Efficacy of pulsed high-intensity laser therapy on pain, functional capacity, and gait in children with haemophilic arthropathy

The Role of Temperature on Inflammation and Coagulation: Should We Apply Temperature Treatments for Hemophilic Arthropathy?

Hemophilic arthropathy (HA) is a complication of hemophilia, which is a genetic disorder characterized by a deficiency in blood clotting factors. HA is characterized by joint damage with inflammatory responses, pain, and movement limitations due to recurrent bleeding in the joints. The inflammatory reactions contribute to the activation of coagulation factors, which can exacerbate bleeding and further damage the affected joints. Therefore, the interaction between inflammation and coagulation plays a crucial role in the progression and complications of HA. Management strategies often focus both on inflammation and coagulation to alleviate symptoms and preserve joint function. Temperature can influence the inflammatory response and coagulation. The aim of this work was to understand how temperature management can positively or negatively influence the HA. We have carried out a narrative review of the available literature. This review explores the impacts of temperature on biological processes, and it discusses the possible clinical implications for the HA treatment. Our research shows that cold exposure has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, while heat is linked to pro-inflammatory cytokine release. Both hot and cold treatments are ill-advised for hemophilia patients. Heat stimulates neo-angiogenesis, and cold hampers coagulation, posing risks for increased bleeding in individuals with hemophilia.

A clinical practice guideline for primary care physiotherapy in patients with haemophilia

INTRODUCTION

As a result of centralisation of haemophilia care to a limited number of intramural settings, many persons with haemophilia have to travel long distances to attend their haemophilia specialised treatment centre. However, regular physiotherapy treatment can be provided by primary care physiotherapists in the person's own region. Due to the rarity of the disease most primary care physiotherapists have limited experience with this population. This study aims to provide a clinical practice guideline for primary care physiotherapists working with persons with bleeding disorders.

METHOD

A list of the most urgent key-questions was derived from a previous study. Literature was summarised using the grading of recommendations assessment, development, and evaluation (GRADE) evidence-to-decision framework. Recommendations were drafted based on four 90 min consensus meetings with expert physiotherapists. Recommendations were finalised after feedback and >80% consensus of all stakeholders (including PWH, physiotherapists, haematologists and the corresponding societies).

RESULTS

A list of 82 recommendations was formulated to support primary care physiotherapists when treating a person with a bleeding disorder. These recommendations could be divided into 13 categories: two including recommendations on organisation of care, six on therapy for adult patients with bleeding disorders and five on therapy adaptations for paediatric care. Therapy recommendations included treatment after a joint- or muscle bleed, haemophilic arthropathy, chronic synovitis, non-haemophilia related conditions and orthopaedic surgery.

CONCLUSION

An evidence-based practice guideline, based on current evidence from literature and clinical expertise, has been developed for primary care physiotherapists treating a person with haemophilia. To improve care, the recommendations should be implemented in daily practice.

Identifying performance-based outcome measures of physical function in people with haemophilia (IPOP)

INTRODUCTION

Recent recommendations of core outcome sets for haemophilia highlight the need for including measures of performance-based physical health and physical function sustainability. To date, there is no consensus on what outcomes might be of value to clinicians and patients.

AIM

To identify instruments of performance-based physical function to monitor musculoskeletal health in people with haemophilia that are practical in the clinical setting.

METHODS

Utilising components from the Activities and Participation Category of the WHO International Classification of Functioning (WHO-ICF), a consensus-based, decision analysis approach was used to: identify activities people with haemophilia have most difficulty performing; identify quantitative performance-based measures of identified activities via a scoping review; and obtain views on acceptability of the tests utilising a DELPHI approach.

RESULTS

Eleven activities were identified: maintaining a standing position, walking long distances, walking up and down stairs, walking on different surfaces, running, hopping, jumping, squatting, kneeling, undertaking a complex lower limb task, undertaking a complex upper limb task. Following a 2-round DELPHI survey of international physiotherapists, the 6-min walk test, timed up and down stairs, 30-s sit to stand, single leg stance, tandem stance, single hop for distance (children only) and timed up and go (adults only) reached consensus.

