We sought to investigate quality of life, and to specifically assess how joint contracture affects it, in patients with burn injuries. The study is involved 22 adults with burn injuries. Patients were divided into two groups according to the presence (n = 11) or absence (n = 11) of any joint contracture. Patient age, sex, date of burn injury, burn type, location, and extent of burn (TBSA) were recorded for each case. Each individual underwent a thorough musculoskeletal system examination, with special focus on range of motion of the joints. Quality of life was evaluated using the Short Form 36 (SF-36). Eight (36.4%) of the patients were women, and 14 (63.6%) were men, and their mean age (+/- SE) was 24.7 +/- 4.68 years. The mean interval from injury to the study assessment was 21.45 +/- 14.69 months. Eleven patients (50%) had at least one joint contracture. The patients with one or more contractures had significantly lower scores for the SF-36 subscales of physical functioning, physical role limitations, bodily pain, and vitality (P = .05, P = .01, P = .04, and P = .02, respectively). In the 22 patients overall, TBSA was negatively correlated with the scores for the SF-36 subscales vitality and emotional role limitations (r = -.586 and r = -.805, respectively). Joint contracture does impact burn patients' quality of life, especially with respect to physical functioning, physical role limitations, bodily pain, and vitality. In addition, the amount of BSA burned is correlated with psychosocial problems and poorer quality of life, regardless of whether joint contractures develop.

The purpose of this study was to determine the association of fibromyalgia (FM) with temporomandibular disorder (TMD) and masticatory myofascial pain (MMP). Thirty-one consecutive women diagnosed as having FM according to American College of Rheumatology criteria and 21 consecutive women diagnosed as having TMD were included in this prospective study. All patients were examined by a dentist and a physiatrist to identify the coexistence of FM and TMD. In the FM group, TMD was found in 25 (80%) patients, and only 6 (19%) patients had arthrogenous origin with MMP, whereas 19 (81%) patients had only MMP without arthrogeonous orgin of those 25 women exhibited TMD. In the TMD group, the prevalence of FM was 52%, which was significantly higher in those with TMD of arthrogenous origin with MMP. Our results indicate that coexistence of FM and TMD with MMP is high. Pain and tenderness in the masticatory muscles appear to be an important element in FM, so in some patients it may be the leading complaint.

Abdominal massage has positive effects on some clinical aspects of neurogenic bowel dysfunction in patients with spinal cord injury.

In the current study, we evaluated the balance of ESRD patients before and after a routine session of hemodialysis treatment. This is the first study to investigate the effect of hemodialysis on balance, using an electronic posturographic balance system. We found the Fall Index score to be significantly higher after hemodialysis, indicating a negative effect of hemodialysis on postural stability. As expected, our data showed an increased Fall Index score correlated with the increase in age both in ESRD patients and in healthy controls. However, the correlation with age was not observed for the patient group at the post-dialysis balance measurement. We might conceive that young patients with ESRD are also prone to fall risk after a session of hemodialysis. Methods that provide quantitative assessment for fall risk could be rather beneficial for high-risk populations such as patients on maintenance hemodialysis.

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