Low bone mineral density in ambulatory persons with cerebral palsy? A systematic review

Purpose: Non-ambulatory persons with cerebral palsy are prone to low bone mineral density. In ambulatory persons with cerebral palsy, bone mineral density deficits are expected to be small or absent, but a consensus conclusion is lacking. In this systematic review bone mineral density in ambulatory persons with cerebral palsy (Gross Motor Function Classification Scales I–III) was studied.

Materials and methods: Medline, Embase, and Web of Science were searched. According to international guidelines, low bone mineral density was defined as Z-score?≤??2.0. In addition, we focused on Z-score?≤??1.0 because this may indicate a tendency towards low bone mineral density.

Results: We included 16 studies, comprising 465 patients aged 1–65?years. Moderate and conflicting evidence for low bone mineral density (Z-score?≤??2.0) was found for several body parts (total proximal femur, total body, distal femur, lumbar spine) in children with Gross Motor Function Classification Scales II and III. We found no evidence for low bone mineral density in children with Gross Motor Function Classification Scale I or adults, although there was a tendency towards low bone mineral density (Z-score?≤??1.0) for several body parts.

Conclusions: Although more high-quality research is needed, results indicate that deficits in bone mineral density are not restricted to non-ambulatory people with cerebral palsy.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• Although more high-quality research is needed, including adults and fracture risk assessment, the current study indicates that deficits in bone mineral density are not restricted to non-ambulatory people with CP.

• Health care professionals should be aware that optimal nutrition, supplements on indication, and an active lifestyle, preferably with weight-bearing activities, are important in ambulatory people with CP, also from a bone quality point-of-view.

• If indicated, medication and fall prevention training should be prescribed.

     

去势比格犬腹部脂肪与相关血清学指标及骨密度的变化关系

目的通过建立去势比格犬模型,观察绝经早期腹部脂肪变化规律,并通过对脂肪与骨代谢相关血清学指标的测量与分析,探讨脂肪及骨代谢的关键影响因素。方法选取6只成年雌性比格犬进行去势术,分别在术前、术后4个月、6个月、10个月进行腰椎定量CT(quantatitive computed tomography,QCT)腹部脂肪面积、骨密度(bone mineral density,BMD)、MRI腰椎骨髓脂肪含量及血清学指标的检测,比较不同时间各指标的变化趋势及关系。结果比格犬腹内脂肪面积(visceral fat area,VFA)、皮下脂肪面积(subcutaneous fat area,SFA)、腹部总脂肪面积(total fat area,TFA)在术后6个月、10个月均增加(P0.05),术后10个月VFA增加百分比均值为84.39%,且为三者中最大;术后比格犬BMD并未明显降低。体重、BMD、瘦素(leptin,LP)、VFA、高密度脂蛋白(high-density lipoprotein,HDL)与SFA相关。SFA、体重、低密度脂蛋白(low-density lipoprotein,LDL)、内脏脂肪素(visfatin,VFN)与BMD相关。结论去势比格犬模型可用于研究绝经后雌激素缺乏所引起的脂肪代谢变化,但短期内BMD并未明显丢失,骨、脂肪代谢之间存在交互作用。     

Perception of the Quality of Communication With Physicians Among Relatives of Dying Residents of Long-term Care Facilities in 6 European Countries: PACE Cross-Sectional Study

ObjectiveTo examine how relatives evaluate the quality of communication with the treating physician of a dying resident in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) and to assess its differences between countries.DesignA cross-sectional retrospective study in a representative sample of LTCFs conducted in 2015. Relatives of residents who died during the previous 3 months were sent a questionnaire.Settings and participants761 relatives of deceased residents in 241 LTCFs in Belgium, England, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, and Poland.MethodsThe Family Perception of Physician-Family Communication (FPPFC) scale (ratings from 0 to 3, where 3 means the highest quality) was used to retrospectively assess how the quality of end-of-life communication with treating physicians was perceived by relatives. We applied multilevel linear and logistic regression models to assess differences between countries and LTCF types.ResultsThe FPPFC score was the lowest in Finland (1.4 ± 0.8) and the highest in Italy (2.2 ± 0.7). In LTCFs served by general practitioners, the FPPFC score differed between countries, but did not in LTCFs with on-site physicians. Most relatives reported that they were well informed about a resident's general condition (from 50.8% in Finland to 90.6% in Italy) and felt listened to (from 53.1% in Finland to 84.9% in Italy) and understood by the physician (from 56.7% in Finland to 85.8% in Italy). In most countries, relatives assessed the worst communication as being about the resident's wishes for medical treatment at the end of life, with the lowest rate of satisfied relatives in Finland (37.6%).ConclusionThe relatives' perception of the quality of end-of-life communication with physicians differs between countries. However, in all countries, physicians' communication needs to be improved, especially regarding resident's wishes for medical care at the end of life.ImplicationsTraining in end-of-life communication to physicians providing care for LTCF residents is recommended.     