CONCLUSION

This study is the first step in defining a core set of performance-based instruments to monitor physical health and sustainability of physical function outcomes in people with haemophilia. Establishing the psychometric properties of the instruments and whether they are meaningful to people with haemophilia is essential.

The Efficacy of Physical Therapy Modalities in Patients With Hemophilia: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials With Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the efficacy of different physical therapy interventions that could validate decisions taken by health care providers in the field of rehabilitation of patients with hemophilia according to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), including body functions and structures, activity, and participation.

DATA SOURCES

Seven databases-PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Web of Science, Physiotherapy Evidence Database, Google Scholar, and Clinicaltrials.gov-were systematically searched for randomized controlled trials evaluating any physical therapy modality to manage hemophilia.

STUDY SELECTION

After abstract and full-text filtration, a methodological quality assessment was performed using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database scale for the studies that met the eligibility criteria.

DATA EXTRACTION

Relevant data were extracted from eligible studies and outcomes were categorized according to the ICF.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Using Review Manager and Microsoft Excel, a quantitative analysis using standardized mean differences with the 95% confidence interval was completed. Statistical heterogeneity between studies was explored using the I² test. A fixed effect model was applied to all data analyses. If heterogeneity was statistically significant, the Der Simonian and Laird random effects models were used instead.

RESULTS

35 randomized controlled trials with 1216 participants were included in this systematic review; 13 of them dealt with pediatric patients. Most of the studies were of good quality; 12 studies were of low quality. Meta-analysis showed a significant difference in favor of manual therapy, laser, and therapeutic exercises on selected outcomes of body function and structure, activity, and participation categories of the ICF model.

CONCLUSION

This systematic review recommends using manual therapy and therapeutic exercise modalities to improve join health status in combination with educational sessions to improve the quality of life of patients with hemophilic arthropathy. For pediatric patients with hemophilic arthropathy, using laser therapy is promising for improving functional capacity.

Hemophilic Arthropathy: Barriers to Early Diagnosis and Management

Hemophilia is a congenital coagulopathy characterized by a deficiency of one of the clotting factors. It is characterized by the development of hematomas and hemarthrosis, either spontaneously or after minor trauma. The recurrence of hemarthroses leads to progressive and degenerative joint damage from childhood (hemophilic arthropathy). This arthropathy is characterized by disabling physical effects that limit the functionality and quality of life of these patients. Medical progress achieved over the last decade in the drug treatment of hemophilia has improved the medium and long-term prospects of patients with more effective and long-lasting drugs. The universal use of safer, more effective and prolonged prophylactic treatments may promote the prevention of bleeding, and also therefore, of the development of hemarthrosis and joint damage. A number of imaging instruments have been developed for the assessment of hemarthrosis and hemophilic arthropathy, using ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging and simple radiology. Different physical examination scores and questionnaires allow the assessment of joint health, self-perceived activity and functionality of patients with hemophilia. The approach to these patients should be interdisciplinary. Assessment of the processes that affect pain in these patients and the development of pain education models should be implemented. Expert advice and information to patients with hemophilia should be based on individual functional prevention diagnoses, advice on available therapies and sports practice, as well as health recommendations.

Effects of a supervised therapeutic exercise program on musculoskeletal health and gait in patients with haemophilia: A pilot study

INTRODUCTION

Episodes of bleeding in patients with haemophilia (PwH) are associated with haemophilic arthropathy, limitations in physical performance, reduced quality of life (QoL), and gait disorders.

AIM

This non-randomized, controlled, interventional, prospective, single-centre pilot study aimed to assess the effects of an 8-week supervised therapeutic exercise program on musculoskeletal health, gait kinematic parameters (GKP), functional capacity, and QoL in adult PwH.

METHODS

Nineteen PwH were allocated to an exercise group (n = 10) or a control group (n = 9). The patients in the exercise group followed an 8-week supervised therapeutic exercise program. The Haemophilia Joint Health Score (HJHS), a two-dimensional video-based gait kinematic analysis (2D-GKA), the 6-min walking test (6MWT), and the Haemophilia Quality of Life Questionnaire for Adults (Haem-A-Qol) were used as the outcome measures at baseline, after the exercise program (at the 8th week), and at the 6th-month follow-up.

