Intraligamentous injection of sclerosing solutions (prolotherapy) for spinal pain: a critical review of the literature.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: The injection of various solutions aimed at producing a sclerosing effect has been used to treat soft tissues injuries (eg, inguinal hernia) for more than 100 years. In the 1930s, this treatment approach was applied to injured joints in an attempt to stimulate connective tissue repair. Although several studies have been published about this method of treatment for various orthopedic and spinal indications (termed prolotherapy), its use remains controversial. PURPOSE: To conduct a critical review of the literature on prolotherapy for spinal pain. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING: Critical review of the literature. METHODS: Computerized medical literature databases (Medline, CINAHL, Mantis, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) were searched to uncover all published information about the use of sclerosing injections in humans with spinal pain disorders. Search results were reviewed for relevance, and information was abstracted from full-text articles. RESULTS: Our search uncovered almost 200 reference materials in various media related to prolotherapy, including 31 clinical studies related to spinal pain. There were 26 observational cohorts and 5 randomized clinical trials (RCTs). Indications in these studies were low back pain (22), neck pain (3), cervical headaches (3) and dorsal or thoracic pain (3). A total of 20 sclerosing solutions were used in these studies; the most common was a mixture of dextrose 12.5%, glycerin 12.5%, phenol 1.25% and lidocaine 0.25%. Wide variations were found in treatment protocols, such as dose, number of treatments and use of adjunct therapies. Most cohort studies were only of moderate quality and varied greatly in the substances injected and the use of co-interventions. Most clinical studies reported positive results such as decreased pain or disability, although differences between treatment and control groups did not always reach statistical significance. Commonly reported adverse reactions to this treatment include temporary postinjection pain and stiffness. A handful of more serious adverse events were reported in the 1950s and 1960s with stronger or unknown solutions. CONCLUSION: Prolotherapy describes a variety of treatment approaches rather than a specific protocol. Results from clinical studies published to date indicate that it may be effective at reducing spinal pain. Great variation was found in the injection and treatment protocols used in these studies that preclude definite conclusions. Future research should focus on those solutions and protocols that are most commonly used in clinical practice and have been used in trials reporting effectiveness to help determine which patients, if any, are most likely to benefit from this treatment.     

Optimizing Techniques for Determining Body Composition

<正> KEY POINTS  Accurate body composition assessments are vital to monitoring growth, training outcomes, health, and nutritional status of athletes.  Body composition assessment in athletes and other relies on non-invasive indirect methods that are based on theoretical models. Any errors in the theoretical models will produce errors in the indirect methods. performance.     

Primary hyperaldosteronism caused by adrenocortical carcinoma

Since the syndrome of primary hyperaldosteronism was described by Jerome Conn in 1955, over 300 patients with this disorder have been identified in the medical centers of Vanderbilt University and the University of Michigan. The most frequent cause of this endocrinopathy has been a solitary adenoma of the adrenal cortex (72%); bilateral adrenocortical hyperplasia has been the cause of primary hyperaldosteronism in 27% of cases; less frequently, the cause has been multiple and/or bilateral adenomas (1%). During the last 4 years in these 2 medical centers, we have encountered 3 patients who have had biochemically proven primary hyperaldosteronism due to adrenocortical carcinoma. Each of these unusual cases is summarized with review of the recent literature.

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Resumen Desde la descripción del síndrome de hiperaldosteronismo primario por Jeremo Conn en 1955, más de 300 pacientes con esta entidad han sido identificados en nuestros 2 centros médicos, la Universidad de Vanderbilt (Nashville) y la Universidad de Michigan (Ann Arbor). La causa más frecuente de esta endocrinopatía ha sido el adenoma solitario de la corteza suprarrenal (72%); la hiperplasia adrenocortical bilateral ha sido la causa del hiperaldosteronismo primario en 27% de los casos; con menor frecuencia se han presentado los adenomas multiples y/o bilaterales (1%). En los 4 últimos años hemos encontrado 3 pacientes con hiperaldosteronismo primario comprobado bioquímicamente producido por carcinoma adrenocortical. Se presenta cada uno de estos casos poco usuales junto con una revisión de la literatura reciente.

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Résumé Depuis que le syndrome d'hyperaldostéronisme primitif a été décrit par Jerôme Conn en 1955 plus de 300 sujets qui en étaient victimes ont été identifiés à la Vanderbilt University de Nashville et à l'University of Michigan de Ann Arbor. La cause la plus fréquente de cette endocrinopathie répond à un adénome solitaire de la cortico-surrénale (72%) alors que l'hyperplasie corticale des 2 surrénales est plus rarement à son origine (27%), les adénomes multiples et/ou bilatéraux étant rarissimes (1%). Au cours des 4 dernières années 3 cas d'hyperaldosteronisme dû à un cancer de la cortico-surrénale ont été observés dans les 2 centres. Chacun de ces cas exceptionnels est exposé cependant que la littérature récente concernant l'hyperalderosteronisme est analysée.

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Presented at the International Association of Endocrine Surgeons in Paris, September 1985.     

Fatal thermal injury

Two fatal cases of thermal injury are described, one of which was the result of heat stroke and the other was the result of the uncommon condition, neuroleptic malignant syndrome. The clinical profiles, management and post-mortem findings of these two separate conditions are compared to highlight their important differences.     

Chiari II malformation: MR imaging evaluation

The purpose of this study was to explore the value of high-detail MR imaging in the diagnosis of the Chiari II malformation. Twenty-four patients with known Chiari II malformation as diagnosed by CT scanning were evaluated with cranial MR scans. Two patients also had spine scans. The sagittal-plane images were the most informative, and abnormalities of the telencephalon, diencephalon, mesencephalon, rhomboencephalon, upper spinal cord, and mesencephalon were shown extremely well. We found MR to be an easy and accurate method for demonstrating the abnormalities of the Chiari II malformation, and it is our procedure of choice.     

Hepatitis A antibody in blood donors in North East Thames region: implications to prevention policies

A total of 1786 blood donors were screened for the presence of anti-hepatitis A antibody (anti HAV). 64.5% of the donors were found to be positive. The prevalence of the antibody was found to be age-related, 55% at 18 years and 75% at 65 years. No relationship was noted between the presence of antibody, foreign travel or a specific destination. Assay of antibody levels in selected seropositive individuals gave a mean level of 5.0 IU/ml. The prevalence of infection in this selected population is important in the context of passive immunization with normal human immunoglobulin and for defining a policy of immunization with hepatitis A vaccines, which are currently undergoing clinical trials.     

The differential retrocardiac air-fluid level: a sign of intrathoracic gastric volvulus

A single retrocardiac air-fluid level on a chest radiograph typically implies the presence of a sliding hiatal hernia. A differential retrocardiac fluid level (two air-fluid interfaces at different heights) suggests not a simple sliding hiatal hernia but rather an intrathoracic gastric volvulus. Simultaneous fluid levels above and below the diaphragm are not required to make the diagnosis. We have seen four patients with chronic gastric volvulus confirmed by upper gastrointestinal barium examination. Each case was diagnosable on the basis of the chest radiographs obtained on admission, using the radiographic sign described above. We draw attention to this sign because chronic gastric volvulus has the potential to progress to acute volvulus and gastric ischemia or infarction.