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Medicina
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Advances in Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases and Health Promotion
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Advances in Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases and Health Promotion

A special issue of Medicina (ISSN 1648-9144). This special issue belongs to the section "Hematology and Immunology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 3419

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Kyoung Kim

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Physical Therapy, Daegu University, Gyeongsan-si, Republic of Korea
Interests: musculoskeletal disorders; cardiopulmonary rehabilitation; musculoskeletal and neurological rehabilitation; vestibular rehabilitation; balance and gait analysis, physiotherapy
Dr. Do-youn Lee

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
College of General Education, Kookmin University, Seoul 02707, Republic of Korea
Interests: sarcopenia; movement disorders; physical therapy; health promotion; epidemiology
Dr. Deok-Hoon Jun

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Physical Therapy, Daegu University, Gyeongsan-si, Republic of Korea
Interests: neck pain; motor control; prevention management; health promotion; epidemiology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) are chronic systemic diseases that affect joints, tendons, bones, muscles, and ligaments. Furthermore, RMDs compose a medical field that should be considered with importance, considering the prevalence of aging societies and the impact of the diseases on health and quality of life.

In this Special Issue, we welcome studies covering a comprehensive spectrum related to the pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment strategy, disease epidemiology, prevention, and management of the diseases. This includes rheumatic diseases such as lupus, ankylosing spondylitis, gout, arthritis, and musculoskeletal diseases such as osteoporosis, neck pain, low back pain, and sarcopenia.

Review articles, clinical and epidemiological studies, basic and translational medicine, small-scale research, and interesting clinical cases are all considered. Based on these topics, this Special Issue aims to promote continuous development by providing reliable academic data to readers.

Prof. Dr. Kyoung Kim
Guest Editor

Dr. Do-youn Lee
Dr. Deok-Hoon Jun
Guest Editor Assistants

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Medicina is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • rheumatic disease
  • osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
  • ankylosing spondylitis
  • lupus (systemic lupus erythematous)
  • musculoskeletal disorders
  • neck, back, or hip pain
  • sarcopenia
  • osteoporosis or osteopenia
  • multiple body areas or systems

