ABSTRACT
Objectives@#This study used the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) to determine the association between fractures and low muscle mass. @*Methods@#This cross-sectional study used the 2010–2011 KNHANES data. Low muscle mass was defined as (appendicular skeletal muscle mass [kg]/Height2 [m2 ]) < 5.45 kg/m2 , which is < 2 SD below the sex-specific mean of a young reference group. Patients with T-scores between –1.0 and –2.5 indicated osteopenia, whereas those with T-scores lower than –2.5 indicated osteoporosis. @*Results@#Out of 1,306 women enrolled in the study, 330 were diagnosed with low muscle mass according to the abovementioned diagnostic criterion. The prevalence of fractures at various sites was significantly higher in postmenopausal women with low muscle mass than in those without low muscle mass (relative risk [RR], 1.64; odds ratio [OR], 1.62; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06–2.48; P = 0.027). Furthermore, the prevalence of fractures was increased by the presence of osteopenia or osteoporosis in addition to low muscle mass (RR, 1.59; OR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.02–2.49; P = 0.039) and by osteoporosis only (RR, 2.12; OR, 2.29; 95% CI, 1.11–4.70; P = 0.025). @*Conclusions@#Fracture was more prevalent in postmenopausal women with low muscle mass than in those without low muscle mass.This finding is consistent in a subgroup analysis that included women who had osteoporosis or osteopenia. Moreover, the risk of fractures increased as low muscle mass worsened.
ABSTRACT
Purpose@#To determine the clinical manifestations and maternal and perinatal outcomes in pregnant women with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). @*Methods@#We conducted a retrospective observational study of pregnant women with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection who were admitted to National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) Ilsan Hospital between August 2020 and October 2021. The maternal and perinatal outcomes were investigated. @*Results@#Among 184 pregnant women infected with SARS-CoV-2, 79 women delivered. Of the women who delivered, with 36 women giving birth during the quarantine period. At delivery, 45 women were positive for SARS-CoV-2 by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), whereas 34 women were negative. The most common clinical manifestations were cough (65.2%), fever (38.0%), and myalgia (33.2%). Regarding perinatal outcomes, none of the babies had an Apgar score <7 at 5 minutes, and none were intubated following the delivery. The preterm birth rate and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) rate were 15.2% and 16.5%, respectively. All babies who was delivered at NHIS Ilsan Hospital were negative for SARS-CoV-2 infection by PCR, which was evaluated using amniotic fluid, cord blood, neonatal nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swabs in the 1st and 2nd days following delivery, although 45 women were positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection by PCR at the time of delivery. @*Conclusion@#Most pregnant women with COVID-19 in South Korea were unlikely to manifest symptoms or present with a severe disease progression. The observed preterm birth rate and SGA rate were higher in women with COVID-19 than in those without COVID-19. However, there was no evidence of vertical transmission, and all babies were negative for SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the effect of vege-powder (VP), mainly consisted of chicory, broccoli, and whole grains, on bowel habit improvement and constipation alleviation. METHODS: Using the Roman standard II, 96 male and female subjects in their twenties with constipation symptoms were divided into a control group or VP group. Subjects in a control group were supplied with rice flakes-powder (RFP) and subjects in the VP group were provided with 30 g of VP twice daily for 4 weeks. Constipation relief effectiveness was surveyed on 5-point Likert scales depending on stool hardness, amount of stool, sensation of incomplete evacuation, and straining to defecate at day 0, 14, and 28 of RFP or VP intake. RESULTS: Repeated measures analysis of variance analysis revealed that VP intake caused significant temporal changes in stool hardness, amount, sensation of incomplete evacuation, and straining to defecate. In addition, significant differences between control and VP groups were found in stool hardness, amount, sensation of incomplete evacuation, and straining to defecate at day 14 and 28 of experimental diet consumption. VP supplement for 2 weeks significantly increased the evacuation frequency (1.04 +/- 0.71), compared to control group (0.41 +/- 0.64) and this increase was maintained at 4 week of diet supplements. CONCLUSIONS: This result showed that constipated subjects who consumed VP, mainly consisting of chicory, broccoli, and whole grains, improved constipation symptoms at 2 and 4 weeks of consumption compared to those of control group who were provided with RFP.