These findings confirm recent AIS studies. Our results might be related to immature central integration of dynamic proprioceptive input leading to a poorly adapted motor response, particularly for postural control of the, in AIS. These balance tests can be performed in routine practice. Their validity as a biomarker for screening and monitoring purposes should be assessed.

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Fifty-seven patients underwent 111 5-day courses of antibiotics. The two main bacteria involved were and. Most commonly prescribed antibiotics were cephalosporins, cotrimoxazole, fluoroquinolones and nitrofurantoins. On day 4 of the antibiotic course, bacteria were eradicated in 99% of cases. Clinical cure occurred in all patients by day 5 (end of treatment). After treatment, recurrence of UTI occurred in 16% of patients at week 3, 38% at week 6 and 50% at week 9. This rate was not significantly different from patients initially treated for aBact (20%, 35% and 44%, respectively). The UTI-free period was significantly shorter after treatment for aBact (45.5 days) than after treatment for UTI (53.7 days). None of the following characteristics were found to be risk factors for UTI: level or severity of lesion, gender, voiding mode, use of anticholinergic drugs and time since lesion. Results of this study support the use of a short 5-day course of antibiotics to treat mild UTI in patients with spinal cord injury, and provide further evidence against treatment of aBact.

PURPOSE: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is associated with perturbation of orthostatic postural control. In humans, orthostatic postural control is organized around the gravitational vertical (GV). Perception of the GV involves a bottom-up process (central integration of multisensorial information) and a top-down process that uses cognitive mechanisms relying on body image. This study hypothesized that AIS would be associated with an erroneous central representation of verticality. The objective was to demonstrate an altered top-down process of sense of verticality in AIS. METHODS: This multicenter, single-blind, case-control study evaluated 63 adolescent girls with AIS divided into two groups (major AIS (n = 31) and minor AIS (n = 32)) and 30 matched non-scoliotic adolescents. Participants scored their perception of trunk appearance in an upright position using a pictographic scale. The outcome measure was the difference between perception score and real trunk deformity. RESULTS: Participants with major AIS presented with misperception of their trunk appearance in an upright position when compared with those with minor AIS or controls. CONCLUSION: Adolescents with major AIS underestimate their trunk deformity in an upright position. This suggests an altered representation of body image, affecting top-down control of sense of verticality.