Carmen Ruiz-Molinero

Efficacy of Therapeutic Ultrasound in Pain and Joint Mobility in Whiplash Traumatic Acute and Subacute Phases

To determine if ultrasound (US) is effective in reducing pain and mobility limitation in the treatment of traumatic cervical sprain, we performed an experimental study. The sample comprised 54 diagnosed subjects with a mean age of 36.54 y (standard deviation = 12.245), assigned by simple random selection to an experimental group with ultrasound treatment and a control group with placebo ultrasound. Treatment consisted of 10 sessions of an ultrasound treatment protocol, followed by 15 sessions of a protocol identical for both groups without ultrasound. The variables assessed were pain and joint mobility. There was no significant difference (p > 0.05) between groups in the first 10 sessions of treatment. However, there was a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) between groups on the pain variable, 20 days after completion of the US. High-active ultrasound treatment is more effective than placebo in reducing pain.

Highly cited papers in rheumatology: identification and conceptual analysis

Rheumatology is a broad research area with an extensive background in scientific publications. Thus, the present study aims to identify the highly cited papers in Rheumatology research field, analyzing some aspects such as the documents distribution by years, journals, authors, institutions and countries. Furthermore, a conceptual evolution and a co-word analysis have been performed. In order to carry out this study, the H-Classics methodology, based on widely used H-index, has been used. A total of 317 highly cited papers have been detected from a total amount of 103.175 documents (articles and reviews) indexed in the Rheumatology category of the Web of Science database, from the period 1945–2016. As a result, it is obtained that Arthritis and Rheumatism is the journal with the highest number of documents, with more than half of detected documents. Professor Emery, from the University of Leeds (UK), and professor Felson, from the Boston University (USA), are the authors with more highly cited papers. The University of California (USA) and the University of Stanford (USA) are the main institutional contributors. USA is the leading producer, with more than half of the highly cited papers, but it is interesting to highlight the position reached by Peoples R. China, Mexico and, South Africa when an adjustment index based in the GDP per capita is applied. Osteo-arthritis and monoclonal antibody are the leader topics of this set of documents. The present study shows a useful insight into the development and evolution of the Rheumatology research field, revealing actors that have made the most significant research contribution to its development.

Is it possible to relate accommodative visual dysfunctions to neck pain

The aim of this study was to establish whether there is a relationship between conditions of accommodative visual dysfunctions and cervical complaints. Fifty‐two participants were included. Variables were accommodative amplitude, positive and negative relative accommodation (NRA), accommodative response, and accommodative facility. Subjects were classified as accommodative insufficiency, accommodative excess, or normal. Neck complaints were measured with the Neck Disability Index, the Visual Analogue Scale, and by cervical range of motion, deep flexor muscle activation score, and performance index. We found the following significant relationships: between NRA and both performance index and left‐side bending; accommodative amplitude right‐eye with right‐side bending and with left‐side bending; accommodative amplitude left‐eye with right‐side bending; and accommodative facility left‐eye with both performance index and left‐side bending. In accommodative amplitude right‐eye, aIl participants showed significant values and greater than those with accommodative excess. In both groups, performance index values were decreased. Greater pain and lower right‐rotation were found in participants with accommodative excess than in those with accommodative insufficiency. We conclude that accommodative dysfunctions are related to low performance index, decreased range of motion, as well as greater neck pain.