Contribution of serum inflammatory markers to changes in bone mineral content and density in postmenopausal women: a 1-year investigation.

Bone formation and resorption are influenced by inflammatory processes. We examined the relationships among inflammatory markers and bone mineral content (BMC) and density (BMD) and determined the contribution of inflammatory markers to 1-yr changes in BMC and BMD in healthy postmenopausal women. This analysis included 242 women at baseline from our parent Soy Isoflavones for Reducing Bone Loss project who were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatment groups: placebo, 80 mg/d soy isoflavones, or 120 mg/d soy isoflavones. BMD and BMC from the lumbar spine (LS), total proximal femur (hip), and whole body were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and the 4% distal tibia by peripheral quantitative computed tomography. Serum inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein, interleukin [IL]-1 beta, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha [TNF-alpha], and white blood cell count [WBC]) were measured at baseline, 6, and 12 mo. Because of attrition or missing values, data analysis at 12 mo includes only 235 women. Significant associations among IL-6, TNF-alpha, and WBC were observed with percent change in LS, hip, and whole body BMC and BMD. Multiple regression analysis indicated that in combination inflammatory markers accounted for 1.1-6.1% of the variance to the observed 12-mo changes in BMC and BMD. Our results suggest that modifying inflammatory markers, even in healthy postmenopausal women, may possibly reduce bone loss.

Implantation response following clinical heart-lung transplantation.

Implantation response has been a critical problem following heart-lung and lung transplantation. While the precise etiology of this problem remains unclear, improvements in organ preservation would be expected to have a beneficial effect on implantation response. The time-related profile of the implantation response was studied in 20 patients who underwent heart-lung transplantation between March 1984-March 1987. In 10 operations the donors had intravenous prostaglandin E-1 pretreatment while 10 had no vasodilatation before explantation of the organs. Otherwise lung preservation and early (2 weeks) immunotherapy were similar in both groups. The implantation response was evaluated by chest films and postoperative lung functions and mechanics. Roentgenographic implantation response was evident from the first postoperative day, was less evident at the seventh postoperative day and then gradually increased during the second postoperative week. There was a tendency towards less implantation response in the PGE-1 group than in the control group, but no statistical difference was observed. Patients with severe operative bleeding problems were excluded from the study. Only peak inspiratory pressures were significantly higher in the control group than in the PGE-1 group (p less than 0.01). Other lung function studies (alveolar-capillary pO2 difference, extubation time) were not different in the groups. This study supported the hypothesis that prostaglandin E-1 may have salutary effects on graft preservation and implantation response in heart-lung transplantation. Since 1986, we have performed 16 heart-lung transplantations using graft preservation with PGE-1 and flush perfusion. Thirty-day mortality is 0% and 13 of 16 patients are surviving.

Oligodontia: a study of its prevalence and variation in 4032 children.

The frequency of oligodontia in the study group was 4.34 percent; 79.82 percent of those with congenitally missing teeth lacked not more than two teeth. In terms of number of teeth missing, there was no significant difference between the maxilla and mandible. When considering the whole dentition, bilateral agenesis was more common than unilateral agenesis. The findings of this study largely confirm the results of previous studies of oligodontia.