Relationship of American Indian blood quantum with osteoporosis risk: a cross-sectional study of American Indian women in Oklahoma.

Information regarding the prevalence and risk of osteoporosis among American Indian (AI) women is limited. This study showed that with increasing AI blood quantum, the prevalence of osteoporosis at the hip based on BMD T-scores decreased and this appeared to be independent of other risk factors. INTRODUCTION: This study was designed to investigate the effects of AI blood quantum (BQ) on osteoporosis prevalence and risk in a cohort of AI women in Oklahoma. METHODS: Women (n = 301), aged 50 years and older, were recruited to participate in the Oklahoma American Indian Women's Osteoporosis Study. Baseline bone density, fracture history, bone biochemical markers, and potential risk factors were assessed. Participants were stratified by AI BQ into BQ1 ≤ 25%, BQ2 = 25-49%, BQ3 = 50-74%, and BQ4 = 75-100%. The effects of BQ on the prevalence and risk of osteoporosis were evaluated. RESULTS: Based on T-scores, one in approximately eight women in the study was osteoporotic at one or more sites. The prevalence of osteoporosis decreased (p < 0.05) with increasing BQ, especially at the hip, trochanteric, and intertrochanter regions. No differences in bone-specific alkaline phosphatase and C-telopeptide were observed across BQ that could account for the differences in bone density. 25-OH vitamin D decreased with increasing BQ, but mean for each BQ1-4 was > 40 ng/mL. Fracture history did not differ across BQ, and though 52% of the population consumed less than the RDA for calcium, no effect of BQ was observed. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort of women who identified as AI, greater Indian BQ was associated with a decrease in the prevalence of osteoporosis.

The effect of two doses of dried plum on bone density and bone biomarkers in osteopenic postmenopausal women: a randomized, controlled trial.

UNLABELLED: Daily consumption of 50 g of dried plum (equivalent to 5-6 dried plums) for 6 months may be as effective as 100 g of dried plum in preventing bone loss in older, osteopenic postmenopausal women. To some extent, these results may be attributed to the inhibition of bone resorption with the concurrent maintenance of bone formation. INTRODUCTION: The objective of our current study was to examine the possible dose-dependent effects of dried plum in preventing bone loss in older osteopenic postmenopausal women. METHODS: Forty-eight osteopenic women (65-79 years old) were randomly assigned into one of three treatment groups for 6 months: (1) 50 g of dried plum; (2) 100 g of dried plum; and (3) control. Total body, hip, and lumbar bone mineral density (BMD) were evaluated at baseline and 6 months using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Blood biomarkers including bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP-5b), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and sclerostin were measured at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Osteoprotegerin (OPG), receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL), calcium, phosphorous, and vitamin D were measured at baseline and 6 months. RESULTS: Both doses of dried plum were able to prevent the loss of total body BMD compared with that of the control group (P < 0.05). TRAP-5b, a marker of bone resorption, decreased at 3 months and this was sustained at 6 months in both 50 and 100 g dried plum groups (P < 0.01 and P < 0.04, respectively). Although there were no significant changes in BAP for either of the dried plum groups, the BAP/TRAP-5b ratio was significantly (P < 0.05) greater at 6 months in both dried plum groups whereas there were no changes in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm the ability of dried plum to prevent the loss of total body BMD in older osteopenic postmenopausal women and suggest that a lower dose of dried plum (i.e., 50 g) may be as effective as 100 g of dried plum in preventing bone loss in older, osteopenic postmenopausal women. This may be due, in part, to the ability of dried plums to inhibit bone resorption. This clinical trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02325895 .

The CRTH2 antagonist OC000459 reduces nasal and ocular symptoms in allergic subjects exposed to grass pollen, a randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial.

BACKGROUND: CRTH2 mediates activation of Th2 cells, eosinophils and basophils in response to prostaglandin D(2). The CRTH2 antagonist OC000459 has previously been demonstrated to reduce airway inflammation and improve lung function in moderate persistent asthma. The objective of the present study was to determine the involvement of CRTH2 in promoting nasal and ocular symptoms in allergic subjects exposed to grass pollen. METHODS: A single centre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-way crossover study was conducted in 35 male subjects allergic to grass pollen comparing OC000459 200 mg bid with placebo for 8 days. Subjects were exposed to grass pollen (≥ 1400 grains/m(3)) for 6 h on the 2nd and 8th days of treatment and assessed for nasal symptoms, ocular symptoms, other symptoms, nasal secretion weight and rhinomanometry over the 6-h period. After a washout period of 3 weeks, subjects were switched to the alternative treatment for a further 8 days. The trial was registered on the clinical trials.gov database (Identifier NCT01448902). RESULTS: During the first treatment period, treatment with OC000459 significantly reduced both nasal and ocular symptoms in allergic subjects compared with placebo after challenge with grass pollen. A significant effect was observed on the 2nd day of dosing which was increased on the 8th day of dosing. The therapeutic effects of OC000459 persisted into the second treatment period despite a 3-week washout phase. The safety profile of OC000459 was similar to that of placebo. CONCLUSION: Treatment with OC000459 was well tolerated and led to a significant and persistent reduction in the symptoms of rhinoconjunctivitis.

