Dual-Frequency Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis is Accurate and Reliable to Determine Lean Muscle Mass in The Elderly

BACKGROUND

Dual-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (DF-BIA) devices are more accessible and affordable than dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA); however, no studies have reported the accuracy of DF-BIA in body composition measurement, especially in the Thai elderly. The aims of this study were to (1) compare the accuracies of lean muscle masses measured by DF-BIA devices and DXA and (2) assess the reliability of the DF-BIA device.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was conducted on participants older than 60 years who visited the Orthopedic Clinic of Siriraj Hospital. Whole-body and appendicular skeletal muscle masses (ASMs) were measured using DF-BIA (Tanita RD-545), with DXA (GE Lunar iDXA) as the standard reference. The test-retest reliability of the DF-BIA and the agreement between the devices were assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman plots. Regression analysis was used to develop an equation to estimate ASM values from BIA close to those from DXA.

RESULTS

The mean age of 88 participants was 73.8 (SD 8.0) years, with women predominating (84.1%). The agreement of BIA and DXA was very high for whole-body lean mass (ICC = 0.954) and ASM (ICC = 0.954), but the mean difference in muscle mass from DF-BIA was overestimated. The ICCs of test-retest reliability for whole-body muscle mass and ASM were 0.987 and 0.988, respectively. The equation for corrected ASM was formulated from a linear equation (R² = 0.93).

CONCLUSIONS

Although lean muscle mass from DF-BIA was minimally overestimated relative to DXA, this device had high accuracy and reliability for lean muscle mass evaluation in the elderly. DXA and DF-BIA are interchangeable for the assessment of muscle mass.

Quality of Life and Depression Status of Caregivers of Patients with Femoral Neck or Intertrochanteric Femoral Fractures during the First Year after Fracture Treatment

OBJECTIVE

The burden placed on caregivers can negatively affect the functional recovery of patients with hip fractures. It is therefore essential to consider caregivers' well-being during the hip fracture care pathway. The aim of this study is to evaluate caregivers' quality of life and depression status during the first year after hip fracture treatment.

METHODS

We prospectively enrolled the primary caregivers of patients with hip fractures admitted to the Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital (Bangkok, Thailand) between April 2019 and January 2020. The quality of life of each caregiver was evaluated using the 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36), EuroQol 5-Dimensions 5-Levels (EQ-5D-5L), and EuroQol Visual Analog Scale (EQ-VAS). Their depression statuses were assessed using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD). The outcome measures were collected during admission as baseline data and 3, 6 months, and 1 year after hip fracture treatment. The repeated measures analysis of variance was used to compare all outcome measures from baseline to each indicated time point.

RESULTS

Fifty caregivers were included in the final analysis. The mean SF-36 physical and mental component summary scores decreased significantly from 56.6 to 54.9 (p = 0.012) and 52.7 to 50.4 (p = 0.043), respectively, during the first 3 months after treatment. The physical and mental component summary scores returned to baseline values 12 and 6 months posttreatment, respectively. Although the mean EQ-5D-5L and EQ-VAS scores significantly declined at 3 months, they returned to baseline values within 12 months. As for HRSD, 6%, 56%, 36%, and 6% of the caregivers reported mild depression symptoms at baseline and 3, 6, and 12 months posttreatment, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The quality of life and depression status of hip fracture patients' caregivers worsen substantially in the first 3 months and return to baseline 1 year after hip fracture treatment. Specific attention and support should be given to caregivers, particularly during this difficult period. Caregivers should be regarded as "hidden patients" who need to be integrated into the hip fracture treatment pathway.

Three-year outcomes of a fracture liaison service model at a university-based tertiary care hospital in Thailand

Fragility hip fracture (FHF) is a serious complication of osteoporosis. A fracture liaison service (FLS) is crucial in preventing FHF. Our retrospective data of 489 patients with FHF and 3-year follow-ups demonstrated that the FLS improved functional outcomes. Our study's mortality rates were lower than in other published series.

PURPOSE

This study assessed the 3-year outcomes after fragility hip fracture (FHF) treatment by a multidisciplinary team from the Siriraj Fracture Liaison Service (Si-FLS). The review investigated the administration rates of anti-osteoporosis medication, refracture, and mortality; activities of daily living; mobility; and health-related quality of life.

