Parity and bone mineral density in middle-aged women

A retrospective study was carried out to determine the relationship between parity and bone mineral density (BMD) in middle-aged women. Eight hundred and twenty-five woman aged 41–76 years were recruited from four general practice registers in Cambridge. Subjects were unselected as to their health status. Each subject completed a detailed health questionnaire. Participation rate was 50%. The main outcome measure was BMD measured at the spine (L2–4,n=825) and hip (neck, intertrochanter and Ward's triangle;n=817) by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) using the Hologic QDR-1000 densitometer. It was found that the unadjusted mean BMD was significantly higher at all sites among the parous women (p=0.031 to <0.00001), and remained significantly higher at the femoral neck (p=0.025), intertrochanter (p=0.001) and Ward's triangle (p=0.045) after adjusting for age and body mass index (BMI). Similar findings were seen after stratifying for potential confounding variables. There was a consistent upward trend of BMD with increasing parity at all sites. Parity remained a significant independent predictor of BMD at all sites after controlling for age, BMI, menopausal status, oral contraceptive and hormone replacement therapy use, smoking status and breast-feeding status in multiple linear regression analyses. There was, on average, a 1.0% increase in BMD per live birth. Our findings therefore suggest a positive relationship between parity and bone mass.     

Aptitude for physical exercise in a population of female hospital workers

Summary The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of physical capacity in a female hospital population of Paris and its suburbs. A total of 1505 women working in the selected departments filled in a questionnaire concerning their working conditions, life habits and health and also attended a medical examination. The effort test performed consisted in flexing the legs 20 times with the chest held straigt, in 40 s. The heart rates were measured for the first, the second and the third minutes of recovery (first 15 s multiplied by 4). The blood pressure was measured just after the heart rate, for the first and the third minute. Recovery indices have been constituted from the results. The respective weights of anthropometric and sociodemographic risk factors for recovery indices were studied in multiple logistic regression models. The classification enables us to consider about 25%–30% of our population as having a satisfactory physical capacity, about 26%–27% as having an acceptable capacit, and about 24%–27% as having a weak capacity. About 21% of the population presented an excessive pressure reaction and 44% a questionable pressure reaction. Our results concerning the level of physical capacity of the female nursing staff should be taken into account especially in the future planning of work loads and architectural choices, which must avoid excessive physical burdens in relation to this level. An improvement in the level of physical capacity could be envisaged as well.     

避孕措施与细菌性阴道病关系的研究

目的：探讨避孕措施与细菌性阴道病（BV）的关系，为预防BV、指导选择避孕措施提供依据。方法：对某医院妇科门诊接受计划生育服务的育龄妇女非选择性地进行BV筛检。以筛检出的267例BV患者为病例组，其余478例未患BV且无BV史的妇女为对照组进行病例对照研究。结果：与未采用避孕措施者比较，单因素logistic回归分析显示：BV与IUD有正关联，而与避孕套、口服避孕药（OC）无关联。经婚姻状况、性卫生、性行为习惯调整后，BV与IUD的关联仍有统计学意义（OR=2．364，95％C1：1．216～3．620），但与OC及避孕套使用无关。同IUD使用者比较，BV与避孕套使用呈负关联，调整后的OR=0．299（95％C1：0．158～0．566）；BV与OC使用间无关联。结论：使用IUD与未采用避孕措施者比较可能增加BV发生的危险，而避孕套使用者发生BV危险低于IUD使用者。无论从避孕还是预防BV角度，避孕套均是一种较好的选择。     

Guardians of health: The dimensions of elder caregiving among women in a Mexico City neighborhood

Little is known about the family care of older adults in Mexico and the role of women in this process. To begin to fill this knowledge gap, this paper describes how a small sample of low-income women in one Mexico City neighborhood conceptualized the caregiver role and identified the forms of assistance they gave to their older relatives on a daily basis. A grounded theory approach was used to collect and analyze the data. Forty-one semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with female caregivers. The age of participants was between 19 and 83 years, and care recipients between 56 and 92 years. The relationship of caregiver to care recipient was wife, daughter, daughter-in-law, granddaughter, sibling, and other relative. The mean length of time providing care was 5 years. Most participants were not employed outside the home, and the median monthly household income was 2000 pesos. We found that caregiving was a life-changing event, with 27 of 41 participants viewing themselves as guardians. Caregivers' emphasis was on care recipients' emotional needs in order to provide “the most precious gift” of “time and attention.” Two forms of assistance were ‘keeping company’ and ‘watching out’ as safeguards against poor health or further decline in health. These findings increase the cultural understanding of caregiving in Mexico. Further research is needed to test the caregiving concepts identified in this study.     

