• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.345-353
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• 2018

This study examined the associations of smoking, alcohol drinking habits and both with the carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in university students. This study was performed using a CAGE (test for alcohol: cutting down, annoyance by criticism, guilty feeling, and eye-openers) questionnaire, FTND (the Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence) questionnaire, and CIMT of university students. No statistically significant differences were observed among the CIMT results according to each CAGE level classified into 3 groups. The results of CIMT according to the FTND smoking categorization showed that the smoking group was higher than nonsmoking group (P<0.01). A statistically significant difference was observed between the left and right CIMT regarding smoking and drinking (P<0.01). In the only drink risk group, the left CIMT (19.84 rank) showed a low-ranking. The CIMT on the left (42.38 rank) and right (42.81 rank) showed high scores in the group with only the risk of smoking (P<0.01). These results suggested that there are distinct differences in CIMT and relevant risk factors between smokers and drinkers, particularly among those with a high smoking status. This study had several limitations: the study population was small; the relatively young age of the study subjects; and limited of focus on smoking, drinking and CIMT. In conclusion, cigarette smoking significantly exacerbates the adverse effects and higher CIMT on the subclinical atherosclerosis risk in young adults, which underscores the importance of prevention and cessation of cigarette smoking in young adults.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.291-302
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• 2023

Purpose: Early detection of carotid stenosis can reduce cardiovascular risk. In this study, the maximum-carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT), the mean-CIMT, and the presence of plaque were examined in healthy young Thai adults. Additionally, correlations between CIMT and cardiovascular risk factors were assessed. Materials and Methods: Left and right carotid arteries of 302 participants(15-45 years old) were scanned, with CIMT measured at the far walls of the common carotid artery, carotid bulb, and internal carotid artery. Demographics and risk factors were assessed using a questionnaire. Ten random participants were re-scanned after 4 weeks. Results: The study included 123 (40.70%) male and 179 (59.30%) female participants. The max-CIMT, mean-CIMT, and plaque thickness were 0.400±0.100, 0.403±0.095 and 1.520±0.814 mm, respectively. Male participants had significantly higher CIMT values for nearly all locations and age groups. The right-sided CIMT values were higher for all locations. The carotid bulb had the greatest CIMT values(0.437±0.178 mm), followed by the common (0.403±0.095 mm) and internal(0.361±0.099 mm) carotid arteries. Plaque was present in 18 locations (1.00%), affecting 15 participants (4.97%). These plaques were found in the right carotid bulb (n=9; 0.50%), left carotid bulb (n=7; 0.39%), and right internal carotid artery (n=2; 0.11%). Adjusted multivariable regression revealed significant positive associations between CIMT and male, increased age and "other" occupation (P<0.05). Conclusion: Both max-CIMT and mean-CIMT were approximately 0.4 mm. Plaque was observed in 4.97% of patients, with an average thickness of 1.5 mm. The most influential risk factors for increased CIMT were sex, age, and occupation.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.12
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• pp.5684-5691
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to examine effects of constraint-induced movement therapy(CIMT) and/or cognitive-perceptual training(CPT) on the change of hand function in cerebrovascular accident(CVA) patients and to evaluate the change in the amount and quality of use of the affected upper extremity in performing daily living tasks. The subjects of study were 10 patients who had been under rehabilitation for more than three months after CVA onset. They were all determined as mild cognition impairment according to NCSE or MVPT test. For CIMT group, to restrict the movement of the unaffected hand the subjects had been worn modified resting arm-splint in daytime for 4 weeks. For CIMT+CPT group, the subjects were performed CPT with CIMT and control group had been under conventional occupational therapy for the same period. CIMT+CPT group showed significant improvement in simulated feeding, lifting large light objects, and lifting large heavy objects of Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test. CIMT group also showed significant improvement compared with control group. The mean changes of the amount of use(AOU) of the affected arm had a statistically significant difference among groups (p<.05). While CIMT+CPT group had the biggest change in the quality of movement(QOM) of upper extremity of the affected side, CTL group showed the smallest change. Both CIMT and CIMT+CPT groups had statistically significant difference in the change in the quality of movement in upper extremity of affected side with CTL group(p<.05), but there was not significant difference between CIMT group and CIMT+CPT group. CIMT performed to the patients of stroke, with mild impairment in cognitive perceptual abilities showed the improvement in hand movement and AOU and QOM of upper extremity in the affected side and the combination of CIMT with CPT showed synergic effects.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.183-192
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• 2009

