no study has examined the longitudinal association between hand-grip strength and mental health, such as depressive symptoms.
we investigated the relationship between baseline hand-grip strength and ...the risk of depressive symptoms.
a prospective cohort study.
a prospective cohort study with a 1-year follow-up was conducted using 4,314 subjects from community-dwelling individuals aged 40-79 years in two Japanese municipalities, based on the Locomotive Syndrome and Health Outcomes in Aizu Cohort Study (LOHAS, 2008-10).
we assessed baseline hand-grip strength standardised using national representative data classified by age and gender, and depressive symptoms at baseline and after the follow-up using the five-item version of the Mental Health Inventory (MHI-5).
the 4,314 subjects had a mean age of 66.3 years, 58.5% were women, and mean unadjusted hand-grip strength was 29.8 kg. Multivariable random-effect logistic regression analysis revealed that subjects with lower hand-grip strength (per 1SD decrease) had higher odds of having depressive symptoms at baseline adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 1.15, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.06-1.24; P = 0.001. Further, lower hand-grip strength (per 1SD decrease) was associated with the longitudinal development of depressive symptoms after 1 year (AOR 1.13, 95% CI 1.01-1.27; P = 0.036).
using a large population-based sample, our results suggest that lower hand-grip strength, standardised using age and gender, is both cross-sectionally and longitudinally associated with depressive symptoms.
Abstract
Background
Inadequate sleep is correlated with morbidity and mortality among older adults. However, the longitudinal relationship between subjective sleep quality and risk of falls in the ...elderly population remains to be clarified.
Methods
Study participants were from Locomotive Syndrome and Health Outcome in Aizu Cohort Study (LOHAS) sites (1,071 community-dwelling people ≧65 years of age, mean: 71 years). Subjective sleep quality was measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Occurrence of falls (defined as experiencing at least one fall) during the subsequent year was ascertained by a self-reported questionnaire.
Results
Mean global PSQI score was 4.3 (SD 3.2), with 28.9% of participants rating their sleep quality as poor (PSQI > 5). A total of 210 participants (19.6%) fell at least once in the year following sleep examination. Multivariable analysis revealed that participants reporting worse subjective sleep quality had significantly higher odds of experiencing falls during the 1-year follow-up period (adjusted odds ratio AOR = 1.50 for each three-point increase in global PSQI score; 95% confidence interval CI = 1.20, 1.89). Participants in the highest global PSQI score (PSQI > 5) quartile had significantly increased odds of experiencing falls compared to those in the lowest global score quartile (PSQI < 2; AOR = 2.14; 95% CI = 1.09, 4.22). This association was similarly significant in subgroup analyses for older men and women, nonusers of sleep medication, and those without a history of falls at baseline.
Conclusion
Subjective poor sleep quality, as measured by the PSQI, is longitudinally associated with greater risk of experiencing falls in community-dwelling older adults.
Few studies have examined the prevalence of lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) in the general population. The purposes of this study were to estimate the prevalence of LSS and to investigate correlated ...factors for LSS in Japan.
A questionnaire survey was performed on 4,400 subjects selected from residents aged 40–79years in Japan by stratified two-stage random sampling in 2010. The question items consisted of lower-limb symptoms suggestive of LSS, the diagnostic support tool for LSS (LSS-DST), demographic and lifestyle characteristics, comorbidities, the Japanese Perceived Stress Scale (JPSS), and the Mental Health Index 5 (MHI-5). Using the LSS-DST, the presence of LSS was predicted to estimate the prevalence of LSS. Logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the relationship between LSS and correlated factors.
Questionnaires were obtained from 2,666 subjects (60.6%), consisting of 1,264 males (47.4%). The mean (standard deviation) age was 60.0 (10.9) years. According to the LSS-DST, 153 subjects were regarded as having LSS. The prevalence was estimated to be 5.7%. When standardizing this value with the age distribution of the Japanese population, it was estimated that 3,650,000 Japanese subjects aged 40–79years might have LSS using the LSS-DST. Prevalence increased with age and was particularly high in subjects aged 70–79years, irrespective of gender. As correlated factors, an advanced age (60years or older), diabetes mellitus, urological disorders, and osteoarthritis/fracture as comorbidities, and depressive symptoms, were associated with LSS.
This study elucidated the prevalence of LSS and factors associated with LSS in Japan. This is the first report describing the estimated prevalence of LSS and associated factors using a strictly sampled representative population.
Degenerative compressive myelopathy (DCM) is caused by cervical cord compression. The relationship between the magnitude and clinical findings of cervical cord compression has been described in the ...literature, but the details remain unclear. This study aimed to clarify the relationship between the magnitude and clinical symptoms of cervical cord compression in community-dwelling residents.
