Association between the Dietary Phytochemical Index and Lower Prevalence of Obesity in Korean Preschoolers.

Little is known regarding Korean preschooler dietary phytochemical index (DPIs). We used the 24 h recall data of 1196 participants aged 3-5 years from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to study the association between dietary food intake and obesity prevalence. The amount of dietary intake by food group was compared according to sex and DPI quartile. Multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using logistic regression models. The average total DPI and energy from phytochemical food groups were not significantly different according to sex, although boys had a higher total daily food intake. Different inclinations between DPI quartiles and amount of intake were observed in the food groups; specifically, beans showed a higher intake difference between Q1 and Q4 for boys than in the other food groups. The highest DPI quartile had a significantly lower obesity prevalence than the lowest DPI quartile in all models for boys only when obesity prevalence by weight percentile was analyzed (Model 3, OR: 0.287, 95% CI: 0.095-0.868, p for trend < 0.05). Our results suggest a high DPI could help prevent obesity in preschoolers.

Lower Extremity Radicular Pain Caused by Entrapped Sigmoid Colon Between L5 and S1 Vertebrae.

Intestinal entrapment between two vertebral bodies is very rare. In all previous cases, it occurred by major trauma. However, the bowel entrapment between two vertebral bodies without trauma has never been reported, not to mention as the cause of lower extremity radicular pain. We describe the case of an 82-year-old female patient with right lower extremity radicular pain without recent trauma history. The patient was diagnosed sigmoid colon entrapment between the L5 and S1 vertebrae by lumbar spinal computerized tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, and showed improvement in radicular pain after manual reduction of interpositioned colon during surgery. Intestinal entrapment between two vertebrae without trauma is caused by degenerative and vacuum changes of the intervertebral disc combined with the anterior longitudinal ligament injury.

Vitamin D levels in children and adolescents with antiepileptic drug treatment.

PURPOSE: This study was to evaluate the relationship of 25(OH)D3 levels with anticonvulsant use and other possible factors in epileptic children and adolescents. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied 143 patients with epilepsy (90 boys, 53 girls; 11.21±4.49 years), who had been treated with anticonvulsants for more than 1 year. Patients who had taken multiple vitamins before the blood test and those who have the limitation of physical activity (wheelchair-bound) were excluded from the study. We evaluated the difference in vitamin D status according to the type and number of anticonvulsants taken and other factors such as gender, age, intelligence and seizure variables. RESULTS: For patients with mental retardation or developmental delay, 25(OH)D3 levels were lower than the levels in patients with normal intelligence quotient levels (p=0.03). 25(OH)D3 levels were lower in patients who had taken anticonvulsants for more than 2 years as compared to those who had taken them for less than 2 years (p=0.03). Those taking oxcarbazepine had significantly lower vitamin D levels than patients taking valproic acid (p=0.01). However, no effects of number of anticonvulsants taken were detectable. More than two-thirds of the patients were diagnosed with osteopenia or osteoporosis in patients showing either vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency. CONCLUSION: The possibility of vitamin D deficiency can be considered in pediatric patients taking anticonvulsants if they have mental retardation or developmental delay or if they have been taking anticonvulsants for more than 2 years or taking hepatic enzyme inducing drugs.