The Effect of Cognitive Functional Therapy for Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

BackgroundTo apply the Bio-Psych-Social (BPS) model into clinical practice, it is important not to focus on psychosocial domains only since biomedical factors can also contribute to chronic pain conditions. The cognitive functional therapy (CFT) is the management system based on the BPS model for chronic nonspecific low back pain (CNSLBP). ObjectivesTo compare CFT with the other interventions for CNSLBP regarding pain, disability/functional status, QoL and psychological factors. DesignSystematic review and meta-analysis. MethodLiterature Search was conducted in electronic search engines. Enrolled participants included 1) CNSLBP and 2) primary, secondary, or tertiary care patients. CFT was the interventions included. Comparisons were any types of treatment. ResultsThree studies met the eligibility criteria. The total number of participants was 336. For pain intensity, MD [95% CIs] was -2.78 [-2.78−0.02] and -1.01 [-1.92−-0.10] at intermediate and long term for two studies, respectively. About disability/functional status, SMD [95% CIs] was -0.76 [-1.46−-0.07] at the intermediate for three studies and MD [95% CIs] was -0.84 [-11.47−-5.49] at long term for two studies. About fear of physical activity, MD [95% CIs] was -3.01 [-5.14−-0.88] and -3.56 [-6.43−-0.68] at intermediate and long term for two studies, respectively. No studies reported scores associated with QOL. All the quality of the evidence was very low. ConclusionsThree studies were included and the quality of all the evidence was very low. Although the study found statistically significant differences in some measures, the effectiveness of the CFT will need to be re-evaluated in the future.PROSPERO registration number CRD42020158182

Overview on Malocclusion after Maxillofacial Trauma and Its Management

Malocclusion is one of the most common and often difficult-to-manage complications associated with post-traumatic maxillofacial injury. Maxillofacial injury is considered an important health problem worldwide. Such injuries most often have significant financial consequences and result in deformity of facial aesthetics, loss of function, and increased incidence of other health problems. Many common treatment approaches are extraction of teeth, occlusal adjustments, functional therapy, or a combination of these. An appropriate treatment plan should typically involve orthodontic treatment because it can prevent multi-segment upper jaw operations and stabilize the arches by coordinating and aligning them. The most common and important form of post traumatic malocclusion is malocclusion secondary to condylar fractures. Patient may complain of an open bite with functional disturbances, facial asymmetry. There is also improper alignment of teeth, frequent biting of the inner cheeks or tongue, discomfort when chewing or biting. Management approach of secondary malocclusion after maxillofacial trauma should include prosthetic treatment, orthodontic treatment, and implant-supported rehabilitation.

Sensing Local Field Potentials with a Directional and Scalable Depth Array: DISC

A variety of electrophysiology tools are available to the neurosurgeon for diagnosis, functional therapy, and neural prosthetics. However, no tool can currently address these three critical recording needs: (i) a surgical method that can reach any cortical region in a minimally invasive manner; (ii) record microscale, mesoscale, and macroscale resolutions simultaneously; and (iii) enable recording from multiple brain regions. This work presents a novel device for recording local field potentials (LFPs) whose form is based on state-of-the-art stereo-electroencephalogram (sEEG). Using quasi-static electromagnetic modeling, the lead body is shown to shield LFP sources and this enables directional sensitivity and scalability when microelectrodes are positioned radially, which we refer to as a DISC array. As predicted, DISC demonstrated significantly improved signal-to-noise, directional sensitivity, and decoding accuracy in the rat barrel cortex during whisker stimulation. Critically, DISC also demonstrated equivalent fidelity at the macroscale and, uniquely, performs current source density in stereo. Directional sensitivity of LFPs may significantly improve brain-computer interfaces and many diagnostic procedures, including epilepsy foci detection and deep brain targeting.

