Assignment Task
Please note: These are old abstracts from former students to provide some ideas about how to write and organize your abstracts. These articles were all published longer than 5 years ago, but are only included here as examples. Make sure your abstracts are taken from articles published within the last 5 years, and that the abstracts are structured and organized into 5 subheadings: Purpose, Methods, Results, Conclusions, and Relevance to Physical Therapy.
Regensteiner J, Bauer T, Reusch J. Rosiglitazone improves exercise capacity in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care; 2005:28:2877-2883.
Purpose –Individuals with type 2 diabetes have an impaired ability to carry out maximal exercise which is linked with insulin resistance and endothelial dysfunction. This study hypothesized that rosiglitazone, an oral antidiabetic agent and a thiazolidinedione (TZD) class of drug, would improve exercise capacity in type 2 diabetes.
Experimental Methods: Twenty subjects with uncomplicated type 2 diabetes took part in the study. This was a double-blind study in which subjects received either 4mg/day of rosiglitazone or placebo. Prior to the intervention baseline measurements were taken to evaluate endothelial function (brachial artery diameter by brachial ultrasound), maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max), oxygen uptake (VO2) kinetics, and insulin sensitivity by hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp. All measurements were then retaken after 4 months of treatment.
Results– Subjects were similar in demographic and laboratory variables prior to the study. Subjects treated with rosiglitazone had significant improvements in VO2max
(19.8+-5.3ml.kg-1min-1 before rosiglitazone vs. 21.2+-5.1 ml.kg-1.min-1 after rosiglitazone, P<0 r=0.68, xss=removed>
Conclusion– This study showed that VO2 max improved in individuals with type 2 diabetes after treatment with rosiglitazone. The fact that subjects demonstrated improved exercise capacity was linked to decreased insulin resistance and improved endothelial function and blood flow.
Relevance to Physical Therapy – With the growing percentage of the population developing type 2 diabetes, we as physical therapists treat a great deal of people with this disease. Since one of our main goals as therapists is to improve strength and endurance, rosiglitazone may be a drug that can be a treatment option for our patients. The drug would help them progress faster with their rehab since they would have improved exercise tolerance. In my experience, I have seen that individuals who progress quickly to their goals are more motivated to stick to their exercise plan afterwards. If we could guide the patients toward a good exercise program we could improve their insulin sensitivity. Since regular exercise is one of the most important treatments for type 2 diabetes I think this drug might be able to jumpstart someone toward the right path and lead them to incorporate exercise into their daily life.
Smolen, JS; van der Heijde DMF; St. Clair EW, et al. Predictors of joint damage in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis treated with high-dose methotrexate with or without concomitant infliximab: results from the ASPIRE trial. Arthritis Rheum, 2006;4:702-710.
Purpose: Researchers looked to identify disease characteristics leading to progression of joint damage in patients with early onset rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with methotrexate (MTX) versus those treated with infliximab plus MTX.
Methods: Patients with active RA (1,004 subjects, median age 51 years, and mean disease duration of 0.8 -0.9 years) who had never been treated with MTX were randomly assigned to receive increasing doses of MTX up to 20 mg/week plus placebo or infliximab at weeks 0, 2, and 6, and every 8 weeks afterwards through week 46. Researchers used the modified Sharp/van der Heijde score (SHS) to examine radiographic evidence of joint damage in the hands and feet. They also looked at the relationship of SHS scores and disease activity measures at baseline, week 14, and through week 54.
Results: Greater joint damage progression in the MTX only group was seen in conjunction with c-reactive protein (CRP) levels, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and swollen joint count, while none of the same parameters were associated with joint damage progression in the MTX plus infliximab group. For those patients in the highest CRP (>/=3 mg/dl) and ESR (>/=52 mm/hour) tertiles in the MTX only group, mean changes of SHS were 5.62 ad 5.89, compared with 0.73 and 1.12 in the infliximab plus MTX group (P <0>/=10.5) had evidence of less progression with infliximab plus MTX, than those who received only MTX (-0.39 versus 4.11; P<0>
Conclusion: The researchers concluded that traditional disease markers of high CRP level, high ESR, or persistent disease activity were associated with greater radiographic progression of joint damage in the group taking MTX only. They also noted that despite abnormal levels of the same traditional predictors, there was less evidence of radiographic disease progression in the group taking MTX plus infliximab.
Relevance to Physical Therapy: Based on the results of this study, I would be much more inclined to recommend aquatic PT intervention to newly diagnosed patients with RA, especially those only on methotrexate therapy vs. those patients who may be receiving methotrexate and infliximib (or other TNF inhibitor). This study found less radiographic evidence of joint damage in patients receiving methotrexate plus infliximib. Previously, if the patient did not have a strong preference, I would often begin with traditional land therapy techniques for strengthening and joint preservation before moving on to aquatic therapy if the patient had limited progress or tolerance of land based therapy. However, based on the results of this study which found significant change in radiographic joint damage for early onset RA patients who were treated only with methrotrexate over a course of 54 weeks, I believe that conservative strengthening exercise in water would offer these patients much greater joint protection than conservative land strengthening, even at this early stage of disease onset. They would obviously also need joint preservation techniques and body mechanics instruction on land.
Mohler ER III, Hiatt WR, Creager MA. Cholesterol reduction with atorvastatin improves walking distance in patients with peripheral artery disease. Circulation. 2003;108:1481-1486
Abstract:
Purpose: To determine whether atorvastatin improves walking performance in patients with intermittent claudication due to peripheral artery disease (PAD)
Methods: This was a randomized, double-blind, parallel-design study. 354 patients with PAD causing intermittent claudication were randomly assigned to be treated with either atorvastatin 10mg/day dose (n=120), atorvastatin 80mg/day does (n=120), or placebo (n=114). Inclusion criteria included a resting ABI ≤ .90. Baseline treadmill testing was done to assess pain free walking time (PFWT) and maximum walking time (MWT). After treadmill testing ABI had a minimum 20?crease compared to resting ABI. Treadmill testing was re-done at 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months, with 2 tests done 1 week apart at that time.
Results: There was no significant difference in MWT from baseline in the groups. However, mean PFWT improved by 63%(p=0.025) in the 80mg/day dose group compared with 38% in the placebo group. There was no significant difference between the 10mg/day dose group and the placebo group. A physical activity questionnaire showed improved ambulatory ability in both atorvastatin groups (p=0.011).
Conclusion: Taking atorvastatin may improve PWFT in patients with intermittent claudication due to PAD.
Relevance to Physical Therapy: This study surprised me. For all the negative side effects I hear about when taking statins, I have never heard of this positive effect. This isimportant to know so if my patient has a history of PAD and high cholesterol, and is trying to control their cholesterol by taking a statin other than atorvastatin or through other means such as diet or by taking niacin, changing to atorvastatin may prove beneficial in increasing their pain free mobility as well as decreasing cholesterol. If a patient came to me with leg symptoms that were not neurologic in origin, taking a good medical history as well as an ABI would be helpful in making an accurate differential diagnosis. This information could then be brought to the referring MD. The patient could then be treated more effectively by me as well as the MD.