[Assessment of various anthropologic methods for estimation of the height of persons over 65 years of age]. / Valoración de distintos métodos antropométricos en la estimación de la talla en personas mayores de 65 años.

The height measurement of people older than 65 years of age is limited in may cases by alterations of the vertebral column, which is why the determination of the body mass index for the evaluation of the nutritional status may be very imprecise. Formulae have been developed based on the height of the knee or the distance between the knee and the external malleolus, for estimating the height. With this study we wish to contrast the estimated height using these formulae with the height obtained in standing people older than 65 years of age. We studied a total of 202 patients, assessing the height based on the different methods of estimation, as well as using the body mass index. When analyzing the results, we found that there were no significant differences between the average height estimated from the height of the knee or the distance from the knee to the malleolus, and the average height obtained by diet measurement, and that the height estimated from the height of the knee has a greater average relative error (0.43) than the height estimated using the knee to malleolus distance (0.08). The obtained results show us that the height assessment of people older than 65 years of age should always take place by measuring them while standing, and in those subjects in whom this is not possible, the height will be estimated using one of the two formulae, as both are useful in our environment, although we recommended using the estimate based on the knee malleolus distance as this is simpler.

Solid cell nests of the thyroid: light microscopy and immunohistochemical profile.

The morphological, histochemical, and immunohistochemical findings of seven cases of solid cell nests (SCNs) of the thyroid are described. Light microscopy showed two cell types forming the SCNs, which we refer to as "main cells" and "C cells." In all cases "mixed thyroid follicles" (a unique structure lined by follicular epithelium and epidermoidlike cells) were observed in which the histochemical study confirmed the presence of intraluminal acid mucins. Adult adipose tissue and cartilage were found in one case and foci of cartilage were observed in another case in association with the SCN. Immunohistochemical studies showed positivity of "main cells" for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), high- and low-molecular weight keratins, neurotensin, and somatostatin. "C cells" were positive for calcitonin, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), and chromogranin. The two cell types in SCNs were consistently negative for thyroglobulin. Neuron-specific enolase (NSE)-positive cells were found in the vicinity of the SCN. The unusual association of adipose tissue and cartilage as well as the results of the extended immunohistochemical study in this series provides further support to the belief that SCNs and "mixed thyroid follicles" represent remnants of the ultimobranchial body and should be considered normal components of the thyroid gland.

Solitary fibrous tumor of the thyroid.

A case of solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) of the thyroid in a 43-year-old woman with a multinodular goiter is reported. This is the first case of SFT described in the thyroid. On histologic, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural examination, the tumor was identical to SFT of the pleura and other organs. Despite its rarity, SFT should be included in the differential diagnosis of spindle-cell tumors of the thyroid, along with anaplastic carcinoma, spindle-cell medullary carcinoma, and several types of mesenchymal tumors.

Primary intraventricular choriocarcinoma.

A case of a choriocarcinoma within the third ventricle in an eight-year-old girl is described. The patient died suddenly five days after operation. The post mortem examination showed an intraventricular hemorrhage with obstruction of the foramina of Monroe. An additional case in a 16-year-old young man, with similar location and without necropsy, is described. Discussion of the primary origin and etiology of these tumors is presented.