METHODS

A retrospective review was performed of the records of Si-FLS patients given FHF treatment between June 2016 and October 2018. The outcomes were evaluated at 3 time points: before discharge, and 1 and 3 years after treatment.

RESULTS

The study enrolled 489 patients (average age, 78). The mortality and refracture rates at 1 year after hip fracture were 13.9% and 1.6%, respectively. At the 3-year follow-up, both rates were higher (20.4% and 5.7%, respectively). The Barthel Index and EuroQoL Visual Analogue Scale had risen to a plateau at the 1-year follow-up and remained stable to the 3-year follow-up. One year after treatment, approximately 60% of the patients could ambulate outdoors, and the proportion remained steady until the 3-year follow-up. There was no difference in the 1- and 3-year follow-up anti-osteoporosis medication administration rates (approximately 40%).

CONCLUSIONS

This study confirms the benefits of having a multidisciplinary FLS care team to manage older people with FHF. An FLS improves the care of patients with FHF and the social support of caregivers and relatives. The FLS maintained the functional outcomes of the patients through 3 years of postfracture treatment.

Surgical treatment for fragility hip fractures during the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in lower short-term postoperative functional outcome and a higher complication rate compared to the pre-pandemic period

The COVID-19 pandemic adversely affected the functional outcomes of fragility hip fracture patients. This study revealed a higher in-hospital complication rate and lower postoperative function at 3 months among patients treated during the pandemic. Therefore, modified in-hospital and post-discharge protocols should be developed for implementation during pandemic crisis periods.

INTRODUCTION

This study aims to investigate the in-hospital complication rate and short-term postoperative functional outcomes of fragility hip fracture (FHF) patients compared between during the COVID-19 pandemic and the same 14-month time period 1 year prior to the pandemic.

METHODS

Using data from the Siriraj Fracture Liaison Service registry, FHF patients treated during the COVID-19 pandemic (1 March 2020 to 30 April 2021) were time-matched with FHF patients treated during the pre-pandemic period (1 March 2018 to 30 April 2019). We collected the rate of in-hospital postoperative complications and the postoperative functional outcomes at discharge and 3 months as measured by the Barthel Index (BI) and EuroQol visual analog scale (EQ-VAS). Functional outcome measures were compared between the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods.

RESULTS

There were 197 and 287 patients in the pre-pandemic and pandemic groups, respectively. At the 3-month postoperative follow-up, the mean postoperative BI score and change in BI score were both significantly lower in the pandemic group indicating poorer postoperative function. Moreover, FHF patients treated during the pandemic had significantly more in-hospital complications (36.6% vs. 22.8%, p = 0.002). There was no significant difference in the 3-month EQ-VAS or change in the EQ-VAS between groups.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study revealed a higher in-hospital complication rate and lower postoperative function at 3 months among FHF patients treated during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period. Therefore, modified in-hospital and post-discharge protocols should be developed for implementation during pandemic crisis periods.

The effects of vitamin D supplementation in carpal tunnel syndrome treatment outcomes: a systematic review

PURPOSE

Vitamin D deficiency is related to carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms. Correcting vitamin D levels by supplementation was supposed to improve carpel tunnel symptoms, though there is a lack of aggregated data about treatment outcomes. This study aimed to examine whether vitamin D supplementation could improve the treatment outcomes in carpal tunnel syndrome patients.

METHODS

A comprehensive search of the PubMed, Cochrane Library, Scopus, and Web of Science databases for articles on vitamin D and carpel tunnel syndrome from January 2000 to March 2021 was performed. The article screening and data extraction were performed by two investigators independently with blinding to decisions on selected studies. All included studies had assessed the quality of evidence using the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS) scoring system.

RESULTS

We retrieved four studies that met the eligibility criteria. The treatment outcomes were evaluated by visual analog scale (124 wrists), functional scores (176 patients), muscle strength (84 patients), and nerve conduction velocity (216 wrists). After vitamin D supplementation, two studies reported improved pain scores and nerve conduction velocity, and three studies showed enhancement of functional status.

CONCLUSION

Vitamin D administration could offer favorable outcomes in pain improvement, better functional status, and increased sensory conduction velocity in carpal tunnel syndrome. However, there is to date no recommendations concerning a standardized dose or duration of vitamin D administration in carpal tunnel syndrome; prescribing vitamin D at the usual appropriate dose is suggested as an additional treatment in patients with mild to moderate carpel tunnel symptoms.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level IV, therapeutic study.

