European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society
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Aerobic exercise produces beneficial outcomes in patients with low back pain and partially attenuates the fibrotic changes to the multifidus in a model of intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration. More targeted exercise might be required to fully attenuate these fibrotic alterations. This study aimed to investigate whether activation of the multifidus induced by neurostimulation could reduce fibrosis of the multifidus in a model of IVD degeneration in sheep. ⋯ These data reveal that targeted activation of the multifidus muscle attenuates IVD degeneration dependent fibrotic alterations to the multifidus.
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Observational Study
Pain-related single nucleotide polymorphisms: association with lumbar spinal stenosis patient experience and non-surgical treatment outcomes.
Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is common in our aging population resulting in pain and functional impairment. Recent advances in pain research have identified several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) associated with inter-individual symptom and treatment response. The goal of the current study was to investigate the association of SNPs in Neuropeptide Y (NPY) and Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) with pain, function, and treatment outcomes in Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) patients receiving non-surgical treatments. ⋯ NPY rs16147 and COMT rs4680 are important potential biomarkers associated with pain and function. NPY genotype may be useful in predicting response to non-surgical treatments in older adults with LSS.
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This study identifies risk factors for neurophysiological events caused by intraoperative halo-femoral traction (IOHFT) in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), and neuromuscular scoliosis (NMS). ⋯ Neurophysiologic events due to IOHFT were common, with the majority in patients with NMS. A shorter stature was a risk factor, and larger Cobb angle and stiffer curve were associated with IOHFT-events. Events occurred at any stage of surgery and involved upper and lower limbs. With an adequate response on IOHFT events, none of the patients had postoperative neurological impairments due to IOHFT.