No abstract

Significantly reduced aerobic capacity and FVC were observed in patients with AS, and there was significant correlation between aerobic capacity, vital capacity, chest expansion, and BASFI.

Locally administered nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs have been widely used in acute soft-tissue damage and articular musculoskeletal pain. This double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a topical diclofenac sodium patch in the relief of pain and inflammation as a result of myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) in the upper trapezius. After sample size calculations indicated that 147 patients would be needed to detect a 25% difference between drug and control, 153 patients with MPS were recruited and randomized to receive either a diclofenac sodium patch or control (menthol) patch. Visual analog scale (VAS), cervical active range of motion, pressure pain threshold of the myofascial trigger point (MTrP), patient global assessment, Neck Disability Index, and the occurrence of adverse events were assessed on Day 0 (baseline), Day 4, and Day 8. Use of the diclofenac sodium patch elicited favorable responses for the VAS, cervical active range of motion, and Neck Disability Index by the end of the treatment course (P<0.05), and was consistently superior to the control patch at all time intervals. No significant differences were observed for the pressure pain threshold of the MTrP for either patch. Tolerability assessment similarly showed the diclofenac patch to be comparatively superior. When assessed at the end of the study, 20 diclofenac patch patients, but only four control patients, considered the tolerability of treatment to be "very good." Significant differences in adverse reactions were observed between the diclofenac and control patches, with the control patch more likely to produce overall skin irritation. This study demonstrate that the diclofenac sodium patch was superior to the control patch in terms of reducing pain and improving functional outcomes, and did not result in significant adverse effects.

Home exercise is often recommended for management of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS); however, what kind of home exercise is more beneficial for patients with AS has not been determined yet. We aimed to compare the effectiveness of combined home exercise (COMB) and range-of-motion home exercise (ROM) in patients with AS. Nineteen subjects with AS completed either COMB (n = 9) or ROM (n = 10) program. The COMB program included range-of-motion, strengthening, and aerobic exercise while the ROM program consisted of daily range-of-motion exercise only. After exercise instruction, subjects in each group performed home exercise for 3 months. Assessment included cardiopulmonary exercise test, pulmonary function test, spinal mobility measurement, chest expansion, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), and other functional ability and laboratory tests. After exercise, the COMB group showed significant improvement in peak oxygen uptake (12.3%, P = 0.008) and BASFI (P = 0.028), and the changed score between pre- and postexercise data was significantly greater in the COMB group regarding peak oxygen uptake and BASFI. Significant improvement in finger-to-floor distance after 3-month exercise was found only in the COMB group (P = 0.033). This study demonstrates that a combined home exercise is more effective than range-of-motion home exercise alone in aerobic capacity and functional ability.

The US-guided subacromial injection technique produced significantly greater improvements in passive shoulder abduction and in some items of the SF-36. US is effective in guiding the needle into the subacromial bursa in patients with chronic subacromial bursitis.