Effect of Denosumab on Bone Density in Postmenopausal Osteoporosis: A Comparison with and without Calcium Supplementation in Patients on Standard Diets in Korea.

The side effects and safety issues tied to calcium supplementation raise questions about its necessity in osteoporosis treatment. We retrospectively evaluated 189 postmenopausal osteoporosis patients treated with denosumab for 12 months. Patients exhibited neither renal dysfunction nor compromised general dietary intake. Patients were divided into three groups as follows: group A, weekly vitamin D 7000 IU; group B, daily vitamin D 1000 IU with elemental calcium 100 mg; and group C, daily vitamin D 1000 IU with elemental calcium 500 mg. All groups showed significant increases in bone density: +6.4 ± 4.7% for the lumbar spine, +2.2 ± 3.5% for the femoral neck, and +2.4 ± 3.8% for the total hip in group A; +7.0 ± 10.9% for the lumbar spine, +2.3 ± 5.2% for the femoral neck, and +2.4 ± 3.8% for the total hip in group B; and + 6.7 ± 8.7% for the lumbar spine, +2.5 ± 8.4% for the femoral neck, and +2.3 ± 4.0% for the total hip in group C. Serum calcium levels increased over time in all three groups with no significant difference. Changes in CTX and P1NP levels did not differ between the groups (all p > 0.05). With regular dietary intake, calcium supplementation levels showed no significant effect on bone density, bone marker changes, or hypocalcemia incidence during denosumab treatment.

Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and Metabolic Parameters in Healthy Korean Adults: Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey VI.

PURPOSE: Studies investigating the association between vitamin D and metabolic parameters have reported inconsistent results depending on the characteristics of the subjects. We aimed to investigate the association between vitamin D levels and various metabolic indicators in healthy Korean adults by using nationally representative data. METHODS: A total of 3640 participants were included after excluding subjects who were ≤19 years of age and had a history of treatment for dyslipidemia, hypertension, or diabetes and a history of other chronic diseases such as liver and kidney diseases. After dividing the 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) level into quartiles, the risk of having each metabolic parameter higher than the median value was determined according to the 25(OH)D quartile by using regression analysis. RESULTS: In a multivariate regression analysis, a higher 25(OH)D quartile tended to have a significantly lower risk of having a triglyceride (TG) level higher than the median value (103.1 mg/dl). As the quartile increased, the risk of having a waist circumference or body mass index higher than the median value also decreased, but the difference was not statistically significant. No significant changes were observed in fasting glucose or glycated hemoglobin level according to quartile. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that subjects with a higher 25(OH)D quartile exhibited a significantly lower risk of having a TG level higher than the median value in a representative Korean population. More evidence from a prospective study on whether vitamin D supplementation improves serum TG levels in healthy adults is needed.

Breathing Exercise Called the Maximal Abdominal Contraction Maneuver.

Background and objectives: The maximal abdominal contraction maneuver (MACM) was designed as an effective and efficient breathing exercise to increase the stability of the spinal joint. However, it has not been determined whether MACM is more effective and efficient than the maximal expiration method. Thus, the present study was undertaken to investigate whole abdominal muscle thickness changes after MACM. Materials and Methods: Thirty healthy subjects (17 males and 13 females) participated in this study. An experimental comparison between MACM and the maximal expiration task was conducted by measuring the change of abdominal muscle thickness such as the transverse abdominis (TrA), internal oblique (IO), external oblique (EO) and rectus abdominis (RA) using ultrasound images. Results: The results indicated that MACM resulted in significantly greater muscle thickness increases of the TrA and RA than the maximal expiration exercise (p < 0.05). Conclusion: MACM provided better exercise than the maximal expiration exercise in terms of increasing spine stability, at least from a co-contraction perspective.

Effects of DA-9801 on the inflammation and apoptosis induced by angiotensin II in human dermal microvascular endothelial cells.

DA-9801, a plant-based drug used for the treatment of diabetic neuropathy, is known to improve angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced vascular endothelial cell dysfunction. However, the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. We aimed to determine whether the protective effect of DA-9801 against Ang II-induced endothelial cell dysfunction was mediated via inhibition of endothelial cell inflammation and apoptosis. Ang II-induced oxidative stress was attenuated by pretreatment of human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HDMECs) with DA-9801. This prevented the Ang II-induced upregulation of NAD(P)H oxidase (the NOX4 and p22phox subunits) and reactive oxygen species. Further, pretreatment of HDMECs with DA-9801 ameliorated Ang II-mediated nuclear factor kappa B activity via prevention of the upregulation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. It also decreased the Ang II-stimulated increase in inducible nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and decreased endothelial NOS protein expression. DA-9801 decreased Ang II-induced upregulation of intercellular adhesion molecule 1, vascular adhesion molecule, and E-selectin in HDMECs. Moreover, TUNEL and annexin V-FITC fluorescence staining for apoptosis and the activities of caspases 9, 7, and 3 decreased in HDMECs pretreated with DA-9801, indicating that the drug enhanced anti-apoptotic pathways. Thus, DA-9801 modulated Ang II-induced endothelial cell dysfunction via inflammatory and apoptotic pathways.

