Bone mineral content in early-postmenopausal and postmenopausal osteoporotic women: comparison of measurement methods

To investigate associations among methods for noninvasive measurement of skeletal bone mass, we studied 40 healthy early postmenopausal women and 68 older postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. Methods included single- and dual-energy quantitative computed tomography (QCT) and dual-photon absorptiometry (DPA) of the lumbar spine, single-photon absorptiometry (SPA) of the distal third of the radius, and combined cortical thickness (CCT) of the second metacarpal shaft. Lateral thoracolumbar radiography was performed, and a spinal fracture index was calculated. There was good correlation between QCT and DPA methods in early postmenopausal women and modest correlation in postmenopausal osteoporotic women. Correlations between spinal measurements (QCT or DPA) and appendicular cortical measurements (SPA or CCT) were modest in healthy women and poor in osteoporotic women. Measurements resulting from one method are not predictive of those by another method for the individual patient. The strongest correlation with severity of vertebral fracture is provided by QCT; the weakest, by SPA. There was a high correlation between single- and dual-energy QCT results, indicating that errors due to vertebral fat are not substantial in these postmenopausal women. Single-energy QCT may be adequate and perhaps preferable for assessing postmenopausal women. The measurement of spinal trabecular bone density by QCT discriminates between osteoporotic women and younger healthy women with more sensitivity than measurements of spinal integral bone by DPA or of appendicular cortical bone by SPA or CCT.     

Development of aerobic power in relation to age and training in cross-country skiers.

In most of the training studies on different populations the effects of training have been investigated up to a frequency of five to six times per week and a duration of 45 min per session. These correspond to the training regimens of 15-yr-old cross-country skiers and, consequently, the results cannot be applied to older athletes. The maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) of cross-country skiers increases with age and training from about 55-60 to 75-80 ml.kg-1.min-1 between 15 and 25 yr of age. After 20 yr of age VO2max starts to level off, but elite skiers are able to increase VO2max further concomitantly with an increase in the volume of training and the volume of intensive training. The activity of oxidative enzymes in muscles of skiers is increased with training, but distance runners have had a higher oxidative capacity in their leg muscles. Although widely used by cross-country skiers, the training effects of roller skiing, skiwalking-skistriding, and long-distance training on skis are to a large extent unknown. However, intensive training at the intensity of "anaerobic threshold" or higher seems to be most effective in inducing improvements in maximal oxygen uptake; distance training at relatively low intensity seems to be most effective in producing improvements in the determinants of submaximal endurance.     

神经根减压术中体感诱发电位监测结果与临床预后的相关性

目的：观察腰骶神经根病变患者肌皮神经节段刺激体感诱发电位(DSEP)术中监测结果与术后临床症状改善之间的相关性。方法：对22例经cT或MRI检查证实的腰骶神经根压迫症患者进行神经根减压手术并进行术中诱发电位监测，在术前及术后9周(8-10周)进行临床随访检查。结果：减压手术中DSEP的波幅增高，则术后临床症状明显改善(P＜0．001)；术后DSEP波幅较术前增高（P＜0．001)，潜伏期缩短(P＜0．05)。结论：脊神经根减压中DSEP变化与术后临床症状改善呈正相关；术中DSEP波幅升高可预示术后临床症状改善。     

CO2 LASER – A NEW TOOL IN THE SURGEONS ARMAMENTARIUM

One hundred and sixty five patients, treated with carbondioxide (CO₂) laser for benign and malignant lesions of the head and neck were studied. Alveolo-buccal complex (68/165) had the majority of benign and malignant tumors followed by larynx (23/165) and tongue (21/165). All lesions were widely excised, none were reconstructed and all defects healed well with minimal scarring. The post-operative morbidity was minimal and the hospitalization period was 1 to 5 days. Complications were not serious and could be managed easily. This study confirms the usefulness of CO₂ laser surgery for both benign and malignant conditions in head and neck.KEYWORDS: Carbondioxide laser, Head and neck, Malignant neoplasm, Premalignant lesions     

OUR FIRST HUNDRED LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMIES

Hundred patients with symptomatic gallstone disease underwent laparosopic cholecystectomy between June 1996 and August 1997. There were 78 females and 22 males, with a mean age of 46.2 (SD 17.8; range 21 to 85) years. The common presentations were right upper abdominal pain (n=66), acute cholecystitis (n=8) and history of jaundice (n=11). Sixteen patients underwent ERCP for suspected CBD stones. Endoscopic papillotomy and basketing cleared the CBD of all calculi in 12. Three patients required conversion to open cholecystectomy because of dense adhesions (n=2) and to control intraoperative haemorrhage (n=1). Mean operating time was 67.2 (SD 39.2; range 22 to 186) minutes. The mean requirement of analgesics was 2.8 (SD 1.3; range 2 to 5) doses and post-operative hospital stay was 1.6 (SD 1.4; range 1 to 7) days. All patients resumed normal activity within 14 days of operation and are well and satisfied with their operation at a median follow up of 8.6 months.KEY WORDS: Choledocholithiasis, Cholelithiasis, Laparoscopic cholecystectomy     

Improved description of the migraine aura by a diagnostic aura diary

We present a diagnostic aura diary for prospective recordings of migraine with aura. Three questionnaires are supplemented with sheets for drawings and plottings of visual and sensory auras. Twenty patients recorded 54 attacks of migraine with aura and 2 attacks of migraine aura without headache. The visual and sensory aura were usually gradually progressive, reaching maximum development in 15 and 25 min (median) respectively and had a total duration of 20 and 55 min (median) respectively. Approximately 13% of the attacks had acute onset of visual aura associated with other features more typical of migraine. The visual and sensory auras always preceded typical migraine headache, and headache occurring before aura symptoms was always of the tension type, The migraine headache was milder than in attacks of migraine without aura and often did not have migraine characteristics. In attacks with unilateral head pain, headache and aura symptoms were contralateral in 90% and ipsilateral in 10%.     

Changing Pattern of Alcohol Abuse in the Army before and after AO 3&11/2001

Background

The Army Order 3&11/2001 was introduced to curb alcoholism and to weed out habitual alcoholics. Hence a study was carried out in a zonal referral hospital from 01 Jan 2001 to 30 Jun 2003 to assess its effectiveness.

Methods

The subjects consisted of officers, junior commisioned officers and other ranks who satisfied the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 10 criteria for alcohol dependence.

Result

Out of 1023 consecutive admissions, alcohol dependent cases numbered 245 (23.95%). They were disposed as under: 57/ 245 (23.6%) in S1 (fit for all duties), 67/245 (27.35%) in S2 (fit for duties with few restrictions), 72/245 (29.39%) in S3 (fit for duties with more restrictions), and 32/245 (13.06%) in S5 (unfit for further service.)

Conclusion

The data showed that the percentage of cases disposed under fit for all duties had risen four times (23.80 vs 5.86), those invalided out increased by two times (12.70 vs 6.64) and those retained in S2 had reduced (26.46 vs 41.21) after the new policy.Key Words: AO 3 &11/2001, DGAFMS memorandum 111/99, AFMSF 10, Alcohol dependence syndrome