Rheumatology international
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Comparison of ultrasound (US)-guided intra-articular injections by in-plain and out-of-plain on medial portal of the knee.
To compare the accuracy rates between ultrasound (US)-guided in-plain (IP), out-of-plain (OOP) and blind knee intra-articular (IA) injection via the mid-medial portal. US-guided IA injection in the IP, OOP, and blind methods was performed on 126 knees with radiographically confirmed knee osteoarthritis (Kellgren-Lawrence grade 2 or 3) without effusion. ⋯ US-guided IA injections in the IP (97%; P < 0.05) and OOP method (95%; P < 0.05) showed significantly higher accuracy rate than injections in the blind injection (78%). Both US-guided IA injection methods may be used to access the knee joint with high degree of accuracy.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Efficacy of the use of two simultaneously TENS devices for fibromyalgia pain.
Fibromyalgia is characterized by a range of symptoms that include muscle pain, fatigue and sleep disorders. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is an established method for pain relief. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of the use of two simultaneously new TENS devices for fibromyalgia pain. ⋯ Comparison among groups revealed that analgesia, as well as quality of sleep and disposition, was DTG > STG > PG (p < 0.05). Participants subjectively found the active device useful. While the application of a single active TENS improved pain relief in fibromyalgia pain, pain and fatigue were further improved when two active devices were simultaneously applied at the low back and cervical area, with no side effects.
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The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between the sleep quality and the disease-related variables, functional status, quality of life, and depressive symptoms in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Forty-eight patients diagnosed with SSc and 42 healthy control subjects were enrolled in the study. The demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients such as the Raynaud's phenomenon, SSc subtype, digital ulcers, gastrointestinal and lung involvement, and disease activity were recorded. ⋯ There was also a significantly lower correlation between the menopause status, dyspnoea, gastroesophageal reflux, dysphagia, the mental score of the SF-36, and the sleep disturbance (p < 0.05). The sleep quality is disturbed in patients with SSc. The lower quality of sleep is especially associated with the pain, fatigue, depressive symptoms, and functional status.