Low bone mineral density in ambulatory persons with cerebral palsy? A systematic review

Purpose: Non-ambulatory persons with cerebral palsy are prone to low bone mineral density. In ambulatory persons with cerebral palsy, bone mineral density deficits are expected to be small or absent, but a consensus conclusion is lacking. In this systematic review bone mineral density in ambulatory persons with cerebral palsy (Gross Motor Function Classification Scales I–III) was studied.

Materials and methods: Medline, Embase, and Web of Science were searched. According to international guidelines, low bone mineral density was defined as Z-score?≤??2.0. In addition, we focused on Z-score?≤??1.0 because this may indicate a tendency towards low bone mineral density.

Results: We included 16 studies, comprising 465 patients aged 1–65?years. Moderate and conflicting evidence for low bone mineral density (Z-score?≤??2.0) was found for several body parts (total proximal femur, total body, distal femur, lumbar spine) in children with Gross Motor Function Classification Scales II and III. We found no evidence for low bone mineral density in children with Gross Motor Function Classification Scale I or adults, although there was a tendency towards low bone mineral density (Z-score?≤??1.0) for several body parts.

Conclusions: Although more high-quality research is needed, results indicate that deficits in bone mineral density are not restricted to non-ambulatory people with cerebral palsy.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• Although more high-quality research is needed, including adults and fracture risk assessment, the current study indicates that deficits in bone mineral density are not restricted to non-ambulatory people with CP.

• Health care professionals should be aware that optimal nutrition, supplements on indication, and an active lifestyle, preferably with weight-bearing activities, are important in ambulatory people with CP, also from a bone quality point-of-view.

• If indicated, medication and fall prevention training should be prescribed.

     

Optimizing Rapid Recovery After Anterior Hip Arthroplasty Surgery: A Comparative Study of Fascia Iliaca Compartment Block and Local Infiltration Analgesia

BackgroundMultimodal pain therapy combining analgesics, local infiltration analgesia (LIA) and peripheral nerve blocks, such as fascia iliaca compartment block (FICB), can improve postoperative pain, nausea and vomiting (PONV) and ambulation in patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA). We hypothesized that addition of FICB would decrease opioid requirements and length of stay (LOS) but could create a motor block.MethodsThis is a single center, prospective, blinded randomized controlled study of 152 patients undergoing elective THA via direct anterior approach from October 2019 till August 2021. Three patient groups were defined: patients receiving only spinal anesthesia (control group, n = 53); spinal anesthesia with LIA perioperatively (n = 50); and spinal anesthesia with FICB on the recovery unit (n = 49). Outcome measures consisted of postoperative pain scores, PONV, length of hospital stay, opioid requirements and mobility.ResultsOverall pain scores were low for all patient groups, with a lower pain score for LIA in comparison to the control group until 4 hours postoperatively (P < .05). Length of hospital stay, postoperative pain, nausea and vomiting (PONV) scores and quadriceps muscle strength did not differ significantly between groups. The control group showed higher scores at 12 hours postoperatively in comparison to FICB regarding rehabilitation potential, use of walking aids and activities of daily living (P < .05), but all groups reached the same endpoint 48 hours postoperatively. The LIA and FICB groups required less opioids until 24 hours postoperatively.ConclusionLIA is a beneficial adjuvant therapy to spinal anesthesia in THA patients as it may decrease pain scores and the need for opioid consumption. Adjuvant FICB only provided lower opioid requirements.     

Self-care Experiences of Adolescents with Spinal Muscular Atrophy

PurposeWe examined the self-care experiences of adolescents with spinal muscle atrophy (SMA) and their perceptions of the interactions between their body and the environment.MethodsWe interviewed ten adolescents with SMA aged 13–18 years regarding personal care practices. Purposive sampling was conducted in two medical centers in northern Taiwan. Data were analyzed using the Giorgi analysis method.ResultsFour constitutions were identified: (1) limited space for independent development, (2) multiple reconstructions of self-image to improve physical ability, (3) self-care of disease, and (4) developing activity styles to accommodate social culture.ConclusionThe self-care lived experiences of patients reflect dynamic changes in the body and environment. Self-existence was exhibited by adjustment, practice, and creativity of physical activity to integrate into society. Nursing staff should understand the self-care experiences and needs of adolescents with SMA to develop a database of self-care skills. This study recommended that nursing staff improve their ability to guide patients in taking care of themselves by developing body awareness self-care courses and individual care plans in response to various stages of disability to help patients delay deterioration, realize their physical potential, and promote independence and social development.     

Minimum clinically important difference of the health-related quality of life scales in adult spinal deformity calculated by latent class analysis: is it appropriate to use the same values for surgical and nonsurgical patients?

BACKGROUND CONTEXT

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) parameters have been shown to be reliable and valid in patients with adult spinal deformity (ASD). Minimum clinically important difference (MCID) has become increasingly important to clinicians in evaluating patients with a threshold of improvement that is clinically relevant.

Voluntary ambulation using voluntary upper limb muscle activity and Hybrid Assistive Limb® (HAL®) in a patient with complete paraplegia due to chronic spinal cord injury: A case report

Context: We sought to describe our experience with the Hybrid Assistive Limb® (HAL®) for active knee extension and voluntary ambulation with remaining muscle activity in a patient with complete paraplegia after spinal cord injury.

