Active clinical trials for "Muscle Weakness"

INTRODUCTION: There are several ways to assess muscle strength: not only subjective ways, but also high standard equipment, such as isokinetic dynamometers. These, however, are expensive, and require extensive training. Over the years, manual dynamometers were produced, portable equipment that simplify its use. Among them, a national equipment was developed, but its reliability and validation are yet to be confirmed, compared to equipment already used, such as the Lafayette®. OBJECTIVE: Assess the reliability of a new manual dynamometer - Medeor® device (SP Tech model) -, in relation to the gold standard, Lafayette® device (model 01165), already validated, in the evaluation of muscle strength of the knee and hip groups. METHODS: A total of 26 recruits of both sexes were selected. Muscle strength was measured by Lafayette® and Medeor® dynamometers in the following groups: knee flexors and extensors; flexors, extensors, abductors, adductors, hips internal and external rotators. Each data was collected 3 times, and then the average was calculated.

The Novus system intended to provide ankle dorsiflexion and knee flexion or extension in individuals with foot drop and thigh muscle weakness, following an upper motor neuron injury or disease. The primary objective of the study is to evaluate the usability of the Novus system among these patients and to gain subjects' feedback regarding the device when used on a daily basis.The secondary objective is to obtain information about the performance of the system as a gait assistive device and to evaluate the subject's Quality of Life while using the system.

A breach of respiratory function may be one of the elements more or less early or predominant clinical picture of neuromuscular diseases. It is considered that the obstructive syndromes represent 64% and restrictive or mixed syndromes 36% of chronic respiratory insufficiency, approximately 7% due to a neuromuscular disease. The frequency and type of impairment are dependent on the underlying pathology. The neuromuscular restrictive respiratory failure (IRR) remains partially unknown pulmonologists, especially because the signs of muscle weakness are sometimes difficult to detect. However, respiratory diseases are a major concern in neuromuscular diseases because they can have an impact both on sleep (not sleep, ...) on the daily activities (breathlessness on exertion, dyspnea) and thereby alter the quality of life of patients. Moreover, they represent a significant morbidity and mortality factor. Chest tightness may in some cases reveal the disease and thus constitute the chief complaint of a patient with a neuromuscular disease. In late-onset Pompe disease, lung disease is the predominant clinical symptoms in about 30% of patients. An algorithm was developed to guide practitioners and help them in their diagnostic approach to the cause of the IRR (diagnostic algorithm ATS / ERS 2005). However, this algorithm does not allow precise identification of the neuromuscular causes. At the patient level, this can have an impact by extending the time before placing a diagnosis. In Pompe disease, the average time to diagnosis reached 7.9 years. However, there are for this disease a simple and rapid diagnostic test. Therefore, a greater awareness of practitioners with regard to the particular Pompe disease and neuromuscular diseases in general may be beneficial to patients. This study aims to: i) awareness pulmonologists to the possibility of neuromuscular an IRR. ii) characterize the frequency of neuromuscular origin of IRR in a broad population of patients with concomitant signs muscle weakness. iii) reduce the time to diagnosis by directing patients to neuromuscular reference center early.

This is a study designed to test the hypothesis that treatment with L-carnitine will improve the quality of life and some specific symptoms and signs in patients with renal failure submitted to hemodialysis.

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) has been successful in relieving pain and restoring function in patients with advanced arthritis of the hip joint. Increased focus on earlier recovery and decreased postoperative pain has improved overall satisfaction. However, there is still a gap between the clinical scores in objective surveys and patient satisfaction. Direct anterior approach total hip arthroplasty has a low dislocation rate, abductor strength restoration, acceleration, and cosmetic advantages. In this method, capsulotomy with repair or capsulectomy is applied as the preferences of surgeons. Therefore, this can cause both a decrease in hip flexion strength and a loss in knee extension strength. Our aim in this study is to reveal how much muscle loss was caused by comparing both methods with the intact side.

Pregnant participants will be recruited at the obstetrics outpatient clinic during their visits 4 weeks before the due date. They are randomized into two groups. The first group will be educated to do digital perineal massage. They will be also educated to do pelvic floor muscle exercises and will receive the usual education program for strengthening the pelvic floor. The second group will receive the usual education program for strengthening the pelvic floor. Occurrence of perineal laceration will be reported at time of delivery.

Inspiratory muscle training for 8 weeks in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

Levosimendan is a relatively new drug that improves cardiac contractility in patients with heart failure. Its main mechanism of action is enhanced binding of calcium to the myocardial contractile proteins. Recent data from our lab showed that levosimendan improves contractility of human diaphragm in vitro (muscle fibers from COPD patient diaphragm) and in vivo (healthy subjects). Accordingly, levosimendan may appear of value in the treatment of disorders associated with impaired respiratory muscle function, such as mechanically ventilated patients.We hypothesize that levosimendan could improve respiratory muscle function in mechanically ventilated patients commencing a CPAP trial.

An international consensual group recommends confirming the diagnosis of the Pompe disease after a dried blood spot (DBS) with a dosage of the enzymatic activity in other tissue. This strategy is currently used in the usual practice. The aim is evaluate the prevalence of the Pompe disease among patients with progressive limb girdle muscular weakness and/or axial deficiency, and/or respiratory insufficiency. The diagnosis will be confirmed using DBS.

Dyspnea in systemic sclerosis (ScS) constitute a major factor of functional disability. Intensity of dyspnea is sometimes discordant with objectives data from cardiopulmonary involvements, suggesting unknown additional factors. Diffuse fibrosing myopathy of bad prognosis have been reported in ScS.To now, muscular respiratory involvement has not been evaluated in ScS. Therefore, ScS patients (with or without dyspnea) could have underlying respiratory muscular involvement not detected by current standard of care with pulmonary function tests (PFT). This project is the first, to the best of our knowledge, to assess frequency of respiratory muscular involvement in ScS and to evaluate a screening strategy of this involvement.