The effects of thyrotropin-suppressing therapy on bone metabolism in patients with well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

Studies on the effects of levothyroxine (LT4) therapy on bone and bone metabolism have yielded conflicting results. This 1-year prospective study examined whether LT4 in patients with well-differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) is a risk factor for bone mass loss and the subsequent development of osteoporosis. We examined 93 patients with DTC over 12months after initiating LT4 therapy (early postoperative period). We examined another 33 patients on long-term LT4 therapy for DTC (late postoperative period). Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry was performed at baseline and after 1year. The mean bone losses during the early postoperative period in the lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total hip, calculated as the percentage change between levels at baseline and 12months, were -0.88, -1.3 and -0.81%, respectively. Bone loss was more evident in postmenopausal women (lumbar spine -2.1%, femoral neck -2.2%, and hip -2.1%; all P<0.05). We compared the changes in annual bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women according to calcium/vitamin D supplementation. Bone loss tended to be higher in the postmenopausal women receiving no supplementation. There was no decrease in BMD among patients during the late postoperative period. The mean bone loss was generally greater in the early than in the late postoperative group, and this was significant at the lumbar spine (P=0.041) and femoral neck (P=0.010). TSH-suppressive levothyroxine therapy accelerates bone loss, predominantly in postmenopausal women and exclusively during the early post-thyroidectomy period.

Effects of bariatric surgery on metabolic and nutritional parameters in severely obese Korean patients with type 2 diabetes: A prospective 2-year follow up.

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: Little is known about the long-term effects of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) in severely obese Asian individuals. METHODS AND MATERIALS: A total of 33 severely obese patients with type 2 diabetes underwent RYGB. All patients were followed up for 2 years. Visceral and abdominal subcutaneous fat areas were assessed using computed tomography (CT) before, and 12 and 24 months after RYGB. The muscle attenuation (MA) of paraspinous muscles observed by CT were used as indices of intramuscular fat. RESULTS: The mean percentage weight loss was 22.2 ± 5.3% at 12 months, and 21.3 ± 5.1% at 24 months after surgery. Compared with the baseline values, the visceral fat area was 53.6 ± 17.1% lower 24 months after surgery, and the abdominal subcutaneous fat area was 32.7 ± 16.1% lower 24 months after surgery. The MA increased from 48.7 ± 10.0 at baseline to 52.2 ± 8.9 (P = 0.009) 12 months after surgery. The MA after the first 12 months maintained changes until 24 months. Triglycerides and free fatty acids were reduced after surgery, whereas the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were increased significantly after surgery. At the last follow-up visit, 18 patients (55%) had diabetes remission. The percentage of iron and vitamin D deficiency was 30% and 52%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: We found that patients subjected to RYGB had significant sustained reductions in visceral and intramuscular fat. There were durable improvements in the cardiometabolic abnormalities without any significant comorbidities. However, there were mild nutritional deficiencies in these patients despite daily supplementation with multivitamins and minerals.

Combination of initial stimulation thyroglobulins and staging system by revised ATA guidelines can elaborately discriminate prognosis of patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma after high-dose remnant ablation.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate prognostic role of thyroglobulin (Tg) levels at the time of ablation (A-Tg) and stimulation Tg levels at 6-12 months after remnant ablation (S-Tg) combined with revised American Thyroid Association (ATA) guidelines risk stratification. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data of 359 patients (median follow-up duration: 66.3 months) with papillary thyroid carcinoma who had high-dose remnant ablation were analyzed. The cutoff value of A-Tg to predict the persistent/recurrent disease was calculated by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. In each risk group by ATA guidelines, the association of A-Tg with persistent/recurrent disease was evaluated. The role of A-Tg and ATA risk stratification in each S-Tg group (group with S-Tg <2 ng/mL, 2-10 ng/mL, or >10 ng/mL) was also evaluated. Tg response was determined by the difference between A-Tg and S-Tg with consideration of the dose of radioactive iodine ablation. RESULTS: A-Tg above 5.22 ng/mL was associated with persistent/recurrent disease in all risk groups by ATA guidelines. A-Tg above the cutoff value and ATA risk assessment was related to persistent/recurrent disease in patients with S-Tg 2 to 10 ng/mL (P = 0.003) and S-Tg above 10 ng/mL (P = 0.019). However, no difference in the incidence of persistent/recurrent disease was found according to Tg response. The scoring system made up of A-Tg, S-Tg, and ATA staging showed elaborate discrimination of prognosis. CONCLUSION: Risk stratification using combined scoring with initial stimulated Tg levels, including A-Tg and S-Tg, and staging system by revised ATA guidelines can effectively predict persistent/recurrent disease in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma.