Premature Ticagrelor Discontinuation in Secondary Prevention of Atherosclerotic CVD: JACC Review Topic of the Week

Ticagrelor is a cornerstone of modern antithrombotic therapy alongside aspirin in patients with acute coronary syndrome and after percutaneous coronary intervention. Adverse effects such as bleeding and dyspnea have been associated with premature ticagrelor discontinuation, which may limit any potential advantage of ticagrelor over clopidogrel. The randomized trials of ticagrelor captured adverse events, offering the opportunity to more precisely quantify these effects across studies. Therefore, a meta-analysis of 4 randomized clinical trials of ticagrelor conducted between January 2007 and June 2017 was performed to quantify the incidence and causes of premature ticagrelor discontinuation. Among 66,870 patients followed for a median 18 months, premature ticagrelor discontinuation was seen in 25%; bleeding was the most common cause of discontinuation followed by dyspnea. Versus the comparators, the relative risk of dyspnea-related discontinuation during follow-up was 6.4-fold higher, the relative risk of bleeding was 3.2-fold higher, and the relative risk of discontinuation due to any adverse event was 59% higher for patients receiving ticagrelor. Understanding these potential barriers to adherence to ticagrelor is crucial for informed patient-physician decision making and can inform future efforts to improve ticagrelor adherence. This review discusses the incidence, causes, and biological mechanisms of ticagrelor-related adverse effects and offers strategies to improve adherence to ticagrelor.     

A case of Klebsiella pneumoniae spondylitis and bacteremia potentially due to inflammation around a fecalith

We herein report a case of Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae) spondylitis and bacteremia in a 90-year-old man with diabetes mellitus who had undergone sigmoidectomy and had a fecalith. Two months prior to admission, he had received antimicrobial treatment for 2 weeks for K. pneumoniae bacteremia whose entry was unclear and he was readmitted to our hospital owing to fever and stomachache. K. pneumoniae was isolated from two sets of blood cultures, and computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed inflammation and destruction of the 8th and 9th thoracic vertebra. The diagnosis was spondylodiscitis secondary to K. pneumoniae bacteremia. Although the entry point for K. pneumoniae was unclear, we suggest that inflammation of the mucosa around the fecalith might have caused the Enterobacteriaceae bacteremia.     

Inactivated influenza vaccine formulated with single-stranded RNA-based adjuvant confers mucosal immunity and cross-protection against influenza virus infection

Influenza vaccination is considered the most valuable means to prevent and control seasonal influenza infections, which causes various clinical symptoms, ranging from mild cough and fever to even death. Among various influenza vaccine types, the inactivated subunit type is known to provide improved safety with reduced reactogenicity. However, there are some drawbacks associated with inactivated subunit type vaccines, with the main ones being its low immunogenicity and the induction of Th2-biased immune responses. In this study, we investigated the role of a single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) derived from the intergenic region in the internal ribosome entry site of the Cricket paralysis virus as an adjuvant rather than the universal vaccine for a seasonal inactivated subunit influenza vaccine. The ssRNA adjuvant stimulated not only well-balanced cellular (indicated by IgG2a, IFN-γ, IL-2, and TNF-α) and humoral (indicated by IgG1 and IL-4) immune responses but also a mucosal immune response (indicated by IgA), a key protector against respiratory virus infections. It also increases the HI titer, the surrogate marker of influenza vaccine efficacy. Furthermore, ssRNA adjuvant confers cross-protective immune responses against heterologous influenza virus infection while promoting enhanced viral clearance. Moreover, ssRNA adjuvant increases the number of memory CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells, which can be expected to induce long-term immune responses. Therefore, this ssRNA-adjuvanted seasonal inactivated subunit influenza vaccine might be the best influenza vaccine generating robust humoral and cellular immune responses and conferring cross-protective and long-term immunity.     

