The self-assessment INTERMED predicts healthcare and social costs of orthopaedic trauma patients with persistent impairments.

Objective: To use the self-assessment INTERMED questionnaire to determine the relationship between biopsychosocial complexity and healthcare and social costs of patients after orthopaedic trauma.

Design: Secondary prospective analysis based on the validation study cohort of the self-assessment INTERMED questionnaire.

Setting: Inpatients orthopaedic rehabilitation with vocational aspects.

Task-Contingent Persistence is Related to Better Performance-Based Measures in Patients with Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain.

Purpose: Pacing, avoidance, and overdoing are considered the three main behavioral strategies, also labeled activity patterns. Their relationship with functioning of patients with chronic pain is debated. The purpose of this study was to measure the influence of activity patterns on lifting tasks commonly used in daily life.

Predictive Value of the Fear-Avoidance Model on Functional Capacity Evaluation.

Purpose Measuring the predictive value of the Fear-Avoidance Model (FAM) on lifting tasks in Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE), and on reasons for stopping the evaluation (safe maximal effort, versus self-limited). Methods A monocentric prospective study was conducted on 298 consecutive inpatients. Components of the FAM were analyzed using the Cumulative Psychosocial Factor Index (CPFI: kinesiophobia, catastrophizing, depressive mood) and perceived disability (Hand/Spinal Function Sort: HFS/SFS).

The predictive value of subsets of the Örebro Musculoskeletal Pain Screening Questionnaire for return to work in chronic low back pain.

Background: Studies have shown that positive recovery expectations are associated with positive health outcomes in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) such as return to work (RTW) and the time to RTW.

Aim: To compare the predictive value for RTW in CLBP using different subsets of the Örebro Musculoskeletal Pain Screening Questionnaire (ÖMPSQ).

Design: Longitudinal cohort study.

Validity and responsiveness of the French version of the Örebro Musculoskeletal Pain Screening Questionnaire in chronic low back pain.

Purpose: The assessment of a broad range of biopsychosocial aspects is important in the rehabilitation of patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) for the prediction of outcome as well as for evaluation. The objective of this study was to test the responsiveness, construct validity and predictive value of the Örebro Musculoskeletal Pain Screening Questionnaire (OMPSQ) compared to other instruments widely used to assess biopsychosocial aspects in patients with CLBP.

Methods: 111 patients with CLBP admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation completed a set of questionnaires on biopsychosocial aspects at baseline and at discharge.

[Multidisciplinary consultation "Suffering at work": an experience in western Switzerland].

Mental health problems at work constitute a challenge in the clinical feld, as well in the professional, the economic and the public health perspective. The total costs they generate in Switzerland are equivalent to 3.2% of the Swiss gross domestic product and they very often lead to dismissal.

Cross-cultural adaptation, reliability, internal consistency and validation of the Hand Function Sort (HFS©) for French speaking patients with upper limb complaints.

Introduction: Functional evaluation of upper limb is not only based on clinical findings but requires self-administered questionnaires to address patients' perspective. The Hand Function Sort (HFS©) was only validated in English. The aim of this study was the French cross cultural adaptation and validation of the HFS© (HFS-F).

Test-retest reliability of the Örebro Musculoskeletal Pain Screening Questionnaire and the Situational Pain Scale in patients with chronic low back pain.

Objective: To determine the test-retest reliability of the Örebro Musculoskeletal Pain Screening Questionnaire (OMPSQ) and of the Situational Pain Scale (SPS) in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP).

Methods: CLBP patients (n = 30) who were capable of reading French completed the OMPSQ and the SPS twice with a 1-week interval in one rehabilitation centre in French-speaking Switzerland. To study the test-retest reliability, we calculated intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for the reliability of the overall scores of the two questionnaires.

Manual therapy followed by specific active exercises versus a placebo followed by specific active exercises on the improvement of functional disability in patients with chronic non specific low back pain: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Recent clinical recommendations still propose active exercises (AE) for CNSLBP. However, acceptance of exercises by patients may be limited by pain-related manifestations. Current evidences suggest that manual therapy (MT) induces an immediate analgesic effect through neurophysiologic mechanisms at peripheral, spinal and cortical levels.

Rehabilitation outcomes for orthopaedic trauma individuals as measured by the INTERMED.

Purpose: Bio-psychosocial characteristics of patients after orthopaedic traumas may be a strong predictor of poor outcome. The objective of this prospective study was to assess whether the INTERMED, a measure of bio-psychosocial complexity, identifies complex inpatients during rehabilitation including vocational aspects with a poor outcome 1 year after discharge.

Method: At entry, the INTERMED scores of 118 inpatients were used to assign patients to the high or low complexity group.

Identification of relevant ICF categories in vocational rehabilitation: a cross sectional study evaluating the clinical perspective.

Introduction: Vocational rehabilitation (VR) emphasizes a need for medical support, rehabilitation and biopsychosocial approach to enable individuals to successfully participate in the workforce. Optimal rehabilitation management relies on an in-depth knowledge of the typical spectrum of problems encountered of patients in VR. The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) is based on a universal conceptual model and provides a holistic view of functioning of the lived experience of people such as those undergoing VR.

