Sexual dysfunction in women with spinal cord injury living in Greece.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. OBJECTIVES: To provide data on the rates of sexual dysfunction (SD) among the Greek spinal cord injury (SCI) women and to investigate any association with demographic and clinical variables. SETTING: Greek territory. METHODS: Our sample was enrolled from rehabilitation institutes throughout Greece and included 30 women with SCI living in the community for at least 1 year after the primary inpatient rehabilitation program. They were assessed for SD using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Pearson's test was performed to examine the correlation of SD with clinical-demographic parameters as defined by specific questionnaires: Satisfaction With Life Scale (SWLS), World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF), Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique (CHART). RESULTS: SD was revealed in 63.3% of the study participants. The mean FSFI score was 14.4. Pearson's analysis showed that age was negatively correlated with FSFI scores (p = 0.006), while pain had a negative impact only on desire scores (p = 0.04). FSFI scores were negatively correlated with PHQ-9 (p = 0.04), while there was a positive correlation with SWLS (p = 0.003), SCIM (p = 0.013), and specific domains of WHOQOL-BREF (psychological, relations, environment), and CHART (mobility, social integration). CONCLUSIONS: The rate of SD (63.3%) generally agrees with the findings of high rates in most of the literature, although it is rather lower, in comparison to other populations. Old age and depressive symptoms were the major identified determinants of SD.

Correlation of quality of life with instrumented analysis of a total knee arthroplasty series at the long-term follow-up.

PURPOSE: The relationship between instrumented knee measurements and patient-reported outcome measures is a newer field that continues to evolve. The aim of this study was to evaluate long-term quality of life (QoL) post-total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery correlating validated self-reported questionnaires, clinical examination and instrumented analysis, using baropodometry and accelerometry. METHODS: Thirty-six patients who underwent primary unilateral TKA between 1999 and 2006 were evaluated at 11.3 ± 2.3 years following surgery. Clinical examination included range of motion (ROM) and instrumented knee laxity measurements with the Rolimeter device. The visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain was also recorded. The utilised subjective outcome scores were the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and the short form of World Health Organisation Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF). Instrumented analysis was performed with baropodometry and accelerometry. QoL was assessed correlating clinical, subjective and instrumented results. Univariate analysis included the Spearman's Rho correlation coefficient and Mann-Whitney tests. RESULTS: At the long-term follow-up all patients had relatively high quality of life measurements, as well as functional scores, except for the Sport/Rec dimension of the KOOS score. Only cadence (p = 0.008) and velocity (p = 0.026) affected the WHOQOL psychology domain no matter the age, follow-up and gender of the patients. The domain was unaffected by VAS and Rolimeter measurements. WHOQOL Social domain was unaffected by all instrumentation measurements except for stance phase (p = 0.025), VAS (p = 0.005) and ROM (p = 0.028). KOOS physical domain was not affected by any parameter. KOOS pain was reversely affected by VAS (p = 0.004), KOOS symptom by ROM (p = 0.000 and median maximum pressure (p = 0.033). CONCLUSION: Quality of life for the TKA patient can be correlated and assessed reliably with instrumented analysis using pedobarography and accelerometry, at the long-term follow-up. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Depressive mood in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) living in Greece.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. OBJECTIVES: To provide data on depressive symptoms rates in the Greek SCI population and to investigate their association with demographic and clinical variables. SETTING: Greek territory. METHODS: One hundred and sixty-four individuals with SCI living in the community for at least 1 year after the completion of the primary inpatient rehabilitation program were included in the study. Our group of participants were enrolled from multiple rehabilitation centers throughout Greece and were evaluated for probable depression according to the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Univariable and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to assess the possible association of risk factors with the occurrence of depression. We had also examined the correlation between PHQ-9 and scales measuring social reintegration (Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique (CHART)), quality of life (World Health Organization Quality of Life BREF (WHOQOL-BREF)), and independence (Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM)). RESULTS: It was found that 18.2% of the sample had probable depression. The mean (SD) PHQ-9 score was 5.7 (4.9). The multiple linear regression analysis showed that high pain scores (P = 0.001) and suffering from both nociceptive and neuropathic pain (P = 0.005) were associated with depressive mood, while pressure ulcers had a significant effect (P = 0.049) only in the univariable analysis. Participant's PHQ-9 scores had also a negative correlation with almost all CHART, WHOQOL-BREF, and SCIM subscales' scores. CONCLUSIONS: This study documents relatively low rates of probable depression among individuals with SCI in Greece. Severe pain and pressure ulcers were the main identified predictors of depressive mood.