Prevalence and risk factors of vitamin D deficiency in patients with widespread musculoskeletal pain

Objective: Vitamin D deficiency is a worldwide common health problems. Vitamin D deficiency in adults has been associated with proximal muscle weakness, skeletal mineralization defect, and an increased risk of falling. Patients with vitamin D deficiency commonly complain of widespread pain in the body. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and risk factors of 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency in patients complaining of widespread musculoskeletal pain. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 8457 patients with widespread musculoskeletal pain (7772 females, 685 males), aged 46.7 (range 20-100) years were included. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D was measured with ELISA method. Patients were classified into two groups: 1) Patients with vitamin D deficiency (<20 ng/ml) and 2). Patients without vitamin D deficiency ( >20 ng/ml). Results: Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency was found to be 71.7%. A binary logistic regression model showed that low 25(OH)Vit D level was associated with gender, age and month in which 25(OH) hypovitaminosis was determined. The risk of low 25(OH) Vit D was found to be 2.15 times higher in female patients and 1.52 times higher on March and 1.55 times higher on April. Conclusion: This study indicates that Vitamin D deficiency should be taken into consideration in patients with widespread musculoskeletal pain, and some precautions such as sunbathe during summer should be recommended patients having risk of vitamin D deficiency. J Clin Exp Invest 2013; 4 (4): 48-49

Normal range of spinal mobility for healthy young adult Turkish men

Anthropometric characteristics may vary among human populations, especially with differences in race. The aim of the present study is to find normal values of some measures (chest expansion, Schober's test and modified Schober's test) frequently used in the assessment of patients with ankylosing spondylitis, in young adult Turkish men. Initial recruitment identified 2,925 healthy male participants aged 20-30 years, and the final study sample included 1,982 of them. Participants joined the research from all cities except one in Turkey. The measurements of chest expansion, Schober's test, and modified Schober's test were performed by the same researcher using a plastic measuring tape. The mean (+/- standard error) values of the chest expansion, Schober's test, and modified Schober's test were 6.11 (+/- 0.02), 5.62 (+/- 0.02), and 7.78 (+/- 0.02) cm, respectively. The estimated normal lower bounds for chest expansion, Schober's test, and modified Schober's test may be between 3.71-3.86 cm, 3.86-3.97 cm, and 5.46-5.60 cm, respectively, for young adult Turkish men. No correlation was found between height and spinal mobility. The normal values for spinal mobility in this sample of healthy young adult Turkish men differed from those reported for other young adult male populations (chest expansion a parts per thousand yen5 cm, Schober's test > 5 cm, modified Schober's test > 7 cm). It is thus useful to consider nationality in interpreting results of spinal mobility tests

Forearm Bone Mineral Density in Healthy Young Adult Mobile Phone Users

The electromagnetic radiation of mobile phone (MP) can produce a variety of adverse health effects. Bone mineral density (BMD) of rats exposed to radiation emitted by MPs was found to be a statistically non-significant decrease. The aim of the present study was to investigate forearm BMD in healthy young adult MP users. Two hundred and sixty three healthy subjects (86 male MP users, 14 male controls and 97 female MP users, 66 female controls) were included in this study. Ages ranged from 20 to 35 years. Dominant hands were the rightsight in all cases. BMD was measured in the proximal femur and right ultradistal (UD) radius using a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The mean UD radius BMD was statistically significant lower in MP user than non-MP users. Binary logistic regression analysis indicated that a risk for osteopenia was found to be higher in females than males (Odds ratio=6.66 P=0.006), and in MP users than MP non-users (Odds ratio=7.92 P=0.004). In conclusion, MP can cause osteopenia in the forearm of healthy young adult females. [Med-Science 2012; 1(1.000): 35-40

Effect of axial loading on bone mineral density in patients with traumatic spinal cord injury

BACKGROUN

Alteration of facet joint orientation and asymmetry with time in lumbar disc herniation

In the previous studies, the facet tropism and its relation to the development of lumbar disc herniation (LDH) were investigated. However, these studies have shown inconsistent conclusions. The aim of this study was to investigate the alteration of facet joint angle and (a)symmetry in LDH. Fifty-four patients with LDH were included. In the first and second computed tomography images, all facet angles were measured from the similar axial slice by the same observer who was blinded with regard to the date of computed tomography scan. Total reproducibility of the variability was found to be 1.85 degrees. Thirty-one patients had a change in the orientation of at least I facet joint. The mean rate of the change in the facet orientation varied from 2.69 to 3.63 degree/y. The most common observed change in the orientation was sagittalization. Females, taller patients, cases with median herniation, and patients with longer course of LDH had a higher risk of this change (P = 0.011). The facet asymmetry was found to develop in 7 patients and to recover in 7 patients (P = 0.002). The facet orientation could change and the facet asymmetry could develop or recover in the same patient with time in LDH. These results could explain contradictory results in the literature

