Adult body height, self perceived health and mortality in the Swedish population.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to examine adult body height as an indicator of general health. DESIGN: The study was a survey of a randomly selected sample of the adult Swedish population obtained by the Swedish National Central Bureau of Statistics. PARTICIPANTS: The sample studied was identified in 1980-81 and comprised 14,757 persons aged 16-74. Of these, 12,695 (86%) consented to interview. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Information was obtained on adult height, socioeconomic status in childhood and adult life, self perceived health, self reported longstanding illness, and mortality during a six year follow up. The numbers of people in three height groups who considered their general health as bad, who reported any longstanding illness or who died during the follow up were compared with the expected numbers in the same groups. The number of persons with reduced health and the number of deaths was larger than expected in the shortest height group. The excess risk of dying in the shortest group (about 20% higher compared to the tallest group) was reduced but not eliminated when present and childhood socioeconomic group was taken into account. Coronary heart disease mortality in particular was linked to height. The shortest group of men and women reported the largest proportion with bad general health and longstanding illness. For the latter the differences between height groups disappeared after controlling for present socioeconomic status. CONCLUSIONS: There is a detectable excess risk of morbidity and mortality from being short. Assuming that the childhood environment is an important determinant of adult stature it is also important for adult health.     

Monokines produced by macrophages stimulate the growth of osteoblasts

We have previously reported that the J774A.1 macrophage-like tumor cell line produces two potent monokines which stimulate the growth of osteoblasts and chondrocytes. These growth factors, which have an affinity for heparin-agarose, have been termed HEP I (a 30 Kd PDGF-like molecule) and HEP II (an approximately 20 Kd molecule), respectively, based on their elution profile. Unlike HEP I, HEP II does not stimulate the growth of fibroblasts. Extensive biological and chromatographic studies disclosed that HEP II appears to be a unique bone cell mitogen unlike any known growth factor, including the FGFs, IL-1s, and TNFs, EGF, IGF-I and -II, TGF-beta, beta 2 microglobulin, G-CSF, CSF-1 and GM-CSF. To characterize more fully the effects of the macrophage-derived monokines on osteoblast growth and function, clones were derived from calvaria explant cultures. Two clones, SDFRC-2.05 and SDFRC-3, were developed and found to exhibit osteoblastic characteristics, including high levels of alkaline phosphatase, synthesis of type I but not type III collagen, and an increased intracellular cAMP production in response to PTH. The SDFRC-3 cells exhibited a polygonal morphology like that of the explant-derived cells while SDFRC-2.05 cells exhibited a more fibroblastic morphology. When tested on the explant cultures and clones, HEP I and HEP II were found to stimulate DNA synthesis and increase protein per culture, but decreased alkaline phosphatase activity. Clone SDFRC-3 was found to be more responsive to HEP II than clone SDFRC-2.05. Both monokines were found to be more potent mitogens for bone cells than TGF-beta. HEP II, but not HEP I or TGF-beta, induced a transformation of bone cells from a polygonal to a fibroblastic morphology, suggesting the induction of migration prior to proliferation. Thus, macrophages may be responsible not only for bone repair but also for ensuring the linkage of bone formation to resorption during physiological remodeling.     

Treatment of refractoriness to platelet transfusion by protein A column therapy

Ten thrombocytopenic patients (platelets < 10–24 × 10(9)/L) who were refractory to platelet transfusion were investigated for their responsiveness to staphylococcal protein A column therapy. Nine patients had previously been treated with steroids, intravenous immune globulin, and/or other forms of immunosuppressive therapy without improvement in their transfusion response. All patients were receiving multiple platelet transfusions without achieving 1-hour corrected count increments (CCIs) > or = 7500. Eight patients had antibodies that reacted with platelets and were directed against HLA class I antigens, ABO antigens, and/or platelet-specific alloantigens. Plasma (500-2000 mL) from each patient was passed over a protein A silica gel column and then returned to the patient. Patients received from 1 to 14 treatments. A positive response to protein A therapy was defined as at least a doubling of the pretreatment platelet count and/or two successive 10- to 120-minute posttransfusion CCIs > or = 7500. Following plasma treatments, 6 of 10 patients responded with daily platelet counts that averaged 48 +/− 11 × 10(9) per L as compared with counts of 16 +/− 7 × 10(9) per L (p < 0.0005) before treatment. Posttransfusion CCI values determined in four of these patients averaged 2480 +/− 810 and 10,010 +/− 3540 (p < 0.005) before and after treatment, respectively. In contrast, among the four unresponsive patients, platelet counts averaged 10 +/− 9 and 13 +/− 10 × 10(9) per L (p = NS), respectively, while posttransfusion CCIs were 700 +/− 1410 and 1520 +/− 2460 (p = NS), respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Perforated colorectal neoplasms: correlation of clinical, contrast enema, and CT examinations

Results of clinical, contrast enema (CE), and computed tomographic (CT) examinations in 39 patients with perforated colorectal neoplasms were retrospectively reviewed. Twenty patients were toxemic at initial presentation, but in only four patients was the diagnosis of perforated colorectal neoplasm initially suspected clinically. CE study was performed in 22 patients and enabled the diagnosis of perforated neoplasm in 11 cases, neoplasm alone in eight, and neither neoplasm nor perforation in three. CT was performed in 38 patients and enabled the diagnosis of perforated neoplasm in 36; pericolic phlegmon but no mass lesion was evident in two. In 16 patients, CT also demonstrated metastatic disease. Because of its reliability in establishing the diagnosis and staging the extent of the inflammatory and neoplastic disease, CT is indicated in cases of suspected or proved perforated colorectal neoplasm and in cases in which CE study findings are indeterminate or suggestive of perforated neoplasm.