Herpes zoster: correlation of age, sex, distribution, neuralgia, and associated disorders.

The influence of sex and age on the distribution of lesions, incidence of postherpetic neuralgia, and related disorders in herpes zoster is reported. Results were obtained by reviewing the records of 140 outpatients with herpes zoster seen over a ten-year period. Trigeminal involvement and post-herpetic neuralgia were more common in patients over 50 years of age. The most common sites of lesions in all ages were the thoracic dermatomes, between T-1 and T-8. The distribution of lesions and the incidence of postherpetic neuralgia did not vary between the sexes. High incidences of diabetes and cataracts were found to be associated with herpes zoster infection. Clinical carcinoma of the prostate was a frequent finding in men with herpes zoster over age 50. In those patients with malignancies, there was no correlation between distribution of zoster lesions and location of malignancy.     

The prevalence of diabetic retinopathy: effect of sex, age, duration of disease and mode of therapy

Studying 445 diabetic patients, we investigated the effects of sex, age, duration of disease, and mode of diabetes therapy on the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy. Of the study participants, 193 were treated with insulin injections, 164 took oral antidiabetic medications, and 88 were managed on diet alone. The prevalence of diabetic retinopathy was highest among insulin-treated patients (64%), while in the oral medication and diet groups, it was 36% and 12%, respectively. Diabetic retinopathy was more prevalent among patients with prolonged duration of disease. Sex and age did not seem to affect the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy when adjustments were made for the duration of disease.     

Lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes: Irregularities in electrophoretic mobility

In the sera of five patients out of a group of several thousand the LDH-isoenzymes showed abnormal mobilities upon electrophoresis in agar gel. In all five sera LDH₄ was retarded and LDH₅ accelerated. LDH_1–3 were either normal or retarded and in one case LDH₁ and-₂ were entirely absent. Since the zymograms of the erythrocytes and leukocytes of all patients showed normal mobilities, genetic differences in the structure of the LDH molecules could be excluded. Preliminary experiments show that the abnormal mobilities may be caused by a relatively thermostable factor in the serum.NAd added to the patients' sera partly restored the mobilities of their isoenzymes to normal. It is suggested that the serum factor is active by removing or blocking NAD attached to the LDH-molecule, or other moieties of the latter, influencing the electrophoretic mobility. A correlation with liver disease seems very probable. The four-polypeptide chain hypothesis for the LDH-isoenzymes in its present form does not offer sufficient scope to fit in these and other abnormal phenomena hitherto registered in this field.     

Relation of age to isoenzyme pattern and total activity of amylase in serum

Pancreatic and salivary isoenzymes of amylase were determined in serum from 70 subjects. Thin-layer gel/isoelectric focusing was used to separate the isoenzymes. Because other studies (J. Lab. Clin. Med. 90: 141-151, 1977) show that the major isoamylases have isoelectric points between 5.8 and 7.2, we focused the sera on polyacrylamide gel plates with a pH gradient from 5.5 to 8.5. The separated amylase fractions were made visible by direct incubation with a commercially available dye-starch polymer. Isoelectric focusing proved to be convenient, precise, and reproducible, and it can be used as a routine analysis to detect even slight changes in serum amylase distributions. We found that the isoamylase distribution is age dependent, whereas total amylase activity shows no correlation with age.     

Influence of age, sex, and oral contraceptives on human blood cholinesterase activity.

We estimated cholinesterase (EC 3.1.1.8) activities in erthrocytes and plasma of 443 men, 188 women not taking oral contraceptives, and 70 women who were taking oral contraceptives. Men in the first six decades of life had higher plasma cholinesterase activity than did women who were not taking oral contraceptives, and these women had higher plasma cholinesterase activity than women taking oral contraceptives. After the age of 60 there was no intersex difference. Activity of erythrocytes from the oral contraceptive group was higher than in the other groups, men had the lowest activity, and there was an increased activity with age in both sexes until the age of 60. These findings suggest that there is no single "normal" value for cholinesterase activity for adults.     

