Anna Cabak

Strategies for Coping with Chronic Lower Back Pain in Patients with Long Physiotherapy Wait Time

Background Treatment efficacy for the increasing prevalence of back pain is a great challenge for both health care providers and individuals coping with this problem. This study aimed to evaluate pain coping strategies used by primary care patients with chronic lower back pain (CLBP) as a supplementation of medical diagnosis before a physiotherapy programme. Material/Methods A total of 88 people were divided into 3 age groups: young adults (21–40 years old), middle-aged adults (41–60 years old), and the elderly (over 60 years old). Data was gathered from rehabilitation centers and primary medical care facilities. A cross-sectional design was used. The Coping Strategies Questionnaire (CSQ) was completed before the physiotherapy course. Results Patients complained of CLBP for 11.32±6.81 years on average. The most common strategies to cope with back pain included declaring that the pain is manageable, praying and hoping, as well as increased behavioral activity. Statistically significant differences in coping strategies were found between age groups. The elderly patients were more likely to “declare coping with pain” in comparison to the younger age groups (p<0.01). People over 60 years of age were more likely to declare active coping with pain, while young people reported catastrophizing. Conclusions Patients in different age groups had various difficulties in pain coping. Most of them required support in self-management of pain in addition to physiotherapy. The basic assessment of pain coping strategies should be consistently taken into account and included in rehabilitation protocols in chronic pain treatment.

A Water Rehabilitation Program in Patients with Hip Osteoarthritis Before and After Total Hip Replacement.

Background Pain associated with coxarthrosis, typically occurring in middle-aged and elderly patients, very commonly causes considerable limitation of motor fitness and dependence on pharmacotherapy. This article provides an assessment of a rehabilitation program with tailored water exercises in patients with osteoarthritis before and after total hip replacement. Material/Methods A total of 192 patients (the mean age 61.03±10.89) suffering from hip osteoarthritis (OA) were evaluated before and after total hip replacement (THR). The clinical study covered measurements of hip active ranges of motion (HAROM) and the forces generated by pelvis stabilizer muscles. Pain intensity was assessed according to analogue-visual scale of pain (VAS) and according to the Modified Laitinen Questionnaire. The patients were divided into 6 groups (4 treatment and 2 control). We compared 2 rehabilitation programs using kinesitherapy and low-frequency magnetic field. One of them also had specially designed exercises in the water. Statistical analysis was carried out at the significance level α=0.05. This was a cross-sectional study. Results A positive effect of water exercises on a number of parameters was found in patients with OA both before and after total hip replacement surgery. We noted a significant reduction of pain (p<0.001), increased ranges of motion and muscle strength, and reduced use of medicines (NASAIDs) (p<0.001). A correlation was found between the degree of degenerative deforming lesions and the effects of the treatment process (p<0.01). Conclusions 1. The rehabilitation program including water exercises most significantly reduced pain in patients with OA before and after total hip replacement surgery. 2. Inclusion of water exercises in a rehabilitation program can reduce the use of medicines in patient with OA and after THR.

Evaluation of Functional Outcomes in Individuals 10 Years after Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion with Corundum Implants and Decompression: A Comparison of 2 Surgical Techniques

Background The purpose of this study was to evaluate lumbar spine-related functional disability in individuals 10 years after lumbar decompression and lumbar decompression with posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) with corundum implants surgery for degenerative stenosis and to compare the long-term outcome of these 2 surgical techniques. Material/Methods From 1998 to 2002, 100 patients with single-level lumbar stenosis were surgically treated. The patients were randomly divided into 2 groups that did not differ in terms of clinical or neurological symptoms. Group A consisted of 50 patients who were treated with PLIF and the use of porous ceramic corundum implants; the mean age was 57.74 and BMI was 27.34. Group B consisted of 50 patients treated with decompression by fenestration; mean age was 51.28 and the mean BMI was 28.84. Results There was no statistical significance regarding age, BMI, and sex. Both treatments revealed significant improvements. In group A, ODI decreased from 41.01% to 14.3% at 1 year and 16.3 at 10 years. In group B, ODI decreased from 63.8% to 18.36% at 1 year and 22.36% at 10 years. The difference between groups was statistically significant. There were no differences between the groups regarding the Rolland-Morris disability questionnaire and VAS at 1 and 10 years after surgery. Conclusions Long-term results evaluated according to the ODI, the Rolland-Morris disability questionnaire, and the VAS showed that the both methods significantly reduce patient disability, and this was maintained during next 10 years. The less invasive fenestration procedure was only slightly less favorable than surgical treatment of stenosis by both PLIF with corundum implants and decompression.

