Stress fracture injury in female endurance athletes in the United Kingdom: A 12-month prospective study.

Studies of stress fracture (SF) incidence are limited in number and geographical location; this study determined the incidence of SF injury in female endurance athletes based in the United Kingdom. A total of 70 athletes aged between 18 and 45 years were recruited and prospectively monitored for 12 months. Questionnaires at baseline and 12 months assessed SF, menstrual and training history, eating psychopathology, and compulsive exercise. Peak lower leg muscle strength was assessed in both legs using an isometric muscle rig. Bone mineral density (BMD) of total body, spine, hip, and radius was assessed using dual X-ray absorptiometry. Among the 61 athletes who completed the 12-month monitoring, two sustained a SF diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging, giving an incidence rate (95% confidence intervals) of 3.3 (0.8, 13.1) % of the study population sustaining a SF over 12 months. The SF cases were 800 m runners aged 19 and 22 years, training on average 14.2 h a week, eumenorrheic with no history of menstrual dysfunction. Case 1 had a higher than average energy intake and low eating psychopathology and compulsive exercise scores, while the reverse was true in case 2. BMD in both cases was similar to mean values in the non-SF group. The incidence of SF in our female endurance athlete population based in the United Kingdom was 3.3%, which is lower than previously reported. Further work is needed to confirm the current incidence of SF and evaluate the associated risk factors.

Femoral neck shaft angle in men with fragility fractures.

Introduction. Femoral neck shaft angle (NSA) has been reported to be an independent predictor of hip fracture risk in men. We aimed to assess the role of NSA in UK men. Methods. The NSA was measured manually from the DXA scan printout in men with hip (62, 31 femoral neck and 31 trochanteric), symptomatic vertebral (91), and distal forearm (67) fractures and 389 age-matched control subjects. Age, height, weight, and BMD (g/cm(2): lumbar spine, femoral neck, and total femur) measurements were performed. Results. There was no significant difference in mean NSA between men with femoral neck and trochanteric hip fractures, so all further analyses of hip fractures utilised the combined data. There was no difference in NSA between those with hip fractures and those without (either using the combined data or analysing trochanteric and femoral neck shaft fractures separately), nor between fracture subjects as a whole and controls. Mean NSA was smaller in those with vertebral fractures (129.2° versus 131°: P = 0.001), but larger in those with distal forearm fractures (129.8° versus 128.5°: P = 0.01). Conclusions. The conflicting results suggest that femoral NSA is not an important determinant of hip fracture risk in UK men.

Bone health in multiple sclerosis.

People who are disabled with multiple sclerosis (MS) may be at increased risk of osteoporosis. This review discusses issues relevant to bone health in MS and makes practical recommendations regarding prevention and screening for osteoporosis and fracture risk in MS. A search of the literature up until 5 April 2011 was performed using key search terms, and articles pertinent to bone health in MS were analysed. Bone mineral density (BMD) is reduced at the lumbar spine, hip and total body in MS, with the degree of reduction being greatest at the hip. A strong relationship exists between the disability level, measured by the Expanded Disability Status Score, and BMD at the lumbar spine and femoral neck, particularly the latter. The rate of loss of BMD also correlates with the level of disability. Pulsed corticosteroids for acute episodes of MS, even with a high cumulative steroid dose, do not significantly affect BMD, but an effect on fracture risk is yet to be elucidated. There appears to be no correlation between vitamin D levels and BMD, and the relationship between disability and vitamin D levels remains unclear. Falls and fractures are more common than in healthy controls, and the risk rises with increasing levels of disability. The principal factor resulting in low BMD and increased fracture risk in MS is immobility. Antiresorptive therapy with bisphosphonates and optimising vitamin D levels are likely to be effective interventions although there are no randomised studies of this therapy.

Rheumatoid cachexia: a clinical perspective.

Rheumatoid cachexia is under-recognized in clinical practice. The loss of lean body tissue, which characterizes cachexia, is often compensated for by gain in body fat-so called 'cachectic obesity'-so that 85% or more RA patients have a normal BMI. Severe cachexia with loss of weight leads to increased morbidity and premature mortality but loss of muscle bulk with a normal BMI also associates with poor clinical outcomes. Increasing BMI, even into the obese range, is associated with less joint damage and reduced mortality. Measurement of body composition using DXA and other techniques is feasible but the results must be interpreted with care. Newer techniques such as whole-body MRI will help define with more confidence the mass and distribution of fat and muscle and help elucidate the relationships between body composition and outcomes. Cachexia shows little response to diet alone but progressive resistance training and anti-TNF therapies show promise in tackling this potentially disabling extra-articular feature of RA.

Vitamin D-binding protein gene microsatellite polymorphism influences BMD and risk of fractures in men.

