Additive effects of nutritional supplementation, together with bisphosphonates, on bone mineral density after hip fracture: a 12-month randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND: After a hip fracture, a catabolic state develops, with increased bone loss during the first year. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of postoperative treatment with calcium, vitamin D, and bisphosphonates (alone or together) with nutritional supplementation on total hip and total body bone mineral density (BMD). METHODS: Seventy-nine patients (56 women), with a mean age of 79 years (range, 61-96 years) and with a recent hip fracture, who were ambulatory before fracture and without severe cognitive impairment, were included. Patients were randomized to treatment with bisphosphonates (risedronate 35 mg weekly) for 12 months (B; n=28), treatment with bisphosphonates along with nutritional supplementation (40 g protein, 600 kcal daily) for the first 6 months (BN; n=26), or to controls (C; n=25). All participants received calcium (1,000 mg) and vitamin D3 (800 IU) daily. Total hip and total body BMD were assessed with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at baseline, 6, and 12 months. Marker of bone resorption C-terminal telopeptide of collagen I and 25-hydroxy vitamin D were analyzed in serum. RESULTS: Analysis of complete cases (70/79 at 6 months and 67/79 at 12 months) showed an increase in total hip BMD of 0.7% in the BN group, whereas the B and C groups lost 1.1% and 2.4% of BMD, respectively, between baseline and 6 months (P=0.071, between groups). There was no change in total body BMD between baseline and 12 months in the BN group, whereas the B group and C group both lost BMD, with C losing more than B (P=0.009). Intention-to-treat analysis was in concordance with the complete cases analyses. CONCLUSION: Protein-and energy-rich supplementation in addition to calcium, vitamin D, and bisphosphonate therapy had additive effects on total body BMD and total hip BMD among elderly hip fracture patients.

Effects of interprofessional education on patient perceived quality of care.

BACKGROUND: Active patient-based learning by working together at an interprofessional clinical education ward (CEW) increases collaborative and professional competence among students. AIM: To assess the patients' perceptions of collaborative and communicative aspects of care when treated by interprofessional student teams as compared to usual care. METHOD: Patients treated by student teams (medical, nurse, physiotherapy and occupational therapy students) at a CEW comprised the intervention group. Patients treated at a regular ward were taken as controls. The patients answered a questionnaire representing collaborative and communicative aspects of care. Questionnaires from CEW (n = 84) and control (n = 62) patients were obtained (82% vs 73% response rates). RESULTS: CEW patients rated a significantly higher grade of own participation in decisions regarding treatment as compared to controls (p = 0.006). They did further rate a higher grade of satisfaction with information regarding need of help at home (p = 0.003) and perceived that the CEW staff had taken their home situation into account at a higher grade in the preparation of discharge (p = 0.0002). Finally, CEW patients felt better informed (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Patients perceived a higher grade of quality of care as compared to controls with no signs of disadvantages when treated and informed by supervised interprofessional student teams.

Healthcare processes must be improved to reduce the occurrence of orthopaedic adverse events.

BACKGROUND: Many nonhealth industries have decades of experiences working with safety systems. Similar systems are also needed in healthcare to improve patient safety. Clinical incident reporting systems in healthcare identify adverse events but seriously underestimate the incidence of adverse events. A wide range of information sources and monitoring techniques are needed to understand and mitigate healthcare risks. AIM: The purpose of this study was to identify patient safety risk factors that can lead to adverse events in adult orthopaedic inpatients. DESIGN: A three-stage structured retrospective patient record review of consecutively admitted patients to the inpatient service of a large, urban Swedish hospital. METHOD: Records for all orthopaedic inpatients admitted during a 2-month period (n = 395) were screened using 12 criteria. Positive records were then reviewed in two stages by orthopaedic surgeons using a standardized protocol. Data were collected from the index admission and from subsequent visits or readmissions within 28 days of discharge. RESULTS: Sixty patients experienced 65 healthcare associated adverse events. Affected patients had a length of hospital stay double that of patients without adverse events. Adverse events were more common in patients undergoing surgical procedures and patients with risk factors for anaesthesia. Although 59 of the adverse events occurred in patients who underwent surgery, only nine of the adverse events were due to deficiencies in surgical/anaesthesia technique. The others were related to deficiencies in healthcare processes. The most common adverse events were hospital acquired infections (n = 20) and delayed detection of urinary retention (n = 13). Six adverse drug events involved elderly patients (≥65 years). CONCLUSION: Orthopaedic care is a high risk activity for its typically elderly, often debilitated patients. Reducing adverse events in orthopaedic patients will require more multidisciplinary, interdepartmental teamwork strategies that focus on healthcare processes outside the operating room.

Muscle strength, gait, and balance in 20 patients with hip osteoarthritis followed for 2 years after THA.

BACKGROUND: Patients with hip osteoarthritis (OA) have muscular weakness, impaired balance, and limp. Deficits in the different limb muscles and their recovery courses are largely unknown, however. We hypothesized that there is persisting muscular weakness in lower limb muscles and an impaired balance and gait 2 years after THA. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 20 elderly patients with unilateral OA were assessed before, and 6 and 24 months after surgery for maximal voluntary isometric strength of hip and knee muscles and by gait analysis, postural stability, and clinical scores (HHS, SF-36, EuroQoL). RESULTS: Hip muscles showed a remaining 6% weakness compared to the contralateral healthy limb 2 years after THA. Preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively, that deficit was 18% and 12%, respectively. Knee extensors fully recovered a preoperative 27% deficit after 2 years. Gait analysis demonstrated a shorter single stance phase for the OA limb compared to healthy limb preoperatively, that had already recovered at the 6-month follow-up. Balance of two-foot standing showed improvement in both sagittal and lateral sway after operation. All clinical scores improved. INTERPRETATION: Muscle strength data demonstrated a slow but full recovery of muscles acting about the knee, but there was still a deficit in hip muscle strength 2 years after THA. Gait and balance recovered after the operation. To accelerate improvement in muscular strength after THA, postoperative training should probably be more intense and target hip abductors.

Does rehabilitation matter in patients with femoral neck fracture and cognitive impairment? A prospective study of 246 patients.

UNLABELLED: Al-Ani AN, Flodin L, Söderqvist A, Ackermann P, Samnegård E, Dalén N, Sääf M, Cederholm T, Hedström M. Does rehabilitation matter in patients with femoral neck fracture and cognitive impairment? A prospective study of 246 patients. OBJECTIVE: To identify factors associated with preserved walking ability and Katz activities of daily living (ADLs) index at 4-month and 12-month follow-up in cognitively impaired patients with femoral neck fracture. DESIGN: Population-based cohort study. SETTING: A multicenter study of the Stockholm Hip Fracture Group including 4 university hospitals. PARTICIPANTS: Consecutive patients (N=246) with femoral neck fracture, older than 65 years (mean, 84y; 72% women) with cognitive impairment (known dementia or low [0-2 points] score) in Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire [0-10 points]) and able to walk before the fracture. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Walking ability and ADLs index at 4-month and 12-month follow-up. RESULTS: Significant predictors of preserved walking ability at 12-month follow-up were discharge to rehabilitation unit (odds ratio [OR]=2.83; confidence interval [CI], 1.1-7.26; P=.03) and walking ability before the fracture (OR=8.98; CI, 3.52-22.93; P<.001), while type of surgery was not (P=.197). Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, fracture type, and surgical method. Corresponding predictors of preserved Katz ADLs index at 12-month follow-up, after adjustment for age and sex, were discharge to rehabilitation unit (OR=5.33; CI, 1.44-19.65; P=.012) and ADLs index before fracture (OR=2.51; CI, 1.8-3.5; P<.001), while type of surgery was not (P=.376). CONCLUSIONS: Discharge to rehabilitation unit, a factor we can influence, was associated with preserved walking ability and ADLs index in cognitively impaired patients with hip fracture.

Bony Bankart is a positive predictive factor after primary shoulder dislocation.

