The concordance and discordance of cardiovascular risk factors in a group of twin children

The cross-sectional study of epidemiological screening type has permitted to evaluate some cardiovascular risk factors in two groups of monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins born between 1975-1990, in the town of Ia?i. In the 89 MZ pairs and 112 DZ pairs, certain constitutional and behavioural cardiovascular risk factors have presented values of prevalence with statistical signification (p < 0.05) in terms of their age, sex, the urbanisation time and the educational level of their parents. In risk factors existence or absence to both of the twins have put into evidence, to the MZ, most enhanced values of concordance as regards: overweight (66.6%), excessive consumption of salt (56.9%), food with atherogenic risk (50.9%). The concordance values have been less in DZ compared to MZ concerning all the risk factors excepting compartmental type A (77.7%). By analysing the concordance variants, an preponderant influence of the environment has been noted in the studied MZ and heredity and environment influence in DZ. By measuring the arterial blood pressure values at the twins and the twins parents, a prevalence of the essential arterial hypertension is noticed to both of the twins, 6.2% in MZ pairs and 6.9% in DZ ones.     

Increased muscle stiffness after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction – memory on injury?

Residual impairment of knee function was tested in 25 patients 6 to 12 months after successful unilateral reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament. The control group comprised 25 healthy individuals. Jumping onto one foot from a height of 20 cm was taken as a prototype of similar everyday activities. We measured maximum flexion of the knee during the landing phase of the jump, and the degree of knee flexion at the time of maximum deceleration of the knee against gravity during jumping using the three-dimensional optical motion analysis system-ELITE. In the group of patients, measured parametres were significantly smaller on the operated side than on the unaffected side. These two measured values were significantly smaller on both legs in group of patients as compared to the values in the control group. The results of our study indicate that functional disturbance persisted for 6 to 12 months after anterior cruciate reconstruction. This may be due to the changed muscle activation pattern of the knee causing increased stiffness of knee muscles. It seems that re-programming of the central nervous system occurred in order to protect the injured lower extremities from another injury.     

The prognostic significance of DNA cytophotometry and proliferation index (Ki-67) in giant cell tumors of bone

We studied DNA ploidy by smear cytophotometry and proliferation activity by Ki-67 MIB immunohistochemistry in 69 primary and recurrent giant cell tumors (GCT) from 50 randomly selected patients. The obtained results were evaluated with comparisons made to the available clinical data. From the 46 primary tumors 63% showed diploidy and 37% aneuploidy. A significantly (P=0.026) higher recurrence rate (64%) was observed in aneuploid than in diploid tumors (31%). In the course of the recurrences, both the ratio of aneuploid tumors as well as the proliferation index of the tumors increased, though the degree of the latter was non-significant. Aneuploidy did not mean an unambiguous tendency towards malignant transformation; however, a close follow-up of recurrent aneuploid tumors, and wide excision of the recurrence instead of intralesional curettage are the recommended procedures. The DNA cytophotometry and proliferation index of GCTs – as compared to other histologic examinations – are of prognostic value in the evaluation of the recurrence potential of the GCTs.

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Résumé  Les auteurs ont examiné 1’anomalie chromosomique de DNA á 1’aide de cytophotometrie de frottis; et 1’activité de proliferation par le moyen de 1’immuno- histochimie Ki-67 MIB dans 69 tumeurs de cellules géantes de 50 patients choisis accidentellement. lls ont évalué les résultats en les comparant aux données cliniques disponibles. Parmi les 46 tumeurs primaires 63% ont manifesté un caractère diploide et 37% un caractère aneuploide. On a observé une proportion de recidive significativement plus élevée (P=0.026) dans les tumeurs aneuploides (64%) que dans les tumeurs diploides (31%). Au cours des récidives on a remarquè une augmentation tant dans la proportion des tumeurs aneuploides que dans 1’indice de proliferation mais en ce dernier 1’augmentation n’était pas significative. Le caractère aneuploide ne signifie pas forcément une tendance univoque á la transformation maligne cependant dans les tumeurs aneuploides récidivantes il est nécessaire de suivre la maladie avec beaucoup de soin et comme intervention chirurgicale on conseille une excision large au lieu du curettage intralésionel.

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Accepted: 20 October1999     

Ureaplasma urealyticum infection in newborns: Three case reports

We report three newborns with different manifestations ofUreaplasma urealyticum infection; a term newborn with acute neonatal pneumonia and two very low birth weight infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia and osteomyelitis of the femur, respectively. The association ofU. urealyticum with acute and chronic respiratory disease in term and preterm newborns has recently been reported. Our two cases are similar to other case reports from the literature, but we were unable to find any previous reports of osteomyelitis due toU. urealyticum in the premature babies. Isolation ofU. urealyticum in pure culture from the blood was considered to be related to local infection in all three patients. All patients were cured by erythromycin.