A total of 123 men (mean age: 52.6 +/- 12.0) and 69 women (mean age: 51.7 +/- 10.4) was included. Age, blood pressure, C-reactive protein, serum homocysteine, heart rate, and blood urea nitrogen were positively predictive of increased pulse wave velocity. In turn, baPWV increased Vorinostat in vivo the risk (odds ratio: 1.257 for each m/s, 95% CI: 1.105 similar to 1.430, p < 0.001) and high-density lipoprotein decreased the risk for cardiac diastolic dysfunction (0.962 for each mg/dl, 95% CI: 0.925 similar to 1.000, p = 0.05). The correlation between baPWV and Framingham
10-year risk was moderate (men: r = 0.306, p = 0.002; women r = 0.548, p < 0.001).
Conclusion: The results suggest that baPWV is a composite risk factor for early atherosclerotic change and
a predictor for the development of diastolic dysfunction and tong-term cardiovascular risk. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.”
“Study Design. Bench-top and retrospective analysis to assess vertebral rotation based on the appearance of bilateral pedicle screws in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).
Objective. To develop a clinically relevant radiographic grading system for evaluating postoperative thoracic apical vertebral rotation that would correlate with computed tomography (CT) measures of rotation.
Summary of Background Data. The 3-column vertebral body control provided by bilateral pedicle screws has Torin 1 enabled scoliosis surgeons to develop advanced techniques of direct vertebral derotation. Our ability to accurately quantify spinal deformity in the axial plane, however, continues to be limited.
Methods. Trigonometry
was used to define the relationship between the position of bilateral pedicle screws and vertebral rotation. This relationship was validated using digital photographs of a bench-top model. The mathematical relationships Fer-1 nmr were then used to calculate vertebral rotation from standing postoperative, posteroanterior radiographs in AIS patients and correlated with postoperative CT measures of rotation.
Results. Fourteen digital photographs of the benchtop model were independently analyzed twice by 3 coauthors. The mathematically calculated degree of rotation was found to correlate significantly with the actual degree of rotation (r = 0.99; P < 0.001) and the intra-and inter-observer reliability for these measurements were both excellent (k = 0.98 and k = 0.97, respectively). In the retrospective analysis of 17 AIS patients, the average absolute difference between the radiographic measurement of rotation and the CT measure was only 1.9 +/- 2.0 degrees (r = 0.92; P < 0.001). Based on these correlations a simple radiographic grading system for postoperative apical vertebral rotation was developed.
Conclusion. An accurate assessment of vertebral rotation can be performed radiographically, using screw lengths and screw tip-to-rod distances of bilateral segmental pedicle screws and a trigonometric calculation.