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Biomedical subjects

T Saradeth

Publications and source records attributed to T Saradeth.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation after anterior cruciate ligament surgery.

This randomized, double blind, controlled trial was designed to determine the effectiveness of neuromuscular electrical stimulation of the knee extensor and flexor muscles in the prevention of muscular weakening after anterior cruciate ligament surgery. Neuromuscular electrical stimulation treatment was given in addition to an early exercise therapy regimen and compared with an early exercise therapy regimen alone. Forty-nine patients after anterior cruciate ligament surgery were assigned randomly either to a neuromuscular electrical stimulation and exercise group, a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation as analgesic and exercise group, or an exercise alone group as control. All groups received a standard regimen of rehabilitation after anterior cruciate ligament surgery. The neuromuscular electrical stimulation and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation group additionally received electrical stimulation during the first 6 weeks after surgery. Patients were measured for isometric and isokinetic torque in the knee extensor and flexor muscles after 6, 12, and 52 weeks. No statistical difference among groups was observed. It is concluded that neuromuscular electrical stimulation in combination with an early exercise therapy regimen is not significantly more effective in reducing weakening than an early exercise therapy regimen alone after anterior cruciate ligament surgery.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Forearm bone density and grip strength in women after menopause, with and without estrogen replacement therapy.

Peaking in young adulthood, both bone mass and muscle strength decrease with ageing, but bone loss may accelerate after the menopause and can be delayed by estrogen replacement therapy (ERT). This study was designed to evaluate whether, like bone density, the muscle strength was affected by the onset of menopause and/or ERT. First grip strength (GS) of young female adults (group III; n = 18; age (+/- S.E.M.) 21.8 +/- 0.4 years) was compared to that of postmenopausal women, who were divided into two groups. Group I (n = 22; age 59.6 +/- 1.6 years) was 12.5 +/- 1.7 years after the menopause and received no ERT, and group II (n = 21; age 59.5 +/- 1.1 years) was 8.3 +/- 1.2 years after the menopause and had received ERT for 3.9 +/- 2.3 years at the time of the study. GS of the postmenopausal women was significantly (P < 0.005) lower than that of the young female adults. GS did not differ significantly between both postmenopausal groups. Further analysis revealed a weak negative correlation of years since menopause with forearm bone density (r = -0.37, P < or = 0.023 for group II and III together), but not with GS. It is concluded that the later onset of menopause and estrogen replacement therapy do not seem to have a noticeable influence on muscle strength.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Clinical effects of continuous microwave for postoperative septic wound treatment: a double-blind controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Continuous microwave (CM) has already been shown to be effective in treating various pathologic states. The aim of this trial was to study the curative effect of this new physical method on the course of postoperative suppurative and inflammatory processes in patients who underwent abdominal surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In this study, 141 patients with postoperative purulent wounds (predominantly caused by pyogenic Staphylococcus aureus) were randomized into two groups: 71 patients received local CM therapy (group A), and the other 70 patients received a placebo treatment using a similar but ineffective device (group B, controls). In this double-blind study, criteria for wound healing in both patient groups were evaluated. RESULTS: Results demonstrated that wound clearance was significantly accelerated in group A (treated with CM) compared with group B (controls): 5.6 +/- 0.6 versus 10.2 +/- 0.5 days (mean +/- standard deviation), respectively. Similarly, initial epithelization was significantly forced in group A compared with group B: 7.0 +/- 0.4 versus 12.8 +/- 0.6 days, respectively; and granulation appeared after 4.9 +/- 0.2 versus 8.7 +/- 0.4 days of postoperative treatment, respectively. Daily decrease of wound surface area was significantly higher in group A than in group B (7.1% versus 3.2%). On the fifth postoperative day of treatment, the number of microorganisms was considerably lower (10(5) per gram of tissue) in patients treated with CM than in controls. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this controlled clinical trial suggest that low-intensity CM is an effective postoperative treatment of purulent wounds after abdominal surgery. Further investigations may elucidate the underlying mechanisms in detail and optimize the curative effects in surgical practice.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[Treatment of hypertension--the value of non-drug measures].

METHOD: To investigate the usefulness of non-pharmacological measures in the treatment of essential hypertension, 91 subjects comprising patients attending a physical-medical department and the inhabitants of an old people's home, were asked to complete a questionnaire. RESULTS: Almost all patients were receiving drug therapy (n = 89); in two-thirds treatment had been initiated when the diagnosis was first established. Although two-thirds were well informed about non-pharmacological measures (physical exercise, sodium restricted diet, reduced caloric intake, changes in dietary habits), more than one-half of the patients had neither been informed about, nor instructed in the use of, any of these alternatives by their general practitioners. Some 40% were aware of the benefit of relaxation techniques, but only one in six practiced them. CONCLUSIONS: Although this study revealed a high level of knowledge of non-pharmacological anti-hypertensive therapy, the care-providing doctors clearly attach more importance to prescribing drugs. In view of the potential value of alternative forms of treatment, greater consideration of this point by the physician would be desirable.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

[Scientific activity in the physical medicine and rehabilitation specialty in Germany, Austria and Switzerland].

On the background of similar analyses (American and European), this analysis was aimed at investigating the scientific activity in physical medicine and rehabilitation in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. A medline search covering 1 year was performed, all relevant publications were identified and evaluated according to the following criteria: address and speciality of author, subject (diagnostic or therapeutic), journal, and study design. The results show that the majority of publications does not originate from institutions of physical medicine and rehabilitation. Therapeutic subjects dominate with a predominance of exercise therapy. Their study design leaves room for improvement. This investigation might stimulate consequent and rigorous research in our field.

