13; 95% CI: -18.44 to -3.82) and moderate evidence 2 RCTs, N = 102) that exercises are more effective for functional status on short-term follow-up (WMD: -6.50; 95% CI: AP24534 in vivo -9.26 to -3.74). None of the studies reported that exercises increased the reoperation rate. We also found low quality evidence (2 RCTs, N = 103) that high intensity exercises are slightly more effective

than low intensity exercise programs for pain in the short-term (WMD: -10.67; 95% CI: -17.04 to -4.30) and moderate evidence (2 RCTs, N = 103) that they are more effective for functional status in the short-term (standardized mean difference [SMD] -0.77; 95% CI: -1.17 to -0.36). Finally, we found low quality evidence (3 RCTs, N = 95) that there were no significant differences between supervised and home exercises for short-term

pain relief (SMD: -1.12; 95% CI: -2.77-0.53) or functional status find more (3 RCT, N = 95; SMD -1.17; 95% CI: -2.63-0.28).

Conclusion. Exercise programs starting 4 to 6 weeks postsurgery seem to lead to a faster decrease in pain and disability than no treatment. High intensity exercise programs seem to lead to a faster decrease in pain and disability than low intensity programs. There were no significant differences between supervised and home exercises for pain relief, disability, or global perceived effect. There is no evidence that active programs increase the reoperation rate after first-time lumbar surgery.”
“Background and aim: To evaluate the prevalence of subclinical cardiovascular (CV) abnormalities in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) stratified according to SLE-related organ damage using the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) damage index.

Methods 4EGI-1 clinical trial and results: We selected SLE patients without clinically

overt CV events (n = 45, 56% with SLICC. = 0, 44% with SLICC = 1-4). CV evaluation was performed using cardiac and vascular echo-Doppler techniques. Post-ischemic flow-mediated dilation (FMD) over nitroglycerine-mediated dilation (NMD) of the brachial artery < 0.70 defined endothelial dysfunction.

The prevalence of preclinical CV abnormalities (CVAbn, including at least one of the following-carotid atherosclerosis, Left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, low arterial compliance, LV watt motion abnormalities, aortic regurgitation, FMD/NMD < 0.70)-was 64% (16/25) in patients with SLICC = 0 and 80% (16/20) in those with SLICC > 0 (p = not significant (NS)). In particular, the prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis (28% vs. 16%), of LV hypertrophy (12% vs. 6%) and of LV watt motion abnormalities (15% vs. 12%), of low global arterial compliance (18% vs. 10%), prevalence of aortic regurgitation (30% vs. 18%) and/or aortic valve fibrosclerosis (10% vs. 8%), FMD < 10% (14 +/- 5% vs. 14% +/- 6) and prevalence of FMD/NMD < 0.70 (53% vs.