Electronic Health Records (EHRs) Can Identify Patients at High Risk of Fracture but Require Substantial Race Adjustments to Currently Available Fracture Risk Calculators.

BACKGROUND: Osteoporotic fracture prediction calculators are poorly utilized in primary care, leading to underdiagnosis and undertreatment of those at risk for fracture. The use of these calculators could be improved if predictions were automated using the electronic health record (EHR). However, this approach is not well validated in multi-ethnic populations, and it is not clear if the adjustments for race or ethnicity made by calculators are appropriate. OBJECTIVE: To investigate EHR-generated fracture predictions in a multi-ethnic population. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study using data from the EHR. SETTING: An urban, academic medical center in Philadelphia, PA. PARTICIPANTS: 12,758 White, 7,844 Black, and 3,587 Hispanic patients seeking routine care from 2010 to 2018 with mean 3.8 years follow-up. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS: FRAX and QFracture, two of the most used fracture prediction tools, were studied. Risk for major osteoporotic fracture (MOF) and hip fracture were calculated using data from the EHR at baseline and compared to the number of fractures that occurred during follow-up. RESULTS: MOF rates varied from 3.2 per 1000 patient-years in Black men to 7.6 in White women. FRAX and QFracture had similar discrimination for MOF prediction (area under the curve, AUC, 0.69 vs. 0.70, p=0.08) and for hip fracture prediction (AUC 0.77 vs 0.79, p=0.21) and were similar by race or ethnicity. FRAX had superior calibration than QFracture (calibration-in-the-large for FRAX 0.97 versus QFracture 2.02). The adjustment factors used in MOF prediction were generally accurate in Black women, but underestimated risk in Black men, Hispanic women, and Hispanic men. LIMITATIONS: Single center design. CONCLUSIONS: Fracture predictions using only EHR inputs can discriminate between high and low risk patients, even in Black and Hispanic patients, and could help primary care physicians identify patients who need screening or treatment. However, further refinements to the calculators may better adjust for race-ethnicity.

BMDs Derived From Total Body DXA are Strongly Correlated With Dedicated Hip and Spine BMD and are Associated With Prior Fractures in NHANES.

Dedicated dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) bone mineral density (BMD) of the hip and spine are strongly associated with fractures, but it is not clear whether total body (TB) DXA measures correlate with dedicated DXA or relate to fractures. Using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from years 2013-2014 and 2017-2018, we assessed Pearson correlations between dedicated and TB DXA measures. Associations with fractures were examined using self-reported prior fractures or fractures found on vertebral fracture assessment (VFA) using logistic regression models while controlling for age, gender, race/ethnicity, and body mass index. Among 1418 subjects from NHANES 2013-2014, we found signification correlations between all dedicated DXA BMD and TB DXA BMD measures. For dedicated spine BMD, the TB site with the strongest correlation was TB lumbar spine (r = 0.87, p < 0.001), while for dedicated total hip and femoral neck BMD, total body, pelvis, leg, and trunk BMD had the strongest correlations (r = 0.67-0.75, p < 0.001 for all). There were relatively few differences by sex or race/ethnicity. Findings were similar in 481 subjects from NHANES 2017-2018. In NHANES 2013-2014, there were 438 prior fractures in 370 subjects (26.3%). When controlling for age, gender, race/ethnicity, and body mass index, the adjusted odds ratio for fracture per T-score decrease of BMD were similar for TB BMD measures as for dedicated BMD measures (OR 1.10-1.28). In conclusion, total body DXA measures are correlated with hip and spine DXA and are strongly associated with prior fracture. Our results suggest that total body DXA measures are valid alternative sites to study BMD and fracture risk.

The Prediction of Body Composition in African Americans From Spine and Hip Dual-Energy Absorptiometry.

