To investigate phasic changes during filling cystometry that most accurately represent detrusor properties, regardless of other factors affecting detrusor contractility.
Seventy-eight patients (59 males, 19 females; mean age, 48.2 years) with spinal cord injuries were enrolled. Urodynamic studies were performed using a normal saline filling rate of 24 mL/min. We calculated bladder compliance values of the detrusor muscle in each of three filling phase intervals, which divided the filling cystometrogram into three phases referable to the cystometric capacity or maximum cystometric capacity. The three phases were sequentially delineated by reference to the pressure-volume curve reflecting bladder filling.
Bladder compliance during the first and second phases of filling cystometry was significantly correlated with overall bladder compliance in overactive detrusors. The highest coefficient of determination (r2=0.329) was obtained during the first phase of the pressure-volume curve. Bladder compliance during all three phases was significantly correlated with overall bladder compliance of filling cystometry in underactive detrusors. However, the coefficient of determination was greatest (r2=0.529) during the first phase of filling cystometry.
Phasic bladder compliance during the early filling phase (first filling phase) was the most representative assessment of overall bladder compliance during filling cystometry. Careful determination of early phase filling is important when seeking to acquire reliable urodynamic data on neurogenic bladders.
Citations
To investigate compliance with a viscosity-modified diet among Korean dysphagic patients and to determine which factors are associated with compliance.
We retrospectively reviewed medical records of patients who had been recommended to use thickeners in the previous videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS). Among 68 patients, 6 were excluded because tube feeding was required due to deterioration in their medical condition. Finally, 62 patients were included in the study. Patient compliance was assessed using their medical records by checking whether he or she had maintained thickener use until the next VFSS. To determine which factors affect compliance, the relationship between thickener use and patient characteristics, such as sex, age, inpatient/outpatient status, severity of dysphagia, aspiration symptoms, follow-up interval of VFSS, and current swallowing therapy status were assessed. For noncompliers, reasons for not using thickeners were investigated by telephone interview.
Among 62 patients, 35 (56.5%) were compliers, and 27 (43.5%) were noncompliers. Eighteen (90%) of 20 inpatients had followed previous recommendations; however, only 17 (40.5%) of 42 outpatients had been using thickeners. Of patient characteristics, only admission status was significantly correlated with compliance. When asked about the reason why they had not used thickeners, noncompliers complained about dissatisfaction with texture and taste, greater difficulty in swallowing, and inconvenience of preparing meals.
Among Korean dysphagic patients, compliance with a viscosity-modified liquid diet was only about 50%. Betterments of texture and taste along with patient education might be necessary to improve compliance with thickener use.
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Method: Thirty-one patients with DMD were investigated. The vital capacity (VC), maximum insufflation capacity (MIC), maximal inspiratory (MIP), and expiratory pressure (MEP) were measured. Unassisted peak cough flow (UPCF) and assisted PCF at three different conditions were evaluated.
Results: The mean value of MICs (1,873⁑644 cc) was higher than that of VCs (1,509⁑640 cc). MIP and MEP were 48.8⁑21.4% and 29.5⁑19.5% of predicted normal value respectively. MIP was correlated with UPCFs as well as MEP. All of three assisted cough methods showed significantly higher value than unassisted method (p<0.01). The manual assisted PCFs at MIC significantly exceeded those produced by manual assisted or PCFs at MIC. The positive correlation between the MIC-VC difference and PCF at MIC-UPCF difference was seen (p<0.01).
Conclusion: Inspiratory muscle strength and the preservation of pulmonary compliance is important for the development of effective cough as well as expiratory muscle power. Thus, the clinical implication of the inspiratory phase in assisting a cough should be emphasized. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2003; 27: 43-48)
Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of regular sports activity on psychosocial adaptation, natural killer cell activity (NKCA) as an immunologic measure and HDL-cholesterol level as an indirect index of heart disease in chronic spinal cord injured persons.
Method: We compared two groups. One is sports group (n=13) who has been doing regular sports activity more than three hours a week for at least one year. Another group who leads sedentary life matched age and body mass index served as a control group (n=13). For the evaluation of psychosocial adaptation, we assessed Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale as subjective measure, Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique (CHART) as objective measure and Symptom Checklist 90 Revision (SCL-90-R) as a psychologic evaluation. NKCA and serum HDL-cholesterol level were assessed.
Results: There was no significant difference in subjective measure and psychologic evaluation between two groups. CHART score and NKCA are significantly higher in the sports group than in the control group (p<0.05). HDL cholesterol level was increased in the sports group compared with the control group.
Conclusion: Participating in regular sports activity improved the psychosocial adaptation and immune system in chronic spinal cord injured persons.
Objective: To describe the inappropriate application of spinal orthosis and the frequency of the noncompliance and to identify the relating factors for compliance of spinal orthosis in patients with spinal metastasis.
Method: Twenty patients diagnosed as spinal instability due to spinal metastasis and applied with Knight-Taylor thoracolumbosacral orthosis or Knight lumbosacral orthosis were interviewed about the mobility and pain. Visual analogue scale (VAS) about severity of back pain and discomfort was also applied to each patient.
Results: Nine of the twenty patients were considered as being in poor compliance group. Six of eleven patients with good compliance had inappropriate application method or fitting problems. Inability to walk, poor walking endurance, greater degree of discomfort were related to the poor compliance of the spinal orthosis in patients with spinal metastasis.
Conclusion: Even with intensive education about the need for spinal orthosis and the method for application, there is high probability that the patients did not use the orthosis or use the orthosis incorrectly especially when patients cannot walk (or cannot walk enough time) and complain severe discomfort.