Complications after intramedullary nail fixation of pathological versus non-pathological femoral shaft fractures: a retrospective cohort study in 233 patients

BACKGROUND

Postoperative adverse events after intramedullary nailing have been reported in patients with metastatic pathological and non-pathological femoral fractures. Other consequences to be considered are readmission and reoperation. Few studies have compared the risks of postoperative adverse events, reoperation, and readmission after intramedullary nailing of pathological and non-pathological femur fractures. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that patients with pathological femoral fractures had more adverse events, readmission, and reoperation following surgical fixation than non-pathological femoral fractures.

METHODS

This was a retrospective observational cohort study, conducted at an academic medical center in Thailand. The data from patients with femoral shaft fractures undergoing long intramedullary nailing, from June 1, 2006, to June 30, 2020, were included. Patients who had a pathological fracture from a primary bone tumor, metabolic bone disease, or inadequate/missing information were excluded. Patients with pathological fractures from metastatic bone disease were assigned to be the pathological group whereas those with traumatic fractures were assigned to be the non-pathological group. The primary outcome was the risk of inpatient adverse events as compared between the two groups. The secondary outcome was the risk of consequences after discharge as compared between the two groups. Outcomes were analyzed by using multivariate logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

The total number of patients was 48 in the pathological fracture group and 185 in the non-pathological group. There were significantly higher rates of surgical and medical adverse events in patients with pathological fractures compared to patients with non-pathological fractures. After adjusting for potential confounding factors in multivariate regression analysis, patients with pathological fractures had higher odds of both adverse surgical (adjusted OR 2.43, 95 % CI 1.15-5.13) and medical adverse events (adjusted OR 2.81, 95 % CI 1.13-7.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with metastatic pathological femoral shaft fractures undergoing intramedullary nailing were more likely to experience postoperative adverse events than patients with non-pathological fractures.

Early Hip Fracture Surgery Within 24 hours did not Reduce the Mortality Rate but Resulted in Less Postoperative Opioid use and a Shorter Length of Stay: A Retrospective Study of 276 Patients From a Tertiary Private Hospital in Thailand

Introduction

The comparative results of early hip fracture surgery including mortality and postoperative complications in Thailand were not reported. Therefore, we conducted this study to compare the outcomes between patients who received hip surgery within and after 24 hours.

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted at a single center, a tertiary private hospital in Thailand. The medical records of patients who were admitted from 2018 to 2020 were reviewed. Patients aged <50 years, high-energy fracture, pathological fractures, or multiple traumas were excluded. The patients were categorized into two groups for comparison: surgery within and surgery after 24 hours groups. The outcome measures were in-hospital, 30-day, and 1-year mortality rates, length of stay, and the incidences and severities of postoperative complications.

Results

A total of 276 hip fracture patients were analyzed, with the majority (77.9%) undergoing surgery within 24 hours. Patients who underwent earlier surgery had a significantly shorter hospital stay [6 (4, 9) vs 8 (7, 13) days, P < .001]. The cumulative mortality rates at in-hospital, 30 days, and 1 year were 0%, 1.1%, and 2.5%, respectively. The most common postoperative complications observed were anemia (43.1%) and acute kidney injury (32.6%). However, there were no statistically significant differences in mortality rates (P > .05) or postoperative complications (P = .410) between the two groups.

Conclusion

While surgery within 24 hours showed some benefits, such as a shorter hospital stay and reduced pain rescue, it did not reduce mortality or major complications in hip fracture patients.

Comparing silicone-coated self-adhesive absorbent polyurethane films with transparent absorbent films for bilateral hip dressing: a prospective randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Silicone-coated self-adhesive absorbent (SSA) and transparent films with absorbent (TFA) dressings are reportedly effective postoperative knee surgery dressings; however, there have been no direct comparative studies on these two innovative dressings over the hip areas. In this study, we aimed to compare user satisfaction and potential complications between TFA and SSA dressings for the hip area.

METHODS

This prospective randomized controlled trial was conducted at a tertiary hospital. The hip side to receive the polyurethane film with SSA dressing (Mepilex® Border Post-Op) was randomly allocated. The other side of the hip was covered with TFA (OPSITE Post-Op). Participants were scheduled for follow-ups 7 and 14 days after the initial application. Between-group outcomes were compared using a two-sample t-test or Wilcoxon signed-rank test for continuous variables and McNemar's chi-square test for categorical variables.

