University of Mosul

Studying the effects of adding probiotics to the drug regimen of patients with diarrhea predominant IBS

Feasibility of Home-Based Rehabilitation on Body Composition, some Anthropometric Measures and Muscular Strength after interruption 4-5 years of Spinal Cord Injury: Serial Cases Study on ISIS War Survivors in Iraq
Summary Background: The war in Mosul wrecked hospitals and rehab centers, leaving a gap in rehabilitation services. This resulted in a need for alternative solutions for rehabilitation. Objectives: This study aims to create a home-based rehabilitation program (HBRP) that fits the participants' surroundings, and also detect and evaluate how effective it is in improving body composition, some anthropometric measurements, and muscle strength after a (4-5) year break in rehabilitation.
Methods: This voluntary controlled trial included 18 volunteers split into three groups: 13 people with Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) their injuries time since (53.4-55) months. They joined voluntarily into Two groups, Eight in the experimental group (Exp.) and Five in the first control (1st Con.); while Five were healthy individuals in the second control (2nd Con.); all around (21.2) years old on average. The HBRP focused on muscles and whole-body joints by using the basic equipment and exercises right at the patient's homes. The program consisted of five weekly sessions with a gradually increasing achievement time of (45-120) minutes per session, participants were given rest time between exercises based on their level and severity of injury. The assessment was every three months.
Results: The study found that HBRP were not significant differences in weight, BMI, some anthropometric measures and some muscle strength tests However, the HBRP had significant effects on waist/abdomen, pelvis, and left thigh anthropometric variables, with a large effect sizes and ranged between (η2= 0.84 - 0.95); and improvement percentages ranging from (IP= 2.4-16.2%), also had a large effect size on all lower extremity tests, head, and trunk, also improvement percentages were ranging (29.6-242.8%), exclude the pelvis elevating test. Also, there was a significant difference between the Exp. and 1st Con group in the Eight muscles test (P= <0.05) for the favour Exp. group.
Innovatively, this study stands out by introducing an HBRP tailored for individuals with SCI after interruption sustained (4 - 5) years ago. This unique approach not only addresses the challenges posed by the interruption of previous rehabilitation efforts but also seeks to uncover the efficacy of rehabilitation in these specific circumstances.
Conclusions: The study concluded that HBRP affected positively the muscles morphologically and functionally despite a stop in rehabilitation for a long period of (4-5) years for individuals with SCI.

Background: The scarcity of resources for spinal cord injury (SCI) rehabilitation constitutes a significant obstacle, particularly in war-torn regions experiencing a rise in such injuries. Implementing a home-based rehabilitative program (HBRP) tailored to patients' environmental, social, and financial contexts is crucial in mitigating this challenge. The authors investigated the effects of a 24-month HBRP on anthropometric measurements, muscular strength, sensory and motor function, and independence in participants transitioning from bed to walking following SCI.
Methods: Serial case study in a quasi-experimental design, the conducting was at the participants' homes. The participants were four patients with SCI (experimental group) and another two patients with SCI (control group). The interventions were a 24-month HBRP comprising strength, flexibility, and balance training, the outcome measures involved anthropometric measurements, muscle strength using a digital handheld dynamometer, muscle thickness, and cross-sectional area measured using magnetic resonance imaging, measured five walking tests, and the American Spinal Injury Association scale (ASIA) score for assess the sensory and motor score, and the Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM).