Reduced endurance of the cervical flexor muscles in patients with concurrent temporomandibular disorders and neck disability

Subjects with temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) have been found to have clinical signs and symptoms of cervical dysfunction. Although many studies have investigated the relationship between the cervical spine and TMD, no study has evaluated the endurance capacity of the cervical muscles in patients with TMD. Thus the objective of this study was to determine whether patients with TMD had a reduced endurance of the cervical flexor muscles at any level of muscular contraction when compared with healthy subjects. One hundred and forty-nine participants provided data for this study (49 subjects were healthy, 54 had myogenous TMD, and 46 had mixed TMD). There was a significant difference in holding time at 25% MVC between subjects with mixed TMD when compared to subjects with myogenous TMD and healthy subjects. This implies that subjects with mixed TMD had less endurance capacity at a lower level of contraction (25% MVC) than healthy subjects and subjects with myogenous TMD. No significant associations between neck disability, jaw disability, clinical variables and neck flexor endurance test were found.     

Cervicothoracic spinal alignment and neck flexor muscle endurance in young and older adult females with and without neck and shoulder pain (Katakori in Japanese)

[Purpose] The characteristics of neck and shoulder pain (NSP) in different age populations have not been sufficiently examined. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare and verify the cervicothoracic spinal alignment and neck flexor muscle endurance of young and older adult females with and without NSP. [Participants and Methods] We assessed 72 female participants (39 young participants, 33 elderly participants, 43 NSP, 29 non-NSP) aged 18–82 years who were recruited for this study. Cervicothoracic spinal alignment measurements were obtained with forward head alignment (FHA) along with the upper thoracic angle. The neck flexor endurance test was performed. [Results] There were no significant age-by-group interactions for any of the assessment variables. However, the upper thoracic angle and neck flexor muscle endurance showed significant effects in the groups. Age also had significant effects on FHA and upper thoracic angle. [Conclusion] These results suggested that the neck flexor muscle endurance was more appropriate as an evaluation tool for older adult females with NSP. It was also suggested that the cervical flexor muscle endurance and upper thoracic angle were more appropriate as evaluation tools for young adult females with NSP.Key words: Neck and shoulder pain (NSP), Young and elderly females, Cervicothoracic spinal alignment and neck flexor muscle endurance     

Normative data of bone mineral density in an unselected adult Austrian population

BACKGROUND: There is increasing evidence that correct interpretation of bone mineral density (BMD) measurements by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) requires a population-specific reference range. We therefore collected data on age-related BMD in a random sample of the normal adult Austrian population to establish an appropriate normative database. METHODS: We measured BMD by DEXA at five different skeletal sites in 1089 subjects, i.e. 654 females and 435 males, aged between 21-76 years, who had been recruited by 17 centres across Austria. RESULTS: Age-related bone loss was observed until age 65 years with significant changes at the lumbar spine (r = -0.23), total hip (r = -0.07), trochanter (r = -0.10), femoral neck (r = -0.30) and Ward's triangle (r = -0.40) in the women but only at the femoral neck (r = -0.23) and at Ward's triangle (r = -0.40) in the men. When we calculated T scores from the BMD data of the young normal adult study population and used the T score set points according to the WHO classification of osteopenia and osteoporosis, we found that, depending on the skeletal site measured, 7.6-27.4% of the women and 16-41% of the men in our study group had low bone mass, whereas 0.6-2.7% of the female and 0.2-1.0% of the male study population were osteoporotic. However, osteoporosis was indicated in 4-9-fold more females and 5-15-fold more males when we based our estimates on the normative data provided by the manufacturers of the DEXA systems. CONCLUSION: Our data underscore the importance of using a population-specific reference range for DEXA measurements to avoid overdiagnosis of osteoporosis.     

