Soft drink intake and progression of radiographic knee osteoarthritis: data from the osteoarthritis initiative

Objectives: We examine the prospective association of soft drink consumption with radiographic progression of knee osteoarthritis (OA). Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: This study used data from the osteoarthritis initiative (OAI). Participants: In OAI, 2149 participants with radiographic knee OA and having dietary data at baseline were followed up to 12, 24, 36 and 48 months. Measures The soft drink consumption was assessed with a Block Brief Food Frequency Questionnaire completed at baseline. To evaluate knee OA progression, we used quantitative medial tibiofemoral joint space width (JSW) based on plain radiographs. The multivariate linear models for repeated measures were used to test the independent association between soft drink intake and the change in JSW over time, while adjusting for body mass index and other potential confounding factors. Results: In stratified analyses by gender, we observed a significant dose–response relationship between baseline soft drink intake and adjusted mean change of JSW in men. With increasing levels of soft drink intake (none, ≤1, 2–4 and ≥5 times/week), the mean decreases of JSW were 0.31, 0.39, 0.34 and 0.60 mm, respectively. When we further stratified by obesity, a stronger dose–response relationship was found in non-obese men. In obese men, only the highest soft drink level (≥5 times/week) was associated with increased change in JSW compared with no use. In women, no significant association was observed. Conclusions: Our results suggest that frequent consumption of soft drinks may be associated with increased OA progression in men. Replication of these novel findings in other studies demonstrating the reduction in soft drink consumption leads to delay in OA progression is needed

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever outbreak in Chakwal, Pakistan

CCHF, tick, livestock, diagnostics, геморрагическая лихорадка Крым-Конго, клещи, домашний скот, диагностика, клинические симптомы, летальный исходCrimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is the most fatal viral disease with extensive geographical distribution. In Pakistan it is being reported with sporadic outbreaks in cattle rearing areas. The authors in this study presented a clinical case of CCHF in one of cattle rearing district Chakwal of Punjab rovince. The serums and plasma samples from suspected patients along with Hyalomma ticks from reported area were collected and diagnosed for CCHF antigen and IgG antibodies by two step sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using Vector BEST Company, Crimean-CHF-antigen kit, Novosibirsk, Russia. Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) was suspected in three patients among which two patients died. The only survived patient was diagnosed for CCHF by detecting IgG. Out of 62 Hyalomma ticks collected from livestock of endemic area, 9.67% (6/62) were positive for the CCHF virus. This confirms the emergence of CCHF virus in new areas and the potential risk of its wide spread in different areas of Punjab, Pakistan.Геморрагическая лихорадка Крым-Конго (CCHF) является наиболее смертельным вирусным заболеванием с обширным географическим распространением. В Пакистане сообщается о спорадических вспышках в районах, где интенсивно выращивается крупный рогатый скот. Авторы данного исследования представили клинический случай CCHF в одном из районов, специализирующемся на разведении крупного рогатого скота - район Чаквал провинции Пенджаб. Сыворотки и образцы плазмы у подозреваемых пациентов вместе с клещами Hyalomma из сообщаемой области были собраны и диагностированы на антиген CCHF и IgG-антител с помощью двухступенчатого сэндвич-фермент-связанного иммуносорбентного анализа (ELISA) с использованием Vector BEST Company, набора крымских-CHF-антигенов, Новосибирск, Россия. Геморрагическая лихорадка Крым-Конго (CCHF) подозревалась у трех пациентов, из которых умерли два пациента. Единственный выживший пациент был диагностирован на CCHF по обнаружению IgG. Из 62 клещей Hyalomma, обнаруженных на крупном рогатом скоте эндемического района, 9,67% (6/62) дали положительный результат на наличие вируса CCHF. Это подтверждает появление вируса CCHF в новых областях и указывает на потенциальный риск его широкого распространения в разных районах Пенджаба, Пакистан