孕妇血清钙及白蛋白测定的临床意义

目的 :了解测定血清钙、白蛋白的变化对孕妇影响的临床意义。方法 :采用邻甲酚酞络合酮、离子选择性电极法、溴甲酚绿法测定。结果 :孕妇组血清总钙、离子钙、白蛋白的含量明显低于非孕妇组 ,差异有非常显著性 (P<0 .0 1) ,中孕妇组与晚孕妇组比较血清总钙、离子钙没有差异 (P>0 .0 5 )。白蛋白含量晚孕妇组明显低于中孕妇组 ,差异有显著性 (P<0 .0 1)。结论 :血清总钙、离子钙、白蛋白对孕妇尤为重要。动态监测 ,及时补充可提高孕妇及胎儿的健康     

老年高血压妇女内皮功能、血小板活化状态及雌激素的影响

目的：了解老年高血压妇女内皮功能和血小板活化状态，以及雌激素治疗的影响。方法：已接受降压治疗的78例老年高血压妇女随机分为两组，均继续服用降压药，A组加服尼尔雌醇，B组加服安慰剂，疗程为6个月。治疗前后观察血浆一氧化氮（NO）、血管性血友病因子（vWF)、P选择素（P－selectin)和纤维蛋白原（Fbg)浓度变化。24例健康体检者作为正常对照组。结果：高血压vWF,P-selectin和Fbg显著高于对照组，NO显著低于对照组；治疗后A组vWF和P-selectin显著降低，NO明显升高，与B组比较有显著性差异。结论：已接受降压治疗的老年高血压妇女仍存在内皮损害和血小板活化，尼尔雌醇治疗具有明确的有益作用。     

大理市1986年～2000年孕产妇死亡分析

目的:为进一步降低孕产妇死亡率提供科学依据,总结大理市孕产妇系统管理工作的经验教训.方法:回顾性分析大理市15a孕产妇死亡病例.结果:大理市15a孕产妇死亡率逐年下降,从1986年的127.4/10万降至2000年的49.4/10万.死亡原因前五位依次为产科出血、妊高症、产褥感染、羊水栓塞、妊娠合并心脏病.结论:本市的孕产妇死亡原因主要与医疗保健人员知识技能水平相关、家庭个人知识水平及经济状况相关.     

北京和重庆市育龄期妇女风疹抗体水平调查

目的了解北京和重庆市育龄期妇女风疹抗体水平,为控制先天性风疹综合征(CRS)提供科学依据。方法2006年6~8月随机抽取北京和重庆市各1个区作为调查点,对20~39岁育龄期妇女623人(北京市311人,重庆市312人)进行血清流行病学调查。结果北京和重庆市育龄期妇女风疹抗体阳性率分别为85.21%和78.53%,自然感染获得抗体阳性率分别为85.08%和77.89%;风疹抗体分布与年龄、地区有关,随着年龄的增长抗体阳性率和几何平均浓度有下降的趋势。结论制定科学的风疹疫苗使用策略和免疫程序,提高育龄期妇女的免疫力,是减少CRS发病的有效手段。     

Microarray analysis on Phase II drug metabolizing enzymes expression in pregnant rats after treatment with pregnenolone-16alpha-carbonitrile or phenobarbital

We previously reported the expression profiles of 9 cytochrome P450 isozymes (CYPs) proteins and those of 40 CYPs genes in pregnant rat's liver, placenta and fetal liver after treatment with pregnenolone-16alpha-carbonitrile (PCN) or phenobarbital (PB). This study was carried out focusing on the gene expression profiles of Phase II drug metabolizing enzymes, Glutathione S-transferase isozymes (GSTs) and UDP-glycosyltransferase isozymes (UDPGTs). Fischer 344 (F344) pregnant rats were daily treated intraperitoneally with 50 mg/kg of PCN or 80 mg/kg of PB from 13 to 16 days of gestation (DG). They were sacrificed on 17 DG, and microarray analysis using Affymetrix Rat Expression Array 230 A was performed. Among 16 GSTs genes examined in this study, 7 genes were significantly induced in dam's liver and 3 genes in fetal liver, respectively, in the PCN-group, while 8 genes were significantly induced in dam's liver and 1 gene in fetal liver, respectively, in the PB-group. On the other hand, among 11 UDPGTs genes examined, 5 genes were significantly induced in dam's liver and 3 genes in fetal liver, respectively, in the PCN-group, while 5 genes were significantly induced in dam's liver and 1 gene in fetal liver, respectively, in the PB-group. There were no significant changes in the placenta of all groups. This is the first report of the gene expression profiles of Phase II drug metabolizing enzymes in pregnant rat and fetal livers and placenta after treatment with typical inducers of drug metabolizing enzymes.