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Context:The association between bone mineral density (BMD) and breast arterial calcification (BAC) remains poorly understood and controversial. Objective:The objective of this article is to examine the association between BMD and BAC in a large cohort of postmenopausal women undergoing routine mammography. Design:A cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from a multiethnic cohort was performed. Setting:The setting for this analysis is an integrated health care delivery system in Northern California in the United States. Patients:A total of 1273 women age 60 to 79 years (mean age, 67 years) were recruited within 12 months of screening mammography. Main outcome measure:A BAC score (mg) was obtained from digital mammograms using a novel densitometry method. BAC presence was defined as a BAC score greater than 0 mg, and severe BAC as a BAC score greater than 20 mg. Results:Overall, 53% of women had osteopenia and 21% had osteoporosis. The prevalence of BAC greater than 0 mg was 29%, 30%, and 29% among women with normal BMD, osteopenia, and osteoporosis, respectively (P = 0.98). The prevalence of BAC greater than 20 mg was 5%, 3%, and 5% among women with normal BMD, osteopenia and osteoporosis, respectively (P = .65). The odds ratios (ORs) of BAC greater than 0 mg vs BAC = 0 mg after multivariable adjustment were 1.09 (95% CI, 0.81-1.48; P = .54) for osteopenia and 0.99 (95% CI, 0.69-1.48; P = .98) for osteoporosis. The adjusted ORs for BAC greater than 20 mg vs BAC 20 mg or less were 1.03 (95% CI, 0.52-2.01; P = .93) for osteopenia and 1.89 (95 CI, 0.81-4.47; P = .14) for osteoporosis. Conclusion:Our findings do not support an association of either osteopenia or osteoporosis with BAC presence or severity among postmenopausal women.

IntroductionEnd-stage renal disease (ESRD) is associated with perturbations in thyroid hormone concentrations and an increased prevalence of hypothyroidism. Few studies have examined the effects of hemodialysis dose or frequency on endogenous thyroid function.MethodsWithin the Frequent Hemodialysis Network (FHN) trials, we examined the prevalence of hypothyroidism in patients with ESRD. Among those with endogenous thyroid function (without overt hyper/hypothyroidism or thyroid hormone supplementation), we examined the association of thyroid hormone concentration with multiple parameters of self-reported health status, and physical and cognitive performance, and the effects of hemodialysis frequency on serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free thyroxine (FT4), and free tri-iodothyronine (FT3) levels. Conventional thrice-weekly hemodialysis was compared to in-center (6 d/wk) hemodialysis (Daily Trial) and Nocturnal (6 nights/wk) home hemodialysis (Nocturnal Trial) over 12 months.FindingsAmong 226 FHN Trial participants, the prevalence of hypothyroidism was 11% based on thyroid hormone treatment and/or serum TSH ≥8 mIU/mL. Among the remaining 195 participants (147 Daily, 48 Nocturnal) with endogenous thyroid function, TSH concentrations were modestly (directly) correlated with age (r = 0.16, P = 0.03) but not dialysis vintage. Circulating thyroid hormone levels were not associated with parameters of health status or physical and cognitive performance. Furthermore, frequent in-center and nocturnal hemodialysis did not significantly change (baseline to month 12) TSH, FT4, or FT3 concentrations in patients with endogenous thyroid function.DiscussionAmong patients receiving hemodialysis without overt hyper/hypothyroidism or thyroid hormone treatment, thyroid indices were not associated with multiple measures of health status and were not significantly altered with increased dialysis frequency.

IntroductionEnd-stage renal disease is associated with elevations in circulating prolactin concentrations, but the association of prolactin concentrations with intermediate health outcomes and the effects of hemodialysis frequency on changes in serum prolactin have not been examined.MethodsThe FHN Daily and Nocturnal Dialysis Trials compared the effects of conventional thrice weekly hemodialysis with in-center daily hemodialysis (6 days/week) and nocturnal home hemodialysis (6 nights/week) over 12 months and obtained measures of health-related quality of life, self-reported physical function, mental health and cognition. Serum prolactin concentrations were measured at baseline and 12-month follow-up in 70% of the FHN Trial cohort to examine the associations among serum prolactin concentrations and physical, mental and cognitive function and the effects of hemodialysis frequency on serum prolactin.FindingsAmong 177 Daily Trial and 60 Nocturnal Trial participants with baseline serum prolactin measurements, the median serum prolactin concentration was 65 ng/mL (25th-75th percentile 48-195 ng/mL) and 81% had serum prolactin concentrations >30 ng/mL. While serum prolactin was associated with sex (higher in women), we observed no association between baseline serum prolactin and age, dialysis vintage, and baseline measures of physical, mental and cognitive function. Furthermore, there was no significant effect of hemodialysis frequency on serum prolactin in either of the two trials.DiscussionSerum prolactin concentrations were elevated in the large majority of patients with ESRD, but were not associated with several measures of health status. Circulating prolactin levels also do not appear to decrease in response to more frequent hemodialysis over a one-year period.

