Purpose: The purpose of this study was to elucidate the effects of continuing electrotherapy for residual leg symptoms after posterior lumbar surgery.

Methods: The subjects were 50 patients with residual leg symptoms after posterior lumbar surgery. The treatment time was 10 minutes. The patients were classified into two groups: one whose electrotherapy was continued during hospitalization (electrical continuation group, n = 39) and one whose electrical therapy was stopped (electrical withdrawal group, n = 11). The visual analog scale (VAS) scores of the lower extremity symptoms were compared between the two groups.

Results: The VAS scores of the electrical continuation group preoperatively, before the first electrical therapy, and at discharge were 70, 40, and 14 mm, respectively, with significant differences between time periods. The VAS scores of the electrical discontinuation group at the three time points were 63, 45, and 41 mm, respectively, with no significant difference between discharge and discontinuation of the initial electrical therapy. On multiple logistic regression analysis with continuity of electrotherapy as the dependent variable, the VAS score at the time of discharge (odds ratio: 1.04) was identified as an important factor.

Conclusion: It appears that symptoms at discharge could be alleviated by continuing electrotherapy for residual leg symptoms after posterior lumbar surgery.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to clarify relationships between self-perceived age, physical function and personal level social-capital intensity in community-dwelling older adults.

Methods: A cohort of 294 community-dwelling older adults (mean age 76.3 years) participated in this study. We defined the age felt subjectively by participants using the term “felt age”, and defined the magnitude of the discrepancy with chronological age using the term “age gap score”. The discrepancy between the chronological age and felt age was calculated as the gap score by subtracting a participant’s chronological age from the felt age. These calculated scores derived from the difference were then divided by the chronological age. Other assessments included the timed up and go test (TUGT), 30 seconds chair standing test (CS-30), sit and reach test, a questionnaire comprising 25 items on a basic checklist, and intensity of personal level social capital (comprising “trust for neighbors”, “interaction” and “social participation”). Data on the relationship between age gap score and each evaluation index were analyzed.

Results: The participants’ mean felt age was 67.8 ± 9.3 years and their mean age gap score was –0.14 ± 0.12. The mean felt age was significantly lower than the chronological age (p < 0.01). Multiple regression analysis-adjusted age and sex, TUGT (standardized β = 0.18, p = 0.01) and intensity of personal level social capital (standardized β = –0.19, p < 0.01) were significantly correlated.

Conclusion: Young subjective age is related to good motor function and may be influenced by richness of connection with the community.

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of distractive auditory stimuli (DAS) on citric acid-induced cough reflex threshold and urge-to-cough.

Methods: We enrolled 15 healthy volunteers. DAS were presented with earphones, while the sham condition was performed without auditory distraction. Cough reflex thresholds and urge-to-cough were evaluated by inhalation of citric acid. The cough reflex thresholds were defined as the lowest concentrations of citric acid that elicited two or more coughs (C₂) and five or more coughs (C₅), respectively. The urge-to-cough was evaluated using the modified Borg scale.

Results: The cough reflex thresholds (C₂ and C₅) under the DAS condition were significantly higher than those under the sham condition. The urge-to-cough threshold under the DAS condition was significantly higher than that under the sham condition.

Conclusion: Our results suggest that DAS alleviate the cough reflex and urge-to-cough induced by citric acid.

Objective: We examined the association between the improvement in activity of daily living (ADL) following surgical bypass and subsequent rehabilitation and the long-term outcomes in patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI).

Methods: A total of 148 patients who underwent infrainguinal bypass for CLI from April 2011 to November 2016 were reviewed. They were divided into two groups based on the preoperative Barthel index (BI): Good group, BI ≧ 60; Poor group, BI< 60. The Poor group was further divided into two subgroups based on the BI change after surgery and rehabilitation (Improved group, BI at discharge – preoperative BI ≧ 5; Non- improved group; ≦ 0). The groups were compared in terms of 3-year overall survival (OS) and amputation-free survival (AFS), as calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. In addition, a multivariate analysis was performed to determine the factors inhibiting BI improvement.

Results: The Good group was superior to the Poor group both in terms of OS and AFS (Good vs. Poor group; 66% vs. 46% in 3-year OS, 65% vs. 42% in 3-year AFS), and the Improved subgroup was superior to the Non-improved one both in terms of OS and AFS (Improved vs. Non-improved group; 68% vs. 38% in 3-year OS, 64% vs. 34% in 3-year AFS). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and non-ambulatory state were the significant predictors of inhibition of postoperative BI improvement.

Conclusions: ADL recovery by surgical bypass and subsequent rehabilitation can lead to the improvement of long-term outcomes in patients with CLI.