It would be a great advantage if it were possible to categorise the patients with first time dislocations to an initial treatment with the most beneficial outcome. MRI could be a useful method for finding lesions after shoulder dislocation. Fifty-eight patients with traumatic anterior shoulder dislocation were treated by closed reduction and were examined by MRI after a maximum of 2 weeks. The hemarthrosis or effusion present in the joint after the primary dislocation could be used as a contrast for arthrography to identify the lesions present on MRI. At follow-up more than 8 years later, the MRI findings were compared to the shoulder function, shoulder stability, Rowe score and Western Ontario Shoulder Instability Index (WOSI). Besides the age of the patient being above 30, the MRI findings analysed showed that an isolated fracture of the major tubercle, as well as a bony Bankart lesion are prognostic factors for a good functional result and a stable shoulder after a primary dislocation. The glenoid rim fracture was only detected on plain radiographs in 6 out of 10 findings on MRI. MRI findings of a gleniod rim fracture, equal to a bony Bankart lesion, were found to be a prognostic factor for stability and a good functional outcome.

Gender differences and cognitive aspects on functional outcome after hip fracture--a 2 years' follow-up of 2,134 patients.

BACKGROUND: hip fractures as well as cognitive dysfunction become increasingly prevalent in growing ageing populations. Hip fractures are approximately three times more common in elderly women. OBJECTIVE: we analysed outcome after hip fracture with respect to gender and cognitive function. DESIGN: population-based, prospective cohort study. SETTING: four university hospitals in Stockholm, Sweden. SUBJECTS: a total of 2,134 consecutive patients admitted with hip fracture during 2003. METHODS: gender differences in residence, walking ability and activity of daily living (ADL) were analysed at baseline, after 4 and 24 months in patients with and without intact cognitive function. RESULTS: women were older, more often living alone and had poorer walking ability (P < 0.001). Cognitive dysfunction was equally common by gender. Women were more often treated with a prosthesis (P < 0.001) and sent to rehabilitation (P < 0.001). In the cognitive dysfunction group, men had more co-morbidity (P < 0.001) and total loss of walking ability (P = 0.03), but more often resided in own homes (P = 0.03). There was no gender difference in ADL. CONCLUSION: men had a higher risk for loss of walking ability and death only in patients with cognitive dysfunction. Cognitive function was the most important factor for returning to own home and regain pre-fracture function.

Quality of life after dislocation of hip arthroplasty: a prospective cohort study on 319 patients with femoral neck fractures with a one-year follow-up.

PURPOSE: A primary arthroplasty constitutes a standard procedure in the treatment of patients with displaced fractures of the femoral neck. Although dislocation of the prosthesis remains a significant clinical problem, there are no previous reports on its influence on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). We analysed how a dislocation of the hip arthroplasty influenced the patients' HRQoL. METHODS: In total 319 consecutive patients with a displaced fracture of the femoral neck treated with a primary arthroplasty were included in a prospective cohort study. We used a mixed-effects model regression analysis to evaluate factors of importance for HRQoL (EQ-5D(index) score) during the first 12 months following surgery. RESULTS: A dislocation of the arthroplasty occurred in 21 of the 319 patients (7%), 8 of whom had a single dislocation and 13 recurrent dislocations. At 4 months, the EQ-5D(index) score displayed a significantly worse outcome for patients with recurrent dislocations compared to patients with no dislocation (P = 0.001), and a trend towards a worse outcome for patients with a single dislocation (P = 0.08). At 12 months, the mean EQ-5D(index) score of patients with recurrent dislocations was still substantially lower (P = 0.001), while the EQ-5D(index) score for patients with a single dislocation had returned to a level similar to that of patients with no dislocation. Our analysis of the EQ-5D dimensions indicates that the difference was mainly due to perceived difficulties in self-care and usual activities and increased problems with anxiety/depression. CONCLUSIONS: A recurrent dislocation of the hip arthroplasty in the treatment of patients with femoral neck fractures seems to result in a persisting deterioration in the HRQoL, while patients with a single dislocation seem to experience only a temporary deterioration.

Prediction of mortality in elderly patients with hip fractures: a two-year prospective study of 1,944 patients.

