Methods: A total of 79 patients with cervical myelopathy who underwent cervical laminoplasty at our facility between June 2010 and March 2013 were included in this study. Intraoperative control and final waveform were evaluated based on the trapezius muscle MEPs by measuring the latency and amplitude. A neck pain group comprised patients with higher neck pain Visual Analog Scale scores from preoperative value to 1 year postoperatively. The cross-sectional areas of the trapezius muscles and the MEP latencies and amplitudes were compared between patients with and without neck pain. Results: The latency and amplitude of the control waveforms were not significantly different between groups. The neck pain group had a significantly shorter final waveform latency (neck pain: 23.6±2.5, no neck pain: 25.8±4.5; p =0.019) and significantly larger amplitude (neck pain: 2,125±1,077, no neck pain: 1,630±966; p =0.041) than the no neck pain group. Conclusions Postoperative neck pain was associated with the final waveform latency and amplitude of the trapezius muscle MEPs during cervical laminoplasty. Intraoperative electrophysiological trapezius muscle abnormalities could cause postoperative neck pain.

Introduction: To visualize the damage to primary care facilities in Miyazaki prefecture caused by the Nankai Trough earthquake by collating GIS data and to propose feasible countermeasures based on the estimated damage.Methods: The merged data of the estimated tsunami damage downloaded from the service for numerical information on national land use created by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism were combined with the data of medical institutions collected from the regional medical information system of the Japan Medical Association.Results: Of the 721 clinics and 140 hospitals, 139 clinics and 31 hospitals were affected, with 521 and 4,713 beds, respectively. By medical area, regions in which more than 50% of the clinics and hospitals were affected included the northern region of Nobeoka Nishi-usuki (clinics, 58.7%; hospitals, 60.0%) and Hyuga Irigo (clinics, 84.2%; hospitals, 61.5%), revealing a disproportionate estimate of damage.Conclusion: To deal with long-term damage, joint operation among regional facilities in neighboring prefectures is essential for a community continuity plan. Care facilities can take initiatives for cooperative disaster risk reduction planning with residents.

Methods: The study included 100 patients with cervical myelopathy who underwent surgery at the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology in Obu, Japan from June 2010 to March 2013. Before the surgery, neck pain was evaluated using a Visual Analog Scale (a score ≥50 indicated neck pain and a score <50 indicated no neck pain). The preoperative cross-sectional areas of the trapezius muscles were measured with cervical magnetic resonance imaging sagittal T2-weighted images. Cranial stimulation under general anesthesia was used to derive the MEPs, enabling the measurement of latency and amplitude, using preoperative MEPs of the trapezius muscles. Results: The MEP of the trapezius muscle in patients with neck pain had significantly shorter latencies than those in patients who did not have neck pain. However, there was no significant difference in the amplitude between patients with and without neck pain. However, this tended to be greater in patients with neck pain as compared to that in those without neck pain. The cross-sectional area of the trapezius muscle in patients with neck pain was significantly smaller than that in those who did not have neck pain. Conclusions MEPs revealed electrophysiological abnormalities of the trapezius muscles in patients with neck pain, supporting a relationship of neck pain with the trapezius muscles.

OBJECTIVES: Sarcopenia and osteoporosis affects activities of daily living and quality of elderly people. However, little is known about its impact on elderly locomotor diseases, such as osteoporotic vertebral fracture (OVF). There is no report investigating the influence of both sarcopenia and osteoporosis on outcomes of OVF. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of OVF in elderly patients from sarcopenic perspectives. METHODS: This prospective study was conducted with 396 patients, aged 65 years or more, hospitalized for the treatment of OVF (mean age, 81.9 ± 7.1 years; 111 males, 285 females). The primary outcome was the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score for lumbar disease (at first visit, hospital discharge, and 1 year after treatment) and Barthel index (at the same time and before hospitalization). The second outcome was living place after discharge. Susceptibility to sarcopenia and osteoporosis were evaluated and clinical results of conservative treatment were compared. RESULTS: Sarcopenia significantly affected Barthel index at first visit and discharge. Sarcopenia patients had significantly higher rate for discharge to nursing home and living in nursing home after 1 year than patients without sarcopenia. Osteoporosis significantly affected the JOA score at the first visit and the Barthel index before hospitalization, at the first visit, discharge, and after 1 year. Osteoporosis did not affect the living place at discharge and after 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: Sarcopenia and osteoporosis affected outcomes of conservative treatment for OVF; moreover, sarcopenia affected the living place of OVF patients at discharge and after 1 year.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aged ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Male ; Nursing Homes ; Osteoporosis ; Prospective Studies ; Sarcopenia

