To identify the effects of overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms on the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) in stroke patients since OAB symptoms are common in such patients, but their effects on stroke rehabilitation over time are unclear.
This study included 30 post-acute stroke patients who had been admitted for rehabilitation treatments. All participants completed a questionnaire evaluating urinary symptoms, including the Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS) and general HRQOL with a Short-Form 36 (SF-36) health survey. We assessed their performance in terms of the Function Ambulation Category, Modified Rankin Scale (MRS), Modified Barthel Index, and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). All assessments were carried out twice at baseline and at 3 months. We divided patients into an OAB and non-OAB group with OABSS. A correlation analysis and multivariate regression were then performed.
All performance scales showed an improvement over 3 months in the non-OAB group (n=18; p<0.02), but, MRS and MMSE scores did not improve significantly in the OAB group (n=12) (p=0.15 and p=0.20, respectively). In the OAB group, the vitality and mental health scores significantly decreased over 3 months (p=0.011 and p=0,041, respectively), and the mental component summary (MCS) score showed a marginal decrease over 3 months (p=0.05). A multivariate regression analysis revealed that OAB symptoms were negatively correlated with the 3 months MCS score (B=−8.15, p=0.034).
These results indicated that OAB symptoms could have negative effects on HRQOL and performance in patients suffering from a stroke.
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To analyze the relationship of the change in fat mass percentage (FMP) and body mass index (BMI) with the change in obesity rate according to gender, extent of spinal cord injury (SCI) and the duration.
The retrospective study was conducted with medical records of 915 patients. FMP was calculated with BMI and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Statistical analysis of the relationship between FMP and gender, extent of SCI and the duration after SCI was done.
FMP increased in relation to the duration. The mean FMP was higher in the motor complete tetraplegia group, as compared to the motor incomplete group. The rate of obesity was 69.8% with cutoff FMP values of over 22% and 35% for male and female patients, respectively. Rate of obesity was correlated with the duration after SCI and degree of paralysis. The rate of obesity was 17.1% with a cutoff value of BMI 25 kg/m2 and 51.3% with a cutoff value of 22 kg/m2. For evaluation of the diagnostic value of BMI to predict obesity according to FMP standards, a cutoff value of 25 kg/m2 showed a sensitivity level of 22.3% and specificity level of 94.9%. When the cutoff level for BMI was set at 22 kg/m2, the sensitivity and specificity were 59.3% and 67.0%, respectively.
In Korean SCI patients, FMP showed good correlation with the duration of SCI and the extent of SCI, while BMI did not. Especially in the motor complete tetraplegia group, the diagnostic value of BMI decreased as the duration after SCI increased. This study suggested that FMP could be used complementarily when evaluating the obesity of SCI patients.
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Idiopathic CD4+ T-lymphocytopenia is a rare immune disorder characterized by an unexplained deficit of CD4+ T cells and results in various opportunistic infections. Herein, we report a case of new onset weakness in a 10-year-old boy secondary to motor axonal neuropathy associated with idiopathic CD4+ T-lymphocytopenia. The patient was referred to rehabilitation for an evaluation of progressive weakness involving all four limbs. A subsequent nerve conduction study and needle electromyography identified motor axonal neuropathy. At that time, laboratory studies specific to the differential diagnosis of motor axonal neuropathy were performed; however, the abnormality noted was a decreased CD4+ T-lymphocyte count. Motor axonal neuropathy represents an uncommon manifestation of idiopathic CD4+ T-lymphocytopenia and is probably associated with an underlying immune process.
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Compressive femoral and lateral femoral cutaneous neuropathies from an iliacus hematoma are unusual presentation. We report a case of a 16-year-old boy who developed right femoral and lateral femoral cutaneous neuropathies as a complication of traumatic ipsilateral iliacus hematoma formation. The patient complained of numbness in the right thigh and calf as well as right leg weakness, and pain in the right inguinal area. Nerve conduction study and needle electromyography identified the neuropathies. After the electrodiagnostic studies, the pelvic bone MRI revealed a large, 9×5×4.5 cm right iliacus hematoma. As a result, diagnosis of a right iliacus hematoma compressing the femoral and lateral femoral cutaneous nerves was made, and the patient underwent an operation to remove the hematoma. Symptoms and neurological signs showed notable improvement after surgical decompression. Subsequent follow-up electrodiagnostic studies after 11 weeks demonstrated regeneration evidence.
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The objectives of this study were to investigate the causes of plantar heel pain and find differences in the clinical features of plantar fasciitis (PF) and fat pad atrophy (FPA), which are common causes of plantar heel pain, for use in differential diagnosis.
This retrospective study analyzed the medical records of 250 patients with plantar heel pain at the Foot Clinic of Rehabilitation Medicine at Bundang Jesaeng General Hospital from January to September, 2008.
The subjects used in this study were 114 men and 136 women patients with a mean age of 43.8 years and mean heel pain duration of 13.3 months. Causes of plantar heel pain were PF (53.2%), FPA (14.8%), pes cavus (10.4%), PF with FPA (9.2%), pes planus (4.8%), plantar fibromatosis (4.4%), plantar fascia rupture (1.6%), neuropathy (0.8%), and small shoe syndrome (0.8%). PF and FPA were most frequently diagnosed. First-step pain in the morning, and tenderness on medial calcaneal tuberosity correlated with PF. FPA mainly involved bilateral pain, pain at night, and pain that was aggravated by standing. Heel cord tightness was the most common biomechanical abnormality of the foot. Heel spur was frequently seen in X-rays of patients with PF.
Plantar heel pain can be provoked by PF, FPA, and other causes. Patients with PF or FPA typically show different characteristics in clinical features. Plantar heel pain requires differential diagnosis for appropriate treatment.
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