BackgroundThe ongoing Farmers’ Cohort for Agricultural Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (FARM) study was developed to evaluate health status and related factors in farmers.MethodsFarmers in Kangwon Province, South Korea, were recruited. Baseline characteristics were determined using questionnaires about sociodemographic and health characteristics and agricultural work-related factors. In addition, laboratory examinations (lumbar spinal radiography and serologic testing) were conducted.ResultsThe FARM study covers eight rural areas and recruited 1013 subjects (534 women; mean [standard deviation {SD}] age, 57.2 [7.5] years). Musculoskeletal pain in multiple areas was reported by 925 subjects (91.3%), and low back pain (63.8%) was the most frequent site of pain. Farmer’s Stress Inventory (mean [SD], 77.7 [10.2]; range, 28–112] and subjective stress index (mean [SD], 5.3 [2.4]; range, 0–10) were above median scale values, reflecting a stressful condition, while the EuroQol-5D-3L index and the EuroQol-Visual Analog Scale scores were high (mean [SD], 0.9 [0.1]; range −0.171–1 and mean [SD], 67.7 [18.7]; range 0–100, respectively), reflecting good life quality. In total, 53% of participants had worked in farming for more than 30 years, and workers involved in dry-field farming comprised the largest subgroup (41.5%). Most participants (94.3%) had no more than a high school education, and families with annual income below 20 million won constituted the largest subgroup (36.3%).ConclusionsThe FARM study may provide data on the current health status and related sociodemographic and agricultural work-related risk factors in Korean farmers, with the goal of providing a scientific basis for developing coping interventions and preventive strategies.
Pneumonia after videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS) is sometimes considered to be caused by aspiration during VFSS; however, to our knowledge, a relationship between these events has not been clearly investigated. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of VFSS-related pneumonia and related factors. Overall, 696 VFSS cases were retrospectively reviewed. Cases in which blood culture was performed within 3 days after VFSS due to newly developed infectious signs were considered as post-VFSS infection cases. Pneumonia was suspected when there was some evidence of respiratory infectious signs in clinical, radiological, and laboratory findings. The underlying disease, clinical signs, and VFSS findings of the pneumonia group were assessed. Among 696 cases, pneumonia was diagnosed in 15 patients. The patients in the pneumonia group tended to be older and had higher aspiration rate on VFSS than those in the non-pneumonia group. In the pneumonia group, 2 patients showed no aspiration during VFSS. In 6 patients, pneumonia developed after massive aspiration of gastric content in 5 patients and inappropriate oral feeding with risk of aspiration before VFSS in 1 patient. Only 7 patients (1.0 %) were finally determined as having VFSS-related pneumonia. In conclusion, the 72-h incidence of VFSS-related pneumonia was 1.0 %. Old age and severity of swallowing difficulty are associated with occurrence of pneumonia.
We report a case of calcific tendinopathy of the gluteus medius initially misdiagnosed as a lumbar herniated intervertebral disc. It was successfully treated with barbotage under ultrasonographic guidance finally. A 56-year-old woman was referred to interventional pain clinic for right hip pain due to an L5-S1 disc herniation. Serial L5 and S1 spinal nerve root blocks and epidural steroid injections were administered. However, pain relief was sustained only for a very short period. Plain radiography of the right hip revealed a solid calcific nodule at adjacent to the insertion site of the gluteus medius tendon. Physical modalities and extracorporeal shock wave therapy failed to improve the pain. Therefore, we attempted ultrasound-guided barbotage of the calcification. Barbotage was performed twice serially and her pain was considerably improved. At 6-month follow-up, the calcification was completely resolved.
Intramuscular lipomas are considered a rare type of benign lipomas. They are usually located deeper and are less palpable than subcutaneous lipomas. A painful presentation with no palpable mass will make clinical diagnosis difficult; in these cases, further imaging should be considered. Only a small number of cases of intramuscular lipomas present with pain; these are located in the supraspinatus and deltoid muscles. To the authors' knowledge, there have been no previous reports of painful intramuscular lipomas involving the infraspinatus muscle. This article describes a case of intramuscular lipoma uniquely located in the infraspinatus muscle and presenting with shoulder pain. A 49-year-old woman presented with 2 months of left shoulder pain. There was no history of preceding trauma. Pain was aggravated by lying on the left shoulder and by the hand behind the back similar to Crass position. On the physical examination, her shoulder joint range of motion was slightly decreased. Simple radiography showed no significant abnormality, but ultrasonography revealed a hyperechogenic mass within the infraspinatus muscle. There was focal tenderness over the mass, but definite palpation of the mass was not possible. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a well-circumscribed, homogeneous lesion measuring 43 × 28 × 16 mm within the infraspinatus muscle, leading to a diagnosis of intramuscular lipoma. Her pain was not improved with medication, suprascapular nerve block, and steroid injections. Finally, surgical intervention was done and intramuscular lipoma was confirmed by specimen. After excision, her shoulder pain was improved and resolved.
This study aimed to identify the associations among low back pain (LBP), LBP‐related disability, agricultural working condition management, and quality of life (QOL) in Korean farmers. Demographic information, agricultural work management, and outcomes of LBP were obtained by standardized questionnaires (Oswestry Disability Index [ODI] for disability and European Quality of Life‐5 Dimensions‐3‐Level version [EQ‐5D‐3L] for QOL). Presence of LBP was determined if the LBP had lasted longer than 1 week or had been more frequent than once a month, and presence of LBP‐related disability was determined if the ODI score was more than 12. Poor health checkups (OR [odds ratio] = 1.70–86, p < .05), were positively associated with LBP, and working at dawn (OR = 1.85–1.96, p < .05), was positively associated with LBP‐related disability after adjusting related demographic factors. EQ‐5D‐3L indexes were significantly lower in participants with LBP (0.83 ± 0.17 vs. 0.92 ± 0.06, p < .001) and disability (0.81 ± 0.18 vs. 0.93 ± 0.05, p < .001). This study showed that the presence of LBP was related to poor health checkups and that LBP‐related disability was related to a poor working time schedule. These results indicate poor QOL and suggest the need for coping strategies such as regular health checkups and a proper working time schedule.
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