Assessment of femoral neck fractures in the elderly with respect to morphology and mineral density.

BACKGROUND: Femoral neck fractures are among the major orthopaedic problems seen in the elderly and the annual mortality rate is high. The calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) ratio can be used as an indicator of osteoporosis. The purpose of this study is to investigate the microarchitectural structure of the fractured regions of femoral head as well as bone mineral density in female and male patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The bone tissues taken from the fractured regions of 10 male and 9 female patients were examined with a scanning electron microscope. Electron probe microanalyses were carried out to measure mineral ratios. RESULTS: The bone trabeculae in the fractured area were thin and the cavities between trabeculae were seen to have transformed to irregular and broad structures. There were small valleculae reflecting osteoclastic activity. The analysis showed that the Ca/P ratio at the fracture site averaged 2.20/1 in women and 2.16/1 in men. As age increased, the percentage values of Ca and P decreased and the Ca/P ratio increased. CONCLUSIONS: Although there is no significant difference between the parameters of male and female patients, it seems that men can be affected by osteoporosis as much as women.

Evaluation of cancer records from 2000-2004 in Denizli, Turkey.

Objective information about cancer incidence is important for planning control programs. We examined the distribution of cancer cases recorded in Denizli province, Turkey. A total of 2185 cancer cases reported to the Denizli Province Health Ministry's Cancer Early Diagnosis Center during the years 2000-2004 were evaluated for sociodemographic characteristics, cigarette use, family history, and organ systems. Among these cases, 56% were male and 44% were female; 45.1% of the patients had smoked cigarettes at some time and there was a 10-fold increase in lung cancer and a 4-fold increase in urinary cancers among cigarette smokers (P < 0.001). We found that 34.4% of the cancer cases were diagnosed as localized, 27.9% had a more extensive distribution and 21.8% were in metastasis. The most frequent types were urinary cancers at 26.4%, gastrointestinal cancers at 19.2% and respiratory cancers at 18.9%; there was a significant increase in gastrointestinal, blood and skin cancers over the years. Lung (14.9%), breast (14.1%), bladder (8.0%), prostate (5.3%), and lymphatic (4.8%) cancer cases were the most common.

Major congenital anomalies: a five-year retrospective regional study in Turkey.

We examined the distribution and demographic characteristics of congenital anomalies in a Turkish province for five years. The records of 63,159 live births between 2000 and 2004 were examined retrospectively. Major congenital anomalies were classified according to year, organ system, gender, family relationship, maternal age, mortality rate, and method of delivery. There were 183 cases of major birth defects among 63,159 live births, giving a prevalence of 2.9/1000. Anomalies of the central nervous system were the most common defect (31%), followed by cleft palate/lip (19%), musculoskeletal system anomalies (14%), and chromosomal anomalies (13%). Among the infants with major anomalies, 14% did not survive, 56% were delivered vaginally, and 25% were miscarried. There was a significant increase in rate of major congenital anomalies during the five-year period.