Obesity and craniofacial variables in subjects with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: comparisons of cephalometric values

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aim of this paper was to determine the most common craniofacial changes in patients suffering Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) with regards to the degree of obesity. Accordingly, cephalometric data reported in the literature was searched and analyzed.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>After a careful analysis of the literature from 1990 to 2006, 5 papers with similar procedural criteria were selected. Inclusion criteria were: recruitment of Caucasian patients with an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) >10 as grouped in non-obese (Body Mass Index – [BMI] < 30) <it>vs</it>. obese (BMI ≥ 30).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A low position of the hyoid bone was present in both groups. In non-obese patients, an increased value of the ANB angle and a reduced dimension of the cranial base (S-N) were found to be the most common finding, whereas major skeletal divergence (ANS-PNS ^Go-Me) was evident among obese patients. No strict association was found between OSAS and length of the soft palate.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In both non-obese and obese OSAS patients, skeletal changes were often evident; with special emphasis of intermaxillary divergence in obese patients. Unexpectedly, in obese OSAS patients, alterations of oropharyngeal soft tissue were not always present and did not prevail.</p

Establishment of the milk-borne transmission as a key factor for the peculiar endemicity of human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1): the ATL Prevention Program Nagasaki

In late 2010, the nation-wide screening of pregnant women for human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection was implemented in Japan to prevent milk-borne transmission of HTLV-1. In the late 1970s, recognition of the adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) cluster in Kyushu, Japan, led to the discovery of the first human retrovirus, HTLV-1. In 1980, we started to investigate mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) for explaining the peculiar endemicity of HTLV-1. Retrospective and prospective epidemiological data revealed the MTCT rate at ∼20%. Cell-mediated transmission of HTLV-1 without prenatal infection suggested a possibility of milk-borne transmission. Common marmosets were successfully infected by oral inoculation of HTLV-1 harboring cells. A prefecture-wide intervention study to refrain from breast-feeding by carrier mothers, the ATL Prevention Program Nagasaki, was commenced in July 1987. It revealed a marked reduction of HTLV-1 MTCT by complete bottle-feeding from 20.3% to 2.5%, and a significantly higher risk of short-term breast-feeding (<6 months) than bottle-feeding (7.4% vs. 2.5%, P < 0.001)