UNLABELLED: Here we report the results of a vitamin D-binding protein gene microsatellite polymorphism study in 170 men, comprising healthy male subjects and men with osteoporosis-related symptomatic vertebral fractures. We confirm the results of an earlier study in a different cohort, showing relationship between certain genotypes of (TAAAn)-Alu repeats and reduced BMD and vertebral fractures. INTRODUCTION: Vitamin D-binding protein (DBP) plays a critical role in the transport and metabolism of metabolites of vitamin D, including the key calciotropic hormone 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3). METHODS: We have investigated intra-intronic variable tandem (TAAA)n-Alu repeat expansion in the DBP gene in 170 men, comprising healthy male subjects and men with idiopathic osteoporosis and low trauma fractures. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The predominant DBP-Alu genotype in the control subjects was 10/10 (frequency 0.421), whereas the frequency of this genotype in men with osteoporosis was 0.089. DBP-Alu alleles *10, *8 and *9, respectively, were the three commonest in both healthy subjects and men with osteoporosis. Allele *10 was associated with a lower risk of osteoporosis (OR 0.39, 95% CI 0.25-0.64; p < 0.0005), as was allele *11 (odds ratio 0.09, 95% CI 0.01-0.67; p < 0.007). Logistic regression gave similar results, showing that individuals with genotype 10/10 and 19-20 repeats (genotypes 9/10, 9/11, 10/10,) are protected from fracture or osteoporosis. Overall, there was a relationship between DBP Alu genotype and BMD, suggesting that DBP-Alu genotype may influence fracture risk. This effect may be mediated by changes in the circulating concentrations of DBP which influences free concentrations of vitamin D.

Excess non-spine fractures in women over 50 years with celiac disease: a cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study.

The association of celiac disease with fracture is controversial. Recent studies may have underestimated the impact by studying patients with low fracture risk. Since postmenopausal women are at greatest risk of fracture, we have investigated non-spine fracture occurrence in women > or =50 years with celiac disease. Patients were recruited from hospital and general practice as well as from volunteers, controls from general practice. All completed a questionnaire detailing fracture occurrence. Three hundred and eighty-three female celiac patients and 445 female controls aged > or =50 years at time of study were compared. Mean age was 61.4+/-7.8 years in celiac patients and 62.7+/-9.9 years in controls. Celiac patients were lighter but not shorter. Celiac patients displayed greater "all fracture" prevalence (odds ratio [OR], 1.51; confidence interval [CI], 1.13:2.02) and fracture after 50 years (OR, 2.20; CI, 1.49:3.25). Wrist fracture was more frequent (OR, 1.65; CI, 1.12:2.41), but significance was lost once height and weight were taken into account. Celiac patients had more multiple fractures (OR, 2.96; CI, 1.81:4.83). To investigate the association of fracture with time from diagnosis, 324 celiac patients were paired with a control by age. No excess fracture risk was found more than 10 years before diagnosis amongst celiac patients diagnosed after age 50 years, but risk increased in the period from 10 years before diagnosis to 5 years after and remained high more than 5 years after diagnosis ( p<0.05). Wrist fracture only increased in the period more than 5 years after diagnosis ( p<0.05). In women diagnosed before 50 years, no excess fracture risk existed. Fracture risk in female celiac patients >50 years is increased overall but is related largely to the peri-diagnostic period. Wrist fracture risk is partly accounted for by height and weight, but is more common more than 5 years after diagnosis. Celiac testing may be indicated in thin women over 50 years with multiple fractures, and after diagnosis adequate calcium and vitamin D intake should be ensured.

Is distal forearm fracture in men due to osteoporosis?

Although widely regarded as a disease of women, osteoporosis does cause considerable morbidity and mortality in men. The lifetime risk of an osteoporortic fracture for a man is 1 in 12 and 30% of all hip fractures occur in men. In women, low-trauma distal forearm fracture is widely regarded as a typical early manifestation of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Traditionally, this has not been thought to be the case for men. We present a case-control study of 147 men with distal forearm fracture compared with 198 age-matched controls. The controls were selected from a pre-existing database of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans of healthy volunteers. Both groups were sent questionnaires regarding basic demographics, fracture history and risk factors for osteoporosis, and the fracture group was asked to attend for bone densitometry. There were 103 responses from the fracture group (70%), of whom 67 (47%) underwent densitometry. There were 165 (83%) responses from the control group. Secondary causes of osteoporosis could be identified in 51% of the fracture group and 37% of the control group. The fracture group had significantly lower bone mineral density at all sites measured compared with the controls (0.75 g/cm(2) vs 0.85 g/cm(2) at the femoral neck, p<0.0001; 0.95 g/cm(2) vs 1.03 g/cm(2) at the total femur, p = 0.001; and 0.99 g/cm(2) vs 1.06 g/cm(2) at the lumbar spine, p = 0.001). These differences remained after adjusting for age and body mass index ( p<0.0005 at all sites). Overall, 41.8% of the fracture group were osteoporotic in at least one site ( T-score <-2.5 SD below the mean for young men) compared with only 10.3% of controls. This study is the first to demonstrate that men with distal forearm fractures have lower bone mineral density than their peers and a higher risk of osteoporosis.

Nedocromil sodium in adults with asthma dependent on inhaled corticosteroids: a double blind, placebo controlled study.