电子线照射对小鼠胰岛素生长因子相关蛋白表达的影响

目的：探讨电子线对胰岛素生长因子-1家族蛋白表达的影响，为研究辐射对肝脏的早期损伤提供依据。方法：采用电子线照射小鼠，照射剂量为1、2、4 Gy，用Western blot法检测照射后12、48和72 h小鼠肝脏中胰岛素生长因子1受体（IGF-1R）、胰岛素生长因子结合蛋白1（IGFBP1）、胰岛素生长因子结合蛋白4（IGFBP4）和胰岛素生长因子1（IGF-1）蛋白表达水平的改变。结果：照射剂量为1 Gy时，与对照组相比，IGF-1蛋白在照射后48 h时表达增加，IGFBP1、IGFBP4和IGF1R蛋白的表达在照射后12、48和72 h均表达减少。照射剂量为2 Gy时，IGF-1和IGFBP4蛋白在照射后48 h时表达增加，其余时间点表达减少。IGFBP1蛋白在照射后12 h时表达增加，48和72 h时表达减少。IGF1R蛋白在照射后3个时间点均呈现为表达减少。照射剂量4 Gy时，肝脏中IGF-1、IGFBP1和IGFBP4蛋白均表达减少，IGF1R蛋白在照射后12 h时表达增加，48、72 h时均表达减少（均为P < 0.05）。结论：电子线照射后小鼠肝脏中胰岛素生长因子-1家族蛋白多以下调表达为主，与前期基因表达的结果相一致，有可能作为反映放射性工作人员早期肝脏损伤的生物标志物之一。     

一氧化氮合酶在外阴慢性单纯性苔藓和外阴硬化性苔藓中的表达

目的：检测诱导型和内皮型一氧化氮合酶（iNOS 和eNOS）在外阴慢性单纯性苔藓和外阴硬化性苔藓中的表达。方法：采用免疫组织化学SABC法检测iNOS和eNOS在30例外阴慢性单纯性苔藓蜡块（LSC）、30例外阴硬化性苔藓蜡块（LS）和10例外阴正常皮肤中的表达，并以人原始造血细胞抗原（CD34）标记微血管内皮细胞，测量各组织的微血管密度（MVD）。结果：iNOS和eNOS在外阴正常皮肤中无表达；在LSC中iNOS和eNOS每视野平均阳性细胞数分别为14.83±3.79和17.86±4.82，高于LS的8.00±3.35和6.43±3.87，差异均有统计学意义（P＜0.05）；在LSC和正常皮肤中MVD分别为21.58±2.48和20.44±3.66，高于LS（10.34±2.83）。iNOS和eNOS的表达具有明显的正相关性（Kappa=0.811，P＜0.05）。结论：iNOS和eNOS可能与LSC炎症过程中的血管扩张有关；在LS皮损真皮中微血管减少，iNOS和eNOS可代偿性地改善LS的血液循环。     

绝经后女性2型糖尿病伴骨质疏松患者骨密度与骨代谢指标的相关性分析

目的分析研究绝经后女性2型糖尿病伴骨质疏松症患者骨密度与骨代谢指标的相关性。方法选取2013年10月至2017年05月于重庆医科大学附属第一医院内分泌内科住院的绝经后女性2型糖尿病患者385名。搜集其基本资料、骨代谢指标及骨密度等。根据T值将这些患者分为骨质疏松组(233例)、骨量减少组(101例)和骨量正常组(51例),比较三组间骨代谢指标的变化,并对骨密度(bone mineral density,BMD)与各项骨代谢指标进行相关性分析。结果 1型前胶原氨基末端前肽(Type I procollagen N-terminal propeptide,P1NP)、骨钙素(bone Gla protein,BGP)在骨质疏松组显著高于骨量减少组、骨量正常组(P0.05);随着骨密度的降低,1型胶原羧基端肽β特殊序列(β-Carboxyl terminal peptide,β-CTX)逐渐升高,骨质疏松组、骨量减少组与骨量正常组相比较差异有统计学意义(P0.05);Spearman等级相关分析示P1NP、BGP、β-CTX与骨密度呈负相关,25(OH)D_3与骨密度呈现正相关。结论绝经后女性2型糖尿病伴骨质疏松症患者骨密度与骨代谢指标有一定的相关性,有助于预测骨折风险并及时抗骨质疏松治疗。