RESULTS

A significant improvement was observed in the exercise group in the HJHS-Total and Haem-A-Qol Total scores and the 6MWT value after the exercise program. Moreover, the 2D-GKA revealed improvement in most of the GKP (knee extension during the midstance and late swing phases, ankle dorsiflexion during the midstance phase, and ankle plantar flexion during the preswing phase). However, the gain obtained by the exercise program was not maintained at the 6th-month follow-up for the HJHS-Total and Hem-A-QoL-Total scores and GKP.

CONCLUSION

The 8-week supervised therapeutic exercise program was successful in achieving improvement in joint health, GKP, functional capacity, and QoL in PwH.

Utilization of the 1064 nm Wavelength in Photobiomodulation: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Introduction: Photobiomodulation or low-level laser therapy (LLLT;<0.5 W) has been used as a non-invasive treatment for various medical indications. Short (visible; 635-650 nm) and longer (invisible; 810-850 nm and 915-980 nm) near-infrared wavelengths have been commonly used, but power setting deficiencies or incorrect wavelength settings can cause negative outcomes. The 1064 nm wavelength as the longest wavelength is a relative newcomer in high-powered (>0.5 W) laser photobiomodulation therapy (HPL-PBMT) with unique biophysical characteristics. Methods: A comprehensive search of 2016-2021 PubMed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane databases for "photobiomodulation" restricted to clinical trials for patients with a medical diagnosis was done. "1064 nm" content was identified and restricted to high-powered lasers (>0.5 watt). Cohen's d was calculated for the effect size and the difference was determined as a measure of relative 1064 nm HPL-PBMT efficacy. Results: The 22 independent studies meeting inclusion criteria focused on knee arthropathies, spine, shoulder/elbow, wound, gynecological, or osteoporosis with evaluation of pain, function, quality of life, range of motion (ROM), and anatomy. Pain was reduced with statistical significance (P<0.05) in 90% of study assessments (n=20) and 100% of studies focused on the knee (n=6). Of 18 studies assessing functional outcome measures, 100% demonstrated statistically significant improvements. Follow-up assessments up to 6 months in 5 knee arthritis studies revealed long-term pain reduction after cessation of treatment. Improvements in wound healing, bone mineral density, and knee cartilage thickness were demonstrated. The largest effect sizes observed were pain reduction in knee arthritis (average Cohen's d effect size=2.46). Conclusion: These studies have established that 1064 nm HPL-PBMT can effectively reduce pain, increase ROM, increase functional scores, and increase the quality of life for knee osteoarthritis and spinal disorders, with limitations. More studies are needed for clinical validation of single-trial data detecting changes in musculoskeletal conditions, cartilage thickness and bone density.

Pain management in hemophilia: expert recommendations

INTRODUCTION

As a typical consequence of bleeding into muscles and joints, patients with severe hemophilia suffer from acute and chronic pain. In spite of its high prevalence, pain in this patient group is not always sufficiently considered or treated in an effective manner.

AIM

The recommendations presented in this paper address possible improvements in pain management in hemophilia patients and particularities that have to be taken into account in this patient group.

METHOD

The manifold aspects of pain management in hemophilia patients were discussed within the framework of an expert meeting. Based on the available literature and the experts' clinical experience, the participants developed a set of recommendations presented in this paper.

RESULTS

Pain management in patients with hemophilia is often insufficient, a fact that not only influences the patients' quality of life but also implies the risk of difficult to manage chronic pain. Both the prevalent polypharmacy (due to comorbidities) as well as the underlying disease itself present special challenges to pain therapy in this patient group. The present review and recommendations are intended to support medical professionals in recognising the risks of pain chronicity, applying basic principles of multimodal pain therapy, including the options of psychological intervention and modalities of physical medicine in therapy concepts, and reaching a comprehensive understanding of the range of analgesic options available.

Comparison of two different electrotherapy methods in low back pain treatment

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the efficacy of High Intensity Laser Therapy (HILT) and Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) in low back pain (LBP).

