[Genetics of osteoporosis].

Osteoporosis is a common disease with a strong genetic componenet characterized by reduced bone mass and increased risk of fragility fractures. Twins and family studies have shown that the heritability of bone mineral density (BMD) and other determinants of fracture risk - such as ultrasound properties of bone, skeletal geometry, and bone turnover - are high, although heritability of fracture is modest. In this article, some important gene identifications of the last years such as vitamin receptor, estrogen receptor alpha, alpha 1 chain of type I collagen, low density lipoprotein receptor - related protein 5, bone morphogenic proteins 2 and 4, transforming growth factor beta 1, receptor activator of NF-kappa-B, receptor activator of NF-kappa-B ligand, osteoprotegerin and their contribution to the understanding of the genetic regulation of bone mass and susceptibility to osteoporosis are present.

[Efficacy and safety of bivalos therapy for postmenopausal osteoporosis. Results of Russian multicenter trial].

Aim: To study effects of one-year therapy with bivalos on mineral bone density (MBD) of the spine in patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMO), effects of bivalos (strontium ranelate) on MBD of the neck of the femur and femur, the levels of bone metabolism markers, quality of life, tolerance of long-term therapy.

Material And Methods: The study was made of 60 females aged 54-75 years with PMO. MBD was measured with x-ray absorptiometry in the vertebra and proximal femur.

Alu insertion polymorphisms in Native Americans and related Asian populations.

Background: Alu insertions provide useful markers for the study of inter-population affinities and historical processes, but data on these systems are not numerous in Native Americans and related populations.

Aim: The study aimed to answer the following questions: (a) do the population relationships found agree with ethnic, historical and geographical data? and (b) what can heterozygote levels and associated results inform us about the events that led to the colonization of the New World?

Subjects And Methods: Twelve Alu insertion polymorphisms were studied in 330 individuals belonging to South American Native, Siberian and Mongolian populations. These data were integrated with those from 526 persons, to ascertain the relationships between Asian, Northern Arctic and Amerindian populations.

[Combined medication ARTRA in the treatment of osteoarthrosis].

Aim: To study clinical effectiveness, safety and duration of the effect of combined medication ARTRA (500 mg glucosamine hydrochloride+500 mg chondroitine sulphate) in osteoarthrosis.

Material And Methods: Ninety women aged 40-75 suffering from knee OA and satisfying diagnostic criteria for OA of American Rheumatological Committee having x-ray II-III stages according to Kellgren-Lawrence; with distinct pain syndrome (pain intensity at walking 40 mm and more by the analogue visual scale); taking NSAIDS regularly during 30 days within 3 months before the study were enrolled in the study. The patients were randomly divided into 2 groups: 45 patients of the study group taking 1 tablet ARTRA 2 times a day within the first month, than 1 tablet a day within the following 5 months and diclofenac sodium 50 mg 2 times a day with gradual decrease of the dosage as the pain was decreasing; 45 patients of the control group taking only diclofenac sodium 50 mg twice a day during 6 months.

[Vitrum osteomag in prevention of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women: results of the comparative open multicenter trial].

Aim: To investigate efficacy, tolerance and safety of the drug vitrum osteomag one tablet of which contains 600 mg calcium (1500 mg calcium carbonate), 200 IU of cholecalcepherol, 40 mg of magnesium, zinc (7.5 mg), copper (1 mg), manganese (1.8 mg) and boron (250 mcg) in women with osteopenia for prevention of osteoporosis.

[Allele polymorphism of alkaline phosphatase, acid soluble phosphatase, and vitamin D-binding protein genes in postmenopausal osteoporosis].

Aim: To study polymorphism of genes involved in mechanisms regulating metabolism of bone tissue: alkaline (ALPL) and acid (ACP1) phosphatases, vitamin D-binding protein (GC); to ascertain associations of their genotypes and alleles with osteoporosis (OP) and mineral density of spinal and femoral bone tissue (BTMD).

