이 연구는 강직성 척추염 환자를 대상으로 12주간의 가정기반운동(home-based exercise) 프로그램을 수행하여 환자 특성별 염증관련 혈액지표, 관절가동범위, 통증척도 및 심리적인 지표 세부적이고 종합적으로 제공하고자 수행되었다. 연구의 목적을 위해 강직성 척추염을 진단받은 환자 10명을 선정하여 연령별(30대 vs. 40대 vs. 50대), 성별(남성 vs. 여성) 및 유병기간(5년 미만 vs. 5년 이상)으로 구분하였다. 가정기반 운동 프로그램은 유산소운동과 필라테스 기반 저항성 운동의 복합운동 형태로 최대심박수 (maximal heart rate, MHR)의 50-70% 강도에서 주 4회, 12주 동안 수행되었다. 연구결과, 12주간의 가 정기반운동 중재 후 강직성 척추염 환자의 혈중 CRP (C-reactive protein) 농도가 감소됨으로써 (-35.6%, p=.017) 혈중 염증 수치가 개선되었으며, 각 관절(고관절, 허리, 경추)의 가동성이 향상되었다(p<.05). 또한 질병활성도(Bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index, BASDAI)는 -67%(p=.005), 시각통증지표 (Visual analogue scale, VAS)는 -64.8%(p=.005) 감소됨으로써 강직 및 통증이 전반적으로 완화되었다. 특히, 우울 정도가 -65.5%(p=.005), 불안 정도는 -55.2%(p=.008) 감소됨으로써 12주간의 가정기반운동은 신체적 변화 뿐 아니라 심리적인 요인도 개선 시켜주는 것으로 나타났다. 반면, 강직성 척추염 환자의 연령, 성별, 유병기간에 따른 운동 효과 차이는 나타나지 않았다(p>.05). 따라서 이 연구에서 적용된 12주 간의 가정기반운동이 환자 특성과 상관없이 강직성 척추염 환자에게 보편적으로 사용될 수 있는 효과적인 운동프로그램이 될 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

In this study, Tröger’s Base (TB) chemistry is exploited to introduce tunable microporosity in commercially available polyimide membranes. Considering that TB is a rigid, V-shaped and bridged alicyclic amine, there have been notable reports on accessing feasibility in TB for gas separation membrane applications. However, this presentation shows a different but much viable preparation approach in comparison to the already reported ones. This approach only requires commercially available monomers with two preparation steps, thus it can accommodate scalable and practical productions. Five different kinds of homopolymers and six copolymers were explored to demonstrate structure-property-performance relationships and to evaluate practical applicability towards industrial level.

This study aimed to evaluate factors related to the ability of ambulatory patients with cerebral palsy (CP) to walk over vertical and horizontal obstacles. Twenty patients with spastic CP who were able to walk independently for at least 10 m with or without walking devices were recruited for the study. Participants were required to walk over small obstacles (1, 4, and 8 cm in height or width; total of 6 conditions). A 'fail' was recorded when either the lower limbs or the walking device contacted the obstacle. Linear regression analyses were used to determine the effects of age, sex, walking devices, eyeglasses, subtype (hemiplegia or diplegia), ankle foot orthoses, functional level, and score of body mass index on the ability of obstacle crossing. Fifteen participants (75%) failed to adequately clear the foot or walking device over obstacles in at least 1 condition. The chance of failure in crossing vertical obstacle was affected by the use of ankle foot orthoses, eyeglasses, gender, and CP subtype (p<.05). The failure rate crossing horizontal obstacle was affected by CP subtype. These findings suggest that rehabilitation procedures should (1) consider the clinical characteristics of patients in order to prepare them to be more independent while performing daily activities, and (2) incorporate environmental conditions that patients encounter at home and in the community.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of exercise therapy on physical function of patients with anklyosing spondylitis (AS) through the systemic review and meta-analysis. The 54 studies were identified from computerized search of published researches on PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PEDro, KISS, KERIS database until February, 2008 and review of reference lists. The main search terms were the combination "ankylosing spondylitis", "exercise", "spondyloarthropathy and exercise", "ankylosing spondylitis and physical therapy". The subgroup analysis was performed by the publication year, quality score, type of disease, content of intervention, intervention provider, type of intervention, method of intervention, intervention period and the point of outcome measured. Two reviewers independently selected trials for inclusion, assessed the quality and extracted the data. The result was as follows: The 10 trials were eligible for inclusion criteria, then the systematic review and meta-analysis was assessed on effectiveness of exercise therapy. The meta-analysis of 10 studies based on the random effect model showed that the exercise therapy was beneficial in treating the diseases (effect size .55; 95% confidence interval -.3.75~.61). The findings suggest that the exercise therapy would be appropriate to manage the physical function of AS with evidence based on Meta-analysis. Therefore, the exercise therapy supervised by physical therapist should be recognized as the essential approach to manage the AS and necessarily recommended to improve physical function.

