Is age of menarche related with body mass index?

Prediction of the onset of menstruation [menarche age] using height, weight and Body Mass Index [BMI] is a major health procedure. The present study was conducted to determine the relationship between anthropometric indices and menarche age in 488 girls 11-17 years in southern Iran [Kish Island] in 2011. Data was collected using questionnaires as well as measurements of the children's height and weight. This data was analyzed using t-test and logistic regression. Median age of menarche of menstruated girls as inferred from the age of menarche cumulative distribution was 12.9 years. Mean [SD] BMI in menstruated and non-menstruated girls were 21.97 [4.5] and 19.17 [3.7], respectively. Mean [SD] weight and height of the menstruated girls were 53.65 [12.3] kg and 156.06 [5.5] cm, respectively which are higher than respective figures of the non-menstruated participants 43.70 [10.7] kg and 150.21[6.3] cm, respectively. Our results revealed a significant correlation between BMI and menarche age. Menarche age and BMI are significantly correlated with higher BMI related to lower menarche age

Recombinant erythropoietin and blood transfusion in very low birth weight infants

Very low birth weight infants [<1500 g] frequently require blood transfusions because of repeated blood sampling accompanied by anemia of prematurity. In an attempt to identify the effect of human recombinant erythropoietin to decrease the requirement for blood transfusions, erythropoietin was administered to 24 preterm infants less than 1500 g prospectively from September 1999 till December 2000.Data about the characteristics of the population, the severity of diseases, and treatment with erythropoietin, clinical diagnosis, initial and subsequent hemoglobin, volume of blood loss, and the number of blood transfusions were recorded. These results were compared with data from the recorded information of 49 infants who did not receive erythropoietin during those past 2 years. There were no differences between the 2 groups with regard to the gestational age, birth weight, clinical diagnosis, severity of the illness, primary causes of admission, and initial hematologic parameters such as hemoglobin, hematocrit and reticulocytes. Erythropoietin was administered in a dose of 200 IU/kg three times weekly for 6-8 weeks accompanied with iron supplement 6 mg/ kg/day. Transfusions were administered according to protocol.There was no significant difference between the number of blood transfusion among these 2 groups [p= 0.07]. However, transfusions in the erythropoietin treated group were fewer in comparison to the other group [1.9 +/- 1.6 to 3.2 +/- 1.1]. No difference was observed between final hemoglobin and hematocrit levels among the two groups [10.3 +/- 0.9 vs. 10.4 +/- 0.7 and 33.7 +/- 2.3 vs. 32.2 +/- 2.2].Very low birth weight infants receive frequent blood transfusions but a reduction in transfusion requirements was not apparent after administration of erythropoietin and iron in preterm infants in this study. However, the lack of impact on transfusion requirements fails to support routine use of erythropoietin