ABSTRACT
Though seemingly an easy procedure to perform, there is no universally accepted approach to the measurement of waist circumference (WC) in the clinical setting. Measurement of WC can be affected by a myriad of factors including patient movement or position changes, poor positioning of the measuring tape or differences in tension applied to the tape by the clinician. Changes in any one of these factors can reduce the validity and reliability of the measurement. This is of particular importance in clinical trials where changes in WC represent a therapeutic endpoint. Recognition of the need for a more standardized and reliable means to perform WC measurement led to the development of a novel, validated technique. The Height of Iliac Crest (HIC) method uses a standardized technique that increases the reliability of measurement by minimizing some of the weaknesses and variations of previous methods. The purpose of the following study was to validate the accuracy and reproducibly of the HIC method for obtaining WC measurement data. This study demonstrates that accurate and reproducible results can be obtained through the application of the HIC method for measuring waist circumference.
Subject(s)
Waist Circumference , Adult , Anthropometry/methods , Humans , Observer Variation , Reference Standards , Reproducibility of ResultsABSTRACT
We studied the computed tomographic (CT) appearance and determined Hounsfield units (HU) for normal thyroid tissue in eight cats. Helical CT images (2 mm collimation) were acquired from cranial aspect of the second cervical vertebra (C2) through caudal aspect of the fourth cervical vertebra (C4). Data were acquired before contrast medium administration (n = 7), after delayed contrast medium enhancement (n = 8), and immediately after contrast medium enhancement after a second dose of contrast medium (n = 8). Attenuation of thyroid tissue was compared with surrounding tissues. Before contrast medium enhancement, thyroid tissue was hyperattenuating to the surrounding soft tissues. After delayed contrast medium enhancement, thyroid tissue was hyperattenuating to surrounding soft tissues and isoattenuating to contrast medium-laden blood vessels. Immediately after contrast medium enhancement, thyroid tissue was hyperattenuating to surrounding soft tissues and hypoattenuating to contrast medium-laden blood vessels. The thyroid glands were dorsolateral to the trachea, ovoid, and displayed homogenous contrast medium enhancement. Circular regions of interest were drawn on the right and left thyroid lobes. Densitometric data of thyroid tissue were as follows: precontrast medium enhancement, 123.2 HU (95% CI: 119.4-127.1 HU); delayed contrast medium enhancement, 132.1 HU (95% CI: 127.4-136.8 HU); immediate postcontrast medium enhancement, 168.5 HU (95% CI: 163-173.9 HU). Normal feline thyroid tissue is easily detected using CT without contrast medium enhancement. This information may be useful for CT evaluation of abnormal feline thyroid glands.
Subject(s)
Cats/anatomy & histology , Thyroid Gland/anatomy & histology , Thyroid Gland/diagnostic imaging , Animals , Contrast Media , Densitometry/veterinary , Female , Reference Values , Tomography, X-Ray Computed/veterinaryABSTRACT
Osteoporosis of the hip is associated with hip fracture, a devastating outcome on both an individual and aggregate basis. Height loss is a frequent manifestation of vertebral osteoporosis and is simple to evaluate in the clinical setting. The goal of this study was to determine whether height loss is significantly associated with low bone mineral density at the femur, using a retrospective review of cross-sectional data from 2108 women referred for a bone density scan. Collected data included self-reported maximum adult height, current height, and total hip bone mineral density, along with other demographic and risk factor information. We then investigated the relationship between height loss and osteoporosis using multinomial logistic regression modeling. We found that height loss of 2 in. or more is a highly significant predictor of osteoporosis at the hip. In particular, the odds women had osteoporosis at the hip, as determined by total hip bone mineral density, increased 4.4 times (95% confidence interval, 2.6-7.4) if the women had lost > or = 2 but < 3 in. of height. In addition, women with at least 3 in. of height loss had odds of osteoporosis of the hip that were 9.6 times greater (95% confidence interval, 4.8-19.2) than women with less than an inch of height loss. These odds ratios were adjusted for the confounding variables of age, weight, and maximum adult height. Our findings suggest loss of height may be an important clue in detecting osteoporosis of the hip, implying that evaluation of height loss should be routine in the outpatient setting.
Subject(s)
Absorptiometry, Photon , Body Height , Femur/pathology , Hip Joint , Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal/diagnosis , Aged , Bone Density , Bone Diseases, Metabolic/diagnosis , Female , Fractures, Spontaneous/etiology , Hip Fractures/etiology , Humans , Logistic Models , Middle Aged , Odds Ratio , Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal/complications , Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal/pathology , Retrospective Studies , Risk FactorsABSTRACT
Thirty-one ears (16 dogs) with otitis externa originating from bacterial or yeast infections were enrolled in a study to evaluate the in vivo efficacy of an ear cleanser containing 2.5% lactic acid and 0.1% salicylic acid for the treatment of infectious otitis externa. The affected ears were treated with the ear cleanser twice daily for 2 weeks and evaluated after 1 and 2 weeks of treatment. The ear cleanser was effective in resolution of infection in 67.7% of the ears, and clinical signs of infectious otitis externa were significantly reduced within 2 weeks.
