Serum phosphate and hip bone mineral density as additional factors for high vascular calcification scores in a community-dwelling: the São Paulo Ageing & Health Study (SPAH).

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the association between abdominal aortic calcification scores (AACS) and bone metabolism parameters in a well-characterized general population of older adults. BACKGROUND: Several studies suggest a link between bone mineral metabolism disorders and vascular calcification; although only few of them analyze bone mineral density(BMD), laboratory bone markers and cardiovascular parameters at the same time and none were done in a miscegenated population. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 815 subjects ≥ 65 years old. The risk factors for osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease as well as a wide array of demographic and lifestyle characteristics were collected using a standardized questionnaire. BMD was measured by DXA. Kauppila's method was used to quantify the AAC score (AACS) by spine X-rays. Laboratory analyses were also performed. RESULTS: AAC was observed in 63.2% of subjects with a median AACS of 2 (IQR: 0-7). AACS were categorized in quartiles and the highest quartile of AACS (>7) were compared with the three lower quartiles of AACS (≤ 7). Logistic regression analysis was performed using parameters with statistical significance in the univariate analysis. The best logistic regression model revealed that AACS>7 was negatively associated with femoral neck BMD and positively associated with phosphorus, adjusted by age, current smoking, LDL, and arterial hypertension in the elderly community-dwelling population. CONCLUSIONS: We identified that higher serum phosphate levels and lower hip BMD are independent bone variables that are associated with elevated vascular calcification scores, supporting the search for effective prevention and treatment strategies that may simultaneously reduce these modifiable risk factors in older subjects.

Vertebral fracture assessment by dual X-ray absorptiometry: a valid tool to detect vertebral fractures in community-dwelling older adults in a population-based survey.

OBJECTIVE: Vertebral fractures are associated with higher morbidity and mortality. Since 70% of vertebral fractures are clinically silent, a radiologic image of the spine has to be acquired for the diagnosis. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of Vertebral Fracture Assessment (VFA) by dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) with radiographs to identify vertebral fractures in community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: A total of 429 older adults (ages ≥65 years) were enrolled in this cohort. VFA by DXA measurements were evaluated by 2 expert rheumatologists by consensus, and spine radiographs were analyzed according to the semiquantitative method by an expert radiologist. The correlation between VFA and spine radiographs to identify vertebral fractures was analyzed by kappa scores. RESULTS: The prevalence of vertebral fractures in VFA and radiographs was 29.1% and 29.4%, respectively (P = 0.99). The frequency of unavailable vertebrae was significantly lower in spinal radiographs than in VFA (0.9% and 5.6%, respectively; P < 0.001), particularly in T4-T6. According to VFA, 5,013 vertebrae (96%) were identified as normal and 144 (2.7%) had grade 1, 58 (1.1%) had grade 2, and 12 (0.2%) had grade 3 fractures. The sensitivity of VFA was 72.9% and the specificity was 99.1% to identify vertebral fractures. The sensitivity increased to 92% and the specificity increased to 99.9% when excluding grade 1 deformities. A good correlation between VFA and radiographs (κ = 0.74) was observed, and the exclusion of grade 1 resulted in even better agreement (κ = 0.84). CONCLUSION: In community-dwelling older adults, VFA and radiographs had comparable performances in identifying vertebral fractures, particularly if mild deformities are excluded. Therefore, this methodology is a feasible and promising alternative to improve the management of patients with a high risk of osteoporotic fractures.

Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma with predominant bone involvement, initially diagnosed by its oral manifestation: a case report.

Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL/L) is a rare malignant neoplasm linked to human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1). This virus has been identified in Japan, the Caribbean, and, more recently, Brazil. We report a case of ATL/L (lymphoma-type) affecting a 30-year-old Brazilian woman. She presented a painful and ulcerated lesion on her hard palate mucosa. Conventional radiographs and computed tomography revealed the involvement of several bones plus the lung and axillary lymph nodes. Histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses of oral biopsy confirmed a T-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Final diagnosis of ATL/L was made based on HTLV-1 positivity. She underwent multiple cycles of chemotherapy, which produced some improvement, but she died as a consequence of pulmonary and hepatic complications 4 months after the initial diagnosis. Besides the process of diagnosing and typing a malignant lymphoma, this article outlines the value of computed tomography and the necessity of performing HTVL-1 investigation in patients with a diagnosis of lymphoma of T-cell lineage.

Análises de carcinomas epidermóides por meio de radiografia panorâmica e tomografia computadorizada / Analysis of squamous cell carcinomas by means of panoramic radiography and computed tomography

Este trabalho teve como objetivo correlacionar aspectos radiográficos como, localizaçäo e extensäo do tumor, infiltraçäo óssea e de tecidos moles e destruiçäo das corticais, obtidos nas radiografias panorâmicas com os encontrados nas tomografias computadorizadas (TCs). Os aspectos radiográficos de 48 pacientes com diagnóstico histopatológico de carcinomas epidermóides, localizados em várias regiöes do complexo buco-maxilo-facial, foram analisados por 4 radiologistas. As radiografias panorâmicas e as tomografias computadorizadas foram realizadas nos hospitais e clínicas da Universidade de Iowa (EUA), FUNDECTO - USP e Hospital Universitário da Universidade de Säo Paulo (SP, Brasil). Como resultados, obtivemos a grande limitaçäo da radiografia panorâmica em determinar a localizaçäo e extensäo do tumor, com delimitaçöes bastante imprecisas da lesäo. Já as TCs ofereceram resultados mais direcionados como: invasäo do tumor em direçäo a estruturas moles adjacentes, extensäo da destruiçäo óssea, bem como a profundidade da lesäo, que foram confirmados com os achados cirúrgicos. Concluímos que a tomografia computadorizada demonstrou ser uma técnica bastante sensível na detecçäo do comprometimento ósseo e do envolvimento de tecidos moles, proporcionando, assim, o auxílio no diagnóstico e no planejamento do tratamento. No entanto, a radiografia panorâmica foi muito pouco sensível e eficaz, por mostrar apenas margens imprecisas e pouco nítidas da lesäo, näo avaliando o envolvimento de tecidos moles