Prevalence of Morphometric Vertebral Fractures After Bariatric Surgery and Its Relationship with Bone Mineral Density and Bone Markers.

BACKGROUND: Bariatric surgery (BS) can lead to bone loss and an increased fracture risk. METHODS: To determine the morphometric vertebral fracture (MVF) prevalence, and its relationship with bone mineral density (BMD), and biomarker's turnover after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and sleeve gastrectomy (SG), we analyzed post-surgery X-rays of the spine in 80 patients (88% female, 51% RYGB, age 41.2 [6.8] years) from 117 participants' retrospective cohort (1-2 years, >2 and <5 years, and >5 years). We still analyzed body composition and BMD by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and bone parameters. RESULTS: MVF prevalence was 17.5% (14/80), with no statistical difference between groups (p = 0.210). RYGB group had a higher prevalence of secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) (PTH ≥ 65 pg/ml; 18.4% vs 7.8%, respectively, p = 0.04), PTH (61.3 vs 49.5 pg/ml, p = 0.001), CTX (0.766 [0.29] ng/ml vs 0.453 [0.30] ng/ml, p = 0.037), and AP (101.3 [62.4] U/L vs 123.9 [60.9] U/L, p = 0.027) than the SG group. Up to 5 years postoperatively, RYGB had a lower total (1.200 [0.087] vs 1.236 [0.100] g/cm2, p = 0.02), femoral neck (1.034 [0.110] vs 1.267 [0.105], p = 0.005), and total femur BMD (1.256 [0.155] vs 1.323 [0.167], p = 0.002) than SG group. We found no statistically significant difference between the MFV (+) and MVF (-) groups regarding age, sex, BMI, surgery time, BMD, or bone and metabolic parameters, including leptin. CONCLUSION: We found a high prevalence of MVF after BS with no differences between RYGB and SG.

Common findings on head computed tomography in neonates with confirmed congenital Zika syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To describe head computed tomography (CT) findings in neonates with congenital Zika virus infection confirmed in cerebrospinal fluid. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a study of 16 newborn infants who exhibited abnormal head CT findings during an outbreak of Zika virus infection. Those infants had the following features: brain imaging suggestive of congenital infection; brain calcifications and negative results on tests for other main infectious causes of primary microcephaly, namely toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus, rubella, and HIV; positivity for Zika virus on IgM antibody capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in cerebrospinal fluid. RESULTS: Decreased brain volume was observed in 13 (81.2%) of the infants. All of the infants showed cortico-subcortical calcifications, mainly located in the frontal lobe. In 15 neonates (93.7%), ventriculomegaly was observed. Colpocephaly was a common finding, being observed in 10 patients (62.5%). A prominent occipital bone was identified in 9 patients (56.2%). CONCLUSION: Our study proves that Zika virus infection can cause congenital brain damage, with or without microcephaly. Some predominant head CT findings in neonates with congenital Zika virus infection, although not pathognomonic, are strongly suggestive of a pattern.

TREATMENT OF OSTEOCHONDRAL LESIONS OF THE TALUS BY MEANS OF THEARTHROSCOPY-ASSISTED MICROPERFORATION TECHNIQUE.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate patients affected by osteochondral fractures of the talus who were treated surgically by means of arthroscopy-assisted microperforation. METHODS: A retrospective study was carried out on 24 patients with osteochondral lesions of the talus who underwent microperforation assisted by videoarthroscopy of the ankle. They were evaluated using the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score system before and after the operation. RESULTS: There were 19 men and 5 women, with a mean age of 35.3 years (minimum of 17 years and maximum of 54 years). The minimum follow-up was two years (maximum of 39 months). All the patients showed an improvement in AOFAS score after surgery, with an average improvement of around 22.5 points. CONCLUSION: Videoarthroscopy-assisted microperforation is a good option for treating osteochondral lesions of the talus and provides good functional results.