Journal of orthopaedic science : official journal of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association
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Depression can exacerbate symptoms of chronic pain and worsen disability. The symptoms of lumbar disease may be particularly sensitive to psychological state, but statistical associations between low back pain (LBP) severity and mental health status have not been established. ⋯ The majority of chronic LBP patients examined were in a depressed state and the severity of depression correlated with pain severity, degree of self-rated disability, and clinical severity.
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Multicenter Study
The effect of a prostaglandin E1 derivative on the symptoms and quality of life of patients with lumbar spinal stenosis.
Quality of life (QOL) is a concern for patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). In this study, QOL was examined using the 5-item EuroQol (EQ-5D). ⋯ According to the findings of this survey, at an average of 8 weeks after administration limaprost improved symptoms, QOL, and ADL in LSS patients whereas treatment with an NSAID reduced pain but did not have any other effects.
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Comparative Study
In vivo pre- and postoperative three-dimensional knee kinematics in unicompartmental knee arthroplasty.
Pre- and postoperative knee kinematics in unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) can be theoretically related to clinical outcome and longevity after UKA with regard to ligament function and the degree of arthritic changes. However, the preoperative knee kinematics of patients indicated for UKA remain to be elucidated, and it is also unclear whether the preoperative kinematics can be maintained by the UKA procedure. The objective of this study was to examine the in vivo pre- and postoperative three-dimensional knee kinematics in UKA while referencing the normal knee kinematics reported in our previous study. ⋯ Although the patterns of preoperative knee motion were similar to those seen in normal knees, the magnitude of this motion varied widely between patients, so it was not necessarily representative of normal knees. These variations may be due to the varying degrees of arthritic changes caused by osteoarthritis. Although the patterns of knee kinematics were largely maintained by the UKA procedure, the causes of the significant reductions in the magnitude of motion upon performing the UKA procedure should be investigated in subsequent studies with a larger number of patients.