The Impact of Exercise Training and Supplemental Oxygen on Peripheral Muscles in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: Exercise training is a cornerstone of the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, whereas the related interindividual heterogeneity in skeletal muscle dysfunction and adaptations are not yet fully understood. We set out to investigate the effects of exercise training and supplemental oxygen on functional and structural peripheral muscle adaptation.

Methods: In this prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blind study, 28 patients with nonhypoxemic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (forced expiratory volume in 1 second, 45.

Early anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction does not affect 5 year change in knee cartilage thickness: secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial.

Objective: To compare 5-year change in femorotibial cartilage thickness in 121 young, active adults with an acute anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear randomized to a strategy of structured rehabilitation plus early ACL reconstruction (ACLR) or structured rehabilitation plus optional delayed ACLR.

Design: 62 patients were randomized to early ACLR, 59 to optional delayed ACLR. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was acquired within 4 weeks of injury, at two- and 5-years follow-up.

Fate of the lateral femoral notch following early anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

Background: The goal of this longitudinal study was to investigate the fate of the lateral femoral notch (LFN), which is frequently seen as an impaction fracture of the lateral femoral condyle in patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears.

Methods: Patients who underwent early ACL reconstruction between 2006 and 2010 were reviewed. If post-injury magnetic resonance images showed an LFN greater than 1.

Cartilage Morphological and Histological Findings After Reconstruction of the Glenoid With an Iliac Crest Bone Graft.

Background: The J-bone graft is presumably representative of iliac crest bone grafts in general and allows anatomic glenoid reconstruction in cases of bone defects due to recurrent traumatic anterior shoulder dislocations. As a side effect, these grafts have been observed to be covered by some soft, cartilage-like tissue when arthroscopy has been indicated after such procedures.

Purpose: To evaluate the soft tissue covering of J-bone grafts by use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histological analysis.

Differences in subchondral bone size after one year in osteoarthritic and healthy knees.

Objective: Increase of subchondral bone area (tAB) in OA has been reported, but it remains unclear if this is specific to OA. We investigated differences in knee tAB after one year in healthy subjects and in those with radiographic OA (rOA).

Method: MR images of 899 right knees from the OA Initiative were acquired at baseline and one year follow-up (year-1).

Segmentation of the lateral femoral notch sign with MRI using a new measurement technique.

Background: The goal of this present study was to precisely determine the dimension and location of the impaction fracture on the lateral femoral condyle in patients with an ACL rupture.

Methods: All patients with post-injury bi-plane radiographs and MRI images after sustaining a tear to the anterior cruciate ligament were included. Lateral radiographs of the affected knee were inspected for a lateral femoral notch sign.

Longitudinal analysis of MR spin-spin relaxation times (T2) in medial femorotibial cartilage of adolescent vs mature athletes: dependence of deep and superficial zone properties on sex and age.

Objective: Cartilage spin-spin magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) relaxation time (T2) represents a promising imaging biomarker of "early" osteoarthritis (OA) known to be associated with cartilage composition (collagen integrity, orientation, and hydration). However, no longitudinal imaging studies have been conducted to examine cartilage maturation in healthy subjects thus far. Therefore, we explore T2 change in the deep and superficial cartilage layers at the end of adolescence.

Five-year followup of knee joint cartilage thickness changes after acute rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament.

Objective: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture involves an increased risk of osteoarthritis. The purpose of this study was to explore changes in cartilage thickness over 5 years after ACL rupture.

Methods: A total of 121 young active adults (ages 18-35 years; 26% women) from the Knee ACL, Nonsurgical versus Surgical Treatment (KANON) study, who had acute traumatic rupture of the ACL were studied.

Relative distribution of quadriceps head anatomical cross-sectional areas and volumes--sensitivity to pain and to training intervention.

Introduction: Quadriceps heads are important in biomechanical stabilization and in the pathogenesis osteoarthritis of the knee. This is the first study to explore the relative distribution of quadriceps head anatomical cross-sectional areas (ACSA) and volumes, and their response to pain and to training intervention.

