Postgraduate medicine
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Postgraduate medicine · Aug 2022
Prediction of Probable Sarcopenia with an Alternative Method: Plantar Flexion Strength.
Sarcopenia is a geriatric syndrome characterized by age-related reduction in muscle mass and strength. Assessment of handgrip strength (HGS) is an essential measurement for the diagnosis of sarcopenia; however, disorders affecting upper limb muscles and joints may pose challenges in assessing handgrip strength. Therefore, the present study aimed to show the validity of plantar flexion strength (PFS) in diagnosing probable sarcopenia and investigating the relations between comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) and PFS while determining appropriate cutoff values for PFS. ⋯ Probable sarcopenia identified by PFS could be associated with CGA. PFS may be useful for evaluating probable sarcopenia in older adults whose HGS cannot be estimated accurately.
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Postgraduate medicine · Aug 2022
Observational StudyBrazilian descriptive study of 104 consecutive real-world migraine patients treated with monoclonal antibodies.
Migraine is a highly disabling and prevalent neurological disorder. A peptide, calcitonin gene-related peptide, was identified as involved in migraine pathophysiology and monoclonal anti-CGRP antibodies have been developed. ⋯ This described analysis of migraine patients who used monoclonal antibodies presented one of the first Brazilian experiences with real-world patients. Our results may enlighten clinicians on the outcomes and ways of prescribing anti-CGRP antibodies.
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Postgraduate medicine · Aug 2022
Randomized Controlled TrialA randomized controlled trial concerning the implementation of the postural Mézières treatment in elite athletes with low back pain.
This study aimed to evaluate the impact of adding the Mézières Method (MM) to the standard rehabilitation protocol for the elite athletes with low back pain (LBP) in reducing lumbar pain rather than only using the traditional rehabilitation protocol treatment. The disciplines considered in this study were soccer, rhythmic gymnastics, and basketball. ⋯ The MM approach can also be applied to established conventional protocols to alleviate pain and functionality. The obtained results include improving the quality of life of the athletes and their physical and emotional states.
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Postgraduate medicine · Aug 2022
ReviewThe role of osteoanabolic agents in the management of patients with osteoporosis.
Reducing fracture risk is the objective of osteoporosis treatment. Bone-forming osteoporosis drugs increase bone mass, restore bone microarchitecture, and reduce fracture risk more effectively than oral bisphosphonates, providing strong justification for the use of these agents as the initial therapy or after anti-remodeling agents in patients at very high risk of fracture. At the end of a 12-to-24-month course of osteoanabolic therapy, transitioning to a potent anti-remodeling agent maintains and enhances the treatment benefit. This review describes the clinical applications of osteoanabolic therapy for osteoporosis.
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Postgraduate medicine · Aug 2022
How use of continuous glucose monitoring can address therapeutic inertia in primary care.
A significant proportion of individuals with diabetes have suboptimal glycemic management. Studies have shown that persistent hyperglycemia significantly increases the risks for both acute and long-term microvascular and macrovascular complications of diabetes. A key contributor to suboptimal glycemic management is therapeutic inertia in which clinicians delay intensifying therapy when patients are not meeting their glycemic goals. ⋯ As demonstrated in numerous clinical trials and real-world observational studies, use of CGM improves glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and reduces the occurrence and severity of hypoglycemia. However, for primary care clinicians who are unfamiliar with using CGM, integrating this technology into clinical practice can be daunting. In this article, we discuss the benefits and rationale for using CGM compared with traditional blood glucose monitoring (BGM), review the evidence supporting the clinical value of CGM in patients with T1D and T2D, and describe how use of CGM in primary care can facilitate appropriate and more timely therapy adjustments.