Body composition, the makeup of the body's fat and lean tissue, is associated with important health outcomes and provides useful clinical information. Although body composition can be measured with total body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), this is rarely performed. As an alternative to total body DXA measurement, methods for estimation of body composition have been developed. These methods use soft tissue measures from spine and hip DXA to predict body composition and include prediction equations previously published by Leslie and proprietary equations within General Electric densitometry software. However, these estimates have not been tested in African Americans (AA), an ethnicity with a different distribution of fat than Caucasians (CA). Therefore, we examined the performance of the existing models in 99 CA and 162 AA subjects over the age of 40 who had total body, spine, and hip DXA measurements. We observed that existing models estimated body composition well in CA but underestimated fat mass and overestimated lean mass in AA. AA subjects were then randomly divided into 2 equal-sized subgroups-the first to develop new prediction equations and the second to independently validate them. We found that body composition can be more accurately estimated using either a new model that we derived in AA subjects using backward stepwise elimination or by adding a fixed offset for AA to the previously published model. Our results demonstrate that body composition estimates from spine and hip DXA require consideration of race/ethnicity.

Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry.

Bone mineral density (BMD) measurement by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is the most commonly used method to assess fracture risk. DXA utilizes two different energy X-rays to calculate BMD and, by comparison to a young normative database, the T-score. In 1994, the World Health Organization defined osteoporosis based on T-score, changing the paradigm of the field and forever placing DXA measurements in the center of osteoporosis diagnosis. Since then, many large studies have demonstrated the predictive value of BMD by DXA-for every standard deviation decline in BMD, there is a relative risk of 1.5-2.5 for fracture. This predictive ability is similar to how blood pressure can predict myocardial infarction. Limitations of DXA are also important to consider. While BMD by DXA can identify those at risk, there is a significant overlap in the BMD of patients who will and will not fracture. Special considerations are also needed in men and ethnic minority groups. These groups may have different bone size, thus affecting the normative range of BMD, and/or distinct bone structure that affect the association between BMD and fractures. Finally, BMD can be affected by positioning errors or artifacts, including osteoarthritis, fracture, and jewelry. Of course, DXA has tremendous strengths as well-namely its wide availability, its low radiation exposure, and a large body of evidence that relate DXA measurements to fracture risk. For these reasons, DXA remains the cornerstone of fracture assessment now and for the foreseeable future.

Ethnic Differences in Osteoporosis After Cardiac Transplantation.

Cardiac transplantation is associated with a high risk of fracture. African Americans (AAs) are believed to have a lower risk of osteoporosis than Caucasians, but it is not clear whether they are also protected from osteoporosis resulting from the use of glucocorticoids and/or organ transplantation. We examined possible ethnic differences in 33 cardiac transplant recipients (16 AAs) in a cross-sectional analysis. In addition to bone mineral density and vertebral fracture assessment, we also compared biochemical variables, trabecular bone score, total body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and disability. Overall fracture rates were low in both groups, with only 6 total subjects with fractures on vertebral fracture assessment or history of fracture. While T-scores were similar between groups, Z-scores were lower in AA with the difference reaching statistical significance when controlling for important covariates. The trabecular bone score was also lower in AAs than in Caucasians even when adjusting for age and tissue thickness (1.198 ± 0.140 vs 1.312 ± 0.140, p = 0.03). While AAs are generally thought to be protected from osteoporosis, our study instead suggests that AAs may be at higher risk of bone deterioration after cardiac transplantation and may need to be managed more aggressively than suggested by current guidelines.

Ethnic Differences in Trabecular Bone Score.

Trabecular bone score (TBS), a noninvasive textural analysis of the lumbar spine dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) image, has been shown to predict fractures in Caucasian (CA) populations but has not been thoroughly studied in African-American (AA) populations. The aim of this study was to compare the TBS in AAs and CAs and to assess whether TBS can be used to refine fracture risk stratification in AA patients. Eight hundred twenty-five women (390 AAs, 435 CAs) referred for bone mineral density (BMD) as part of their clinical care had measurements of the TBS, the BMD of the lumbar spine, total hip, and femoral neck, and vertebral fracture assessment for detection of vertebral fractures. Unadjusted TBS was higher in CA than AA (1.275 vs 1.238, p < 0.001), but this was no longer true after adjusting for age and tissue thickness. Interestingly, differences in TBS were still highly significant in those under 60 yr of age even with adjustment for tissue thickness, but not in older subjects. There were 74 CAs and 56 AAs with vertebral fractures on vertebral fracture assessment (17% vs 14%, p = 0.30). In CA, the odds ratio (OR) for prevalent vertebral fracture per SD decrease in TBS was 2.33 (p < 0.001), whereas in AA, the OR was 1.43 (p = 0.02). In a multivariate logistic regression model that also included age, BMD T-score, and glucocorticoid use, the association between TBS and prevalent vertebral fractures was still highly significant in CAs (OR 1.54, p = 0.008) but not in AAs (OR 1.23, p = 0.21). Our results suggest that TBS may be less discriminatory in regard to fracture risk in AAs than in CAs and that TBS may need to be used differently in these 2 ethnic groups.