METHODS

Forty patients aged between 18 to 60 were included in this study. The patients were randomized into two groups as TENS (Group I) and HILT (Group II). The severity of pain was measured by Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and the range of motion (ROM) of the joint was measured by goniometer. The Oswestry Disability Questionnaire (ODQ) was used to assess the effect of LBP on daily living activities, and the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to assess depression. All patients were taken into physical therapy program for 5 days a week for a total of 20 sessions. Patients in Group I received ultrasound, hot pack and HILT, while the patients in Group II received ultrasound, hot pack and TENS.

RESULTS

In the comparison of post-treatment improvements, among all parameters only VAS score had a significant difference in favor of Group I.

CONCLUSIONS

The study demonstrated that HILT is more effective than TENS in terms of pain reduction and that HILT can be used as an alternative to TENS.

Pulsed Nd:YAG laser: effects on pain, postural stability, and weight-bearing pattern in children with hemophilic ankle arthropathy

Hemophilic ankle arthropathy features joint pain, impaired postural control, and abnormal weight-bearing pattern. This study was designed to investigate the effects of pulsed Nd:YAG laser on pain, postural stability, and weight-bearing pattern in children with hemophilic ankle arthropathy. Forty children diagnosed with hemophilia type A (age, 8-16 years) were randomly allocated to either the treatment group (n = 20) who received a three-phase active therapy with pulsed Nd:YAG laser thrice/week (total energy was 1500 J) plus a physical exercise program for four consecutive weeks, or the placebo group (n = 20) who received placebo laser plus the physical exercise program. Pain, postural control (i.e., directional control [DC], endpoint excursion [EE], center-of-gravity movement velocity [CoG-MV], and maximum excursion [MXE]), and weight-bearing pattern (i.e., pressure peaks of the hindfoot [PP-HF] and forefoot [PP-FF], and the foot contact area [FCA]) were assessed pre- and post-treatment. The treatment group showed greater improvement in pain (P = .004), DC (P = .02), EE (P = .003), and CoG-MV (P = .003) compared to the placebo group. However, there was no statistically significant difference between both groups regarding the MXE (P = .15). In addition, the treatment group achieved favorable improvements in PP-HF (P = .003), PP-FF (P = .027), and FCA (P = .002) relative to the placebo group. Pulsed Nd:YAG laser is a potentially effective therapy for pain relief, postural control enhancement, and weight-bearing pattern adjustment in children with hemophilic ankle arthropathy.

Physiotherapy interventions for pain management in haemophilia: A systematic review

PURPOSE

Approximately 35%-50% of people with haemophilia (PWH) report living with chronic musculoskeletal pain. Although exercise based rehabilitation is effective for pain in other arthritises, there are no published guidelines for management of chronic pain in PWH. This review aims to evaluate and appraise the current evidence of effectiveness of physiotherapy interventions on (a) pain intensity, (b) quality of life (QoL) and (c) function in PWH.

METHODS

A systematic review of five databases AMED and CINAHL, EMBASE and MEDLINE and PEDro, as well as trial registries, grey literature and hand searching key journals was completed. Included studies were critically appraised and evaluated for risk of bias. The GRADE approach was used to rate the quality of the evidence.

RESULTS

Nine trials consisting of 235 participants met the inclusion criteria. All studies had an overall risk of bias with low methodological quality. Meta-analysis was not possible due to heterogeneity across trials. Studies comparing a range of physiotherapy interventions against no intervention showed no clear beneficial effect on pain intensity or QoL. Only one study, investigating hydrotherapy or land-based exercise against control, showed positive effect for pain intensity, but rated very low on GRADE assessment. Studies comparing one physiotherapy intervention against another showed no clear benefit on pain intensity, QoL or function. LASER with exercise and hydrotherapy were shown to have some positive effects on pain intensity, but no clear benefit on function.

CONCLUSIONS

At present, there is limited evidence for the use of physiotherapy interventions in addressing the issue of pain in PWH. Better designed trials with higher quality and explicit methodology along with user involvement are needed to assess the efficacy of any proposed intervention.

