To date there has been no general consensus regarding the effectiveness of N-acetylcysteine as a protective therapy against contrast medium-induced nephropathy. Several phase III clinical trials have been conducted without a proper understanding of N-acetylcysteine pharmacology, particularly with regard to first-pass hepatic metabolism. A review was conducted of the literature ...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Medical therapy of ankylosing spondylitis has improved dramatically with the advent of anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy, but nonpharmacologic therapies have long been employed to treat the condition. The purpose of this review is to summarize the most recent data to assess the role of exercise and nonpharmacologic ...

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this study has been to determine whether hyaluronic acid (HA) or exercise therapy can improve functional parameters in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the ankle. METHODS: In a prospective clinical trial, 43 ankles (30 patients) with radiographic Kellgren Lawrence grade III OA were randomized to receive ...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Novel therapies for gout have recently been developed which has prompted considerable efforts in defining the relevant outcomes for measurement in intervention trials of gout. This review summarizes the consensus exercises refining domains for measurement and the work of individual groups in assessment of the validity of ...

Secreted from white adipose tissue, circulating concentrations of adiponectin are reduced in the presence of metabolic and cardiovascular disease such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. The aim of this systematic review is to assess the body of evidence critically for the effects of exercise on adiponectin levels. Literature searches ...

The therapeutic modalities available for the conservative management of chronic cervical and lumbar pain include underwater traction, the usefulness of which is not universally acknowledged. No reports have been published on clinical trials evaluating underwater traction. This study was intended to ascertain any beneficial impact of weightbath therapy on the ...

We systematically reviewed randomized and quasi-randomized clinical trials in the literature to assess the efficacy of neck stabilization and postural exercises on pain, neck range of motion, and time off work in adults with acute whiplash-associated disorders. Electronic databases, reference lists of relevant Cochrane reviews, reference lists of studies selected ...

BACKGROUND: Dyspnoea, or distressing breathing, is often a severe subjective symptom in terminal illness and may be difficult to control. Oxygen therapy is currently one of the interventions used to treat it. This review aimed to identify all randomised controlled studies (RCTs) in which oxygen therapy was used as a ...

We use side-shift exercise and hitch exercise for the treatment of idiopathic scoliosis. Outcomes of side-shift exercise used for the curves after skeletal maturity or used in combination with part-time brace wearing treatment are better than the natural history. Side-shift exercise and hitch exercise are useful treatment option for idiopathic ...

Granulocyte and monocyte adsorption apheresis (GCAP) is a useful strategy for intractable ulcerative colitis, but its mechanisms of therapy is not fully explained. Previously, depleting activated granulocytes and monocytes (GMs) and modifying product of proinflammatory cytokines had been proposed. In addition, activated GMs are releasing anti-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist ...

Exercise is gaining interest as a treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD). Though not yet fully established as an efficacious therapy for psychiatric disorders, exercise has well-established benefits for physcial health and overall well-being. However, there are potential health risks to exercise that need to be considered before recommending physical ...

BACKGROUND: Patients with knee osteoarthritis [OA] are commonly treated by physiotherapists in primary care. Measuring physiotherapy performance is important before developing strategies to improve quality. The purpose of this study was to measure physiotherapy performance in patients with knee OA by comparing clinical practice to evidence from systematic reviews. METHODS: ...

BACKGROUND: Exercise therapy is considered an important component of the treatment of arthritis. The efficacy of exercise therapy has been reviewed in adults with rheumatoid arthritis but not in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of exercise therapy on functional ability, quality of life and ...

The objective of this prospective randomised study was to analyse the effect of the forearm support band and of strengthening exercises for the treatment of tennis elbow. Twenty-nine patients with 30 tennis elbows were randomised into 3 groups of treatment: (I) forearm support band, (II) strengthening exercises and (III) both ...

Primary dysmenorrhoea (PD) is chronic, cyclic, pelvic, spasmodic pain associated with menstruation in the absence of identifiable pathology and is typically known as menstrual cramps or period pain. PD is the most common gynaecological disorder in menstruating women. Despite treatments being available for PD, relatively few women consult a clinician ...

BACKGROUND: A previously published systematic review (Ped.Rehab.2003 - DARE 2004) documented the existence of the evidence of level 2a (Oxford EBM Centre) on the efficacy of specific exercises to reduce the progression of AIS (Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis). AIM: To confirm whether the indication for treatment with specific exercises for AIS ...

Fibromyalgia is a common and disabling syndrome. Despite research detailing the efficacy of a variety of medicinal treatments, most notably, tricyclic antidepressants, serotonin-norepinephrine re-uptake inhibitors, and alpha(2)delta ligands, there is still widespread, routine use of agents that are mostly ineffective in treating the central nature of fibromyalgic pain. This article ...

