Atypical Femoral Fractures: Transverse Morphology at Lateral Cortex Is a Critical Feature

In 2010, the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR) task force defined major and minor features to assist in the case finding and reporting of atypical femoral fractures (AFFs). One major feature that was proposed was a “transverse or short oblique configuration.” Our primary aim was to compare the conventional overall fracture morphology (OFM) with its associated angle (OFMA) and our proposed lateral cortical fracture angle (LCFA) in the assessment of fracture configuration in suspected AFFs and non‐AFFs. The radiographs of 79 patients with AFFs and 39 patients with non‐AFFs were each analyzed by two blinded reviewers to obtain the OFM, OFMA, and LCFA. Using the overall fracture morphology to assess the suspected AFFs resulted in discordance between reviewers in 18 cases (22.8%), of which 5 (6.3%) were discordant between short oblique (>30° to 60°) and long oblique (>60° to 90°) configurations, therefore affecting their classifications as AFFs. By assessing only the critical component within the lateral cortex, all the suspected AFFs fell well within the classification as transverse fractures with a mean LCFA of 4.8° (range 0.3 to 18.0, SD = 4.23). The inter‐reader variability was also lower for LCFA versus OFMA (4.1° versus 6.9°, p = 0.001) when used to assess AFFs. Fracture angles were significantly different in AFFs versus non‐AFFs regardless of whether the OFMA or LCFA methodology was employed, but the greater difference associated with LCFA suggests its greater discriminating power. When LCFA was used in conjunction with 0° to 30° as the criteria for transverse morphology, all the AFFs and non‐AFFs were correctly classified. By using a standardized and precise method in measuring the fracture angle, specifically using only the component of the lateral cortex and limiting to truly transverse fractures, ie, between 0° and 30°, the LCFA is a robust and accurate method to assess the fracture morphology in suspected AFFs. © 2014 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.     

Stem cell factor retards differentiation of normal human erythroid progenitor cells while stimulating proliferation

Stem cell factor (SCF), the ligand for the c-kit tyrosine kinase receptor, markedly stimulates the accumulation of erythroid progenitor cells in vitro. We now report that SCF delays erythroid differentiation among the progeny of individual erythroid progenitors while greatly increasing the proliferation of these progeny. These effects appear to be independent of an effect on maintenance of cell viability. Highly purified day-6 erythroid colony-forming cells (ECFC), consisting mainly of colony-forming units-erythroid (CFU-E), were generated from human peripheral blood burst-forming units-erythroid (BFU-E). Addition of SCF to the ECFC in serum-free liquid culture, together with erythropoietin (EP) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), resulted in a marked increase in DNA synthesis, associated with a delayed peak in cellular benzidine positivity and a delayed incorporation of 59Fe into hemoglobin compared with cultures without SCF. In the presence of SCF, the number of ECFC was greatly expanded during this culture period, and total production of benzidine-positive cells plus hemoglobin synthesis were ultimately increased. To determine the effect of SCF on individual ECFC, single-cell cultures were performed in both semisolid and liquid media. These cultures demonstrated that SCF, in the presence of EP and IGF-1, acted on single cells and their descendants to delay erythroid differentiation while substantially stimulating cellular proliferation, without an enhancement of viability of the initial cells. This was also evident when the effect of SCF was determined using clones of ECFC derived from single BFU-E. Our experiments demonstrate that SCF acts on individual day-6 ECFC to retard erythroid differentiation while simultaneously providing enhanced proliferation by a process apparently independent of an effect on cell viability or programmed cell death.     

Reverse LISS plating for intertrochanteric Hip Fractures in elderly patients

Background  

Fractures of the intertrochanteric hip are common and the treatment of unstable fractures generally requires an operative approach. In elderly patients, osteoporosis makes internal fixation problematic and frequently contributes to failed fixation and poor clinical results. We have attempted to apply the Less Invasive Stabilization System (LISS) in reverse position for the repair of intertrochanteric hip fractures in elderly patients with osteoporotic bones. A retrospective review is presented of the cases of 28 elderly patients with stable and unstable fractures of the intertrochanteric hip treated using the reverse LISS.     