Delayed functional therapy after acute lateral ankle sprain increases subjective ankle instability – the later, the worse: a retrospective analysis

Background The lateral ankle sprain (LAS) is one of the most common injuries in everyday and sports activities. Approximately 20–40 % of patients with LAS develop a chronic ankle instability (CAI). The underlying mechanisms for CAI have not yet been clearly clarified. An inadequate rehabilitation after LAS can be speculated, since the LAS is often handled as a minor injury demanding less treatment. Therefore, the aims of this retrospective study were to determine the CAI rate depending on age and sex and to identify possible determinants for developing CAI. Methods Between 2015 and 2018 we applied the diagnostic code “sprain of ankle” (ICD S93.4) to identify relevant cases from the database of the BG Klinikum Duisburg, Germany. Patients received a questionnaire containing the Tegner-Score, the Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT) and the Foot and Ankle Disability Index. Additionally, there were questions about the modality and beginning of therapy following LAS and the number of recurrent sprains. There was a total of 647 completed datasets. These were divided into a CAI and non-CAI group according to a CAIT cut-off-score with CAI ≤ 24 and non-CAI > 24 points, representing one out of three criteria for having CAI based on international consensus. Results The overall CAI rate was 17.3 %. We identified a higher CAI rate in females and within the age segment of 41 to 55 years. A later start of therapy (> 4 weeks) after acute LAS significantly increases ankle instability in CAIT (p < .05). There was a significantly higher CAIT score in patients having no recurrent sprain compared to patients having 1–3 recurrent sprains or 4–5 recurrent sprains (p < .001). Conclusions Females over 41 years show a higher CAI rate which implies to perform specific prevention programs improving ankle function following acute LAS. A delayed start of therapy seems to be an important determinant associated with the development of CAI. Another contributing factor may be a frequent number of recurrent sprains that are also linked to greater levels of subjective ankle instability. Therefore, we would recommend an early start of functional therapy after acute LAS in the future to minimize the development of CAI.

Evaluation of changes seen in TMJ after mandibular advancement in treatment of Class II malocclusions, with functional appliances, a CBCT study

Introduction and Aim: Various functional appliances are developed to remodel the glenoid fossa and, thereby change the position of the mandible and correct Class II malocclusion. Many diagnostic aids have already been used to evaluate the changes ,but Cone Beam computed tomography (CBCT), three -dimensional diagnostic tool is rarely used .So this study was conducted with an aim is to evaluate the changes seen in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) after mandibular advancement in class II malocclusions with functional appliance therapy, using CBCT, and also to assess and compare the efficacy of Twin Block, Power Scope and Forsus Fatigue Device used for the correction of class II malocclusion.Materials and Methods: The retrospective study was performed using the 52 CBCT scans of 26 patients with class II malocclusion due to retrognathic mandible. The subjects were divided into three groups based on appliance (Twin Block, Power Scope and Forsus Fatigue Resistant Device) used for the treatment. The changes seen in TMJ after mandibular advancement and condylar response to functional therapy was evaluated using the six. Data obtained were subjected to one-way Anova analysis with Posthoc Tukey test. Software SPSS version 20 was used to analyse the data. The level of significance was set at p < 0.05.Results: In subjects treated with Twin Block, the condyle was displaced slightly downwards and anteriorly; and condylar height was reduced. The decrease in the anterior and superior joint spaces were also found. In subjects treated with PowerScope and Forsus Fatigue Resistant Device, there was an increase in condylar height and width with a decrease in anterior and superior joint space.Conclusion: All three appliances were found to bring about changes in TMJ structures, but amongst them the Twin block has proved to be more efficient.

Comparative Evaluation of Esthetic and Structural Aspects in Class II Functional Therapy. A Case-Control Retrospective Study

To compare the skeletal, dental, and esthetic changes produced by three functional devices, Fränkel-2 appliance (FR-2), Twin Block (TB), and Occlus-o-Guide® (O-o-G®), for the treatment of Class II malocclusion. Methods: Sixty-five patients with Class II Division 1 malocclusion were divided into three groups and were analyzed through cephalometric analysis of skeletal, dental, and esthetic variables before and after treatment. The first group of 23 patients (F: 9; M: 14; mean age: 10.3 ± 1.08 years) was treated with FR-2, the second group of 18 patients (F: 8; M: 10; mean age 10.7 ± 1.05 years) was treated with TB, the third group (F: 11; M: 13; mean age: 9.05 ± 0.39 years) of 24 patients was treated with O-o-G®. The structural effects of the three devices were compared with a control group generated by the growth variations reported in the cephalometric atlas of Bhatia and Leighton. Esthetic analysis was performed comparing the results of the patients treated with a control group of 20 subjects with mandibular retrognathia and Class II Division 1 malocclusion, not subjected to therapy. Results: The three devices resulted in a significant increase in mandibular length, with higher results obtained for FR-2 and TB. A statistically significant increase in the IMPA angle was found for the O-o-G® group, and a notable reduction of both overjet and overbite was detected in all three groups of treated patients. The esthetic evaluation showed overall more significant results in the TB group, especially with regard to the reduction of facial convexity. The retrusion of the upper lip was on average more significant in the O-o-G® group, followed by that in the TB. Conclusion: All three devices have proven to be effective overall in resolving skeletal changes and improving facial esthetics.