Austria↗
PubMed1992

A viscometric method of measuring plasma fibrinogen concentrations.

A technique based on deducing the viscosity of serum from that of plasma was compared with the commonly used Clauss method. The two methods correlated closely (r = 0.914). The reproducibility of the viscometric method was slightly poorer than the Clauss technique at low fibrinogen concentrations, equal to that at medium fibrinogen concentrations, and marginally better at high concentrations. Fibrinogen can therefore be measured reasonably accurately with the viscometric method, and can be recommended as an alternative for laboratories possessing a viscometer.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Conservative therapy of chronic venous insufficiency].

Chronic venous insufficiency is frequent and burdened with potentially serious consequences. Its conservative treatment should include physical and pharmacological measures. Compression therapy is mandatory. In addition physical therapy offers mainly positioning, exercise and water treatments. Several oral drugs have been shown to be effective as well. Finally life style adaptation must not be forgotten.

Bandages↗
PubMed1991

n-3 fatty acids and acute-phase proteins.

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of n-3 fatty acids on acute-phase proteins and response. Healthy male volunteers were submitted to standard bicycle ergometry once without supplementation and a second time after 3-weeks supplementation with highly purified n-3 fatty acids (1.75 g eicosapentaenoic acid and 1.05 g docosahexaenoic acid per day). Acute-phase proteins (immunoglobulin M, complement C4, haptoglobin, C-reactive protein, alpha 2-macroglobulin, coerulopasmin, fibrinogen, alpha 1-glycoprotein) were measured before, immediately after, 24 and 72 h after exercise. There were significantly lower values of immunoglobulin M (pre-exercise and at 72 h) and alpha 2-macroglobulin (pre-exercise) when cross-sectionally comparing the baseline data with and without n-3 supplementation. Longitudinal comparisons show that the ergometric test induced a discrete acute-phase reaction, which is evident with and without n-3 fatty acids. Yet the kinetics of the response seem to be altered by n-3 supplementation. The relative increase of most acute-phase proteins is numerically larger and the rise persists longer, which is particularly evident for fibrinogen and alpha 1-glycoprotein. The findings suggest that n-3 fatty acids lower acute-phase proteins at baseline and alter the pattern of change following acute exercise.

Acute-Phase Proteins↗
PubMed1991

A single blind randomized, controlled trial of hydrotherapy for varicose veins.

Sixty-one patients suffering from primary varicosity were divided into 2 groups, one receiving regular hydrotherapy, the other no such treatment for 31/2 weeks. Objective evaluation of the venous competence showed an apparently greater benefit in the control group in respect to light reflex rheographic venous filling time. The leg volume changes, however, indicated a stronger and more persistent reduction in the experimental group. The same applied for ankle and calf circumferences, which were reduced significantly only in patients treated with hydrotherapy. Furthermore some (but not all) of the subjective symptoms yielded significantly more frequent improvement in this group. In conclusion this controlled study implies that hydrotherapy may help patients suffering from primary varicose veins, a notion which was previously often stated but so far not scientifically verified.

Female↗
PubMed1990

Regular sauna bathing and the incidence of common colds.

The high morbidity of common colds means that their economic importance is considerable, with colds causing more loss of productivity than any other infection. As no effective prophylaxis is available, this trial was to test the hypothesis that sauna bathing can reduce the incidence of common colds. Twenty-five volunteers were submitted to sauna bathing, with 25 controls abstaining from this or comparable procedures. In both groups the frequency, duration and severity of common colds were recorded for six months. There were significantly fewer episodes of common cold in the sauna group. This was found particularly during the last three months of the study period when the incidence was roughly halved compared to controls. The mean duration and average severity of common colds did not differ significantly between the groups. It is concluded that regular sauna bathing probably reduces the incidence of common colds, but further studies are needed to prove this.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Therapeutic exercise in the prevention of bone loss. A controlled trial with women after menopause.

To evaluate the efficacy of therapeutic exercises in the prevention of bone loss, 146 untrained healthy postmenopausal women were prospectively controlled for (mean +/- SD) 3.0 +/- 1.3 yr. Eighty-two subjects aged (mean +/- SD) 61.5 +/- 6.1 yr participated in an exercise program (group 1) and sixty-four aged (mean +/- SD) 59.1 +/- 7.4 yr served as controls (group 2). Periodically during the study period, we measured women's bone density at two forearm sites and recorded their physical activities. Because bone loss differed insignificantly between the groups, group 1 was retrospectively subdivided into group 1a (regular exercise) and group 1b (nonregular exercise). The results showed that only 39 women (48 percent) of group 1 (group 1a) performed the exercise program regularly for the prescribed time. Regression slopes of forearm bone density (distal and proximal scans) v time were significantly less negative (P < 0.05) in group 1a (distal, -0.3 percent and proximal, -0.7 percent per year) than in group 1b (distal, -1.8 percent and proximal -1.6 percent per year) or group 2 (distal, -1.7 percent and proximal, -1.9 percent per year). We conclude that in untrained elderly women, poor compliance with regular physical activities is a main factor, explaining the lack of response to exercise treatment in prevention of osteoporosis.

Aged↗