OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of physical therapies for first-line use in the treatment of urge urinary incontinence (UUI) in women, using a systematic review of randomized clinical trials (RCTs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A computer-aided and manual search was carried out for RCTs published between 1980 and 1999 investigating the ...

AIM: Tea tree oil (TTO) is immensely popular for various topical applications. In vitro studies have repeatedly demonstrated that it has antibiotic activity. This article is an attempt to systematically review the evidence from randomised clinical trials for or against effectiveness of external TTO in dermatological conditions. METHODS: Six electronic ...

Since medicine remains largely empirical, clinical knowledge about therapy is derived primarily from experiments designed to control confounders that use inferential techniques applied to the null hypothesis model. On a public health scale, health agencies need to assess the evidentiary weight supplied for new therapies to make approval decisions. In ...

AUDIX is a knowledge-based multimedia system for auditory discrimination exercises. The aim of AUDIX is to provide patients with a computer-based therapy system which they can use between sessions with the human therapist, at home on an 'on-demand' basis. It is centered around computer based cognitive rehabilitation therapy whereas most ...

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of dynamic exercise therapy in improving joint mobility, muscle strength, aerobic capacity and daily functioning in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In addition, possible unwanted effects such as an increase in pain, disease activity and radiological progression were studied. SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched the Cochrane ...

Differentiation of diseases of the equine respiratory tract is based on history, clinical signs, auscultation, endoscopy, imaging, and sampling of airway exudate. Upper respiratory therapies include surgical correction of airway obstructions; flushing of localized abscesses (strangles), guttural pouch disease, or sinusitis; and oral or parenteral antibiotic and anti-inflammatory therapy if ...

Biofeedback methods are well established as behavioral techniques for the therapy of various psychophysiological diseases. The forms of feedback generally employed are muscle activity (electromyogram), skin temperature, brain activity (electroencephalogram), and vasomotoricity. The latter technique, which employs plethysmographic feedback, has been studied most extensively in the therapy of migraine (vasoconstriction ...

Breathlessness in the elderly is a common clinical problem but should not be considered an inevitable consequence of the aging process. Because of the diverse causes and the possibility of more than one underlying mechanism, the approach to the breathless patient needs to be comprehensive with investigations guided by specific ...

PURPOSE: To report the extended clinical course of a case of superficial punctate keratitis of Thygeson. METHODS: A 59-year-old woman with a 40-year history of superficial punctate keratitis of Thygeson is presented, providing a forum to discuss the chronicity of the disease, its treatment, and the potential complications. RESULTS: Our ...

BACKGROUND: A recent Department of Defense study revealed that nonpharmacologic therapy is not well documented in medical records of individuals identified at risk for coronary heart disease (CHD). Exercise and weight control are often underemphasized relative to dietary and medication interventions, even in medical journal review articles on management of ...

Recurrent and frightening dreams are commonly experienced by patients who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder after a motor vehicle accident. Such nocturnal episodes, if left untreated, can result in the experience of severe distress with physical, emotional, and psychophysiological concomitant. The present single-case study investigated the effects of the standard ...

The effect of plasmapheresis (PP) monotherapy was evaluated in a 77 year old man with crescentic glomerulonephritis (CrGN). Because both anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic myeloperoxidase autoantibody (MPO-ANCA) and circulating immune complex (IC) were positive, removal of these substances was expected to be beneficial. Thus, the treatment was started with PP alone. During ...

OBJECTIVE: To review the effectiveness of exercise therapy in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip or knee. METHODS: A computerized literature search of Medline, Embase, and Cinahl was carried out. Randomized clinical trials on exercise therapy for OA of the hip or knee were selected if treatment had been ...

Behavioral management of oropharyngeal swallowing disorders includes the introduction of compensatory strategies and direct therapy techniques. Compensatory strategies include postural changes, sensory enhancements, changing feeding strategies, diet changes and intraoral prosthetics. Therapy procedures include exercise programs and swallowing maneuvers. This article describes the various behavioral therapy procedures and presents their ...

OBJECTIVE: Little is known about the features and role of exercise discussions between rheumatologists and patients. The goals of this study were to: 1) describe rheumatologists' and patients' attitudes and beliefs regarding exercise and physical therapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA); 2) describe frequency and length of exercise discussions; 3) determine ...

Exercise, both therapeutic and recreational, is an effective therapy in successful management of osteoarthritis. Exercise is integral in reducing impairment, improving function, and preventing disability. Benefits of flexibility, muscular conditioning, and cardiovascular exercise and the role of regular physical activity in maintaining general health are discussed. Exercise recommendations and safety ...

