Patients' Buying Behavior for Non-Reimbursed Off-Loading Devices Used in Diabetic Foot Ulcer Treatment-An Observational Study during COVID-19 Pandemic from a Romanian Physical Therapy Unit.

Diabetic foot ulcer non-reimbursed treatment depends on multiple factors, including the patient's buying behaviors. Factors affecting buying behaviors for the removable off-loading devices are not completely understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the patients' buying behaviors of the removable off-loading devices and their influence on the DFU treatment outcomes remotely monitored during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this prospective observational study, 45 patients affected by diabetic peripheral neuropathy, with/without peripheral arterial disease, with foot ulcers treated with removable devices were remotely monitored. Prefabricated removable cast walkers, insoles, and therapeutic footwear were the proposed off-loading methods. Patients affected by high blood pressure (p = 0.018), peripheral arterial disease (p = 0.029), past amputations (p = 0.018), and ulcer on the left foot (p = 0.007) bought removable cast walkers. Rural provenience (p = 0.011) and male (p = 0.034) did not buy a removable walker. The healing rate was 69.4%, while the median healing time was 20 weeks. High blood pressure negatively influenced healing time (p = 0.020). Patients who bought the most efficient treatment method for DFUs were females from urban provenience, with amputation in the past, with peripheral arterial disease, and with high blood pressure.

Ophthalmic Vein Thrombosis Associated with Factor V Leiden and MTHFR Mutations.

Superior ophthalmic vein thrombosis (SOVT) is a rare clinical entity that may be associated with hypercoagulability status. We present a case of a 77-year-old woman who presented to the emergency department complaining of eye ptosis, chemosis and conjunctival congestion in the right eye (RE). The ophthalmological examination revealed best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was 0.5 for the right eye (RE) 0.5 and 0.06 for the left eye (LE). Intraocular pressure (IOP) was 25 mmHg in RE and 14 mmHg in LE. Non-contrast computed tomography (CT) of the brain and orbits revealed a hyperreflectivity at the level of the right ophthalmic vein and inferior rectus muscle hypertrophy. An extensive hypercoagulable panel was completed and we found a positive result for Factor V Leiden (heterozygous mutation) and methyl-enetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR-C677T homozygous mutations). Systemic steroidal anti-inflammatory and anticoagulant treatments were started immediately. Gradual resolution of symptoms was noted during the hospitalization, and BCVA in her RE was established at 0.7 at the 10-week follow-up.

Social Insurance Physician Burnout-Stress Factors and Coping Strategies.

Background and Objective Burnout syndrome is well-documented and highly prevalent among healthcare professionals. The literature search found studies mainly aimed at front-line medical specialties, cardiologists, or physicians working in intensive care units. Workload and work conditions favor the occurrence of burnout syndrome among social insurance physicians, with many consequences on health status and a decrease in the quality of their work. We aimed to assess the degree of vulnerability to developing burnout syndrome, factors associated with stress, and coping strategies at social insurance physicians. Materials and Methods: Social insurance physicians working in territorial services for medical assessment of work capacity from Romania participated in the study. An observational study was performed to describe the extent of the exhaustion syndrome among social insurance physicians (SIPhs). Three questionnaires were filled out by the participants: a short version of MBI-HSS to analyze the degree of burnout, an interview with specific questions for the source of stress and Brief-COPE for stress control. Brief demographic data were also collected. Data were statistically analyzed with appropriate tests using PSPP software. Results: Seventy-four physicians were included in the study. Fifty-six were females (75.7%) and twenty-eight (38%) had moderate or high burnout and cognitive distortions with depression resulting as a major side-effect (p < 0.001). Professional factors, mainly deadline pressure (p < 0.001) and high workload (p = 0.012), have emerged as contributing factors to burnout syndrome. Mental disengagement (p = 0.001), active coping (p = 0.006), and acceptance (p = 0.014) would improve stress control. Conclusion: More than two-thirds of social insurance physicians had moderate and high burnout syndrome. The development of strategies to standardize workload was identified as an important action area, along with the long-term preservation of health status and professional performance.

Club Cells-A Guardian against Occupational Hazards.

