Sarcopenia is associated with worse recovery of physical function and dysphagia and a lower rate of home discharge in Japanese hospitalized adults undergoing convalescent rehabilitation.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of sarcopenia on functional outcomes, including activities of daily living (ADLs); dysphagia status; and the rate of home discharge, among hospitalized adults receiving convalescent rehabilitation.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted with 898 patients newly admitted to in-hospital convalescent rehabilitation wards at a single rehabilitation hospital in Japan. Baseline sarcopenia was diagnosed using muscle mass index and handgrip strength according to the criteria of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People, with the cutoff values of the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia.

Hospital dental hygienist intervention improves activities of daily living, home discharge and mortality in post-acute rehabilitation.

Aim: To examine the effects of oral management provided by dental hygienists (DH) on patient outcomes in post-acute rehabilitation.

Methods: We carried out a retrospective cohort study with 1056 patients newly admitted to a post-rehabilitation hospital in Japan. DH care was defined as two or more consecutive instances of oral management provided by a ward DH during hospitalization.

Effects of branched-chain amino acids and vitamin D supplementation on physical function, muscle mass and strength, and nutritional status in sarcopenic older adults undergoing hospital-based rehabilitation: A multicenter randomized controlled trial.

Aim: To investigate the effects of branched-chain amino acids and vitamin D supplementation on physical function, muscle strength, muscle mass, and nutritional status in sarcopenic older adults undergoing hospital-based rehabilitation.

Methods: We carried out an 8-week, multicenter, randomized, controlled, blinded outcome, two-cohort parallel group intervention trial of sarcopenic older adults undergoing in-hospital rehabilitation. The eligibility criteria included older adults (aged ≥65 years) with low muscle strength (handgrip strength) and low muscle mass (calf circumference) according to the cut-off values for older Asians.

Systemic Inflammation in the Recovery Stage of Stroke: Its Association with Sarcopenia and Poor Functional Rehabilitation Outcomes.

Objective: The aim of our study was to investigate how systemic inflammation relates to sarcopenia and its impact on functional outcomes in the recovery stages of stroke.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed in consecutive patients admitted to convalescent rehabilitation wards following stroke. Patients with acute or chronic high-grade inflammatory diseases were excluded.

The pattern of norepinephrine release in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus in response to repeated peripheral nerve injury differs in the acute and chronic stage in conscious rats.

We investigated the change in norepinephrine (NE) release in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) in response to ligature of the median and ulnar nerves using a brain microdialysis technique in conscious rats. Primary ligature was performed of the right median and ulnar nerves, and then repeated injury was performed on the left nerves 6 h or 3 weeks after the primary ligature. Primary ligature of the nerves produced a significant increase that peaked at a mean 330% above basal NE release in the first 20 min.

Shoulder-strengthening exercise with an orthosis for multidirectional shoulder instability: quantitative evaluation of rotational shoulder strength before and after the exercise program.

We evaluated the results of shoulder-strengthening exercises with our novel shoulder orthosis to stabilize the scapula in 46 patients with multidirectional shoulder instability. We quantified the changes in muscle strength produced by our rehabilitation program. Our study included 34 female patients and 12 male patients (mean age, 20 years) with 73 affected shoulders.

The effect of perfusion with UW solution on the skeletal muscle and vascular endothelial exocrine function in rat hindlimbs.

Background: The effect of University of Wisconsin (UW) solution perfusion for extremity preservation is still unknown although it is widely used. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of UW solution perfusion on skeletal muscle preservation in a rat model.

Materials And Methods: Rat hindlimbs were amputated and either preserved with UW solution perfusion (UW perfusion group) or given no perfusion (no-perfusion group) for 5 h at 25 degrees C.

Acute changes in the axonal cytoskeleton after mild stretching of the rat brachial plexus.

We have developed an animal model to investigate acute changes in the axonal cytoskeleton caused by a mild stretching of the peripheral nerve in the upper limbs of rats. Rat forelimbs were continuously stretched at 2 N for 1 h. Thereafter, a part of the brachial plexus and median nerve were harvested and processed for electron microscopic analysis.

Effect of nitric oxide on the contractile function of rat reperfused skeletal muscle.

Background: The involvement of nitric oxide (NO) in ischemia-reperfusion injury remains controversial and has been reported to be both beneficial and deleterious. The purpose of this study was to examine the contribution of NO and superoxide to skeletal muscle function using an ischemic revascularized hind limb model in rats.

Patients And Materials: Warm ischemia produced by vascular pedicle clamping was sustained for 3 h.