A HIGH LEVEL OF VOLLEYBALL PRACTICE ENHANCES BONE FORMATION MARKERS AND HORMONES IN PREPUBESCENT BOYS

Objectives: To examine the effects of volleyball on hormones and biochemical markers before puberty. Methods: 130 prepubescent white boys were investigated in this study. 80 prepubescent volleyball players were divided into two groups according to the duration of training: 40 (age: 11.5 ± 0.6 years), representing the high-level training group (HLG), completed 6 to 8 hours of training/week; 40 (age: 11.2 ± 0.7 years), representing the low-level training group (LLG), completed 3 to 5 hours of training/week. The other 50 non-athletic boys (age: 11.3 ± 0.2 years) were used as control subjects (C). Results: Serum concentration of growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and carrier protein 3 (IGFBP-3), cortisol, bone formation markers (osteocalcin [OC] and bone alkaline phosphatase [BAP], and a bone resorption marker (cross-linked C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen [CTX] were measured. No difference in CTX was observed among the three groups. However, the HLG presented higher levels of bone formation markers (OC, BAP) compared to controls. Hormonal concentrations of GH, IGF-1, IGFBP-3, and cortisol were higher in HLG than in controls. Conclusion: Volleyball did not lead to enhanced bone turnover markers and anabolic hormones of bone after a low-training level when compared to controls. Indeed, a high-training level induces enhanced bone formation markers and basal concentration of anabolic (GH, IGF-1, and IGFBP-3) and catabolic (cortisol) hormones of bone metabolism. Therefore, basal hormone concentrations and bone formation markers were directly related to the intensity and the duration of the training level

Mild Clinical Presentation of Acute Fatty Liver in the Second Trimester of Pregnancy

We report a case of 29 years old woman who was diagnosed with acute fatty liver of pregnancy at 23 weeks of gestation with unusual evolution (pregnancy prolonged until 36 weeks of gestation) to draw attention on the possibility of occurrence of this pathology in the second trimester of pregnancy even with a milder clinical presentation and course

The association of spirometric small airways obstruction with respiratory symptoms, cardiometabolic diseases, and quality of life: Results from the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study

Background: Spirometric small airways obstruction (SAO) is common in the general population. Whether spirometric SAO is associated with respiratory symptoms, cardiometabolic diseases, and quality of life (QoL) is unknown. Methods: Using data from the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease study (N = 21,594), we defined spirometric SAO as the mean forced expiratory flow rate between 25 and 75% of the FVC (FEF25-75) less than the lower limit of normal (LLN) or the forced expiratory volume in 3 s to FVC ratio (FEV3/FVC) less than the LLN. We analysed data on respiratory symptoms, cardiometabolic diseases, and QoL collected using standardised questionnaires. We assessed the associations with spirometric SAO using multivariable regression models, and pooled site estimates using random effects meta-analysis. We conducted identical analyses for isolated spirometric SAO (i.e. with FEV1/FVC ≥ LLN). Results: Almost a fifth of the participants had spirometric SAO (19% for FEF25-75; 17% for FEV3/FVC). Using FEF25-75, spirometric SAO was associated with dyspnoea (OR = 2.16, 95% CI 1.77–2.70), chronic cough (OR = 2.56, 95% CI 2.08–3.15), chronic phlegm (OR = 2.29, 95% CI 1.77–4.05), wheeze (OR = 2.87, 95% CI 2.50–3.40) and cardiovascular disease (OR = 1.30, 95% CI 1.11–1.52), but not hypertension or diabetes. Spirometric SAO was associated with worse physical and mental QoL. These associations were similar for FEV3/FVC. Isolated spirometric SAO (10% for FEF25-75; 6% for FEV3/FVC), was also associated with respiratory symptoms and cardiovascular disease. Conclusion: Spirometric SAO is associated with respiratory symptoms, cardiovascular disease, and QoL. Consideration should be given to the measurement of FEF25-75 and FEV3/FVC, in addition to traditional spirometry parameters

Small airways obstruction and its risk factors in the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study: a multinational cross-sectional study

© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.Background: Small airways obstruction is a common feature of obstructive lung diseases. Research is scarce on small airways obstruction, its global prevalence, and risk factors. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of small airways obstruction, examine the associated risk factors, and compare the findings for two different spirometry parameters. Methods: The Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease study is a multinational cross-sectional study of 41 municipalities in 34 countries across all WHO regions. Adults aged 40 years or older who were not living in an institution were eligible to participate. To ensure a representative sample, participants were selected from a random sample of the population according to a predefined site-specific sampling strategy. We included participants' data in this study if they completed the core study questionnaire and had acceptable spirometry according to predefined quality criteria. We excluded participants with a contraindication for lung function testing. We defined small airways obstruction as either mean forced expiratory flow rate between 25% and 75% of the forced vital capacity (FEF25-75) less than the lower limit of normal or forced expiratory volume in 3 s to forced vital capacity ratio (FEV3/FVC ratio) less than the lower limit of normal. We estimated the prevalence of pre-bronchodilator (ie, before administration of 200 μg salbutamol) and post-bronchodilator (ie, after administration of 200 μg salbutamol) small airways obstruction for each site. To identify risk factors for small airways obstruction, we performed multivariable regression analyses within each site and pooled estimates using random-effects meta-analysis. Findings: 36 618 participants were recruited between Jan 2, 2003, and Dec 26, 2016. Data were collected from participants at recruitment. Of the recruited participants, 28 604 participants had acceptable spirometry and completed the core study questionnaire. Data were available for 26 443 participants for FEV3/FVC ratio and 25 961 participants for FEF25-75. Of the 26 443 participants included, 12 490 were men and 13 953 were women. Prevalence of pre-bronchodilator small airways obstruction ranged from 5% (34 of 624 participants) in Tartu, Estonia, to 34% (189 of 555 participants) in Mysore, India, for FEF25-75, and for FEV3/FVC ratio it ranged from 5% (31 of 684) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to 31% (287 of 924) in Salzburg, Austria. Prevalence of post-bronchodilator small airways obstruction was universally lower. Risk factors significantly associated with FEV3/FVC ratio less than the lower limit of normal included increasing age, low BMI, active and passive smoking, low level of education, working in a dusty job for more than 10 years, previous tuberculosis, and family history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Results were similar for FEF25-75, except for increasing age, which was associated with reduced odds of small airways obstruction. Interpretation: Despite the wide geographical variation, small airways obstruction is common and more prevalent than chronic airflow obstruction worldwide. Small airways obstruction shows the same risk factors as chronic airflow obstruction. However, further research is required to investigate whether small airways obstruction is also associated with respiratory symptoms and lung function decline.National Heart and Lung Institute and Wellcome Trust. Supported by Wellcome Trust grant 085790/Z/08/Z for the BOLD studyinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Chronic airflow obstruction and ambient particulate air pollution

Smoking is the most well-established cause of chronic airflow obstruction (CAO) but particulate air pollution and poverty have also been implicated. We regressed sex-specific prevalence of CAO from 41 Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease study sites against smoking prevalence from the same study, the gross national income per capita and the local annual mean level of ambient particulate matter (PM2.5) using negative binomial regression. The prevalence of CAO was not independently associated with PM2.5 but was strongly associated with smoking and was also associated with poverty. Strengthening tobacco control and improved understanding of the link between CAO and poverty should be prioritised