Findings: A 30-year-old man with complete paraplegia used the HAL® for 1 month (10 sessions) using his remaining muscle activity, including hip flexor and upper limb activity. Electromyography was used to evaluate muscle activity of the gluteus maximus, tensor fascia lata, quadriceps femoris, and hamstring muscles in synchronization with the Vicon motion capture system. A HAL® session included a knee extension session with the hip flexor and voluntary gait with upper limb activity. After using the HAL® for one month, the patient’s manual muscle hip flexor scores improved from 1/5 to 2/5 for the right and from 2/5 to 3/5 for the left knee, and from 0/5 to 1/5 for the extension of both knees.

Conclusion/clinical relevance: Knee extension sessions with HAL®, and hip flexor and upper-limb-triggered HAL® ambulation seem a safe and feasible option in a patient with complete paraplegia due to spinal cord injury.     

Understanding the Influence of Nanocarrier-Mediated Brain Delivery on Therapeutic Performance Through Pharmacokinetic-Pharmacodynamic Modeling

This study aimed at evaluating how encapsulation in a regular nanocarrier (NC) (providing extended circulation time) or in a brain-targeting NC (providing prolonged circulation time and increased brain uptake) may influence the therapeutic index compared with the unformulated drug and to explore the key parameters affecting therapeutic performance using a model-based approach. Pharmacokinetic (PK) models were built with chosen PK parameters. For a scenario where central effect depends on area under the unbound brain concentration curve and peripheral toxicity relates to peak unbound plasma concentration, dose-effect and drug-side effect curves were constructed, and the therapeutic index was evaluated. Regular NC improved the therapeutic index compared with the unformulated drug due to reduced peripheral toxicity, while brain-targeting NC enhanced the therapeutic index by lowering peripheral toxicity and increasing central effect. Decreasing drug release rate or systemic clearance of NC with drug still encapsulated could increase the therapeutic index. Also, a drug with shorter half-life would therapeutically benefit more from a NC encapsulation. This work provides insights into how a NC for brain delivery should be optimized to maximize the therapeutic performance and is helpful to predict if and to what extent a drug with certain PK properties would obtain therapeutic benefit from nanoencapsulation.     

Relationship between 3D lower limb bone morphology and 3D gait variables in children with uni and bilateral Cerebral Palsy

BackgroundMedical and surgical interventions to prevent or reduce bone deformities and improve gait in children with cerebral palsy (CP) are based on empirical evidence that there is a relationship between bone deformities and gait deviations.Research questionWhat is the relationship between tibial-femoral bone morphology and kinematic gait variables in ambulant children with CP?MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on data from 121 children with uni- (n = 64, mean age 9.9 (SD 3.4) years) and bi- lateral (n = 57, mean age 10.4 (SD 3.6) years) CP who had undergone 3D gait analysis and biplanar X-rays (EOS® system). The limbs were split as DIP (the more impaired limb of children with bilateral CP), HEMI (the impaired limb of unilateral CP) and REF (the unimpaired limb of unilateral CP). Multi-variable Linear Regressions were performed between 23 kinematic variables, the Gait Deviation Index (GDI) and a model composed of nine 3D bone variables for each limb type.ResultsWhen the whole sample was pooled, 72% of R² values were poor, 16% were fair, and 12% were moderate. Lower limb bone morphology models explained less than 1% of GDI variability. Correlations between tibial-femoral rotational parameters and hip rotation were mostly poor. Mean foot progression angle was the only kinematic parameter that was fairly to moderately correlated with bone variables in the 3 limb types. A tibial-femoral bone model explained 48% of the variability of mean foot progression angle in the REF limbs, 31% in the HEMI limbs and 25% in the DIP limbs.SignificanceTibial-femoral bone morphology was only weakly related to kinematic gait variables, in contrast with common clinical assumptions. These results suggest that factors other than bone morphology influence gait quality and thus a thorough clinical examination and gait analysis is required prior to making treatment decisions.     

Effect of regular swimming exercise to duration-intensity on neurocognitive function in cerebral infarction rat model

Objective: This study investigated the effect of regular swimming exercise according to the duration-intensity on neurocognitive function in a cerebral infarction rat model.

Methods: Forty male Sprague–Dawley 10-week-old rats, weighing 300 ± 50 g, were subjected to photothrombotic cerebral infarction. The remaining 36 rats were randomly divided into four groups (n = 9 per group: non-exercise (group A); swimming exercise of short duration-intensity (5 min/day, group B); swimming exercise of moderate duration-intensity (10 min/day, group C); and swimming exercise of long duration-intensity (20 min/day, group D). Exercise was performed five times a week for 4 weeks, beginning the day after cerebral infarction. Neurocognitive function was evaluated with the Morris water maze test. Immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis examined brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) at 4 weeks postinfarction.

Results: At 4 weeks postinfarction, escape latency was found to be shorter in group C than in any of groups A, B, or D. Immunohistochemistry revealed the most significant immunoreactivity for BDNF and VEGF in group C. Western blot analysis demonstrated that BDNF and VEGF proteins were markedly expressed in group C.

Conclusions: Regular swimming exercise of moderate duration-intensity may be the most effective exercise protocol for the recovery of neurocognitive function in cerebral infarction rat model.