Measurement of muscle disease by quantitative second-harmonic generation imaging.

Determining the health of muscle cells by in vivo imaging could impact the diagnosis and monitoring of a large number of congenital and acquired muscular or cardiac disorders. However, currently used technologies are hampered by insufficient resolution, lack of specificity, or invasiveness. We have combined intrinsic optical second-harmonic generation from sarcomeric myosin with a novel mathematical treatment of striation pattern analysis, to obtain measures of muscle contractile integrity that correlate strongly with the neuromuscular health of mice suffering from genetic, acquired, and age-related decline in skeletal muscle function. Analysis of biopsies from a pilot group of human volunteers suggests a similar power in quantifying sarcopenic changes in muscle integrity. These results provide the first strong evidence that quantitative image analysis of sarcomere pattern can be correlated with physiological function, and they invite the application of SHG imaging in clinical practice, either in biopsy samples or via microendoscopy.

Role of endocrine-immune dysregulation in osteoporosis, sarcopenia, frailty and fracture risk.

Osteoporosis, a key predictor of hip fractures can be treated using a variety of safe and effective interventions. Nevertheless, optimally effective strategies for the prevention of hip fractures must also incorporate efforts to address a broad range of other potentially reversible factors. Hyperthyroidism, anticonvulsants, caffeine and smoking may decrease bone mass and increase fracture risk at any age. In older individuals it is important to also consider additional risk factors, including long-acting benzodiazepines, poor vision and sarcopenia. The presence of sarcopenia, an age-related decline in muscle bulk and quality enhances the risk of frailty and possibly also hip fracture, particularly if associated with diminished functional mobility, lower quadriceps strength and poor balance or body sway. In this review we examine evidence which indicates the presence of endocrine-immune dysregulation in both osteoporosis and sarcopenia. Post-menopausal declines in serum estrogen and androgen levels contribute to increases in local bone levels of cytoclastic cytokines, followed by increased osteoclastogenesis and bone loss. Similarly, the presence of decreased gonadal hormones and IGF-1, combined with unusually high peripheral levels of cytokines, inflammatory mediators and coagulation markers all enhance the risk of sarcopenia and frailty. We propose that a translational research approach which emphasizes common pathophysiologic mechanisms in osteoporosis and sarcopenia could accelerate the speed of discovery of effective strategies for both frailty and hip fracture prevention.

Primary Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma of the thyroid with lymphocytic thyroiditis.

Primary Lymphoma of the thyroid is one of the very rare entities accounting to less than 2% of thyroid malignancies. We present a case of primary Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma of the thyroid with lymphocytic thyroiditis in a 60 year old woman. The patient presented with a rapidly growing nodular mass in the thyroid. The histological and immune marker features of the tumour were consistent with Primary Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma of the thyroid with associated thyroiditis.

Osteoporosis in older men and women.

Hip fracture incidence accelerates approximately 10 years following the menopause in women and after age 70 in men. Approximately one million Americans suffer fragility fractures each year at a cost of over 14 billion dollars. The disability, mortality and cost of hip and vertebral fractures are substantial in the rapidly growing aging population so that prevention of osteoporosis is a major public health concern. Bone mineral density (BMD) measurement is used to make the diagnosis of osteoporosis prior to incident fracture, and to predict fracture risk. Recommendations for treatment and prevention of osteoporosis based on bone mineral density score published by the World Health Organization and the National Osteoporosis Foundation are outlined.