Safety and effectiveness of fascial therapy in the treatment of adult patients with hemophilic elbow arthropathy: a pilot study

Background: Hemophilic arthropathy is characterized by loss of function and chronic pain. Fascial therapy mobilizes the connective tissue and is thus involved in the condition of the injured fascial complex and the surrounding tissues.Objective: To evaluate the safety of a physiotherapy program using fascial therapy in patients with hemophilic elbow arthropathy.Methods: Fourteen adult patients with hemophilia were randomly assigned to a control group and an intervention group. The intervention consisted of three 45-min sessions of fascial therapy over a 3-week period. Assessment was carried out at baseline, after treatment, and at follow-up. The study variables were bleeding frequency using a self-registration of bleeding; joint pain using the visual analog scale; range of motion with a universal goniometer; and joint status assessed with Hemophilia Joint Health Score.Results: None of the patients developed joint bleeding during the experimental period. Joint pain in the experimental group decreased by 1.43 out of 2.43 (95% CI 0.52 to 2.33) and 2.14 out of 2.57 (95% CI 0.18 to 4.10) in right and left elbow, respectively, more than the control group by 3 weeks. Flexion increased by 3.57 degrees out of 129.14 (95% CI 5.48 to 1.65) in right elbow and joint condition improved by 1.14 points out of 6.0 (95% CI 0.01 to 2.26) more than the control group by 3 weeks.Conclusion: Fascial therapy does not appear to produce elbow hemarthrosis in patients with hemophilia. This treatment can improve joint pain, range of motion, and elbow status in patients with hemophilia.

The Beneficial Effects of High-Intensity Laser Therapy and Co-Interventions on Musculoskeletal Pain Management: A Systematic Review

Introduction: High-intensity laser therapy (HILT) has been used more recently in the therapeutic protocols of pain managements. Adding therapeutic interventions to laser therapy is usual in clinical practice. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of HILT and beneficial effects of adding cointerventions to HILT in musculoskeletal pain management. Methods: The following databases were searched up to August 2018: Medline, PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, Google Scholar, Springer and ISI. The keywords of pain, HILT, high power laser therapy, laser therapy, photobiomodulation, physical therapy and rehabilitation were searched. The quality of the articles was assessed using the PEDro scale. The primary measure was pain severity expected to be reported in all studies. Effect size was calculated as standardized mean differences divided by the standard deviation of either the treatment or other group. Results: Initially 52 potential studies were found. Eighteen of these studies were excluded based on title and abstract. The full text of 34 remaining articles was screened and 15 of the studies were excluded. All included studies had high quality (PEDro ≥7). Approximately, 94% of included articles (n=18) revealed positive effects of HILT on pain. The effect sizes for HILT and placebo/comparator groups were 0.9-9.11 and 0.21-11.22 respectively. Also, the differences of effect size between two groups were between 0.03 to 5.85. Conclusion: It is early to determine that HILT may be an effective non-invasive agent in the management of musculoskeletal pain, as few studies have shown its clinical efficacy. Adding related co-interventions to HILT may enhance the beneficial effects of laser therapy. The variability of the study methods and outcomes suggests that further long-term follow-up, randomized controlled clinical trials with appropriate methodological design are needed regarding the effectiveness of HILT on pain.

Effect of manual therapy in patients with hemophilia and ankle arthropathy: a randomized clinical trial

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of a manual therapy using fascial therapy on joint bleeding, joint pain and joint function in patients with hemophilic ankle arthropathy.

SETTING

Hemophilia patient associations.

DESIGN

Randomized, controlled trial, multicenter and intention-to-treat analysis.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 65 patients with hemophilic ankle arthropathy.

INTERVENTION

The experimental group (n = 33) received one fascial therapy session per week for three weeks. The control group (n = 32) received no treatment.

OUTCOME MEASURE

The primary outcome was frequency of joint bleeding measured using self-reporting. Secondary outcomes were joint pain (under load-bearing and non-load-bearing conditions) measured using the visual analog scale; joint condition was measured using the Hemophilia Joint Health Score. Outcomes were measured at baseline, posttreatment and after five months of follow-up.

