The AAO Journal, 2022/06, 32(2):12. doi: 10.53702/2375-5717-32.2.8, type of study: ,ret,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Free full text   (https://meridian.allenpress.com/aaoj/article/32/2/8/482676/LBORC-NUFA-Poster-Abstracts-2022-Residents)

Keywords:

cranial rhythmic impulse [34]
CRI [163]
OMT [3924]
osteopathic manipulative treatment [3945]
retrospective study [339]

Abstract:

Introduction/Background: Majority of the studies on cranial rhythmic impulse (CRI) have been completed on healthy adults. Few of these included variables which may affect rate. Identifying how different variables effect the average CRI rate can help physicians understand how variances in CRI relate to patients. Objective: The main objective is to determine if there are differences in the average CRI rate based on age. A secondary objective is to evaluate variables including sex, diagnoses, state of the patient, before treatment, and after treatment for change in rate. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed from 8/1/2021-1/31/2022 by querying head somatic dysfunction, then further reviewed for office visit and osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) resulting in 155 unique patients over 227 encounters. The CRI along with the variables noted above were abstracted and analyzed using mean, median, mode, range, standard deviation, t-test, ANOVA, and Tukey HSD when appropriate. Results: The difference between the average CRI rate for newborn-8 years old(yo), 9yo-59yo, and 60yo and older was significant. The rates were 16.7, 11.7, and 10.6 respectively (p-value <0.01, n=219). Also, the average CRI rate increased by +0.8 after treatment (p-value <0.01, n=177). Discussion/Conclusion: Children less than 8yo have faster average CRI rates, while adults over 60 have slower rates, proving age affects CRI rate. OMT increased the CRI rate providing numerical evidence of an immediate change. Physicians can use this to improve patient health and evaluate treatment in real time. A prospective study could confirm these findings and analyze patient reported changes. Study limitations include available documentation and limited sample size of certain age groups.