Role of ultrasonography in assessing respiratory muscle loss: insights from a cross-sectional study on neurological patients with long-term bed rest with and without tracheostomy.

Objective: Prolonged immobilization is the main cause of muscle loss, particularly in patients with tracheostomy. The parasternal intercostal muscle (ICM) and diaphragm are commonly evaluated using ultrasonography; however, the importance of the fifth ICM has been overlooked. We compared the thickness and echogenicity of the second and fifth ICMs and diaphragm in patients with and without tracheostomy to determine the associations with onset duration and other factors and to characterize the respiratory muscle loss.

Vitamin E slows down the progression of osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis is a chronic degenerative joint disorder with the characteristics of articular cartilage destruction, subchondral bone alterations and synovitis. Clinical signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis include pain, stiffness, restricted motion and crepitus. It is the major cause of joint dysfunction in developed nations and has enormous social and economic consequences.