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To evaluate the association between clinical and socio-demographic status and health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) in stroke survivors age 40 and older in the Korean population.
The relationship between stroke and HR-QoL was investigated using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), conducted from 2007–2012. The total number of respondents was 24,050 and 757 stroke survivors were included. Specifically, we investigated factors associated with the lowering of HR-QoL in a group of Korean adult stroke patients age 40 and older after adjusting for socio-demographic factors, anthropometric measurements, and clinical comorbidities. Adjusted effects of covariates on EuroQol-visual analog scales (EQ-VAS) scores were estimated with a complex-samples general linear model and multivariate-adjusted odds ratios of the lowest quintile versus highest quintile of the EQ-VAS scores in the stroke group were estimated with a complex-samples logistic regression model.
Socio-demographic, anthropometric factors, and clinical comorbidities significantly differed between the stroke and non-stroke groups, except regarding gender and residential area. The EQ-VAS was significantly lower in the stroke than non-stroke group. Anxiety/depression problems significantly lowered EQ-VAS, as did low education level, smoking, mobility and usual activities problems. Also, aging in 1-year increments and cardiovascular disease had a significant effect on lower EQ-VAS in stroke survivors.
People with a stroke have significantly lower HR-QoL than healthy subjects. Therefore, managing depression, smoking, or cardiovascular disease and maintenance of physical function may be priority goals in improving HR-QoL after a stroke.
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To investigate the effect of radial extracorporeal shock wave therapy (rESWT) on hemiplegic shoulder pain (HSP) syndrome.
In this monocentric, randomized, patient-assessor blinded, placebo-controlled trial, patients with HSP were randomly divided into the rESWT (n=17) and control (n=17) groups. Treatment was administered four times a week for 2 weeks. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score and Constant-Murley score (CS) were assessed before and after treatment, and at 2 and 4 weeks. The Modified Ashworth Scale and Fugl-Meyer Assessment scores and range of motion of the shoulder were also assessed.
VAS scores improved post-intervention and at the 2-week and 4-week follow-up in the intervention group (p<0.05). Respective differences in VAS scores between baseline and post-intervention in the intervention and control groups were –1.69±1.90 and –0.45±0.79, respectively (p<0.05), between baseline and 2-week follow-up in the intervention and control groups were –1.60±1.74 and –0.34±0.70, respectively (p<0.05), and between baseline and 4-week follow-up in the intervention and control groups were –1.61±1.73 and –0.33±0.71, respectively (p<0.05). Baseline CS improved from 19.12±11.02 to 20.88±10.37 post-intervention and to 20.41±10.82 at the 2-week follow-up only in the intervention group (p<0.05).
rESWT consisting of eight sessions could be one of the effective and safe modalities for pain management in people with HSP. Further studies are needed to generalize and support these results in patients with HSP and a variety conditions, and to understand the mechanism of rESWT for treating HSP.
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Interventions for Post-Stroke Shoulder Pain: An Overview of Systematic Reviews
Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of stellate ganglion block for the patients with cervical Herniated Intervertebral Disc (HIVD).
Method: Forty patients with cervical HIVD were selected for the study. Patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups: Group 1, stellate ganglion block of 1% lidocaine and physical modalities (n=20); Group 2, only physical modalities as a control group (n=20). Group 1 patients were treated with the stellate ganglion block of 1% lidocaine three times over two-week period. The efficacy of stellate ganglion block was assessed with Visual Analog Scale (VAS) on pre- and post-stellate ganglion blocks and with Rubin scale (success rate).
Results: The VAS scores of post-block were significantly lower than pre-score (p<0.05) in both groups, but there was no statistically significance between the two groups. After treatment, Rubin scale was with excellent or good in 75% in group 1 and in 50% in group 2, but there was no statistically significance.
Conclusion: The stellate ganglion block may be effective therapeutic method for patient with cervical HIVD. But the efficacy of additional stellate ganglion block for cervical HIVD remains controversial. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2002; 26: 567-570)
Objective: This study is designed to compare the therapeutic effect of continuous epidural injection with catheter and intermittent epidural injection without catheter in the patients with low back pain.