Methods: The relative proportions of quadriceps heads were determined in 48 Osteoarthritis Initiative participants with unilateral pain (65% women; age 45-78 years).

Longitudinal change in femorotibial cartilage thickness and subchondral bone plate area in male and female adolescent vs. mature athletes.

Little is known about changes in human cartilage thickness and subchondral bone plate area (tAB) during growth. The objective of this study was to explore longitudinal change in femorotibial cartilage thickness and tAB in adolescent athletes, and to compare these data with those of mature former athletes. Twenty young (baseline age 16.

Lateral and medial joint space narrowing predict subsequent cartilage loss in the narrowed, but not in the non-narrowed femorotibial compartment--data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.

Objective: To determine the predictive value of unicompartimental joint space narrowing (JSN) for MRI-based cartilage thickness loss in the narrowed and the non-narrowed femorotibial compartment.

Methods: 922 knees from 922 Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) participants (62.2 ± 9.

Meniscus body position, size, and shape in persons with and persons without radiographic knee osteoarthritis: quantitative analyses of knee magnetic resonance images from the osteoarthritis initiative.

Objective: To quantitatively evaluate the position, size, and shape of the menisci in subjects with radiographic knee osteoarthritis (OA) compared to subjects without OA, using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods: We studied the right knees of 39 Osteoarthritis Initiative participants (24 women and 15 men with a mean age of 59.6 ± 8.

Bilateral loss of neural function after interscalene plexus blockade may be caused by epidural spread of local anesthetics: a cadaveric study.

Background And Objectives: Interscalene brachial plexus blockade is widely used in surgical procedures of the upper limb. Recently, we experienced the complication of a contralateral blockade after ultrasound-guided interscalene block. The clinical appearance was a blockade of both the ipsilateral and the contralateral cervical segments 6 to 8.

How do short-term rates of femorotibial cartilage change compare to long-term changes? Four year follow-up data from the osteoarthritis initiative.

Objective: To compare unbiased estimates of short- vs long-term cartilage loss in osteoarthritic knees.

Method: 441 knees [216 Kellgren Lawrence (KL) grade 2, 225 KL grade 3] from participants of the Osteoarthritis Initiative were studied over a 4-year period. Femorotibial cartilage thickness was determined using 3 T double echo steady state magnetic resonance imaging, the readers being blinded to time points.

Quantitative MRI measures of cartilage predict knee replacement: a case-control study from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.

Objective: Knee osteoarthritis commonly requires joint replacement, substantially reduces quality of life and increases healthcare utilisation and costs. This study aimed to identify whether quantitative measures of articular cartilage structure predict knee replacement, and to establish their utility as outcomes in clinical trials of disease-modifying therapy.

Methods: A nested case-control study was performed in Osteoarthritis Initiative participants, a multicentre observational cohort of 4796 participants with or at risk of knee osteoarthritis.

Nocturnal changes in knee cartilage thickness in young healthy adults.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) allows one to analyze cartilage physiology in vivo. Cartilage deforms during loading, but little is known about its recovery after deformation. Here we study 'nocturnal' changes in knee cartilage thickness and whether postexercise deformation differs between morning and evening.

Side differences of thigh muscle cross-sectional areas and maximal isometric muscle force in bilateral knees with the same radiographic disease stage, but unilateral frequent pain - data from the osteoarthritis initiative.

Objective: To determine whether anatomical thigh muscle cross-sectional areas (MCSAs) and strength differ between osteoarthritis (OA) knees with frequent pain compared with contra-lateral knees without pain, and to examine the correlation between MCSAs and strength in painful vs painless knees.

Methods: Forty-eight subjects (31 women; 17 men; age 45-78 years) were drawn from 4,796 Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) participants, in whom both knees displayed the same radiographic stage (KLG2 or 3), one with frequent pain (most days of the month within the past 12 months) and the contra-lateral one without pain. Axial MR images were used to determine MCSAs of extensors, flexors and adductors at 35% femoral length (distal to proximal) and in two adjacent 5 mm images.

Comparison between different implementations of the 3D FLASH sequence for knee cartilage quantification.

Objective: To compare several sequence implementations of the 3D FLASH sequence in the context of quantitative cartilage imaging.

