Morphological signs of connective tissue dysplasia as predictors of frequent post-exercise musculoskeletal disorders.

BACKGROUND: Connective tissue dysplasia (CTD) is a risk factor for musculoskeletal disorders. Changes caused by disorganization of collagen and elastin fibers lead to the inability of withstanding heavy mechanical stress. In clinical practice, diagnosis of these disorders depends on physical and anthropomorphic evaluation. METHODS: Forty-eight patients with frequent post-exercise musculoskeletal disorders were evaluated for CTD. The control group included 36 healthy participants. Both groups were evaluated via therapeutic examination with assessment of anthropometric indicators and physical-physiological evaluation, surveying and gathering of anamnesis. Based on testing results, study participants were evaluated on CTD presence and risk factors. RESULTS: All experimental group patients had connective tissue dysplasia of moderate and severe degree, with a total score of 49.44 ± 13.1. Certain morphological characteristics showed prevalence, allowing to determine pathognomonic predictors of high predisposition to frequent post-exercise musculoskeletal disorders. Back pain (100%), asthenic syndrome and kyphotic spinal deformation (75%), high gothic palate, hypermobility of joints and the auricles, excessive elasticity (63%), varicose veins of the lower extremities (56%) and hemorrhoids (56%), changes in the shape of the legs and temporomandibular joint (50%) showed to be significant clinical factors indicating possible connective tissue dysplasia. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of these diagnostically significant morphological signs of CTD in humans is a pathognomonic predictor of a high predisposition to frequent injuries. Their early detection helps promote proper appointment of adequate physical activity regimen and develop treatment for the underlying cause.

Age-Associated Role of Lingual and Pharyngeal Glands in Local Immunity in Oral Cavity.

The macroscopic and histological methods were employed to examine the autopsy specimens of salivary lingual glands obtained from 299 patients of both sexes and various age ranging from newborn to longevity. The age-associated alterations of minor lingual and pharyngeal glands were revealed, and the topographical relations between the glands and lymphoid cells were described. The characteristic sparsity of the glands in infancy is caused by nutritional uniformity at this period, when diminished production of secretory IgA results in frequent inflammatory processes in oral and pharyngeal cavities. With age, the glandular orifices widen, and their number increases thereby augmenting local immunity in the oral cavity and in oral aspect of the pharynx. Starting from elderly and senile age, the involutive alterations were observed, which were accompanied by diminished production of secretory immunoglobulin A and related degradation of local and humoral immunity.

[The effect of opportunistic pathogenic microflora in drinking water on the cellular composition of the splenic lymphoid tissue of rats]. / Vliianie uslovno-patogennoi mikroflory, soderzhashcheisia v pit'tvoi vode na kletochnyi sostav limfoidnoi tkani selezenki krys.

In a 6-month study of the morphologic reactions of spleenic immune structures to antigen attacks of varying intensity, one group of Wistar male rats was given water containing 100 opportunistic pathogens per 1 ml, the other, water containing 1,000 opportunistic pathogens per 1 ml. In the control, rats drank sterile water. In the second experimental group, spleenic sites of reproduction reduced the relative count of lymphocytes and mitoticly dividing cells and increased the counts of immature plasmocytes and macrophages. Destructively changed cells grew in number in the mantle, the marginal zone, the lymphoid nodes w/o reproduction sites, PALC and the cellular (lymphoid) aggregation in the red pulp in both experimental groups. There were immature eosinophils in the marginal zone and red pulp cellular aggregations in the second experimental group. Lymphoid nodes w/o reproduction sites and PALC showed a significant reduction in the relative count of middle lymphocytes. Relative counts of middle lymphocytes in the red pulp cellular aggregation as well as plasmocytes and macrophages were on the rise whereas the count of small lymphocytes decreased.