Osteopathy and physiotherapy compared to physiotherapy alone on fatigue in long COVID: Study protocol for a pragmatic randomized controlled superiority trial.

Objective: Fatigue is among the most common symptoms of the long-term effects of coronavirus (long COVID). This study aims to compare the effectiveness of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) combined with physiotherapy treatment (PT) compared to PT alone on fatigue and functional limitations after two months post randomization in adults with long COVID. Methods: This is a study protocol for a two-arm, assessor-blinded, pragmatic randomized controlled superiority trial. Seventy-six participants will be randomly allocated to OMT + PT or PT. The PT includes usual care interventions including motor and respiratory exercises targeting cardiorespiratory and skeletal muscle functions. The OMT entails direct and indirect musculoskeletal, viceral and cranial techniques. Patients will be evaluated before and after a 2-month intervention program, and at 3-month follow-up session. Primary objectives comprise fatigue and functional limitations at 2-month post randomization as assessed by the fatigue severity scale and the Post-COVID Functional State scale. Secondary objectives comprise fatigue and functional limitations at 3 months, and the perceived change post-treatment as assessed by the Perceived Change Scale (PCS-patient). Registration: This protocol was registered (NCT05012826) and received ethical approval (38342520.7.0000.5235). Participant recruitment began in August 2021 and is expected to conclude in July 2023. Publication of the results is anticipated in 2023.

Central Sensitization Inventory is a useless instrument for detection of the impairment of the conditioned pain modulation in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain.

OBJECTIVE: The current study aimed to evaluate the concurrent validity and the diagnostic accuracy of the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) in detecting the impairment of the pain modulation in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 267 patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain enrolled consecutively in an outpatient department. The CSI (index method) were compared with the cold pressor test, which was the psychophysical test used to assess the conditioned pain modulation (CPM), (reference standard). Spearman's correlations assessed the concurrent validity, and measurements of the diagnostic accuracy were performed. RESULTS: Ninety-three (34.8%) patients had CSI scores≥40. No significant correlation was found between CSI findings and the results of the CPT (dorsal forearm site or tibialis anterior site) was found. The cutoff point of 40 of the CSI showed values of sensitivity (35.1%, 95% CI: 22.6, 49.3) and specificity (65.2%, 95% CI: 58.4, 71.6) below 70%, and an accuracy of 59.1 (95% CI: 53.0, 65.1) when compared to the CPT to detect deficit. The ROC curve analysis yielded an area under the curve of 0.54 (95% CI: 0.45, 0.63, P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The CSI is a useless instrument to detect the deficit in the CPM in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain due to the absence of correlation with the psychophysical test result and the insufficient measurements of diagnostic accuracy.

'Believe the positive' aggregation of fall risk assessment methods reduces the detection of risk of falling in older adults.

OBJECTIVES: Screening programs for fall prevention in older adults may include several assessment methods. This study investigated the validity of aggregating fall risk assessment methods for stratifying the risk of falling in older adults. METHODS: This secondary data analysis included 52 community-dwelling residents aged [median (interquartile range)] 74 (69-80) years. Fall occurrences were registered prospectively for six months, with 9 (17%) participants reporting at least one fall during follow-up. The fall risk assessment included the Berg Balance Scale (BBS); polypharmacy (POLY); Falls Risk Assessment Score (FRAS); Fall Risk Assessment Tool (FRAT-up); Falls Efficacy Scale (FES); and posturography with the Wii Balance Board (WBB). Aggregation of methods' results was performed according to the risk classification ('high risk' or 'low risk') assigned by their respective cut-off values under the 'believe the positive' (BP) strategy. RESULTS: Aggregating 1 (POLY), 2 (+BBS), 3 (+FES), 4 (+FRAT-up), 5 (+FRAS), and 6 (+BBS) methods resulted in a monotonic decrease of several validity indices including (index [95% confidence interval]) diagnostic odds ratio (10.82 [2.38-54.28] to 0.59 [0.12-2.09]) and accuracy (0.67 [0.54-0.78] to 0.20 [0.11-0.31]). CONCLUSIONS: Aggregating fall risk assessment methods-BBS, POLY, FRAS, FRAT-up, FES, WBB-under the BP strategy does not increase the validity of stratification of the risk of falling in older adults.

A influência da Fisioterapia na redução da intensidade da dor e no efeito global percebido de pacientes com dores musculoesqueléticas / The influence of the Physiotherapy on pain reduction and global perceived effect of patients with musculoskeletal pain

A melhora clí­nica do paciente com dores musculoesqueléticas (DME) deve ser monitorada em conjunto com a percepção do paciente sobre o efeito do tratamento, apesar da falta de informação sobre esse tema. Objetivo: Analisar a influência do tratamento fisioterápico na redução da intensidade da dor e no efeito global percebido de pacientes com DME. Métodos: Foi realizado um estudo observacional analí­tico retrospectivo em 61 pacientes com DME que responderam uma questão relacionada í intensidade de dor e outra questão sobre o efeito global percebido do tratamento fisioterápico. A intensidade de dor medida após 10 meses de acompanhamento foi comparada aos valores iniciais. Resultados: Os participantes eram predominantemente mulheres (83,3%) adultas (média de idade de 59,6 anos). A média de intensidade da dor na avaliação inicial foi de 6,4 (± 2,7), com média de tempo de dor de 20,3 meses. A média de intensidade de dor após o contato telefônico foi de 4,37 (± 3,9). A análise do efeito global percebido evidenciou melhora na maioria dos participantes (16,7% completamente recuperados; 39,7% melhoraram muito, 26,7% melhoraram pouco). Conclusão: Pacientes com DME apresentaram redução da intensidade da dor e melhora no efeito global percebido após um programa de Fisioterapia. (AU)

The clinical improvement of the patient with musculoskeletal pain (MP) should be monitored together with the perception of the patient about the treatment effect, despite the lack of information on this subject. Objective: To analyze the influence of physiotherapeutic treatment on the pain reduction and global perceived effect in patients with MP. Methods: A retrospective observational analytic study was performed in 61 patients with MP that answered a question about their pain intensity and another question about the global perceived effect of the physical therapy treatment. The pain intensity measured after 10 months of follow-up was compared to the initial values. Results: Participants were predominantly female (83.3%) adults (mean age 59.6 years old). The mean pain intensity at the initial evaluation was 6.4 (± 2.7), with a mean of pain time of 20.3 months. The mean pain intensity after telephone contact was 4.37 (± 3.9). The analysis of the global perceived effect evidenced improvement in most of the participants (16.7% completely recovered, 39.7% much improved, 26.7% slightly improved). Conclusion: Patients with MP showed pain reduction and improvement on the global perceived effect after a Physiotherapy treatment. (AU)