Impact of Changes in Rectus Femoris Cross-Sectional Area Measured by Ultrasound on the Prognosis of Patients With Acute Heart Failure.

Background: Low muscle mass in patients with acute heart failure (AHF) is associated with poor prognosis; however, this is based on a single baseline measurement, with little information on changes in muscle mass during hospitalization and their clinical implications. This study investigated the relationship between changes in rectus femoris cross-sectional area (RFCSA) on ultrasound and the prognosis of patients with AHF.

Methods and results: This is a retrospective evaluation of 284 AHF patients (mean [±SD] age 79.

Association of Head-Neck Rotation With History of Pitching-Related Elbow Pain in Youth Baseball Players.

Background: Prevention of pitching-related elbow pain in youth baseball players is important. Overhead pitching involves a whole-body motion, including head-neck rotation. A limited range of motion of head-neck rotation may cause inefficient pitching motion; however, this association is unclear.

Impact of sarcopenia and malnutrition on swallowing function utilizing ultrasonography in patients with acute heart failure: A retrospective cohort study.

Background & Aims: This study aimed to determine the impact of sarcopenia and nutritional risk on swallowing-related muscles by ultrasonography and dysphagia occurrence in older patients with acute heart failure (AHF) during hospitalization.

Methods: Patients with AHF aged ≥65 years without dysphagia (Food Intake LEVEL Scale [FILS] score ≥9) before admission were classified into four groups at admission: robust group, sarcopenia group (Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019), nutritional risk group (geriatric nutritional risk index <92), and complicated group (with both sarcopenia and nutritional risk). Swallowing function (maximal hyoid displacement, geniohyoid muscle area and brightness, and maximal tongue pressure) and FILS were investigated from the medical records.

Effect of Electrical Muscle Stimulation on the Reduction of Muscle Volume Loss in Acute Heart Failure Patients.

Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) is expected to be considered as an add-on therapy for the usual rehabilitation of patients with chronic heart failure (HF). However, it remains unclear whether EMS can reduce muscle volume loss in patients with acute HF (AHF) immediately after hospitalization. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate if EMS could reduce the lower-limb muscle volume loss in patients with AHF.

Ultrasonographic prevalence of ulnar nerve displacement at the elbow in young baseball players.

Background: Overhead-throwing athletes are at risk of elbow injury because of valgus stress, leading to unstable ulnar nerves and neuropathy. Studies regarding ulnar nerve damage/displacement have been performed primarily in adults.

Objective: To determine the prevalence and related factors associated with ulnar nerve displacement at the elbow in young baseball players.

Reproducibility and validity of the Japanese version of the Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index.

Background: The Western Ontario Rotator Cuff Index (WORC) is a self-report, disease-specific, quality-of-life assessment tool. Good reliability and validity have been demonstrated with several language versions of the WORC. In this study, the WORC was translated into Japanese, and its reproducibility and validity for use in Japanese patients with rotator cuff disorder were determined.