Association between coronary artery calcification using low-dose MDCT coronary angiography and bone mineral density in middle-aged men and women

Summary

Six hundred sixty-one participants who had at least one cardiac risk factor but were without known coronary heart disease underwent low-dose multidetector computed tomography coronary angiography (MDCT-CA) and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The association between presence of subclinical coronary calcified plaque and low bone mineral density for the middle-aged individual was not significant after multivariate adjustment.

Introduction

Results of previous clinical studies assessing the relationship between osteoporosis and coronary calcification are inconsistent. This study aimed to evaluate the association between subclinical coronary calcification and osteoporosis in middle-aged men, premenopausal women, and postmenopausal women by using low-dose MDCT-CA and bone mineral density (BMD).

Methods

This study enrolled 661 participants with at least one cardiac risk factor but without known coronary artery disease (CAD). All subjects underwent low-dose MDCT-CA and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry on the same day.

Results

The mean age was 52.2 years for men, 44.8 years for premenopausal women, and 59.1 years for postmenopausal women. The prevalence of calcified plaques between men with normal BMD and low BMD at lumbar spine were significantly different (P?=?0.042). The prevalence of mixed plaque and calcified plaque between pre- and postmenopausal women with normal BMD and low BMD at lumbar spine and femoral neck were not significantly different (P?>?0.05). Possible association between lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total proximal femur BMD and the presence of CAP was evaluated for men, premenopausal women, and postmenopausal women using multivariate logistic regression analysis: results were not significant (P?>?0.05).

Conclusion

Our study demonstrates that the association between the presence of subclinical coronary calcification and low BMD among middle-aged men and women was not significant after controlling for age and other risk factors for CAD and osteoporosis.     

Slipped capital femoral epiphysis in an adult with panhypopituitarism

Slipped capital femoral epiphysis usually occurs in children going through a pubertal growth spurt, possibly because the immature proximal femoral physis is unable to bear the shear stress. It commonly occurs in adolescents between 10 and 16 years. Slipped capital femoral epiphysis in adults is uncommon, with only 10 cases reported in the literature. This article presents a case of a 29-year-old man with craniopharyngioma diagnosed when he was 19. He underwent surgery with subtotal tumor excision and postoperative radiotherapy, but received no further treatment for the panhypopituitarism concomitant with the tumor. He reported sudden onset of left hip pain after riding a bicycle and underwent surgical fixation 5 days later. He also underwent hormone replacement therapy, including prednisolone, thyroxin, desmopressin, and testosterone, and regular clinical follow-up. His hip function recovered with a painless gait. At 18-month follow-up, neither osteonecrosis nor contralateral slipped capital femoral epiphysis was noted. Furthermore, bilateral proximal femoral physes were also closed. For stable slippage as in this case, in situ pinning fixation is a commendable method. A high index of suspicion of endocrinal disorder and proper management are essential for successful treatment of adult slipped capital femoral epiphysis.     

Diagnosis and surgical treatment of solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas: analysis of 24 cases

Background

Our aim was to summarize our experience with the diagnosis and surgical treatment of solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (SPN) of the pancreas to provide a reference for the management of this rare condition.

Methods

We collected and analyzed retrospective data on the clinical presentation, laboratory investigations, radiologic imaging, pathology and operative details of patients with SPN of the pancreas diagnosed between February 2001 and December 2009.

Results

In all, 23 of 24 patients were women, and the mean age of all patients was 31 years. The most common clinical presentation was vague abdominal pain. Abdominal imaging showed solid or solid cystic masses in the pancreas, mostly in the tail or head of the gland. All patients were treated surgically. There were no postoperative deaths. After follow-up ranging from 4 to 109 months (median 68 mo), 20 of 22 patients who underwent curative resection were alive with no evidence of disease recurrence. Of the 2 patients with R1 resections, 1 died 42 months after surgery, whereas the other underwent a second operation and was alive after 36 months’ follow-up.

Conclusion

Solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas is a relatively indolent tumour. The initial diagnosis of SPN of the pancreas is suggested by radiologic imaging findings but should be considered in the context of clinical and histopathologic characteristics. We advocate for complete surgical resection once SPN is diagnosed.     

Curcumin attenuates the expression and secretion of RANTES after spinal cord injury in vivo and lipopolysaccharide-induced astrocyte reactivation in vitro