Stroke: associations with age, sex, and side of weakness

This study on patients who had strokes investigates the relevance of a patient's age, sex, and the side of any symptoms in association with prestroke status, initial signs, initial disability, and recovery during the first six months. Disability was assessed using the Barthel activities of daily living (ADL) index; non-ADL (social) activities were measured using the Frenchay activities index. Data were collected from 976 patients registered in a community study, and were analyzed statistically using Chi square test, correlation coefficients (for age), analysis of covariance, and two-way analysis of variance. The 469 patients aged 75 years or older included more women (308; p less than 0.001), more who lived alone (147; p less than 0.001), and fewer patients with no prestroke disability (247; p less than 0.001). In this group, the 265 patients who were seen within one week of stroke had a more severe initial disability (p less than 0.001), but not a more severe paralysis. More patients from this age group died (268; p less than 0.001) and more survivors required long-term care. Further analysis showed that older patients made a less good recovery, even after allowing for the correlation between early and six-month Barthel scores (r = +0.41; p less than 0.01). Age had an inverse correlation with level of non-ADL activities at six months (r = -0.365; p less than 0.001). Young women had more severe initial disability (p less than 0.001), but other associations with sex reflected the preponderance of women in the the older age groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Thoracic kyphosis and mobility: the effect of age

A profile of thoracic kyphosis and range of motion in all directions has been documented in an ageing population of 120 normal adult females. Kyphosis and sagittal plane movement were measured with an inclinometer, frontal plane movement with Myrin goniometers, and horizontal plane movement with a modified lumbar rotameter.

The angle of kyphosis increased significantly with age (p< 0.001), ranging from 41 ± 9° in subjects in their 3rd decade to 60 ± 10° in subjects over 70 years. Significant changes in angle of kyphosis occurred only after the 5th decade. Range of thoracic spine movement decreased significantly with age in all directions in which measurements were made (p< 0.001). Statistical analysis of the results obtained suggests that ageing restricts movements of the thoracic spine more rapidly in some directions than in others     

Sensitive, simple staining method for use in electrophoretic determination of amylase isoenzymes in serum

We have developed a sensitive and simple staining method for use in electrophoretic analysis of serum alpha-amylase (EC 3.2.1.1) isoenzymes. The principle of this method is as follows. alpha-Amylase hydrolyzes 4-nitrophenylmaltoheptaoside to generate oligosaccharide, which is then converted to gluconolactone in the presence of oligosaccharide dehydrogenase (no EC no. assigned), with concomitant reduction of 1-methoxy-5-methylphenazinium methylsulfate (1-m-PMS) to 1-m-PMSH. The hydrogen in 1-m-PMSH is then transferred to 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide to yield formazan. Each of the isoenzymes can then be measured densitometrically. The mean (and SD) values for total amylase, P1, S1, and S2 as determined by this method with sera from 25 healthy adults in fasting were 251 (64), 104 (35), 126 (40), and 22 (11) U/L, respectively. Between-assay CVs (n = 10) for determinations of P1, S1, and S2 were 3.54%, 4.03%, and 7.01%, respectively.     

Anger in adolescents: sex,ethnicity, age differences,and psychometric properties

BACKGROUND: The State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory (STAXI), a self-report questionnaire, is designed to measure the experience and expression of anger. Reliability and validity of the STAXI have been well established among African and European Americans aged 13 years and older. However, little is known of the use of this instrument among adolescents younger than 13 years and Hispanic American adolescents. OBJECTIVES: Objectives were (a) to test ethnic, sex, and age group differences in STAXI scores in a sample of 11-to-16-year-old African, Hispanic, and European American adolescents; and (b) to assess the psychometric properties of the STAXI among these same adolescents with special emphasis on Hispanic youths, for whom no data are available. METHODS: A cross-sectional design was used with stratified quota sampling techniques. Participants (N = 394) were African, Hispanic, and European Americans aged 11-16 years and were drawn from one public middle school and two public high schools in Houston, Texas. RESULTS: Internal consistency reliability for the anger scales (STAXI) ranged from 0.61 (anger-in) to 0.91 (state-anger) for the younger group (aged 11-13 years), and 0.68 (anger-in) to 0.88 (state-anger) for the older Hispanic Americans (aged 14-16). No notable differences were seen among the three ethnic groups in regards to internal consistency. Results of factor analyses of the five anger scales were similar to those reported originally by the scale author. Ethnicity and age had statistically significant main effects on the anger scales, and there was only one interaction. DISCUSSION: The use of the STAXI among a tri-ethnic adolescent population is warranted. The anger-in scale may be less reliable, especially among younger adolescents.     