목적 : 본 연구는 학령기 뇌성마비 아동의 기능 수준이 부모가 보고하는 뇌성마비 아동의 삶의 질에 어떠한 영향을 미치는지 알아보는 것을 목적으로 하였다.연구방법 : 본 연구는 학령기(8~18세) 뇌성마비 환자들 중 강직성 양하지 마비 형태를 보이는 29명을 대상으로 시행되었으며, 삶의 질 평가는 부모에 의해 이루어졌다. 대상자들은 기능 수준에 따라 세 집단(계단 보행 가능 집단, 일반 보행 가능 집단, 그리고 보행 불가능 집단)으로 분류되었다. 삶의 질 평가는 한국어판 KIDSCREEN 52-HRQOL을 사용하여 시행되었다. 결과 : 기능 수준에 따라 삶의 질 영역들 중 ‘신체활동과 건강’, ‘심리적 건강’, 그리고 ‘자유시간’ 영역에서 차이가 있는 것으로 나타났으나(p<.05), 이외의 영역들에서는 차이가 나타나지 않았다. 또한 높은 기능 수준을 보인 집단에서 전체 삶의 질 점수가 더 높은 것으로 나타났다(p<.05).결론 : 본 연구의 결과는 기능 수준이 뇌성마비 아동의 삶의 질에 영향을 미칠 수 있다는 것을 의미한다. 그러나 신체 기능과의 관계가 삶의 질 평가 영역에 따라 다르게 나타났으므로, 본 연구의 결과를 전체적인 것으로 이해하기에는 다소 부족한 면이 있다. 향후 이에 대한 더 많은 연구들이 이어져야 할 것이다.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of a disease-specific exercise (DSE) on temporomandibular joint (TMJ) function and neck mobility in TMJ dysfunction associated with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Ten AS patients (seven males and three females) with TMJ dysfunction were recruited for this study. The DSE included exercises to correct head and neck posture and to improve the flexibility of the neck and TMJs. The patients attended treatment three times a week for 4 weeks, averaging 1 hour each session. Assessments were performed pretreatment, posttreatment, and 6 weeks after the completion of treatment. General physical status was assessed by four clinical measures (tragus-to-wall distance, modified Schober test, lumbar side flexion, and intermalleolar distance), the Bath ankylosing spondylitis function index (BASFI), and the Bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index. The main outcome measures included TMJ function (craniomandibular index (CMI)), and neck mobility (flexion, extension, rotation, and lateral rotation). None of the measures of general physical status, with the exception of BASFI, were significant1y different between the pretreatment, posttreatment, and 6-week follow-up (p>.05). However, CMI and all neck movements, except for extension, significant1y improved after the treatment (p<.05). These improvements were maintained during the follow-up period. The DSE used in the present study seems to be a clinical1y useful method for managing patients with symptoms from the stomatognathic system in AS. Further studies with more subjects and longer treatment times, including the follow-up period, will be conducted to validate these findings.

목적 : 본 연구의 목적은 만성 편마비 환자를 대상으로 피부분절 전기자극을 가했을 때 강직 억제 효과가 있는 지를 손기능 변화와 손가락 굽힘근과 폄근의 동시수축 비의 변화를 통하여 알아보는 것이었다. 연구방법 : 11명(남자 9명, 여자 2명)의 만성 편마비 환자를 대상으로 경피신경 전기자극기를 이용하여 손가락 굽힘근의 피부분절에 20분간 고주파(100Hz)와 가시수축이 일어나지 않는 저강도로 전기자극을 실시하였다. 측정 시기(전기자극 전·후, 전기자극 동안) 간 손기능 검사는 Box and Block test로 사용하였고, 손가락 굽힘근과 폄근의 동시수축비는 표면근전도로 측정하였다. 전기자극 전·후, 전기자극 동안의 차이를 알아보기 위해 반복측정 일 요인 분산분석(repeated one-way ANOVA)을 이용하여 처리하였다. 결과 : Box and Block test의 결과는 전기자극 전보다 전기자극 동안과 전기자극 후에 유의하게 증가하였으나, 손가락 굽힘근과 폄근간의 동시수축 비는 측정시기 간 유의한 차이가 없었다. 결론 : 본 연구에서 사용한 피부분절 전기자극 방법은 손기능을 향상시키는 데 효과적이었으므로 향후 실시되는 연구에서는 피부분절 전기자극과 동시에 일상생활동작과 밀접한 기능적인 과제 활동을 병행하여 그 효과를 연구해야 할 것이다.

