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Background: We performed this study to investigate the influence of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) therapy on radiographic indices of the spine using propensity-matched analysis. Methods: Patients with idiopathic short stature who had undergone both growth hormone therapy and whole-spine radiographs more than twice prior to 15 years of age were included in the patient group. Other patients who had undergone whole-spine radiographs more than twice prior to the same age during regular checkups for idiopathic scoliosis formed the control group. Propensity-matched analysis was performed to reduce the selection bias. The scoliosis Cobb angle, coronal balance, apical vertebral translation, apical rotation, and pelvic obliquity were measured from the radiographs taken at the periodic follow-ups. The rate of progression of the measurements was adjusted by multiple factors using a linear mixed model with sex as the fixed effect and age and each subject as the random effects. Results: Using a propensity-matched analysis, 48 patients were finally included in both groups. The scoliosis Cobb angle increased by 1.0° (p < 0.001) per year in the patient group, whereas there was no significant annual change in the control group (p = 0.496). Female patients showed a greater scoliosis Cobb angle (1.8°, p = 0.039) compared with male patients. There was no significant difference between the patient and control groups in coronal balance (p = 0.264). Apical vertebral translation per year was increased by 1.2 mm (p < 0.001) in the patient group and 0.5 mm in the control group (p = 0.003). Conclusion: Radiographic examination revealed that growth hormone therapy for idiopathic short stature affected the progression of the scoliosis Cobb angle and apical vertebral translation on the coronal plane. Physicians should be aware that annual follow-up is required to evaluate the change in the curvature of the spine in patients undergoing rhGH treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although ankle fracture surgery can affect glycemic control by either trauma-induced stress or a postoperative decrease in physical activity, there is little evidence on this issue. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of ankle fracture surgery on glycemic control and to assess the risk factors for poor glycemic control after surgery in patients with diabetes.Methods: We reviewed the medical records of consecutive patients with diabetes who underwent open reduction and internal fixation for the treatment of ankle fracture at our hospital. Patients who underwent blood testing, including fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and cholesterol levels, as part of a routine check-up before surgery and again more than 2 times after surgery were included. Changes in blood test results were adjusted by multiple factors using a linear mixed model with sex, age at time of surgery, body mass index (BMI), and type of ankle fracture as the fixed effects and each subject and timing of blood test as the random effects.Results: Sixty patients were ultimately included in this study. At 1 month postoperatively, mean FBG and cholesterol levels had increased significantly compared with preoperative levels (p = 0.011 and 0.024, respectively). After surgery, FBG levels showed an estimated monthly decrease of 2.2 mg/dL (p = 0.017). Sex, age at time of surgery, and type of ankle fracture did not significantly affect the monthly change in FBG level. FBG returned to the preoperative level at an estimated period of 8.1 months. BMI significantly affected preoperative FBG level (p = 0.015) but not the postoperative change in FBG level (p = 0.500).Conclusion: Ankle fracture surgery increased the FBG level at 1 month postoperatively. FBG levels decreased gradually after surgery at an estimated monthly rate of 2.2 mg/dL. Physicians should be aware of the difficulty in postoperative blood glucose control in patients with diabetes, even several months after surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although there is growing evidence of relationship between obesity and some specific stone compositions, results were inconsistent. Due to a greater relationship between metabolic syndrome and some specific stone type, obesity measured by body mass index (BMI) has limitation in determining relationship between obesity and stone compositions. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship among BMI, visceral fat, and stone compositions. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data of patients with urinary stone removed over a 5 year period (2011-2014). Data on patient age, gender, BMI, urinary pH, stone composition, fat volumes (including visceral fat, subcutaneous fat, total fat, waist circumference), and ratio for visceral to total fat using computed tomography based delineation were collected. To figure out the predicting factor while adjusting other confounding factors, discriminant analysis was used. Results: Among 262 cases, average age was 52.21 years. Average BMI and visceral fat were 25.03 cm2 and 124.75 cm2, respectively. By chi square test, there was significant (p < 0.001) difference in stone types according to sex. By ANOVA test, BMI, visceral fat, visceral to subcutaneous fat ratio, the percentage of visceral fat and total fat showed significant association with stone types. By discriminant analysis, visceral fat was proved to be a powerful factor to predict stone composition (structure matrix of visceral fat = -0.735) with 42.0% of predictive value. Conclusion: Visceral fat adiposity strongly related with uric acid stone and has better predictive value than BMI or urinary pH to classify the types of stone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Most studies focusing on progression of BPH have been limited to the relationship between age and BPH progression, and only few studies have focused on the time duration to start treatment. This study aimed to investigate the association between self-perception period (S-PP) of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). Methods: This study used data from two large-population surveys: a community-based survey and a university hospital outpatient-based interview survey. Both surveys were conducted in male subjects aged 40 years or older who gave consent to the survey questionnaire and voluntarily expressed their intention to participate. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to organize the population in both surveys into randomized groups to reduce selection bias. After excluding those who had missing values, 483 subjects were assigned to each group by PSM. Results: The S-PP of LUTS became significantly longer as the severity of LUTS increased. The S-PP was 4.15 years in the mild group, 4.36 years in the moderate group, and 6.23 years in the severe group. These differences were statistically significant. The correlation between S-PP of LUTS and IPSS was measured by partial correlation while controlling for age (correlation coefficient = 0.20, p <0.001). Multiple regression analysis after controlling for age revealed that one-year increase in the S-PP of LUTS significantly (p <0.001) increased IPSS by 0.322 points. Conclusions: This study clarified the association between S-PP of LUTS and IPSS in a large-scale population. These findings suggest that, from the perspective of public health, S-PP is an important risk factor for LUTS progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The efficacy of medical treatment among obese men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) has been less clear, especially regarding the improvement of QoL. We aimed to investigate the difference in efficacy and consequent satisfaction of life quality after medical treatment of male LUTS according to obesity. Methods: An 8-week prospective study was performed for a total of 140 patients >50 years old with International Prostate Symptom Scores (IPSS) > 12 points and prostate volume > 20 mL. Obesity was determined by either body mass index (BMI) or waist circumference (WC). Patients were divided into 2 groups according to BMI or WC. Patients received tamsulosin at a dose of 0.4 mg daily for 8 weeks. The changes from baseline in the IPSS, maximal urinary flow rate (Qmax), post-void residual volume, questionnaire of quality of life (QoL), and King's Health Questionnaire (KHQ) were analyzed. Results: Of the 150 enrolled patients, 96 completed the study. Seventy-five patients (78.1%) had BMI ≥ 23 kg/m2, and 24 (25.0%) had WC > 90 cm. Overall, the IPSS, IPSS QoL, and total KHQ showed significant improvement. Obese (BMI ≥ 23 kg/m2) and non-obese (BMI < 23 kg/m2) both showed improvement of the IPSS and IPSS QoL scores, but only the obese (BMI ≥ 23 kg/m2) group showed improvement of the total KHQ score (P < 0.001 vs. P = 0.55). Only the obese (WC > 90 cm) group showed improvement of the IPSS and total KHQ scores (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Our preliminary study showed the different efficacy of an alpha-blocker for improvement of LUTS and life quality according to obesity. Obese patients, defined by BMI or WC, showed the tendency toward a more favorable improvement of LUTS and life quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Codman's paradox reveals a misunderstanding of geometry in orthopedic practice. Physicians often encounter situations that cannot be understood intuitively during orthopedic interventions such as corrective osteotomy. Occasionally, unexpected angular or rotational deformity occurs during surgery. This study aimed to draw the attention of orthopedic surgeons toward the concepts of orientation and rotation and demonstrate the potential for unexpected deformity after orthopedic interventions. This study focused on three situations: shoulder arthrodesis, femoral varization derotational osteotomy, and femoral derotation osteotomy. Methods First, a shoulder model was generated to calculate unexpected rotational deformity to demonstrate Codman's paradox. Second, femoral varization derotational osteotomy was simulated using a cylinder model. Third, a reconstructed femoral model was used to calculate unexpected angular or rotational deformity during femoral derotation osteotomy. Results Unexpected external rotation was found after forward elevation and abduction of the shoulder joint. In the varization and derotation model, closed-wedge osteotomy and additional derotation resulted in an unexpected extension and valgus deformity, namely, undercorrection of coxa valga. After femoral derotational osteotomy, varization and extension of the distal fragment occurred, although the extension was negligible. Conclusions Surgeons should be aware of unexpected angular deformity after surgical procedure involving bony areas. The degree of deformity differs depending on the context of the surgical procedure. However, this study reveals that notable deformities can be expected during orthopedic procedures such as femoral varization derotational osteotomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]