The present study included 532 subjects. The subjective symptoms and the objective findings of one board-certified spine surgeon were assessed. The subjective symptoms were upper extremity pain and numbness, clumsy hand, fall in the past 1 year, and subjective gait disturbance. The objective findings were: Hoffmann, Trömner, and Wartenberg signs; Babinski's and Chaddock's signs; hyperreflexia of the patellar tendon and Achilles tendon reflexes; ankle clonus; Romberg and modified Romberg tests; grip and release test; finger escape sign; and grip strength. Using midsagittal T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, the anterior-posterior (AP) diameters (mm) of the spinal cord at the C2 midvertebral body level (DC2) and at each intervertebral disc level from C2/3 to C7/T1 (DC2/3-C7/T1) were measured. The spinal cord compression ratio (R) for each intervertebral disc level was defined and calculated as DC2/3-C7/T1 divided by DC2. The lowest R (LR) along C2/3 to C7/T1 of each individual was divided into 3 grades by the tertile method. The relationship between LR and clinical symptoms was investigated by trend analysis.
The prevalence of subjective gait disturbance increased significantly with the severity of spinal cord compression (p = 0.002812), whereas the other clinical symptoms were not significantly related with the severity of spinal cord compression.
The magnitude of cervical cord compression had no relationship with any of the neurologic findings. However, subjective gait disturbance might be a better indicator of the possibility of early stage cervical cord compression.
An anomalously large dielectric permittivity of ≈104 is found in the mesophase temperature range (MP phase) wherein high fluidity is observed for a liquid‐crystal compound having a 1,3‐dioxane unit ...in the mesogenic core (DIO). In this temperature range, no sharp X‐ray diffraction peak is observed at both small and wide Bragg angles, similar to that for a nematic phase; however, an inhomogeneous sandy texture or broken Schlieren one is observed via polarizing optical microscopy, unlike that for a conventional nematic phase. DIO exhibits polarization switching with a large polarization value, i.e., P = 4.4 µC cm−2, and a parallelogram‐shaped polarization–electric field hysteresis loop in the MP phase. The inhomogeneously aligned DIO in the absence of an electric field adopts a uniform orientation along an applied electric field when field‐induced polarization switching occurs. Furthermore, sufficiently larger second‐harmonic generation is observed for DIO in the MP phase. Second‐harmonic‐generation interferometry clearly shows that the sense of polarization is inverted when the +/− sign of the applied electric field in MP is reversed. These results suggest that a unidirectional, ferroelectric‐like parallel polar arrangement of the molecules is generated along the director in the MP phase.
An anomalously large dielectric permittivity of ≈104 is found for a liquid‐crystal compound having a 1,3‐dioxane unit (DIO) in the high‐fluid mesophase temperature range. In addition, DIO shows ferroelectric‐like polarization of 4.4 µC cm−2, which is several hundred times larger than those of conventional ferroelectric chiral smectic C materials, and second‐harmonic‐generation activity.
Abstract
Metabolic syndrome and lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) are common age-related diseases. However, the causal relationship between them remains unclear. This study aimed to identify the effects ...of LSS on metabolic syndrome incidence in community-dwelling adults. This prospective cohort study included participants of the Aizu cohort study (LOHAS) aged < 75 years as of 2008. Participants with metabolic syndrome at baseline were excluded. The primary outcome measure was metabolic syndrome incidence, and the main explanatory variable was the presence of LSS, as assessed by a self-reported questionnaire. A multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for metabolic syndrome incidence during the 6-year follow-up period. Complete-case analyses were compared with the multiple imputation results. Among 1599 participants, 1390 complete cases were analyzed (mean SD age 62.3 9.0 years; females, 734 52.8%). Among those participants, 525 (37.8%) developed metabolic syndrome during the follow-up of 3.89 1.96 years. The presence of LSS was associated with developing metabolic syndrome (HR, 1.41; 95% confidence interval CI 1.02–1.95). Multiple imputation results showed similar trends of those having complete-case data (HR, 1.47; 95% CI 1.08–2.00). This finding suggests the importance of prevention and management of LSS in community settings.
Experimental animal study.
To determine whether corticosteroids produce additional benefit to nerve root infiltration (NRI) for experimental lumbar disc herniation.
NRI is used for nonsurgical ...treatment of radicular symptoms caused by lumbar disc herniation or lumbar spinal canal stenosis. Various studies have shown that NRI using local anesthetic or combinations of local anesthetic and corticosteroid can provide both short- and long-term pain relief. However, whether corticosteroids produce additional benefit to NRI remains controversial.
