Aim: To compare the Disease Activity Score with 28 joint (DAS28) using erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (DAS28-ESR) and DAS28 using C-reactive protein (CRP) (DAS28-CRP) with thresholds validated for DAS28-ESR in Turkish patients with rheumatoid arthritis.Method: The DAS28 data of 112 patients with rheumatoid arthritis followed in a local outpatient clinic were used. First, the correlation between DAS28-CRP and DAS28-ESR and the correlation between their unique components ([0.36 9 In (CRP + 1) + 0.96] and [0.70 9 In (ESR)]) were analyzed. Second, a Bland-Altman plot was constructed for the evaluation of the level of agreement between DAS28-CRP and DAS28-ESR. Lastly, the agreement between these two methods was analyzed by j coefficient.Results: Although there was a strong correlation between DAS28-CRP and DAS28-ESR, the correlation between their unique components was fair. Although more than 95% of the point data fall between the upper and lower bounds of the limit of agreement, the percentage error (46%) was higher than the acceptable proportion of 30%. The j coefficient of agreement between DAS28-ESR and DAS28-CRP with validated thresholds for DAS28-ESR was 0.42, which was close to the lower boundary for moderate agreement. Conclusion:The results of this study demonstrated that there is discordance between DAS28-ESR and DAS28-CRP with the validated thresholds for DAS28-ESR. Using the DAS28-CRP with threshold values validated for DAS28-ESR may lead to errors in the determination of disease activity and therefore may lead to errors in the management of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Objective: To determine the effects of Kinesio taping on pain, functional performance, range of motion, and postural stability in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Study Design: Randomised double-blind controlled trial.
Objective Loss of proprioception and balance disorders are commonly observed in patients with knee osteoarthritis. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of balance and proprioception exercises in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Design A single-center randomized trial with three parallel arms. Setting A tertiary health care facility in Turkey. Participants Female patients with knee osteoarthritis aged 40–70 years. Interventions Ten-week exercise program in Biodex training, classical balance training and isometric strengthening groups. Main measures Dynamic balance (overall stability index and the modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction and Balance), pain (visual analogue scale), physical function (30-s chair stand test and 40-meter fast-paced walk test) and quality of life (Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score). Results Eighty-nine patients enrolled in the study. The Biodex training group, the classical training group, and the control group had overall stability index values of 1.0 ± 0.07, 1.4 ± 0.07 and 1.4 ± 0.07, and the Modified Clinical Test of Sensory Interaction and Balance – Condition-3 values of 0.7 ± 0.04, 0.9 ± 0.04 and 0.9 ± 0.04 respectively, at the end of treatment. In terms of pain scores on movement, each group showed significant improvement compared to their baseline, and the classical balance training group had better scores than the control group. No other significant difference was found between the groups. Physical function and quality of life outcomes showed significant main effects only in the time factor. Conclusions Balance and proprioception exercises may have positive effects on dynamic balance and pain. The effects on physical function and quality of life should be investigated in further studies with larger sample.
Background It has been suggested that spinal manipulation may alter sensorimotor integration in the central nervous system and therefore may be used to treat central sensitization syndromes. Objective To investigate the effectiveness of spinal manipulation in addition to pharmacological treatment in patients with fibromyalgia. Design A single‐center, randomized, and placebo‐controlled trial with three parallel arms Setting Outpatient clinics at a tertiary health care facility. Participants Female patients aged 18‐55 years receiving pharmacological treatment. Interventions Spinal manipulation, sham manipulation, and control groups. Patients in the spinal manipulation group received high‐velocity low‐amplitude manipulation treatment twice a week for 3 weeks. Patients in the sham group received an application that was very similar to the active treatment but was not expected to have any real therapeutic effect. Patients in the control group continued to receive pharmacological therapy. Main Outcome Measures The primary outcome, pain score (visual analog scale), and secondary outcomes, pressure pain threshold (PPT), Revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR), Widespread Pain Index (WPI), and Fibromyalgia Severity Score (FSS) were measured before, 1 month, and 3 months after randomization. Results Sixty patients with a mean age of 41.7 years (SD = 8.0) were enrolled in the study. A mixed‐design repeated analysis of covariance was used to test the data. At 1 month after randomization, pain scores did not differ between groups. At 3 months after randomization, the spinal manipulation group had a significantly lower pain score (adjusted mean = 4.3 cm, SE: 0.4) than the control group (adjusted mean = 6.8 cm, SE: 0.4) and the sham manipulation group (adjusted mean = 5.7 cm, SE: 0.4). PPT did not differ between groups at any time point. FIQR, WPI, and FSS showed some improvement 1 or 3 months after randomization in favor of the spinal manipulation group. Conclusions Spinal manipulation used in addition to pharmacological treatment in young/middle‐aged female patients with fibromyalgia could be an effective treatment for pain, disease severity, and functionality.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.