RESULTS

Improvements in the frequency joint bleeding at T0, T1 and T2 were significantly higher in the experimental group (T0: mean (SD) = 1.56 (1.30); T1: mean (SD) = 0.00 (0.00); T2: mean (SD) = 0.27 (0.57)) compared to the control group (T0: mean (SD) = 1.70 (1.78); T1: mean (SD) = 0.05 (0.21); T2: mean (SD) = 0.58 (0.85)). Mean improvement of joint state after the study period was 1.74 points (±1.66) for patients in the experimental group, while the control group exhibited a joint deterioration with 0.43 points (±0.85). Ankle joint pain under load-bearing and non-load-bearing conditions improved in the experimental group with -1.72 (±1.86) and -0.50 (±1.39) points, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The study showed that fascial therapy is favorable for patients with hemophilic ankle arthropathy.

[Pain therapy for children and adolescents with hemophilia : Recommendations by an expert panel]

BACKGROUND

Children and adolescents with severe hemophilia commonly suffer from acute and chronic pain as a consequence of hemophilia-related bleeding. Intervention-related pain also plays a major role. Despite its high prevalence in this patient group, hemophilia-related pain is not always adequately addressed and sufficiently treated.

OBJECTIVES

This paper discusses how to improve pain management for children and adolescents (0-18 years) with hemophilia and which specific features in this population should influence decisions in pain management.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

An expert panel discussed challenges in pain treatment in children and adolescents with hemophilia. Recommendations are based on evidence and clinical experience.

RESULT

Pain management in children with hemophilia needs improvement. Children with hemophilia are at risk of developing chronic pain and of suffering traumatization due to insufficient pain management. Pain therapy can be challenging in these children as both their age and the underlying disease limit the options in particular in pain medication. The expert panel developed recommendations to improve pain management in children with hemophilia.

Effectiveness of interdisciplinary interventions in paediatric chronic pain management: a systematic review and subset meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Paediatric chronic pain is a significant problem that can have devastating impacts on quality of life. Multimodal interdisciplinary interventions are the mainstay of paediatric treatment. The aim of this article is to provide a comprehensive review of the effectiveness of interdisciplinary interventions in the management of paediatric chronic pain.

METHODS

Studies were identified via a search of nine databases. The search strategy included concept blocks pertaining to type of pain, study population, and type of intervention. Eligible studies reported the effects of an intervention co-ordinated by two or more healthcare professionals of different disciplines, and recruited a sample aged 22 yr or below with chronic pain. Twenty-eight studies were included, and 21 provided data for inclusion in between- and within-groups meta-analyses.

RESULTS

Patients randomised to interdisciplinary interventions reported significantly lower pain intensity 0-1 month post-intervention compared with patients randomised to the control groups. Within-groups analysis of patients receiving interdisciplinary interventions showed significant improvements pre- to post-intervention in pain intensity, functional disability, anxiety, depression, catastrophising, school attendance, school functioning, and pain acceptance. Few differences were found between interventions delivered in inpatient vs outpatient settings. Significant heterogeneity due mainly to differing outcome variables and intervention content was found in most analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, interdisciplinary interventions show promise in providing a range of clinical benefits for children with chronic pain. Methodologically robust randomised controlled trials using standardised outcome measures are needed, however, to guide clinical care.

Recent advances in musculoskeletal physiotherapy for haemophilia

Physiotherapy is directed towards the movement needs and potential of individuals, providing treatment and rehabilitation to develop, maintain and restore maximum movement and functional ability throughout the lifespan. Recent systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials have extended evidence for the clinical efficacy of physiotherapy interventions and rehabilitation for people with haemophilia. This narrative review synthesizes recent evidence to discuss; differentiating musculoskeletal bleeding and haemophilic arthropathy, efficacy of physiotherapy and rehabilitation for acute musculoskeletal bleeding and arthropathy, as well as monitoring musculoskeletal health. Whilst robust evidence is emerging, there is a need for more well designed randomized clinical studies with larger numbers and homogeneity of participants and collaboration of all researchers and clinicians to identify a core set of outcome measures that can be used to monitor musculoskeletal health.