Efficacy of Kinesio® tapes in obstetrical brachial plexus injury: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of Kinesio® tape application associated to exercise in patients with obstetric brachial plexus injury (OBPI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety patients with Erb-Duchenne palsy secondary to OBPI participated in a 3-month study, in 2 groups; study group (n = 50) and control group (n = 40). Both followed the same physical therapy program, while the study group also received Kinesio® taping over the scapula and forearm. The patients were evaluated, pre- and post-treatment, using the Modified Mallet Classification (MMC), Active Movement Scale (AMS), and active range of motion (ROM) of the plegic side. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant intergroup differences in age, gender, birth weight or plegic side (p > 0.05), or in pre-treatment MMC and AMS scores (p > 0.05). There were significant differences in favor of the study group for Mallet 2 (external rotation) (p = 0.012), Mallet 3 (hand on the back of the neck) (p < 0.001), Mallet 4 (hand on the back) (p = 0.001) and total Mallet score (p = 0.025), and for AMS shoulder flexion (p = 0.004) and elbow flexion (p < 0.001). ROM results before and after treatment (within groups) showed significant improvement in both groups (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Since this a was a preliminary study, the results should be interpreted with caution in terms of clinical efficacy. The results suggest that associating Kinesio® taping to conventional treatment helps functional development in patients with OBPI.'

Effects of serum vitamin D level on ventricular repolarization in children and adolescents.

OBJECTIVES: Low levels of vitamin D are known to increase cardiovascular mortality due to different risks. We aimed to examine whether low vitamin D levels in children and adolescents cause ventricular repolarization changes. METHODS: Sixtyseven healthy cases aged between 3.5 and 17 years were included. According to levels of vitamin D, cases were grouped as sufficient (n=44), insufficient (n=13) and deficiency (n=10). Ventricular repolarization parameters were measured manually. RESULTS: Levels of vitamin D were different for cases with insufficiency and deficiency compared to sufficiency ones (102±54.9 vs 24.4±7 ng/ml, p<0.001 and 102±54.9 vs 16.6±8.3 ng/ml, respectively, p<0.001). In the insufficient group the following parameters were different from sufficient group: QTmean (357.8±25.3 vs 332±29.9 ms, p=0.012), JTc (310.8±20.2 vs 331.6±21 ms, p=0.005) and Tpe/QT (0.2±0.02 vs 0.22±0.02, p=0.02). It was found that the level of serum vitamin D correlated with JTc (r=-0.37, p=0.002), Tp-e (r=-0.29, p=0.015) and Tp-e/QT (r=-0.24, p=0.047). In the linear regression analysis, it was found that dropping level of vitamin D below normal was an independent risk factor for prolonged duration of JTc (p=0.015). CONCLUSIONS: Decline in vitamin D levels causes ventricular repolarization anomaly. As the decrease in vitamin D levels deepens, repolarization times become longer. These results could indicate that decrease in vitamin D levels can increase sensitivity to ventricular arrhythmias (Tab. 3, Ref. 45). Text in PDF www.elis.sk Keywords: adolescent, arrhythmia, child, vitamin D, ventricular repolarization.

Evaluation of electrocardiographic ventricular repolarization parameters in extreme obesity.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The risk of sudden death and cardiac arrhythmia increases in morbidly obese patients. We aimed to evaluate the marker of arrhythmias such as Tp-e/QT, Tp-e/QTc, Tp-e/JT and Tp-e/JTc ratios in extreme obesity. METHODS: The study included 41 extremely obese patients and 41 control subjects. QTmax, QTmin, QRS, JT and Tp-e intervals were measured od 12­lead electrocardiographies. In addition, Tp-e/QT, Tp-e/QTc, Tp-e/JT and Tp-e/JTc rates and QTc, cQTd and JTc intervals were calculated. RESULTS: Tp-e interval (79.2 ±â€¯9.7 ms (milisecond) vs. 68.6 ±â€¯8.1, p < 0.001), QTc interval (395.9 ±â€¯18.8 vs. 377.9 ±â€¯19.3 ms, p < 0.001), JTc interval (317.1 ±â€¯27.0 vs. 297.4 ±â€¯23.2 ms, p = 0.001), Tp-e/QT ratio (0.22 ±â€¯0.03vs. 0.19 ±â€¯0.02, p < 0.001), Tp-e/QTc ratio (0.20 ±â€¯0.26vs. 0.18 ±â€¯0.02, p = 0.001), Tp-e/JT ratio (0.29 ±â€¯0.04 vs. 0.25 ±â€¯0.03, p < 0.001), TPe/JTc ratio (0.25 ±â€¯0.04 vs. 0.23 ±â€¯0.03, p = 0.018), QTd (32.8 ±â€¯10 vs.15 ±â€¯6.4 ms, p < 0.001) and cQTd (70.0 ±â€¯30.1 vs. 31.3 ±â€¯22.4 ms, p < 0.001) were significantly higher in obese patients. CONCLUSION: Compared to healthy subjects potential ECG repolarization predictors were significantly increased in extremely obese patients.