To report successful cases of extubation from invasive mechanical ventilation at our institution using pulmonary rehabilitation consisting of noninvasive ventilation (NIV) in neuromuscular patients with experience of reintubation.
Patients who experienced extubation failure via the conventional weaning strategy but afterwards had extubation success via NIV were studied retrospectively. Continuous end-tidal CO2 (ETCO2) and pulse oxyhemoglobin saturation (SpO2) monitoring were performed. Extubation success was defined as a state not requiring invasive mechanical ventilation via endotracheal tube or tracheotomy during a period of at least 5 days.
A total of 18 patients with ventilatory failure who initially experienced extubation failure were finally placed under part-time NIV after extubation. No patient had any serious or long-term adverse effect from NIV, and all patients left the hospital alive.
NIV may promote successful weaning in neuromuscular patients with experience of reintubation.
Citations
To investigate the effect of dual-task training on the recovery of balance ability and cognitive function in patients with subacute stroke.
Twenty patients (12 males and eight females; average age, 59.70 years) with subacute stroke were enrolled in this study. All participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups, the dual-task group (n=10) or the control group (n=10). The dual task was simultaneous balance and cognitive training using the BioRescue. All patients were evaluated with posturographic parameters and the Berg Balance Scale for balance ability, a computerized neuropsychological test and the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination for cognitive function, the Fugl-Meyer Assessment for motor function, and the Korean-Modified Barthel Index for activities of daily living (ADL) function before and after 4 weeks of rehabilitation.
The dual-task group showed significant improvements in the pressure of the weight distribution index (WDI), surface area, and length of the stability index during the eyes-open condition; surface area of the limit of stability (LOS) on the hemiparetic and intact sides, and the auditory continuous performance test and backward visual span test after rehabilitation. Although no significant difference was observed for the changes in balance ability or cognitive, motor, and ADL functions between the groups, changes in the WDI pressure during the eyes-open condition and in the area ratio of LOS (hemiparetic/intact) showed a tendency to improve in the dual-task group.
Our findings suggest that dual-task training could be as effective as conventional balance training for improving balance and cognition in subacute post-stroke patients.
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To investigate the effectiveness of commercial gaming-based virtual reality (VR) therapy on the recovery of paretic upper extremity in subacute stroke patients.
Twenty patients with the first-onset subacute stroke were enrolled and randomly assigned to the case group (n=10) and the control group (n=10). Primary outcome was measured by the upper limb score through the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA-UL) for the motor function of both upper extremities. Secondary outcomes were assessed for motor function of both upper extremities including manual function test (MFT), box and block test (BBT), grip strength, evaluated for activities of daily living (Korean version of Modified Barthel Index [K-MBI]), and cognitive functions (Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Examination [K-MMSE] and continuous performance test [CPT]). The case group received commercial gaming-based VR therapy using Wii (Nintendo, Tokyo, Japan), and the control group received conventional occupational therapy (OT) for 30 minutes a day during the period of 4 weeks. All patients were evaluated before and after the 4-week intervention.
There were no significant differences in the baseline between the two groups. After 4 weeks, both groups showed significant improvement in the FMA-UL, MFT, BBT, K-MBI, K-MMSE, and correct detection of auditory CPT. However, grip strength was improved significantly only in the case group. There were no significant intergroup differences before and after the treatment.
These findings suggested that the commercial gaming-based VR therapy was as effective as conventional OT on the recovery of upper extremity motor and daily living function in subacute stroke patients.
Citations
To assess the practical diagnostic value of facial nerve antidromic evoked potential (FNAEP), we compared it with the diagnostic value of the electroneurography (ENoG) test in Bell's palsy.
In total, 20 patients with unilateral Bell's palsy were recruited. Between the 1st and 17th days after the onset of facial palsy, FNAEP and ENoG tests were conducted. The degeneration ratio and FNAEP latency difference between the affected and unaffected sides were calculated in all subjects.
In all patients, FNAEP showed prolonged latencies on the affected side versus the unaffected side. The difference was statistically significant. In contrast, there was no significant difference between sides in the normal control group. In 8 of 20 patients, ENoG revealed a degeneration ratio less than 50%, but FNAEP show a difference of more than 0.295±0.599 ms, the average value of normal control group. This shows FNAEP could be a more sensitive test for Bell's palsy diagnosis than ENoG. In particular, in 10 patients tested within 7 days after onset, an abnormal ENoG finding was noted in only four of them, but FNAEP showed a significant latency difference in all patients at this early stage. Thus, FANEP was more sensitive in detecting facial nerve injury than the ENoG test (p=0.031).
FNAEP has some clinical value in the diagnosis of facial nerve degeneration. It is important that FNAEP be considered in patients with facial palsy at an early stage and integrated with other relevant tests.