Material And Methods: Relevant genetic examination was made in 70 females with OP diagnosed by the WHO criteria (1994) aged 60-79 years (mean age 71.0 +/- 6.

[Issues of osteoporosis in present-day medicine].

Osteoporosis (OP) is a systemic metabolic lesion of the skeleton involving a reduced osseous tissue weight and an impaired microarchitectonics, which worsens the bone strength and contributes to a higher risk of bone fractures. An essential spread of OP and of osteoporotic fractures among populations in various countries, including Russia, a high-severity outcome, and big economic expenses related with treatment and rehabilitation are indicative of a high social OP significance. OP is a multi-factor pathology provoked by impaired processes in osseous remodeling with a higher resorption of osseous tissue and a reduced osteogenesis.

[Bone mineral density and risk factors for developing osteoporosis in bronchial asthma patients].

Aim: To estimate mineral bone tissue density (MBTD) and risk factors for osteoporosis in patients with bronchial asthma (BA).

Material And Methods: A cross-sectional study included 119 patients (48 males and 71 females) aged 18 to 49 years who had no diseases or states that can induce MBTD, except BA. The patients were divided into 3 groups: 1) those untreated with glucocorticoids (GC); 2) those who received inhaled GC; and 3) those who permanently took oral and inhaled GC.

[Bone mineral density in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies].

The study was undertaken to examine the impact of glucocorticoid therapy (GCT) on mineral bone density (MBD) in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies. Double-energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to determine MBD of the vertebral column and proximal femur in 42 females (30 with the preserved menstrual cycle (PMC), 12 in postmenopause (PMP) with polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM). All the patients received GCT.

[Relations between ankylosing spondyloarthritis and HLA-B27 in various ethnic groups in Russia].

Aim: To characterize relationship between prevalence of ankylosing spondylarthritis (ASA) and incidence rate of HLA-B27 in genotypically different ethnic groups of Russia with interpolation of the results to other populations.

Material And Methods: 2287 individuals from genotypically different ethnic groups were examined in overall one-stage epidemiological trial.

Results: Prevalence of ASA in ethnic groups ranged from 0.

[Spondylarthropathies and rheumatoid arthritis in some Finno-Ugrian populations in Russia].

Aim: Determination of the prevalence of spondylarthropathies (SAP) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) among Finno-Ugrian population of Russia.

Materials And Methods: A one stage expedition trial was made of representative samples of Mordovian and Mari populations including 1312 citizens aged over 14 years.

Results: Incidence rate of SAP among Mordovian and Mari examinees was 0.

[Population-based study of antibodies to certain potential infectious triggers of spondylarthropathies: a study of Ugro-Finnish population of Russia].

A study was made of antibodies to some enterobacteria--potential triggers of spondyloarthropathies in population of mordva characterized by higher frequency of HLA-B27. 141 and 148 plasm samples were taken from erzya and moksha subpopulations, respectively. Enzyme immunoassay has detected specific antibodies IgA, IgM, IgG to Salmonella, Yersinia, Campylobacter and Klebsiella.

[Structum (chondroitin sulfate)--a new agent for the treatment of osteoarthrosis].

Aim: To study efficiency and tolerance of Structum in gonarthrosis patients as well as duration of its effect after discontinuation.

Materials And Methods: 100 patients with femorotibial gonarthrosis aged 45 years and older entered an open randomised trial. They had knee joint arthrosis satisfying diagnostic criteria OA ACR at stage II-III according to Kellgren-Lawrence with pain syndrome.

[The prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis and the rheumatoid factor in the native inhabitants of northeastern Siberia].

Aim: The study of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and rheumatoid factor (RF) prevalence among residents of eastern Chukotka--Eskimos and Chukchi.

Materials And Methods: Simultaneous total survey covered 974 of 1176(83.3%) residents of 4 villages in the eastern Chukotka.

