A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, parallel trial of vitamin D3 supplementation in adult patients with migraine.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D levels have been linked to certain pain states, including migraine. This study investigated whether vitamin D supplementation would be beneficial for adult patients with migraine (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01695460). METHODS: A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled parallel trial was conducted in migraine patients (36 women and 12 men, 18-65 years of age). A 4-week baseline period was conducted before randomization to 24 weeks of treatment. Participants were assigned to receive D3-Vitamin (n = 24, 18 women and 6 men, 100 µg/day D3-Vitamin) or placebo (n = 24, 18 women and 6 men). Migraine attacks and related symptoms were assessed by self-reported diaries. The response rate (i.e. experiencing a 50% or greater reduction in migraine frequency from baseline to week 24), change in migraine severity, and number of migraine days were recorded. Changes in migraine-related symptoms, HIT-6TM scores, and pain sensitivity tests (pressure pain threshold and temporal summation) were also evaluated. Serum levels of both 25 (OH)D and 1,25 (OH)2D were assessed from baseline to week 24. RESULTS: The number of headache days changed from 6.14 ± 3.60 in the treatment group and 5.72 ± 4.52 in the placebo group at baseline to 3.28 ± 3.24 and 4.93 ± 3.24 by the end of the trial, respectively. Migraine patients on D3-Vitamin demonstrated a significant decrease (p < .001) in migraine frequency from baseline to week 24 compared with placebo. However, migraine severity, pressure pain thresholds, or temporal summation did not show a significant change. 25(OH)D levels increased significantly for the D3-Vitamin group during the first 12 weeks of treatment. There was no significant change in 1,25(OH)2D. No side-effects were reported or noted. CONCLUSIONS: D3-Vitamin was superior to placebo in reducing migraine days in migraine patients. Larger studies are required to confirm that vitamin D3 might be one of the prophylactic options for adult patients with migraine.

Ossifying fibromyxoid tumour of soft parts, with focus on unusual clinicopathological features.

AIMS: Ossifying fibromyxoid tumour is a rare lesion that generally occurs in the soft tissues of proximal limbs/girdle, or head and neck. Histologically, it usually consists of bland, mitotically inactive, S100+ cells in a fibromyxoid matrix with a characteristic peripheral ossification. However, we present two cases that deviated from this pattern. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One tumour, which was removed from the axilla of a 55-year-old female, was unusual in its large size (120 mm in diameter) and in its restriction of bone formation to its central zones. The other tumour, which occurred in a 62-year-old female, was remarkable in its acral location on the hand and high mitotic activity (four mitoses per high-power field). These features caused concern and follow-up of the patients was recommended. So far there have been no recurrences (25 and 18 months after surgery, respectively). An additional previously undescribed feature was the presence of fibronexus-like structures by electron microscopy in the second case. However, a myofibroblastic phenotype was not supported by the immunohistochemical findings. CONCLUSION: Though a distinct entity, ossifying fibromyxoid tumour may exhibit a wider clinicopathological spectrum than generally recognized.

Decreased bone density of the distal femur after uncemented knee arthroplasty. A 1-year follow-up of 29 knees.

We measured the early adaptive bone remodeling of the distal femur prospectively for 1 year after uncemented total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in 29 knees with primary arthrosis. 18 patients were randomized to receive a PCA Modular femoral component (n 9) or a modified version of the same prosthesis (n 9) with an altered location of the porous coating. The other 11 patients (n 11) formed a consecutive series with the Duracon femoral component. In the trabecular bone above the femoral component, bone mineral density (BMD) was measured in 2 regions of interest (ROI) anteriorly to the fixation pegs (ROI 1) and above the pegs (ROI 2), using dual photon absorptiometry (DPA). There were no differences between the Modular component and the modified version regarding the postoperative decrease in BMD. There was a decrease in BMD in both ROI 1 and ROI 2 with all 3 different femoral components, and in both ROIs the highest bone loss rate was observed during the first 3 months after surgery. On average (n 29), a significant bone loss of 44% and 19% in ROI 1 and ROI 2, respectively, was reached at the 1-year follow-up, compared to the initial values. A decrease of this magnitude in BMD in the anterior distal femur 1 year after TKA may be an important determinant of periprosthetic fracture and later failure of the femoral component. In this experimental set-up, a modified femoral component with an altered location of the porous coating did not influence the development of bone loss.

Effects of gentamicin and monomer on bone. An in vitro study.

Gentamicin-loaded bone cement is used with increasing frequency in primary and revision arthroplasty. Considering the high local concentration and the well-known toxic effect of gentamicin on the kidney, a similar inhibiting effect on bone tissue might be expected. In a series of in vitro studies using paired mouse calvaries cultured for 2 days, the authors found a dose-dependent decrease in the release of previously incorporated calcium-45 (45Ca) or tritiated proline and a decrease in alkaline phosphatase activity. In combination with methylmethacrylate, a small additional reduction in 45Ca release and a marked decrease in alkaline phosphatase activity were recorded. These results indicate that released gentamicin and monomer from antibiotic-supplemented bone cement depresses bone turnover and might thus play an important part in the pathogenesis of loosening.

Depressive effects of acrylic cement components on bone metabolism. Isotope release and phosphatase production studied in vitro.

In vitro methyl methacrylate bone cement components were found to depress the release of radioactive calcium and proline as well as the activity of both alkaline and acid phosphatases. These effects were dose dependent and reached levels observed for dead bone. These observations may reflect part of the pathogenesis of loosening of joint replacements involving the use of bone cement.

Influence of diphenylhydantoin on isotope release and bone enzymes in vitro.

The acute effect of diphenylhydantoin isotope release in an in vitro system using mouse calvaries was studied. A depressive effect on bone resorption was found involving radioactive calcium as well as tritiated proline. Bone resorption and formation were further investigated by semiquantitative histochemistry. Depressed activity of both alkaline and acid phosphatase was found, indicating a direct inhibitory effect of diphenylhydantoin on bone turnover.

A note on the likelihood equation in the ABO blood group system.

Some sufficient conditions on the data for the likelihood equation of the ABO blood-group system to have a unique solution, the maximum-likelihood estimate, are given. The simplest of these conditions is that the frequency of the blood group O in the sample shall exceed 1/8. This condition will hold for most samples.