Hand anthropometry in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome: a case-control study with a matched control group of healthy volunteers.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to perform anthropometrical measure- ments of patients' hands with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in order to evaluate if there is a correlation between CTS occurrence and hand features regarding sexual dimorphism, age and physical activity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study sample consisted of 48 patients (33 females) and control group included 80 healthy volunteers (58 females) with no history of CTS. The following measurements were performed: the wrist circumference, length of the hand, the hand's width, width of the wrist, thickness of the wrist, height of the hypothenar and thenar, length of the arm and forearm, circumference of the proximal phalanges and width of the digits; as well as several indexes were calculated i.e.: body mass index (BMI), shape index, digit index, wrist index, hand length/height ratio (HLH-ratio) and hand length/upper limb length ratio (HLULL-ratio). RESULTS: Correlation coincidences were analysed between circumferences within the hand, palm and body weight. All parameters except fingers were correlated with body weight in either gender in both groups (p < 0.05; r = 0.40-0.80); Furthermore, width of the hand was correlated with body height (p < 0.001; r = 0.56-0.71). Mean values of wrist index for CTS patients were: males: 0.8, females: 0.74 (significantly higher than in healthy individuals and indicating square shape); shape index: males 76.5, females 75.8; digit index: males 55.7, females 56.5. The calculated HLH-ratio in CTS group was: males 10.6, females 10.9; HLULL-ratio: males 23.6, females 24.9 and they did not differ significantly from healthy volunteers. Almost 90.0% of females with diagnosed CTS have BMI > 25.0 kg/m2. CONCLUSIONS: There are significant differences in morphometrical features of the upper limbs between CTS patients and healthy individuals. Hands of patients with CTS are more massive and with 'plumb' fingers and square shape of the wrist. Furthermore, higher BMI values were confirmed to be predisposing factors in CTS occurrence.

An analysis of the origin of an early medieval group of individuals from Gródek based on the analysis of stable oxygen isotopes.

In the early Middle Ages, the region of the Cherven Towns, which is now located on both sides of the Polish-Ukrainian border, was fiercely contested by Slavs in the process of forming their early states. The main objective of the present study was to investigate the homogeneity of an early medieval population uncovered in that region, in the town of Gródek on the Bug River, by screening for non-local individuals. The origin of the studied skeletons was ascertained using analysis of oxygen isotopes in the phosphates isolated from bone tissue. In this paper, the isotope ratios obtained for samples collected from 62 human skeletons were compared to the background δ(18)O (in precipitation water) from the regions of Kraków (south-eastern Poland), Lviv (western Ukraine), Brest (western Belarus), and Gródek, as well as to the ratios determined for the animals coexisting with the studied population. Proportions of oxygen isotopes obtained for all the studied individuals were found to be similar to those for the precipitation water and animals, which indicates the absence of bone fragments of individuals originating in other regions.

The scaphocephalic skull of an adult male.

The paper presents abnormal craniofacial morphology of an adult male afflicted with premature closure of the sagittal suture. The skull is well preserved and there are no visible traits of surgical management which would be aimed to correctcranial deformation. In consequence of the restricted cranial development, some diameters of the skull were significantly altered. Basically, cranial vault morphology fits apparently to the scaphocephaly, whereas the basic ranium and viscerocranium are altered only in minor degree.

Isotopic composition and identification of the origins of individuals buried in a Neolithic collective grave at Bronocice (southern Poland).

The oxygen present in a human organism comes from numerous sources, but the major factor that causes variation in the isotopic composition of this element in a tissue is available drinking water. The isotopic ratio of oxygen in an organism's tissue, including that found in bones and teeth, reflects the isotopic oxygen composition typical for the area where a given individual developed and lived. Of particular interest with regard to this issue were a series of skeletons from the multiple grave discovered at the Funnel Beaker-Baden settlement at Bronocice (southern Poland). The question therefore arose whether the specimens buried in this grave were part of the local community. The oxygen isotope level was established using apatite isolated from bones or teeth. A femur and root dentine samples taken from permanent teeth were subjected to oxygen isotope analysis. The oxygen isotope level of the site was established on the basis of local water precipitation and measurements taken from the oxygen isotope concentration in apatite samples isolated from the bones of animals co-occurring with the studied human group. It has been found that the oxygen isotope levels in the bones and dentine of almost all the analysed specimens from the excavated site at Bronocice were within the established range for the area's environment, providing evidence for their local origin. Thus, it can be assumed that the analysed group inhabiting the macrosettlement at Bronocice during the Funnel Beaker phase of the Baden culture was most probably of local origin.