Body mass index, percent body fat, and bone mass in a cohort of Chinese twins aged 6 to 18 years

Introduction This report examines the relationship of body mass index (BMI), percent body fat (%BF), and bone mass in a cohort of male and female twins recruited from Anhui province, China, ages 6–18 years—577 male pairs (mean age = 11.4) and 478 female pairs (mean age = 11.6). Methods Whole body bone mineral content (WBMC) in (g), whole body bone area (WBA) in (cm²), and %BF were measured using DEXA (Lunar Prodigy, USA). Regression analysis of within-pair differences was used to assess the strength of the association, and the analysis was stratified by gender and age group, where age cut-offs were based on ages at spermarche or menarche estimated from large population based studies in China. Males were stratified at ages before 14 and age 14–18, and females at ages prior to 12 and age 12–18. Results Univariately, BMI and %BF were associated with WBMC and WBA in the younger males and females, and in older males; %BF was significant only in older females. Multivariate models included both BMI and %BF. Among the younger males, age < 14, BMI and %BF were significantly associated with WBMC and WBA. In the younger females, age < 12, %BF was only significant to WBA. In the older age group, only BMI was significant to WBMC and WBA in females, but in males, BMI was positively associated, and %BF was negatively associated with both bone measures. Discussion These findings show that association between BMI and %BF and bone mass differ across gender and developmental stages, and %BF appears to be beneficial at younger ages, but detrimental or non-beneficial at older ages of development.     

The effect of cardiovascular morbidity on clinical response provided by tadalafil in patients with erectile dysfunction

We aimed to investigate the association between erectile dysfunction and severity of cardiovascular morbidity and to assess clinical responses to tadalafil of patients in different cardiovascular risk groups. Between November 2019 and August 2020, a total of 258 male patients aged 45–70 years with ED were included. They were divided into three groups according to the Framingham risk score: low-risk (n: 86, 33.3%), intermediate-risk (n: 103, 39.9%) and high-risk (n: 69, 26.8%). At admission, all domains of the International Index of Erectile Function score were worse in high-risk group compared to other risk groups (p < .001). After a 12-week follow-up, a more significant improvement was observed in all domains of erectile function in all risk groups, but high-risk group had lower sexual scores (p < .001). The lowest rate for complete responsiveness to tadalafil was observed in the high-risk group (37.7%). The rate of failure in complete responsiveness was found to be 4.127 times greater with higher Framingham score and 3.102 times greater with higher erectile dysfunction severity at admission. Our preliminary findings show that more severe sexual disorders are observed in high-risk patients with cardiovascular morbidity. Individualised treatment may be important in high-risk group since they may benefit less from tadalafil, and failure in complete responsiveness can be more common in this group.     

What attracts and sustain urban poor to informal healthcare practitioners? A study on practitioners' perspectives and patients' experiences in an Indian city

The practice of allopathic medicine by informal healthcare practitioners (IHPs) is ubiquitous in India. However, a little is known about the patients' experiences and IHPs' perspectives. The core questions guided the present study were (1) why do urban poor approach IHPs for healthcare? (2) what are their experiences of availing services from IHPs? and (3) what are the perspectives of IHPs about their practice with the population they serve? A qualitative research design guided the study. The study was conducted in the Gurugram city of Haryana, India. Nine IHPs and twenty‐seven patients who fit into the pre‐established inclusion criteria were interviewed. The findings of the study underline the structural constrains of healthcare access to the poor in India and the mutual dependencies between IHPs and the urban poor. Three themes were emerged corresponding to the perspectives of IHPs, and five themes were generated, which describes patients' experiences and perspectives of availing treatment. The factors that attract and sustain patients to IHPs are a mixture of socio‐economic aspects, which include poverty, inaccessibility, unaffordability, inefficient public healthcare facilities, and the positive behavioural and treatment attributes of the practitioners. The study implies urgent policy interventions to ensure quality healthcare to urban poor.     

