Objective. To describe the prevalence of sternoclavicular (SC) joint involvement and the relationship between clinical and ultrasound (US) findings in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods. One hundred three consecutive patients with RA and 103 age-and sex-matched healthy individuals were enrolled. Clinical evaluation and blinded US examinations of the SC joint were performed bilaterally in both groups. The presence of gray-scale synovitis, osteophytes, erosions, and intraarticular power Doppler (PD) was recorded. Interobserver agreement was calculated. Results. A total of 412 SC joints were evaluated: 206 from patients with RA and 206 from healthy controls. In the RA group, 39 joints (19%) were found to be clinically involved (pain/swelling), in contrast to only 4 (1.9%) in the control group (P ‫؍‬ 0.0001). In the RA group, US abnormalities were recorded in 89 SC joints (43%) compared with 36 (17%) in the healthy control group (P ‫؍‬ 0.0001), comprising osteophytes in 59 (29%) versus 25 (12%; P ‫؍‬ 0.0001), synovitis in 31 (15%) versus 5 (2%; P ‫؍‬ 0.0001), erosions in 23 (11%) versus none (P ‫؍‬ 0.0001), and intraarticular PD in 5 (2%) versus none (P ‫؍‬ 0.03). Furthermore, a correlation between the presence of US synovitis (P < 0.001) and intraarticular PD (P < 0.0001) with a higher Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28) was found. Conclusion. In patients with RA, US detected a higher number of involved SC joints than with clinical assessment. Our results indicate that both gray-scale and PD US findings were more prevalent in patients with RA than in healthy controls. US synovitis and synovial hyperperfusion correlated with the DAS28, suggesting that SC joints actively participate in the systemic inflammatory process of RA.

The present data suggest that calcitonin administration in the treatment for neurogenic claudication has no benefit in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis.

Introducción: Existen numerosos estudios que destacan la relación de la inteligencia emocional con el desempeño académico; sin embargo, la mayoría de los instrumentos empleados para medir la inteligencia emocional han sido diseñados y validados para poblaciones diferentes a la mexicana. Hasta la fecha, no existe estudio alguno que correlacione la Escala de Bienestar Psicológico con la del Perfil de Inteligencia Emocional, diseñada en México, y analice su probable relación en el rendimiento académico de alumnos de licenciatura. Objetivo: ¿Qué grado de correlación encontraremos entre las escalas de inteligencia emocional y de bienestar psicológico? y, en caso de estar correlacionadas, ¿predecirán el rendimiento académico de los alumnos de licenciatura? Método: Encuesta transversal, descriptiva y observacional aplicada a un total de 90 alumnos de licenciatura. Las correlaciones de las escalas se efectuaron con r de Pearson o rho de Spearman, según el caso, y las diferencias en los promedios de las escalas según rendimiento académico se contrastaron por análisis de varianza o con la prueba de Kruskal-Wallis. Resultados: La Escala de Inteligencia Emocional arrojó un coeficiente de confiabilidad alfa de Cronbach 0.82 (IC 95%: 0.77-0.87, p = 0.0001) y el de bienestar psicológico fue de 0.716 (p = 0.09). A mayor puntaje de inteligencia emocional correspondió mayor puntaje en bienestar psicológico subjetivo y mayor bienestar psicológico material. En general, un hallazgo fue que a menor bienestar psicológico subjetivo hubo mayor promedio de calificaciones en el rendimiento académico (rho: −0.220, p = 0.03). Conclusiones: Encontramos que, en efecto, las escalas de inteligencia emocional y bienestar psicológico están fuertemente correlacionadas, especialmente las dimensiones de optimismo, logro y autoestima de la inteligencia emocional con la dimensión de bienestar psicológico subjetivo de la de bienestar psicológico; sin embargo, un hallazgo interesante fue encontrar que el mayor rendimiento académico no parece estar necesariamente asociado a mayor inteligencia emocional.

Lumbar stabilization exercises could be an effective treatment option in controlling pain and improving function in patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis. Further investigation with randomized controlled trials is necessary to obtain confirmation of these results.

Abstract. PURPOSE: To analyze the relationship of strength, muscular balance, and atrophy with pain and function in patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis. STUDY DESIGN: Transversal, descriptive, and observational. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Institutional review board approval was obtained for this study. Twenty six patients ages 50 years and older, with degenerative spondylolisthesis at L4-L5. Measurements included Pain Visual Analogue Scale scores (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index scores (ODI), and isokinetic trunk testing; assessment of multifidus atrophy and spinal stenosis was performed by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). STATISTICS: Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 17.0 software for Windows. Pearson's correlation was used to ascertain the correlation between variables. ANOVA with analysis of covariance was used to determine the correlation between the remainder variables. Significance was set at p < 0.05. RESULTS: Of the 26 patients studied, with an average age of 60.23 ± 7.6 years, 20 had grade I spondylolisthesis and 6 were grade II. Correlation between the ODI scores and spondylolisthesis grading was significant (r = 0.576, p = 0.005); correlation between agonist/antagonist ratio in the isokinetic test (predominant extensor muscles over flexors) with the ODI scores was also significant (r = 0.446, p = 0.02), regardless of spinal stenosis. No correlation was found between functionality and pain with strength or multifidus atrophy. CONCLUSION: Muscle trunk imbalance with predominance of extensor over flexor muscles is associated with functional disability. Rehabilitation programs should be designed to improve muscle balance rather than muscle strength alone.