Search

Background: Weakness of the shoulder girdle muscles has been reported in patients with chronic lateral elbow tendinopathy. The aim of this study was to assess the short- and long-term effects of a conventional treatment plus scapular exercises program in patients with chronic lateral elbow tendinopathy. Methods: A single-group prestudy and poststudy were conducted. The primary outcome was the Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation questionnaire score. Secondary outcomes were grip strength; Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand questionnaire score; Visual Analogue Scale score at rest and at grip, and presence of scapular dyskinesis. Results: A total of 65 patients (72.3% females), with a mean age of 41.8 years, were analyzed. At the end of 6 weeks, the results showed clinically and statistically significant differences (P< .05). At 1-year follow-up, the differences were: Patient-Rated Tennis Elbow Evaluation -31 points (P<.001); grip strength +33.6% (P<.001); Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand -34.2 points (P < .001); Visual Analogue Scale at rest -2.5 cm (P < .001); and Visual Analogue Scale at grip -2.3 cm (P < .001). Conclusion: At the end of 6 weeks and at 1-year follow-up, conventional treatment plus scapular exercises program showed statistically and clinically significant differences in all functional outcomes assessed in patients with lateral elbow tendinopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence-based practice (EBP) refers to the integration of scientific evidence into the clinical setting. This study aimed to determine whether Latin American physiotherapists use EBP, analyze the associated factors, barriers, and facilitators, and examine the relationships between these elements in clinical practice. To conduct this cross-sectional study, the web-based questionnaire survey method was chosen. Survey was self-administered questionnaires to assess understanding of various EBP-related terms and determine their knowledge and ability to apply these concepts in clinical practice. The association between attitudes, awareness, and knowledge scores and the demographic data such as age group, years of experience, professional membership registry, and self-reported education was assessed. The questionnaire was distributed to a total of 5000 physical therapists, of which 4099 (82%) responded from seven Latin American countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, México, Perú, and Venezuela), between June 1, 2020, and May 31, 2024. Overall, the physical therapists had positive attitudes, beliefs, and interests in EBP. Their educational background, knowledge, and skills related to assessing and interpreting information were associated to the use of EBP. In addition, 53% of respondents indicated that lack of time was the main obstacle to the use of EBP. The top 3 barriers included insufficient time (53%), lack of information resources (20.8%), and lack of research tools (13.6%). Among Latin American physical therapists, individual characteristics workplace, clinical experience, educational background, and demographic characteristics, may behave as facilitators or barriers when performing an EBP. Thus, identifying methods and strategies to support physical therapists in adopting EBP in the Latin American is necessary. The academization of physiotherapy training might change this in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The use of acupuncture is related to patients' expectations, and the therapeutic interaction effect remains a topic of debate in the literature. Accordingly, it is still unclear whether acupuncture can generate positive clinical effects in patients with fibromyalgia (FM). Objective: To determine the effectiveness of acupuncture versus placebo for clinical outcomes and determine the overall effect not attributed to specific effects in patients with FM. Design: Umbrella review of systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses. Data sources and methods: An electronic search was performed in MEDLINE (via PubMed), Web of Science, CENTRAL, EMBASE, LILACS, CINAHL, PEDro, and SPORTDiscus databases from inception until December 2023. We selected studies with a clinical diagnosis of FM and that analyzed the effectiveness of acupuncture compared with a placebo. Pain intensity, functional status, fatigue, sleep quality, and depression symptoms were assessed. Effect sizes were calculated as the mean difference (MD) or standard mean difference (SMD). The quality of intervention reporting was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach. Results: Eleven SRs with 8399 participants were included. Compared with placebo, acupuncture was associated with reductions in pain intensity (MD = −1.13 cm, 95% CI −2.09 to −0.17, p < 0.001), physical function (SMD = −0.63, 95% CI −1.67 to 0.41, p = 0.06), sleep quality (SMD = −0.25, 95% CI −1.39 to 0.88, p = 0.06), and fatigue (SMD = 0.20, 95% CI = 0.17 to 0.22, p < 0.001). The proportion not attributable to specific effects (PCE) of acupuncture was 58% for pain intensity (PCE = 0.58, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.71), 57% for physical function (PCE = 0.57, 95% CI −0.07 to 1.20), and 69% for fatigue (PCE = 0.69, 95% CI 0.18 to 1.21). Conclusion: Acupuncture showed a statistically significant difference in decreased pain intensity and fatigue in women with FM. However, the certainty of evidence was low to very low; its effects are not clinically important, and more than 50% of the overall treatment effects were not attributed to the specific effects of acupuncture. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42023487315. Plain language summary: Acupuncture versus placebo in Fibromyalgia Acupuncture is often used by people with Fibromyalgia, a condition that causes widespread pain and fatigue, but it's still unclear if it truly helps. This study looked at previous research to compare the effects of acupuncture and fake (placebo) treatments on symptoms like pain, physical function, fatigue, sleep quality, and depression in people with Fibromyalgia. The review included 11 studies with 8,399 participants. It found that acupuncture was slightly better than placebo at reducing pain and fatigue but did not significantly improve physical function or sleep quality. However, most of the benefits could not be specifically attributed to the acupuncture treatment itself but were likely due to other factors, such as patients' expectations. In summary, while acupuncture showed some small benefits for pain and fatigue in Fibromyalgia, the overall evidence was weak, and more than half of the improvement was not directly related to the acupuncture treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Overalll, muscular fitness and academic performance are two variables widely studied in the literature. However, evidence on the relationship between muscular fitness and specific school subjects (e.g., physical education), as well as their differences by sex, is scarce. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the associations between muscular fitness and overall academic performance and between muscular fitness and specific subjects (i.e., language, math, foreign language, and physical education) in a sample of secondary Spanish school students. Methods: For the present study, a sample of 766 students (45% boys, aged 12-17 years). From the Eating Healthy and Daily Life Activities (EHDLA) study was used. The Assessing the Levels of Physical Activity and Fitness (ALPHA-FIT) battery was used to determine handgrip strength and lower body muscular strength. The performance of the different school subjects was provided by the school centers. Results: Overall, for both boys and girls, higher muscular fitness was associated with greater academic results, with the greatest differences in physical education. However, only significant differences were identified for girls. Discussion and conclusion: Global muscular fitness is important for contributing to cognitive development, both in physical education and in the rest of the subjects of the educational curriculum for adolescents. At the same time, although the association appears to follow the same trend for both sexes, the results seem more evident for girls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to analyze the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES), poverty rate, and the prevalence of overweight/obesity or obesity in children and adolescents aged 2–14. Methods: Parents or guardians reported the weight and height of participants, used to calculate body mass index (BMI) and BMI z-scores according to the International Obesity Task Force standards. Participants were categorized into "overweight/obesity" and "no overweight/obesity" and further into "obesity" and "no obesity". The rate of poverty rate was determined using data from the National Statistics Institute of Spain, defining it as the percentage of people with income below 60% of the national median. SES was based on the head of household's occupation and categorized into low, medium, and high levels. Results: Adjusted multilevel models showed participants with medium or high SES had lower odds of overweight/obesity compared to those with low SES (medium SES: odds ratio [OR]: 0.63, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.54–0.73; high SES: OR: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.49–0.70). Participants in the high-poverty group had higher odds of having overweight/obesity (OR: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.13–1.74) compared to the low-poverty group. Conclusions: The study highlights significant socioeconomic disparities in childhood overweight/obesity, emphasizing the potential impact of SES and poverty on health outcomes in Spanish children and adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a chronic complication