Genetic predisposition for adult lactose intolerance and relation to diet, bone density, and bone fractures.

Unlabelled: Evidence that genetic disposition for adult lactose intolerance significantly affects calcium intake, bone density, and fractures in postmenopausal women is presented. PCR-based genotyping of lactase gene polymorphisms may complement diagnostic procedures to identify persons at risk for both lactose malabsorption and osteoporosis.

Introduction: Lactase deficiency is a common autosomal recessive condition resulting in decreased intestinal lactose degradation.

Osteoprotegerin serum levels in women: correlation with age, bone mass, bone turnover and fracture status.

Pre-clinical data have shown that osteoprotegerin (OPG) inhibits osteoclast function and therefore plays an important role in bone remodelling. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical value of serum OPG. Do higher OPG serum levels reflect decreased bone resorption and perhaps higher bone mass in women? Serum OPG levels were measured in 177 healthy women (aged 17-85 years) and in 48 untreated patients (mean age 71 +/- 5) with established osteoporosis, and related to age, bone mass, markers of bone turnover and, in the case of patients with osteoporosis, to pre-existing vertebral fractures.

Effects of gamma knife radiosurgery of pituitary adenomas on pituitary function.

Object: The authors undertook a retrospective analysis of the incidence and time course of pituitary insufficiency following gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS) for pituitary adenomas.

Methods: Pituitary adenomas in 92 patients were analyzed. There were 61 hormonally inactive tumors, 18 prolactinomas, and nine somatotropic and four adrenocorticotropic adenomas.