Curcumin has been proposed for treatment of various neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative conditions, including post-traumatic inflammation during acute spinal cord injury (SCI). In this study, we examined whether curcumin anti-inflammation involves regulation of astrocyte reactivation, with special focus on the injury-induced RANTES (regulated on expression normal T-cell expressed and secreted) from astrocytes in acute SCI. Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were subjected to impact injury of the spinal cord followed by treatment with curcumin (40 mg/kg i.p.). RANTES and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression as well as RANTES-positive astrocytes were all induced by injury accompanied by the elevation of lipid peroxidation, and attenuated by the curcumin treatment. In primary cultured rat astrocytes challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to mimic astrocyte reactivation following SCI, LPS induces robust increase of RANTES expression and the effect was also reduced by 1 μM curcumin treatment. Furthermore, cortical neurons cultured with astrocyte conditioned medium (ACM) conditioned with both LPS and curcumin (LPS-curcumin/ACM), which characteristically exhibited decreased RANTES expression when compared with ACM from astrocytes treated with LPS alone (LPS/ACM), showed higher level of cell viability and lower level of cell death as assessed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) reduction activity assay and lactate dehydrogenase release assay, respectively. Knockdown of RANTES expression by siRNA (siRANTES) shows reduced RANTES expression and release from LPS-reactivated astrocytes, and ACM obtained from this condition (LPS-siRANTES/ACM) becomes less cytotoxic as compared with the LPS-ACM. Therefore, curcumin reduction of robust RANTES production in reactivated astrocytes both in vitro and in vivo may contribute to its neuroprotection and potential application in SCI.     

多切口隧道浮线术治疗低位蹄铁型肛周脓肿的疗效观察

目的观察多切口隧道浮线术治疗低位蹄铁型肛周脓肿的疗效。方法将63例低位蹄铁型肛周脓肿患者随机分为治疗组A、治疗组B和对照组各21例,治疗组均采用多切口隧道浮线术（A组采用橡皮浮线、B组采用多股丝线浮线）,对照组采用多切口隧道引流术。结果治疗组术后疼痛持续时间以及创面愈合时间均比对照组短（P〈0.05）;但治愈率、平均创面瘢痕面积、肛门功能状况以及术后复发率比较,差异无统计学意义（P〉0.05）。结论多切口隧道浮线术治疗低位蹄铁型肛周脓肿疗效显著。     

自体肋软骨和真皮组织治疗单侧唇裂继发鼻畸形

目的：探讨单侧唇裂继发鼻畸形的矫正技术。方法：用自体肋软骨重建强有力的鼻小柱支撑及合适的鼻尖高度,用自体真皮抬高患侧塌陷的鼻基底部,在此基础上将患侧鼻翼软骨悬吊到合适的位置,调整患侧鼻翼外侧脚的位置,最终形成良好的鼻部形态。结果：矫治16例,术后两侧鼻翼、鼻孔、鼻孔基底基本对称,鼻小柱位置中正,矫正效果满意。结论：在自体肋软骨形成强有力的鼻小柱支撑、自体真皮组织充填鼻基底部的基础上进行鼻翼软骨的悬吊及鼻尖、鼻孔塑形是矫正单侧唇裂继发鼻畸形的一种有效方法。     

联合运用冻融法和化学法去细胞同种异体神经修复兔面神经缺损

目的：通过对去细胞同种异体神经处理方法的改进,找出一种修复兔面神经缺损的理想替代材料。方法：取24只兔子,将兔左侧面神经上颊支切断以造成面神经缺损1.0cm的模型,根据修复方法不同,随机分成2组：实验组为联合运用冻融法和化学法去细胞同种异体神经修复组,对照组为自体面神倒置修复组,每组12只。术后3个月行大体观察、神经电生理检测、有髓神经纤维计数以及电镜观察,采用SPSS17.0软件包对数据进行t检验,对面神经恢复情况进行综合评价。结果：两组兔子均存活,切口愈合良好,兔面形基本对称;实验组与对照组左侧面神经上颊支传导速度分别为（55.74±10.56）m/s及（61.34±9.72）m/s,差异无显著性（P〉0.05）;实验组与对照组移植体远端吻合口邻近4.0mm段有髓神经纤维数量分别为（18173.62±918.38）n/mm2及（18601.21±982.31）n/mm2,差异亦无显著性（P〉0.05）;电镜检查结果相似。结论：联合运用冻融法和化学法去细胞同种异体神经能满意修复一定长度的面神经缺损,可以作为自体神经的一种有效替代物。     

应用OPA-K直丝弓矫治器双颌减数治疗安氏Ⅱ1类错(牙合)的临床研究

目的:评价0PA-K直丝弓矫治器双颌减数治疗安氏Ⅱ1类错(牙合)的临床疗效,并探讨其机制和使用方法.方法:临床选择1 5～23岁安氏Ⅱ1类错(牙合)患者22例,应用0PA-K直丝弓矫治器进行双颌减数治疗,并对治疗前后X线头影测量值的变化进行分析.结果:矢状方向上,U1-NA和U1-SN分别减小14.26°和10.32°,U1-NA(mm)减小4.1 6mm,U1-L1增加17.06°,以上差异均具有统计学意义(P＜0.05),而SNA、SNB、ANB、L1-NB、L1-MP的变化均无显著性(P＞0.05).垂直方向上,SN-MP和Y轴的变化均无显著性(P＞0.05).结论:应用0PA-K直丝弓矫治器治疗安氏Ⅱ1类错(牙合)可取得令人满意的临床效果.