Test-retest reliability and follow-up of muscle magnetic resonance elastography in adults with and without muscle diseases.

Background: We investigated the potential of magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) stiffness measurements in skeletal muscles as an outcome measure, by determining its test-retest reliability, as well as its sensitivity to change in a longitudinal follow-up study.

Methods: We assessed test-retest reliability of muscle MRE in 20 subjects with (n = 5) and without (n = 15) muscle diseases and compared this to Dixon proton density fat fraction (PDFF) and volume measurements. Next, we measured MRE muscle stiffness in 21 adults with Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) and 21 age-matched healthy controls at baseline, and after 9 and 18 months.

Prospective Natural History Study in 24 Adult Patients With LGMDR12 Over 2 Years of Follow-up: Quantitative MRI and Clinical Outcome Measures.

Background And Objectives: Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy autosomal recessive type 12 (LGMDR12) is a rare hereditary muscular dystrophy for which outcome measures are currently lacking. We evaluated quantitative MRI and clinical outcome measures to track disease progression to determine which tests could be useful in future clinical trials to evaluate potential therapies.

Methods: We prospectively measured the following outcome measures in all participants at baseline and after 1 and 2 years: 6-minute walk distance (6MWD), 10-meter walk test (10MWT), the Medical Research Council (MRC) sum scores, Biodex isometric dynamometry, serum creatine kinase, and 6-point Dixon MRI of the thighs.

Effect of protein composition of enteral formula on gastric content volume during continuous feeding: A randomized controlled cross-over study in healthy adults.

Background & Aims: Enteral nutrition with polymeric intact protein formula is the preferred medical nutrition strategy in critically ill patients when oral intake is insufficient. Enteral nutrition formulas are often rich in casein protein, which has coagulating properties. Coagulation in the stomach impedes gastric emptying and might result in high gastric residual volumes which are a clinical sign of gastrointestinal intolerance and a major reason to decrease or to discontinue enteral feeding.

Gastric accumulation of enteral nutrition reduces pressure changes induced by phasic contractility in an isovolumetric intragastric balloon.

Background: An isovolumetric intragastric balloon to continuously measure gastric phasic contractility was recently developed by us. We aimed to investigate the readout of this technique in relation to gastric content and gastric emptying.

Methods: In this crossover investigation, the VIPUN Gastric Monitoring System, which comprises a double lumen nasogastric feeding tube with integrated intragastric balloon, was used to assess phasic gastric contractility by interpretation of the pressure in an isovolumetric balloon in 10 healthy subjects.