The relationship between drinking tea and frailty in the community elderly / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective To explore the relationship between drinking tea and frailty among the elderly in the community. Methods A self-designed questionnaire was used to investigate the basic data of the elderly and their status of drinking tea. Tilburg Frailty Index scale was used to evaluate the frailty of the elderly. The physical levels of the elderly were assessed by grip strength, 4 m walking time and time up& go. The factors affecting frailty of the elderly and the relationship between status of drinking tea and frailty were analyzed. Results The incidence of frailty in the community with and without habits of drinking tea was 55.6％(69/124) and 79.3％(96/121).There was significantly difference between them (χ2=15.634, P<0.01). The total scores, body function and mental dimensions of frailty of the former were 4.53± 2.51, 2.46±1.86 and 1.11±0.97 and that of the later were 5.52±2.54, 3.20±1.78 and 1.36±0.97. There was significantly difference between them (t=3.064, 3.178, 2.015, P<0.05) . The grip strength of the former and the latter was (29.06 ± 9.02) kg and (23.96 ± 7.48) kg and there was significantly difference between them (t=-4.824, P<0.01). The Logistic regression analysis showed that the number of complications, the habit of exercise and the habit of drinking tea were the factors influencing frailty. Conclusions Drinking tea may decrease the incidence of frailty and improve fitness level in the elderly. However, investigative research involving larger number of subjects and intervention studies are needed to explore further the relationship between drinking tea and frailty in the future.

The relationship between drinking tea and frailty in the community elderly / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective@#To explore the relationship between drinking tea and frailty among the elderly in the community.@*Methods@#A self-designed questionnaire was used to investigate the basic data of the elderly and their status of drinking tea. Tilburg Frailty Index scale was used to evaluate the frailty of the elderly. The physical levels of the elderly were assessed by grip strength, 4 m walking time and time up & go. The factors affecting frailty of the elderly and the relationship between status of drinking tea and frailty were analyzed.@*Results@#The incidence of frailty in the community with and without habits of drinking tea was 55.6%(69/124) and 79.3%(96/121).There was significantly difference between them (χ2=15.634, P<0.01). The total scores, body function and mental dimensions of frailty of the former were 4.53±2.51, 2.46±1.86 and 1.11±0.97 and that of the later were 5.52±2.54, 3.20±1.78 and 1.36±0.97. There was significantly difference between them (t=3.064, 3.178, 2.015, P<0.05). The grip strength of the former and the latter was (29.06±9.02) kg and (23.96±7.48) kg and there was significantly difference between them (t=-4.824, P<0.01). The Logistic regression analysis showed that the number of complications, the habit of exercise and the habit of drinking tea were the factors influencing frailty.@*Conclusions@#Drinking tea may decrease the incidence of frailty and improve fitness level in the elderly. However, investigative research involving larger number of subjects and intervention studies are needed to explore further the relationship between drinking tea and frailty in the future.

Evaluation of Basal Serum Adrenocorticotropic Hormone and Cortisol Levels and Their Relationship with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Male Patients with Idiopathic Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism / 中华医学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>Prolonged gonadal hormone deficiency in patients with idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH) may produce adverse effects on the endocrine homeostasis and metabolism. This study aimed to compare basal serum adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol levels between male IHH patients and healthy controls. Moreover, this study compared the basal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in patients with and without nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and also evaluated the relationship between basal HPA axis and NAFLD in male IHH patients.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>This was a retrospective case-control study involving 75 Chinese male IHH patients (mean age 21.4 ± 3.8 years, range 17-30 years) and 135 healthy controls after matching for gender and age. All subjects underwent physical examination and blood testing for serum testosterone, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, ACTH, and cortisol and biochemical tests.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Higher basal serum ACTH levels (8.25 ± 3.78 pmol/L vs. 6.97 ± 2.81 pmol/L) and lower cortisol levels (366.70 ± 142.48 nmol/L vs. 452.82 ± 141.53 nmol/L) were observed in male IHH patients than healthy subjects (all p<0.05). IHH patients also showed higher metabolism parameters and higher prevalence rate of NAFLD (34.9% vs. 4.4%) than the controls (all P < 0.05). Basal serum ACTH (9.91 ± 4.98 pmol/L vs. 7.60 ± 2.96 pmol/L) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (2123.7 ± 925.8 μg/L vs. 1417.1 ± 498.4 μg/L) levels were significantly higher in IHH patients with NAFLD than those without NAFLD (all P < 0.05). We also found that basal serum ACTH levels were positively correlated with NAFLD (r = 0.289,p<0.05) and triglyceride levels (r = 0.268, P< 0.05) in male IHH patients. Furthermore, NAFLD was independently associated with ACTH levels in male IHH patients by multiple linear regression analysis.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>The male IHH patients showed higher basal serum ACTH levels and lower cortisol levels than matched healthy controls. NAFLD was an independent associated factor for ACTH levels in male IHH patients. These preliminary findings provided evidence of the relationship between basal serum ACTH and NAFLD in male IHH patients.</p>

The Immunohistochemical Expression of DNA Topoisomerase II-alpha and E2F-1 in the Breast Carcinoma and Their Relationship with Clinicopathologic Factors

PURPOSE: Clinical courses of breast cancer are very different, and concern for finding a predictable marker of breast carcinomas has increased. This study focused on the relationship between the expressions of DNA topoisomerase II-alpha as a proliferative marker, and E2F-1 as a transcription factor, with clinicopathological factors of infiltrating duct carcinomas of the breast. METHODS: We investigated the expressions of E2F-1 and DNA topoisomerase II-alpha in 43 patients with infiltrating ductal carcinomas using immunohistochemical staining, and the results were analyzed with regard to clinicopathological parameters. RESULTS: Among 43 infiltrating ductal carcinomas, 24 (55.8%) were immunohistochemically negative on E2F-1 and 19 (44.2%) were positive. The expression of E2F-1 correlated with increased tumor size, positive axillary lymph node meta stasis and high stage. The topoisomerase II-alpha index correlated with increased tumor size, positive lymph node metastasis, high stage, high histological grade and negative estrogen receptor. The expression of E2F-1 and the topo II-alpha index were significantly correlated. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the expressions of DNA topoisomerase II-alpha and E2F-1 play some role as prog nostic factors for infiltrating duct carcinomas of the breast, but much more study will be required.