1. A higher level of amputation is associated with less energy-efficient walking and with lower walking speed. 2. Prosthetic ambulation supported with crutches has significant impact on increasing of energy expenditure and decreasing walking speed. 3. Stump length is shown to have a major impact on PCI and CWS in transfemoral amputees.

Background:Low back pain (LBP) remains the predominant occupational health problem in most industrialized countries and low-income countries. Both work characteristics and individual factors have been identified as risk factors. More knowledge about the predictors of sickness absence from LBP in the industry will be valuable in determining strategies for prevention.Objectives:The aim of this longitudinal study was to investigate whether individual, work-related physical risk factors were involved in the occurrence of LBP sickness absence.Methods:A follow-up study was conducted among 489 workers, aged 18–65 years, at Kosovo Energetic Corporation in Kosovo. This cross-sectional study used a self-administered questionnaire to collect data on individual and work-related risk factors and the occurrence of LBP sickness absence. Logistic regression models were used to determine associations between risk factors and the occurrence of sickness absence due to LBP.Results:Individual factors did not influence sickness absence, whereas work-related physical factors showed strong associations with sickness absence. The main risk factors for sickness absence due to LBP among production workers were extreme trunk flexion (OR = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.05–2.78) as well as very extreme trunk flexion (OR = 6.04, 95% CI = 1.12–32.49) and exposure to whole-body vibration (OR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.04–2.95).Conclusion:Reducing sickness absence from LBP among power plant workers requires focusing on the working conditions of blue-collar workers and risk factors for LBP. Increasing social support in the work environment may have effects in reducing sickness absence from LBP.

Background:The Physiological Cost Index (PCI) was introduced by MacGregor to estimate the energy cost in walking of healthy people, also it has been reported for persons with lower limb amputation, walking with prosthesis.Objective:To assess energy cost and walking speed in two level lower limb amputation: transfemoral and transtibial amputation and to determine if the age and prosthetic walking supported with walking aids have impact on energy cost and walking speed.Methods:A prospective cross sectional study was performed in two level lower limb amputees with no vascular disease who were rehabilitated at the Department of Prosthetics and Orthotics at the University Clinical Center of Kosovo. The Physiological Cost Index (PCI) was assessed by five minutes of continuous indoor walking at Comfort Walking Speed (CWS).Results:Eighty three lower limb amputees were recruited. It is shown relevant impact of level of amputation in PCI (t=6.8, p<0.001) and CWS (T=487, p<0.001). The great influence of using crutches during prosthetic walking in PCI (ANOVA F= 39.5 P < 0.001) and CWS (ANOVA F=32.01, P <0.001) has been shown by One Way ANOVA test. The correlation coefficient (R) showed a significant correlation of age with PCI and CWS in both groups of amputation.Conclusions:Walking with transfemoral prosthesis or using walking aids during prosthetic ambulation is matched with higher cost of energy and slower walking speed. Advanced age was shown with high impact on PCI and CWS in both groups of amputees.

Understanding the factors that may affect the rehabilitation outcome of war-related amputees could lead to a more specific organization of the rehabilitation, especially in a country that has recently been involved in war. This is the first study to focus on determinants of prosthetic rehabilitation in these patients.

AimWe aimed to evaluate the 1-year efficacy and safety of low-frequency intravitreal bevacizumab in the treatment of macular edema due to retinal vein occlusions (RVOs).MethodsThe study comprised an interventional prospective study of patients with macular edema due to central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) or branch retinal vein occlusion, followed for 12 months. Treatment-naïve patients with reduced best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central macular thickness (CMT) of at least 250 μm received intravitreal injection of bevacizumab. After 1 month, BCVA and optical coherence tomography (OCT) images of the macula were recorded. In patients with <30% improvement in BCVA and CMT, two more injections were applied at 1.5-month intervals. In all other patients, further injections were applied as needed. In cases with ischemic areas of retina, laser photocoagulation of the retina was performed.ResultsIn total, 33 patients with CRVO and 55 with BRVO were treated. After 1 year, 65 eyes (73.86%) had clinically significant improvement of BCVA (>0.3 log of the minimum angle of resolution [logMAR] units) with average number of injections of 1.98. Improvement of mean BCVA in CRVO was significant (P=0.001) from baseline (1.2±0.95 logMAR units) to 1 year (0.75±0.6 logMAR units). Significant improvement of mean BCVA (P<0.001) was also found in BRVO, from 0.71±0.75 logMAR units at baseline to 0.28±0.5 logMAR units at 1 year. Baseline CMT was 852.21±298.20 μm for CRVO and 597.95±185.63 μm for BRVO. In both groups, there was significant decrease (P<0.001) in CMT after 1 year of treatment. Panretinal laser photocoagulation was done in 75.8% of all eyes with CRVO and sectoral photocoagulation in 49.1% of eyes with BRVO.ConclusionIn macular edema due to RVO, intravitreal bevacizumab provides improvement in visual acuity and reduction of macular edema in a high percentage of treated eyes after 1 year, even with low number of injections.