OBJECTIVETo determine the effectiveness and safety of Xinfeng Capsules (XFC) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with decreased pulmonary function.

METHODSThis was a randomized controlled clinical trial of 80 RA patients. Participants were assigned to the trial group (40 cases) and the control group (40 cases) by block randomization. The trial group was treated with XFC, three pills each time three times daily for 2 months. The control group was treated with tripterygium glycoside (TPT), two pills each time three times daily for 2 months. Both groups were followed up after 2 months. The clinical effects, changes in joint and pulmonary function, and quality of life before and after treatment were observed; safety indices were also evaluated.

RESULTSPain, swelling, tenderness, and duration of morning stiffness of joints were obviously decreased after treatment in both the trial and the control groups compared with baseline (P<0.01). Compared with before treatment, hand grip strength increased significantly after treatment in the trial group (P=0.0000); pulmonary function parameters such as forced expiratory volume in the first second of expiration/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC), 50% of the expiratory flow of forced vital capacity (FEF50), carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLco) were increased (P<0.01 or P<0.05); measures of quality of life such as role-physical, body pain, vitality and mental health were also improved after treatment in the trial group (all P<0.05). Joint swelling in the trial group decreased compared with the control group (P=0.0043), while hand grip strength was increased after treatment (P=0.0000). The increase in FEF50, DLco, and the dimensions of quality of life such as vitality and mental health were all significantly greater in the trial group than the control group (P<0.05 or P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSXFC not only relieved joint pain in RA patients, but also significantly improved the ventilation and diffusion function of the lungs. Therefore, XFC could improve the whole body function and enhance the quality of life of RA patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; blood ; drug therapy ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Blood Sedimentation ; C-Reactive Protein ; Capsules ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Humans ; Joints ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Quality of Life ; Respiratory Function Tests ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Treatment Outcome

PURPOSE: The purpose of our study was to investigate the effect of gait training with rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS) on both kinematic and temporospatial gait patterns in patients with hemiplegia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen hemiplegic patients diagnosed with either cerebral palsy or stroke participated in this study. All participants underwent the 4-week gait training with RAS. The treatment was performed for 30 minutes per each session, three sessions per week. RAS was provided with rhythmic beats using a chord progression on a keyboard. Kinematic and temporospatial data were collected and analyzed using a three-dimensional motion analysis system. RESULTS: Gait training with RAS significantly improved both proximal and distal joint kinematic patterns in hip adduction, knee flexion, and ankle plantar flexion, enhancing the gait deviation index (GDI) as well as ameliorating temporal asymmetry of the stance and swing phases in patients with hemiplegia. Stroke patients with previous walking experience demonstrated significant kinematic improvement in knee flexion in mid-swing and ankle dorsiflexion in terminal stance. Among stroke patients, subacute patients showed a significantly increased GDI score compared with chronic patients. In addition, household ambulators showed a significant effect on reducing anterior tilt of the pelvis with an enhanced GDI score, while community ambulators significantly increased knee flexion in mid-swing phase and ankle dorsiflexion in terminal stance phase. CONCLUSION: Gait training with RAS has beneficial effects on both kinematic and temporospatial patterns in patients with hemiplegia, providing not only clinical implications of locomotor rehabilitation with goal-oriented external feedback using RAS but also differential effects according to ambulatory function.
Acoustic Stimulation/*methods ; Aged ; Ankle Joint/physiopathology ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Cerebral Palsy/*diagnosis/physiopathology ; Female ; Foot Joints/physiopathology ; *Gait ; Gait Disorders, Neurologic/etiology/physiopathology/*rehabilitation ; Hemiplegia ; Humans ; Knee/physiopathology ; Knee Joint/physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Stroke/*diagnosis/physiopathology

No abstract available.
Antirheumatic Agents/therapeutic use ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/blood/*complications/diagnosis/drug therapy/physiopathology ; Biological Markers/blood ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Facial Dermatoses/complications/diagnosis ; Female ; Hand Joints/physiopathology/radiography ; Humans ; Immunosuppressive Agents/therapeutic use ; Inflammation Mediators/blood ; Knee Joint/physiopathology/radiography ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic/blood/*complications/diagnosis/drug therapy ; Middle Aged ; Syndrome ; Treatment Outcome

PURPOSETo investigate efficacy of open reduction and internal fixation with the miniplate and hollow screw in the treatment of Lisfranc injury.