Travmatik omurilik felci olan olgularda aksiyel yüklenmenin kemik mineral yoğunluğu üzerine etkisi

PubMed ID: 17682951BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis occurs in paralyzed extremities secondary to immobilization following spinal cord injury (SCI). Bone mineral density (BMD) is rapidly lost after SCI. Loss of BMD may reach fracture threshold although it slows with time. This study was planned to investigate the option of impediment of osteoporosis by early axial loading in immobilized patients. METHODS: Fifteen patients with complete paraplegia having spinal cord lesion between T4-L1 and 15 normal volunteers were included into the study. Time, mechanism and type of injury, BMD, serum calcium, phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase levels were undertaken as variables. BMD was measured by dual energy X-ray absorbtiometry (DEXA) in the femoral neck, trochanteric region and T1 and L3 spine. RESULTS: The BMD values were lower in the femoral neck and trochanteric region, but there were no significant differences at T1 and L3 spine in paraplegics. CONCLUSION: BMD decreases in the femoral neck and trochanteric region, secondary to immobilization. Absence of significant differences of BMD values at T1 and L3 spine in the study and control groups might be due to early rehabilitation. Sitting exercises early after stabilization might impede of the loss of BMD by axial loading to the spine. Thus, complications such as osteoporosis and pathological fractures can be prevented

Comparison of limbal conjunctival autograft and amniotic membrane transplantation in ptergium surgery

Amaç: Primer pterjiyum cerrahisinde limbal konjunktival otogreft nakli ve amniyotik mem- bran transplantasyonu yöntemlerinin sonuçlarının karşılaştırılması Gereç ve Yöntem: Primer pterjiyum tanısı alan 50 hastanın 51 gözü çalışmaya dahil edil- di. Hastalar rastgele seçilmek üzere 31 göze limbal konjunktival otogreft nakli, 20 göze amni- yotik membran transplantasyonu yapıldı. Hastaların postoperatif 1. gün, 1. hafta, 2. hafta ve 4. haftalarda ve sonrasında 3 aylık sürelerle takipleri yapıldı. Bulgular: Limbal konjunktival otogreft nakli uygulanan 31 gözden 4’ünde (%12.9), amni- yotik membran transplantasyonu yapılan 20 gözden 2’sinde (%10) nüks gelişti. İki grup ara- sındaki bu farklılık istatistiksel olarak anlamlı değildi (p>0,05). Pterjiyum cerrahisi sonrasın- da nüksler konjunktival otogreft naklinde ortalama 5.5 ay, amniyon membran transplantasyo- nu yapılan gözlerde ortalama 7.5 ay sonra görüldü. Limbal konjunktival otogreft uygulanan 31 gözden birinde piyojenik konjunktival granülom, bir hastada korneal dellen gelişti. Amniyon membran grubunda iki nüks dışında herhangi bir patolojiye rastlanmadı. Sonuçlar: Çalışmada amniyon membran greftinin rekürrensi azaltmakta limbal konjonkti- val otogrefti kadar etkili olduğu görülmüş olup pterjiyum cerrahisine alternatif olabilir.Aim: To compare the results of the two different methods in primary pterygium surgery, limbal conjunctival autograft and amniotic membrane transplantation. Material and Method: Fifty one eyes of the 50 patients with the diagnosis of the primary ptergium were included in the study. The patients were randomly assigned, and limbal con- junctival autograft were performed to the 31 eyes and amniotic membrane transplantation were performed to the remaining 20 eyes. Follow-up visits were performed at weeks 1, 2 and 4 and then 3 months intervals, postoperatively. Results: Recurrence rates of limbal conjunctival autograft and amniotic membrane trans- plantation surgery were 12,9% (4) and 10% (2), respectively. The difference between two groups was not significant (p&gt;0.05). After pterygium surgery, the recurrences occurred within a mean of 5.5 months later in patients underwent conjunctival autograft and within a mean of 7.5 months later in patients underwent amnion membrane transplantation. In limbal conjunc- tival autograft group, one patient had pyogenic conjunctival granuloma, and in another pa- tient corneal dellen was observed. In amnion membrane transplantation group, no complica- tion was observed except two recurrences. Conclusion: We conclude that amnion membrane transplantation is as effective as the lim- bal conjunctival autograft surgery. It likely decreases the recurrences and it may be an alter- native to the other methods