Role of [(18)F]-fluorodeoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography and computed tomography in the early detection of persistent/recurrent thyroid carcinoma in intermediate-to-high risk patients following initial radioactive iodine ablation therapy.

BACKGROUND: Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scan has a role in the surveillance of patients with a history of thyroid carcinoma. Its efficacy after remnant ablation as far as detecting persistent or recurrent thyroid carcinoma before other surveillance methods is not known, however. In intermediate-to-high risk thyroid carcinoma patients we studied whether PET/CT scan, performed 6-12 months after the first remnant ablation, could provide more information than ultrasonography (US) and thyrotropin-stimulated serum thyroglobulin (Tg) determination with diagnostic whole-body scan (DxWBS). METHODS: We studied 71 subjects with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) who were intermediate-to-high risk for persistent/recurrent disease and who had received PET/CT scan, US, and DxWBS simultaneously with stimulated Tg levels 6-12 months after remnant ablation. To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of PET/CT scan, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and diagnostic accuracy were calculated. RESULTS: Ten subjects (14%) had persistent/recurrent disease detected 6-12 months after remnant ablation. Persistence/recurrence was detected in nine (12.7%) of these patients by conventional methods, including US and DxWBS, along with stimulated Tg levels. The remaining case was detected solely by a PET/CT scan, which showed a mediastinal prevascular lesion; this was confirmed by a therapeutic WBS after additional radioiodine therapy. Among the six patients whose PET/CT scan showed positive results, five had persistent/recurrent disease. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and diagnostic accuracy of PET/CT scan for detecting persistent/recurrent thyroid carcinoma were 50%, 98.4%, 83.3%, 92.3%, and 91.5%, respectively. CONCLUSION: In intermediate-to-high risk patients with DTC seen 6-12 months after their first remnant ablation, there is almost no complementary role for adding a PET/CT scan to conventional follow-up methods, an US and a DxWBS simultaneously with stimulated Tg levels.

Short-term changes in bone and mineral metabolism following gastrectomy in gastric cancer patients.

Changes in bone and mineral metabolism that occur after gastrectomy have long been recognized. Gastrectomy has been identified as a risk factor for decreased bone mass and the increased fracture incidence. Previous investigations concerning postgastrectomy bone disease have been observational studies. No prospective studies have been reported that quantify the amount of bone loss after gastrectomy within the same patients. This study investigated 46 patients undergoing gastrectomy for gastric adenocarcinoma and analyzed 36 patients (58.1+/-10.8 years, 24 men and 12 women) who had dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) performed before and 1 year after gastrectomy. Systemic adjuvant chemotherapy was administered to 14 patients. Blood was sampled from all patients to determine serum calcium, phosphorous, and bone turnover marker levels before gastrectomy and at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery and for serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels before and 12 months after surgery. The mean bone loss in the lumbar spine, total hip, femoral neck, and trochanter, which was calculated as the percentage change from the baseline to the level measured at 12 months, was 5.7% (P<0.01), 5.4% (P<0.01), 6.6% (P<0.01) and 8.7% (P<0.01), respectively. Bone loss was generally greater in the group receiving chemotherapy. The serum calcium and phosphorous levels were not changed significantly and remained within the normal range throughout the observation period. After gastrectomy, the level of ICTP increased and reached a peak at 1 and 3 months, and progressively declined to baseline by 12 months. The osteocalcin levels were not coupled to an increase before 6 months. The level of 25-hydroxyvitamin D at 12 months postgastrectomy was not significantly changed compared to the baseline, however, the PTH levels increased by a mean of 63.6% at 12 months compared to the baseline (P<0.01). Significant correlations were found between the percent change in the BMD at the lumbar spine and total hip and the percentage change for the PTH level from their baselines to 12 months. The changes in the BMD at total hip, femoral neck, and trochanter also correlated to the change in body weight at 12 months. The data obtained by this study provides evidence that profound bone loss occurs in the setting of a bone remodeling imbalance during the early postgastrectomy period and allows the speculation that the gastrectomy related bone loss may be partially due to an overproduction of PTH.