and casualties are described according to numbers, distribution, course and causes. Orthopaedic casualties constituted approximately 60%, sprains, infections, contusions and open wounds being the commonest. Respiratory diseases were the commonest conditions among the non-orthopaedic conditions. Treatment could be completed in approximately 60% of the cases. Most of the casualties were caused by broken glass, deliberate violence or failure to comply with maintenance medication. Various suggestions are made to reduce the number of casualties.