The association of body height, height variability and inequality.

Body height is associated with environmental conditions. It has been suggested that under poor conditions when inequality within a population increases, also the variability in height tends to increase. We studied the association of body height, within-country variability in height and geographic and historic origin in 767 growth studies carried out in 80 countries, published between 1794 and 2013, with data on N = 78,184 infants age 2 years, and N = 2,130,729 juveniles age 7 years. The studies represent almost the whole spectrum of economic diversity in human societies since the end-18(th) century. 207 studies contained data for both infants and juveniles with 50,819 subjects (age 2), and 123,078 subjects (age 7). Multiple linear regressions showed significant interactions between height, sex, historic year of the study, geographic origin, and within-study standard deviation for height with multiple R-squared = 0.527, p < 0.001, at age 2, and multiple R-squared = 0.436, p < 0.001, at age 7. Yet, the two age groups differed in respect to within-study standard deviation for height. We found a significant association between body height and within-study standard deviation for height only at age 2: tall infant populations are less variable in height (r = -0.27, p < 0.01). There was no such association in children aged 7 years. Tall children from affluent and short children from less affluent countries do not differ in the variability of body height. The data suggest that the 'environmental adversity' hypothesis for variation in growth: small mean values for height go along with large standard deviations for height, does not apply for children at age 7.

Different effects of living conditions on the variation in BMI and height in children before the onset of puberty.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Biological indicators of children's growth, such as the mean values for both height and weight, are often used as markers of change in living conditions. However, little is known about how the quality of life affects the variation in height and weight. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the variation in height and body mass index (BMI) in Polish children between 1966 and 2012. During this period, Poland underwent vast political and socioeconomic changes. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The study included 5597 boys and 5479 girls aged 7-8 years of age. Socioeconomic status (SES) was defined in three categories: high, medium and low. RESULTS: Between 1966 and 2012, the mean values for height and BMI significantly increased in both sexes (P<0.001). The variation of these two parameters, however, showed a different pattern. Whereas the variation in Z-values for height remained unchanged in both sexes, the variation in BMI increased in boys (P<0.01) but not in girls. SES affected the variation in Z-BMI in 1978 in both sexes (P<0.001), whereas variation in Z-height between SES categories remained unchanged across all years of surveys in boys. Before the political transformation, significant regional differences were observed in the variances of Z-BMI (P<0.05) but not of Z-height. This pattern changed after the political transformation, when regional differences in variances of Z-BMI disappeared. CONCLUSIONS: It is concluded that the mean values and the variation of BMI are affected by a changing quality of life, whereas the variation in height is usually independent of living conditions.

Ureteral duplication with a blind-ending branch.

Three cases of ureteral duplication with blind-ending branch are described. Clinical observations are supplemented with a survey of the literature pertaining to the statistics, embryology, method of diagnosis and treatment of this urological developmental anomaly.

[Retroperitoneal fibrosis with coincidence of fibrosis in mediastinum]. / Zwlóknienie zaotrzewnowe wspólistniejace ze zwlóknieniem w sródpiersiu.

Retroperitoneal fibrosis is a disease with replacement of normal retroperitoneal tissue with isolated fibrotic plaque placed around aorta and entrapping ureters. In 15% of patients an fibrotic process can be found outside the retroperitoneum. The most common localisation outside retroperitoneum is mediastinum, however, it can occur in every organ. The patient usually is diagnosed due to symptoms connected to compression of the ureters. We report the case of 41-year-old woman with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease complaining of nonspecific, dull, noncolicky pain localized to the back and abdomen. Finally we recognised retroperitoneal fibrosis. The diagnosis was proven by lumbar mass biopsy.

[Renal fistula as preparation for ureteral reconstruction]. / Przetoka nerkowa jako przygotowanie do rekonstrukcji moczowodu.

A female patient is described in whom during caesarean section the lower segment of the left ureter was injured with development of ureterovaginal fistula and left-sided hydronephrosis. The creation of temporary renal fistula by percutaneous renal puncture removed the urine from the hydronephrosis and made possible delaying of ureteral reconstruction for 3 months.

[The role of clinical examination in early diagnosis of testicular malignancies]. / Rola badania klinicznego we wczesnym rozpoznawaniu nowotworów jadra.

Sixty-seven patients were subjected to a retrospective analysis, who had been referred to the Department of Urology with suspected testicular malignancy. In every patient history was taken carefully with special attention paid to lacking testicular descensus in the past, testicular enlargement, pain, symptoms related to metastases, duration of symptoms until the beginning of appropriate treatment, the type of treatment, they had obtained before admission to the department. It was found that the most common symptom was painless testicular enlargement (82% of patients). However, there was a very long time between noting of the change by the patient and the beginning of appropriate treatment (on the average about 7.8 months).

Encapsulated urinary extravasation (urinoma) as a late complication of ureterolithotomy and pyelolithotomy.

The authors report three cases of encapsulated urinary extravasation as a late complication of ureterolithotomy and pyelolithotomy. Surgical treatment saved the kidney in two cases, in the third case nephrectomy had to be done. The pathological mechanism, diagnostic methods and treatment of this complication are discussed in light of the observed cases and a survey of the pertinent literature.