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Biomedical subjects

J Mukand

Publications and source records attributed to J Mukand.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

Midodrine for the management of orthostatic hypotension in patients with spinal cord injury: A case report.

A 21-year-old man sustained anterior displacement and a burst fracture of C7 in a motor vehicle crash. He underwent anterior corpectomy, decompression, fusion of C6-T1 vertebrae, and halo placement. The American Spinal Injury Association grade of his spinal cord injury (SCI) was C6 C tetraplegia. Severe orthostatic hypotension in the upright position complicated the patient's rehabilitation program. Midodrine was prescribed, and other medications with possible adverse effects were adjusted. Significant improvement after taking midodrine was reflected in the orthostatic vital signs and symptoms, as well as in FIM instrument scores. Staff noted improvements with therapy participation and functional status. The patient tolerated the midodrine well and had no significant side effects.

Adult↗

Promoting smoking cessation in the rehabilitation setting.

Cigarette smoking is a known risk factor in patients with ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. Smoking also increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, peptic ulcers, and cancer of several organs among middle-aged individuals and the elderly. In the elderly, smoking has also been associated with a general decline in physical functioning as a result of the increased incidence of chronic illnesses. The prevalence of smoking among community-dwelling adults aged 65 to 74 yr has been estimated to be 18% for men and 15% for women. More than 30% of Americans who are hospitalized each year are smokers. Although there are no published studies that have established the prevalence of smoking in a rehabilitation population, these data and our own clinical experience suggest that smoking continues to be a significant health problem for many persons who enter the inpatient rehabilitation setting. Because most hospitals have adopted a smoke-free policy, hospitalization itself may initiate a period of nonsmoking in patients who were smokers at the time of their admission. In addition, some smokers choose to quit smoking after stroke or other medical crisis caused by the health risks associated with cigarette smoking. However, research has also revealed a rather low-smoking cessation rate (30%) among smokers who have had a transient ischemic attack despite the health benefits associated with smoking cessation. Given the significant health risks associated with cigarette smoking, particularly in the elderly and those with cerebrovascular compromise, the effects of smoking on the patient's health should be discussed with the patient during inpatient rehabilitation. Unfortunately, given the current healthcare demands of reducing lengths of hospitalization and the focus on functional outcomes, health promotion issues, such as smoking cessation, nutrition, exercise, may not receive the attention that they deserve. Despite these constraints, we believe that the inpatient rehabilitation setting provides an opportunity for a "teachable moment" to introduce the idea of smoking cessation to the active smoker or to encourage continued smoking cessation and relapse prevention to those patients who have not smoked since their admission to the acute care hospital. If instituted in an effective manner, we believe that there could be significant healthcare benefits in establishing a formal smoking cessation or relapse prevention program in the rehabilitation setting.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

Rehabilitative management of polyarteritis: a case report.

A 75-year-old woman with polyarteritis who developed polyneuropathy and quadriplegia underwent intensive rehabilitation that resulted in significant improvement. This report discusses various therapeutic strategies for the successful management of patients with severe polyarteritis. Strategies include orthotics for both upper and lower extremities, sensory reeducation, edema management, and the use of adaptive devices in retraining the patient with activities of daily living. The associated neurological, orthopedic, renal, and cardiac complications in the context of rehabilitation for this complex condition are discussed.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Pathological crying and laughing: treatment with sertraline.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of sertraline for treating pathological laughing and crying after stroke. DESIGN: Case series. SETTING: Inpatient rehabilitation units of a community and a tertiary-care hospital. PATIENTS: One patient was a 62-year-old right-handed man who had two strokes approximately 2 years apart and had computed tomography consistent with a cerebral infarct involving the left middle cerebral artery branches in the left parietal lobe. A second patient was a 72-year-old right-handed man who had a right middle cerebral artery infarct. He had a questionable history of depression prior to the stroke. INTERVENTION: Both patients had poststroke labile affect that was interfering with their rehabilitation. Sertraline was prescribed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Pretreatment and posttreatment scores on the Pathological Crying and Laughing Scale and Functional Independent Measure. RESULTS: Both patients showed significant improvement after taking sertraline-improvement that was reflected in their pretreatment and posttreatment scores on the Pathological Crying and Laughing Scale and Functional Independent Measure. The staff noted improvements in sleeping, eating, social interaction, and therapy participation. Both patients tolerated the sertraline well and had no significant side effects.

1-Naphthylamine↗

Common causes of knee effusions in spinal cord injury: a random study.

Patients with spinal cord injury are predisposed to knee effusions owing to osteoporosis, heterotopic ossification, trauma, and benign hydrarthrosis. This retrospective review discusses 11 patients with spinal cord injury and knee effusions seen during two years. One objective is to correlate the initial diagnosis based on clinical findings with the final diagnosis based on synovial fluid analysis and radiographic studies. Another is to describe the variety and complexity of clinical situations that involve knee effusions in spinal cord injury. The initial diagnosis was different from the final diagnosis in all of our cases. The final diagnoses were trauma (6 cases), pseudogout (2 cases), spasticity, fracture of the tibial plateau, septic joint, and tears of the anterior cruciate and lateral collateral ligaments. Knee effusions in this unique population must be carefully investigated to avoid erroneous diagnoses based on the initial clinical presentation, which can be complicated by multiple medical problems.

Adolescent↗