METHODSTen cases of Lisfranc injury treated by open reduction, miniplate and hollow screw in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. There were 6 males and 4 females with age ranging from 25 to 45 years (mean 32 years). Among them, one case was classified as Type A, six Type B and three Type C. Injury mechanism included road traffic accidents (3 cases), fall from height (5 cases) and hit by heavy object (2 cases). All injuries were closed without cerebral trauma or other complicated injuries. The time interval between injury and operation was 6-10 days (average 6.6 days). Postoperatively, the foot function was assessed using Visual Analogue Scales (VAS) and American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) Scales. Healing time and complications were observed.

RESULTSAll patients were followed up for 18-24 months (average 20 months). Anatomic reduction was achieved in all patients on images. There was statistical significance between preoperative score (7.89 ± 0.34) and score at postoperative 8 weeks (0.67 ± 0.13). According to the AOFAS score, 5 cases were defined as excellent, 3 cases as good and 2 cases as fair. During follow-up, there was no wound infection or complications except for osteoarthritis in 2 cases. Healing time ranged from 3 to 6 months with an average of 3.6 months.

CONCLUSIONAnatomical reduction of Lisfranc injury can be achieved by open reduction and internal fixation with the miniplate and hollow screw. Normal structure of Lisfranc joint is regained to a great extent; injured ligaments were also repaired. Therefore, this method offers excellent curative effect and can avoid postoperative complications and improve the patients' quality of life.

Adult ; Bone Plates ; Bone Screws ; Female ; Foot Injuries ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; adverse effects ; methods ; Humans ; Ligaments, Articular ; injuries ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Recovery of Function ; Retrospective Studies ; Tarsal Joints ; injuries

OBJECTIVETo verify the clinical efficacy of shu-stream point acupuncture combined with fire needle therapy in the treatment of hand osteoarthritis.

METHODSEighty cases were randomized into an acupuncture group (shu-stream point acupuncture combined with fire needle therapy) and a medication group(votalin emulgel). For the 42 cases in the acupuncture group, acupuncture at shu-stream points on the three yang meridians of the hand including Sanjian (LI 3), Zhongzhu (TE 3), Houxi (SI 3) and fire needle at Ashi points were applied, the treatments were given once every other day, 15 times as a treatment course. For the 38 cases in the medication group, votalin emulgel was prescribed for local embrocation, twice a day, 30 days as a treatment course. The visual analogue scale (VAS) of arthralgia, joint function score and the duration of morning stiffness, joint tenderness, swelling were observed before and after treatment in both groups.

RESULTSAfter two courses of clinical treatment, the VAS score of arthralgia, joint function score and the duration of morning stiffness, joint tenderness, swelling were statistically significant differences as compared with before treatment (all P < 0.01 ), the efficacy in the acupuncture group was superior to that in the medication group (all P < 0.01 ). The cured-markedly effective rate and total effective rate were 61.9% (26/42) and 95.2% (40/42) in the acupuncture group, and 36.8% (14/38) and 76.3% (29/38) in the medication group respectively, with statistically significant differences between the two groups (both P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONShu-stream point acupuncture combined with fire needle therapy achieves a significant efficacy in the treatment of hand osteoarthritis.

Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Hand Joints ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoarthritis ; physiopathology ; therapy

OBJECTIVETo observe the phenotypic heterogeneity of severe hemophilia A in China and investigate the clinical factors for defining the severity of the clinical presentations.

METHODSThe data including the age of first bleeding and first joint bleeding, bleeding frequency, the number of joint deformities and body mass index (BMI) were collected from 223 patients with severe hemophilia A (FVIII:C≤2%).