Efficacy of omeprazole versus high-dose famotidine for prevention of exercise-induced gastritis in racing Alaskan sled dogs.

BACKGROUND: Omeprazole and famotidine both reduce severity of exercise-induced gastritis, but administering famotidine is easier than administering omeprazole during racing competition. HYPOTHESIS: Famotidine is more efficacious than no treatment in reducing severity of exercise-induced gastritis; and high-dose famotidine is more efficacious than omeprazole in reducing severity of exercise-induced gastritis. ANIMALS: Experiment 1: Randomized placebo-controlled study, 36 sled dogs (3-8 years); Experiment 2: Randomized positive-control study, 52 sled dogs (2-8 years). METHODS: Experiment 1: Equal numbers of dogs randomly assigned to famotidine (20 mg q24h) or no treatment groups. Gastroscopy was performed 24 hours after the dogs ran 330 miles. Mucosal appearance was blindly scored by previously described scoring system. Experiment 2: Equal numbers of dogs randomly assigned to omeprazole (20 mg q24h) or high-dose famotidine (40 mg q12h) groups. Gastroscopy was performed 48 hours before and 24 hours after the dogs ran 300 miles. Mucosal appearance was blindly scored by previously described scoring system. RESULTS: Famotidine reduced the prevalence of clinically relevant, exercise-induced gastric lesions compared with no treatment (7/16 versus 11/16, P = .031). Compared with high-dose famotidine, omeprazole significantly decreased the severity (0.4 versus 1.2, P = .0002) and prevalence (2/23 versus 7/21, P = .049) of gastric lesions. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Although famotidine provides some benefit in the prevention of exercise-induced gastric lesions, omeprazole is superior to famotidine in preventing gastritis in dogs running 300 miles. Routine administration of omeprazole is recommended to prevent stress-associated gastric disease in exercising and racing Alaskan sled dogs.

Effect of repeated oral administration of hypertonic electrolyte solution on equine gastric mucosa.

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Electrolyte supplementation is common in horses during endurance competitions, but the effect on the gastric mucosa is unknown. HYPOTHESIS: Repeated oral administration of hypertonic electrolyte solution is associated with exacerbation of gastric ulcers in mature horses. METHODS: The study design was a randomised, blinded, crossover trial. Fourteen horses were divided randomly into equal groups and administered either 60 ml water (placebo) or 56.7 g commercial electrolyte supplement mixed with 60 ml water by dose syringe orally once an hour for 8 h. The minimum concentration of individual constituent electrolytes/28.35 g dry commercial product used was: sodium (5528 mg); chloride (11,886 mg); potassium (3657 mg); calcium (754 mg); and magnesium (153 mg). Gastric lesions were scored prior to and after oral treatments, and analysis of variance procedures were then performed. RESULTS: Administration of hypertonic electrolytes resulted in a significant increase in mean ulcer number (P = 0.0174) and severity (P = 0.0006) scores in the nonglandular stomach. Mean ulcer number score was 3.6 and mean ulcer severity score 2.7 after hypertonic electrolyte treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Oral hypertonic electrolyte administration to horses in this model was associated with exacerbation of gastric ulcers. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: Our findings suggest that one schedule of electrolyte supplementation used commonly in endurance horses may be harmful to the gastric mucosa.

Comparison of topical lidocaine/prilocaine anesthetic cream and local infiltration of 2% lidocaine for episioplasty in mares.