McArdle disease (Glycogen Storage Disease type V) is caused by the absence of the glycolytic enzyme, muscle phosphorylase. People present with exercise-induced pain, cramps, fatigue, and myoglobinuria, which can result in acute renal failure if it is severe. To systematically review the evidence from randomised controlled trials of pharmacological or ...

BACKGROUND: There are no studies on economic issues concerning rehabilitation exercises for shoulder pain. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to investigate sick leave and the associated costs after a medical exercise therapy programme in patients with longstanding subacromial pain/impingement. METHODS: A randomised controlled trial in which 61 patients ...

BACKGROUND: Since the first description of tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT), clinicians have modified and customised the method of TRT in order to suit their practice and their patients. A simplified form of TRT is used at Ealing Primary Care Trust Audiology Department. Simplified TRT is different from TRT in the ...

Rehabilitation after ankle fracture can begin soon after the fracture has been treated by the use of different types of immobilisation which allow early commencement of weight-bearing or exercise. Alternatively, rehabilitation may start following the period of immobilisation, with physical or manual therapies. To compare the effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions ...

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Swallowing dysfunction is a devastating complication of chemoradiation therapy (CRT) for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. We have previously demonstrated that pretreatment swallowing exercises improve posttreatment swallowing-related quality of life. This study evaluates the effect of pretreatment swallowing exercises on posttreatment swallow function as measured by videofluoroscopy. STUDY ...

PURPOSE: Osteoarthritis is a common locomotor disorder affecting many older people and has become a growing public health problem. Adherence to exercise is a key to the successful recovery of patients but is often a major problem for older adults with osteoarthritis. The proposed pilot study is aimed to explore ...

The aim of the study described in this paper was to develop a method for measuring the therapeutic alliance from an intersubjective perspective and to evaluate the efficacy of the measure in predicting psychotherapy outcome. We conducted the study using data from 22 patient-therapist dyads engaged in a 30-session protocol ...

Taking regular exercise may help people give up smoking by moderating nicotine withdrawal and cravings, and by helping to manage weight gain. To determine whether exercise-based interventions alone or combined with a smoking cessation programme are more effective than a smoking cessation intervention alone. In July 2008, we searched the ...

BACKGROUND: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a widespread medical condition that is progressive in nature. As renal function declines, the disease ultimately reaches the life-threatening end stage(ESRD), which requires urgent replacement therapy, either by dialysis or transplantation. As a result, CKD patients, many of whom have comorbid medical conditions, are ...

Functional ankle instability (FAI) is a term used to describe an ankle that easily 'gives way' with activity. There have been many proposed causes of FAI including joint proprioceptive deficiency, muscle weakness, balance control impairments, and delayed muscle reaction time, none of which has proven to be the exclusive cause ...

BACKGROUND: Stroke is a leading cause of disability among adults worldwide. Evidence suggests that increased duration of exercise therapy following stroke has a positive impact on functional outcome following stroke. The main objective of this randomised controlled trial is to evaluate the impact of additional family assisted exercise therapy in ...

Functional Individual Therapy of Scoliosis--FITS concept may be used as a separate system of scoliosis correction, a supportive therapy to bracing, children preparation to surgery and also shoulder and pelvic girdle correction after surgical interventions. Taking into account the dysfunctions accompanying scoliosis, the authors of the concept propose an individually ...

BACKGROUND/AIMS: In the past decades, a substantial number of studies considered factors influencing institutionalisation of persons with dementia. This study reviews recent work on predictors of actual institutionalisation in dementia. METHOD: Relevant articles were identified by a systematic search of the literature. Studies were considered which included persons aged 65 ...

Anxiety and depressive disorders are major public health problems, and desirable changes in lifestyle, such as physical exercise, can have great potential in prevention and treatment. There is growing evidence that physically active people are at a reduced risk of developing depression, and that exercise interventions are associated with significant ...

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the musculoskeletal system. Inflammation of the joints and tendons results in pain, swelling and restricted movement, eventually leading to radiological changes and deformities. Exercise therapy is considered to be an important cornerstone of the treatment of RA in all stages ...

Transient osteoporosis of the hip is a clinical entity that is being diagnosed and reported with increasing frequency. Its aetiology remains a matter of speculation, and the same remains true for its treatment. Many researchers have proposed different surgical and non-surgical treatment strategies; but the conservative approach, which takes the ...