In most of the medical literature that discusses the common problem of movement in patients with cerebral lesions. This critical problem is ascribed to a mechanism involving uninhibited neural activity. The goals of neurological physical therapy are focus on reduce of muscle hypertonicity, facilitates muscle activities, and improve of performance in living environment. A variety of studies suggest that spasticity is a distinct problem and separate from the muscle weakness. It has become increasingly recognized that the major functional deficits following brain damage are largely due to negative features such as muscle weakness and loss of performance rather than spasticity. Adequate recruitment of prime mover, not release was able to carry out the movement tasks well. The strengthening exercise of spastic limbs on changes in muscle properties and performance skill, the repeated motor practice has been identified as crucial for motor recovery. This article support the concept that strengthening is an appropriate intervention to improve the quality of physical function in patients with central nervous system lesions. Further studies and therapeutic approaches should be efforts at improving motor neuron recruitment in agonist rather than reducing activity in antagonists while retraining muscle strengthening.

The purpose of this study was to establish reliability of the Tone Assessment Scale (TAS) translated into Korean in patients with stroke. The TAS consists of resting posture, response to passive movement, and associated reaction to active effort. Fifteen patients (14 males, 1 female) were examined by two raters. Surface electromyography (EMG) data at elbow flexor muscle and joint excursion were collected from 6 patients. To identify the correlation between muscle activity and angular changes of elbow muscle, Pearson product moment correlation was used. The inter-rater and intra-rater reliability of the TAS ranged from very good to good (K/Kw=.61~1.00 for intra-rater and K/Kw=.73~1.00 for intra-rater comparisons) in the sections of resting posture and associated reaction. However, in the section of response to passive movement, the reliability coefficients ranged from very good to fair (Kw=.29~1.00). In the 11th item, correlation between EMG ratio of elbow flexor and angular changes of elbow joint showed statistically strong positive relationship (r=.94, p<.05). These results indicate that the TAS is selectively reliable in the sections of resting posture and associated reaction.

본 연구는 강직성 편측 뇌성마비 환자의 보행 기시(gait initiation)의 특성을 파악하고, 동적 단하지 보조기(dynamic ankle foot orthosis : DAFO)가 이런 환자들의 보행 기시에 미치는 영향을 알아보기 위하여 실시하였다. 연구대상자는 19세 선천성 강직성 우측 뇌성마비를 가진 여자 대학생이었다. 연구대상자는 4개의 다른 보행 기시 조건에서 각 조건당 7회의 보행 기시를 하였는데, 각각의 보행 기시 조건은: 1) 보조기

Spasticity has been defined as a motor disorder characterised by a velocity-dependent increase in tonic stretch reflexes with exaggerated tendon jerks resulting in hyperexcitability of the stretch reflexes as one component of the upper motor neuron syndrome. Weakness and loss of dexterity, however, are considered to be more disabling to the patient than changes in muscle tone. The discussion includes the important role that alterations in the physiology of motor units, notably changes in firing rates and muscle fiber atrophy, play in the manifestation of muscle weakness. This paper considers both the neural and mechanical components of spasticity and discusses, in terms of clinical intervention, the implications arising from recent research. Investigations suggest that the resistance to passive movement in individuals with spasticity is due not only to neural mechanisms but also to changes in mechanical properties of muscle. The emphasis is on training the individual to gain control over the muscles required for different tasks, and on preventing secondary and adaptive soft tissue changes and ineffective adaptive motor behaviours.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is an inflammatory joint disease affecting the axial skeleton, peripheral joints, entheses, and extra-articular site. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents are the first line drugs for treatment of AS. Sulfasalazine is regarded as the second line drug and is usually used on AS patients with concomitant peripheral arthritis. Sulfasalazine has side effects, including liver toxicity, hematological abnormality, skin eruption, and other symptoms. However, eosinophilic pleural effusion is rare. Thus, we report on a patient with peripheral eosinophilia and eosinophilic pleural effusion after taking sulfasalazine for treatment of AS.

Behcet’s disease (BD) is characterized by oral or orogenital ulcers and various systemic symptoms. Ankylosing spondylitis (AS), a prototype of the seronegative spondiloarthropathy(SNSpA) group, is a chronic inflammatory disease of the axial skeleton primarily involving the sacroiliac joint and vertebrae. Coexistence of BD and AS has rarely been reported. We report on a patient with concomitant AS and BD who was treated successfully with etanercept. Several case reports suporting the effectiveness of other medications such as NSAIDs in patients with coexisting AS and BD have been reported in the literature. However, we found no report regarding the use of anti TNF-α agent for treatment of these patients except for one case of adalimumab. To be best of our knowledge, this is the first case of a patient with concomitant AS and BD treated with etanercept.