Does training improve writer's cramp? An evaluation of a behavioral treatment approach using kinematic analysis.

Patients with writer's cramp (WC) show uncontrollable muscle co-contractions of agonists and antagonists and unusual postures of the upper limb during writing; their handwriting is inefficient and exhausting. Currently the treatment of choice is to inject botulinum toxin in selective hand muscles. However, this treatment has two drawbacks: it is short-lasting and may be associated with adverse side effects.

[Tuberculosis control in lower Franconia 1995 - 2001. Case-finding and treatment outcome].

Background: How useful is active case-finding for the controlling of tuberculosis (TB) in Lower Franconia? What treatment outcome is being achieved and which factors reduce this success?

Methods: All 867 TB cases reported to the public health departments in Lower Franconia between 1995 and 2001 were used as anonymous data for a prospective study.

Results: Average age, gender, country of origin and rates of bacterial resistance of the patients coincided to a large degree with the data of the DZK study. The percentage of resettlers from the former Soviet Union with TB was, however, almost double.