Biopsychosocial complexity is correlated with psychiatric comorbidity but not with perceived pain in complex regional pain syndrome type 1 (algodystrophy) of the knee.

Aim: The aim of this study was to compare the characteristics of patients suffering from complex regional pain syndrome type 1 ([CRPS], also known as reflex sympathetic dystrophy or algodystrophy) of the knee with those of a matched group of patients experiencing post-traumatic knee pain. The comparisons looked at biopsychosocial complexity (simple versus complex), psychiatric comorbidity and pain intensity.

Methods: Cross-sectional, single-centre, case-control study using the INTERMED scale, psychiatric diagnostic tools (ICD-10) and visual analogue pain scale.

[Chronic arthroses in children: practical approach and epidemiological data].

Osteo-articular symptoms are frequent in pediatrics, but chronic arthritis is rare in childhood. Arthritis may be difficult to recognize in children and there is a large differential diagnosis including infectious and neoplastic diseases. Even if juvenile arthritis has often a favourable course, significant functional damage may occur.

[Evaluation of functional capacity].

A functional capacity evaluation (FCE) is a detailed examination and evaluation that objectively measures the individual's current level of safe functional abilities, primarily within the context of the demands of competitive employment. It measures the ability to perform functional or work-related tasks and predicts the potential to sustain these tasks over a defined time-frame. Measurements of function from an FCE are compared to the physical demands of a job or other functional activities, and are used to make return-to-work/activity decisions, disability determinations, or to generate a rehabilitation plan.

[Common lumbago and returning to work: various thoughts about a complex problem].

Non specific low back pain (NSLBP) is commonly a persistent or recurrent problem. In general the longer a worker is off work with NSLBP, the more disabling the condition becomes, the less successful any form of treatment, and the greater the probability of long term sickness absence. The obstacles to return to work are diverse.

Molecular analysis of HLA-DR polymorphism in polymyalgia rheumatica. Swiss Group for Research on HLA in Polymyalgia Rheumatica.

Objective: To analyze by molecular typing possible associations of HLA-DRB1 alleles with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) compared to controls and patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Switzerland.

Methods: In a multicenter survey, we recruited 100 patients with PMR with and without signs of giant cell arteritis (GCA), 198 with RA, and 200 controls (volunteer bone marrow donors). HLA-DR generic typing was performed by microtiter plate oligotyping and DR4 subtypes analyzed by dot blot hybridization with sequence specific oligonucleotides or by polymerase chain reaction sequence specific primers.

Propionibacterium avidum sacroiliitis and osteomyelitis.

The anaerobic Gram-positive bacterium Propionibacterium avidum is a common inhabitant of the skin with low pathogenicity. We report a case of P. avidum sacroilitis, psoas abscess and osteomyelitis in a 67-year-old male who had recently undergone surgical repair of an inguinal hernia.

Enthesopathy and tendinopathy in gout: computed tomographic assessment.

Objective: To establish if computed tomography (CT) imaging, which has proved helpful in detecting intra-articular tophi in gout, can also be used to document gouty enthesopathy and tendinopathy.

Methods: Three patients with tophaceous gout and clinical involvement of the Achilles tendon (two cases) or patellar tendon (one case) were assessed with CT examination and plain radiographs.

Results: In the first two cases, CT images revealed linear or nodular high attenuation opacities within the substance of the Achilles tendons and their calcaneal insertion.

[Anti-synthetase syndrome: a special subgroup of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies. Apropos of 3 case reports].

Anti-synthetase antibodies are found in 20 to 25% of all idiopathic inflammatory myopathies and allow identification of a syndrome associating myositis with interstitial pulmonary disease (50 to 70%), polyarthritis, Raynaud's phenomenon and mechanic's hands. Anti-Jo-1 is the most common anti-synthetase antibody. If anti-Jo-1 is present, interstitial lung disease must be looked for, because this is the most important determinant of the outcome.

Parvovirus B19 associated monoarthritis in a 5-year-old boy.

We describe the case of a 5-year-old boy who presented with parvovirus B19 associated arthritis of the left knee lasting for 6 weeks. Other features included flu-like symptoms, a mild "slapped cheek" sign, and a macular, erythematous, lace-like rash over the chest and limbs. The analysis of the synovial fluid showed a high white cell count with a predominance of polymorphonuclear cells.

Association between antiphospholipid antibodies and epilepsy in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: To determine whether the occurrence of seizures is correlated with the presence of serum antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients.

Methods: The study included 221 unselected patients with SLE. Of these, 21 patients with epileptic seizures not attributed to any cause other than SLE were identified.

Thrombosis and antiphospholipid syndrome: a preliminary assessment of three antithrombotic treatments.

To assess retrospectively three antithrombotic treatments in the secondary prevention of thrombosis in the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), 23 patients (six systemic lupus erythematosus, seven lupus-like disease and 10 primary antiphospholipid syndrome) were included in this study. Treatments assessed were: (1) aspirin 75 mg daily, (2) warfarin (international normalised ratios (INRs) 2.0-2.