Materials And Methods: Test-retest coronal fast low angle shot (FLASH) sequences with water excitation were acquired in knees of 12 healthy participants, using two 1.5 T scanners from the same manufacturer.

Interobserver reproducibility of quantitative meniscus analysis using coronal multiplanar DESS and IWTSE MR imaging.

The objective of this study was to determine the interobserver reproducibility of quantitative measures of meniscus size and position, and to compare the interobserver reproducibility and agreement between a double echo steady state water excitation and an intermediately-weighted turbo spin-echo sequence. Eight knees (four healthy, four with radiographic knee osteoarthritis) from the Osteoarthritis Initiative cohort were studied. Manual segmentation of the menisci was performed by three observers and quantitative measures of meniscus size and position (i.

Revision 1 size and position of the healthy meniscus, and its correlation with sex, height, weight, and bone area- a cross-sectional study.

Background: Meniscus extrusion or hypertrophy may occur in knee osteoarthritis (OA). However, currently no data are available on the position and size of the meniscus in asymptomatic men and women with normal meniscus integrity.

Methods: Three-dimensional coronal DESSwe MRIs were used to segment and quantitatively measure the size and position of the medial and lateral menisci, and their correlation with sex, height, weight, and tibial plateau area.

Relationship of 3D meniscal morphology and position with knee pain in subjects with knee osteoarthritis: a pilot study.

Objectives: To explore whether quantitative, three-dimensional measurements of meniscal position and size are associated with knee pain using a within-person, between-knee study design.

Methods: We studied 53 subjects (19 men, 34 women) from the Osteoarthritis Initiative, with identical radiographic OA grades in both knees, but frequent pain in one and no pain in the other knee. The tibial plateau and menisci were analyzed using coronally reconstructed double echo steady-state sequence with water excitation (DESSwe) MRI.

Morphometric differences between the medial and lateral meniscus in healthy men - a three-dimensional analysis using magnetic resonance imaging.

The objective of this work was to characterize tibial plateau coverage and morphometric differences of the medial (MM) and lateral meniscus (LM) in a male reference cohort using three-dimensional imaging. Coronal multiplanar reconstructions of a sagittal double-echo steady state with water excitation magnetic resonance sequence (slice thickness: 1.5 mm, and in-plane resolution: 0.

MRI-based extended ordered values more efficiently differentiate cartilage loss in knees with and without joint space narrowing than region-specific approaches using MRI or radiography--data from the OA initiative.

Objective: The sensitivity to change of quantitative analysis of cartilage in knee osteoarthritis using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is compromised by the spatial heterogeneity of cartilage loss. We explore whether extended (medial-lateral) "ordered values" (OVs) are superior to conventional approaches of analyzing subregional cartilage thickness loss and to radiography, in differentiating rates of progression in knees with and without joint space narrowing (JSN).

Methods: 607 Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) participants (308 without and 299 with baseline JSN at baseline) were studied over 12 months.

Micro-morphometrical assessment of the effect of Harpagophytum procumbens extract on articular cartilage in rabbits with experimental osteoarthritis using magnetic resonance imaging.

In vitro effects indicate a putative beneficial effect of Harpagophytum procumbens on cartilage turnover, however, in vivo protective effects on cartilage have yet to be demonstrated. A 7.1T MRI scanner was used to derive measurements of thickness, surface area and volume of the tibial condylar cartilage and to assess their precision (in the case of volume also accuracy) against the volumes of dissected cartilage measured by water displacement.

Comparison of 1-year vs 2-year change in regional cartilage thickness in osteoarthritis results from 346 participants from the Osteoarthritis Initiative.

Objective: To compare femorotibial cartilage thickness changes over a 2- vs a 1-year observation period in knees with radiographic knee osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods: One knee of 346 Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) participants was studied at three time points [baseline (BL), year-1 (Y1), year-2 (Y2) follow-up]: 239 using coronal fast low angle shot (FLASH) and 107 using sagittal double echo at steady state (DESS) MR imaging. Changes in cartilage thickness were assessed in femorotibial cartilage plates and subregions, after manual segmentation with blinding to time-point.