Clinical efficacy of electroacupuncture-like magnetic therapy compared to conventional transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation in individuals with carpal tunnel syndrome.

This study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of an electroacupuncture-like magnetic therapy (ELMT) and conventional transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). A prospective randomized controlled trial in single-centre was conducted. Thirty-four CTS patients confirmed by electrodiagnostic study were randomized into TENS or ELMT group and completed a six-week treatment program.

Effects of compression garment on muscular efficacy, proprioception, and recovery after exercise-induced muscle fatigue onset for people who exercise regularly.

Fatigue is a major cause of exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD). Compression garments (CGs) can aid post-exercise recovery, therefore, this study explored the effects of CGs on muscular efficacy, proprioception, and recovery after exercise-induced muscle fatigue in people who exercise regularly. Twelve healthy participants who exercised regularly were enrolled in this study.

Efficacy of Acupoints Dual-Frequency Low-Level Laser Therapy on Knee Osteoarthritis.

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) presented with knee pain and limitation of mobility is common, and it may become a chronic problem resulting in major loss of function, with related impaired activity of daily living. Current traditional therapy for knee OA includes pharmacological treatment and physiotherapy, but the efficacies are limited. An alternative noninvasive treatment low-level laser therapy (LLLT) applied to acupoints is still contradictory and the efficacy needs to be assessed.

Risk of idiopathic peripheral neuropathy in end-stage renal disease: A population-based cohort study.

Background: Whether patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) have a higher risk of idiopathic polyneuropathy (IPN) than those without ESRD remains unclear. We hypothesised that carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a prodrome of IPN in patients with ESRD.

Methods: Data were collected from the Taiwan National Health Insurance research database (NHIRD) for the 2000-2011 period.

Effects of Casein Kinase 2 Alpha 1 Gene Expression on Mice Liver Susceptible to Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Obesity.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic disease found worldwide. Notably, BKS.Cg- Dock7 Lepr/JNarl mice are useful animal models for studying type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Microvascular Parameters Help to Predict Stroke Risk in the Asian Diabetic Population in Taiwan: A Population Based Case-Control Study.

Intensive glycemic control has not shown consistent findings in stroke prevention for diabetes patients, particularly for those with microvascular complications. This case-control study evaluates the risks of stroke in Asian diabetic population with microvascular complications. From the insurance claims of Taiwan, we identified 67,426 type 2 diabetic mellitus (DM) patients with newly diagnosed stroke in 2000-2011 and 134,852 randomly selected controls with DM but without stroke, matched by sex, age, and number of years since diagnosis of DM.

Impact of putamen stroke on task context updating: Evidence from P300 brain waves.

According to the context updating theory, the oddball P300 component indexes brain activities underlying revision of the mental representation induced by incoming stimuli. It involves an attention-driven comparison process that evaluates the representation of the previous event in working memory. Delayed latencies have been reported for various types of stroke such as unilateral thalamic stroke.

Polymorphism and protein expression of MUTYH gene for risk of rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: We have previously described the association between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) prevalence and the two mutY Homolog (E. coli) (MUTYH) SNPs (rs3219463 and rs3219476) among the Taiwanese population. This present study will aim to elucidate whether the SNPs can alter the expression of EGFR in the progression of RA.

Clinical effectiveness of acupuncture for carpal tunnel syndrome.

Acupuncture and electroacupuncture treatments of symptomatic carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) may improve symptoms and aid nerve repair as well as improve sensory and motor functions. However, limited evidence is available regarding the effects of these treatments based on comprehensive evaluation methods. This research completed the treatment and evaluation of 26 patients with confirmed CTS.

Validating efficacy of shea nut oil extract in knee osteoarthritis patients.

Objectives. To examine and investigate the efficacy of shea nut oil extract (SheaFlex75) in relation to knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods.

Diabetes mellitus and accompanying hyperlipidemia are independent risk factors for adhesive capsulitis: a nationwide population-based cohort study (version 2).

Previous case-control studies of Caucasian ethnicity have reported the association of adhesive capsulitis (AC) with diabetes mellitus (DM). To further investigate the risk of AC in subjects with DM in an Asian population, we performed the present cohort study featured the analyses of a randomly selected sub-dataset of one million individuals insured by the Taiwan National Health Insurance for the period spanning 1996-2008. The study and comparison cohorts consisted of 5,109 newly diagnosed diabetic patients and 20,473 randomly selected non-diabetic subjects aged ≥ 20 years in the year 2000.

Effect of rehabilitation on a patient suffering from a tuberculous brain abscess with Gerstmann's syndrome: case report.

There are few reports in the literature of tuberculous brain abscess. Tuberculous brain abscess usually occurs in an immunocompromised host. Almost all previously documented cases have involved acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

Modest increase in risk of specific types of cancer types in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.

Most studies associated diabetes mellitus (DM) with risk of cancer have focused on the Caucasian population and only a few types of cancer. Therefore, a large and comprehensive nationwide retrospective cohort study involving an Asian population was conducted to evaluate the risk of several major types of cancer among Type 2 DM patients. The study analyzed the nationwide population-based database from 1996 to 2009 released by the National Health Research Institute in Taiwan.