The complexity of hyponatremia as a clinical problem is likely caused by the opposite scenarios that accompany this electrolyte disorder regarding pathophysiology (depletional versus dilutional hyponatremia, high versus low vasopressin levels) and therapy (rapid correction to treat cerebral edema versus slow correction to prevent osmotic demyelination, fluid restriction versus fluid ...

The method developed since 1979, comprises active 3-dimensional auto-correction, concerning the primary curve mobilization towards the correction of the curvature, with special emphasis on the kyphotization of the thoracic spine, carried on in closed kinematic chains, and developed on a symmetrically positioned pelvis and shoulder girdle, followed by active stabilization ...

Distinctions between therapy and enhancement are difficult to draw with precision, especially in marginal cases. Nevertheless, most recent Christian discussions of enhancement technologies accept the general plausibility of distinctions drawn between therapeutic interventions and enhancement technologies by appealing to general understandings of nature and human nature as available benchmarks. On ...

Individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) are not only burdened with disease-specific symptoms (i.e., bradykinesia, rigidity, and tremor), but are also confronted with age-associated progressive loss of physical function, perhaps to a greater extent than neurologically normal adults. Suggestions for the inclusion of resistive exercise into treatment to attenuate these symptoms ...

Exercise is not a standard intervention for patients with eating disorders. In this article, six studies are reviewed that examined exercise interventions in populations with eating disorders. The key conclusion is that exercise may improve a range of biopsychosocial outcomes in patients with eating disorders, but more research is needed.

BACKGROUND: Despite the high incidence of muscle weakness in individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or motor neuron disease (MND), the effects of exercise in this population are not well understood. OBJECTIVES: The objective was to systematically review randomised and quasi-randomised studies of exercise for people with ALS or MND. ...

A previously published systematic review (2003) documented evidence on the efficacy of specific physical exercises to reduce progression of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. A bibliographic search with strict inclusion criteria has been performed on the main electronic databases and through extensive hand search. We retrieved 19 studies: 1 randomised (RCT) and ...

This paper looks at the legacy of a justification doctrine evident in early international jurisprudence that set the threshold for treatment prohibited under international law as torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment [hereafter the prohibition], excusing from its reach deliberately inflicted, potentially severe, suffering proportionately inflicted for a ...

The prevention of neurodegenerative dementias, such as Alzheimer disease, is a growing public health concern, because of a lack of effective curative treatment options and a rising global prevalence. Various potential risk or preventive factors have been suggested by epidemiologic research, including modifiable lifestyle factors, such as social contacts, leisure ...

Controversy persists regarding the treatment planning criteria for young adult patients in need of esthetic restorations. The trend of conservative treatment modalities continues to become widely acknowledged. One of the conservative treatment modalities is porcelain laminate veneers (PLVs). PLVs not only provide suitable esthetics but also reliable functional strength. This ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Nevirapine-containing antiretroviral therapy (ART) and rifampicin-based antitubercular therapy are commonly co-administered in Africa, where nevirapine is often the only available non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor. Rifampicin induces the metabolism of nevirapine, but the extent of the reduction in nevirapine concentrations has varied widely in previous studies. We describe ...

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a form of diabetes first diagnosed during pregnancy, usually between 24 and 28 weeks. Currently, management for women with GDM consists of medical nutrition therapy with adjunctive exercise for at least 30 minutes/day. Patients who fail to maintain glycemic goals through diet and exercise therapy ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Acne scars may negatively impact quality of life. The purpose of this study was to collect preliminary data on the efficacy and safety of injectable poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA, Sculptra, Dermik Laboratories) for the treatment of acne scars. METHODS: Twenty subjects aged 42.4+/-10.7 years (10 men, 10 women) ...

This systematic review investigates the effectiveness of exercise interventions in improving disease-related characteristics in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It also provides suggestions for exercise programmes suitable for improving the cardiovascular profile of RA patients and proposes areas for future research in the field. Six databases (Medline, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, ...

Even when the procedures are successful, patients experience considerable physical, psychological and psychosocial stress before, during and after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Physical exercise therapy constitutes a potentially promising intervention to reduce such stress within the framework of HSCT because of its multidimensional effectiveness. Up to May 2007, fifteen ...

OBJECTIVE: To summarize and critically appraise the available evidence on exercise therapy and other types of physical therapies for patients with neuromuscular diseases (NMD). DATA SOURCES: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE (Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine), and reference lists of reviews ...

Physical rehabilitation modalities such as therapeutic ultrasound (TU), transcutaneous electrical neuromuscular stimulation (TENS), neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES), cold or low-level laser therapy (LLLT), and pulsed magnetic field therapy (PMF) can all, when used properly, assist in treating orthopedic injuries, neurological conditions, and chronic conditions brought about by normal aging in ...