Prevalence, associated factors, and gene polymorphisms of obesity in Tibetan adults in Qinghai, China.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the prevalence and associated factors of obesity in Tibetan adults in Qinghai, China, and to determine the association between the FTO (rs1121980 and rs17817449) and MC4R gene (rs17782313 and rs12970134) polymorphisms with obesity. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2015 in Qinghai to selected Tibetan adults aged 20 to 80 years. Prevalence of obesity (BMI ≥ 28 kg/m2) and overweight (BMI 24 ~ 27.9 kg/m2) were evaluated. Multivariable logistic models were used to determine the associated factors. Pair-matched subjects of obesity cases and normal-weight controls were selected for the gene polymorphism analyses. Conditional logistic models were used to assess the association between gene polymorphisms with obesity. Additive and multiplicative gene-environment interactions were tested. RESULTS: A total of 1741 Tibetan adults were enrolled. The age- and sex- standardized prevalence of obesity and overweight was 18.09% and 31.71%, respectively. Male sex, older age, heavy level of leisure-time exercise, current smoke, and heavy level of occupational physical activity were associated with both obesity and overweight. MC4R gene polymorphisms were associated with obesity in Tibetan adults. No significant gene-environment interaction was detected. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of obesity and overweight in Tibetan adults was high. Both environmental and genetic factors contributed to the obesity prevalent.

[Study on anatomical parameters of adult lumbar intervertebral disc and endplate based on CT].

OBJECTIVE: To provide basic data for clinical application and individualized design of lumbar disc prostheses by measuring the anatomical parameters of lumbar intervertebral discs and endplates in healthy adults with CT three-dimensional reconstruction technology. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on 200 males and 200 females with normal lumbar spine who were admitted to the imaging center or outpatient department of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University from September 2019 to December 2020. The age ranged from 20 to 60 years old, with an average of (40.61±11.22) years old. The measurement segment was L1-S1 intervertebral disc, and the measurement indicators included the axial anteroposterior diameter and transverse diameter of the intervertebral disc, sagittal anterior, middle and posterior height, coronal left and right height, intervertebral space angle, and transverse and anteroposterior diameters of the upper and lower endplates of each vertebral body. RESULTS: ①In terms of gender, the anatomical parameters of L1-S1 disc axial diameter, transverse diameter, sagittal anterior, middle and posterior height, left and right coronal height and intervertebral space angle were all higher in males than in females(P<0.05), and the anatomical parameters of upper and lower endplates of L1-S1 vertebral body were higher in males than in females(P<0.001). ②In comparison of sagittal height of anterior, middle and posterior intervertebral discs, the sagittal height of L1-L5 intervertebral discs was middle-high > anterior-high > posterior-high(P<0.001), while that of L5S1 intervertebral disc was anterior-high > middle-high > posterior-high (P<0.001). ③In the comparison of left and right coronal height, there was no statistical significance in the left and right coronal height of L1-S1 disc between male and female(P>0.05). ④The L1-S1 intervertebral spaces angle between male and female increased with the increase of vertebral body segments. ⑤The anterior and posterior diameters and transverse diameters of upper and lower of L1-S1 vertebral bodies endplates were height in males than in females(P<0.001). CONCLUSION: The results suggest that gender differences should be considered in the design of adult lumbar disc prostheses. The anatomical parameters of the lumbar intervertebral disc varied with the increase of the vertebral body sequence, suggesting that different anatomical parameters of the intervertebral disc should be considered in the design of the artificial intervertebral disc, and the changes in the height of the sagittal position suggest that the design of the intervertebral disc should be wedge-shaped.

Prevalence and risk factors of refractive error in Qinghai, China: a cross-sectional study in Han and Tibetan adults in Xining and surrounding areas.

BACKGROUND: Our study aimed to explore the prevalence and risk factors of refractive error (RE) in Han and Tibetan population aged 50-79 years in Xining and surrounding areas in Qinghai Province on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. METHODS: As part of the China National Health Survey, our cross-sectional study compared the age-adjusted prevalence of RE in Han and Tibetan older adults aged 50-79 years in Xining and surrounding areas. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify risk factors for myopia and hyperopia. RESULTS: Among 769 Han participants and 476 Tibetan participants, the age-adjusted prevalence of myopia (spherical equivalent (SE) < - 0.5D), hyperopia (SE > + 0.5D), high myopia (SE < -6.0D) and astigmatism (cylindrical equivalent > = 0.5D) is 28.56, 22.82, 2.80, and 69.38%. Han participants have higher age-adjusted prevalence of myopia (32.93% vs 21.64%, p < 0.001), high myopia (3.93% vs 1.02%, p = 0.001) and astigmatism (72.14% vs 64.94%, p = 0.021) compared to Tibetan participants. Being Tibetan is the protective factor of myopia compared to being Han (OR 0.58, 95%CI 0.42-0.79, p < 0.001). Older age (p = 0.032), longer time length in rural area (p = 0.048), undergraduate/graduate education level (p = 0.031), lighter active level (p = 0.007) and lower BMI (p = 0.015) are risk factors for myopia. Older age (all p < 0.001) and pterygium status of the same eye (p = 0.013) also increase the hyperopia risk. CONCLUSIONS: Our study found an overall prevalence of myopia of 28.56% in Xining and surrounding areas in adults older than 50 years. Han population has higher myopia risk than Tibetan population. More medical and social resources should be allocated to improve the vision and life quality of older adults.