Rapid Discharge to Home After Total Knee Arthroplasty Is Safe in Eligible Medicare Patients.

BACKGROUND: This study was aimed at assessing the risk of readmission for Medicare patients discharged home within a day of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) compared to those discharged on day 2 or beyond in a community medical center. METHODS: A hospital inpatient database was queried for all unilateral, primary TKAs performed on patients 65 years or older from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2015. A total of 2287 patients met the study criteria, of which 1502 were discharged within a day (short stay), and 785 were discharged on day 2 or beyond (traditional stay). The main outcome measures were all-cause 30-day and unplanned 90-day readmissions. RESULTS: Short-stay patients did not experience a higher 30-day readmission rate (1.1%) compared to the traditional-stay patients (2.7%), nor did they experience a higher rate of unplanned 90-day readmissions (1.7% vs 3.6%). The short-stay group had more favorable demographics compared to the traditional-stay group. Logistic regression results revealed that none of the demographic factors considered had a statistically significant impact on 30-day readmission odds for either group. For unplanned 90-day readmissions, the results showed that for the short-stay patients, with the exception of age, none of the other demographic factors had significant impact on readmission odds and none were significant for the traditional-stay group. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the Medicare patients meeting discharge criteria and discharged home within a day of TKA do not have an increased risk of 30-day and 90-day readmission.

The AAHKS Clinical Research Award: Liposomal Bupivacaine and Periarticular Injection Are Not Superior to Single-Shot Intra-articular Injection for Pain Control in Total Knee Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative injections can help reduce early postoperative pain in total knee arthroplasty. We proposed that liposomal bupivacaine would not be superior to more common and cheaper injections. METHODS: A single-blinded prospective randomized study with 207 consecutive patients was completed. Patients were randomized to treatment with periarticular liposomal bupivacaine injection, periarticular injection of bupivacaine/morphine, or intra-articular injection of bupivacaine/morphine at the conclusion of the procedure. Postoperative visual analog pain scores and narcotic consumption were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in postoperative visual analog pain scores or narcotic consumption among the 3 study groups. CONCLUSION: Intra-articular injection of bupivacaine and morphine is as effective for postoperative pain control in total knee arthroplasty as periarticular bupivacaine/morphine injection and liposomal bupivacaine. Use of liposomal bupivacaine in total knee arthroplasty is costly and not justified.

Strategies for improving cardiovascular health in women with diabetes mellitus: a review of the evidence.

Knowledge about cardiovascular (CV) disease in women with diabetes mellitus (DM) has changed substantially over the past 20 years. Coronary artery disease, strokes, and peripheral vascular disease affect women with DM at higher rates than the general population of women. Lifestyle therapies, such as dietary changes, physical activity, and smoking cessation, offer substantial benefits to women with DM. Of the pharmacotherapies, statins offer the most significant benefits but may not be well tolerated in some women. Aspirin may also benefit high-risk women. Other pharmacotherapies, such as fibrates, ezetimibe, niacin, fish oil, and hormone replacement therapy, remain unproven and, in some cases, potentially dangerous to women with DM. To reduce CV events, risks to women with DM must be better publicized and additional research must be done. Finally, advancements in health care delivery must target high-risk women with DM to lower risk factors and effectively improve cardiovascular health.

Willingness to take less medication for type 2 diabetes among older patients: The Diabetes & Aging Study.