OBJECTIVES: The prevalence of chronic low back pain (CLBP) increases with age and several mechanisms are involved in the development of CLBP, including osteoporosis; however, no associations with sarcopenia have yet been identified. METHODS: In total, 100 patients with CLBP and 560 patients without CLBP (nCLBP) aged over 65 years were studied. Skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) and percentage of body fat were evaluated using wholebody dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Sarcopenia was diagnosed when the relative SMI was more than 2 standard deviations below the mean in young adults. Thus, the cutoff value for sarcopenia was defined according to Sanada's Japanese population data. Paraspinal muscle cross-sectional areas of the lumbar multifidus and the erector spinae muscles were calculated using magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS: Forty patients (40.0%) from the CLBP group and 149 (26.6%) from the nCLBP group met the criteria of sarcopenia. SMI was significantly lower and the body fat ratio was significantly higher in the CLBP group compared with the nCLBP group. Sarcopenic obesity was significantly observed in the CLBP group. Lumbar multifidus and the erector spinae muscle cross sectional area were significantly lower in the CLBP group. CONCLUSIONS: Elderly patients with CLBP have significantly lower skeletal muscle mass, and age-related mechanisms in sarcopenia are considered to be associated with chronic pain. Therapeutic procedures that are used to treat elderly aging muscle, including muscle strengthening and performance training, can possibly be a treatment for or used to prevent elderly CLBP.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Adipose Tissue ; Aged* ; Aging ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Chronic Pain ; Humans ; Low Back Pain* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Muscles ; Obesity ; Osteoporosis ; Paraspinal Muscles ; Prevalence ; Sarcopenia* ; Young Adult

Objective: The aim of this study was to establish the proper definitions of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and bleeding events for a healthcare database in Japan.
Study Design: Validation study.
Methods: The study comprised patients with VTE or who had undergone orthopedic surgery of the lower extremities and whose outpatient or inpatient medical information from April 1, 2008 to September 30, 2013 was available.  The source population of the database was derived from 100 acute-care hospitals.  The endpoints were VTE events (deep venous thrombosis [DVT], pulmonary thromboembolism [PE]) and bleeding events (bleeding requiring blood transfusion, intracranial hemorrhage, intraocular hemorrhage, upper gastrointestinal [GI] bleeding, and lower GI bleeding).  The frequent events with laboratory data were randomly extracted and evaluated, while all the infrequent events with laboratory data were extracted and evaluated.  Positive predictive value (PPV) was defined as the proportion of events judged to be clinical by medical experts of all the extracted events.  First, we conducted a test with a small number of cases and then revised the definitions of events.  Second, we extracted and evaluated data in 50 patients for VTE and bleeding events patients, based on which we defined the target PPV level between 60 and 70%.
Results: Of the 5,044,743 patients in the database, 36,947 patients underwent orthopedic surgeries of the lower extremities and 3,578 patients experienced a VTE event.  The PPV at the first evaluation was 80.0% (8/10) for DVT, 57.1% (4/7) for PE, and 27.3% (6/22) for bleeding events.  At the second evaluation using the revised definitions, the PPV were 75.0% (42/56) for VTE and 73.3% (33/45) for bleeding events.  Overall, the PPVs for VTE and bleeding events were over 70%.  The PPV of the VTE events were 76.9% (30/39) for DVT and 70.6% (12/17) for PE.  The PPVs of each type of bleeding event were over 70% except for intracranial hemorrhage (44.4%, 4/9).
Conclusion: The PPV was high for VTE events (75.0%) and bleeding events (73.3%).  The definitions used in this study are rational for the identification of VTE, DVT, PE, and bleeding events in the healthcare database in Japan.  The definition for each type of bleeding event should be investigated in further studies.

