An automatic identification procedure to promote the use of FES-cycling training for hemiparetic patients.

Cycling induced by Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) training currently requires a manual setting of different parameters, which is a time-consuming and scarcely repeatable procedure. We proposed an automatic procedure for setting session-specific parameters optimized for hemiparetic patients. This procedure consisted of the identification of the stimulation strategy as the angular ranges during which FES drove the motion, the comparison between the identified strategy and the physiological muscular activation strategy, and the setting of the pulse amplitude and duration of each stimulated muscle.

The NeckPix(©): development of an evaluation tool for assessing kinesiophobia in subjects with chronic neck pain.

Purpose: To develop and validate NeckPix(©), a multi-image instrument for assessing daily activities in the context of pain-related fear, in order to allow its use in patients with chronic neck pain (NP).

Methods: The measure was developed by means of item generation followed by reduction/selection. The psychometric testing included exploratory factor analysis; content validity by investigating clarity, specificity, appropriateness for the target population, relevance and completeness; reliability by internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) and test-retest stability (intra-class coefficient correlation, ICC); and construct validity by comparing NeckPix with the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK), the Pain Catastrophising Scale (PCS), the Neck Disability Index (NDI) and a Numerical Rating Scale of pain intensity (NRS) (Pearson's correlation).

Reliability of spatial-temporal gait parameters during dual-task interference in people with multiple sclerosis. A cross-sectional study.

Purpose: To evaluate the reliability and minimum detectable change (MDC) of spatial-temporal gait parameters in subjects with multiple sclerosis (MS) during dual tasking.

Method: This cross-sectional study involved 25 healthy subjects (mean age 49.9 ± 15.

Coherence and Consciousness: Study of Fronto-Parietal Gamma Synchrony in Patients with Disorders of Consciousness.

Evaluation of consciousness needs to be supported by the evidence of brain activation during external stimulation in patients with unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS). Assessment of patients should include techniques that do not depend on overt motor responses and allow an objective investigation of the spontaneous patterns of brain activity. In particular, electroencephalography (EEG) coherence allows to easily measure functional relationships between pairs of neocortical regions and seems to be closely correlated with cognitive or behavioral measures.

A multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme improves disability, kinesiophobia and walking ability in subjects with chronic low back pain: results of a randomised controlled pilot study.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation programme on disability, kinesiophobia, catastrophizing, pain, quality of life and gait disturbances in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP).

Methods: This was a parallel-group, randomised, superiority-controlled pilot study in which 20 patients were randomly assigned to a programme consisting of motor training (spinal stabilising exercises plus usual-care) and cognitive-behavioural therapy (experimental group, 10 subjects) or usual-care alone (control group, 10 subjects). Before treatment, 8 weeks later (post-treatment), and 3 months after the end of treatment, the Oswestry Disability Index, the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia, the Pain Catastrophizing Scale, a pain numerical rating scale, and the Short-Form Health Survey were assessed.

OCCUPATION study (OCCUPationl asthma: a naTIONal based study): a survey on occupational asthma awareness among Italian allergists.

Occupational asthma (OA) is the most common work-related respiratory disease. Case identification still remains underperformed. The present survey aimed at investigating the awareness about OA among Italian allergists.

Active self-correction and task-oriented exercises reduce spinal deformity and improve quality of life in subjects with mild adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Results of a randomised controlled trial.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of a programme of active self-correction and task-oriented exercises on spinal deformities and health-related quality of life (HRQL) in patients with mild adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) (Cobb angle <25°).

Methods: This was a parallel-group, randomised, superiority-controlled study in which 110 patients were randomly assigned to a rehabilitation programme consisting of active self-correction, task-oriented spinal exercises and education (experimental group, 55 subjects) or traditional spinal exercises (control group, 55 subjects). Before treatment, at the end of treatment (analysis at skeletal maturity), and 12 months later (follow-up), all of the patients underwent radiological deformity (Cobb angle), surface deformity (angle of trunk rotation) and HRQL evaluations (SRS-22 questionnaire).

Development of the Italian version of the Pain Stages of Change Questionnaire in patients with chronic low back pain: cross-cultural adaptation, confirmatory factor analysis, reliability and validity.

Translating, culturally adapting and validating the Italian version of the Pain Stages of Change Questionnaire (PSOCQ-I) to allow its use with Italian-speaking patients with low back pain. The PSOCQ-I was developed by forward-backward translation, a final review by an expert committee and a test of the prefinal version to establish its correspondence with the original English version. Psychometric testing included confirmatory factor analysis, reliability by internal consistency (Cronbach's α) and test-retest reliability (intraclass coefficient correlation), and construct validity by comparing PSOCQ-I with the Pain Catastrophising Scale (PCS), the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK), the Roland Morris Disability Scale (RMDQ), a pain Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (Pearson's correlation).

A myocontrolled neuroprosthesis integrated with a passive exoskeleton to support upper limb activities.

This work aimed at designing a myocontrolled arm neuroprosthesis for both assistive and rehabilitative purposes. The performance of an adaptive linear prediction filter and a high-pass filter to estimate the volitional EMG was evaluated on healthy subjects (N=10) and neurological patients (N=8) during dynamic hybrid biceps contractions. A significant effect of filter (p=0.

EAACI Position Paper on assessment of cough in the workplace.

Cough is a nonspecific and relatively common symptom that can present difficulties in diagnosis and management, particularly when it is reported to be associated with the workplace. The present consensus document, prepared by a taskforce of the Interest Group on Occupational Allergy of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology by means of a nonsystematic review of the current literature, is intended to provide a definition and classification of work-related chronic cough (WRCC) to assist the daily practice of physicians facing with this symptom. The review demonstrates that several upper and lower airway work-related diseases may present with chronic cough; hence, the possible link with the workplace should always be considered.

The Italian version of the Pain Beliefs and Perceptions Inventory: cross-cultural adaptation, factor analysis, reliability and validity.

Purpose: To create an Italian version of the Pain Beliefs and Perceptions Inventory (PBAPI-I) and evaluate its psychometric properties.

Methods: The PBAPI was culturally adapted in accordance with international standards. The psychometric testing included factor analysis, investigating reliability by internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) and test/retest stability (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC), and exploring construct validity by comparing the PBAPI-I with a pain numerical rating scale (NRS), the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK), the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score (HADS) and the Chronic Pain Coping Inventory (Pearson's correlation).

Reliability, validity and responsiveness of the cross-culturally adapted Italian version of the core outcome measures index (COMI) for the neck.

Purpose: Evaluation of the psychometric properties of a cross-culturally adapted questionnaire, the Core Outcome Measurement Index for neck pain (COMI-neck).

Methods: The COMI-neck was cross-culturally adapted for the Italian language using established procedures. The following psychometric properties of the instrument were then assessed in patients with chronic neck pain undergoing rehabilitation: test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC); construct validity by comparing COMI-neck with the Neck Pain and Disability Scale, a numerical pain rating scale, and the EuroQol-Five Dimension (Pearson's correlations); and responsiveness by means of Standardized Response Mean (SRM), unpaired t tests, and Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curves.

Responsiveness and minimal important changes for the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score in subjects undergoing rehabilitation after total knee arthroplasty.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the responsiveness and minimal important changes for the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) in subjects undergoing rehabilitation after total knee arthroplasty.

Design: At the beginning and end of a rehabilitation program, 148 patients completed the KOOS. A global perception of change scale was also completed at the end of the program and collapsed to produce a dichotomous outcome (improved vs.

Management of catastrophising and kinesiophobia improves rehabilitation after fusion for lumbar spondylolisthesis and stenosis. A randomised controlled trial.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of a rehabilitation programme including the management of catastrophising and kinesiophobia on disability, dysfunctional thoughts, pain, and the quality of life in patients after lumbar fusion for degenerative spondylolisthesis and/or lumbar spinal stenosis.

Methods: This was a parallel-group, randomised, superiority-controlled study in which 130 patients were randomly assigned to a programme consisting of exercises and cognitive-behavioural therapy (experimental group, 65 subjects) or exercises alone (control group, 65 subjects). Before treatment (T1), 4 weeks later (post-treatment analysis, T2) and 12 months after the end of treatment (follow-up, T3), all the patients completed a booklet containing the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI, primary outcome), the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia, the Pain Catastrophising Scale, a pain Numerical Rating Scale, and the Short-Form Health Survey.

Chronic pain acceptance questionnaire: confirmatory factor analysis, reliability, and validity in Italian subjects with chronic low back pain.

