Total body water in pregnancy: assessment by using bioelectrical impedance.

Determinations of total body water (TBW) calculated from deuterium dilution spaces and bioelectrical-impedance measurements were made serially in a group of 15 women before, during, and after pregnancy. Similar measurements were made once in a group of 50 nonpregnant women and intermittently in another group of 10 women during pregnancy and postpartum. TBW increased significantly during pregnancy, then decreased postpartum. Estimates of TBW in pregnancy and postpartum calculated with models derived from nonpregnant and pregnant women were similar to measured values. Changes in reactance and resistance explained more of the variance in predicting changes in TBW than did body weight, abdominal circumference, or hematocrit (50-75% vs 4-50%, respectively). Changes in TBW estimated with the nonpregnancy impedance model were significantly different than either the measured changes or changes predicted with the pregnancy impedance model. These findings indicate that the impedance method is a practical and valid method for determining longitudinal changes in TBW.

Tropical pyomyositis in a temperate climate in an immunocompetent adult.

Tropical pyomyositis, though common in Africa, South America, and the South Pacific, is relatively rare in North America. Reported is the case of a patient who developed chest wall muscle abscesses after sustaining minor chest wall muscle trauma and presented to the emergency department appearing acutely ill. He was treated surgically with irrigation and debridement of the abscesses as well as with antibiotics and recovered fully over a seven-month course. This case illustrates important aspects of tropical pyomyositis with a discussion of the natural history of this disease as well as diagnostic modalities and treatment options for this virulent infectious process that is usually caused by penicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Cadmium bioavailability from edible sunflower kernels: a long-term study with men and women volunteers.

Sunflower kernels (SFK) contain natural Cd in somewhat higher amounts than most other foods. This study was designed to determine if a change in the body burden of Cd could be measured in volunteers who consumed a controlled amount of SFK for 48 weeks. Healthy men and women between 23 and 59 years of age were divided into three groups each by age, sex, and weight. For 48 weeks, one group consumed 255 g (9 oz) of SFK/week, a second group consumed 113 g SFK and 142 g peanuts/week, and a third group consumed 255 g peanuts/week. SFK contained 0.52 microg Cd/g and peanuts contained 0.11 microg Cd/g. The consumption of 255 g SFK/week increased the average estimated intake of Cd from approximately 65 to approximately 175 microg/week. Although the consumption of Cd-containing SFK significantly increased the estimated Cd intake, there were no significant changes in Cd concentration in red blood cells, Cd excretion in the urine, or Cd concentrations in new hair growth. However, fecal Cd excretion significantly increased as the amount of SFK consumption increased. N-Acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase, a marker for kidney dysfunctions, was not significantly changed by consuming SFK-Cd. Overall, the results suggest that the consumption of Cd in the form of SFK at 9 oz (255 g)/week for 48 week had no adverse effect on the body burden of Cd.