BACKGROUND: Hip fracture patients are reported to have an increased mortality rate compared to the general population. In order to be able to reduce the morbidity and mortality after a hip fracture, our efforts to identify the patients at risk already upon admission to the hospital need to be increased. For such a risk assessment, robust, validated, and reproducible criteria are mandatory. OBJECTIVE: To determine preoperative factors associated with mortality and to evaluate the combined use of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) and the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ) to identify patients with an increased mortality rate and to create a predictive model to assess the mortality risk after hip fracture surgery. METHODS: A total of 1,944 consecutive patients aged 66 years or older admitted for a hip fracture were included in a prospective cohort study with a 24-month follow-up. The patients were assessed with regard to gender, age, type of hip fracture, smoking habits, comorbidities, general physical health according to the ASA classification, and cognitive function according to the SPMSQ. A higher ASA score indicates an increasingly severe systemic disease and a lower SPMSQ score indicates an increasingly severe cognitive dysfunction. We used Cox proportional hazard models and classification trees to identify the factors associated with mortality. The predictive model was created based on factors that were significantly associated with death and all readily accessible upon admission. RESULTS: The mortality rate during the acute hospitalization period was 4%, at 4 months 16%, and at 24 months 38%. The most prominent factors associated with mortality were high ASA scores, low SPMSQ scores, high age and male gender. The SPMSQ score provided additional information about the survival time, compared to when the ASA score was used alone. CONCLUSION: The combined use of the ASA classification for assessing physical health and the SPMSQ for assessing cognitive function effectively identified hip fracture patients with an increased mortality rate. We present a predictive model including age, gender, ASA, and SPMSQ that can be used to assess the mortality risk after hip fracture surgery.

The Western Ontario Shoulder Instability Index (WOSI): validity, reliability, and responsiveness retested with a Swedish translation.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The WOSI score questionnaire is a tool designed for self-assessment of shoulder function for patients with instability problems. We made a translation into Swedish and retested the score by analyzing the psychometric properties validity, reliability, and responsiveness. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 3 patient materials were used for the assessment: (A) a follow-up on a group of 32 patients more than 8 years after having primary posttraumatic shoulder dislocation. Evaluation of Pearson's correlation coefficient between WOSI and Rowe score and for test-retest reliability was made; (B) 22 patients, treated with a surgical stabilization of the shoulder at our department, were evaluated with Pearson's correlation coefficient between WOSI and EQ-5D, and between WOSI and a VAS-scale of general shoulder function. Also, Cronbach's alpha, effect size, and floor, and ceiling effects were analyzed; (C) 45 students with healthy shoulders (reference group) had their WOSI score determined. RESULTS: The construct validity (Pearson's correlation coefficient) was adequate (0.59) between the WOSI score and the Rowe score. The agreement with an ICC value (test-retest) for the WOSI score was excellent (0.94). Cronbach's alpha (internal consistency) was satisfactory, with 0.89 preoperatively and 0.95 postoperatively. All 22 patients in group B reported improvement in the WOSI score (mean 29%). Responsiveness was excellent, with an effect size of 1.67 for the WOSI score. There were no floor or ceiling effects for the Swedish WOSI score. The mean WOSI score from group C with 45 normal healthy shoulders was 96%, with no floor but high ceiling effects. INTERPRETATION: WOSI score does not require an examination of the patient and can be administered by mail. The high ICC and sensitivity makes it able to monitor an individual patient's progress. At this retest, the WOSI score has good validity, a high degree of reliability, and a high degree of responsiveness, all at the same level as in the original publication. We recommend the WOSI when evaluating patients with instability problems.

Quality of life after a subtrochanteric fracture: a prospective cohort study on 87 elderly patients.