Study Design: Cross-sectional evaluation of the psychometric properties of a translated questionnaire.

Objective: To validate the Italian version of the Chronic Pain Acceptance Questionnaire (CPAQ) to allow its use with Italian-speaking patients with chronic low back pain (LBP).

Summary Of Background Data: Growing attention is being given to cognitive-behavioral measures to improve interventions for LBP.

Allergy to ortho-phthalaldehyde in the healthcare setting: advice for clinicians.

This study summarizes and reviews the available health information on ortho-phthalaldehyde (OPA), a recently introduced and widespread disinfectant for heat-sensitive medical equipment, particularly focusing on its possible immunological effects in the healthcare setting. OPA properties derived from laboratory and clinical studies, and in vivo and in vitro tests for the diagnosis of OPA allergy are described. The available evidence suggests the spreading of OPA as disinfectant in endoscopy units despite the little available scientific evidence on its safety.

Changes in leisure styles and satisfaction of older people: a five years follow-up.

The present study examines the leisure style and leisure satisfaction of a sample of older people at baseline and after a period of 5 years. Three groups were identified by factorial and cluster analyses and labelled under the headings of: organised style, surrounding style and indoor style. Each group represented a different typology of leisure, according to the demand for physical and organizational commitment.

Effect of a long-lasting multidisciplinary program on disability and fear-avoidance behaviors in patients with chronic low back pain: results of a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To evaluate the effect on disability, kinesiophobia, pain, and the quality of life of a long-lasting multidisciplinary program based on cognitive-behavioral therapy and targeted against fear-avoidance beliefs in patients with chronic low back pain.

Study Design: parallel-group, randomized, superiority controlled study. Ninety patients were randomly assigned to a multidisciplinary program consisting of cognitive-behavior therapy and exercise training (experimental group, 45 patients) or exercise training alone (control group, 45 patients).

Home-based functional exercises aimed at managing kinesiophobia contribute to improving disability and quality of life of patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To compare the improvement in disability, kinesiophobia, pain, and quality of life obtained by means of home-based functional exercises aimed at managing kinesiophobia with that obtained by giving subjects undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) advice to stay active after discharge from a rehabilitation unit.

Design: Randomized controlled trial with 6-months' follow-up.

Setting: Patients' homes.

Development of the Italian version of the 42-item Chronic Pain Coping Inventory, CPCI-I: cross-cultural adaptation, factor analysis, reliability and validity.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to translate and adapt the Italian version of the Chronic Pain Coping Inventory (CPCI) and validate the translation in subjects with chronic non-specific pain of the locomotor system.

Methods: The questionnaire was developed following international recommendations. The psychometric analyses included factor analysis, reliability by internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) and test-retest reliability (intraclass coefficient correlation, ICC), and construct validity by calculating the correlations between the subscales of the CPCI with measures of pain (numerical rating scale, NRS), disability (SIP-Roland Scale) and depression (CES-D) (Pearson's correlation).

Role of a multidisciplinary program in improving outcomes in cognitively impaired heart failure older patients.

Background: Cognitive impairment (CI) frequently complicates Heart failure (HF) and is associated with increased mortality and morbidity. Previous studies reported that nurse-lead home-based multidisciplinary program (MP) may not improve the prognosis of this high-risk group. In the present study, we analysed the relative effectiveness of an integrated hospital-based MP in patients with cognitive impairment.

Persistent cortical deafness: a voxel-based morphometry and tractography study.

Objective: In cortical deafness, no auditory signals can be perceived by the cortex despite normal peripheral hearing. Cortical deafness rarely persists, but generally evolves into other cortical auditory syndromes. In this report, we describe a patient showing a stable and persisting pattern of cortical deafness 16 months after two major ischemic strokes.

Development of the Italian Version of the Neck Disability Index: cross-cultural adaptation, factor analysis, reliability, validity, and sensitivity to change.

Study Design: Evaluation of the psychometric properties of a translated and culturally adapted questionnaire.

Objective: Translating, culturally adapting, and validating the Italian version of the Neck Disability Index (NDI-I) to allow its use with Italian-speaking patients with neck pain (NP).

Summary Of Background Data: More attention is being given to standardized outcome measures to improve interventions for NP.