The Tohoku journal of experimental medicine
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Tohoku J. Exp. Med. · Jan 2005
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical TrialSuprascapular nerve block versus steroid injection for non-specific shoulder pain.
Shoulder pain is a common complaint in elder population and may cause an important functional disability. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of suprascapular nerve block with those of steroid injection in patients with non-specific shoulder pain. A total of 60 patients with shoulder pain lasting for more than four weeks were included in this study. ⋯ No method was found to be superior to each other (p >0.05). No complications occurred in suprascapular nerve block in contrary to steroid injection. We suggest that suprascapular nerve block can be considered the preferred treatment for non-specific shoulder pain because of being as effective as steroid injection with rare side effects.
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Tohoku J. Exp. Med. · Jan 2005
The effect of hormone replacement therapy on oxidized low density lipoprotein levels and paraoxonase activity in postmenopausal women.
Oxidized low-density lipoproteins (oxLDL) are involved in initiation of atherosclerosis. Paraoxonase 1 (PON1), the isoenzyme of PON, is located on high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and protects against the oxidative modification of both HDL and LDL by hydrolysing lipid peroxides. Postmenopausal women have a higher risk of cardiovascular events compared with premenopausal women. ⋯ After 6-month therapy, MDA and oxLDL levels showed a statistically significant reduction in the treated groups versus baseline (p <0.05), whereas PON1 activities were increased (p <0.05). Increase in oxidative status may be one of the factors leading to reduction in PON1 activity and increased oxLDL in menopause. HRT may be effective on oxidative stress and lipoprotein metabolism in apparently healthy postmenopausal women.