Functional Role of the Corticoreticular Pathway in Chronic Stroke Patients.
Functional Role of the Corticoreticular Pathway in Chronic Stroke Patients.
Stroke. 2013 Feb 26;
Jang SH, Chang CH, Lee J, Kim CS, Seo JP, Yeo SS
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The corticoreticular pathway (CRP) is known to be an important extrapyramidal tract for walking ability. However, little is known about the functional role of the CRP in recovery of walking ability. We investigated relation between the CRP and walking ability in chronic hemiparetic stroke patients. METHODS: Among 209 consecutive patients, 54 patients, who showed complete injury of the corticospinal tract (CST) in the affected hemisphere on diffusion tensor tractography, and 20 normal subjects were recruited. Functional ambulation category was used in measurement of walking ability. The fractional anisotropy value, apparent diffusion coefficient value, and fiber volume of the CRP and CST were used for the diffusion tensor imaging parameters. RESULTS: In the affected hemisphere, no significant difference in diffusion tensor imaging parameters of the CRP was observed between patient subgroups. In the unaffected hemisphere, patients who were able to walk showed significantly increased fiber volume of the CRP, compared with patients who could not walk and normal control subjects (P<0.05), without significant difference in fractional anisotropy and apparent diffusion coefficient values. In addition, the fiber volume of the CRP in the unaffected hemisphere showed positive correlation with functional ambulation category (P<0.05). In contrast, diffusion tensor imaging parameters of the CST in the unaffected hemisphere showed no correlation with functional ambulation category (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The increased fiber volume of the CRP in the unaffected hemisphere seems to be related to walking ability in patients with chronic stroke. Therefore, the compensation of the CRP in the unaffected hemisphere seems to be one of the mechanisms for recovery of walking ability after stroke. HubMed – rehab
Marginal bone loss around unsplinted miniimplants supporting maxillary overdentures: A preliminary comparative study between partial and full palatal coverage.
Quintessence Int. 2013; 44(1): 45-52
Elsyad MA, Ghoneem NE, El-Sharkawy H
Objective: To evaluate and compare marginal bone loss around mini-implants supporting maxillary overdentures with either partial or full palatal coverage. Method and Materials: Nineteen edentulous patients complaining of retention problems involving their maxillary dentures were randomly allocated in two groups. Group I (n = 10) received maxillary dentures with full palatal coverage, and group II (n = 9) received maxillary dentures with partial palatal coverage. In total, 114 mini-implants (6 per patient) were inserted using the nonsubmerged flapless surgical approach and loaded immediately with maxillary overdentures. Each implant was evaluated at the time of initial prosthetic loading and at 6, 12, and 24 months thereafter. Radiographic evaluation was performed in terms of vertical and horizontal bone loss. Implant mobility (via Periotest values) was measured using a Periotest device, and patient satisfaction was evaluated with a visual analog scale. The cumulative survival rate was calculated using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Results: After 2 years, the mean vertical bone loss in groups I and II was 5.38 and 6.29 mm, respectively, while the mean horizontal bone loss in groups I and II was 1.52 and 1.93 mm, respectively. Most bone resorption occurred within 6 months after overdenture insertion in both groups. Group II recorded significant higher vertical bone loss and Periotest values than group I at all observation times. The cumulative survival rates of the mini-implants were 78.4% and 53.8% for groups I and II, respectively. All patients were satisfied with their maxillary overdentures in terms of retention and chewing ability. Conclusion: Rehabilitation of edentulous maxillae with unsplinted mini-implants supporting overdentures and in particular with a combination of partial palatal coverage is not recommended because of excessive marginal bone resorption and the higher failure rate of mini-implants than was expected. HubMed – rehab
Rehabilitation of an edentulous atrophic maxilla with four unsplinted narrow diameter titaniumzirconium implants supporting an overdenture.
Quintessence Int. 2013; 44(1): 37-43
Cordaro L, Torsello F, Torresanto VM, Baricevic M
The edentulous maxilla is often affected by bone resorption, sometimes making it difficult to place standard diameter implants. Narrow diameter implants made of titanium-zirconium (Ti-Zr) alloy, which has superior mechanical properties compared with titanium, have been proposed for these difficult situations. This retrospective clinical observation reports the outcome of the use of reduced diameter implants made of Ti-Zr alloy supporting maxillary overdentures retained with locator abutments. The charts of all patients who received maxillary overdentures supported by four unsplinted implants from January 2009 to June 2010 at the Department of Periodontology and Prosthodontics, Eastman Dental Hospital, Rome, Italy, were reviewed. All patients treated with four narrow diameter Ti-Zr implants were selected for the present case series. Ten patients were found, six of whom received augmentation procedures. After 12 to 16 months of follow-up, no implants were lost, and only one implant showed bone resorption greater than 1.5 mm. Implants showed a success rate of 97.5% and a survival rate of 100%. All prostheses were successfully in function. The present case series showed promising results regarding the use of narrow diameter implants made of Ti-Zr supporting maxillary overdentures retained with locator abutments. HubMed – rehab
Effects of Marathon Running on Cardiac Markers and Endothelin-1 in EIH Athletes.
Int J Sports Med. 2013 Feb 26;
Kim YJ, Shin YO, Lee YH, Jee HM, Shin KA, Goh CW, Kim CH, Min YK, Yang HM, Lee JB
The aim of the present study was to determine the changes in cardiac makers and endothelin-1 (ET-1) in marathoners with exercise induced hypertension compared to normotensive controls before and after running a marathon. Among a total of 70 volunteers, 10 marathoners with systolic blood pressure (SBP) greater than 210 mmHg during a treadmill exercise stress test were selected as an exercise-induced hypertension group (EIH) and 10 marathoners with normal SBP were selected as a control group (CON). Blood was collected from all volunteers 2 h before and immediately after a marathon: creatinine kinase (CK), CK-MB, cardiac tropoin-1 (cTn1), N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), and endothelin-1(ET-1). Cardiac markers, CK, CK-MB, and CK-MB/CK ratio significantly increased in both EIH and CON; significance was not observed between the groups. Significant increases were not observed in high sensitive-C reactive protein (hs-CRP) after the race nor between the groups. Significant increases in cTn1 and NT-proBNP were observed after the race in both groups. In addition, EIH showed greater increase than CON after the race. In conclusion, increased vascular tone in EIH during a marathon increased blood pressure and myocardial burden which in turn increased myocardial cell membrane permeability to further increase myocardial tension to the point of cTnI release. HubMed – rehab