Local anesthesia and tissue inflammation associated with lidocaine infiltration and lidocaine/prilocaine topical anesthetic cream for episioplasty in mares were compared. Twenty-two mares were randomly assigned to lidocaine or lidocaine/prilocaine topical anesthetic cream treatment groups. Perineum and vulva were cleaned, 8-12 g (approximately 1 g/cm per side of vulva) of topical anesthetic cream was applied, and the area was covered by plastic wrap 30 min prior to beginning procedure. Alternately, lidocaine was injected (1 mL) every centimeter just prior to the procedure. Episioplasty was conducted using standard methods, but employing simple interrupted sutures. Horses were not sedated and use of a twitch was recorded. Four millimeter punch biopsies were harvested 1, 3, and 10 days following episioplasty and scored for degree of inflammation by a blinded pathologist. Clinical inflammation scores were assigned when biopsies were obtained. Seven of 11 horses receiving lidocaine infiltration required twitching, but none of the horses that received the anesthetic cream required twitching. Six of 11 and seven of 11 of the lidocaine and anesthetic cream groups, respectively, required twitching for episioplasty. Except for the clinical scores on day 3, no statistical differences for clinical and histopathologic scores between samples from the two treatment groups for a given day were identified. Use of lidocaine/prilocaine topical anesthetic cream was as effective as lidocaine infiltration in providing local anesthesia when performing episioplasty in mares. Its use decreased the need for twitching horses as well as the risk of deformation of the labia caused by lidocaine infiltration.

Influence of nutrient intake and body fat on concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-I, insulin, thyroxine, and leptin in plasma of gestating beef cows.

Pregnant Angus x Hereford cows (n = 73) were used to determine the effects of amount of nutrient intake and BCS on concentrations of IGF-I, insulin, leptin, and thyroxine in plasma. At 2 to 4 mo of gestation, cows were blocked by BCS and assigned to one of four nutritional treatments: high (H = a 50% concentrate diet fed ad libitum in a drylot) or adequate native grass pastures and one of three amounts of a 40% CP supplement each day (M = moderate, 1.6 kg; L = low, 1.1 kg; or VL = very low, 0.5 kg; as-fed basis). After 110 d of treatment, all cows grazed dormant native grass pasture and received 1.6 kg/d of a 40% CP supplement. At 68, 109, and 123 d of treatment, cows were gathered, and plasma samples were collected by tail venipuncture (fed sample). After 18 h without feed and water, a second plasma sample was collected (fasted sample). At 109 d of treatment, BCS was greatest (P < 0.05) for H cows, similar for M and L cows, and least for VL cows. Concentrations of insulin and leptin were greater (P < 0.05) for H cows than for M and VL cows at 68 and 109 d, but similar for all groups at 123 d. Thyroxine in plasma was greatest (P < 0.05) for H cows at 68 d and similar for cows on all treatments at 123 d. Concentrations of IGF-I, insulin, and leptin in fed and fasted cows were positively correlated with BCS at 109 d. Body condition was predictive of concentrations of IGF-I, insulin, and leptin when cows had different nutrient intakes, but BCS accounted for less than 12% of the variation in plasma concentrations of IGF-I, insulin, and leptin when nutrient intake was the same for all cows. We conclude that amount of nutrient intake has a greater influence than body energy reserves on IGF-I, insulin, and leptin concentrations in the plasma of gestating beef cows.

Soy protein may alleviate osteoarthritis symptoms.

Alternative and complementary therapeutic approaches, such as the use of a wide array of herbal, nutritional, and physical manipulations, are becoming popular for relieving symptoms of osteoarthritis (OA). The present study evaluated the efficacy of soy protein (SP) supplementation in relieving the pain and discomfort associated with OA. One hundred and thirty-five free-living individuals (64 men and 71 women) with diagnosed OA or with self-reported chronic knee joint pain not attributed to injury or rheumatoid arthritis were recruited for this double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel design study. Study participants were assigned randomly to consume 40 g of either supplemental SP or milk-based protein (MP) daily for 3 months. Pain, knee range of motion, and overall physical activity were evaluated prior to the start of treatment and monthly thereafter. Serum levels of glycoprotein 39 (YKL-40), a marker of cartilage degradation, and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), a growth factor associated with cartilage synthesis, were assessed at baseline and at the end of the study. Overall, SP improved OA-associated symptoms such as range of motion and several factors associated with pain and quality of life in comparison to MP. However, these beneficial effects were mainly due to the effect of SP in men rather than women. Biochemical markers of cartilage metabolism further support the efficacy of SP in men as indicated by a significant increase in serum level of IGF-I and a significant decrease in serum level of YKL-40 compared to MP. This study is the first to provide evidence of possible beneficial effects of SP in the management of OA. Examining and verifying the long-term effects of SP on improving symptoms of OA, particularly in men, is warranted.