A total of 174 adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were used in this study. The left L5 nerve root and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) were exposed. For the nontreatment group, autologous nucleus pulposus was harvested from the tail and applied to the DRG. For treatment groups, 1% lidocaine (Lido group), 0.4% dexamethasone (Dexa group), 1% lidocaine + 0.4% dexamethasone (Lido + Dexa group), or saline (Saline group) was injected into the underlayer of epineurium just distal to the nucleus pulposus. At 2, 7, 14, and 21 days after surgery, withdrawal threshold was determined using the von Frey test for mechanical allodynia. Expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha in the DRG was examined by immunohistochemical analyses and immunoblotting.
Withdrawal threshold decreased in the nontreatment group from day 2 to day 14. Conversely, Lido, Dexa, and Lido + Dexa groups showed no decreases in withdrawal thresholds, and no significant differences were observed among these 3 groups. Immunohistochemical analyses showed that TNF-alpha was localized in DRG neurons in all groups. Immunoblotting showed that expression of TNF-alpha in the DRG was lower in Lido, Dexa, and Lido + Dexa groups than in the nontreatment group. No significant differences were observed among these 3 groups.
NRI prevented mechanical allodynia. However, no additional benefit from using corticosteroid was identified, suggesting that corticosteroid may be unnecessary for NRI.
Purpose
With spinal deformities, mental health can deteriorate due to sagittal imbalance of the spine. The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between sagittal imbalance and ...symptoms of depression among local residents in the community.
Methods
This study used data from the Locomotive Syndrome and Health Outcomes in Aizu Cohort Study (LOHAS) in 2010. The sagittal vertical axis (SVA) was identified as an indicator of sagittal imbalance. Symptoms of depression were assessed using the 5-item version of the Mental Health Inventory. Participants were classified into three categories based on the SVA balance as normal (< 40 mm), moderate imbalance (40–95 mm), and severe imbalance (> 95 mm). To evaluate the relationship between sagittal imbalance of the spine and symptoms of depression, the adjusted risk ratio (RR) and the 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using a generalized linear model with Poisson link.
Results
There were 786 participants included in the statistical analysis. Overall, the mean age was 68.1 y (standard deviation, 8.8 y), and 39.4% were men. The prevalence of symptoms of depression by SVA category was 18.6% for normal, 23.8% for moderate, and 40.6% for severe. On multivariate analysis, the RR of SVA for symptoms of depression compared to the normal category was 1.12 (95% CI 0.7–1.70) for the moderate category and 2.29 (95% CI 1.01–5.17) for the severe category.
Conclusion
In local community residents, sagittal imbalance had a significant association with symptoms of depression.
Descriptive and mechanistic investigation of the anti-inflammatory and anticatabolic effect of resveratrol in intervertebral discs (IVDs) in vitro and of the analgetic effect in vivo.
To determine ...whether resveratrol may be useful in treating nucleus pulposus (NP)-mediated pain.
Proinflammatory cytokines seem to be key mediators in the development of NP-mediated pain. Patients with discogenic or radiculopathic pain may substantially benefit from anti-inflammatory substances that could be used in a minimal-invasive treatment approach. Resveratrol, a polyphenolic phytoalexin found in red wine exhibits anti-inflammatory effects in various cell types and tissues, but no data exists so far with regards to the IVD in the context of low back and leg pain.
In part 1, the anti-inflammatory and anticatabolic effect of resveratrol was investigated in a cell culture model on interleukin 1β (IL-1β) prestimulated human IVD cells on the gene and protein expression level. In part 2, the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects observed upon resveratrol treatment were investigated (toll-like receptors, nuclear factor κB, sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases p38/ERK/JNK). In part 3, the analgetic effects of resveratrol were investigated in vivo using a rodent model of radiculopathy and von Frey filament testing. All quantitative data were statistically evaluated either by Mann-Whitney U test or by one-way analysis of variance and Bonferroni post hoc testing (P < 0.05).
In vitro, resveratrol exhibited an anti-inflammatory and anticatabolic effect on the messenger RNA and protein level for IL-6, IL-8, MMP1, MMP3 and MMP13. This effect does not seem to be mediated via the MAP kinase pathways (p38, ERK, JNK) or via the NF-κB/SIRT1 pathway, although toll-like receptor 2 was regulated to a minor extent. In vivo, resveratrol significantly reduced pain behavior triggered by application of NP tissue on the dorsal root ganglion for up to 14 days.
Resveratrol was able to reduce levels of proinflammatory cytokines in vitro and showed analgetic potential in vivo. A decrease in proinflammatory cytokines may possibly be the underlying mechanism of pain reduction observed in vivo. Resveratrol seems to have considerable potential for the treatment of NP-mediated pain and may thus be an alternative to other currently discussed (biological) treatment options.
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