of diabetes mellitus (DM) with symptoms like intense pain and impaired quality of life. This condition has no treatment; instead, the pain is managed with various antidepressants, including duloxetine. The aim of this study is to analyze the evidence on the efficacy of duloxetine in the management of DPN. Methods: A systematic search in different databases was conducted using the keywords "diabetic neuropathy", "duloxetine therapy", "neuropathic pain", and "Diabetes Mellitus". Finally, eight studies were included in this meta-analysis. Results: All articles comparing duloxetine at different doses vs. a placebo reported significant differences in favor of duloxetine on pain scales like 24 h Average Pain Severity (standardized mean difference [SMD] = −1.06, confidence interval [CI] = −1.09 to −1.03, and p < 0.00001) and BPI Severity (SMD = −0.70, CI = −0.72 to −0.68, and p < 0.00001), among others. A total of 75% of the meta-analyses of studies comparing duloxetine at different doses showed a tendency in favor of the 120 mg/d dose. There were significant differences in favor of duloxetine when compared to routine care on the Euro Quality of Life (SMD = −0.04, CI = −0.04 to −0.03, and p < 0.00001) and SF-36 Survey (SMD = −5.86, CI = −6.28 to −5.44, and p < 0.00001) scales. There were no significant differences on the visual analog scale (VAS) when comparing duloxetine and gabapentin. Conclusions: Duloxetine appears to be effective in the management of DPN in different pain, symptom improvement, and quality of life scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The most common anomaly is an anomalous left coronary artery originating from the pulmonary artery. These variants can be different and depend on the location as well as how they present themselves in their anatomical distribution and their symptomatological relationship. For these reasons, this review aims to identify the variants of the coronary artery and how they are associated with different clinical conditions. Methods: The databases Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, CINAHL, and LILACS were researched until January 2024. Two authors independently performed the search, study selection, and data extraction. Methodological quality was evaluated using an assurance tool for anatomical studies (AQUA). Pooled prevalence was estimated using a random effects model. Results: A total of 39 studies met the established selection criteria. In this study, 21 articles with a total of 578,868 subjects were included in the meta-analysis. The coronary artery origin variant was 1% (CI = 0.8–1.2%). For this third sample, the funnel plot graph showed an important asymmetry, with a p-value of 0.162, which is directly associated with this asymmetry. Conclusions: It is recommended that patients whose diagnosis was made incidentally and in the absence of symptoms undergo periodic controls to prevent future complications, including death. Finally, we believe that further studies could improve the anatomical, embryological, and physiological understanding of this variant in the heart. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Glioblastoma is a primary malignant brain tumor; it is aggressive with a high degree of malignancy and unfavorable prognosis and is the most common type of malignant brain tumor. Glioblastomas can be located in the brain, cerebellum, brainstem, and spinal cord, originating from glial cells, particularly astrocytes. Methods: The databases MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and CINAHL were researched up to January 2024. Two authors independently performed the search, study selection, and data extraction. Methodological quality was evaluated with an assurance tool for anatomical studies (AQUA). The statistical mean, standard deviation, and difference of means calculated with the Student's t-test for presence between hemispheres and presence in the frontal and temporal lobes were analyzed. Results: A total of 123 studies met the established selection criteria, with a total of 6224 patients. In relation to the mean, GBM between hemispheres had a mean of 33.36 (SD 58.00) in the right hemisphere and a mean of 34.70 (SD 65.07) in the left hemisphere, due to the difference in averages between hemispheres. There were no statistically significant differences, p = 0.35. For the comparison between the presence of GBM in the frontal lobe and the temporal lobe, there was a mean in the frontal lobe of 23.23 (SD 40.03), while in the temporal lobe, the mean was 22.05 (SD 43.50), and for the difference in means between the frontal lobe and the temporal lobe, there was no statistically significant difference for the presence of GBM, p = 0.178. Conclusions: We believe that before a treatment, it will always be correct to know where the GBM is located and how it behaves clinically, in order to generate correct conservative or surgical treatment guidelines for each patient. We believe that more detailed studies