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Pefloxacin and ciprofloxacin in the treatment of uncomplicated gonococcal urethritis in males [corrected]

Cheong LL, Chan RK, Nadarajah M

Genitourin Med, 1992 Aug;68(4):260-2.
PMID: 1328033

To study the effectiveness of single-dose pefloxacin and ciprofloxacin in the treatment of uncomplicated gonococcal urethritis in males.
Fulltext Test-retest reliability, internal consistency and concurrent validity of Fatigue Severity Scale in measuring post-stroke fatigue

Nadarajah M, Mazlan M, Abdul-Latif L, Goh HT

Eur J Phys Rehabil Med, 2017 Oct;53(5):703-709.
PMID: 27768012 DOI: 10.23736/S1973-9087.16.04388-4

BACKGROUND: Post-stroke fatigue (PSF) is a common complaint among stroke survivors and has significant impacts on recovery and quality of life. Limited tools that measure fatigue have been validated in stroke.
AIM: The purpose of this study was to determine the psychometric properties of Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) in patients with stroke.
DESIGN: Cross-sectional study.
SETTING: Teaching hospital outpatient setting.
POPULATION: Fifty healthy controls (mean age 61.1±7.4 years; 22 males) and 50 patients with stroke (mean age 63.6±10.3 years; 34 males).
METHODS: FSS was administered twice approximately a week apart through face-to-face interview. In addition, we measured fatigue with Visual Analogue Scale - Fatigue (VAS-F) and Short-Form Health Survey 36 version 2 vitality scale. We used Cronbach alpha to determine internal consistency of FSS. Reliability and validity of FSS were determined by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Spearman correlation coefficient (r).
RESULTS: FSS showed excellent internal consistency for both stroke and healthy groups (Cronbach's alpha >0.90). FSS had excellent test-retest reliability for stroke patients and healthy controls (ICC=0.93 and ICC=0.90, respectively). The scale demonstrated good concurrent validity with VAS-Fatigue (all r>.60) and a moderate validity with the SF36-vitality scale. Furthermore, FSS was sensitive to distinguish fatigue in stroke from the healthy controls (P<0.01).
CONCLUSIONS: FSS has excellent internal consistency, test-retest reliability and good concurrent validity with VAS-F for both groups.
CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT: This study provides evidence that FSS is a reliable and valid tool to measure post-stroke fatigue and is readily to be used in clinical settings.

Study site: Teaching hospital outpatient setting
Falls and Fear of Falling After Stroke: A Case-Control Study

Goh HT, Nadarajah M, Hamzah NB, Varadan P, Tan MP

PM R, 2016 12;8(12):1173-1180.
PMID: 27268565 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmrj.2016.05.012

BACKGROUND: Falls are common after stroke, with potentially serious consequences. Few investigations have included age-matched control participants to directly compare fall characteristics between older adults with and without stroke. Further, fear of falling, a significant psychological consequence of falls, has only been examined to a limited degree as a risk factor for future falls in a stroke population.
OBJECTIVE: To compare the fall history between older adults with and without a previous stroke and to identify the determinants of falls and fear of falling in older stroke survivors.
DESIGN: Case-control observational study.
SETTING: Primary teaching hospital.
PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-five patients with stroke (mean age ± standard deviation, 66 ± 7 years) and 50 age-matched control participants with no previous stroke were tested.
METHODS: Fall history, fear of falling, and physical, cognitive, and psychological function were assessed. A χ2 test was performed to compare characteristics between groups, and logistic regression was performed to determine the risk factors for falls and fear of falling.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Fall events in the past 12 months, Fall Efficacy Scale-International, Berg Balance Scale, Functional Ambulation Category, Fatigue Severity Scale, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and Patient Healthy Questionnaire-9 were measured for all participants. Fugl-Meyer Motor Assessment was used to quantify severity of stroke motor impairments.
RESULTS: Twenty-three patients and 13 control participants reported at least one fall in the past 12 months (P = .58). Nine participants with stroke had recurrent falls (≥2 falls) compared with none of the control participants (P < .01). Participants with stroke reported greater concern for falling than did nonstroke control participants (P < .01). Female gender was associated with falls in the nonstroke group, whereas falls in the stroke group were not significantly associated with any measured outcomes. Fear of falling in the stroke group was associated with functional ambulation level and balance. Functional ambulation level alone explained 22% of variance in fear of falling in the stroke group.
CONCLUSIONS: Compared with persons without a stroke, patients with stroke were significantly more likely to experience recurrent falls and fear of falling. Falls in patients with stroke were not explained by any of the outcome measures used, whereas fear of falling was predicted by functional ambulation level. This study has identified potentially modifiable risk factors with which to devise future prevention strategies for falls in patients with stroke.
LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

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