BACKGROUND: The subtrochanteric fracture constitutes approximately 5-10% of all hip fractures. This particular fracture type, owing to its configuration and instability, poses significant challenges to the fixation method, especially in elderly patients with varying degrees of osteoporosis. There has been a gradual change in the operative techniques used to stabilise these fractures leading to the current widespread use of cephalomedullary nails. In contrast to the field of research on patients with the more common femoral neck and trochanteric fractures, few studies have evaluated the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with subtrochanteric fractures. OBJECTIVE: To report the long-term outcome for patients with subtrochanteric fractures treated with a cephalomedullary nail with special regard to the HRQoL. SETTING: Four university hospitals. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study with a 2-year follow-up. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighty-seven consecutive elderly patients with a subtrochanteric fracture treated with a cephalomedullary nail. Main outcome measurements were mortality rate, reoperation rate, pain at the hip, walking ability, activities of daily living (ADL) function and HRQoL assessed with the EQ-5D (EQ-5D(index) score). RESULTS: The EQ-5D(index) score decreased from 0.73 before fracture to 0.53 at 4 and 12 months and to 0.52 at 24 months. At the final follow-up 80% of the patients reported no or only limited pain at the hip, 46% had regained their prefracture walking ability, 48% their prefracture level of ADL function and 71% had living conditions similar to those before the fracture. The reoperation rate was 8%. The mortality rate was 8% at 4 months, 14% at 12 months and 25% at 24 months. CONCLUSIONS: A subtrochanteric fracture in elderly patients had a substantial negative effect on both their short and long-term HRQoL. Although pain at the hip was not a major problem there was an obvious deterioration in walking ability and ADL function. However, the rate of revision surgery was comparatively low which confirms that the cephalomedullary nail constitutes a safe treatment for elderly patients with a subtrochanteric fracture. The data on HRQoL obtained in this study can be used in future healthcare evaluations and to calculate quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs).

Validity and responsiveness of the test of athletes with knee injuries: the new criterion based functional performance test instrument.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the validity and responsiveness of the new criterion-based test instrument test for athletes with knee-injuries (TAK) which has been evaluated for reliability in an earlier study. Thirty-five subjects between 18 and 50 years were included in the study. They were all anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)-reconstructed and operated with hamstrings graft. The test-occasions were at 4 and 8 months after operation. The content validity of the TAK was evaluated by determining floor and ceiling effects 4 and 8 months after ACL-operation. Floor or ceiling effects <30% were considered acceptable. The criterion validity was evaluated by implementing correlations between the TAK and the two common used validated and reliable scores, the International Knee Documentation Committee Subjective Knee Form (IKDC) and the Short Form-36 (SF-36). To evaluate the construct validity the performance of the eight tests of the TAK was compared to the performance of the healthy leg that represented normal ability. The hypothesis was that the patient and the physiotherapist who assessed the knee function decreased compared to the healthy leg would have a lower score of the TAK. The responsiveness of the TAK was evaluated by comparing the effect size of the test-instruments between 4 and 8 months after the operation. At 4 months after operation there were no floor or ceiling effects in any of the eight tests in TAK, except in "Test IV-patients' assessment" and in "Test I-physiotherapist's assessment" that both demonstrated a ceiling effects of 31%. At 8 months there were ceiling effects in five of the eight tests in "TAK-patients' assessment" and in all eight tests assessed by the physiotherapist. IKDC/sport activities had ceiling effects in five of the nine activities at 4 months and in all of them at 8 months. SF-36/scale physical functioning had no floor or ceiling effect neither 4 nor 8 months after operation. At 4 months postoperatively the correlation between the TAK/patients' assessment and IKDC/sport activities was moderate (0.59), while the correlation between TAK/physiotherapist's assessment and IKDC/sport activities was low (0.47). At the same test-occasion there were moderate correlations between SF-36/scale physical functioning and TAK/patients' assessment and TAK/physiotherapist's assessment (0.61 and 0.57), respectively. At eight months the correlations were moderate within all areas except between TAK/patients' assessment and IKDC/sport activities where the correlation was high (0.70). Construct validity for TAK was good seeing that all of the tests showed significant differences between the operated and the healthy non-operated leg (P

Reduced muscle radiological density, cross-sectional area, and strength of major hip and knee muscles in 22 patients with hip osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Patients with hip osteoarthritis (OA) typically suffer joint pain, and often experience muscular weakness. We hypothesized that substantial atrophy would manifest in multiple muscle groups along the affected limb, resulting in severe muscle dysfunction. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We assessed 22 elderly patients with unilateral OA for maximal voluntary isometric strength of hip and knee muscles using a dynamometer that was developed for the purpose. Cross-sectional area (CSA) and radiological density (RD; in Hounsfield units: HU) of hip and knee muscles were assessed using CT. We determined SF-36, HHS, and EQ-5D. RESULTS: Hip extension, flexion, adduction, abduction, and knee extension strength were reduced (11- 29%; p < 0.01) in the OA limb relative to the healthy limb. Muscle CSA of hip extensors, flexors, adductors, knee extensors and flexors, but not hip abductors, was reduced (11-19%; p < 0.01) in the OA limb, where RD of all muscle groups except hip flexors was reduced (5-15 HU; p < 0.01). The clinical scores confirmed impairment. INTERPRETATION: Major muscles functioning around the hip and knee showed substantial loss of strength and mass, which contributes to the reduced ambulatory capacity of OA patients. Reduced muscle CSA could not fully explain the loss in strength. Infiltration with fat or other non-contractile components, as indicated by a reduced RD, in OA limb muscles was substantial.

Reliability of a criterion-based test of athletes with knee injuries; where the physiotherapist and the patient independently and simultaneously assess the patient's performance.

UNLABELLED: A new criterion-based evaluation test method, has been developed in order to assess the functional ability of athletes with knee injuries, 'Tests for Athletes with Knee-injuries' (TAK). The physiotherapist and the patient assess independently and simultaneously the patient's performance. The TAK comprises eight demanding functional activities with emphasis on strength, stability, springiness and endurance. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the inter-rater and intra-rater reliability of TAK between the physiotherapist's and the patient's assessments. Further, to evaluate the relation between the functional tests in TAK and the isokinetic quadriceps muscle strength. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-nine subjects were included in the study. Thirty-one were anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructed, fourteen were ACL-injured not reconstructed and fourteen were healthy athletes. The inter-rater-reliability was evaluated by assessments of 59 subjects carried out by two independent physiotherapists using visual observation. The assessment was rated on a 0-10-point scale according to five elaborate criteria drawn up for each test. Simultaneously, the subjects were asked to rate their own performance on each test using a 0-10-point scale. The intra-rater-reliability of TAK was evaluated by a test-retest of 31 patients. The relation between the physiotherapist's and the patients' ratings as well as of the patients' ratings at two different occasions were evaluated. Isokinetic quadriceps muscle strength was measured in a Biodex dynamometer on all 59 subjects in order to study the relation between quadriceps muscle strength and the results of the functional tests in TAK. RESULTS: Inter-rater-reliability showed good consistency between the assessments of the two physiotherapists in seven of eight tests (kappa = 0.62-0.78). The intra-rater-reliability was moderate to good (kappa = 0.43-0.65) in the test-retest study. The consistency of the physiotherapist and the patients' assessments differed, but showed good correlation. The consistency of the test-retest study of the patients' assessment was low. The correlation between the isokinetic quadriceps muscle strength measured in a Biodex dynamometer and the results of the functional tests was moderate in this study. CONCLUSIONS: This criterion-based test method for athletes with knee injuries showed good inter-rater reliability and acceptable intra-rater reliability for the physiotherapists' assessment. The consistency of the patients' ratings was low. The correlation between isokinetic quadriceps muscle strength and functional tests in TAK was moderate. The validity has not been evaluated in this study but will be done in the future.

Test methods to detect hip and knee muscle weakness and gait disturbance in patients with hip osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate test methods for hip and knee muscle weakness and gait disturbance. DESIGN: Test-retest. SETTING: Orthopedic university clinic. PARTICIPANTS: Ten young (age, 36+/-6 y) and 13 elderly (age, 69+/-8 y) healthy volunteers and 11 patients (age, 69+/-8 y) with unilateral hip osteoarthritis (OA) were tested for muscular strength. Twenty-five volunteers (age, 42+/-14 y) underwent gait analysis. INTERVENTIONS: A dynamometer assessing maximal voluntary isometric force of hip and knee muscles and an optosensor walkway detecting limp were developed. Tests evaluated reproducibility and tolerance in patients with OA and elderly subjects. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Relative coefficient of variation (CV%) and force (in newtons). RESULTS: CV% for unilateral strength measurements ranged from 7% to 12% for specific muscle groups. CV% for gait parameters ranged from 4% to 8%, except for the double-support phase. Tests were well tolerated, and no patient had to discontinue because of fatigue. Differences related to sex, age, and disease were detected. CONCLUSIONS: Our dynamometer system provides reliable measurements of hip and knee muscle strength in young and old people, and variation is comparable to previous data. Our photocell technique for gait analysis is reliable in people with normal gait. Both methods are attractive because they are affordable, nonstationary, and easy to use.

