ABSTRACT
The biochemical mediators responsible for variations in stature among normal subjects are largely unknown. To obtain some initial information about potential endocrine factors, we measured the serum concentrations of GH, IGF-1, IGFBP-3 and GHBP in healthy young men shorter than 159 cm and taller than 187 cm. We studied 14 volleyball and basketball players (tall group), and 14 jockey students from a horse racetrack (short group). A careful medical history was taken, including dietary intake, and physical examination with special attention to the possible presence of genetic stigmata was performed. Serum prealbumin was determined as an index of nutritional status. A buccal smear was performed to exclude Klinefelter's syndrome. The BMI and serum prealbumin levels were comparable in both groups of individuals. The nutritional survey, however, revealed that the tall subjects had a higher intake of calories (42.2+/-11.2 vs. 30.1+/-15.15 kcal/kg, p<0.05), and protein (1.5+/-0.6 vs. 0.8+/-0.4 mg/kg, p<0.01). Serum concentrations of GHBP did not differ in the two groups (0.95+/-0.37 nmol/l in the tall, and 0.95+/-0.53 nmol/l in the short group), and did not correlate with height, serum IGF-I levels, or BMI. We observed a significant difference in the serum concentrations of IGF-I in the two groups of individuals (42.02+/-9.37 nmol/l in the tall and 31.79+/-3.18 nmol/l in the short group, p<0.05), and this growth factor showed a positive correlation with height (r = 0.5, p<0.01). These preliminary findings suggest that final height differences in young men do not appear to be mediated by variations in GHBP concentrations.
Subject(s)
Body Height , Carrier Proteins/blood , Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3/blood , Insulin-Like Growth Factor I/metabolism , Humans , Male , Reproducibility of ResultsABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Aging is associated with increased risk of developing anemia and micronutrient deficiencies. Wheat-based staple foods are iron fortified in Chile. We aimed to establish the prevalence and etiology of anemia in apparently healthy free-living elderly subjects. DESIGN AND SETTING: A cross-sectional study was performed in an outpatient clinic of Santiago, Chile. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A group of 274 subjects (93 men, 181 women)>/=60 y old living at home and apparently healthy was studied. Clinical and anthropometric evaluations and dietary survey were performed. Complete blood count, and status of iron, copper, folate, vitamins B12 and A and C-reactive protein, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate were measured. RESULTS: Prevalence of anemia was 5.4% for men and 4.4% for women. Subjects with inflammatory process had a higher prevalence of anemia (22.2% men, 31.6% women). Abnormal serum retinol (<0.35 micromol/l) was found in 13.7% of men and 15.9% of women. Prevalence of folate deficiency (<7 nmol/l) was 50.5% in men and 33.1% in women. Low serum vitamin B12 (<148 pmol/l) was present in 51.1% of men and 30. 9% of women. Iron and copper deficiencies were infrequent. CONCLUSIONS: Anemia is not prevalent in free-living elderly subjects when iron intake is adequate. Inflammatory process is the main etiology of anemia in this age group. Vitamin A, folate and vitamin B12 deficiencies were found in a significant proportion of the study group. SPONSORSHIP: Sandoz Foundation for Gerontological Research.
Subject(s)
Aging/physiology , Anemia/epidemiology , Inflammation/complications , Iron/blood , Micronutrients/deficiency , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Anemia/etiology , Anthropometry , Blood Sedimentation , Chile/epidemiology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Diet Surveys , Female , Humans , Inflammation/blood , Male , Micronutrients/physiology , Middle Aged , PrevalenceABSTRACT
We studied 36 men and 94 women aged 60 to 85 years, without nutritional deficiencies or illness that could interfere with hematopoiesis, to characterize the normal limits of red and white blood cell counts. Lower limit of hemoglobin normal values were 132 g/l for men and 125 g/l for women. The corresponding figures for MCV were 85 fl and 83 fl for men and women respectively. Lower and upper normal limits for leukocyte count in both sexes were 3.66 and 9.36 x 10(9)/l. Hypersegmented neutrophils existed in 7% of men and 14% of women in spite that folate and vitamin B12 deficiencies were excluded. We concluded that blood cell counts of elderly people have mild deviations of normal values for young adults. Aged humans have a low white cell and bands counts, and elderly women have a higher hemoglobin concentration.
Subject(s)
Blood Cell Count , Age Distribution , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Hemoglobins/analysis , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Reference Values , Sex DistributionABSTRACT
PIP: 500 mothers of infants under 1 year old who were registered in 2 health service centers in Chile were interviewed between January and July 1982 as part of a collaborative study on breast feeding in Latin America conducted by the Latin American Association of Pediatrics. 5% of the infants were never breast fed, at 3 months approximately 50% were breastfed, and by 6 months only about 28% were breastfed. Classification of households according to ownership of automobiles and other household equipment, education of the household head, and household domestic help showed 6.0% in class A, the highest, 18.2% in class B, 40.4% in class C, 30.2% in class D and 5.2% in class E. 79.9% of infants in all social classes were breastfed at least in the 1st month, but the proportion was negatively related to class. 59.4% in class A were breastfed, compared to 69.1% in B, 84.8% in C, 82.6% in D, and 92.0% in E. Educational level and marital status of the mother were not related to breastfeeding practice. The relationship of employment outside the home could not be determined since 440 of the women were not in the labor force at the time of interview. 41.6% of mothers not breastfeeding cited lack of milk and 19.4% illness as the reason. 81.3% of mothers receiving prenatal care breastfed their babies compared to 52.4% who did not. 43.1% of the study children were aged 5 months or under. 79% of the mothers were aged 20-29 years. 33% discontinued breastfeeding because of declining milk supply, .48% for esthetic reasons, 3.3% for medical reasons, and 7.2% because of rejection by the infant. The introduction of other foods was cited by 24.3% as the reason for discontinuing breastfeeding.^ieng
Subject(s)
Breast Feeding , Adult , Chile , Female , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Maternal Age , Socioeconomic Factors , WeaningABSTRACT
Se comparan 48 ninos con sindrome convulsivo en tratamiento con fenobarbital y 29 controles sanos. Pudo demostrarse que los pacientes con niveles mas altos de fenobarbital plasmatico presentaron las mayores alteraciones bioquimicas del metabolismo fosfocalcico, hecho especialmente notorio en el aumento de la actividad de las fosfatasas alcalinas. Se ha recomendado suplementar con vitamina D a dichos pacientes