Immunoradiometric assay of circulating C-reactive protein: age-related values in the adult general population

BACKGROUND:: Increased values of C-reactive protein (CRP), the classical acute phase protein, within the range below 5 mg/L, previously considered to be within the reference interval, are strongly associated with increased risk of atherothrombotic events, and are clinically significant in osteoarthritis and neonatal infection. METHODS:: A robust new polyclonal-monoclonal solid- phase IRMA for CRP was developed, with a range of 0.05-10.0 mg/L. RESULTS:: Plasma CRP values in general adult populations from Augsburg, Germany (2291 males and 2203 females; ages, 25-74 years) and Glasgow, Scotland (604 males and 650 females; ages, 25-64 years) were very similar. The median CRP approximately doubled with age, from approximately 1 mg/L in the youngest decade to approximately 2 mg/L in the oldest, and tended to be higher in females. CONCLUSION:: This extensive data set, the largest such study of CRP, provides valuable reference information for future clinical and epidemiological investigations.     

The prevalence of pain in a pediatric and young adult cancer population

The prevalence and nature of pain in the population of children and young adults with malignancy treated by the Pediatric Branch of the National Cancer Institute were assessed over a 6 month period. One hundred and thirty-nine patients were evaluated during 161 in-patient days and 195 out-patient clinic visits. Approximately 50% of the patients assessed in the hospital and 25% of the patients assessed in the out-patient clinic were found to be experiencing some degree of pain at the time of assessment. Therapy-related pain predominated in both in-patients and out-patients; only one-third of the pain experienced by in-patients and less than 20% of the pain experienced by out-patients was due to tumor. Tumor pain was due primarily to bony invasion. In order to control pain in those individuals experiencing pain, narcotic analgesics were being used by one-half of the in-patients and one-third of the out-patients. Overall pain control was good, with the medium visual analogue scale score being 26 mm on a 0-100 mm scale. During the study period 7 patients were identified to have chronic pain for greater than 1 year following eradication of all known tumor from the site of pain. One was receiving massive doses of narcotics (120 mg/day of methadone) apparently out of proportion to his underlying pain.     

Reference values for serum nitric oxide metabolites in an adult population

ObjectivesTo determine reference values for serum nitric oxide metabolites (nitrite + nitrate = NO_x) concentrations in adult subjects.Design and methodsSerum NO_x concentration was measured, using the Griess method, in 694 non-smoking apparently healthy subjects, randomly selected from a population-based study. The International Federation of Clinical Chemistry guidelines and the robust method were used for determining reference values.ResultsThe 95% reference values for serum NO_x concentration and serum NO_x/creatinine ratio were 11.5 to 76.4 μmol/L and 0.111 to 0.729 in men and 10.1 to 65.6 μmol/L and 0.121 to 0.777 in women, respectively. With increasing body mass index, upper limits of serum NO_x and the NO_x/creatinine ratio increased in women and decreased in men. Serum NO_x levels above upper limits predicted both diabetes and metabolic syndrome in women.ConclusionsThis study reports the first set of reference values for serum NO_x concentration and NO_x/creatinine ratio in a relatively large healthy non-smoking population.     

Effect of neck flexor muscle activation on impact velocity of the head during backward falls in young adults

Falls are a common cause of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) across the lifespan. A proposed but untested hypothesis is that neck muscle activation influences impact severity and risk for TBI during a fall. We conducted backward falling experiments to test whether activation of the neck flexor muscles facilitates the avoidance of head impact, and reduces impact velocity if the head contacts the ground. Young adults (n = 8) fell from standing onto a 30 cm thick gymnastics mat while wearing a helmet. Participants were instructed to fall backward and (a) prevent their head from impacting the mat (“no head impact” trials); (b) allow their head to impact the mat, but with minimal impact severity (“soft impact” trials); and (c) allow their head to impact the mat, while inhibiting efforts to reduce impact severity (“hard impact” trials).Trial type associated with peak magnitude of electromyographic activity of the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscles (p < 0.017), and with the vertical and horizontal velocity of the head at impact (p < 0.001). Peak SCM activations, expressed as percent maximal voluntary isometric contraction (%MVIC), averaged 75.3, 67.5, and 44.5%MVIC in “no head impact”, “soft impact”, and “hard impact” trials, respectively. When compared to “soft impact” trials, vertical impact velocities in “hard impact” trials averaged 87% greater (3.23 versus 1.73 m/s) and horizontal velocities averaged 83% greater (2.74 versus 1.50 m/s). For every 10% increase in SCM %MVIC, vertical impact velocity decreased 0.24 m/s and horizontal velocity decreased 0.22 m/s.We conclude that SCM activation contributes to the prevention and modulation of head impact severity during backward falls.     