BACKGROUND: To examine the willingness of older patients to take less diabetes medication (de-intensify) and to identify characteristics associated with willingness to de-intensify treatment. METHODS: Survey conducted in 2019 in an age-stratified, random sample of older (65-100 years) adults with diabetes on glucose-lowering medications in the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Diabetes Registry. We classified survey responses to the question: "I would be willing to take less medication for my diabetes" as willing, neutral, or unwilling to de-intensify. Willingness to de-intensify treatment was examined by several clinical characteristics, including American Diabetes Association (ADA) health status categories used for individualizing glycemic targets. Analyses were weighted to account for over-sampling of older individuals. RESULTS: A total of 1337 older adults on glucose-lowering medication(s) were included (age 74.2 ± 6.0 years, 44% female, 54.4% non-Hispanic white). The proportions of participants willing, neutral, or unwilling to take less medication were 51.2%, 27.3%, and 21.5%, respectively. Proportions of willing to take less medication varied by age (65-74 years: 54.2% vs. 85+ years: 38.5%) and duration of diabetes (0-4 years: 61.0% vs. 15+ years: 44.2%), both p < 0.001. Patients on 1-2 medications were more willing to take less medication(s) compared with patients on 10+ medications (62.1% vs. 46.6%, p = 0.03). Similar proportions of willingness to take less medications were seen across ADA health status, and HbA1c. Willingness to take less medication(s) was similar across survey responses to questions about patient-clinician relationships. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical guidelines suggest considering treatment de-intensification in older patients with longer duration of diabetes, yet patients with these characteristics are less likely to be willing to take less medication(s).

Visceral Adipose Tissue is Negatively Associated With Bone Mineral Density in NHANES 2011-2018.

Context: The relationship of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) with bone mineral density (BMD) is not well established. Objective: To examine the associations of VAT and SAT with total body BMD in a large, nationally representative population with a wide range of adiposity. Methods: We analyzed 10 641 subjects aged 20 to 59 years in National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011-2018 who had undergone total body BMD and had VAT and SAT measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Linear regression models were fitted while controlling for age, sex, race or ethnicity, smoking status, height, and lean mass index. Results: In a fully adjusted model, each higher quartile of VAT was associated with an average of 0.22 lower T-score (95% CI, -0.26 to -0.17, P < 0.001), whereas SAT had a weak association with BMD but only in men (-0.10; 95% CI, -0.17 to -0.04, P = 0.002). However, the association of SAT to BMD in men was no longer significant after controlling for bioavailable sex hormones. In subgroup analysis, we also found differences in the relationship of VAT to BMD in Black and Asian subjects, but these differences were eliminated after accounting for racial and ethnic differences in VAT norms. Conclusions: VAT has a negative association with BMD. Further research is needed to better understand the mechanism of action and, more generally, to develop strategies for optimizing bone health in obese subjects.

Fat Mass Has Negative Effects on Bone, Especially in Men: A Cross-sectional Analysis of NHANES 2011-2018.

CONTEXT: The effect of high levels of obesity on bone health are not clear. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to examine the associations of body composition and bone mineral density (BMD) in a large, nationally representative population with a wide range of body mass index. METHODS: We analyzed 10 814 subjects aged 20-59 from NHANES 2011-2018 who had total body BMD and body composition data. Body composition was examined as lean mass index (LMI) and fat mass index (FMI). Linear regression models were created with BMD as the outcome, while examining LMI and FMI and controlling for age, gender, race/ethnicity, height, and smoking status. RESULTS: In multivariable modeling, every 1 kg/m2 additional LMI was associated with 0.19 higher T-score, while every additional 1 kg/m2 in FMI was associated with 0.10 lower T-score (P < .001 for both). The negative association of FMI with BMD was mainly seen when adjusting for LMI. Effects of LMI were similar in men and women, but the effect of FMI was more negative in men (0.13 lower T-score per additional 1 kg/m2 of FMI in men vs 0.08 lower BMD T-score in women, P for interaction < .001). CONCLUSION: In subjects under 60 years old, lean mass had a strong positive association with BMD. Conversely, fat mass had a moderate, negative association with BMD that was most notable in men at high levels of fat. Our results emphasize the importance of bone health in obesity and may explain site-specific increases in fracture rates in some studies of obese subjects.