Purpose：This study was conducted to investigate whether modified CIMT with Kinesio-Taping on paretic upper limb effects upper limb function in stroke patients in comparison to those receiving only modified CIMT. Methods：20 out-patients with hemiplegia were randomly assigned to either an experimental or a control group. Both groups received modified CIMT during a 10-week period. Additionally, an experimental group received modified CIMT with Kinesio-Taping on paretic upper limb and trunk. Results：In Manual function test, Grip strength, Jebsen-Taylor hand function test, MAL(Motor Activity Log) and Functional independence measure (FIM) were significantly different at all intervals of the study period(0, 3, 6, 10-week) in the experimental and control groups(p<.05). Exceptionally there was no significant difference in Jebsen-Taylor hand function test between the experimental and control groups. Conclusion：These results suggest that modified CIMT with Kinesio-taping improve the upper limb function. And also increase usage of affected upper limb and assist in daily living activity more than only modified CIMT.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.11-20
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• 2020

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to research the effects of dual-hemisphere transcranial direct current stimulation (dual tDCS) and modified constraint-induced movement therapy (mCIMT) to improve upper extremity motor function after stroke. Methods : The study period was from August 2019 to November 2019, and included 24 patients who met the selection criteria. Participants were divided into 2 groups: dual tDCS and mCIMT, and sham dual tDCS and mCIMT group. Dual tDCS and mCIMT group performed mCIMT immediately after applying dual tDCS for 20 minutes, and sham dual tDCS and mCIMT group performed mCIMT immediately after applying sham tDCS for 20 minutes without turning on the power source. Total interventions were conducted 5 times per week for 4 weeks, and mCIMT was conducted for 30 minutes per session for both experimental and control groups. Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) and Motor Activity Log scale (MAL) were analyzed before and after 4 weeks of intervention. Results : Both experimental and control groups showed significant changes in FMA, Amount of Use (AOU), and Quality of Movement (QOM) of MAL. When the differences between groups was compared using ANCOVA, the experimental group showed a greater improvement in FMA and AOU of MAL than the control group. Conclusion : In order to enhance the effect of improving upper limb function of stroke patients, dual tDCS could be applied to provide more effective treatment in the clinical setting. Further studies will be needed in larger groups of stroke patients, including long-term follow-up, and multi-group comparisons through the establishment of anodal tDCS and mCIMT, cathodal tDCS, and mCIMT groups to clarify the effects of dual tDCS. In addition, research is needed to establish a protocol for tDCS, and this evidence-based intervention protocol is expected to be used in the clinical setting as an interventional method for various purposes.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.451-460
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a modified constraint induced movement therapy (mCIMT) using proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) on the upper extremity function and activities of daily living (ADLs) in patients with subacute stroke. Methods: Fourteen participants with subacute stroke were randomly assigned to a group using both mCIMT and PNF or a group using mCIMT alone. Each group underwent twenty sessions (1 h/d, 5 d/wk) for 4 weeks. Patients were assessed with the action research arm test (ARAT), the Fugl-Meyer assessment for the upper extremities (FMA-UE), the Modified Barthel Index (MBI), and motor activity logs (MALs; amount of use [AOU] and quality of movement [QOM]). Results: Both the experimental group and the control group showed significant intragroup improvement in the ARAT, FMA-UE, MBI, and MAL-AOU (p<0.05). The group using both mCIMT and PNF exhibited greater improvement in the ARAT, FMA-UE, MBI, and MAL-AOU than did the group using mCIMT alone. Statistical analyses showed significant differences in the ARAT (p=0.01), FMA-UE (p=0.01), MBI (p=0.00), and MAL-AOU (p=0.01) between the groups. Conclusion: This study applied mCIMT combined with PNF for subacute stroke patients, and the results showed significant improvements in the patients' upper extremity function and ADLs. Therefore, mCIMT using PNF may be more effective than mCIMT alone in improving upper limb function and ADLs in patients with subacute stroke.

