Lung ultrasound as a tool to guide respiratory physiotherapy

Lung ultrasound (LUS) is becoming an invaluable tool in the management of critically ill patients. We report two cases showing the importance of LUS as a guide to optimize respiratory physiotherapy in the intensive care unit, allowing a successful lung donation process and to redirect the physiotherapist's approach. The use of LUS requires an adequate training but it is becoming an important tool in management algorithms for critically ill patients.     

国产雷帕霉素洗脱支架治疗急性冠状动脉综合征：安全性和临床有效性

目的:分析国产雷帕霉素洗脱支架治疗急性冠状动脉综合征的安全性和有效性。方法:选择2004-11/2006-02在河北大学附属医院接受冠状动脉介入治疗的急性冠状动脉综合征患者102例,其中ST段抬高型心肌梗死54例,非ST段抬高型心肌梗死28例,不稳定型心绞痛20例。根据血管情况置入国产雷帕霉素药物洗脱支架(Firebird支架),支架选择原则为:支架长度应覆盖病变两端;血管直径:支架直径=1∶1.1。所有患者术前3d均口服阿司匹林100mg,氯吡格雷75mg,术中推注肝素8000￣10000U,手术每延迟1h,补充肝素1000u,术后皮下注射低分子肝素5￣7d;服用氯吡格雷75mg,1次/d,共服用9￣12个月,并长期服用阿司匹林100mg,1次/d。随访情况:术后6个月时随访64例;7个月时随访26例;8个月时随访12例;平均随访6.8个月,患者出院后定期进行门诊随访,记录一般情况及严重心脏不良事件(包括急性、亚急性、迟发支架内血栓形成;再发心肌梗死;急诊冠状动脉旁路移植术;死亡),术后6￣8个月行冠状动脉造影评价支架内再狭窄情况。并观察材料及宿主反应。结果:102例患者经皮冠状动脉介入治疗治疗均获得成功,共治疗靶血管102支,置入Firebird支架116枚,术中3例ST段抬高型心肌梗死患者出现无复流现象,2例发生室颤,电转复恢复窦性心律,3例因分支受压,出现心绞痛症状。术后4例出现穿刺部位血肿,经重新加压压迫后好转。随访6￣8个月所有患者未发生严重心血管事件;42例(41.2%)患者术后6￣8个月行冠状动脉造影复查,无一例发生支架内再狭窄。随访期间所有患者无全身毒性及超敏反应发生,生物相容性好。结论:国产药物洗脱支架治疗急性冠状动脉综合征安全,有效。     

Effect of an equine-movement therapy program on gait, energy expenditure, and motor function in children with spastic cerebral palsy: a pilot study

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of an 8-week program of hippotherapy on energy expenditure during walking; on the gait dimensions of stride length, velocity, and cadence; and on performance on the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) in five children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP). A repeated-measures within-subjects design was used consisting of two baseline measurements taken 8 weeks apart, followed by an 8-week intervention period, then a posttest. After hippotherapy, all five children showed a significant decrease (X_r²;=7.6, P<0.05) in energy expenditure during walking and a significant increase (X_r²=7.6, P<0.05) in scores on Dimension E (Walking, Running, and Jumping) of the GMFM. A trend toward increased stride length and decreased cadence was observed. This study suggests that hippotherapy may improve energy expenditure during walking and gross motor function in children with CP.     

Outcome reliability in non‐Ambulatory Boys/Men with duchenne muscular dystrophy

Introduction: Therapeutic trials in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) often exclude non‐ambulatory individuals. Here we establish optimal and reliable assessments in a multicenter trial. Methods: Non‐ambulatory boys/men with DMD (N = 91; 16.7 ± 4.5 years of age) were assessed by trained clinical evaluators. Feasibility (percentage completing task) and reliability [intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) between morning and afternoon tests] were measured. Results: Forced vital capacity (FVC), assessed in all subjects, showed a mean of 47.8 ± 22% predicted (ICC 0.98). Brooke Upper Extremity Functional Rating (Brooke) and Egen Klassifikation (EK) scales in 100% of subjects showed ICCs ranging from 0.93 to 0.99. Manual muscle testing, range of motion, 9‐hole peg test, and Jebsen‐Taylor Hand Function Test (JHFT) demonstrated varied feasibility (99% to 70%), with ICCs ranging from 0.99 to 0.64. We found beneficial effects of different forms of corticosteroids for the Brooke scale, percent predicted FVC, and hand and finger strength. Conclusions: Reliable assessment of non‐ambulatory boys/men with DMD is possible. Clinical trials will have to consider corticosteroid use. Muscle Nerve 51: 522–532, 2015     

Old measures and new scores in spinal muscular atrophy patients

Introduction: A recent Rasch analysis performed on the Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale—Expanded (HFMSE) in patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) identified issues impacting scale validity, redundant items, and disordered thresholds on some items. Methods: We modified the HMFSE scoring based on the Rasch analysis and on expert consensus to establish whether the traditional scoring overestimated the number of patients with changes within 2 points from baseline. Data were collected retrospectively from multicenter data sets in 255 type 2 and 3 SMA patients. Results: The mean 12‐month changes using the new and the traditional scoring system did not differ significantly (P > 0.05). The numbers of patients who improved or decreased by >2 points were also similar. Conclusions: The presence of outliers using the traditional scoring system was not due to overestimation of changes in activities that were tested bilaterally or to discrepancies in the scoring hierarchy of individual items. Muscle Nerve 52:435–437, 2015