Background and Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between handgrip strength (HGS) and quality of life (QOL) in patients diagnosed with osteoarthritis (OA) or rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Materials and Methods: We enrolled 13,966 from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2015 to 2018. All participants underwent the health-related QOL assessment using the European Quality of Life Scale-Five dimensions (EQ-5D) and measured the HGS. The weak HGS was defined as the lowest quartile. We investigated the difference in QOL between patients with arthritis and the healthy control group and evaluated the correlation between weak HGS and QOL in arthritis patients. Results: Those diagnosed with OA or RA had significantly lower QOL than healthy controls. The weak HGS was significantly correlated with lower QOL in arthritis patients. Among OA patients, those with weak HGS revealed significantly higher odds ratios for impairment in all dimensions of EQ-5D. RA patients with weak HGS had significantly higher odds ratios for impairment in dimensions of mobility, self-care, usual activity, and pain/discomfort than those with normal HGS. Conclusions: These results suggest that weak HGS is significantly associated with decreased QOL in patients with arthritis.

Objective To investigate the correlation between bone mineral density (BMD) and duration of injury in individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI).Methods Patients with SCI who visited the outpatient department between January 2009 and January 2019 were enrolled. Patients’ most recent dual energy X-ray absorptiometry images were reviewed. According to the 2007 International Society for Clinical Densitometry guidelines, vertebrae with a local structural change were excluded when deriving spine BMD. If one or no vertebra is suitable for evaluation, spine BMD was judged as “improper for assessment”. Correlation analysis was performed between duration from injury and BMD Z-scores of the hip and spine.Results Among 83 individuals with SCI, the spines of 44 were judged as improper for assessment. The correlation analysis showed a significant negative relationship between the duration from injury and femur neck BMD (r=-0.40, p<0.01) and total proximal femur BMD (r=-0.39, p<0.01). However, no significant correlation was found between the duration from injury and spine BMD Z-score.Conclusion The duration of SCI correlated with hip BMD, but not with spine BMD. Further, more than half of the individuals with SCI could not undergo spinal assessment due to local structural changes. Therefore, spine BMD measurement is not an appropriate method for predicting future fracture risk in those with SCI.

Park E, et al. Brain Neurorehabil. 2024 Mar;17(1):e9. https://doi.org/10.12786/bn.2024.17.e9

This study investigates the impact of the anatomical separation point of the dorsal ulnar cutaneous nerve (DUCN) on nerve conduction studies (NCS). Involving 25 subjects with DUCN NCS findings, it utilizes ultrasound to mark the DUCN's divergence from the ulnar nerve. NCS was performed at four points relative to the separation point. The findings indicate the maximal amplitudes occurred 2 cm distal to the separation point. The study suggests it is ideal when the stimulation is performed between the seperation point and 2 cm distal to it.