Ultrasound-based upper limb muscle thickness is useful for screening low muscularity during intensive care unit admission: A retrospective study.

Background & Aims: Malnutrition is associated with poor outcomes. Muscle mass is an important malnutrition indicator included in Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria. Although bioelectrical impedance analysis and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry are common muscle mass assessment methods, they are unreliable during intensive care unit (ICU) admission due to the influence of dynamic fluid changes.

Risk factors of the poor long-term prognosis of osteoporotic vertebral fractures: A multicenter cohort study.

Introduction: The presence of existing osteoporotic vertebral fracture (OVF) increases the mortality risk. However, the influence of the characteristics of OVF is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the influence of new OVF on patients' long-term prognosis using our past cohort study.

Relationship between number of radiological risk factors for delayed union after osteoporotic vertebral fracture and clinical outcomes.

Unlabelled: This study demonstrated that number of three specific radiological risk factors (MR T2WI confined high-intensity pattern and diffuse low-intensity pattern, thoracolumbar vertebrae involvement, middle column injury) added prognostic information for delayed union, kyphotic deformity, and prolonged pain.

Purpose: Delayed union after osteoporotic vertebral fracture (OVF) causes prolonged pain, QOL impairment, progression of collapse, kyphotic deformity, and neurologic impairment. Some specific radiological findings can be useful for predicting delayed union.

Impact of paravertebral muscle in thoracolumbar and lower lumbar regions on outcomes following osteoporotic vertebral fracture: a multicenter cohort study.

Unlabelled: We investigated the effect of paravertebral muscle (PVM) on poor prognosis in osteoporotic vertebral fracture (OVF) and remaining lower back pain (LBP) in the thoracolumbar and lower lumbar regions. Additional OVF occurrence in the thoracolumbar and remaining LBP in the lumbar region was significantly related to PVM fat infiltration percentage.

Purpose: Paravertebral muscle (PVM) is an important component of the spinal column.

Patient-reported outcomes for cervical disease in end-stage renal disease patients: Propensity matching analysis using volunteer data.

Unlabelled: As the number of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) has been increasing, the number of cervical spine surgeries for the patients with ESRD has also been increasing. The purpose is to identify the differences in cervical disease-specific patient-reported outcomes (PROs) between a healthy population and patients with ESRD, adjusting for subjects' age and physical activity.

Methods: The ESRD group included patients with ESRD who were treated with hemodialysis in our outpatient clinic and healthy volunteers were individuals who attended public health lectures.

Association between MRI findings and back pain after osteoporotic vertebral fractures: a multicenter prospective cohort study.

Background Context: Osteoprotic vertebral fractures (OVFs) are common in elderly people. The association between back pain due to OVF with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signal change is unclear. In this study we hypothesized that MRI findings would be a predictive factor for back pain measured by visual analogue scale (VAS) at 6 months follow-up.

The degeneration of adjacent intervertebral discs negatively influence union rate of osteoporotic vertebral fracture: A multicenter cohort study.

Background: With the increasing aging population in developed countries, there has been an associated increased prevalence of osteoporotic vertebral fracture (OVF). Many previous reports have attempted to predict the risk of delayed union associated with OVF. However, the role of endplate failure and the degeneration of adjacent intervertebral discs, and their association with delayed union has received little attention.

Difference of clinical course between cases with bone union and those with delayed union following osteoporotic vertebral fractures.

Unlabelled: In this prospective multicenter study of osteoporotic vertebral fractures (OVFs), delayed union of OVF at 6-month follow-up caused prolonged pain, QOL impairment, ADL impairment, cognitive status deterioration, and vertebral collapse progression.

Purpose: Delayed union following osteoporotic vertebral fracture displayed as an intravertebral cleft on plain X-rays was reported to be a factor for prolonged severe pain. However, the difference of clinical course between bone union and delayed union cases still remains unclear.

Characterizing the course of back pain after osteoporotic vertebral fracture: a hierarchical cluster analysis of a prospective cohort study.

Unlabelled: This study demonstrated four distinct patterns in the course of back pain after osteoporotic vertebral fracture (OVF). Greater angular instability in the first 6 months after the baseline was one factor affecting back pain after OVF.

Purpose: Understanding the natural course of symptomatic acute OVF is important in deciding the optimal treatment strategy.

Risk factors for cognitive decline following osteoporotic vertebral fractures: A multicenter cohort study.

Background: Osteoporotic vertebral fractures (OVFs) are the most common cause of intractable back pain and reduced activities of daily living (ADL), which may affect cognitive function. However, no previous studies have reported a change in cognitive function after OVFs. The purpose was to reveal cognitive function changes after OVFs and investigate the risk factors for cognitive decline.

New Predictive Index for Lumbar Paraspinal Muscle Degeneration Associated With Aging.

