RECENT RESEARCH
Shem K , Wong J , Dirlikove B .
Effective self-stretching of carpal ligament for the treatment of carpal tnnel syndrome : a double-blinded randomized controlled study . Journal of Hand Therapy . 2020 , 33 ( 3 ): 227-280 .
Introduction : Carpal tunnel syndrome ( CTS ) is the most common nerve entrapment syndrome worldwide . There are limited studies on the effectiveness of carpal ligament stretching on symptomatic and electrophysiologic outcomes .
Purpose of the Study : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of self-myofascial stretching of the carpal ligament on symptom outcomes and nerve conduction findings in persons with CTS .
Study Design : This is a prospective , double-blinded , randomized , placebocontrolled trial .
Methods : Eighty-three participants diagnosed with median mononeuropathy across the wrist by nerve conduction study were randomized 1:1 to sham treatment or self-carpal ligament stretching . Participants were instructed to perform the self-treatment four times a day for six weeks . Seventeen participants in the sham treatment group and 19 participants in the carpal ligament stretching group completed the study . Pre- and post-treatment outcome measures included subjective complaints , strength , nerve conduction findings , and functional scores .
Results : Groups were balanced on age , sex , hand dominance , symptom duration , length of treatment , presence of nocturnal symptoms , and compliance with treatment . Even though the ANOVA analyses were inconclusive about group differences , explorative post hoc analyses revealed significant improvements in numbness ( P = . 011 , Cohen ' s d = . 53 ), tingling ( P = . 007 , Cohen ' s d = . 60 ), pinch strength ( P = . 007 , Cohen ' s d = − . 58 ), and symptom severity scale ( P = . 007 , Cohen ' s d = . 69 ) for the treatment group only .
Conclusions : The myofascial stretching of the carpal ligament showed statistically significant symptom improvement in persons with CTS . Larger comparative studies that include other modalities such as splinting should be performed to confirm the effectiveness of this treatment option .
Nutrition
Ranneh Y , Akim AM , Hamid , H . A . et al .
Honey and its nutritional and antiinflammatory value . BMC Complement Med Ther . 3031 , 21 , Article no . 30 . https :// doi . org / 10.1186 / s12906-020-03170-5
Inflammation is the main key role in developing chronic diseases including cancer , cardiovascular diseases , diabetes , arthritis , and neurodegenerative diseases which possess a huge challenge for treatment . With massively compelling evidence of the role played by nutritional modulation in preventing inflammationrelated diseases , there is a growing interest into the search for natural functional foods with therapeutic and preventive actions . Honey , a nutritional healthy product , is produced mainly by two types of bees : honeybee and stingless bee . Since both types of honey possess distinctive phenolic and flavonoid compounds , there is recently an intensive interest in their biological and clinical actions against inflammation-mediated chronic diseases . This review shed the light specifically on the bioavailability and bioaccessibility of honey polyphenols and highlight their roles in targeting inflammatory pathways in gastrointestinal tract disorders , edema , cancer , metabolic and cardiovascular diseases and gut microbiota .
Pirillo A , Catapano AL , Norata GD .
Recent insights into low-density lipoprotein metabolism and therapy . Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care , 2021 , 24 ( 2 ): 120-126
Purpose of review : Elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( LDL-C ) are causal to atherosclerosis and , thus , the reduction of LDL-C represents a major objective for the prevention of cardiovascular disease . Aim of this review is to provide an overview on novel strategies to lower LDL-C . Recent findings : Although inhibiting liver cholesterol biosynthesis by statins is used as the main therapeutic approach to increase hepatic LDLreceptor expression and lower plasma cholesterol levels , novel insights into lipid and lipoprotein biology have led to the development of additional lipidlowering therapies that can be used in combination with or as an alternative to statins in patients with statinintolerance . New approaches include bempedoic acid , proprotein convertase subtilisin / kexin type 9 inhibitors , and angiopoietin-like protein 3 inhibitors . Summary : In the last decade , several novel therapeutic approaches have been tested and some of them have been approved as lipid-lowering agents . Some drugs are already available in clinical practice , whereas others are at late stages of development .
Yang J , Palmiotti A , Kuipers F .
Emerging roles of bile acids in control of intestinal functions . Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care . 2021 , 24 ( 2 ): 127-133 .
Purpose of review : Bile acids and their signalling pathways are increasingly recognized as potential therapeutic targets for several diseases . This review summarizes new insights in bile acid physiology , focussing on regulatory roles of bile acids in intestinal functions . Recent findings : Recent studies have highlighted the interactions between bile acids and gut microbiome : interfering with microbiome composition may be beneficial in treatment of liver and metabolic diseases by modulating bile acid composition , as different bile acid species have different signalling functions . In the intestine , bile acid receptors FXR , VDR and TGR5 are involved in control of barrier function , paracellular ion transport and hormone
46 | vol27 | no1 | JATMS