Eighty nine adults with asthma who were receiving inhaled corticosteroid and bronchodilator treatment took part in a double blind, randomised, placebo controlled trial of nedocromil sodium, 4 mg four times daily by inhalation. During a run in period of two to four weeks corticosteroid treatment was reduced when possible to produce a comparable level of symptoms across the trial population. The test treatment was then taken for four weeks, with the severity of asthma recorded daily by patients and assessed at two weekly hospital visits. There was an improvement in symptoms in the patients taking nedocromil sodium by comparison with those having the placebo, the differences being significant for diary card PEF readings, asthma symptom scores, and bronchodilator usage at night. The mean difference between the two groups was 18 l/min for PEF, 0.42 for daytime asthma score, and 1.73 puffs in 24 hours for bronchodilator usage. These results suggest that asthmatic patients who require inhaled steroids show better control of their asthma with the addition of nedocromil sodium than of placebo over a four week period after reduction of the dosage of their inhaled steroids.

Elbow synovectomy and excision of the radial head in rheumatoid arthritis: a short term palliative procedure.

We present the results of synovectomy and excision of the radial head in 65 elbows affected by rheumatoid arthritis. Eighty-four percent of elbows had good pain relief 6 months after operation but after an average of 5 years only 54% remained relatively pain-free. Range of motion remained the same or improved in the majority of patients. Synovitis occurred in 39% of elbows during the followup period and intraarticular steroid injections were frequently given. This undoubtedly modified results of pain relief that might have been attributed to the operation. Destructive changes in the humeroulnar joint were considered the main cause of elbow pain at the time of review.

Amputee walking training: a preliminary study of biomechanical measurements of stance and balance.

Biomechanical parameters of stance and balance were recorded in ten unilateral lower limb amputees at the beginning and end of walking training. Measurements were carried out using a Double Video Forceplate (DVF), a machine developed at University College, London, Bioengineering Centre, Roehampton. During free standing on the DVF there was a mean increase in weight-bearing under the prosthetic foot from 32% body weight (1st session) to 41% body weight (final session), p less than 0.01. Maximum weight-bearing during leaning as far as possible onto the prosthesis increased from a mean of 54% body weight to 63% body weight, p less than 0.01. These simple measurements of weight distribution between the feet can be of value during walking training to monitor progress and can accurately record improvement for research purposes.

Foot loading characteristics of amputees and normal subjects.

The foot loading characteristics of 100 consecutively attending amputees wearing their definitive prostheses were studied during their routine visits to the Artificial Limb and Appliance Centre. Results were compared with observations on 100 age and sex matched controls who were free from any locomotor disability. The parameters measured were the percentage of body weight borne on each foot, the positions of the centres of pressure under each foot and the position of the overall centre of foot pressure. The results demonstrate the range of variability of these parameters in normal subjects of different ages and provide preliminary indications of the patterns associated with different types of prostheses and different levels of amputation. The information was collected using the Double Video Forceplate (DVF) a tool developed for the rapid assessment of stance, at University College London Bioengineering Centre. It is proposed that the DVF may be useful in assisting prosthetic alignment, in clinical teaching of prosthetists, physiotherapists and doctors and in monitoring of patients with lower limb amputation.

A reappraisal of synovectomy and radial-head excision in rheumatoid arthritis.

A review of the literature reveals that radial-head excision for rheumatoid destruction of the elbow is a worthwhile operation, producing complete pain relief in many and substantial improvement in approximately 75%. Recurrence of symptoms eventually occurs in 50% patients.

Episodic arthritis in cystic fibrosis: a case report.

Episodic arthritis is an uncommon manifestation of cystic fibrosis. We describe the case of a 21-year-old man with cystic fibrosis who suffered from episodic arthritis associated with vasculitic skin lesions. Aetiology is discussed with reference to the possible role of immune complex disease.

Effect of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty on arrhythmias complicating angina.

Four patients who had stenosis of a single major coronary artery which was treated by percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty are described. Three had exercise induced myocardial ischaemia complicated by ventricular tachycardia, fibrillation, and sinus bradycardia, respectively. Asystole developed in a fourth patient who had spontaneous chest pain. After successful percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty these arrhythmias did not recur spontaneously or on treadmill exercise testing. Percutaneous coronary angioplasty can be effective in preventing arrhythmias complicating acute myocardial ischaemia secondary to stenosis of a single major coronary artery.

Failure of sera from patients with scleroderma to exhibit cytotoxicity towards human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

Human umbilical vein endothelial cells grew equally well in sera from scleroderma patients and in sera from rheumatic controls. Using two independent methods of assessing cell growth, no evidence of a previously described endothelial cell cytotoxic factor could be found in heat inactivated sera from 23 scleroderma patients. The system used was sensitive in detecting growth inhibition due to five batches of foetal calf serum and low concentrations of homocysteine and 2-mercaptoethanol.

Spontaneous periodic hypothermia with lipoma of the corpus callosum.

A patient with spontaneous periodic hypothermia who had both a lipoma and agenesis of the corpus callosum is described. Spontaneous periodic hypothermia associated with corpus callosum abnormalities is a distinct entity and although the mechanism underlying the hypothermic episodes is unexplained, the term "diencephalic autonomic epilepsy" does not seem appropriate.