Thyroid function and prevalence of anti-thyroperoxidase antibodies in a population with borderline sufficient iodine intake: influences of age and sex

BACKGROUND: We present a large European population-based study of thyroid function, performed in a population with longstanding borderline sufficient iodine intake. METHODS: The Nijmegen Biomedical Study is a population-based survey conducted in the eastern part of The Netherlands. Randomly selected inhabitants received a postal questionnaire on lifestyle and medical history, which was filled out by 9371 individuals (41.7%). We measured serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), and anti-thyroperoxidase antibodies (TPOAbs) in 6434 responders. A reference population of 5167 individuals was selected by excluding those at risk for thyroid disease. RESULTS: Overt thyrotoxicosis was found in 0.4% of the total population and subclinical thyrotoxicosis in 0.8%. Overt hypothyroidism was found in 0.4% and subclinical hypothyroidism in 4.0%. In individuals older than 60 years, mean FT4 concentrations increased with age. Mean TSH decreased with age, from 1.46 mIU/L at 18-24 years to 1.07 mIU/L after 85 years. The mean TSH in the total population did not differ from the mean TSH in the reference population; the exclusion of those at risk for thyroid disease, however, lowered the upper limit of the TSH reference interval considerably. In the total population, 8.6% of males and 18.5% of females had positive TPOAbs. The presence of TPOAbs was associated with abnormally high and low TSH concentrations. CONCLUSION: In inhabitants of the eastern part of The Netherlands, serum TSH gradually decreases with age, whereas after age 60, serum FT4 increases, possibly because of the development of thyroid autonomy after longstanding borderline sufficient iodine intake.     

冠状动脉侧支循环与年龄、性别因素的关系

目的 探讨冠状动脉侧支循环的形成与年龄、性别因素的关系。方法 将1997年1月至2002年3月经冠状动脉造影证实至少一只冠状动脉血管直径狭窄≥75％的265例冠心病患者为入选对象(排除辩膜痛、先天性心病、心肌病和肺心病)。将显示有侧支的患者以55和65岁为界,分成年轻组、中年组及老年组,初步分析年龄及性别因素与侧支循环开放率之间的关系。结果 冠心病患者冠状动脉侧支开放率与年龄有关,55～65岁年龄组侧支开放率最高,女性因生理原因冠状动脉病变发生较晚,故侧支开放明显滞后,在65岁以后冠状动脉侧支开放率仍低于男性,差别有统计学意义。结论 冠心病患者冠状动脉侧支开放率与年龄有关,且男性高于女性。     

Methods compared for determining total amylase activity and amylase isoenzymes in serum

We evaluated two kinetic methods for determining total amylase activity and isoenzyme composition in serum. Stability studies of reagents for measuring total activity indicate that reagents containing 4-nitrophenyl-alpha-glucosides or enzyme-linked reagents can be stored only for seven days at 4 degrees C. Methods based on 4-nitrophenyl-alpha-glucoside substrates cannot be used if the reagent absorbance at 405 nm exceeds 2. However, in the alpha-amylase EPS method (Boehringer Mannheim) an ethylidene-protected 4-nitrophenyl-alpha-D-maltoheptaoside substrate is stable for up to 28 days after reconstitution. Further studies indicated that the Amylase-DS (Beckman) and the alpha-Amylase EPS standard curves are linear to at least six times the upper limit of the reference interval. Within-batch imprecision (CV less than 1.1%) and between-batch imprecision (CV less than 3.3%) for these two methods are comparable with those for other kinetic methods, and there is excellent correlation (r2 = 0.983) between the two methods. The reference interval, determined by use of samples from 90 healthy blood donors, is 31 to 141 U/L for the amylase-DS method, 22 to 92 U/L for the alpha-Amylase EPS method. We also used these two methods to measure amylase isoenzymes after inhibiting the salivary isoenzyme with either a lectin or a monoclonal antibody. We found the monoclonal antibody method more specific than the lectin inhibition method for determining the isoenzymes.     