This literature review examines the current state of the scientific evidence published in peer-reviewed journals indexed in MedLine for the 10 most commonly noted alternative activities reported by the first 1,016 eligible participants in the Alternative Medical Care Outcomes in AIDS study. The most frequently used activities are aerobic exercise ...

Exercise tolerance is a recognised consequence of chronic renal failure. Physical de-conditioning is an integral factor in preventing the achievement of an otherwise very acceptable quality of life which can be accomplished by good dialysis therapy. This paper reports on the implementation of an exercise programme in an ESRD setting ...

The aim of this study was the quantitative evaluation of the myotatic reflex in a group of 26 patients affected by stationary spastic paresis (6: hemiparesis; 5: paraparesis; 8: tetraparesis; 7: multiple sclerosis) before and after a treatment of hydro-kinesy therapy. The treatment was carried out in an indoor pool ...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the incremental effect of a graphic weigh-scale values clarification exercise to explicitly consider the personal importance of the benefits versus the risks in a woman's decision aid regarding postmenopausal hormone therapy. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. Intervention Decision aid including information on options, benefits and risks, and their ...

Psychosocial treatment research studies encounter obstacles to random assignment (RA). Used together, two procedures offer an alternative to the standard RA design. First, sequential assignment (SA) may create less opposition from administration, staff, and clients. SA operates on the principle that limited bed availability, a common treatment consideration in the ...

From a total of 1344 consecutive patients referred to a TMD clinic, twenty-six patients fulfilled the strict inclusion criterias of TMD of mainly muscular origin. Half of the patients were assigned to receive treatment with an interocclusal appliance, the treatment being performed by a dentist. The other half was instructed ...

Over the past 25 years, peritoneal dialysis (PD) has steadily improved so that now its outcomes, in the form of patient survival, are equivalent to, and at times better than, those for hemodialysis. We now have a better understanding of the pathophysiology of peritoneal membrane function and damage and the ...

The clinical efficacy of functional electrical stimulation (FES) for female detrusor instability (DI) is reviewed. Various types of FES methods (including anogenital long-term stimulation, short-term maximal stimulation, implantable stimulation and transcutaneous stimulation) have been reported. The therapeutic effects of these approaches were similar: the percentage of patients improved has been ...

Whatever the results are, we must keep in mind that the method used must be safe, simple, reproductive, quite physiological. The RNL with distal registration during 40 min give more precise and reliable informations particularly in transient or permanent lymphatic dysfunctions. This should be the protocol used for the assessment ...

BACKGROUND: This paper gives an outline of the Casley-Smith method for the treatment of lymphedema of the arm. It includes a brief summary of the development of manual techniques and the terminology applied to them. METHODS: The four principles of this method are skin care, manual lymphatic drainage, compression in ...

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of exercise therapy in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip or knee. METHODS: A randomized single blind, clinical trial was conducted in a primary care setting. Patients with hip or knee OA by American College of Rheumatology criteria were selected. Two intervention groups were ...

OBJECTIVE: To verify the effectiveness of desensitization exercises with dilators in the treatment of vaginismus, while comparing 2 therapeutic variations with differing instruction procedures ("in vivo" versus "in vitro") during the desensitization exercises. METHOD: A consecutive random sample of 44 female outpatients in sexual therapy were divided into groups for ...

BACKGROUND: Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a frequent problem after unaccustomed exercise. No universally accepted treatment exists. Massage therapy is often recommended for this condition but uncertainty exists about its effectiveness. AIM: To determine whether post-exercise massage alleviates the symptoms of DOMS after a bout of strenuous exercise. METHOD: ...

A previously healthy 2-y-old boy was admitted to the hospital 30 min after the ingestion of 10 ml of demeton-S-methyl (META-SYSTOX). Treatment consisted of gastric decontamination, atropine, reactivator (obidoxime) and supportive therapy. Atropine was given to control the muscarinic features. Assisted ventilation was required for 6 h; however, this treatment ...

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of physical therapies for first-line use in the treatment and prevention of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women, using a systematic review of randomized clinical trials (RCTs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A computer-aided and manual search for published RCTs investigating treatment and prevention of SUI using ...

A sixty-year-old man, developed 2-5 mm sized, hyperemic, itchy papules, vesicles, erosions and crusts on hyperemic base on his chest, abdomen, back, gluteal region, and proximal sites of his upper and lower extremities. The direct and indirect immunoflurescence tests were negative. Histology revealed extensive acantholysis in the epidermis in the ...

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether exercise mediates the psychological and nutritional effects of testosterone therapy in men with symptomatic HIV illness, low serum testosterone, and clinical symptoms of hypogonadism. METHODS: A 12-wk open trial of biweekly intramuscular testosterone injections was conducted, with 54 men completing ...