Study Design: A cross-sectional imaging study of paraspinal muscle degeneration using a new index for easy evaluation.

Objective: To examine the natural progression of age-related changes in the lumbar paraspinal muscles and to verify the validity of our new index for evaluating paraspinal muscle degenerationSUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA.: Measurement of paraspinal muscle morphology is an effective method for reflecting atrophy and fat infiltration, but it is complicated to perform.

Impact of initial conservative treatment interventions on the outcomes of patients with osteoporotic vertebral fractures.

Study Design: Prospective multicenter study.

Objective: To examine whether initial conservative treatment interventions for osteoporotic vertebral fractures (OVF) influence patient outcomes.

Summary Of Background Data: OVFs have been described as stable spinal injuries and, in most cases, are managed well with conservative treatment.

Prognostic factors for reduction of activities of daily living following osteoporotic vertebral fractures.

Study Design: Prospective cohort study.

Objective: To elucidate the prognostic factors indicating reduced activities of daily living (ADL) at the time of the 6-month follow-up after osteoporotic vertebral fracture (OVF).

Summary Of Background Data: OVF has severe effects on ADL and quality of life (QOL) in elderly patients and leads to long-term deteriorations in physical condition.

Local delivery of siRNA using a biodegradable polymer application to enhance BMP-induced bone formation.

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) is useful tool for specific and efficient knockdown of disease-related genes. However, in vivo applications of siRNA are limited due to difficulty in its efficient delivery to target cells. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of a biodegradable hydrogel, poly-d,l-lactic acid-p-dioxanone-polyethylene glycol block co-polymer (PLA-DX-PEG), as a siRNA carrier.

Characteristic radiographic or magnetic resonance images of fresh osteoporotic vertebral fractures predicting potential risk for nonunion: a prospective multicenter study.

Study Design: Prospective multicenter study.

Objective: To identify radiographic or magnetic resonance (MR) images of fresh vertebral fractures that can predict a high risk for delayed union or nonunion of osteoporotic vertebral fractures (OVFs).

Summary Of Background Data: Vertebral body fractures are the most common fractures in osteoporosis patients.

Low back pain in patients treated surgically for scoliosis: longer than sixteen-year follow-up.

Study Design: A retrospective study.

Objective: To evaluate long-term outcome regarding low back pain (LBP) in patients treated surgically for scoliosis.

Summary Of Background Data: Measures of long-term outcome after surgery for scoliosis have focused mainly on radiologic changes.

Quality of life in patients treated surgically for scoliosis: longer than sixteen-year follow-up.

Study Design: A retrospective study.

Objective: To evaluate the long-term quality of life (QOL) of patients treated surgically for scoliosis.

Summary Of Background Data: Measures of long-term outcome after surgery for scoliosis have focused mainly on radiologic changes.

Factors affecting neurological deficits and intractable back pain in patients with insufficient bone union following osteoporotic vertebral fracture.

The purpose of this study was to examine factors affecting the severity of neurological deficits and intractable back pain in patients with insufficient bone union following osteoporotic vertebral fracture (OVF). Reports of insufficient union following OVF have recently increased. Patients with this lesion have various degrees of neurological deficits and back pain.

RNA interference for noggin enhances the biological activity of bone morphogenetic proteins in vivo and in vitro.

Noggin is a major extracellular antagonist to bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) which binds to BMPs and blocks binding of them to BMP-specific receptors and negatively regulates BMP-induced osteoblastic differentiation. In this study, we investigated the effect of noggin silencing by transfection of small interfering RNA (siRNA) on BMP-induced osteoblastic differentiation in vitro and ectopic bone formation in vivo induced by recombinant human BMP-2 (rhBMP-2). Noggin mRNA expression was up-regulated in response to rhBMP-2 in C2C12 cells, a myoblastic cell line, in dose- and time-dependent fashion as determined by real-time RT-PCR assay.

Effects of fibronectin on osteoinductive capability of fresh iliac bone marrow aspirate in posterolateral spinal fusion in rabbits.

Study Design: A rabbit model of posterolateral intertransverse process spine arthrodesis was used.

Objective: To assess the osteogenic potential of hydroxyapatite (HA) sticks soaked with marrow and resultant strength in spinal fusion and effects of various biologic agents, in particular fibronectin (FN) on the strength.

Summary Of Background Data: Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) contained in marrow can differentiate into cells constituting bone, cartilage, muscles and fat.

Expression profiles of phosphodiesterase 4D splicing variants in osteoblastic cells.

The promotion of osteoblastic differentiation by bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) is accelerated by chemical compounds that increase the intracellular concentration of cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). cAMP is synthesized from adenosine triphosphate (ATP) by adenyl cyclase and degraded by phosphodiesterase (PDE) family enzymes. Inhibition of PDEs leads to prolonged accumulation of cAMP within cells and Camp-mediated reactions.