Evaluation of the effectiveness of treatment of nonspecific lower back pain (LBP) is currently largely based on the patient’s subjective feelings. The purpose of this study was to use passive microwave radiometry (MWR) as a tool for assessing the effectiveness of various treatment methods in patients with acute and subacute nonspecific LBP. Patients with a pain assessment on a visual analogue scale (VAS) of 6 to 10 points were divided into two groups: Group I included patients with pharmacological, syndrome-oriented treatment (n = 30, age 54.9 ± 2.3 years); Group II included a combination of pharmacotherapy with self-controlled energy-neuroadaptive regulation (SCENAR) (n = 25, age 52.8 ± 2.5 years). The analysis showed that the addition of SCENAR therapy (Group II) significantly potentiated the analgesic effect at the stages of treatment, and after 3 weeks, this had increased by more than two times, by 1.3 points on the VAS. There was also a significant decrease in the maximum internal temperature and normalization of the gradient of internal and skin temperatures, and a decrease in thermo-asymmetry, as assessed by temperature fields. Thermal asymmetry visualization allows the identification of the area of pathological muscle spasm and/or inflammation in the projection of the vertebral-motor segment for the possible targeted use of treatment methods such as percutaneous electro neurostimulation, massage, manual therapy, diagnostic and treatment blocks, etc. The MWR method also avoids unnecessary radiation exposure.

Ketoprofen («Ketonal») proved to be significantly efficient in pre-hospital care when administered intramuscularly at a dose of 100 mg to treat pain in the neck (n=31), thoracic spine (n=53), and lower back (n=50), according to a visual analogue scale (VAS). During the in-hospital and outpatient care (n=33), a continued use of Ketoprofen in multiple therapy (muscle relaxants and chondroprotective agents) for lower back pain significantly improved the quality of life (Roland–Morris questionnaire) and reduced the pain twice according to VAS. At the end of the 3-week treatment, the maximum deep body temperature (measured by microwave radiothermometry) decreased in the lower back but did not return to normal. High correlation coefficients between the deep and skin temperature did not return to normal after treatment. Stabilometric parameters remained ‘rigid’, except for patient’s overall equilibrium (R) that became reliably normal in all directions. The control methods used indicate the need for a longer therapy.

No abstract

COMPUTER STABILOMETRICS IN CASE OF LOWER BACK PAINThe dependence of equilibrium function indices on exacerbation duration in "nonspecific" lower back pain was determined by the method of computer stabilometrics. 50 patients were examined in the "free" stand -38 women (55,0±1,7 years) and 12 men (49,1±3,3 years). They were divided into 3 groups, according to the current exacerbation duration: 1st group (1-7 days), 2nd group (2-4 weeks) and 3rd group (2-3 months): check group -31 persons (46,7±2,4 years). Classical stabilometric indices in Romberg's test and "Target" were investigated. Deterioration of key indicators of equilibrium function and increase of vision role for maintenance of a vertical pose in the patients with the pain duration of 1-7 days were revealed. Exacerbation prolongation leads to "adaptation" of the patients to a pain syndrome existence and decrease of visual analyzer role for supporting of a straight standing. In case of the eyes opened and 2-3 months exacerbation period according to an index of "Variance en Fonction de la position moyenne en Y" (VFY) the center of gravity forward shift is registered in 95,8% of cases; in 1-7 days and 2-4 weeks exacerbation period the index is equal to control and is 73-74%. In case of the eyes closed the center of gravity backwards shift according to an index of VFY is increasing in 1-7 days exacerbation period up to 54,5%, 2-4 weeks exacerbation period up to 73,7%, and during 2-3 months exacerbation period the index is 33,3% and does not differ from the control. Received data can be used for "personification" of treatment in case of lower back pain, monitoring over its efficiency, objectification of exacerbation duration and medical expertise.

Introduction. The increasing maritime activities in Russia require more healthy marine professionals, which is the scope of marine medicine. Objective. To evaluate the influence of visual control on stabilometric parameters in healthy volunteers depending on gender and age. Examined: healthy volunteers in the «free» stand, at a standardized workplace: male, Group 1 (n=31, age 22,0±0,6 years); Group 2 (n=30, age 51,7±2,3 years); female: Group 3 (n=31, age 21,9±0,6 years); Group 4 (n=33, age 49,5±2,2 years). The following parameters have been studied: EllS, mm2; KoefRomb, %; LFS, 1/mm; the quality of equilibrium function — KFR, %; VFY; R, mm; deviation of the center of pressure on the frontal or sagittal planes — Q(x) and Q(y), mm; the coefficient of sharp change in the direction of movement — KRIND, % in the Romberg and Target tests. It has been established that with open eyes, the parameters almost do not depend on age and sex. In the «Target» test, EllS significantly increases only in men and women of the older age group, and with closed eyes, EllS is significantly lower in women than in men. With closed eyes, the KFR values of women in both groups are significantly higher as compared with the corresponding (same age) groups of men. The KFR index in the Target test is significantly higher in young women than in young men. With the vision «turned off», a significant backward shift of the center of gravity has been noticed only in men of the older age group (60,7%) as compared with the corresponding group of women (27,3%). With open eyes, only young men have a reliable maximum KRIND relative to other groups. Evaluation of stabilometric parameters without taking into account the age, sex, visual control can lead to false conclusions when comparing patients with healthy people. It has been found that the visual analyzer and its deprivation significantly affect the whole complex of postural control depending on gender and age.