Desintrometría ósea en mujeres chilenas normales en edad fértil: correlación con valores referenciales y variables antropométricas / Dual X-ray absorptiometry [DEXA] in normal Chilean women: correlation between reference values and anthropometric variables

Background: Bone mineral density results are expressed as the number of standard deviations from reference values in similar populations. However, these reference values have not been obtained locally and there may be discrepancies between Chilean and other Hispanic populations. Aim: To evaluate the results of DEXA in healthy Chilean women and to correlate them with reference values and anthropometric parameters. Material and Method: We studied prospectively 166 normal women aged between 15 and 55 years, using a Hologic QDR 1000 equipment, yielding bone mineral density (BMD), bone mineral content (BMC) and bone area (A) in the lumbar spine (LS) and femoral neck (FN). These bone densitometric variables were correlated with weight, height and age of women and compared against the reference values of the Hologic equipment. Relation between BMC and A was evaluated using a regression analysis. Results: BMD and BMC were lower to reference values in most age groups, especially for LS. There was a significant correlation of BMD with A in LS (r: 0.278, p <0.001), weight in both LS (r: 0.382, p <0.0001) and FN (r: 0.266, p <0.001), height in LS (r: 0.258, p <0.001) and age in FN (r: -0.231, p <0.01). Only in LS, regression analysis between A and BMC did not show direct proportionality. Conclusions: BMD of healthy Chilean women was lower than the reference values of the Hologic equipment for most age groups. Bone densitometric variables are non uniformly influenced by weight, height and size of bone structures (A) in normal women, especially in LS. Correct interpretation of DEXA requires the validation of reference values and to assess the value of bone area measurements (Rev Méd Chile 2004; 132: 681-90).

Utilidad de la cintigrafía de glándulas salivales en el síndrome de Sjogren y su relación con el resultado de la biopsia de labio: estudio comparativo con una población control / Salivary gland scintigraphy and lip biopsy in patients with Sjogren syndrome and normal controls

Background: Salivary gland scintigraphy allows a non invasive, morphological and functional assessment of parotid and submaxillary salivary glands. Aim: To describe the main features of salivary gland scintigraphy in patients with Sjögren syndrome, rheumatic fibromyalgia and normal controls and compare the results with lip biopsy. Patients and methods: Sixty one normal controls, 66 patients with Sjögren syndrome and 18 patients with rheumatic fibromyalgia were studied. For the diagnosis of Sjögren syndrome and fibromyalgia rheumatica, the Modified European and American College of Rheumatology criteria were used, respectively. Lip biopsies were obtained in 52 patients with Sjögren syndrome. Scintigraphy was done with a gamma camera and computer after the administration of 99mTc-pertechnetate, obtaining images during 30 min and creating time/activity curves. Scintigraphy was classified as normal, with mild or severe alterations. Results: Scintigraphy was normal in 74 percent of control subjects and in 26 percent, it had mild alterations. In 72 percent of patients with rheumatic fibromyalgia, scintigraphy was normal whereas in 28 percent, it had mild alterations. In 27 percent of patients with Sjögren syndrome, scintigraphy was normal, in 27 percent it had mild alterations and in 46 percent, severe alterations. There was a positive and significant correlation between pathological alterations of salivary glands and scintigraphic alterations (r=0.642, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Severe scintigraphic alterations of salivary glands strongly support the diagnosis of Sjögren syndrome. Mild alterations are non specific and anormal scintigraphy does not exclude the diagnosis