Natural history and risk factors for bone loss in postmenopausal Caucasian women: a 15-year follow-up population-based study.

UNLABELLED: In this 15-year follow-up study, we found that the estimated rate of bone loss at the femoral neck (FN) for women aged 45-68 was linear at a rate of 1.67% per year, but quadratic for lumbar spine (LS) at a rate of 3.12% initially, and slowing down with age. We also confirmed the protective role of HRT, increasing weight, and lean mass in long-term bone loss. INTRODUCTION: The objective was to describe the natural history of bone loss and explore the role of environmental factors in postmenopausal women over a 15-year period. METHODS: Bone mineral density (BMD) at the FN and the LS were measured in postmenopausal women from the Chingford Study. Height, weight, HRT status, and calcium/vitamin D supplement were assessed at each visit. Osteoarthritis of hip and spine was assessed by X-ray at baseline and at year 8. RESULTS: A total of 955 postmenopausal women with an average age of 54.7 at baseline were included. Both FN and LS BMD decreased significantly with age (p<0.0001). The decline was larger in the LS (-3.12% per year), which showed a quadratic relationship, than in the FN (-1.67% per year) with a linear relationship. The rate of bone loss was reduced by one third annually for the FN and LS respectively in current HRT users. Change in weight was positively associated with both DeltaFN and DeltaLS BMD (beta=0.16% and 0.09% change in DeltaFN and DeltaLS BMD per kilogramme change in weight respectively, p<0.0001 for both sites). Spine OA and progression were positively associated with DeltaLS BMD (beta=1.22% change in DeltaLS BMD per grade in spine OA and 0.45% change in DeltaLS BMD for patients who progressed, p<0.0001 for spine OA and p=0.002 for spine OA progression). Spine OA (beta=0.54% change in DeltaFN BMD per grade, p<0.0001), but not progression, and hip OA were positively associated with DeltaFN BMD. Furthermore, both age and body weight at baseline were positively associated with both DeltaFN and DeltaLS BMD (beta=0.02-0.04% change in DeltaFN and DeltaLS BMD per year increase in age at baseline and 0.004-0.007% change in DeltaFN and DeltaLS BMD per kilogramme increase in weight at baseline, all p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: This large population-based longitudinal study demonstrated that the decline of BMD over 15 years is linear with age for the FN, but quadratic for the LS. The study confirmed the protective role of HRT, increased weight and lean mass in long-term bone loss.

Electroacupuncture stimulation suppresses the increase in alcohol-drinking behavior in restricted rats.

BACKGROUND: Although a number of studies on traditional eastern or Chinese medicine, such as acupuncture, moxibustion, and herbal drugs, have been reported, few reports describe electroacupuncture (EAC) effects on drug- and alcohol-seeking behaviors in animal models. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of EAC on changes in alcohol-drinking behavior in rats challenged with restriction and immobilization stress. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Male Sprague Dawley rats (260-280 g) were tightly hung and immobilized in restriction models for 10 min. These immobilization stresses were performed twice a week for 1 week and for 3 consecutive weeks for the short- and long-restricted stress groups, respectively. EAC was applied for 10 min to the hindlimb point, Tsu-San-Li (ST 36), and the lumbar point, Shen-Shu (BL 23). These points are used to treat mental and psychosomatic disorders and are known clinically to produce a sedation effect. Time-access alcohol-drinking behavior was determined at 24 hr after the termination of EAC. Finally, brain dopamine (DA) levels were assayed in the two groups. A sham-control group underwent only restricted stress without EAC. RESULTS: Time-access alcohol-drinking behavior increased significantly in the long-restricted group compared with the short-restricted group and controls. EAC applied to the ST 36 (Tsu-San-Li) point suppressed the increased alcohol-drinking behavior in restricted rats. However, EAC applied to the Shen-Shu (BL 23) point was not effective, because alcohol-drinking behavior was significantly increased in long-restricted rats compared with short-restricted rats. Striatal DA levels of restricted rats with EAC stimulated at Tsu-San-Li were increased significantly compared with the rats with EAC applied to the Shen-Shu point. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that EAC applied at ST 36 (Tsu-San-Li) was more effective for reducing the increased alcohol-drinking behavior in restricted rats, and they showed that a point specific in EAC procedure was associated with an increase of striatal DA levels. These findings provide new information for understanding alcohol-drinking behavior and for treating human alcoholics.