Genetic polymorphisms of the DNA repair gene UNG are associated with the susceptibility of rheumatoid arthritis.

The involvement of uracil-DNA glycosylase (UNG) in the pathogenesis of cancer is well documented. In contrast, the role of this protein in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) development is not well defined, although previous studies suggest a possible link between autoimmune diseases and malignancy. Therefore, we aimed to examine whether there is a link between UNG genetic polymorphisms and RA.

Association of rheumatoid arthritis risk with EGFR genetic polymorphisms in Taiwan's Han Chinese population.

The involvement of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in the pathogenesis of cancer is well documented. In contrast, its role in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) development is not that well defined although previous studies suggested the possible link between autoimmune diseases and malignancy. Therefore, we aimed to examine whether there is a link between the EGFR genetic polymorphisms and the RA.

Reliability and validity of the Taiwan (Mandarin Chinese) version of the chronic respiratory questionnaire.

Purpose: The chronic respiratory disease questionnaire (CRQ) has been validated and proved useful in assessing therapies for pulmonary diseases. We translated the CRQ into a Taiwan (Mandarin Chinese) version and surveyed its validity and reliability.

Methods: The CRQ includes 20 items divided into four domains: dyspnea, fatigue, emotional function, and mastery.

Clinical characteristics and electrodiagnostic features in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome, double crush syndrome, and cervical radiculopathy.

Similar unilateral neck and upper limb symptoms are often due to various entrapment neuropathies; carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) and cervical radiculopathy (CR) are common causes among them. Therefore, we investigated the clinical characteristics and electrodiagnostic features of patients with carpal tunnel syndrome, cervical radiculopathy, and both conditions, called double crush syndrome (DCS). The medical records and electrodiagnostic reports of 866 patients with suspected CTS and CR visited a tertiary-care hospital were retrospectively analyzed.

Incomplete bladder emptying in patients with stroke: is detrusor external sphincter dyssynergia a potential cause?

Objectives: To delineate the frequency, clinical risk factors, and urodynamic mechanisms of incomplete bladder emptying (IBE) among patients with recent stroke.

Design: Retrospective study.

Setting: Inpatient setting in the rehabilitation ward of a university hospital.

Model-based prediction of length of stay for rehabilitating stroke patients.

Background/purpose: Accurate length-of-stay (LOS) estimates have an impact on medical costs for stroke patients. Most studies have reported only descriptive sample means or have provided linear-model-based estimates for LOS. This study calculated point and interval estimates by treating hospital discharge as an event, and utilizing the proportional hazards (PH) model to provide the estimation of hospital stay for first-ever stroke patients in a rehabilitation department of a clinical center.

Isokinetic characteristics of shoulder rotators in patients with adhesive capsulitis.

Objective: To demonstrate the muscle strength characteristics of shoulder internal and external rotators and the effects of isokinetic exercise on muscle activity in patients with adhesive capsulitis.

Design: Cohort study with control subjects.

Participants: Eight patients with adhesive capsulitis and 8 controls.

Association of CD4 enhancer gene polymorphisms with rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus in Taiwan.

Unlabelled: It has been found that changes in CD4 expression and CD4+ T cell activity may influence tolerance or tissue destruction in autoimmune diseases and contribute to their risk. We examined whether an association of CD4 enhancer gene polymorphisms with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) exists.

Methods: For study of the CD4 -11743A/C polymorphism, 192 patients with RA, 141 patients with SLE, and 96 normal controls participated.

Effects of wrist position and contraction on wrist flexors H-reflex, and its functional implications.

In order to determine whether joint position exerts a powerful influence on length-tension regulation in multiarticulate wrist flexors, three wrist positions (neutral, flexion and extension) and four levels of flexor contraction [0%, 10%, 20% and 30% maximum voluntary contraction (MVC)] were manipulated. There were significant differences in H-reflex amplitudes according to wrist positions and levels of flexor contraction. H-reflex increased linearly as a function of contraction in all three wrist positions.

Association of CYP17 gene polymorphism and rheumatoid arthritis in Chinese patients in central Taiwan.

We investigated whether there is an association between polymorphism of the CYP17 gene and rheumatoid arthritis in Chinese patients in central Taiwan. Genomic DNA was extracted from the peripheral blood of 146 female and 47 male RA patients, as well as from 42 female and 59 male control subjects; restriction fragment length polymorphism (defined as the A1 and A2 alleles) was then determined. Clinical variables such as rheumatoid factor positivity, extra-articular manifestations, and joint erosion were also investigated for the RA patients.

Arthrographic and clinical findings in patients with hemiplegic shoulder pain.

Objectives: To identify the etiology of hemiplegic shoulder pain by arthrographic and clinical examinations and to determine the correlation between arthrographic measurements and clinical findings in patients with hemiplegic shoulder pain.

Design: Case series.

Setting: Medical center of a 1582-bed teaching institution in Taiwan.