Alteration of Intestinal Microbiome of Clostridioides difficile-Infected Hamsters during the Treatment with Specific Cow Antibodies

Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) often develops after pretreatment with antibiotics, which can lead to damage of the intestinal microbiome. The approach of this study was to use specific polyclonal antibodies isolated from the milk of immunized cows to treat CDI, in contrast to the standard application of nonspecific antibiotics. To gain a deeper understanding of the role of the microbiome in the treatment of CDI with bovine antibodies, stool and intestinal fluid samples of hamsters were collected in large quantities from various treatments (>400 samples). The results show that the regeneration of the microbiome instantly begins with the start of the antibody treatment, in contrast to the Vancomycin-treated group where the diversity decreased significantly during the treatment duration. All antibody-treated hamsters that survived the initial phase also survived the entire study period. The results also show that the regeneration of the microbiome was not an antibody-induced regeneration, but a natural regeneration that occurred because no microbiota-inactivating substances were administered. In conclusion, the treatment with bovine antibodies is a functional therapy for both the acute treatment and the prevention of recurrence in hamsters and could meet the urgent need for CDI treatment alternatives in humans.

Polyphenols and Ischemic Stroke: Insight into One of the Best Strategies for Prevention and Treatment

Ischemic stroke (IS) is still among the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. The pathogenic mechanisms beyond its development are several and are complex and this is the main reason why a functional therapy is still missed. The beneficial effects of natural compounds against cardiovascular diseases and IS have been investigated for a long time. In this article, we reviewed the association between the most studied polyphenols and stroke protection in terms of prevention, effect on acute phase, and rehabilitation. We described experimental and epidemiological studies reporting the role of flavonols, phenolic acid, and stilbens on ischemic mechanisms leading to stroke. We analyzed the principal animal models used to evaluate the impact of these micronutrients to cerebral blood flow and to molecular pathways involved in oxidative stress and inflammation modulation, such as sirtuins. We reported the most significant clinical trials demonstrated as the persistent use of polyphenols is clinically relevant in terms of the reduction of vascular risk factors for IS, such as Atrial Fibrillation. Interestingly, different kinds of polyphenols provide brain protection by activating different pathways and mechanisms, like inducing antithrombotic effect, such as Honokiol. For this reason, we discussed an appropriate integrative use of them as a possible therapeutic alternative against stroke.

Three-Dimensional Evaluation of Soft Tissue Changes after Functional Therapy

This study was aimed at proposing a three-dimensional (3D) evaluation method for the soft tissue effects of Twin Block (TB) functional appliance therapy by using cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images. In this retrospective study, a total of 60 pre- and posttreatment (T0 and T1) CBCT images of Class II patients with mandibular retrognathia treated with a TB appliance were used. Volumetric and linear soft tissue changes were evaluated quantitatively with 3D measurements and qualitatively with color mapping visual. Linear (NV-A and NV-Pog) and angular (SNA, SNB, and ANB) skeletal changes were also measured on 3D images. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare statistical differences, and the scores of male and female participant differences were observed with the Mann–Whitney U test. In this study, a decrease was observed in SNA ( p < 0.05 ), ANB ( p < 0.01 ), and NV-Pog ( p < 0.05 ) while an increase in SNB ( p < 0.01 ) was found. However, decrease in NV-A distance was not statistically significant ( p > 0.05 ). As a result of the evaluation of soft tissue changes, while the anterior reposition of the lower lip, soft tissue pogonion, and soft tissue gnathion was found to be significant ( p < 0.01 , p < 0.01 , and p < 0.05 , respectively), the upper lip and subnasale repositions were not statistically significant ( p > 0.05 ). 3D soft tissue changes after TB therapy can be evaluated quantitatively and qualitatively by using CBCT images. Anterior repositioning of the mandible with functional therapy also provides improvement in soft tissue profile, especially in the lower facial region.