Biopsychosocial Rehabilitation Programme for Patients with Chronic Back Pain. Pilot Study

BACKGROUND In the search for effective and comprehensive therapies of back pain, an increasing emphasis in being placed on the biopsychosocial model and multidimensional support programmes for patients as well the use of modern technologies in this area of medicine. This study aimed to assess a programme of customised ad hoc physiotherapeutic consultations for patients with back pain who had been on the waiting list for rehabilitation treatment for a long time. MATERIAL AND METHOD The study group comprised 68 patients of the Rehabilitation Centre Non-Public Health Care Institution who had been waiting for rehabilitation treatment for at least three months. The patients, diagnosed with chronic back pain and aged 40-80 years, were randomly assigned into two groups. The experimental group took part in a programme of three consultations, provided on average once a month. The patients from both groups were assessed after the three-month programme, immediately before the commencement of the prescribed rehabilitation treatment. We evaluated the pain threshold at trigger points of selected muscles using the algometric method (kg/cm 2 ), subjective assessment of pain (VAS), functional limitations (Rolland Morris Disability Questionnaire) and quality of life (36-Item Short Form Health Survey, SF-36). The statistical analysis of the results used non-parametric methods: significance of differences between the groups was evaluated with the Mann-Whitney U test and correlations between the variables were assessed separately for each group using Spearmans rank order correlation. The significance threshold was accepted at α=0.05. RESULTS The algometric evaluation of all the muscles revealed significantly lower sensitivity to pain, demonstrated by a higher pain threshold (p<0.0001), in the experimental group. Moreover, this group also included a much smaller percentage of patients with a high level of functional limitations according to the Rolland Morris Disability Questionnaire. The quality of life evaluation revealed that the control group scored poorer in the mental domain (p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS The ad hoc intervention programme for patients referred for rehabilitation due to chronic back pain showed demonstrable beneficial effects with regard to their psychophysical health. Similar programmes should be more readily offered to patients at health care centres and implemented into clinical practice.

Comparison of Biocompatibility of Cemented vs. Cementless Hip Joint Endoprostheses Based on Postoperative Evaluation of Proinflammatory Cytokine Levels.

Background The yearly increase in the number of procedures involving implantation of hip joint endoprostheses forces prosthetics manufacturers to search for biologically neutral implants. The goal of this study was to assess the concentration of Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and its correlation with C-reactive protein (CRP), depending on the type of hip joint endoprosthesis (cemented or cementless endoprosthesis) in order to determine implant biotolerance during the early postoperative period. Material/Methods The sample comprised 200 patients [mean age=64 (31–81) years] with coxarthrosis. All patients underwent hip joint arthroplasty using a cemented or cementless endoprosthesis. Blood samples were collected 3 times: before the procedure, on the first day after the procedure, and after 6 weeks. IL-6 and CRP levels were assayed using immunoenzymatic methods. The results were subjected to statistical analysis using the Shapiro-Wilk test. Results On the 1st day after the procedure, CRP and IL-6 concentration increased rapidly after implantation of both cemented and cementless endoprostheses. At 6 weeks postoperatively, the CRP value remained at a similar level in patients after cemented arthroplasty and was almost 2-fold lower in patients who underwent cementless arthroplasty. The IL-6 value returned to the baseline level in patients after cementless arthroplasty and showed an ongoing increasing tendency in patients after cemented arthroplasty. Conclusions 1. The measurement of C-reactive protein and Interleukin-6 is a high-sensitivity test, assessing implant biotolerance. 2. The implantation of a cemented endoprosthesis induces a higher increase in the level of proinflammatory cytokines as compared with a cementless endoprosthesis. 3. For a complete assessment of both early and later body responses to implantation and the related surgical procedure, further studies using available approaches and tools are recommended.