Collaborative partnerships between community-based academic residency training programs and schools of public health, represent an innovative approach to training future physician leaders in population management and public health. In Kaiser Permanente Northern California, development of residency-Masters in Public Health (MPH) tracks in the Internal Medicine Residency and the Pediatrics Residency programs, with MPH graduate studies completed at the University of California Berkeley School of Public Health, enables physicians to integrate clinical training with formal education in epidemiology, biostatistics, health policy, and disease prevention. These residency-MPH programs draw on more than 50 years of clinical education, public health training, and health services research - creating an environment that sparks inquiry and added value by developing skills in patient-centered care through the lens of population-based outcomes.

BackgroundLactation improves glucose metabolism, but its role in preventing type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) after gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) remains uncertain.ObjectiveTo evaluate lactation and the 2-year incidence of DM after GDM pregnancy.DesignProspective, observational cohort of women with recent GDM. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01967030).SettingIntegrated health care system.Participants1035 women diagnosed with GDM who delivered singletons at 35 weeks' gestation or later and enrolled in the Study of Women, Infant Feeding and Type 2 Diabetes After GDM Pregnancy from 2008 to 2011.MeasurementsThree in-person research examinations from 6 to 9 weeks after delivery (baseline) and annual follow-up for 2 years that included 2-hour, 75-g oral glucose tolerance testing; anthropometry; and interviews. Multivariable Weibull regression models evaluated independent associations of lactation measures with incident DM adjusted for potential confounders.ResultsOf 1010 women without diabetes at baseline, 959 (95%) were evaluated up to 2 years later; 113 (11.8%) developed incident DM. There were graded inverse associations for lactation intensity at baseline with incident DM and adjusted hazard ratios of 0.64, 0.54, and 0.46 for mostly formula or mixed/inconsistent, mostly lactation, and exclusive lactation versus exclusive formula feeding, respectively (P trend = 0.016). Time-dependent lactation duration showed graded inverse associations with incident DM and adjusted hazard ratios of 0.55, 0.50, and 0.43 for greater than 2 to 5 months, greater than 5 to 10 months, and greater than 10 months, respectively, versus 0 to 2 months (P trend = 0.007). Weight change slightly attenuated hazard ratios.LimitationRandomized design is not feasible or desirable for clinical studies of lactation.ConclusionHigher lactation intensity and longer duration were independently associated with lower 2-year incidences of DM after GDM pregnancy. Lactation may prevent DM after GDM delivery.Primary funding sourceNational Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

OBJECTIVES: Bone mineral density (BMD) and fracture risk calculators (eg, the Fracture Risk Assessment Tool [FRAX]) guide primary prevention care in postmenopausal women. BMD scores use non-Hispanic White (NHW) reference data for T-score classification, whereas FRAX incorporates BMD, clinical risk factors, and population differences when calculating risk. This study compares findings among Asian, Black, and NHW women who underwent osteoporosis screening in a US health care system. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cross-sectional study. METHODS: Asian, Black, and NHW women aged 65 to 75 years who underwent BMD testing (with no recent fracture, osteoporosis therapy, metastatic cancer, multiple myeloma, metabolic bone disorders, or kidney replacement therapy) were compared across the following measures: femoral neck BMD (FN-BMD) T-score (normal --1, osteoporosis --2.5), high FRAX 10-year hip fracture risk (FRAX-Hip 3%), FRAX risk factors, and diabetes status. RESULTS: Among 3640 Asian women, 23.8% had osteoporosis and 8.7% had FRAX-Hip scores of at least 3% (34.5% among those with osteoporosis). Among 11,711 NHW women, 12.3% had osteoporosis and 17.2% had FRAX-Hip scores of at least 3% (84.8% among those with osteoporosis). Among 1711 Black women, 68.1% had normal FN-BMD, 4.1% had BMD-defined osteoporosis, and 1.8% had FRAX-Hip scores of at least 3% (32.4% among those with osteoporosis). Fracture risk factors differed by group. Diabetes was 2-fold more prevalent in Black and Asian (35% and 36%, respectively) vs NHW (16%) women. CONCLUSIONS: A large subset of Asian women have discordant BMD and FRAX scores, presenting challenges in osteoporosis management. Furthermore, FN-BMD and especially FRAX scores identified few Black women at high fracture risk warranting treatment. Studies should examine whether fracture risk assessment can be optimized in understudied racial minority populations, particularly when findings are discordant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]