Age-dependent Changes in Skeletal Muscle Mass and Visceral Fat Area in a Chinese Population.

OBJECTIVE: The present study was conducted to demonstrate the age-dependent changes in skeletal muscle mass and visceral fat area in a population of Chinese adults aged 30-92 years old. METHODS: A total of 6669 healthy Chinese men and 4494 healthy Chinese women aged 30-92 years old were assessed for their skeletal muscle mass and visceral fat area. RESULTS: The results showed age-dependent decreases in the total skeletal muscle mass indexes in both men and women aged 40-92 years old as well as age-dependent increases in the visceral fat area in men aged 30-92 years old and in women aged 30-80 years old. Multivariate regression models showed that the total skeletal muscle mass index was positively associated with the body mass index and negatively associated with the age and visceral fat area in both sexes. CONCLUSION: The loss of skeletal muscle mass becomes obvious at approximately 50 years of age, and the visceral fat area commences to increase at approximately 40 years of age in this Chinese population.

The relationship between hemoglobin and serum uric acid / 预防医学

Objective@#To analyze the relationship between hemoglobin ( Hb ) and serum uric acid ( SUA ), so as to provide basis for preventing hyperuricemia ( HUA ) . @*Methods@#As the research subjects, people who underwent physical examination in Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital from January 1, 2017 to October 31, 2020 for 4 years in a row and who were non-HUA in 2017 were selected. The physical examination data were collected, including body mass index, blood pressure, blood routine, blood biochemical tests, etc. The subjects grouped by quartiles of Hb level in 2017. The occurrence of SUA elevation ( SUA increased ≥60 μmol/L from baseline ) , significantly SUA elevation ( SUA increased ≥120 μmol/L from baseline ), HUA ( SUA>420 μmol/L ) and severe HUA ( SUA ≥480 μmol/L ) in the next 3 years were taken as end events. The incidence, occurrence time and risk of end events in different Hb groups were analyzed.@*Results@#A total of 4 073 subjects were selected and divided into 4 groups according to the Hb level from low to high, with 969 subjects in group A, 907 subjects in group B, 1 109 subjects in group C and 1 088 subjects in group D. SUA elevation was in 745 patients ( 18.29% ); significantly SUA elevation was in 105 patients ( 2.58% ); HUA was in 514 patients ( 12.62% ); severe HUA was in 94 patients ( 2.31% ). The incidence of SUA elevation and significantly SUA elevation showed a decreasing trend with the increase of Hb level ( P<0.05 ). The occurrence time of SUA elevation in group A to D was 2.788, 2.817, 2.860 and 2.814 years, and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05 ). There were no statistically significant differences in the occurrence time of other end events ( P>0.05 ). The multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis showed that compared with group A, other Hb groups had lower risk ( HR=0.498-0.776, 95%CI:0.253-0.981 ) of SUA elevation, significantly SUA elevation and severe HUA after adjusting for gender, age, ALT, Scr, body mass index, etc.@*Conclusions@#With the increase of Hb level, the incidence of SUA elevation may decrease and the occurrence time is prolonged. Compared with the lowest Hb group, the higher Hb groups had lower risk of SUA elevation, significantly SUA elevation and severe HUA.

Hyperbaric oxygen treatment at various stages following chronic constriction injury produces different antinociceptive effects via regulation of P2X4R expression and apoptosis.

PURPOSE: The aims of this study were to investigate the effect of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment at various stages following chronic constriction injury (CCI) and to explore the underlying mechanisms of HBO treatment. METHODS: Forty adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to five groups (n = 8 for each group): the sham group, CCI group, HBO1 group, HBO2 group, and HBO3 group. Neuropathic pain was induced by CCI of the sciatic nerve. HBO treatment began on postoperative days 1, 6, and 11 and continued for 5 days. The mechanical withdrawal threshold and thermal withdrawal latency were tested on preoperative day 3 and postoperative days 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, and 21. The expression of P2X4R was determined by immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis. Cell apoptosis was measured using TUNEL staining. The expression of caspase 3 was measured using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Electron microscopy was used to determine the ultrastructural changes. RESULTS: Early HBO treatment beginning on postoperative day 1 produced a persistent antinociceptive effect and inhibited the CCI-induced increase in the expression of P2X4R without changing CCI-induced apoptosis. In contrast, late HBO treatment beginning on postoperative day 11 produced a persistent antinociceptive effect and inhibited CCI-induced apoptosis and upregulation of caspase-3 without changing the expression of P2X4R. In addition, late HBO treatment reduced CCI-induced ultrastructural damage. However, HBO treatment beginning on postoperative day 6 produced a transient antinociceptive effect without changing the expression of P2X4R or CCI-induced apoptosis. CONCLUSION: HBO treatment at various stages following CCI can produce antinociceptive effects via different mechanisms. Early HBO treatment is associated with inhibition of P2X4R expression, and late HBO treatment is associated with inhibition of cell apoptosis.