PurposeTo identify the influence of lymphedema on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) more than 1 year after breast cancer surgery.MethodsNinety-six breast cancer patients who survived more than 1 year after surgery and 104 members of the general population were recruited. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to the presence of lymphedema. HRQOL was evaluated with the Short-Form 36-Item Health Survey.ResultsThere were no statistically significant differences in any scales between groups: groups of breast cancer survivors with and without lymphedema. Compared with the general population, breast cancer survivors had lower quality of life scores in all scales, although the vitality and mental health scales did not differ from chance variation at the 5% level.ConclusionIn this study, the presence of lymphedema in breast cancer patients who survived over 1 year after surgery might not affect the quality of life. However quality of life of breast cancer survivors is lower than in general population except for some mental health components.

ObjectiveTo investigate the feasibility and effects of balance training with a newly developed Balance Control Trainer (BCT) that applied the concept of vertical movement for the improvements of mobility and balance in chronic stroke patients.MethodForty chronic stroke patients were randomly assigned to an experimental or a control group. The experimental group (n=20) underwent training with a BCT for 20 minutes a day, 5 days a week for 4 weeks, in addition to concurrent conventional physical therapy. The control group (n=20) underwent only conventional therapy for 4 weeks. All participants were assessed by: the Functional Ambulation Categories (FAC), 10-meter Walking Test (10mWT), Timed Up and Go test (TUG), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Korean Modified Barthel Index (MBI), and Manual Muscle Test (MMT) before training, and at 2 and 4 weeks of training.ResultsThere were statistically significant improvements in all parameters except knee extensor power at 2 weeks of treatment, and in all parameters except MBI which showed further statistically significant progress in the experimental group over the next two weeks (p<0.05). Statistically significant improvements on all measurements were observed in the experimental group after 4 weeks total. Comparing the two groups at 2 and 4 weeks of training respectively, 10mWT, TUG, and BBS showed statistically more significant improvements in the experimental group (p<0.05).ConclusionBalance training with a newly developed BCT is feasible and may be an effective tool to improve balance and gait in ambulatory chronic stroke patients. Furthermore, it may provide additional benefits when used in conjunction with conventional therapies.

Drug administration should be considered a risk factor for venous thromboembolism (VTE) in younger healthy patients. We present a case of new‐onset pulmonary embolism (PE), possibly associated with excessive creatine supplement intake. A 24‐year‐old non‐smoker male presented to the emergency department with sudden‐onset dyspnoea and chest discomfort. Computed tomography pulmonary angiography and venography confirmed PE in the left and right pulmonary artery branches and a thrombus in the left popliteal vein. The patient had no family history of VTE, and other causes of thrombophilia were unlikely. He reported a recent increase in the intensity of his workouts and the dose of his creatine supplements in preparation for a bodybuilding competition. The creatine supplements likely promoted dehydration during intense workouts and profuse sweating. He received anticoagulation therapy, and the creatine supplements were discontinued. Creatine supplements should be used cautiously when there is a higher risk of becoming dehydrated.