are also needed to show why GBM is associated more with some regions than others, despite the brain structure being homologous to other regions in which GMB occurs less frequently, which is why knowing its predominant presence in brain regions is very important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The current research aimed to investigate the connection between food insecurity and sleep issues among Spanish adolescents aged from 12 to 17 years from the Valle de Ricote (Region of Murcia, Spain). Methods: Data from the Eating Healthy and Daily Life Activities Study, which included a sample of 836 adolescents (55.3% girls), were analyzed. Food insecurity was evaluated using the Child Food Security Survey Module in Spanish (CFSSM-S), while sleep-related problems were evaluated using the Bedtime problems, Excessive daytime sleepiness, Awakenings during the night, Regularity and duration of sleep, and Sleep-disordered breathing (BEARS) sleep screening tool. Generalized linear models were employed to explore the association between food insecurity and sleep-related issues. Results: Compared with their counterparts with food security, adolescents with food insecurity had greater probabilities of bedtime problems (24.1%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 16.9% to 33.0%, p = 0.003), excessive daytime sleepiness (36.4%, 95% CI 27.5% to 46.3%, p < 0.001), awakenings during the night (16.7%, 95% CI 10.8% to 25.1%, p = 0.004), and any sleep-related problems (68.1%, 95% CI 57.5% to 77.1%, p < 0.001). Conclusions: This study suggests that food insecurity is related to greater sleep-related problems among adolescents. Implementing strategies to mitigate food insecurity may contribute to improved sleep health among adolescents, highlighting the importance of integrated public health interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: the aim of this study was to assess the associations of family meals and social eating behavior with self-esteem levels among Spanish adolescents. Methods: This was a secondary cross-sectional study including 706 participants (aged 12 to 17 years; 56.1% girls) from the Eating Habits and Daily Life Activities (EHDLA) study. The evaluation of the frequency of family meals involved participants providing information in physical education classes on how frequently they, along with other members of their household, had shared meals in the previous week. Social eating behavior was assessed by three different statements: "I usually have dinner with others", "Having at least one meal a day with others (family or friends) is important to me", and "I enjoy sitting down with family or friends for a meal". To assess overall self-esteem, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale was used. Results: In the adjusted models, a positive association was observed between the frequency of family meals and the self-esteem score (unstandardized beta coefficient [B] = 0.06, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.003 to 0.12, p-adjusted = 0.040). Furthermore, the same positive association was also identified between social eating behavior and the self-esteem score (B = 0.23; 95% CI 0.07 to 0.40, p-adjusted = 0.005). Conclusions: Although self-esteem is complex and can be influenced by numerous factors, both family meals and social eating behavior may exert a relevant role in adolescents. Encouraging consistent participation in family meals and promoting positive eating practices could be valuable approaches in public health actions targeting the enhancement of self-esteem levels in adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to describe the presence of pain sensitization (PS) and its association with baseline factors after cast removal in patients older than 60 years with distal radius fracture (DRF) treated conservatively., Methods: This cross-sectional study included 220 patients older than 60 years with extra-articular DRF who completed the Pain Sensitivity Questionnaire (PSQ). Patients with PSQ score > 7 points were considered positive for PS. In addition, sociodemographic, anthropometrics, clinical, radiological, lifestyle behaviors, pain-related psychological factors, and functional outcomes were analyzed as baseline predictors, all measured were performed 2 weeks after cast removal., Results: A total of 159 patients (72.3%) showed PS. The results showed an association between higher values of PSQ-total with the affected dominant hand (β = 1.1; P = 0.04), high energy of injury (β = 3.5; P < .001), extra-articular comminuted metaphyseal DRFs (β = 1.8; P < .001), lower values of Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity questionnaire (β = 3.1; P < .001), higher values of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (β = 2.5; P < .001), higher values of Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (β = 1.9; P < .001), higher values of Pain Catastrophizing Scale (β = 1.8; P < .001), higher values of Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire (β = 1.6; P < .001), lower values of grip strength (β = 1.4; P < .001) and higher values of Visual analog scale (β = 4.2; P < .001)., Conclusions: A high percentage of patients older than 60 years with extra-articular DRFs present PS at 2 weeks after cast removal. Our results may help physicians and physiotherapists identify risk and/or prognostic baseline factors for the occurrence of PS after DRF, and the need for a therapeutic approach that incorporates the clinical management of this condition in these patients., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: Variations in renal veins are quite common, and most people do not experience issues due to them. However, these variations are important for healthcare professionals, especially in surgical procedures and imaging studies, as precise knowledge of vascular anatomy is essential to avoid complications during medical interventions. The purpose of this study was to expose the frequency of anatomical variations in the renal vein (RV) and detail their relationship with the retroperitoneal and renal regions. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in the Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, CINAHL, and LILACS databases from their inception until January 2024. Two authors independently carried out the search, study selection, and data extraction and assessed methodological quality using a quality assurance tool for anatomical studies (AQUA). Ultimately, consolidated prevalence was estimated using a random effects model. Results: In total, 91 studies meeting the eligibility criteria were identified. This study included 91 investigations with a total of 46,664 subjects; the meta-analysis encompassed 64 studies. The overall prevalence of multiple renal veins was 5%, with a confidence interval (CI) of 4% to 5%. The prevalence of the renal vein trajectory was 5%, with a CI of 4% to 5%. The prevalence of renal vein branching was 3%, with a CI of 0% to 6%. Lastly, the prevalence of unusual renal vein origin was 2%, with a CI of 1% to 4%. Conclusions: The analysis of these variants is crucial for both surgical clinical management and the treatment of patients with renal transplant and hemodialysis.

Introduction: Admission to university has been identified as a period involving the adoption of unhealthy lifestyle behaviors. However, few studies have addressed the extent of this experience among Latin American university students. The aim of this study was twofold: first, to describe anthropometric variables, body composition, physical activity, sedentary behavior, sleep duration and quality, diet, and alcohol consumption in first-year students entering physiotherapy school at the Universidad de las Americas in Quito, Ecuador; second, to test differences in these variables between sexes., Methods: A total of 116 students were recruited. Sociodemographic variables, anthropometric indices, body composition, physical activity, sedentary behavior, sleep quality and duration, adherence to 24-hour movement guidelines, physical fitness (i.e., handgrip strength), diet, alcohol consumption, and smoking habits were evaluated., Results: A total of 50 male (43.1%) and 66 female (56.9%) students were assessed. Overall, the adherence to the 24-hour movement guidelines of the students upon admission to university was 8.6%. Conversely, 86 students (74.1%) did not meet any of the recommendations. Upon admission to university, only 8.6% of the students (female 2.6%; male 6%) met the overall 24-hour movement guidelines. Additionally, 82 students (70.7%) needed changes in diet quality, 81 students (69.8%) had significant sleep disturbances, and 22 students (18.9%) had harmful alcohol consumption. A greater proportion of males met all three 24-h movement recommendations ( p  = 0.025) than females did. In addition, females reported a greater percentage of occasional smokers ( p  = 0.025) and a greater prevalence of obesity ( p  < 0.001), a lower level of physical activity ( p  < 0.001), and a greater percentage of sleep disturbance ( p  < 0.001). Conversely, males reported greater waist circumference ( p  = 0.005), weight ( p  < 0.001), handgrip strength ( p  < 0.001), and a greater percentage of harmful alcohol consumption ( p  < 0.001)., Discussion: Our study showed that upon admission to university, overall adherence to the 24-hour movement guidelines is low among university students. Additionally, a high percentage of students reported unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, with differences according to sex. Our findings could lead to the use of specific sex-specific strategies for the prevention and promotion of movement and lifestyle behaviors during this critical period., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2024 Gutiérrez-Espinoza, Cassola-Cajiao, Garzón-Ulloa, Celi-Lalama, Bastidas-Caldes, Araya-Quintanilla, Cristi-Montero and López-Gil.)