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Biomedical subjects

L Panella

Publications and source records attributed to L Panella.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Measurement on Tinetti test: instrumentation and procedures.

A measurement system and associate signal processing procedures for quantifying subject's performance during the performance-oriented assessment of balance as defined in Tinetti test (TT) is described. It is based on two inclinometers measuring trunk inclination in two orthogonal planes. Signals from the transducers are acquired by a PC through A/DC board. Signal processing consists in computing morphological parameters describing the main features of subject movement during the different TT maneuvers. The system is simple, cheap, user friendly, causes no discomfort to the patient and can easily be modified to comply with either new requirements or the needs of other performance tests dealing with trunk movement. Preliminary results of measurements on both normals and patients suggest the viability of this approach and the possibility of discriminating normal from abnormal performance, based on the values of the morphological parameters.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

The effects of perioperative ketorolac infusion on postoperative pain and endocrine-metabolic response.

We designed a randomized, double-blind study to assess the analgesic efficacy and safety of perioperative ketorolac infusion in 95 patients undergoing cholecystectomy. The ketorolac group (n = 48) received premedication, combined with ketorolac 30 mg intramuscularly (IM), followed by a ketorolac continuous infusion (2 mg/h). The control group (n = 47) received an IM bolus of NaCl 0.9% (1 mL) followed by continuous saline infusion (2 mL/h) for 24 h. Operative blood losses, postoperative pain, sedation, and on-demand morphine consumption (patient-controlled analgesia [PCA]) were measured. The effects on plasma catecholamines, cortisol, potassium, creatinine, skin bleeding time, prothrombin time (PT), and partial thromboplastin time (PTT) were also evaluated. Ketorolac improved pain scores (P < 0.05) and reduced plasma cortisol concentrations between 2 and 6 h (P < 0.05). No significant differences were observed concerning operative blood losses, glucose concentration, and renal and hemostatic functions. The ketorolac group required less morphine (not significant [NS]) than the control group and had less adverse effects (P = 0.002). Thus, perioperative ketorolac infusion improved the quality of postoperative pain relief, and had no major influence on endocrine-metabolic response and no negative influences on hemostatic and renal functions. This study suggests that preventive ketorolac administration, followed by a continuous infusion, is an easy, useful, and safe method for pain control after abdominal surgery.

Analgesics↗
PubMed1989

[Fatigue during muscle work at variable traction angles].

Using computerized surface EMG signal analysis, authors point out that muscle fatigue onset depends not only by exercise frequency and external load but also by mechanical arrangement of muscle insertions and this onset is faster if contraction is concentric. Therefore selective muscle training programs must contemplate this phenomenon.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Planning the provision of outpatient services in a rehabilitation clinic.

OBJECTIVE: This study had two aims: (1) to plan the provision of outpatient services in a rehabilitation clinic and increase the efficiency of these services; (2) to identify and evaluate criteria of good clinical practice in outpatient rehabilitation activities in order to avoid transforming the therapy into an assembly line in which the number of services is considered more important than the quality of services delivered. DESIGN: The authors identified the sequence of activities carried out for each of the services requested and monitored the number of appointments and treatments performed in two four month periods. As part of the process of increasing delivery efficiency and recording services provided, the authors created a computerised database for processing hospital charges. MAIN MEASURES: Quantitative comparison of services delivered during the 4 month sample periods in 1998 and 1999 and evaluation of compliance with identified indicators of good practice related to a series of rehabilitation outpatient therapies, divided into instrumental therapies and manual therapies. RESULTS: There was an increase in the number of appointments and services without an increase in the number of staff or clinics. In particular, the database introduced in March 1999 contributed to a further improvement with 692 appointments and 7517 therapies. Overall quality of practice was good, although privacy needs to be increased. CONCLUSION: The use of quality control instruments improved staff awareness of good clinical practice and highlighted some aspects which could be improved. The efficiency of the outpatient rehabilitation clinic increased.

Ambulatory Care↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Power output during knee extension/flexion movement performed in controlled mechanical conditions.

In order to investigate how exercise, performed under controlled mechanical conditions, might be influenced by variables such as fatigue and immobilization, a computerized transducer system was specially built. Quadriceps femoris and knee flexors were studied in healthy non-athlete and post-meniscal surgery subjects, by means of an isokinetic extension-flexion protocol. The protocol was applied before and after cycloergometer "fatiguing" effort in the healthy subjects and before and after re-training in the surgical ones. An original software was able to display the time course of dynamic parameters, particularly force, velocity and power output. Results obtained showed a 26.5% significant decrease in power output after the effort, owing to a concomitant decrease in velocity, while force increased, but over a longer time. As to the operated subjects, power output was higher following retraining, as a result of the combination of lower force and higher velocity. The transducer system proved reliable in detecting changes in power output, whatever the cause. The instantaneous control of variables which power is depending upon, such as force and velocity, may give a few hints on the efficacy of training and rehabilitation programs.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Instrumental and metabolic evaluation of patients affected by peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) following surgical revascularization surgery.

Experiments were performed on eight subjects affected by peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) of the lower limbs. Each patient was submitted to Ecodoppler, angiography and the "Treadmill test". Two bioptic muscle of these patients. A sample was used for the spectrophotometric and spectrophotofluorimetric determinations of: glycogen, pyruvate, lactate, citrate, alpha-ketoglutarate, malate, aspartate, glutamate, AMP, ADP, ATP and creatine phosphate (CP). The other bioptic sample was used to determine the following enzyme activities: hexokinase, phosphofructokinase, pyruvate kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, citrate synthase, succinate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, total NADH cytochrome c reductase, cytochrome oxidase, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase. Patients showed an increase in lactate dehydrogenase, total NADH cytochrome c reductase and succinate dehydrogenase activities, a decrease in glycogen, ATP and CP concentrations. Telethermographic data showed patient muscle thermic emission quantitatively different from control group. The telethermographic test can be used as an additional diagnostic tool to determine and monitor the efficiency of a muscle undergoing metabolic failure.

Adult↗