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Biomedical subjects

P F Gatens

Publications and source records attributed to P F Gatens.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1989

Prospective cognitive assessment of stroke patients before inpatient rehabilitation. The relationship of the Neurobehavioral Cognitive Status Examination to functional improvement.

Prospective studies establish cognitive status as an important determinant of post-stroke rehabilitation success. The Neurobehavioral Cognitive Status Examination (NCSE) briefly assesses cognition in the ability areas of language, constructions, memory, calculation and reasoning. The NCSE, as well as the commonly used Mini-Mental State Examination and Albert's Test, were administered to 38 stroke patients before inpatient rehabilitation to determine the extent to which they predict rehabilitation outcome. Rehabilitation outcome was measured as the difference between initial and discharge Barthel Index score. The NCSE was shown to be a more sensitive indicator of impairment than the Mini-Mental State Examination and Albert's Test, especially in subsections of orientation and memory (X2 = 8.690, df = 1, P less than 0.005; X2 = 13.348, df = 1, P less than 0.001, respectively). Stepwise multiple regression revealed that attention, calculations and judgement were in association the best predictors of improvement in the Barthel Index scores. Therefore, the NCSE provides both a rapid and sensitive measure of cognitive function and it appears to predict functional status change as a result of inpatient stroke rehabilitation.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Wrist ratio correlation with carpal tunnel syndrome in industry.

Employees from a large midwestern automobile manufacturing plant completed a preemployment evaluation which included a personal and family history, physical examination, and wrist ratio determinations obtained by dividing the anteroposterior diameter by the mediolateral diameter of the wrist. Over a 3-year period, 80 of these employees who developed symptoms compatible with carpal tunnel syndrome within 4-12 months of employment were entered into the study and were evaluated with standard electrodiagnostic techniques. The symptoms included nocturnal hand pain, paresthesia and weak grasp. Thirty-nine of the 80 employees had wrist ratios equal to or greater than 0.70. Twenty-four percent of the employees with wrist ratios less than 0.70 had abnormal electrodiagnostic studies compared with 74% of employees with wrist ratios greater than or equal to 0.70. Regression analysis performed on the data revealed a significant positive correlation between distal median motor latency and wrist ratio (P = 0.001). The study suggests the practical value of wrist ratio determination in job placement.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Anterior interosseous nerve syndrome: unusual etiologies.

The anterior interosseous nerve is a pure motor nerve supplying the flexor pollicis longus, flexor digitorum profundus to the index and middle finger, and the pronator quadratus. A relatively uncommon neuropathy of this nerve, called the anterior interosseous syndrome (AIS), sometimes occurs. This paper reports 2 cases of AIS which developed from unusual etiologies. The first patient developed AIS after some difficulty drawing blood from the cubital vein, while the second patient developed symptoms following bypass surgery involving intravenous injection in the cubital vein. Although the diagnosis of AIS can be made clinically by noting muscle weakness in the absence of sensory deficits, electrodiagnosis is helpful for confirming diagnosis and predicting prognosis.

Blood Specimen Collection↗
PubMed1982

Compound nerve action potentials of the medial and lateral plantar nerves through the tarsal tunnel.

The purpose of this study was to determine and standardize an easy and convenient method of studying the orthodromic latencies of the medial and lateral plantar nerves for clinical purposes using conventional equipment. Forty-one able-bodied adult subjects ranging in age from 20 to 76 years were tested orthodromically to establish normal values over fixed distances. The temperatures of the feet ranged from 26C to 32C. A standard TECA bipolar surface electrode fixed in a plastic mount was placed on the posterior tibial nerve proximal to the flexor retinaculum. The medial plantar nerve was stimulated with a bipolar surface stimulator at a distance of 10, 14, and 18cm, and at the great toe. The lateral plantar nerve was stimulated at a distance of 14 and 18cm, and at the little toe. Orthodromic latencies for the medial plantar nerve for distances of 10, 14 and 18cm, and the great toe were 2.4 +/- SD 0.15msec, 3.2 +/- SD 0.26msec, 4.0 +/- SD 0.22msec, and 5.0 +/- SD 0.38msec, respectively. Lateral plantar nerve latencies for 14 and 18cm segments were 3.2 +/- SD 0.25msec and 4.0 +/- SD 0.27msec, respectively. These standard values should allow more accurate assessment of tarsal tunnel syndrome (TTS) and peripheral neuropathies because the orthodromic method involves a mixed motor and sensory nerve action potential and should be more sensitive to early changes than a pure motor nerve action potential.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1982

Electromyographic findings in the intrinsic muscles of normal feet.

Four intrinsic muscles were studied with electromyography (EMG) in asymptomatic feet in 70 individuals to ascertain the percentage having abnormal potentials (positive sharp waves and/or fibrillation potentials). The number having positive sharp waves ranged from 6(8.6%) in the 1st dorsal interosseous to 11(15.7%) in the extensor digitorum brevis. The number showing fibrillation potentials ranged from 0 for the abductor hallucis to 4(5.7%) for the abductor digiti minimi. The authors concluded that using positive sharp waves as a diagnostic criterion in using EMG of intrinsic foot muscles in the evaluation of certain neuromuscular problems such as radiculopathy and tarsal tunnel syndrome may be misleading, but using the presence of fibrillation potentials as a criterion may be useful. Differences in the pattern of abnormalities in males and females are also discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Winging of the scapula.

Common neurogenic causes of scapular winging are serratus anterior, trapezius and rhomboid palsy. Deformity is minimal in serratus anterior palsy (long thoracic nerve); winging is accentuated by forward elevation and pushing with outstretched arms. In trapezius palsy (spinal accessory nerve), the shoulder droops and winging is accentuated by arm abduction at the shoulder level. Rhomboid weakness (dorsal scapular nerve or C5 root) is best demonstrated by slowly lowering the arms from the forward elevated position.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Use of low intensity direct current in management of ischemic skin ulcers.

A clinical investigation of the use of low intensity direct current (LIDC) in treating ischemic skin ulcers was conducted at the University of Missouri. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of LIDC on altering the healing rate of ischemic skin ulcers. One hundred ulcers were treated with LIDC. Six of the patients had bilateral symmetrical ulcers which provided the control group. The six control ulcers were managed exactly the same as their counterpart except that LIDC was omitted. The mean healing ratio of the control ulcers was 14.7 percent per week compared to 30 percent per week of the treated counterpart. The mean healing rate of the 100 ischemic skin ulcers treated with LIDC was 28.4 percent per week. The data indicated that ischemic skin ulcers treated with the current responded with a healing rate approximately twice as fast as those ulcers that did not receive LIDC treatment. The authors concluded that the use of LIDC added an effective modality to the armamentarium of the physical therapist for the treatment of ischemic skin ulcers.

Aged↗