The effect of age,sex, and rifampin administration on intestinal and hepatic cytochrome P450 3A activity

BACKGROUND: The relative susceptibility of intestinal and hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A to induction by rifampin (INN, rifampicin), as a function of age and sex, was investigated with the CYP3A substrate midazolam. METHODS: Fourteen young women (mean age, 26 +/- 4 years), 14 young men (mean age, 27 +/- 4 years), 14 elderly women (mean age, 72 +/- 5 years), and 10 elderly men (mean age, 70 +/- 4 years) received simultaneous intravenous doses (0.05 mg/kg over a 30-minute period) and oral doses of midazolam (3-8 mg of a stable isotope, (15)N(3)-midazolam) before and after 7 days of rifampin dosing (600 mg once daily in the evening). Serum and urine samples were assayed for midazolam, (15)N(3)-midazolam, and metabolites by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. RESULTS: No significant difference (P > or =.05) in the baseline systemic and oral clearance of midazolam was observed between male and female or young and old volunteers. Rifampin significantly (P <.0001) increased the systemic and oral clearance of midazolam from 0.44 +/- 0.2 L. h/kg and 1.56 +/- 0.8 L x h/kg to 0.96 +/- 0.3 L x h/kg and 34.4 +/- 21.2 L x h/kg, respectively. Likewise, the oral clearance of midazolam was significantly (P <.0001) increased in women and men, from 1.64 +/- 0.87 L x kg/h and 1.46 +/- 0.7 L x kg/h to 28.4 +/- 13.2 L x kg/h and 41.6 +/- 26.5 L x kg/h, respectively. A significant (P =.0023) effect of sex was noted in the extent of induction of the oral clearance of midazolam, being greater in men than in women. In contrast, the extent of midazolam systemic clearance induction was greater in women than in men (P =.0107). Age did not influence the extent of intestinal and hepatic CYP3A induction as determined by the oral and systemic clearance of midazolam. Rifampin dosing significantly (P <.0001) reduced the oral availability by 88%, from 0.32 +/- 0.13 to 0.04 +/- 0.02. Correspondingly, hepatic and intestinal availabilities were significantly (P <.0001) reduced after rifampin administration. After rifampin, the correlation coefficient for the relationship between oral availability and intestinal availability was significantly (P <.0001) reduced from 0.96 to 0.67, which reflects the increasing contribution of hepatic extraction to the determination of midazolam oral availability. A significant nonlinear inverse relationship was observed between the percent change in systemic clearance of midazolam and the initial baseline midazolam systemic clearance (r = -0.68, N = 52, P <.0001). Likewise, a significant inverse relationship was observed between the percent change in oral clearance and the baseline oral clearance (r = -0.39, N = 52, P =.0041). A significant inverse relationship between the ratio of hepatic intrinsic clearance in the presence of rifampin to that in the absence of rifampin and the corresponding ratio of intestinal intrinsic clearance was observed (Spearman correlation coefficient [r] = -0.68, P <.0001) and indicates that in a given individual the extent of induction was high at either the hepatic or the intestinal site but not both. CONCLUSION: Sex-related differences exist in the extent of intestinal and hepatic CYP3A induction by rifampin. The extent of induction at hepatic and intestinal sites was inversely dependent and reflected the independent regulation of CYP3A expression at these sites. The large interindividual variation in the extent of induction is explained in part by the variation in baseline expression of CYP3A. Sex-related differences in response to CYP3A inducers will be substrate-dependent and reflect the relative contribution of hepatic and intestinal sites of metabolism.