Acute alcohol use among patients with acute hip fractures: a descriptive incidence study in southeastern Finland.

AIM: To assess the very recent use of alcohol among patients admitted to two Finnish hospitals due to an acute hip fracture. METHOD: Very recent use of alcohol was recorded according to the patient's or the relatives' report. Ethanol was measured in blood samples taken at admission. Serum gamma-glutamyltransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase, and vitamin D concentration were measured. Reported use of medication, vitamin D, and/or calcium supplementation was recorded. RESULTS: Complete data were obtained on 222 of 375 eligible patients; 71% of those enrolled were women. The mean age of women was 80.5 years (SD 10) and of men 73 years (SD 12) (P < 0.001). The fracture type was femoral neck in 50%, trochanteric in 41%, and subtrochanteric in 9%. The use of alcohol within 24 h before the accident leading to hip fracture was reported by 21.5% of men and 7% of women; positive serum alcohol levels were noted in 17% (19% of men and 16% of women) and 2.2% had a level of >1.0 mg/l. Recent alcohol use was more common among patients in the age group of 65-74 years than among older patients (P < 0.001). The use of alcohol was associated strongly with tobacco use (P = 0.00012) but had no association with vitamin D levels. Alcohol users used less medication than non-users (P < 0.01). Women seemed to conceal their use of alcohol more than men (P < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Alcohol consumption was common among patients with an acute hip fracture, being more common in younger than in older patients. Use of alcohol in the 24 h prior to the injury was reported by 21.5% of men and 7% of women. Alcohol concentration in blood was positive in 19% of men and 16% of women.

Xylitol-induced changes of enamel microhardness paralleled by microradiographic observations.

The study, aimed to analyze the feasibility of a prospective field study, was carried out in Polynesian children with rampant untreated caries. Slabs of bovine enamel were inserted for 8-12 days in cavities and subsequently replaced by permanent fillings. Before use, the surface of the slab was polished, and one half predemineralized and tested for microhardness. The follow-up in 30 subjects involved 54 slabs, 30 from negative controls with no added sweets and 24 from subjects receiving 20 g/day of xylitol in candy. The microhardness of the slabs was reassessed, and the difference between measurements calculated and tested for significance. The differences between the groups were highly significant, the predemineralized halves showing pronounced rehardening at exposure to xylitol. Parallel microradiographic observations conformed with the above findings. The results indicate that the use of a noncariogenic sweetener might be of value in high caries risk subjects.

Marginal fracture of dental amalgams.

The purpose of this study was to determine the marginal fracture of different amalgams, using a semiclinical method which facilitates standardization and minimizes the observation time, in 10 patients receiving complete dentures. Cavities were cut occlusally in acrylic premolars and molars. The margin was then beveled to 45 degrees with a cone-shaped diamond. Two dispersion-strengthened amalgams and one conventional amalgam were used in each mouth. The cavities of each quadrant were filled with the same amalgam. Thus, conventional amalgam fillings were always placed in opposing quadrants to those filled with a dispersion-strengthened amalgam. The degree of marginal fracture was evaluated from the prints (magnification X 5-7) by five dentists separately and blindly. After 6 months' service, severe marginal fracturing was frequently seen.