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 1394 KiB  
Article
Effects of Non-Immersive Virtual Reality Exercise on Self-Reported Pain and Mechanical Hyperalgesia in Older Adults with Knee and Hip Osteoarthritis: A Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial
by Francisco Guede-Rojas, Cristhian Mendoza, Leonardo Rodríguez-Lagos, Adolfo Soto-Martínez, David Ulloa-Díaz, Carlos Jorquera-Aguilera and Claudio Carvajal-Parodi
Medicina 2025, 61(7), 1122; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina61071122 - 21 Jun 2025
Viewed by 223
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee and hip is a major cause of pain and functional impairment. This study evaluated the effects of non-immersive virtual reality (NIVR) combined with conventional physical therapy (CPT) on pain intensity, mechanical hyperalgesia, and perceived [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee and hip is a major cause of pain and functional impairment. This study evaluated the effects of non-immersive virtual reality (NIVR) combined with conventional physical therapy (CPT) on pain intensity, mechanical hyperalgesia, and perceived recovery in older adults with OA. Materials and Methods: Sixty older adults with mild-to-moderate knee or hip OA were randomly assigned to a NIVR group (NIVR-G; n = 30) or a CPT group (CPT-G; n = 30). Both groups completed 30 sessions over 10 weeks (3 sessions/week). The NIVR-G performed 20 minutes of exergames integrated into CPT. Pain intensity was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and mechanical hyperalgesia was evaluated through pressure pain thresholds (PPTs). Secondary outcomes included the Global Rating of Change (GRoC) and the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for the VAS. This study is a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (ID: NCT05839262). Results: The NIVR-G demonstrated significant reductions in pain intensity after 30 sessions (p < 0.05, d = 1.50), with greater improvements compared to the CPT-G (p < 0.05, d = 1.17). The MCID for the VAS was established at 9.2 mm, with a higher proportion of responders in the NIVR-G (p < 0.05). The NIVR-G also reported superior recovery perception on the GRoC scale (p < 0.05). No significant changes in PPTs were observed in either group. However, the improvements in the NIVR-G diminished four weeks post-intervention. Conclusions: NIVR exergames combined with CPT significantly reduced pain intensity, improved perceived recovery, and resulted in a higher proportion of responders compared to CPT alone. These findings support the use of NIVR as an effective adjunct to CPT in older adults with OA; however, further research is needed to optimize its long-term benefits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases and Health Promotion)
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13 pages, 695 KiB  
Article
Dynamic Cycle of Low Back Pain: A 17-Year, Population-Based Study Analyzing the National Health Insurance Service Data in South Korea
by Mi-Ran Goo, Deok-Hoon Jun and Do-Youn Lee
Medicina 2025, 61(5), 782; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina61050782 - 23 Apr 2025
Viewed by 921
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Low back pain (LBP) is a highly prevalent musculoskeletal condition that frequently recurs, leading to increased healthcare utilization and socioeconomic burden. While short-term management strategies are well-documented, long-term recurrence patterns remain insufficiently studied. This study aims to describe the [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: Low back pain (LBP) is a highly prevalent musculoskeletal condition that frequently recurs, leading to increased healthcare utilization and socioeconomic burden. While short-term management strategies are well-documented, long-term recurrence patterns remain insufficiently studied. This study aims to describe the long-term recurrence patterns and healthcare utilization associated with LBP in a nationwide cohort over a 17-year period. Materials and Methods: This descriptive, retrospective longitudinal cohort study utilized data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database (2002–2018). We included 3,086,665 patients who sought medical care for LBP (ICD-10 code M54.5) at least once in 2010. Patients with a history of disability rating assessments were excluded. The primary outcomes included the number of LBP episodes, episode duration, recurrence patterns, and changes in healthcare utilization. We assessed the number of healthcare visits per episode and the interval between episodes over time. Results: Among the study population, 79.4% experienced recurrent LBP, with an average of 5.0 ± 4.9 episodes per patient. Recurrence rates increased with each episode. In addition, episode duration lengthened, and intervals between episodes shortened. Healthcare utilization also increased, with patients requiring more visits per episode over time. The demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the LBP patients in our sample were also described. Conclusions: In this population-based sample, LBP follows a progressive course, with increasing episode frequency, prolonged duration, and escalating healthcare utilization over time. These findings highlight the need for early intensive management and long-term follow-up strategies to mitigate the growing burden of recurrent LBP on individuals and healthcare systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases and Health Promotion)
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13 pages, 929 KiB  
Article
Bone Health in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis in Bahrain
by Adla B. Hassan, Amer Almarabheh, Abdulaziz Almekhyal, Danya Abdulhameed AlAwadhi and Haitham Jahrami
Medicina 2024, 60(12), 2078; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina60122078 - 18 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1111
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Compared to the general population, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have additional disease-specific risk factors for osteoporosis that include chronic exposure to systemic inflammation. The current study aimed to investigate the prevalence of osteoporosis and its associated risk factors, such [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: Compared to the general population, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have additional disease-specific risk factors for osteoporosis that include chronic exposure to systemic inflammation. The current study aimed to investigate the prevalence of osteoporosis and its associated risk factors, such as age, sex, body mass index (BMI), uric acid (UA), and vitamin D status, but also the coexistence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DMT2) and breast cancer (Ca breast) in patients with RA in Bahrain. Material and Methods: Data from DEXA scans were collected retrospectively from the patient’s electronic health records. All patients who had BMD data and at least one single comorbidity, including RA, were included in the current study. The collected data were analyzed by using SPSS, version 28. Results: A total of 4396 patients were included in the current study. The comorbidities among this cohort were as follows: 3434 patients had endocrinological diseases, among them 63.6% had DMT2; 1870 patients had rheumatological diseases, among them 15.1% had rheumatoid arthritis; and 941 patients had malignancies, among them 75.6% had breast cancer. Our results indicated that patients with RA had a high prevalence of low BMD (72.30%, p < 0.001) and low vitamin D levels (63.10%, p < 0.001) but high serum UA (20.85%). Comparing RA with non-RA patients, our results showed a statistically significant association between RA and each of BMD and UA (p = 0.017 and p = 0.004, respectively), but also between RA and each of age (p = 0.001) and Ca breast (p < 0.001). However, no association was found between RA and BMI, DMT2, or vitamin D status. Conclusions: RA patients had a high prevalence of low BMD (72.3%) and low vitamin D (63.10%) but high serum UA (20.85%). The risk of osteoporosis, hypovitaminosis, and gout must be kept in mind during the evaluation of any case with RA. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases and Health Promotion)
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24 pages, 2470 KiB  
Systematic Review
Genetic Patterns Related with the Development and Progression of Sarcopenia and Sarcopenic Obesity: A Systematic Review
by Andreea-Dalila Nedelcu, Andreea-Bianca Uzun, Viorela-Mihaela Ciortea, Laszlo Irsay, Liliana-Elena Stanciu, Dan Marcel Iliescu, Florina Ligia Popa and Mădălina-Gabriela Iliescu
Medicina 2025, 61(5), 866; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina61050866 - 8 May 2025
Viewed by 612
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Despite their high prevalence, sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity remain underdiagnosed worldwide, significantly impacting the health and quality of life of aging individuals. Due to their multifactorial nature, the current management strategies do not address their underlying pathogenesis. This systematic review [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: Despite their high prevalence, sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity remain underdiagnosed worldwide, significantly impacting the health and quality of life of aging individuals. Due to their multifactorial nature, the current management strategies do not address their underlying pathogenesis. This systematic review aims to identify single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with sarcopenia and/or sarcopenic obesity in humans. Materials and Methods. This systematic literature review followed the “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)” guidelines and the protocol registered in PROSPERO. Extensive research was performed in six databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and SpringerLink) using keywords such as “sarcopenia”, “sarcopenic obesity”, “single nucleotide polymorphisms”, “SNPs”, and “genetic variants”. The Q-Genie and ROBINS-E tools were utilized to assess the quality of the included studies. Results: The final analysis included 12 studies, which were classified as good-quality according to the Q-Genie assessment and indicated a low to moderate risk of bias according to the ROBINS-E evaluation, collectively identifying 43 SNPs significantly associated with sarcopenia or sarcopenic obesity. Specifically, 24 SNPs were linked to sarcopenia, while 19 were associated with sarcopenic obesity. Conclusions: Understanding the implications of SNPs provides valuable insights into individual susceptibility and the variability observed across populations, potentially leading to more targeted and effective diagnostic and treatment strategies. Advancing clinical practice requires ongoing research into the genetic aspects of sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases and Health Promotion)
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