CRAMP

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the psychometric properties of the newly developed seven-item Irritable Bowel Syndrome - Diarrhea predominant (IBS-D) Daily Symptom Diary and four-item Event Log using phase II clinical trial safety and efficacy data in patients with IBS-D. This instrument measures diarrhea (stool frequency and stool consistency), abdominal pain related to IBS-D (stomach pain, abdominal pain, abdominal cramps), immediate need to have a bowel movement (immediate need and accident occurrence), bloating, pressure, gas, and incomplete evacuation...

This article describes the development of the Claudication Symptom Instrument (CSI) and its measurement properties for evaluating the symptom experience of patients diagnosed with intermittent claudication (IC). We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with IC patients for item development and cognitive interviews in which patient comprehension of items was tested. We evaluated measurement properties using data collected and analyzed in the context of an observational comparative effectiveness study of IC treatments...

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INTRODUCTION: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a common, chronic, inflammatory process limited to the colon. UC affects up to 1 million individuals in the USA alone and requires resection in up to 30% of patients. Resection is often followed by creation of a pouch. Pouchitis is the most common complication of ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) following total proctocolectomy, affecting up to 50% of patients. Symptoms include increased stool frequency, urgency, cramping, and bleeding. Management of pouchitis is complex in antibiotic refractory cases...

Background and Purpose: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) induces widespread changes in brain connectivity. As the network topology differences induced by a single session of rTMS are less known we undertook this study to ascertain whether the network alterations had a small-world morphology using multi-modal graph theory analysis of simultaneous EEG-fMRI. Method: Simultaneous EEG-fMRI was acquired in duplicate before (R1) and after (R2) a single session of rTMS in 14 patients with Writer's Cramp (WC)...

OBJECTIVES: This was a prospective observational study to assess the short- to mid-term efficacy and safety of catheter foam sclerotherapy (CFS) of the great saphenous vein (GSV), including peri-saphenous tumescence infiltration (PST) and intra-saphenous saline irrigation (ISI), in combination with phlebectomy of the varicose tributaries. METHODS: Eighty-eight limbs in 82 patients (19 male, 63 female, mean age 55.7 years) affected by varices related to GSV incompetence were submitted to CFS of the refluxing GSV segment after PST and ISI, combined with phlebectomy of the varicose tributaries...

INTRODUCTION: Scombroid poisoning is a poorly known type of food poisoning due to the presence of histamine in spoiled fish of the Scombridae family. We report 3 cases of scombroid poisoning seen at the Fréjus-Saint-Raphaël hospital in the Var region. OBSERVATIONS: Within around thirty minutes of eating a meal containing tuna, three patients presented varied symptoms: malaise, itchy rash, headache, and for two of them, nausea. The diagnosis of scombroid poisoning was based on the circumstances in which the clinical signs appeared and on the signs themselves...

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial peptides are important components of the host defence with a broad range of functions including direct antimicrobial activity and modulation of inflammation. Lack of cathelin-related antimicrobial peptide (CRAMP) was associated with higher mortality and bacterial burden and impaired neutrophil granulocyte infiltration in a model of pneumococcal meningitis. The present study was designed to characterize the effects of CRAMP deficiency on glial response and phagocytosis after exposure to bacterial stimuli...

Dysmenorrhea is highly prevalent and may increase women's risk for developing other chronic pain conditions. Although it is highly variable, symptom-based dysmenorrhea phenotypes have not been identified. The aims of the study were to identify symptom-based dysmenorrhea phenotypes and examine their relationships with demographic and clinical characteristics. In a cross-sectional study, 762 women with dysmenorrhea rated severity of 14 dysmenorrhea-related symptoms. Using latent class analysis, we identified three distinctive phenotypes...

BACKGROUND: Latent trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle may disrupt muscle movement patterns and cause problems such as cramping and decreased muscle strength. Because latent trigger points may spontaneously become active trigger points, they should be addressed and treated to prevent further problems. In this study we compared the short-term effect of kinesiotaping versus friction massage on latent trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle. METHODS: Fifty-eight male students enrolled with a stratified sampling method participated in this single-blind randomized clinical trial (Registration ID: IRCT2016080126674N3) in 2016...

