Osteoporotic fractures are a major health problem among postmenopausal women. A significant proportion of subjects with low bone density are currently undiagnosed. Peripheral devices can be used for ...osteoporosis diagnosis, but their role in long-term monitoring of skeletal changes is unclear. The current study evaluated the ability of quantitative ultrasound (QUS) measurements to follow osteoporotic subjects treated with alendronate.
QUS measurements were done with Sunlight Omnisense (Omnisense, Sunlight Medical Ltd., Tel Aviv, Israel), which determines the bone speed of sound (SOS) in several skeletal sites. Postmenopausal women with T-scores of -2 or less at one site were recruited and treated with alendronate for at least 1 yr. Follow-up was done with QUS and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) (Lunar DPX scanner, Madison, WI, USA) measurements.
After 12 mo, bone mineral density (BMD) increased significantly at the lumbar spine (LS) (0.34 +/- 0.08 T-score, p = 0.0001 with 95% CI 0.19, 0.49) and QUS at the tibia (TIB) (0.21 +/- 0.09 T-score, p = 0.02 with 95% CI 0.03, 0.39). After 12 mo, a significant increase in mean T-scores was demonstrated in all sites assessed according to baseline T-score of -2 or less.
Peripheral QUS measurement may be considered for follow-up on skeletal changes in response to alendronate treatment.
Sjögren's syndrome is commonly presented with eye and mouth dryness caused by an autoimmune destruction of lacrimal and salivary glands. Kidney involvement is not common but may appear in patients ...with long standing disease. We present a patient with Sjögren's syndrome whose first manifestation of the disease was related to type 1 renal tubular acidosis (RTA) causing severe hypokalemia with lower limb paralysis. The uneven distribution of limb weakness necessitated the exclusion of cord compression.
Drug-induced QT prolongation Michowitz, M K; Michowitz, Y; Zaidenstien, R ...
The Israel Medical Association journal,
12/2000, Volume:
2, Issue:
12
Journal Article
Symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and risk factors for recurrent ischemia were evaluated in 65 survivors of a myocardial infarction (MI) at baseline and 6 months afterward. PTSD ...patients had more uncontrolled cardiovascular risk factors at baseline. Patients with PTSD (N
=
14) were offered trauma-focused cognitive-behavior treatment (CBT) plus a nonspecific intervention to improve adherence to medical recommendations. Adherence to aspirin improved in recipients of the nonspecific intervention (N
=
8); PTSD symptoms and cardiovascular risk improved in patients who received CBT (N
=
6). PTSD may be a treatable risk factor for poor post-MI outcome. Further research is needed to evaluate treatment options.
