The Brazilian Cardioprotective Nutritional Program to reduce events and risk factors in secondary prevention for cardiovascular disease: study protocol (The BALANCE Program Trial).

This article reports the rationale for the Brazilian Cardioprotective Nutritional Program (BALANCE Program) Trial. This pragmatic, multicenter, nationwide, randomized, concealed, controlled trial was designed to investigate the effects of the BALANCE Program in reducing cardiovascular events. The BALANCE Program consists of a prescribed diet guided by nutritional content recommendations from Brazilian national guidelines using a unique nutritional education strategy, which includes suggestions of affordable foods.

Flexor tendon injuries in children: Rehabilitative options and confounding factors.

Research pertaining to the rehabilitation of children with flexor tendon injuries is less prevalent than that in the adult population, and most authors agree that immobilization protocols comprise a safe and efficacious choice. This article presents suggested protocols and correlated literature regarding the outcomes of immobilization, early passive motion, and early active motion in the pediatric population. Confounding factors which influence rehabilitative choices, both personal and environmental, are also presented.

Rehabilitation of the upper extremity following nerve and tendon reconstruction: when and how.

Following upper extremity nerve and tendon reconstruction, rehabilitation is necessary to achieve optimal function and outcome. In this review, the authors present current evidence and literature regarding the strategies and techniques of rehabilitation following peripheral nerve and tendon reconstruction.

The impact of demographic factors and comorbidities on distal radius fracture outcomes.

Background: Despite the prevalence and consequences of distal radius fracture (DRF), there is limited research that analyzes the effects of demographic factors and comorbidities as they relate to pain, perceived disability, and functional outcomes.

Methods: All data for this study were examined retrospectively within an established clinical database. Patients with DRF were evaluated during their first and final visits with a criterion-based numeric pain scale (CR12), the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) questionnaire, and a global rate of change scale to assess outcomes of pain, perceived disability, and function, respectively.