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of the authors' prospective study was to explore therapy-induced changes of muscular metabolism in arterial occlusive disease (AOD). MATERIALS: Before and after vascular therapy, respectively, 31 patients with AOD were examined by dynamic phosphorus-31 (31P) magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) at 1.5 T; in the magnet, ...

Exercise has much to offer to cystic fibrosis patients. Overcoming the limits of decreased pulmonary function by increasing fitness has a considerable potential to improve patients' quality of life; decreased breathlessness allows greater mobility and participation with peers in social and sporting activities, improves confidence and self-esteem and creates a ...

It has been widely claimed that exercise is beneficial to dysmenorrhea, yet solid evidence is lacking. Studies investigating this relationship have been reviewed for this paper. Most showed decreased prevalence and/or improved symptomatology with exercise. However, controlled longitudinal studies involving women with confirmed primary dysmenorrhea who are sufficiently blinded to ...

The aim of this systematic review was to determine the effectiveness of dynamic exercise therapy in improving joint mobility, muscle strength, aerobic capacity and daily functioning in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In addition, possible unwanted effects such as an increase in pain, disease activity and radiological progression were studied. ...

Catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT) is an important enzyme that is linked directly to therapy with levodopa. Considering the demonstrated mechanism of action and pharmacologic profiles of COMT inhibitors, it is reasonable to hypothesize that these agents would improve the disability associated with Parkinson's disease. Two basic classes of COMT inhibitors are ...

Given the modest efficacy of medicinal therapy for OA, nonpharmacologic therapy is popular. Convincing evidence exists to support the efficacy of exercise and muscle strengthening for patients with knee OA. Weight loss is likely to be effective, as are some types of biomechanical alterations, possibly including elastic knee supports and ...

It is generally accepted that psychogenic voice disorder (PVD) is a result of psychosocial stress; however, systematic studies of etiological factors in this condition are few. Furthermore, although immediate effects of therapy are estimated to be good, relapses are frequent, and the long-term effects of therapy are not known. The ...

Appropriate fluid therapy requires an understanding of fluid dynamics and pathologic alterations during various disease states. In addition, it requires an understanding of the pharmacologic differences of available fluids. Crystalloid fluids and colloid fluids can be used in combination to treat a variety of volume-deficient states. Synthetic colloids are also ...

Samples of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were examined, looking mainly at total cholinesterase (ChE) and acetyl-cholinesterase (AChE) levels from 139 living subjects. At the completion of the study, 35 of the 139 patients had died and pathological confirmation of the presence of dementia had been obtained. These results, together with results ...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate seven common arthritis self-management methods used by people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by studying their frequency of use and the patients' belief in their benefits. Also to look at how people obtained information about such methods. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: Forty-one people with RA attending ...

The use of Doppler flowmetry proved the importance of hypervolemia in bleeding and showed that GEDS enhances liver perfusion confirming our findings in the Sixties. Perhiatal devascularization of lower 3-4 inches of the esophagus, complete separation of the stomach from its bed, ligation of the left gastric artery at the ...

This article reviews the current literature related to exercise treatment and depression among older adults. Results from investigational studies support the antidepressive effects of exercise programs. Aerobic exercise is more effective than placebo or no treatment controls, and appears to be as effective as more traditional treatment methods. However, a ...

Functional gastrointestinal disorders are best understood by applying a bio-psycho-social model. The diseases are strongly associated with psychological factors, and in functional dyspepsia, low vagal activity might be a mediating mechanism by which psychological factors (like neuroticism and stress) influence gastrointestinal physiology and cause epigastric discomfort. Low vagal activity may ...

Non-pharmacological therapies are very important in osteoarthritis. Each form of this treatment should be individually devised, taking into account the anatomical distribution, the phase and the progression rate of the disease. Indications, contraindications, dosage and precautions are as important in non-pharmacological therapy as they are in drug treatment. Therapeutic exercises ...

Hemophilia is a hereditary lifelong bleeding disorder affecting males. The nature of the condition predisposes the person to bleed intraarticularly and intermuscularly. Without intervention with replacement factor therapy and physiotherapy, the consequences can lead to chronic synovitis and severe joint hemarthropathy. Physiotherapeutic interventions are available that may help to prevent ...

The purpose of this case report is to describe the evaluation and treatment of a patient with vertigo. The patient was a 32-year-old male carpenter with a 17-year history of episodic vertigo that occurred when his neck was in the extended position while positioned supine and during walking. His medical ...

There is a growth in the demand for clinical practice to be evidence based. Recent years have seen a rise in the number of randomized controlled clinical trials (RCTS). Such trials while acknowledged as the gold standard for evidence can be difficult to perform in surgical specialities. We have recently ...