Predictors of shoulder pain and shoulder disability after one year in diabetic outpatients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate factors associated with changes in shoulder pain and disability in diabetic outpatients over 1 yr. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with 12-month follow-up in diabetic outpatients (n = 179) using the shoulder pain and disability index (SPADI) and SF-36 version 2. RESULTS: Patients with diabetes and shoulder pain or disability are more likely to be older and female. After 12 months of follow-up, one-quarter of participants without pre-existing symptoms at baseline developed clinically significant pain (28%) or disability (25%). Of the patients with pre-existing shoulder pain or disability, half reported clinically significant worsening (10 percentage points) in shoulder pain (58%) or disability (45%) over 12 months. Few patients demonstrated clinically significant improvement in pain (11%) or disability scores (19%). The remaining one-third of the patients reported no change in symptoms (30% pain; 35% disability). Increasing intensity of pain scores between baseline and 12 months was associated with older age, higher HbA(1c) and less pain at baseline. Increasing disability score between baseline and 12 months was associated with having had eye laser surgery, greater pain at baseline and less disability at baseline. CONCLUSION: Shoulder pain and disability are common, and persistent in adults with diabetes. Having higher HbA(1c) levels or having had treatment for retinopathy was associated with worsening shoulder pain and disability, confirming that glycaemic control and diabetic complications are associated with worsening shoulder pain or disability over 12 months of observation.

Musculoskeletal morbidity: the growing burden of shoulder pain and disability and poor quality of life in diabetic outpatients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate shoulder pain and disability and quality of life (QoL) over 12 months in patients with diabetes and in a non-diabetic control group. METHODS: Cross-sectional study with 12-month follow-up in diabetic (n=189) and medical (n=99) outpatients employing the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) and SF-36 version 2. The results were analysed using restricted maximum likelihood (REML). RESULTS: The prevalence of current shoulder symptoms was 35% in diabetics and 17% in controls. Shoulder pain and disability as calculated by the SPADI were independently associated with diabetes (vs controls) and current shoulder symptoms, and worsened over 12 months. Disability scores worsened with age in diabetics, and pain scores were higher in diabetics than controls among patients reporting current shoulder symptoms. Poor physical QoL worsened over time in patients with diabetes and was worse in patients with current shoulder symptoms, whether they had diabetes or not. Mental QoL was worse only in patients with current shoulder symptoms. CONCLUSION: Shoulder symptoms are common, affecting 1 in every 3 diabetic patients and 1 in every 6 control patients. In this study shoulder pain, disability and physical QoL were poorer among diabetics and patients reporting current shoulder symptoms, and worsened over time. Mental QoL was worse in patients reporting current shoulder symptoms and was independent of diabetes. Therefore, shoulder symptoms are common, are associated with poor physical and mental QoL in addition to shoulder pain and disability, and are worse in patients with diabetes, even in a population with relatively moderate shoulder pain and disability.

Musculoskeletal manifestations of diabetes mellitus.

Rheumatic complaints are common in patients with diabetes. Maintaining good glycaemic control by exercise, diet, and medication improves or prevents the development of rheumatic conditions.

Osseous sarcoidosis--a magnetic resonance imaging diagnosis.

Bone involvement in sarcoidosis is not uncommon but may be overlooked as a cause of symptoms. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is emerging as a sensitive diagnostic tool for osseous sarcoid. We document a case in which MRI suggested the diagnosis in the absence of abnormality with more conventional imaging techniques.

Acquired haemophilia in South Australia: a case series.

Of eight cases of acquired haemophilia presenting over an 8-year period, six received immunosuppressive treatment, five with cyclophosphamide, vincristine and prednisolone (CVP). Five patients (four on immunosuppressive treatment) entered remission, two patients died and one was lost to follow up. Initially, the remissions were only partial. The median duration until partial remission was 10 weeks (range 1-55 weeks) and until complete remission was 35 weeks (range 2-59 weeks). Partial remission may proceed to complete remission without further chemotherapy.