BACKGROUND: Public health personnel from the 28th Combat Support Hospital in Baghdad, Iraq, conducted an outbreak investigation in response to many local cases of gastrointestinal (GI) illness presenting to U.S. medical facilities. The investigation was conducted to identify the source of the illness, assess the extent of cases, and make recommendations to prevent similar outbreaks. METHODS AND MATERIALS: For this retrospective cohort study, medical records and patient outbreak questionnaires were reviewed...

BACKGROUND: The frequency of pain and cramps is uncertain in anti-MAG (Anti-myelin associated glycoprotein antibody) neuropathy. Whether these symptoms may affect function/quality of life is unknown. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study of the prevalence, correlates and impact of pain, pain subtypes and cramps, their severity, frequency and anatomical distribution, in 55 clinically stable patients with anti-MAG neuropathy. RESULTS: Pain of any type was reported by 80% of subjects...

BACKGROUND: Drug-induced immune hemolytic anemia (DIIHA) and drug-induced immune thrombocytopenia (DIIT) are rare but dangerous complications of pharmacotherapy that may be underrecognized in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) patients due to overlap of signs and symptoms with those of more common disease processes. CASE REPORT: A 61-year-old woman with NK-cell deficiency and GATA-2-associated myelodysplastic syndrome, status post-recent allogeneic HSCT (Day +58), presented with 3 days of acute-onset severe back pain, muscle cramps, and increasingly dark urine...

BACKGROUND: Magnesium (Mg) is an essential mineral required to regulate body temperature, nucleic acid, and protein synthesis with an important role in maintaining nerve and muscle cell electrical potentials. It may reduce fetal growth restriction and preeclampsia as well as increase birth weight. This study aimed to assess the effects of consuming Mg supplementation during pregnancy on pregnancy outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a randomized controlled trial with three sixty populated groups of pregnant women...

OBJECTIVES: Writer's cramp is a focal dystonia producing abnormal postures during selective motor activities. Thalamotomy or globus pallidus internus deep brain stimulation (GPi DBS) has been used as a surgical treatment in patients not responding to medical treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight patients (all men, age 16-47 years) with refractory focal hand dystonia underwent either ventrooralis (Vo) thalamotomy (seven patients) or GPi DBS (one patient) using stereotactic techniques...

OBJECTIVE: To assess the use of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) tests for identifying primary hypothyroidism in 2 academic family medicine settings. DESIGN: Descriptive study involving a retrospective electronic chart review of family medicine patients who underwent TSH testing. SETTING: Two academic family practice sites: one site is within a tertiary hospital in Toronto, Ont, and the other is within a community hospital in Newmarket, Ont...

BACKGROUND: Exercise-associated muscle cramping (EAMC) is a significant medical complication in distance runners, yet factors associated with EAMC are poorly documented. OBJECTIVE: To document risk factors associated with EAMC in runners. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Two ocean races (21.1 km, and 56 km). PARTICIPANTS: Fifteen thousand seven hundred seventy-eight race entrants. METHODS: Participants completed a prerace medical history screening tool including: training, cardiovascular disease (CVD), risk factors for, and symptoms of CVD, history of diseases affecting major organ systems, cancer, allergies, medication use, and running injury...

BACKGROUND: Gluteal strength plays a role in injury prevention, normal gait patterns, eliminating pain, and enhancing athletic performance. Research shows high gluteal muscle activity during a single-leg bridge compared to other gluteal strengthening exercises; however, prior studies have primarily measured muscle activity with the active lower extremity starting in 90 ° of knee flexion with an extended contralateral knee. This standard position has caused reports of hamstring cramping, which may impede optimal gluteal strengthening...

OBJECTIVE: Studies that examined Internet searches for restless legs and leg cramps have found a strong seasonal effect with peaks in summer and troughs in winter months. The present study used an econometric approach to examine the seasonality of such searches in greater detail. METHODS: Monthly relative search volumes for 'restless legs' and 'leg cramps' from 2004 to March 2017 in the United Kingdom (UK) and Australia were obtained from Google Trends. Average percentage change from winter to summer months was examined...

We report about an acute monkshood intoxication requiring acute resuscitation in suicidal intent in a 56-year-old patient. The Blue Monkshood (Aconitum napellus) is considered to be the most toxic plant in Europe. All plant parts contain the highly toxic alkonoid aconitin. The lethal dose in adults is 2 - 6 mg. Intoxications are often fatal. Asymptomatic patients with suspected monkshood intoxication should also be monitored on an ICU. First signs of intoxication are paraesthesia in the mouth and throat area, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting and severe pain in skeletal muscle...