STUDY DESIGN: Preliminary study. PURPOSE: To assess the association of neuropathic pain with chronic low back pain (LBP) and the effect of pregabalin on neuropathic pain in the elderly. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Of those with chronic LBP, 37% were predominantly presenting with neuropathic pain in young adults. Pregabalin is effective for pain in patients with diabetic neuropathy and peripheral neuralgia. No study has reported on the effects of pregabalin for chronic LBP in elderly patients yet. METHODS: Pregabalin was administered to 32 patients (age, > or =65 years) with chronic LBP for 4 weeks. Pain and activities of daily living were assessed using the Neuropathic Pain Screening Questionnaire (NePSQ), the pain DETECT questionnaire, visual analog scale, the Japanese Orthopedic Association score, the short form of the McGill Pain Questionnaire and the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire. Modic change and spinal canal stenosis were investigated using magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS: Altogether, 43.3% of patients had neuropathic pain according to the NePSQ and 15.6% patients had pain according to the pain DETECT. The efficacy rate of pregabalin was 73.3%. A significant effect was observed in patients with neuropathic pain after 4 weeks of administration. CONCLUSIONS: Neuropathic pain was slightly less frequently associated with chronic LBP in the elderly. Pregabalin was effective in reducing pain in patients with chronic LBP accompanied with neuropathic pain. Lumbar spinal stenosis and lower limb symptoms were observed in patients with neuropathic pain. We recommend the use of pregabalin for patients after evaluating a screening score, clinical symptoms and magnetic resonance imaging studies.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aged* ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Diabetic Neuropathies ; Humans ; Low Back Pain ; Lower Extremity ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mass Screening ; Neuralgia* ; Orthopedics ; Pain Measurement ; Spinal Canal ; Spinal Stenosis ; Treatment Outcome ; Visual Analog Scale ; Young Adult ; Pregabalin ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVESThe present study aimed to define the framework of an environment conducive to the well-being of children with intellectually disability (CID).

METHODSA questionnaire composed of 31 items was developed through literature review. Then a 2-round Delphi survey was conducted with 3 different panels: health professionals (HPs), parents of CID, and teachers. The participants were asked to rate each item, select and rank the 10 most important items, and suggest additional ones.

RESULTSA total of 71 participants responded to the first round: 24 HPs, 22 parents, and 25 teachers. In the second round the overall response rate was 83%. At the end of the exercise, 12 items reached global consensus, i.e., in all groups. Only 5 items were ranked as most important by all groups: attitudes of family members at home; attitudes of HPs and teachers; support from family members at home; support at school (classmates and teachers); and government policies. Nevertheless, the panelists' views diverged on the remaining items. Several additional elements were suggested.

CONCLUSIONSThe views of HPs, teachers, and parents are complementary for the improvement of quality of life (QOL) of CID. The present findings will be used as a basis for the development of an instrument to assess the living environment of CID.

We collected and analyzed large-scale data concerning the fall of stroke inpatients in convalescent rehabilitation wards. Three hundred seventy-four of 1,107 inpatients experienced one fall or more, and 16 factors associated with falls were clarified by the chi-square test. To extract the significant item from a multifactor, the logistic regression analysis of 16 factors was carried out, and we developed an assessment sheet for the risk degree of first fall prediction in stroke inpatients. We selected eight variables as the items on the assessment sheet : history of previous falls, central paralysis, visual impairment, sensory disturbance, urinary incontinence, use of psychotropic medicines, mode of locomotion, and cognitive impairment. The total score of the assessment sheet was ranged from 0 to 10 and the mean score of fallers (6.4±1.5) among subjects was significantly higher than that of non-fallers (5.1±1.9) (p <0.001). When the subjects were classified into three groups, a significant difference (p<0.001) in the tendency of fall incidence in term of days after admission was found among the three groups on the basis of the Kaplan-Meier survival curve.