Influence of radiographically detectable orthopedic changes on racing performance in standardbred trotters.

The tarsocrural, metacarpophalangeal, and metatarsophalangeal joints of 753 Standardbred yearlings were radiographed. On the basis of radiographic findings, the horses were allotted into 4 groups. Group-1 horses had osteochondrosis in the tarsocrural joints. Group-2 horses had palmar/plantar bony fragments in the metacarpo- and metatarsophalangeal joints. Group-3 horses had radiographic changes in the metacarpo- and metatarsophalangeal joint region, such as bony fragments located at the dorsoproximal end of the proximal phalanx, osteochondrosis of the sagittal ridge of the third metacarpus/metatarsus, ununited proximoplantar tuberosity of the proximal phalanx, or nonarticular, osteolytic and productive changes in the proximal sesamoid bones. Group-4 horses did not have radiographic changes. The number of race starts and race earnings (categorized) of the horses in groups 1, 2, and 3 were compared with those of the horses in group 4, using a multivariate regression analysis. Horses in groups 1, 2, and 3 had significantly fewer starts and somewhat lower earnings compared with the horses in group 4.

[A mathematical approach to the establishment of criteria for assessing the quality of medical services]. / O matematicheskom podkhode k formirovaniia kriteriev otsenki kachestva meditsinskikh uslug.

The paper devoted to characterization of the quality of medical services offers only vague descriptive definitions of this notion. The market of medical services necessitates development of objective and accurate criteria of the final results of work compatible with the expenditures. The present paper offers criteria for assessment of the quality of medical work in the form of coefficients of efficiency, availability, and emergency.

Racing performance of standardbreds after conservative and surgical treatment for tarsocrural osteochondrosis.

A retrospective study of 114 Standardbred horses diagnosed with osteochondrosis (OC) of the cranial intermediate ridge of the distal tibia was carried out, and their subsequent race records were compared with 456 control horses. Each OC-affected horse was compared with 4 horses randomly selected from a list of horses matched to it by year of birth, sex and sire. The horses with OC were treated by arthroscopic removal of osteochondral fragments (N = 58) or managed conservatively (N = 56). The clinical presentation of these two groups was similar, although joint effusion was a more common presenting sign in the group that received surgical treatment. There was no association between presence of lameness and the type of treatment used. Data from the race records of treated and control horses (including the number of starts, lifetime earnings and record racing times) were compared. Overall, horses treated for OC had significantly fewer starts than, but earnings similar to, those in the control group. However, when stratification by sex was performed, females with OC made fewer starts and had lower earnings than did their control group. There was no significant difference in record time between OC-affected horses and controls. These results indicate that horses treated for osteochondrosis of the cranial intermediate ridge of the distal tibia performed as well as matched controls.

[The rehabilitation of patients with neurological manifestations of lumbar osteochondrosis under outpatient conditions]. / Reabilitatsiia bol'nykh s nevrologicheskimi proiavleniiami poiasnichnogo osteokhondroza v ambulatornykh usloviiakh.

Computer was used to analyze the data on 226 patients with neurological manifestations of lumbar osteochondrosis, who completed the course of rehabilitation treatment at the outpatient center of industrial rehabilitation in Nizhni Novgorod. The authors provide the mean times, cost and outcomes of rehabilitation in groups of patients with different clinical syndromes. Specify indications for the rehabilitation course in a specialized institution for rehabilitation treatment. Analyze errors made in the referral of outpatients to the rehabilitation center.