Club cells have a distinct role in the epithelial repair and defense mechanisms of the lung. After exposure to environmental pollutants, during chronic exposure, the secretion of club cells secretory protein (CCSP) decreases. Exposure to occupational hazards certainly has a role in a large number of interstitial lung diseases. According to the American Thoracic Society and the European Respiratory Society, around 40% of the all interstitial lung disease is attributed to occupational hazards. Some of them are very well characterized (pneumoconiosis, hypersensitivity pneumonitis), whereas others are consequences of acute exposure (e.g., paraquat) or persistent exposure (e.g., isocyanate). The category of vapors, gases, dusts, and fumes (VGDF) has been proven to produce subclinical modifications. The inflammation and altered repair process resulting from the exposure to occupational respiratory hazards create vicious loops of cooperation between epithelial cells, mesenchymal cells, innate defense mechanisms, and immune cells. The secretions of club cells modulate the communication between macrophages, epithelial cells, and fibroblasts mitigating the inflammation and/or reducing the fibrotic process. In this review, we describe the mechanisms by which club cells contribute to the development of interstitial lung diseases and the potential role for club cells as biomarkers for occupational-related fibrosis.

A Heart Rate Step Function Response Method for the Evaluation of Pulse Wave Velocity as a Predictor of Major Adverse Cardio-Vascular Events.

Background and Objectives: Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of death worldwide, and pulse wave velocity (PWV) is considered a predictor of major adverse cardiovascular events. The study intended to be helpful in finding methods for the preliminary assessment of PWV in primary care units. Materials and Methods: The study group consisted of 36 subjects (considered healthy by their own statement) from the medical field (medicine students and residents) aged between 20 and 30 years: 33.3% males and 66.7% females. Two types of measurements were carried out successively: (a) measurements with the arteriograph and (b) measurements on a treadmill effort testing system, where heart rate (HR) was measured over time as a response to step function physical effort (PE). Results: The study allowed for the highlighting of some limits which, if exceeded, can be associated with high PWV values: (i) if after a moderate PE and a resting time of at least 6 min, the HR is larger than 80 b/min; (ii) if the relaxation time in a PE test of moderate intensity is larger than 1 min; (iii) if the HR measured after the subject is raised from the supine to orthostatic position is larger than 100 b/min, and (iv) if the resting HR is larger than 80 b/min. Conclusions: Steady-state HR correlates with PWV and may be used for the preliminary assessment of PWV.

The Role of Hypomagnesemia in Cardiac Arrhythmias: A Clinical Perspective.

The importance of magnesium (Mg2+), a micronutrient implicated in maintaining and establishing a normal heart rhythm, is still controversial. It is known that magnesium is the cofactor of 600 and the activator of another 200 enzymatic reactions in the human organism. Hypomagnesemia can be linked to many factors, causing disturbances in energy metabolism, ion channel exchanges, action potential alteration and myocardial cell instability, all mostly leading to ventricular arrhythmia. This review article focuses on identifying evidence-based implications of Mg2+ in cardiac arrhythmias. The main identified benefits of magnesemia correction are linked to controlling ventricular response in atrial fibrillation, decreasing the recurrence of ventricular ectopies and stopping episodes of the particular form of ventricular arrhythmia called torsade de pointes. Magnesium has also been described to have beneficial effects on the incidence of polymorphic ventricular tachycardia and supraventricular tachycardia. The implication of hypomagnesemia in the genesis of atrial fibrillation is well established; however, even if magnesium supplementation for rhythm control, cardioversion facility or cardioversion success/recurrence of AF after cardiac surgery and rate control during AF showed some benefit, it remains controversial. Although small randomised clinical trials showed a reduction in mortality when magnesium was administered to patients with acute myocardial infarction, the large randomised clinical trials failed to show any benefit of the administration of intravenous magnesium over placebo.

A Signal Processing Method for Assessing Ankle Torque with a Custom-Made Electronic Dynamometer in Participants Affected by Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy.

Portable, custom-made electronic dynamometry for the foot and ankle is a promising assessment method that enables foot and ankle muscle function to be established in healthy participants and those affected by chronic conditions. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) can alter foot and ankle muscle function. This study assessed ankle toque in participants with diabetic peripheral neuropathy and healthy participants, with the aim of developing an algorithm for optimizing the precision of data processing and interpretation of the results and to define a reference frame for ankle torque measurement in both healthy participants and those affected by DPN. This paper discloses the software chain and the signal processing methods used for voltage-torque conversion, filtering, offset detection and the muscle effort type identification, which further allowed for a primary statistical report. The full description of the signal processing methods will make our research reproducible. The applied algorithm for signal processing is proposed as a reference frame for ankle torque assessment when using a custom-made electronic dynamometer. While evaluating multiple measurements, our algorithm permits for a more detailed parametrization of the ankle torque results in healthy participants and those affected by DPN.