RESULTS

Thirty-two participants (30 - 60 years) without a history of hip surgery were included in the study. The participants were predominantly female, with a mean age of 42.8 years. Pain, difficulties in daily activities, and satisfaction scores were similar between the groups. However, moisture accumulation was significantly higher with the TFA dressing (37.9% vs. 13.8%, p < 0.01), with more dressing failures (34.5% vs. 20.7%, p = 0.016) and complications (37.9% vs. 17.2%, p = 0.012) at the 14-day follow-up than with the SSA dressing.

CONCLUSIONS

SSA dressings are preferable for hip wound care because of better moisture management, fewer dressing changes required, and fewer complications if applied for > 7 days. Both dressings offered high user satisfaction, minimal pain, and minor difficulties in daily activities.

Relationship between web-based illness scripts and the performance of medical students in orthopedic surgery placements

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to explore the relationship between web-based orthopedic illness scripts and medical students' performance as assessed through examination results.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study with 83 fifth-year medical students in an academic hospital. During a one-month placement, they were instructed to do web-based illness scripts. Their performances were assessed by examination in the last week. All recorded data about illness scripts and examination results were retrieved. The students were separated into high and low response groups based on completed illness scripts. The characteristics of the students between the two groups were compared. Pearson correlation coefficients and regression analysis were used to identify the relationship between illness scripts and examination results.

RESULTS

There were 56 students in the high-response and 27 in the low-response groups. The characteristics and examination scores were not significantly different between the groups, while there was a significant difference in script completion (t₍₂₇₎=13.72, p<0.001). Using Pearson correlation, we found weak correlations without significance between completed scripts, illness script scores, and examination scores. We found no relationship between illness script scores and examination scores, even in the high response group, by regression analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of web-based orthopedic illness scripts did not correlate to the examination performance of medical students. A high number of scripts without variety and limited time for practicing may have obscured potential positive relationships. Illness scripts should be adjusted as appropriate for each school before being assigned. A further multi-center, prospective study is suggested to identify the correlations and investigate the influencing factors.

Predictive factors for deep medial collateral ligament release in adjusted mechanical alignment total knee arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) demands precision in achieving optimal alignment and soft tissue balance, especially in cases of medial compartment osteoarthritis where the need for medial soft tissue release is critical yet challenging to ascertain.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to systematically investigate the relationship between preoperative data, initial knee conditions and the necessity for deep collateral ligament (MCL) release in adjusted mechanical alignment total knee arthroplasty.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective study involving 61 TKA patients who underwent adjusted mechanical alignment robotic-assisted procedures. Soft tissue release was carried out when clinically indicated. We collected and statistically analyzed patient demographics, initial knee conditions, and surgical details.

RESULTS

Among the patients, 52% required deep MCL release. Notably, patients without soft tissue release exhibited lower initial hip-knee-ankle (HKA) angles, reduced varus-valgus stress test angles, and a greater range of flexion. We identified a predictive threshold HKA angle of 6.250 degrees, demonstrating high sensitivity and specificity for determining the need for deep MCL release.

CONCLUSION

This study underscores the significance of the initial HKA angle and varus-valgus stress tests in predicting deep MCL release during TKA. The established HKA angle threshold simplifies surgical decision-making, reducing the likelihood of unnecessary soft tissue release.

Total neurological recovery after surgical decompression and treatment with denosumab of large unresectable spinal giant cell tumour expanding to mediastinum

There is a controversy over the medical treatment of unresectable spinal giant cell tumour (GCT) regarding dosing and duration. We studied a spinal GCT case that had expanded to the thoracic spinal canal and mediastinum and was successfully treated by surgical decompression and denosumab. A woman in her 30s presented with weakness in both the lower extremities. MRI revealed a large tumour in the posterior mediastinum expanding from the thoracic vertebrae (T3–6), which compressed the spinal cord. The patient underwent urgent spinal decompression with instrumentation and her tissue was sent for a pathology study. Histologically and immunohistochemistry confirmed the diagnosis of GCT. Since it was an unresectable tumour, this patient was treated with denosumab. Her neurological problem resolved after 6 months of treatment. After 4 years of follow-up, the patient displayed no further progression and no side effects from long-term denosumab usage.