The Malawi National Tuberculosis Programme: an equity analysis

Background  

Until 2005, the Malawi National Tuberculosis Control Programme had been implemented as a vertical programme. Working within the Sector Wide Approach (SWAp) provides a new environment and new opportunities for monitoring the equity performance of the programme. This paper synthesizes what is known on equity and TB in Malawi and highlights areas for further action and advocacy.     

Unusual presentation of perirenal lung metastases

Lung cancer is not commonly known to metastasise to the perirenal space, with only five such cases previously published. We present an unusual case of perirenal lung metastases manifesting as diffuse perinephric stranding which to our knowledge has not been described before.     

Noonan's and DiGeorge syndromes with monosomy 22q11

A boy with the dysmorphic features of Noonan's syndrome and pulmonary valve stenosis who had evidence of hypoparathyroidism and abnormal T lymphocyte numbers in the neonatal period is reported. He had a normal karyotype but molecular analysis revealed a submicroscopic deletion within chromosome 22q11, the region deleted in DiGeorge syndrome. Thus this child has both Noonan's syndrome and DiGeorge syndrome; 22q11 is a candidate region for a gene defective in Noonan's syndrome.     

Microalbuminuria in non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus

Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) is the commonest form of diabetes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nature and prevalence of microalbuminuria (MAU) in NIDDM. One hundred and twenty-eight NIDDM patients participated in this study on the prevalence of microalbuminuria and albumin excretion rate (AER). An attempt was made to correlate them to the clinical profile, glycemic control and to diabetic complications. Eighteen patients had MAU with 14.1% prevalence (males--17.5% v/s females--10.8%; NS). Prevalence of MAU was higher in the third and fourth decades of age (28.6%) with a decrease in the fifth decade (12.5%). Prevalence of MAU also increased progressively with duration of diabetes--13 to 14% (< 10 yrs) to 25% (> 10 yrs). High AER in obese patients (13.4 +/- 5.5 v/s 7.9 +/- 1.4 micrograms/min) supports an association of obesity with albuminuria. The prevalence of MAU in patients with borderline and overt hypertension was not statistically different from that in normotensive NIDDM patients. However, NIDDM with borderline hypertension showed high AER 16.2 +/- 5.6 micrograms/min compared to 7.8 +/- 1.3 micrograms/min in normotensives. Prevalence to MAU and AER increased progressively with the deterioration of glycemic control--from 3.3% in well controlled to 18.9% in fairly controlled (P < 0.5) and 31% in poor controlled patients (P < 0.01). Also AER increased significantly from 3.9 +/- 0.8 to 12.3 +/- 4.1 and 18.4 +/- 4.6 micrograms/min, in patients with well to fairly and poorly controlled glycemia respectively. The prevalence of MAU and AER did not correlate with glycated hemoglobin (GHb) levels. The prevalences of peripheral neuropathy (PN) (42.6% v/s 55.6%) were similar in normo- and microalbuminuric patients. Patients with PN had high AER 11.9 +/- 2.7 micrograms/min. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) was equally prevalent in normo- and microalbuminuric NIDDM patients of (20.4% v/s 22.2), and AER was not significantly higher (12.1 +/- 4.3 micrograms/min) in NIDDM with retinopathy. High prevalences of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in MAU-NIDDM (22.2%; NS) was observed compared to normoalbuminuric (9.3%) patients. Also AER was significantly high in NIDDM associated with CVD (21.9 +/- 10.9 micrograms/min; P < 0.025). It can be concluded that, MAU is more prevalent in third and fourth decades and with longer duration of diabetes. Poor glycemic control was identified as a risk factor as in IDDM for development of MAU. MAU was a marker of generalised vascular dysfunction.