Torok, Don

The purpose of this study was to detect if gender affected the diagnostic and therapeutic procedures for chest pain in an Emergency Department (ED). This study evaluated the use of a chest pain assessment, Electrocardiograph (ECG), care path protocol, myocardial markers and notification of a cardiologist for an acute myocardial infarction (AMI), as well as, elapsed time of ED arrival to 1st ECG, and 1st ECG interpretation. The eleven-month retrospective analyses used abstracted data on 1870 discharges. Chi-squared analysis and ANOVA were used to determine if a gender bias existed in the use of the different diagnostic procedures (p < 0.05). Results indicated men were not treated more aggressively on the initial presentation of chest pain in the ED. Our findings may suggest that the use of a care path protocol by well-trained ED physicians at this hospital helped in identifying the typical and atypical presentations of chest pain regardless of gender.

The purpose of this study was to examine the success of a hospital-based, employee wellness program based on the structure of its multi-component intervention program and ethnic stratification. The twelve-week, cardiovascular risk reduction program addressed nutrition, exercise, smoking cessation, disease prevention and stress management. The cardiovascular risk factors assessed included age, gender, blood pressure, weight, smoking, fasting glucose, cholesterol levels, and Framingham Risk Level. Subjects were 812 volunteer hospital employees made up of 505 Caucasians, 173 African-Americans, and 53 Hispanics. The pre-test to post-test changes in risk factor values for those at high risk for disease according to national guidelines all significantly decreased (p < 0.05). A significant overall decrease in the Framingham Risk Level occurred in these subjects. Results within the ethnic groups suggested that not all groups responded to the program in the same fashion or to the same degree. Overall, this multi-component intervention program provided very favorable results in only twelve weeks.

This study examined the effects of using one or three sets of assisted pull-ups on the GravitronRTM 2000 AT unit by StairMaster RTM to increase upper body strength in adolescents. Fifty-four students participated in the study consisting of three upper body strength tests: pull-ups, flexed-arm hang, and push-ups. Forty-two subjects engaged in a 12-week training protocol on the GravitronRTM performing either one set (T1, N = 21), or 3 sets (T3, N = 21). Statistical analysis supported a significant improvement in strength (p < 0.05) as assessed by the number of pull-ups completed for the T3 group. All other test results revealed nonsignificant changes. This type of training did not significantly increase the passing rate on the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports standards for strength or endurance. In conclusion, upper body strength was improved with 3 sets of assisted pull-up training after 12 weeks of training as shown by an increase in number of pull-ups performed.

The focus of this study was to quantify changes in impact forces at the knee when changing footstrike. The subjects included 17 heelstrikers (trained = 8, controls = 9). The 12-week training consisted of drills that focused on landing on the midfoot as per the Pose Method of running. The kinematics variables quantified were stride rate, stride length, stance phase, and knee flexion angle at footstrike. The kinetics measured were maximum vertical ground reaction forces at the ground and at the knee joint during initial impact, and maximum loading rate. The data were analyzed with a repeated measures ANOVA with (P < 0.05). Significant decreases was found in stride rate, stance phase and in all kinetic variables. These preliminary results are encouraging because they demonstrate that changing the footstrike can result in a reduction in impact forces at the knee joint.