Phenotypic variability of triphalangeal thumb-polysyndactyly syndrome linked to chromosome 7q36

Triphalangeal thumb-polysyndactyly (TPT-PS) is an isolated limb malformation consisting of pre- and postaxial polysyndactyly of hands and feet. The only family reported so far is of Dutch origin, and the genetic mapping study localized the TPT-PS locus at chromosome region 7q36 where the isolated triphalangeal thumb (TPT) anomaly has also been mapped. It was suggested that TPT-PS is a phenotypic variation of isolated TPT, and the same ancestral mutation may produce both phenotypes. Here we report on the second family with this malformation from the Turkish population. The characteristic findings in this family are triphalangeal thumb, webbing between 3rd, 4th, and 5th fingers associated with bony synostosis in the distal phalanges of the same fingers, and pre- and postaxial polysyndactyly of feet. Some individuals show a more severe phenotype with a complete syndactyly of all fingers giving a "cup-like" appearance to the hands. Genetic linkage study with DNA markers D7S1823, D7S550, D7S559, and D7S2423 demonstrated that this family is also linked to chromosome band 7q36. Identification of a second family from a distinct ethnic background suggests that TPT-PS and isolated TPT are not caused by the same ancestral mutation as it was originally anticipated.     

A comparison of prognoses of FIGO stage IB adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to compare clinical and pathologic variables and prognosis of FIGO stage IB adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of uterine cervix. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of 521 patients with stage IB squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of cervix who treated primarily by type 3 hysterectomy and pelvic and/or para-aortic lymphadenectomy at Hacettepe University Hospitals between 1980 and 1997. RESULTS: Age, tumor size, grade, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, parametrial, vaginal, and lymphvascular space involvement (LVSI) were not different between two cell types except number of the lymph nodes involved. Metastasis to three or more lymph nodes was significantly higher in adenocarcinoma. Overall and disease-free survival were 87.7%, 84.0% versus 86.4%, 83.1% for squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, respectively (P > 0.05). The rate and site of recurrence were not different between two cell types. Multivariate analysis of disease-free and overall survival revealed independent prognostic factors as tumor size, LVSI, number of involved lymph node, and vaginal involvement. CONCLUSION: Prognosis of FIGO stage IB cervical cancer patients who were treated by primarily radical surgery was found to be same for those with adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.     

Impact of Myocardial Acceleration during Isovolumic Contraction in Evaluating Subclinical Right Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients

Aim: In diabetes mellitus (DM) patients, left ventricular dysfunction is widely evaluated and established by conventional diagnostic methods, whereas right ventricular (RV) function is not as sufficiently evaluated. The aim of this study is to assess the preclinical effects of DM on RV function by using novel Tissue Doppler Imaging (TDI)‐derived indices. Methods: The study included 96 patients with type II DM [60 with DM only and 36 patients with coexisting DM and hypertension (DMHT)] and 40 healthy controls. Conventional parameters and TDI‐derived systolic velocities of tricuspid annulus [isovolumic myocardial acceleration (IVA), peak myocardial velocity during isovolumic contraction (IVV), peak systolic velocity during ejection period (Sa), RV Tei index] were measured. Results: TDI‐derived RV IVA was significantly lower in both DM and DMHT patients compared to controls indicating subclinical impairment in RV systolic function in the study patients (P = 0,0001). However RV IVA was similar in DM and DMHT subgroup supporting RV systolic impairment in DM was independent from HT. In correlation analysis, RV IVA was significantly correlated with the existence of diabetic nephropathy (r =?0,38; P = 0,003), retinopathy (r =?0,35; P = 0,006), insulin resistance (r =?0,52; P = 0,0001). Conclusions: Diabetes is associated with subclinical RV systolic dysfunction, regardless of coexisting hypertension. Tissue Doppler‐derived IVA; is a novel, non‐invasive parameter which may be used in early detection of RV systolic dysfunction in patients with DM. (Echocardiography 2010;27:1211‐1218)