A clinical comparison of radiant warmer and incubator care for preterm infants from birth to 1800 grams.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare radiant warmer and incubator care for preterm infants from birth with respect to temperature control and weight gain. METHODS: Sixty preterm infants <33 weeks' gestation were randomized at birth to radiant warmer or incubator care. The initial goal was to maintain abdominal temperature at 36.8 degrees C in both groups and axillary temperature at 36.8 to 37.3 degrees C; air servocontrol was used for incubator infants. Infants in both groups received added humidity for 5 days if their weight was <1000 g and for 3 days if they weighed between 1000 and 1249 g. During a 3-hour period on days 1 to 7, recordings of abdominal, forehead, and foot temperatures were obtained. The percentage of the recording time during which the abdominal temperature was in the target range of between 36 degrees C and 37.5 degrees C was determined as an indicator of temperature control. Weight gain from birth to 1800 g was compared. Secondary outcomes included fluid balance and clinical events. RESULTS: There were 30 infants in each group; 48 were <1500 g (of whom 17 were <1000 g). There were no significant differences in birth weight, gestation, gender, or illness severity scores in the 2 groups. Significant differences in temperature control were noted on day 1. Although admission temperatures were similar, lower abdominal temperatures were noted in the first 2 hours of life in the incubator group (medians were 36.6 degrees C and 35.9 degrees C in the radiant warmer and incubator groups, respectively). Similarly, mean abdominal temperatures during the 3-hour recording on day 1 were lower in the incubator group, and infants in this group spent a significantly greater percentage of the recording time with temperatures outside the target range (17.3% compared with 0.88%). Other temperature recordings from the forehead and foot were not significantly different in the groups. Fluid intakes were higher for infants under radiant warmer on days 2, 3, and 4, and the difference amounted to a mean of 12.8 mL/kg/d. Maximum sodium levels in the first week were similar in the 2 groups. Mean weight gain was 17.4 g/kg/d for the radiant warmer group and 17.1 g/kg/d for the incubator group; days to regain birth weight and length of hospital stay were not significantly different. Greater numbers of infants in the radiant warmer group required phototherapy, and adverse events (which included death, necrotizing enterocolitis, chronic lung disease, grade 3 or 4 intraventricular hemorrhage, periventricular leukomalacia, or retinopathy requiring laser treatment) were less frequent in the radiant warmer group (1 infant compared with 8 in the incubator group; relative risk 0.1; 95% confidence intervals: 0.01-0.82). CONCLUSIONS: This study has shown differences in abdominal temperatures on day 1 and outcome, although the latter finding should be viewed with caution because of the sample size. The results indicate benefits for the initial use of the radiant warmer after birth. Although fluid requirements were higher in the radiant warmer group for days 2 through 4, the increased fluid volumes were given without apparent adverse effect.

Effects of butorphanol and carprofen on the minimal alveolar concentration of isoflurane in dogs.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of butorphanol and carprofen, alone and in combination, on the minimal alveolar concentration (MAC) of isoflurane in dogs. DESIGN: Randomized complete-block crossover study. ANIMALS: 6 healthy adult dogs. PROCEDURE: Minimal alveolar concentration of isoflurane was determined following administration of carprofen alone, butorphanol alone, carprofen and butorphanol, and neither drug (control). Anesthesia was induced with isoflurane in oxygen, and MAC was determined by use of a tail clamp method. Three hours prior to induction of anesthesia, dogs were fed a small amount of canned food without any drugs (control) or with carprofen (2.2 mg/kg of body weight [1 mg/lb]). Following initial determination of MAC, butorphanol (0.4 mg/kg [0.18 mg/lb], i.v.) was administered, and MAC was determined again. Heart rate, respiratory rate, indirect arterial blood pressure, endtidal partial pressure of CO2, and saturation of hemoglobin with oxygen were recorded at the time MAC was determined. RESULTS: Mean +/- SD MAC of isoflurane following administration of butorphanol alone (1.03 +/- 0.22%) or carprofen and butorphanol (0.90 +/- 0.21%) were significantly less than the control MAC (1.28 +/- 0.14%), but MAC after administration of carprofen alone (1.20 +/- 0.13%) was not significantly different from the control value. The effects of carprofen and butorphanol on the MAC of isoflurane were additive. There were not any significant differences among treatments in regard to cardiorespiratory data. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggest that administration of butorphanol alone or in combination with carprofen significantly reduces the MAC of isoflurane in dogs; however, the effects of butorphanol and carprofen are additive, not synergistic.