The Pathological Links between Adiposity and the Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

An association between obesity and carpal tunnel syndrome is found in many epidemiological studies. Therefore, there is a need to evaluate the physiopathological links that could explain the association between these two entities. Ectopic adipose tissue is responsible for metabolic syndrome and inflammation, and is a major risk factor for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Taking these elements into consideration, we conducted an extensive literature revision of the subject, considering as ectopic fat-related mechanisms the following: (a) the direct compression and the association with the metabolic syndrome of the fat deposition around the wrist, (b) the insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, inflammatory, and oxidative mechanisms related to the central deposition of the fat, (c) the impaired muscle contraction and metabolism related to myosteatosis. Each section presents the cellular pathways which are modified by the ectopic deposition of the adipose tissue and the impact in the pathogeny of the carpal tunnel syndrome. In conclusion, the experimental and clinical data support the epidemiological findings. Efforts to reduce the obesity epidemics will improve not only cardio-metabolic health but will reduce the burden of the disability-free life expectancy due to the carpal tunnel syndrome.

Pulse Wave Velocity, a Predictor of Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events, and Its Correlation with the General Stress Level of Health Care Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background and Objectives: In the COVID-19 epidemiological context, the health care workers who were treating patients with COVID-19 were exposed daily to additional stress. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is a predictive parameter for possible major adverse cardiovascular events. The present study aimed to evaluate the correlation between the general stress levels and PWVs of medical workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: The study group was heterogeneous in terms of the medical profession. PWV was measured using a TendioMed arteriograph. Assessment of stress level was performed using a general stress questionnaire with questions grouped on the areas that contribute to stress: lifestyle, environment, symptoms, job, relationships and personality. PWV measurements and stress assessment were performed both during the period with many patients with COVID-19 and during the period with few patients with COVID-19. Results: The stress levels and PWVs of subjects were higher in the period when they cared for patients with COVID-19 than in the period when they did not have patients with COVID-19. Conclusions: The study shows a positive correlation between the PWV of each subject and his/her stress score (the higher the stress score, the higher the PWV).

The Influence of Periodontal Disease on Oral Health Quality of Life in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease: A Cross-Sectional Observational Single-Center Study.

Background and Objectives: Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of global death with a rising prevalence and a heavy economic burden. Periodontal disease has been associated with cardiovascular diseases­including incident coronary heart disease, peripheral artery disease and ischemic stroke. The study evaluates the quality of life of patients with cardiovascular and periodontal disease from the point of view of oral health by using the short version of the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) questionnaire. Materials and Methods: This study included a total of 221 patients (61.86 ± 15.03 years old) selected from the Emergency Hospital of Sibiu, Romania. The participants self-completed the OHIP-14 questionnaire and they benefited from an oral health examination conducted to assess the presence and the severity of periodontal disease. Results: Out of the 147 patients with cardiovascular disease, 77.5% had periodontal disease (32.6% stage I, 29.2% stage II, and 15.6% stage III and IV). The presence of periodontal disease was associated with a lower oral-health-related quality of life (p < 0.001, ANOVA) and with a higher OHIP-14 score in patients with cardiovascular disease (18.67 ± 8.17, p < 0.001 ANOVA). No significant difference was observed concerning patient sex and background; however, age, body mass index and the lack of an appropriate oral hygiene routine had a strong association with the individual quality of life. The general OHIP-14 score was higher in patients with periodontal disease and associated cardiovascular disease, the presence of both cardiovascular and periodontal disease being associated with a lower quality of life. Conclusions: By increasing the patients' awareness to oral healthcare measures, better outcomes and improved oral-health-related quality of life could be observed.

Acute Effects of Sedentary Behavior on Ankle Torque Assessed with a Custom-Made Electronic Dynamometer.

