. The results indicate that mirror therapy effectively reduces pain and enhances upper limb motor function in stroke patients with upper limb CRPSt1.

Background and Purpose. Radial shock-wave therapy (RSWT) is a pneumatically generated, low- to medium-energy type of shock-wave therapy. This single-blind, randomized, “less active similar therapy”-controlled study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of RSWT for the management of calcific tendinitis of the shoulder. Subjects. Ninety patients with radiographically verified calcific tendinitis of the shoulder were tested. Methods. Subjects were randomly assigned to either a treatment group (n=45) or a control group (n=45). Pain and functional level were evaluated before and after treatment and at a 6-month follow-up. Radiographic modifications in calcifications were evaluated before and after treatment. Results. The treatment group displayed improvement in all of the parameters analyzed after treatment and at the 6-month follow-up. Calcifications disappeared completely in 86.6% of the subjects in the treatment group and partially in 13.4% of subjects; only 8.8% of the subjects in the control group displayed partially reduced calcifications, and none displayed a total disappearance. Discussion and Conclusion. The results suggest that the use of RSWT for the management of calcific tendinitis of the shoulder is safe and effective, leading to a significant reduction in pain and improvement of shoulder function after 4 weeks, without adverse effects.

Extracorporeal shock-wave therapy is as effective as surgery in stimulating union of long-bone hypertrophic nonunions and yields better short-term clinical outcomes.

Chronic migraine (1.5.1) is burdened with headache-related disability. During noxious stimulation, changes of cerebral blood flow enhance the release of oxygen free radicals that react with nitric oxide (NO). We investigated the role of biofeedback in limiting migraine disability by influencing oxidative stress. Peroxides, NO and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were analysed in 20 female subjects with chronic migraine and in 20 female healthy controls before and after biofeedback sessions. NO(x) levels (23.7 +/- 4.2 vs. 34.9 +/- 4.6 microm; P < 0.05) and SOD activity (6.5 +/- 1.0 vs. 8.0 +/- 0.7 U/ml; P < 0.05) were lower in migraine sufferers before treatment than in healthy controls, whereas peroxide levels (145.8 +/- 40.3 vs. 78.0 +/- 20.0 microm; P < 0.05) were higher in migraine sufferers before treatment than in healthy controls. In migraine sufferers NO(x) levels (23.7 +/- 4.2 vs. 31.3 +/- 7.1 microm; P < 0.05) and SOD activity (6.5 +/- 1.0 vs. 7.9 +/- 0.9 U/ml; P < 0.05) were lower before than after treatment, whereas peroxide levels (145.8 +/- 40.3 vs. 82.4 +/- 21.1 microm; P < 0.05) were higher before than after treatment. SOD serum activity correlated positively with NO(x) serum levels and negatively with peroxide serum levels in healthy controls and in chronic migraine sufferers before and after biofeedback. The mean Migraine Disability Assessment Score before biofeedback sessions was higher than after treatment (36.9 +/- 13.9 vs. 18.8 +/- 10.4; P < 0.001). The effectiveness of biofeedback in limiting chronic migraine may be related to muscular relaxation associated with decreased oxidative stress accompanied by psychological well-being.

Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness of disodium EDTA administration in the treatment of calcific tendinitis of the shoulder. Methods. Eighty patients with radiographically verified calcific tendinitis of the shoulder were enrolled between September 2001 and October 2003. Patients were randomly assigned to either a study group (n ‫؍‬ 40) or a control group (n ‫؍‬ 40). Pain and functional level were evaluated before and after treatment and at 1-year followup. Radiographic modifications in calcifications were evaluated before and after treatment. Disodium EDTA was administered through single needle mesotherapy and 15 minutes of pulsed-mode 1 MHz-ultrasound. Results. The study group displayed improvement in all of the parameters analyzed after treatment and at the 1-year followup. Calcifications disappeared completely in 62.5% of the patients in the study group and partially in 22.5%; calcifications partially disappeared in only 15% of the patients in the control group, and none displayed a complete disappearance. Conclusion. Our results suggest that the use of disodium EDTA for the management of calcific tendinitis of the shoulder is safe and effective, leading to a significant reduction in pain, improvement in shoulder function, and disappearance of calcifications after 4 weeks, without adverse effects.

Patients with back pain and degenerative disorders of the spine have a significant impact on health care costs. Some authors estimate that up to 80% of all adults experience back pain at some point in their lives. Disk herniation represents one of the most frequent causes. Nevertheless, other degenerative diseases have to be considered. In this paper, pathology and imaging of degenerative spine diseases will be discussed, starting from pathophysiology of normal age-related changes of the intervertebral disk and vertebral body.

The efficacy and safety of ipriflavone, a new anti-osteoporotic agent, has been evaluated in an open study in 100 agent, has been evaluated in an open study in 100 osteoporotic women. Ipriflavone was administered as oral capsules dosed at 200 mg, 3 times a day for 12 months. Ninety women completed the study, and the results indicate that the bone mineral density was increased by 2% and 5.8% after 6 and 12 months, respectively. Pain and rachis mobility seemed to be positively influenced by ipriflavone. Only three women complained of side-effects (gastralgia and nausea) and asked to stop the therapy.