Citations
To determine if assistive ergometer training can improve the functional ability and aerobic capacity of subacute stroke patients and if functional electrical stimulation (FES) of the paretic leg during ergometer cycling has additional effects.
Sixteen subacute stroke patents were randomly assigned to the FES group (n=8) or the control group (n=8). All patients underwent assistive ergometer training for 30 minutes (five times per week for 4 weeks). The electrical stimulation group received FES of the paretic lower limb muscles during assistive ergometer training. The six-minute walk test (6MWT), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and the Korean version of Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI) were evaluated at the beginning and end of treatment. Peak oxygen consumption (Vo2peak), metabolic equivalent (MET), resting and maximal heart rate, resting and maximal blood pressure, maximal rate pressure product, submaximal rate pressure product, submaximal rate of perceived exertion, exercise duration, respiratory exchange ratio, and estimated anaerobic threshold (AT) were determined with the exercise tolerance test before and after treatment.
At 4 weeks after treatment, the FES assistive ergometer training group showed significant improvements in 6MWT (p=0.01), BBS (p=0.01), K-MBI (p=0.01), Vo2peak (p=0.02), MET (p=0.02), and estimated AT (p=0.02). The control group showed improvements in only BBS (p=0.01) and K-MBI (p=0.02). However, there was no significant difference in exercise capacity and functional ability between the two groups.
This study demonstrated that ergometer training for 4 weeks improved the functional ability of subacute stroke patients. In addition, aerobic capacity was improved after assisted ergometer training with a FES only.
Citations
To evaluate intra-tester reliability of P300 more precisely, this study was designed. Event-related potential (ERP) is the result of endogenous brain response following cognitive stimulus. The P300 component of the human ERP is a positive wave with a latency of 300 ms or greater. Our purpose of this study was to estimate reliability of P300 latency and amplitude with 30 normal persons without head injury, as well as to set up them as the reference values in the event that they would be found to be highly reliable.
ERP was performed at three separate times on 30 normal adults in their 20s and 30s. We measured P300 latency and amplitude among ERP.
P300 latency show excellent reliability with intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.81. As to P300 amplitude, reliability was good to fair with ICC of 0.53. Average value of P300 latency was 311.3±37.0 ms, shorter than reference value of previous study in Korea.
P300 latency revealed higher reliability than P300 amplitude, although reliability of P300 was confirmed in both component. After further study including precise mechanism, influence factor on measurement and method standardization, it is expected to be an objective indicator to assess the cognitive state and predict prognosis.
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To determine reliability and clinical use of two methods of migration index (MI) in CP patients with or without hip dysplasia.
The materials included radiographs of 200 hips of children with cerebral palsy. Conventional anteroposterior radiographs of the pelvis were taken with the child in the supine position with standardized methods. Two rehabilitation doctors measured the migration index using two methods. In the classic method, the lateral margin of the acetabular roof was used as a landmark and in the modified method the lateral margin of the sourcil was used as a landmark. Each rater measured the migration index at three separate times with a time interval of at least one week. Intraclass correlation (ICC) was used to test the inter- and intra-rater reliability.
MI shows excellent intra-rater reliability in both the classic and modified methods, but the inter-rater reliability was higher in the classic method than in the modified method. When categorized according to the sourcil classification, inter-rater reliability was higher in the normal sourcil type and lower in the dysplastic sourcil types.
Generally, the classic method showed higher reliability than the modified method, even though the reliability of the MI measurement was relatively high with both methods.
Citations
To reveal the significance of continuous transcutaneous carbon dioxide (CO2) level monitoring through reviewing cases which showed a discrepancy in CO2 levels between arterial blood gas analysis (ABGA) and continuous transcutaneous blood gas monitoring.
Medical record review was conducted retrospectively of patients with neuromuscular diseases who had started home mechanical ventilation between June 2008 and May 2010. The 89 patients underwent ABGA at the 1st hospital day, and changes to their CO2 level were continuously monitored overnight with a transcutaneous blood gas analysis device. The number of patients who initially appeared to show normal PaCO2 through ABGA, yet displayed hypercapnea through overnight continuous monitoring, was counted.
36 patients (40.45%) presented inconsistent CO2 level results between ABGA and continuous overnight monitoring. The mean CO2 level of the 36 patients using ABGA was 37.23±5.11 mmHg. However, the maximum and mean CO2 levels from the continuous monitoring device were 52.25±6.87 mmHg and 46.16±6.08 mmHg, respectively. From the total monitoring period (357.28±150.12 minutes), CO2 retention over 45 mmHg was detected in 198.97 minutes (55.69%).
Although ABGA only reflects ventilatory status at the puncturing moment, ABGA results are commonly used to monitor ventilatory status in most clinical settings. In order to decide the starting point of home mechanical ventilation in neuromuscular patients, continuous overnight monitoring should be considered to assess latent CO2 retention.
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