• Therapeutic Science for Rehabilitation
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.23-34
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• 2012

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of task oriented activity and modified constraint induced movement therapy (mCIMT) on Quality of Life (QOL) for patients with stroke. Methods : Thirty stroke patients were participated voluntarily and were assigned randomly into task oriented activity and mCIMT groups. The QOL of both groups were assessed using Stroke Specific Quality of Life (SS-QOL). Results : The QOL showed a statistically meaningful difference for both groups (p<.05), but after the intervention, the both groups showed no statistically meaningful difference in terms of the QOL (p>.05). Conclusion : We found that task oriented activity and mCIMT improve the QOL of patients with stroke through increasing their affected upper extremity function and movement. It is expected that task oriented activity and mCIMT will have a positive effect on the QOL of stroke patients by applying them to clinic with occupational therapy.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.219-225
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• 2013

The primary goal of this study was to ascertain the primary factors to the affect for the carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT), the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and other risks can possibly influence the carotid artery IMT. All patients data (total specimens: 289, male: 197, female: 92) including the carotid artery ultrasonography examination. The all data were analyzed by the use of SPSS software, version 21.0 (SPSS, Chicago, IL USA), with the descriptive statistics method. The Results of this study was found to be highly increased in the males than the females. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in all of the participants was 30.5 percentages. The carotid artery IMT in the subjects with metabolic syndrome was significantly high in both genders, compared to the rest, who were without metabolic syndrome. The Pearson's correlation coefficient of metabolic syndrome and CIMT was 0.378(p<0.01). In conclusions, the present study also supports the association between the carotid artery IMT and the metabolic syndromes with cardiovascular risk factors. Usage of B-mode ultrasonography to measure the carotid artery IMT was found to be highly effective in the current analysis.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.59-68
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• 2012

This meta-analysis investigated the effects on arm motor impairment, arm motor function and disability, and psychological aspects of constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) for upper extremity hemiparesis following stroke, based on Korean studies. A comprehensive search of the complete Korean studies information service system (KISS), Research Information Sharing Service (RISS), Korea National Library, and the Korean Medical Database to September 2011 was conducted. Eleven eligible controlled clinical trials compared CIMT to a control group or an alternative treatment. All outcome measures of arm motor impairment, arm motor function and disability, and psychological aspects were pooled for calculating effect size. The overall effect size of CIMT was .700 (95% confidence interval=.482~.918). The CIMT programs showed large effect on the aspect of arm motor function and disability (the effect size is .920) and the psychological aspect (the effect size is .946). The effect of CIMT on arm motor impairment was moderate (the effect size is .588). These results show that CIMT may improve upper extremity motor impairment, function and disability, and psychological aspects following stroke. However, these results were based on a small number of studies, and not all of them were randomized control trials. Additional research is needed to include larger well-designed trials to resolve these uncertainties.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.70-78
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• 2009

This study was designed to examine a 3-week modified constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) to the less-affected arm of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) would improve function of the more-affected arm in PD. The subjects were 6 institutional older adults with PD and clients of the social welfare facilities. The subjects (2 men, 4 women) ranged in age from 66 to 90 years (mean age 77.2 yrs). Three clinical tests were used to determine the improvement of functional activity between before and after modified CIMT. The tests included Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT), and Action Research Arm Test (ARAT). There were significantly differences after the modified CIMT for time performance in WMFT and pinch in ARAT (p<.05), No significant difference was noted after the modified CIMT for UPDRS and functional ability scale in WMFT. Therefore, the modified CIMT might improve time performance and is available to therapeutic program helping them improve functional ability for upper extremity in Parkinson's disease.