Gross osteolytic tibia tunnel widening with the use of Gore-Tex anterior cruciate ligament prosthesis: a radiological, arthrometric and clinical evaluation of 17 patients 13-15 years after surgery.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative widening of the bone tunnels have been found after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using autologus bone-patellar tendon-bone or hamstring tendon grafts. These changes seem to be of no clinical significance in a short to midterm follow-up. We investigated if a synthetic graft evokes the same bone tunnel widening and if it is of clinical significance in a longterm follow-up. METHODS: We examined 17 patients, 13-15 years after their anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using a Gore-Tex ligament prosthesis. The follow-up consisted of clinical examination, K-1000 arthrometric measurement, Tegner, Lysholm and IKDC scores, and CT examination of their tibia bone tunnels. 6 patients had been reoperated before follow-up, 3 because of graft rupture and 3 because of effusion and/or pain. RESULTS: 5 patients were graded as normal (n = 2) or nearly normal according to the IKDC score, and 4 of these patients still had their Gore-Tex prosthesis intact. 15 of the patients had a tibia bone tunnel wider than the drilled 7.9 mm diameter, ranging from 9.6 to 26 mm. These changes in the bone tunnels were in some cases without symptoms and could not be detected with arthroscopy, clinical examination, arthrometry or evaluation scores. We do not know whether they are progressive. INTERPRETATION: Based on our findings, we recommend that patients who have had a Gore-Tex anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction should be examined not only clinically or by questionnaire, but also with CT.

Positive effects of short-term growth hormone treatment on lean body mass and BMC after a hip fracture: a double-blind placebo-controlled pilot study in 20 patients.

BACKGROUND: A catabolic state develops after a hip fracture, with loss of muscle and bone tissue. Growth hormone (GH) treatment has been shown to exert anabolic effects during other catabolic states. We investigated whether GH given postoperatively to elderly hip fracture patients could increase serum insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and reduce the loss of lean body mass and bone mineral content (BMC) without considerable side effects. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We randomized 20 patients operated on for a hip fracture to a double-blind placebo-controlled 4-week study with daily subcutaneous injections of GH or placebo. The patients were followed for another 2 months after termination of GH treatment. RESULTS: Serum IGF-I and the IGF-I binding protein 1 (IGFBP-1) were measured by specific radioimmunoassay (RIA) technique. BMC and lean body mass were assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and quantitative computed tomography. Serum IGF-I increased significantly during GH treatment, which also preserved lean body mass and BMC without serious adverse events.

Reconstruction of acute anterior cruciate ligament injuries: a prospective, randomised study of 40 patients with 7-year follow-up. No advantage of synthetic augmentation compared to a traditional patellar tendon graft.

BACKGROUND: In a prospective, randomised study, we compared the results of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using the conventional medial patellar tendon strip procedure with the Kennedy ligament augmentation device (LAD) over-the-top augmentation technique. The aim of the study was to see if the addition of this device, with its specific potential complications (infection, synovitis, mechanical failure) and increased costs, gave better functional stability and less donor site morbidity. METHODS: Forty patients ( n=20+20) with high physical demands, anterior cruciate ligament rupture less than 3 weeks old, and positive Lachman and pivot shift tests were included in the study. They were randomised by instructions in a sealed envelope that was randomly chosen. Postoperatively, they were immobilised in a plaster of Paris cast for 2 weeks. Full weight-bearing was not allowed until 6 weeks after the operation. Strength training on the operated side started when movement was restored to nearly normal, usually after 8-10 weeks. Return to full sport activity was allowed 1 year after the operation. Clinical and arthrometric follow-up was performed yearly using the Lysholm functional score, Tegner activity score, KT-1000 testing, Lachman and pivot shift tests. Follow-up lasted 3-9 years (mean 7 years). RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: At last follow-up we found no statistical difference in stability tests, functional or activity scores; both groups showed stable improvement concerning scores and arthrometry compared with the preoperative values. No advantages were associated with the use of the Kennedy LAD, and we do not recommend it or a similar device for uncomplicated cases. New augmentation devices are simply launched onto the market, and we recommend caution and thorough evaluation in prospective, randomised studies before they are adopted into use.