Bmc Musculoskel Dis
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Bmc Musculoskel Dis · Jan 2012
Obesity and increased burden of hip and knee joint disease in Australia: results from a national survey.
Research involving more representative samples is needed to extend our understanding of the broader impact of obesity in hip or knee joint disease (arthritis and OA) beyond clinical settings. Although population-based research has been conducted in the United States, how these findings translate to other countries is unclear. Using a national approach, this study explored associations between obesity and the burden of hip and knee joint disease in Australia (in terms of prevalence, pain, stiffness, function, Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) and disease severity). ⋯ This national study has demonstrated that the odds of arthritis and OA was up to 7 times higher for obese individuals, compared with those classified as underweight/normal weight. Concurrent obesity and joint disease had a marked impact on several key aspects of wellbeing, highlighting the need for public health interventions.
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Bmc Musculoskel Dis · Jan 2012
Exploring differential item functioning in the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC).
The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) is a widely used patient reported outcome in osteoarthritis. An important, but frequently overlooked, aspect of validating health outcome measures is to establish if items exhibit differential item functioning (DIF). That is, if respondents have the same underlying level of an attribute, does the item give the same score in different subgroups or is it biased towards one subgroup or another. The aim of the study was to explore DIF in the Likert format WOMAC for the first time in a UK osteoarthritis population with respect to demographic, social, clinical and psychological factors. ⋯ Overall, the WOMAC performed well with only a small number of DIF items identified. However, as DIF items were identified in for the WOMAC physical functioning subscale it would be advisable to analyse data taking into account the possible impact of the DIF items when weight, gender or especially age effects, are the focus of interest in UK-based osteoarthritis studies. Similarly for the WOMAC pain subscale in people with hip osteoarthritis it would be worthwhile to analyse data taking into account the possible impact of the DIF item when age comparisons are of primary interest.
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Bmc Musculoskel Dis · Jan 2012
A single-nucleotide polymorphism rs708567 in the IL-17RC gene is associated with a susceptibility to and the curve severity of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in a Chinese Han population: a case-control study.
Although the pathogenesis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) remains controversial, genetic factors are thought to play key roles in the development of AIS. In a recent genome-wide association study, a polymorphism in the interleukin-17 receptor C (IL-17RC) gene was reported to be associated with the susceptibility to AIS, implicating IL-17RC as a novel predisposing gene for AIS. However, as this association has not been replicated in other populations, its global applicability remains unclear. ⋯ This study confirms the significant association between the IL-17RC gene polymorphism and the susceptibility to and curve severity of AIS in a Chinese Han population, suggesting that the IL-17RC gene is an AIS-predisposing gene in Chinese Han population.
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Bmc Musculoskel Dis · Jan 2012
Trends in incidence and outcomes of revision total hip arthroplasty in Spain: a population based study.
To analyze changes in incidence and outcomes of patients undergoing revision total hip arthroplasty (RTHA) over an 8-year study period in Spain. ⋯ The crude incidence of RTHA in Spain showed a small but significant increase from 2001 to 2008 with concomitant reductions in LOS, significant increase in co-morbidities and cost per patient.
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Bmc Musculoskel Dis · Jan 2012
Stress is dominant in patients with depression and chronic low back pain. A qualitative study of psychotherapeutic interventions for patients with non-specific low back pain of 3-12 months' duration.
There is continuing uncertainty in back pain research as to which treatment is best suited to patients with non-specific chronic low back pain (CLBP). In this study, Gestalt therapy and the shock trauma method Somatic Experiencing® (SE) were used as interventions in parallel with the usual cross-disciplinary approach. The aim was to investigate how these treatments influence a patient's capacity to cope with CLBP when it is coupled with depression. ⋯ CLBP is a stress factor in itself but when coupled with depression, they can be regarded as two symptom complexes that mutually affect each other in negative ways. When pain, stress and depression become overwhelming and there are few internal resources available, stress seems to become prominent. In this study, Gestalt therapy and the SE-method may have helped to lower the six patients' level of stress and restore their own internal resources, thereby increasing their capacity to cope with their CLBP.