[Population study of antibodies to some potential pathogens of spondyloarthopathies: the study of the Chukotka population].

The paper presents the results of the study of specific immune response stimulated by some enterobacteria in populations with high incidence of HLA-B27. A, M and G antibodies to Yersinia, Clebsiella, Salmonella and Campilobacter were studied on 292 plasma samples. The levels of the antibodies varied with anthropological parameters of the examinees (gender, age, nationality).

[Epidemiology of rheumatic diseases in historical aspect].

The paper summarizes the results of the long-term study of the epidemiology of rheumatic diseases, which has been carried out by the Institute of Rheumatology. The main directions of the study are the development and improvement of diagnostic criteria, the prevalence and incidence of rheumatic diseases among urban and rural populations, at industrial enterprises, in different ethnic groups, genetic and environmental risk factors, disability, the development and introduction of preventive and rehabilitative programmes of drug therapy, etc. A number of combined national programmes was carried out.

[Comparative study of epidemiology of spondylarthropathies in indigenous population of the Chukot peninsula and Alaska].

Unlabelled: The paper sums up the many-year cooperative Russian-American studies of the epidemiology of spondylarthropathies in the arctic populations of the Chukot Peninsula and Alaska.

Aim: Comparison of the epidemiology of spondylarthropathies in the indigenous population of the Chukot Peninsula and Alaska.

Materials And Methods: A universal design of investigation with the same diagnostic criteria was used in both countries.

[The use of rumalon in gonarthrosis].

An open prospective study in 100 industrial workers suffering from gonarthrosis has been performed 80 patients were treated with rumalon, 30 ml injections, twice/year, for 3 years in combination with ibuprofen film tabs, max daily dose (when required) 1800 mg. 20 patients have received ibuprofen only, the same dose. The control group was matched by sex, age, profession and duration of service.

[An epidemiological study of sacroiliitis among the native inhabitants of Chukotka].

For determination of sacroiliitis frequency among natives of Chukotka peninsula a cross-over epidemiological study was conducted. A total of 975 subjects aged 6 years and older were examined. 324 of them (33.

[Spondyloarthropathies and HLA-B27 subtypes in the populations of the Russian North].

The aim of the study was to investigate the role of HLA-B27 subtypes in development of ankylosing spondylitis and other seronegative spondylarthropathies. Using oligotyping techniques we studied native DNA of 219 HLA-B27 positive natives: 88 Chukotka residents and 131 Mordovians (Russian Ugro-Finnish population). Only subtypes HLA-B*2705 and B*2702 were revealed.

[Rheumatism in the Russian Federation: statistic and reality].

According to the 1994 governmental statistics, 481353 patients with rheumatism (3.25 per 1,000 persons of all age groups) were notified in the Russian Federation. The prevalence of active rheumatism was 0.

[DNA typing of HLA class II genes among the aboriginal inhabitants of Chukotka].

Polymorphism of class II HLA genes was studied in native Chukotka inhabitants with the use of DNA oligotyping. The characteristics of the distribution of allelic variants of the loci HLA-DRB1, -DQA1, -DQB1, and -DPB1 were revealed; they were similar to those of other Subarctic Mongoloid populations and different from those for comparable populations of other climatic and geographic zones. Our data suggest that the specific features found for the distributions of some alleles of the loci examined are related to the geographic variation in the HLA gene system studied.

[Epidemiology of hip fractures in age groups at high risk for osteoporosis].

In accordance with the program on osteoporosis epidemiology in subjects over 50, a retrospective study of hip fracture incidence in populations of two Russian towns (Elektrostal and Yaroslavl) was performed. The total population of Elektrostal and Yaroslavl is above 100000 and 600000, respectively. The analysis of medical records of the traumatological departments of the central city hospitals where patients with hip fractures have been admitted and files from outpatient traumatological stations was performed for 1986-1991 and 1982-1991.