The nociceptive withdrawal reflex: Normative values of thresholds and reflex receptive fields

Assessments of spinal nociceptive withdrawal reflexes can be used in human research both to evaluate the effect of analgesics and explore pain mechanisms related to sensitization. Before the reflex can be used as a clinical tool, normative values need to be determined in large scale studies. The aim of this study was to determine the reference values of spinal nociceptive reflexes and subjective pain thresholds (to single and repeated stimulation), and of the area of the reflex receptive fields (RRF) in 300 pain‐free volunteers. The influences of gender, age, height, weight, body‐mass index (BMI), body side of testing, depression, anxiety, catastrophizing and parameters of Short‐Form 36 (SF‐36) were analyzed by multiple regressions. The 95% confidence intervals were determined for all the tests as normative values. Age had a statistically and quantitatively significant impact on the subjective pain threshold to single stimuli. The reflex threshold to single stimulus was lower on the dominant compared to the non‐dominant side. Depression had a negative impact on the subjective pain threshold to single stimuli. All the other analyses either did not reveal statistical significance or displayed quantitatively insignificant correlations. In conclusion, normative values of parameters related to the spinal nociceptive reflex were determined. This allows their clinical application for assessing central hyperexcitability in individual patients. The parameters investigated explore different aspects of sensitization processes that are largely independent of demographic characteristics, cognitive and affective factors.     

Association of neck pain with symptoms of temporomandibular dysfunction in the general adult population

The association of neck pain with symptoms of temporomandibular dysfunction in the general adult population was evaluated in a sample of 483 subjects selected from the population living in the municipality of Segrate, northern Italy. Subjects were interviewed by a standard questionnaire about oral conditions, temporomandibular symptomatology and neck pain. Symptoms related to the Helkimo Anamnestic Index were the indicators of temporomandibular dysfunction, and the evaluation also included history of trauma of the masticatory system. Troublesome neck pain was experienced within the last year in 38.9% of the total series, and the prevalence of complaints was higher in women than in men (41.7 vs 34.4%). Prevalence increased with age (p < 0.005) and was significantly higher in subjects with than without temporomandibular symptomatology (47.4 vs 28.6%, p < 0.0001). At univariate analysis, facial and jaw pain (p < 0.001) and feeling of stiffness or fatigue of the jaws (p < 0.01) were significantly related to neck pain. Age- and sex-adjusted multiple logistic analysis showed that neck pain is associated with the temporomandibular symptomatology as a whole (p < 0.001), and in particular with facial and jaw pain (p < 0.01). These findings confirm that there is a significant association between neck pain and the temporomandibular symptomatology. Moreover, they suggest that the most relevant relationship is with facial and jaw pain, according to recent neurophysiologic studies on pain mechanism. Further clinical and longitudinal studies are desirable in order to give a better clarification of mutual specific roles of craniocervical and temporomandibular disorders in the aetiology of these pathologies.     

腓骨带血管移植联合加压螺纹钉固定治疗高危型青壮年股骨颈骨折16例

目的:应用腓骨带血管移植联合加压螺纹钉固定治疗高危型青壮年股骨颈骨折,观察股骨颈骨折愈合及功能恢复情况.方法:对16例高危型青壮年股骨颈骨折患者在加压螺纹钉内固定治疗的基础上,取自体带血管腓骨移植于股骨颈骨折部及头部,吻合腓骨动静脉与旋股外动静脉.结果:16例患者经2年以上的系统随访,根据Harris标准评分,总优良率为87.5%.结论:带血管腓骨移植联合加压螺纹钉固定,对股骨颈骨折的治疗有协同作用,可为高危型股骨颈骨折提供新的血供及支撑固定,有利于骨折愈合及预防股骨头缺血性坏死.