Cancer Rehabilitation: Opportunities and Challenges.
Cancer rehabilitation: opportunities and challenges.
Physiother Can. 2012; 64(2): 111-5
McNeely ML
Three simple clinical tests to accurately predict falls in people with Parkinson’s disease.
Mov Disord. 2013 Feb 28;
Paul SS, Canning CG, Sherrington C, Lord SR, Close JC, Fung VS
Falls are a major cause of morbidity in Parkinson’s disease (PD). The objective of this study was to identify predictors of falls in PD and develop a simple prediction tool that would be useful in routine patient care. Potential predictor variables (falls history, disease severity, cognition, leg muscle strength, balance, mobility, freezing of gait [FOG], and fear of falling) were collected for 205 community-dwelling people with PD. Falls were monitored prospectively for 6 months using monthly falls diaries. In total, 125 participants (59%) fell during follow-up. A model that included a history of falls, FOG, impaired postural sway, gait speed, sit-to-stand, standing balance with narrow base of support, and coordinated stability had high discrimination in identifying fallers (area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve [AUC], 0.83; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.77-0.88). A clinical tool that incorporated 3 predictors easily determined in a clinical setting (falling in the previous year: odds ratio [OR], 5.80; 95% CI, 3.00-11.22; FOG in the past month: OR, 2.39; 95% CI, 1.19-4.80; and self-selected gait speed?HubMed – rehab
Non pharmacological interventions for spasticity in multiple sclerosis.
Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013; 2: CD009974
Amatya B, Khan F, La Mantia L, Demetrios M, Wade DT
Spasticity is commonly experienced by people with multiple sclerosis (MS), and it contributes to overall disability in this population. A wide range of non pharmacological interventions are used in isolation or with pharmacological agents to treat spasticity in MS. Evidence for their effectiveness is yet to be determined. To assess the effectiveness of various non pharmacological interventions for the treatment of spasticity in adults with MS.A literature search was performed using the Specialised Register of the Cochrane Multiple Sclerosis and Rare Diseases of the Central Nervous System Review Group on using the Cochrane MS Group Trials Register which among other sources, contains CENTRAL, Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, LILACS, PEDRO in June 2012. Manual searching in the relevant journals and screening of the reference lists of identified studies and reviews were carried out. Abstracts published in proceedings of conferences were also scrutinised.Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that reported non pharmacological intervention/s for treatment of spasticity in adults with MS and compared them with some form of control intervention (such as sham/placebo interventions or lower level or different types of intervention, minimal intervention, waiting list controls or no treatment; interventions given in different settings), were included.Three review authors independently selected the studies, extracted data and assessed the methodological quality of the studies using the Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) tool for best-evidence synthesis. A meta-analysis was not possible due to methodological, clinical and statistical heterogeneity of included studies.Nine RCTs (N = 341 participants, 301 included in analyses) investigated various types and intensities of non pharmacological interventions for treating spasticity in adults with MS. These interventions included: physical activity programmes (such as physiotherapy, structured exercise programme, sports climbing); transcranial magnetic stimulation (Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation (iTBS), Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS)); electromagnetic therapy (pulsed electromagnetic therapy; magnetic pulsing device), Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS); and Whole Body Vibration (WBV). All studies scored ‘low’ on the methodological quality assessment implying high risk of bias. There is ‘low level’ evidence for physical activity programmes used in isolation or in combination with other interventions (pharmacological or non pharmacological), and for repetitive magnetic stimulation (iTBS/rTMS) with or without adjuvant exercise therapy in improving spasticity in adults with MS. No evidence of benefit exists to support the use of TENS, sports climbing and vibration therapy for treating spasticity in this population.There is ‘low level’ evidence for non pharmacological interventions such as physical activities given in conjunction with other interventions, and for magnetic stimulation and electromagnetic therapies for beneficial effects on spasticity outcomes in people with MS. A wide range of non pharmacological interventions are used for the treatment of spasticity in MS, but more robust trials are needed to build evidence about these interventions. HubMed – rehab
Dental extractions prior to radiotherapy to the jaws for reducing post-radiotherapy dental complications.
Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013; 2: CD008857
Eliyas S, Al-Khayatt A, Porter RW, Briggs P
Radiotherapy as part of head and neck cancer treatment leaves patients requiring much dental rehabilitation in a compromised environment that is difficult for the patient and the dental team to manage.To assess the effects of maintaining the patient’s natural dentition during radiotherapy in comparison to extracting teeth before radiotherapy in areas that are difficult to access by the patient and the dentist, should reduction in mouth opening occur after radiotherapy to the jaws.We searched the Cochrane Oral Health Group’s Trials Register (to 22 November 2012), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2012, Issue 11), MEDLINE via OVID (1946 to 22 November 2012), EMBASE via OVID (1980 to 22 November 2012), CANCERLIT via PubMed (1950 to 22 November 2012), CINAHL via EBSCO (1980 to 22 November 2012) and reference lists of articles. We advertised for currently ongoing studies via the Cochrane Oral Health Group website and the Cochrane Oral Health Group Twitter feed. Randomised controlled trials comparing extraction of teeth prior to radiotherapy with leaving teeth in situ during radiotherapy to the jaws.Three review authors independently assessed the results of the searches for inclusion in the review. No randomised controlled trials were found.There are no randomised controlled trials to assess the effect of extracting teeth prior to radiotherapy compared to leaving teeth in the mouth during radiotherapy to the jaws. HubMed – rehab