A Prospective Randomised Comparative Study Between Weekly Cisplatin Versus Three Weekly Cisplatin with Radiotherapy in Unresectable Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer.

To compare the efficacy, compliance and the complications of weekly cisplatin 40 mg/m2 against the three weekly cisplatin 100 mg/m2 with EBRT(external beam radiotherapy) in unresectable locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma(LAHNSCC) Study design was Prospective randomized and comparative.85 Patients with histologically proven stage III-IVA LAHNSCC presenting from December 2017 to May 2019 were assigned to concurrent three weekly cisplatin 100 mg/m2 (arm 1) and weekly cisplatin 40 mg/m2 (arm 2) with EBRT. There were 41 patients were in arm 1 and 44 patients in arm 2. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 2.0. At 4 week of completion of treatment, response was assessed using RECIST(1.1) criteria.In Arm 1,61% patients and in arm 2 55% patients achieved complete response but the difference was statistically non- significant (p = 0.756).Median follow up was 12 months after which 49% patients in arm 1 and 38% in arm 2 had complete response whereas 12% patients in arm 1 and 15.5% patients in arm 2 had locoregional relapse. There was no statistically significant difference between the two arms in terms of mucositis, nausea,vomiting, dysphagia, acute skin reaction and ototoxicity. Leukopenia (p = 0.003),thrombocytopenia (p = 0.04) and acute renal toxicity (p = 0.004) was significantly more in three weekly arm. As compared to three weekly cisplatin, weekly cisplatin with radiotherapy is an acceptable approach in a limited resource setting due to good patient compliance where a large number of patients are treated on outpatient basis.

Comorbid Conditions and GFR Predict Nonvertebral Fractures in Patients With Diabetes in an Ethnic-Specific Manner.

CONTEXT: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with an increased risk of fracture, but it is not clear which diabetes and nondiabetes risk factors may be most important. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate risk factors for incident major osteoporotic fractures (MOFs) of the hip, wrist, and humerus in African American (AA), Hispanic (HIS), and Caucasian (CA) subjects with DM. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of 18 210 subjects with DM (7298 CA, 7009 AA and 3903 HIS) at least 40 years of age, being followed at a large healthcare system in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. RESULTS: In a global model in CA with DM, MOF were associated with dementia (HR 4.16; 95% CI, 2.13-8.12), OSA (HR 3.35; 95% CI, 1.78-6.29), COPD (HR 2.43; 95% CI, 1.51-3.92), and diabetic neuropathy (HR 2.52; 95% CI, 1.41-4.50). In AA, MOF were associated with prior MOF (HR 13.67; 95% CI, 5.48-34.1), dementia (HR 3.10; 95% CI, 1.07-8.98), glomerular filtration rate (GFR) less than 45 (HR 2.05; 95% CI, 1.11-3.79), thiazide use (HR 0.54; 95% CI, 0.31-0.93), metformin use (HR 0.59; 95% CI, 0.36-0.97), and chronic steroid use (HR 5.03; 95% CI, 1.51-16.7). In HIS, liver disease (HR 3.06; 95% CI, 1.38-6.79) and insulin use (HR 2.93; 95% CI, 1.76-4.87) were associated with MOF. CONCLUSION: In patients with diabetes, the risk of fracture is related to both diabetes-specific variables and comorbid conditions, but these relationships vary by race/ethnicity.

Physical activity as measured by accelerometer in NHANES 2005-2006 is associated with better bone density and trabecular bone score in older adults.

