Index Of Functional Impairment Research Articles

Acute and chronic effects of pneumatic lumbar support on muscular strength, flexibility, and functional impairment index

This research project was designed to assess the causal influence of wearing an “air belt”; (pneumatic lumbar support) on the development of muscular strength, hip and back flexibility, and a functional impairment (pain) index. Thirty subjects were randomly selected from a pool of individuals who were diagnosed as having muscular strain/sprain of the lower back by an orthopedic‐neurologic examination. They were graded as mild, moderate, or severe. Subjects in the treatment and control groups were matched according to gender and grade of strain/sprain. Each subject was tested initially, again after I hour, 3 weeks into the program, and finally post‐tested after 6 weeks of therapy or control. Subjects in the treatment group were required to wear the air belt for 1 hour after a pretest, then for 6 hours a day, 5 days a week for the 6 weeks of rehabilitation. Gain scores were analyzed using an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) with age and pain as the covariates, p ≤ s 0.05. Muscular strength improved 4.9% after wearing the air belt for 1 hour, 11.5% after 3 weeks, and 16.1% after 6 weeks of use. Since these individuals were functionally impaired as a result of lower back sprain/strain, the air belt does appear to improve substantially the strength otherwise lost due to a lower back injury. The ANCOVA tests for flexibility and pain index gain scores at acute, midchronic, and chronic stages of testing and therapy were all found to be significant. Therefore, it may be concluded that use of the air belt aids in flexibility and lessens the pain perceived in functionally impaired individuals. Subjective assessment of pain decreased by 18% after 1 hour of air belt use, 46% after 3 weeks of use, and 73% after 6 weeks of use. Flexibility improved 35%, 70%, and 93% during the same period. These results indicate how use of the air belt may lessen the pain associated with low‐back injury and may help increase strength and flexibility, thus facilitating a return to normal daily activity.

Dw subtypes of DR4 in rheumatoid arthritis: Evidence for a preferential association with Dw4

We have determined the frequency of the DR4-associated Dw subtypes, defined by homozygous typing cells, in a group of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients on second-line drug therapy. The frequency of DR4 in these patients was 86%. Among Caucasians, the frequency of Dw4 in the DR4-positive patients was significantly increased (68%) as compared to DR4-positive normal individuals (46%; p < 0.025). Dw4, as compared to the other DR4 subtypes tested, may also be associated with more severe disease as judged by indices of functional impairment and joint damage. In a small subgroup of non-Caucasion (black and Native American) patients, the Dw13 (DB3) subtype of DR4 was often seen, suggesting that RA may have different Dw associations in different ethnic groups.

Education provides no protection against Alzheimer's disease.

It has been suggested that educational achievement confers protection against dementia. We examined educational level and age of onset in 28 patients with Alzheimer's disease, and assessed the progression of dementia over a mean period of 28 months using both a measure of neurobehavioral status and an index of functional impairment. No protective effect of education was found in either early- or late-onset dementia.

Reactive hyperemia: An index of the significance of coronary stenoses

Coronary arterial stenosis of varying severity and length were created in open-chest dogs. The reactive hyperemic responses (RHR) to 15 second occlusions were used to produce flow increases and judge the physiological significance of the narrowings. RHR are sensitive indices of functional impairment when resting flow is unchanged. It was demonstrated that the length as well as the severity is important in assessing physiological significance by evaluation of narrowings 3 to 9 mm. long.

Neuromuscular function in pesticide workers.

<b>Jager, K. W., Roberts, D. V., and Wilson, Andrew (1970).</b><i>Brit. J. industr. Med.,</i><b>27,</b> 273-278. <b>Neuromuscular function in pesticide workers.</b> Electromyography (EMG) provides a sensitive, objective, and speedy method of detecting impairment of nerve and muscle function in pesticide workers who are apparently in good health. Exposure to two organophosphorus compounds (both were dimethyl phosphate esters) was associated with a high incidence (about 50%) of EMG signs of impaired nerve and muscle function. In workers exposed only to organochlorine compounds there was a much lower incidence (about 4%) of abnormal EMG. Exposure to these organophosphorus compounds was not associated with depression of blood cholinesterase activity even in those workers with typical EMG signs. It is concluded that measurement of blood cholinesterase activity does not provide a sensitive index of functional impairment of nerve and muscle.