Inactivity negatively influences general health, and sedentary behaviour is known to impact the musculoskeletal system. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of time spent in active and sedentary behaviour on foot muscle strength. In this observational study, we compared the acute effects of one day of prolonged sitting and one day of low-to-moderate level of activity on ankle torque in one group of eight healthy participants. Peak ankle torque was measured using a portable custom-made electronic dynamometer. Three consecutive maximal voluntary isometric contractions for bilateral plantar flexor and dorsiflexor muscles were captured at different moments in time. The average peak torque significant statistically decreased at 6 h (p = 0.019) in both static and active behaviours, with a higher average peak torque in the active behaviour (p < 0.001). Age, gender, body mass index and average steps did not have any significant influence on the average value of maximal voluntary isometric contraction. The more time participants maintained either static or active behaviour, the less force was observed during ankle torque testation. The static behaviour represented by the sitting position was associated with a higher reduction in the average peak ankle torque during a maximal voluntary isometric contraction when compared to the active behaviour.

A Custom-Made Electronic Dynamometer for Evaluation of Peak Ankle Torque after COVID-19.

The negative effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on the musculoskeletal system include symptoms of fatigue and sarcopenia. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of COVID-19 on foot muscle strength and evaluate the reproducibility of peak ankle torque measurements in time by using a custom-made electronic dynamometer. In this observational cohort study, we compare two groups of four participants, one exposed to COVID-19 throughout measurements and one unexposed. Peak ankle torque was measured using a portable custom-made electronic dynamometer. Ankle plantar flexor and dorsiflexor muscle strength was captured for both feet at different ankle angles prior and post COVID-19. Average peak torque demonstrated no significant statistical differences between initial and final moment for both groups (p = 0.945). An increase of 4.8%, p = 0.746 was obtained in the group with COVID-19 and a decrease of 1.3%, p = 0.953 was obtained in the group without COVID-19. Multivariate analysis demonstrated no significant differences between the two groups (p = 0.797). There was a very good test−retest reproducibility between the measurements in initial and final moments (ICC = 0.78, p < 0.001). In conclusion, peak torque variability is similar in both COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 groups and the custom-made electronic dynamometer is a reproducible method for repetitive ankle peak torque measurements.

NMDA Autoimmune Encephalitis and Severe Persistent Hypokalemia in a Pregnant Woman.

Introduction: For more than a decade, NMDAR autoimmune encephalitis has been studied and treated as a neurological condition, and good results have been achieve through immune therapies. Apart from being well represented in the CNS, NMDA receptors are currently known of and being studied in multiple non-neuronal cells with potential clinical significance. The association of NMDAR autoimmune encephalitis with pregnancy is rare, and hypokalemia is not mentioned. Methods: We present the case of a 30-year-old woman with NMDAR autoimmune encephalitis in her 17th week of pregnancy associated with persistent hypokalemia that had no apparent cause and resisted Kalium chloride supplementation. A diagnostic work-up including clinical, laboratory, and imagistic examinations, was performed. The case was monitored between May and September 2016 at Neurology, SCJUT. Results: Severe hypokalemia with normal serum sodium levels persisted throughout the course of clinical manifestation of anti-NMDAR autoimmune encephalitis. Conclusions: NMDAR autoimmune encephalitis is under-diagnosed in its atypical clinical variants, and this disease's association with hypokalemia is not mentioned in the literature. Still, it is of clinical importance because it attests to the implications of other organs/systems in the general autoimmune process of NMDAR encephalitis, and it might change the way we address certain psychiatric disorders by searching underlying organic conditions.

A Custom-Made Lower Limb Dynamometer for Assessing Ankle Joint Torque in Humans: Calibration and Measurement Procedures.

Custom-made dynamometry was shown to objectively analyze human muscle strength around the ankle joint with accuracy, easy portability and low costs. This paper describes the full method of calibration and measurement setup and the measurement procedure when capturing ankle torque for establishing reliability of a portable custom-built electronic dynamometer. After considering the load cell offset voltage, the pivotal position was determined, and calibration with loads followed. Linear regression was used for calculating the proportionality constant between torque and measured voltage. Digital means were used for data collection and processing. Four healthy consenting participants were enrolled in the study. Three consecutive maximum voluntary isometric contractions of five seconds each were registered for both feet during plantar flexion/dorsiflexion, and ankle torque was then calculated for three ankle inclinations. A calibration procedure resulted, comprising determination of the pivotal axis and pedal constant. Using the obtained data, a measurement procedure was proposed. Obtained contraction time graphs led to easier filtering of the results. When calculating the interclass correlation, the portable apparatus demonstrated to be reliable when measuring ankle torque. When a custom-made dynamometer was used for capturing ankle torque, accuracy of the method was assured by a rigorous calibration and measurement protocol elaboration.