In an analysis of NHANES 2005-2006, older, but not younger, women and men with higher levels of physical activity had higher TBS, total hip T-score, and femoral neck T-score. Even modest levels of physical activity may be a crucial component of bone health maintenance. PURPOSE: Physical activity is associated with improved bone parameters in adolescence, but it is not clear if this persists into adulthood. Further, it is unclear how low levels of physical activity as measured by accelerometer may impact bone parameters. METHODS: We analyzed data from subjects from NHANES 2005-2006 over the age of 20 who had accelerometry and bone mineral density (BMD) testing. We analyzed women and men separately and grouped by over or under 50 years of age: 484 younger women, 486 older women, 604 younger men, and 609 older men. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was categorized as low (less than 5 min daily), intermediate (5-20 min daily), or high (at least 20 min daily). RESULTS: Among younger women and men, there was no significant relationship between MVPA and BMD or trabecular bone score (TBS). Conversely, older women with intermediate and high MVPA had higher TBS (1.360 ± 0.008 and 1.377 ± 0.009 vs 1.298 ± 0.010, p < 0.001), total hip T-score (- 1.02 ± 0.13 and - 0.90 ± 0.09 vs. - 1.51 ± 0.08, p < 0.01), and femoral neck T-score than women with low MVPA, respectively. Similarly, older men with high MVPA had higher TBS, total hip T-score, and femoral neck T-score than men with intermediate and low MVPA. CONCLUSIONS: Older, but not younger, women and men with higher levels of activity had higher BMD and TBS. Benefits were noted with as little as 5-20 min of daily physical activity. Our results suggest that physical activity is a crucial component of bone health maintenance.

Diabetes-Related Fracture Risk Is Different in African Americans Compared With Hispanics and Caucasians.

CONTEXT: Diabetes mellitus (DM) has been associated with a 60% to 90% increased risk of fracture but few studies have been performed in African American and Hispanic subjects. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to quantify the risk of incident major osteoporotic fractures (MOFs) of the hip, wrist, and humerus in African Americans, Hispanics, and Caucasians with DM compared with those with hypertension (HTN). METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of 19,153 subjects with DM (7618 Caucasians, 7456 African Americans, and 4079 Hispanics) and 26,217 with HTN (15,138 Caucasians, 8301 African Americans, and 2778 Hispanics) aged ≥40 years, treated at a large health care system in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. All information about the subjects was obtained from electronic health records. RESULTS: The unadjusted MOF rates for each race/ethnicity were similar among those with DM and those with HTN (Caucasians, 1.85% vs 1.84%; African Americans, 1.07% vs 1.29%; and Hispanics, 1.69% vs 1.33%; P = NS for all). However, the MOF rates were higher for Caucasians and Hispanics with DM than for African Americans with DM (P < 0.01). In a multivariable model controlled for age, body mass index, sex, and previous MOF, DM was a statistically significant predictor of MOFs only for Caucasians and Hispanics [hazard ratio (HR), 1.23; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.48; P = 0.026] but not for African Americans (HR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.68 to 1.23; P = 0.56). CONCLUSIONS: Hispanics had a DM-related fracture risk similar to that of Caucasians, but AAs did not have an additional fracture risk conferred by DM.

Vertebral fracture assessment: Enhancing the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis is a highly prevalent condition, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Nevertheless, it is frequently untreated. Vertebral fractures often do not come to clinical attention, yet, their presence is diagnostic of osteoporosis, helps to predict the risk of future fractures, and may alter the choice of pharmacotherapy. The addition of lateral spine imaging technology to the densitometer, for vertebral fracture assessment (VFA), represented a major advancement in the ability to diagnose vertebral fractures and osteoporosis. VFA is an under-utilized and highly effective imaging tool to enhance osteoporosis detection and fracture prevention. Several factors make VFA an ideal technology to evaluate for vertebral fractures. These include: the ability to obtain the image at the same time the bone density is done, with significantly lower radiation exposure than with spine radiography, and at a lower cost. This review provides an overview of the clinical significance of identifying vertebral fractures, the origins of the VFA, its clinical indications, a review of the methods used to diagnose vertebral fracture, an overview on interpreting the VFA, and the strengths and limitations of this technique.

Clinical validation of software for a versatile variability analyzer: Assessment of autonomic function.

Study of physiological variability is an upcoming area of research having manifold clinical applications. Considerable work has been done on heart rate variability and blood pressure variability during the past four decades. Electronics division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, has developed an instrument called medical analyzer, which can be used to study several variabilities simultaneously. This instrument has been used to collect data from control subjects and patients with established diagnosis. The data has been analyzed with the help of a software package developed for this purpose and has been found to be consistent with expected manifestations of the disease on the autonomic nervous system. The description of the software package and results of the study are briefly described in this paper.