Method: One hundred and nine patients with low back pain were randomly divided into two groups. First group (49 patients) were treated with two or three times of intermittent epidural injections with steroid mixed with local anesthetics. Second group (60 patients) were treated with continuous steroid mixed with local anesthetics injection through epidural catheter. The effect of the epidural injections was assessed by visual analog scale (VAS) at pre-injection and post- injection.
Results: Pre- and post-injection VAS scores of the first group were 6.5⁑1.2 and 3.5⁑1.5, respectively. Pre- and post-injection VAS scores of the second group were 6.2⁑1.6 and 2.3⁑1.1, respectively. VAS score changes between pre-and post-injection were significant (p<0.01) in both groups. VAS score changes between two groups were greater (p<0.01) in the second group. The more severe the disc herniation (protrusion and extrusion) in MRI finding, the more marked VAS score changes in the second group. When morbidity period was less than 1 year, the VAS score changes in the second group were greater (p<0.05).
Conclusion: The therapeutic effect of catheter inserted continuous epidural injection is better than that of intermittent epidural injection in patients with low back pain.
Objective: This study was designed to evaluate the long term effect of the epidural injections with steroid and local anesthetics in the low back pain patients by assessments of Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores and several relating factors that influence good results.
Method: Seventy two low back pain patients with or without sciatica were treated with epidural injections of weekly steroid (methylprednisolone acetate) and daily local anesthetics (lidocaine and bupivacaine) for 2 weeks via an epidural catheter. The efficacy of the epidural injections was assessed with Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score at the day of admission (VAS1), discharge (VAS2) and during the long term follow up period (VAS3)(mean:14 months, 8∼24 months).
Results: VAS1, VAS2 and VAS3 were 6.22⁑2.03, 3.36⁑1.49, and 3.39⁑1.45 respectively. VAS2 and VAS3 were significantly different with VAS1 (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Epidural injections of steroid and local anesthetics are effective not only in the short term period, but also in the long term peroid for patients with low back pain with or without sciatica
Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of epidural injections of hypertonic saline, steroid and local anesthetics in patients with low back pain and sciatica.
Method: Retrospective study of 325 patients with low back pain and sciatica. Group I, 261 patients, were treated with epidural injection of steroid (Depo-medrolⰒ) weekly for 2 weeks and local anesthetics (lidocaine and bupivacaine) daily via epidural catheter. Group II, 64 patients, were treated with epidural injection of hypertonic saline for three successive days and same method of group I via epidural catheter. The efficacy was assessed with Visual Analog Scale (VAS) on the day of pre- and post- (2weeks later) epidural injection.
Results: (1) VAS score changes from pre- to post-epidural injections were from 6.1⁑3.6 to 3.6⁑1.8 (p<0.05) in Group I and from 6.2⁑1.6 to 2.6⁑1.4 (p<0.05) in Group II. (2) VAS score decrease of Group II was more than that of Group I (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Epidural injections of hypertonic saline, steroid and local anesthetics are effective for patients with low back pain and sciatica in the short term, and more effective than that of steroid and local anesthetics, but prospective long-term follow up studies will be necessary in the future.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of epidural injections with steroids and local anesthetics for the low back pain patients.
Two hundred fifty patients with low back pain and sciatica were selected for the study. The patients were treated with the epidural injection of steroid(Depo-medrolⰒ) weekly for 2 weeks and local anesthetics(lidocaine and bupivacaine) daily via epidural catheter. The efficacy of epidural injections was assessed with the Visual Analog Scale(VAS) on pre- and 2weeks post-epidural injections. The VAS scores of pre- and post-epidural injections were 6.14⁑2.14 and 3.65⁑1.93(p<0.05) respectively. The VAS scores were not different by the disease subgroups(p>0.05). By the main symptoms, VAS scores were reduced prominently in patients with the pseudoclaudication symptom after post-epidural injections.
In conclusion, epidural injections of steroid and local anesthetics are effective for patients with a low back pain and sciatica in the short term. Further prospective long-term follow up studies will be necessary in the future.