The reliability and diagnostic value of radiographic criteria in sagittal spine deformities: comparison of the vertebral wedge ratio to the segmental cobb angle.

Study Design: A prospective, radiographic cohort study.

Objectives: This study assessed the radiographic reliability and diagnostic value of the vertebral wedge ratio (WR) to the more segmental Cobb angle (CA) regarding sagittal spine deformities.

Summary Of Background Data: The use of the CA has been used to assist in the radiographic diagnosis of various sagittal spine deformities.

Artificial disc replacement: the new solution for discogenic low back pain?

As we develop an increased understanding of DDD (e.g., pain generators, natural history, associated facet disease), so too will our ability to provide patients with effective care increase.

Biomechanical comparison of ankle arthrodesis techniques: crossed screws vs. blade plate.

Many different techniques for ankle arthrodesis have been described. Experience at our institution with crossed screws internal fixation has not met the 90+% union rate reported in the literature. A compression blade plate is one technique for ankle arthrodesis which has not been evaluated biomechanically.

Long-term immunity to poliovirus in children immunized with live attenuated and enhanced-potency inactivated trivalent poliovirus vaccines.

Eighty-six children who completed immunization with the two trivalent poliovirus vaccines, live attenuated (OPV) and enhanced potency inactivated (EIPV), in one of four schedules (OPV-OPV-OPV, EIPV-EIPV-EIPV, EIPV-OPV-OPV, and EIPV-EIPV-OPV) at 1 year of age were monitored serologically over the subsequent 4 years and challenged with OPV at 5 years of age. Each of the immunization groups exhibited an initial 10- to 100-fold decline in neutralizing antibody to poliovirus types 1, 2, and 3 during the first 2 years of follow-up; thereafter antibody titers stabilized. The EIPV-EIPV-OPV group maintained the highest antibody levels throughout the observation period, including the response to OPV challenge at 5 years of age.

Otitis media in children. I. The systemic immune response to nontypable Hemophilus influenzae.

Twenty-one infants experienced 29 episodes of otitis media with effusion caused by nontypable Hemophilus influenzae (NTHI) during 2 y of observation. Bactericidal antibody was detected in acute serum of 26% of the subjects at a mean titer of 0.8 +/- 0.