RESULTSThe median age at first bleeding was 1 year (range: 0-35 years). The percentages of patients with first bleeding age<1 year, ≥2 years and ≥6 years were 44.3% (94/212), 34.4% (73/212), and 10.8% (23/212), respectively. The median age at first joint bleeding was 2.25 years. The percentages of patients with first joint bleeding age ≤1 year, ≥2 years and ≥6 years were 25.5% (24/94), 57.4% (54/94), and 18.1% (17/94), respectively. The percentage of patients who did not have joint bleeding was 7.4% (7/94). The median annual bleeding frequency was 24 per year (range: 1-120), and the proportion of patients with annual bleeding episodes of less than 6 times was 12.9%. Only 24.7% of the patients were free of any joint deformities. Analysis showed that milder cases had older ages of first bleeding and first joint bleeding than the severe cases, and the milder cases had also significantly lower BMI.

CONCLUSIONThe age of first bleeding and first joint bleeding and BMI may predict the clinical severity of hemophilia A in China in the early stage.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Age of Onset ; Aged ; Body Mass Index ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Hemophilia A ; diagnosis ; epidemiology ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Infant ; Joints ; abnormalities ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Phenotype ; Young Adult

Isokinetic technology in testing and training is the most advanced practical technique in the evaluation of muscle function. This method is a continuous dynamic test in the full range of the joint motion which has strong pertinence at the aspect of assessing muscle strength, and is an objective and quantitative method for reflecting each point's muscle strength in the range of the joint motion. This article reviews the key concepts, brief history of development and influencing factors of isokinetic technology in testing and training, introduces the progress in the field of rehabilitation medicine and sport science, etc., and discusses the future exploration in forensic science.
Biomechanical Phenomena ; Forensic Medicine/methods* ; Humans ; Isometric Contraction/physiology* ; Joints/physiopathology* ; Muscle Contraction/physiology* ; Muscle Strength/physiology* ; Muscle Strength Dynamometer ; Muscle, Skeletal/physiopathology* ; Physical Education and Training/methods* ; Physical Exertion ; Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine ; Posture ; Range of Motion, Articular/physiology* ; Sports Medicine ; Wounds and Injuries/rehabilitation*

Arthritis, Juvenile ; physiopathology ; Humans ; Joints ; physiopathology

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease chiefly affecting synovial membranes of multiple joints. The clinical manifestations are highly variable. Besides joint affection, extra-articular manifestations always occur in RA patients, such as lung, blood vessel, heart, endocrine glands, hematological system, and nervous system affections. In addition to Western medicine therapy, Chinese medicine also plays a significant role in the treatment of RA with good efficacy and less adverse reactions. This paper summarizes the effects of xinfeng capsule, a Chinese medicine, and the mechanisms of its action in ameliorating the extra-articular manifestations based on a series of clinical and experimental researches.
Animals ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; drug therapy ; immunology ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Biomedical Research ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Joints ; pathology ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional

OBJECTIVETo analyze the fenestration operation for treatment of acetabular parastyle fracture combined with articular facet compression and collapse of acetabular top involving weight-bearing dome.

METHODSFrom July 2005 to February 2007, 52 cases of acetabular parastyle fracture combined with articular facet compression and collapse of acetabular top involving weight-bearing dome were treated by two methods. Among them, 24 cases were treated by fenestration operation for articular facet reduction, bone grafing, anatomical reconstruction of the acetabular parastyle with internal fixation, included 17 males and 7 females with an average age of (35.2 +/- 6.4) years old; the other 28 cases were treated only anatomical reconstruction of the acetabular parastyle with internal fixation, included 19 males and 9 females with an average age of (36.4 +/- 4.8) years old. All the patients were evaluated with modified d'Aubigne-Postel clinical evaluation standard.

RESULTSAll patients gained bone healing. There were only 1 patient occurenced femoral nerve injury and recovered 2 months later. There were no other complications. All patients were followed up from 12 to 51 months (averaged in 31.5 months). According to modified d'Aubigne-Postel clinical evaluation standard, there were statistic difference between the two groups of patients in pain, walking, range of motion and total score. In fenestration operation group, the results were excellent in 13 patients, good in 9, fair in 1, poor in 1; in parastyle reduction group,the results were excellent in 9 patients, good in 11, fair in 6, poor in 2 (u=0.613, P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONFenestration operation for treatment of acetabular parastyle fracture combined with articular facet compression and collapse of acetabular top involving weight-bearing dome is a feasible method for the recovery of hip joint function.

Acetabulum ; injuries ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Fractures, Compression ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Joints ; injuries ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Weight-Bearing ; Young Adult