Influence of lifestyle factors on quantitative heel ultrasound measurements in middle-aged and elderly men.

We examined the distribution of quantitative heel ultrasound (QUS) parameters in population samples of European men and looked at the influence of lifestyle factors on the occurrence of these parameters. Men aged between 40 and 79 years were recruited from eight European centers and invited to attend for an interviewer-assisted questionnaire, assessment of physical performance, and quantitative ultrasound (QUS) of the calcaneus (Hologic; Sahara). The relationships between QUS parameters and lifestyle variables were assessed using linear regression with adjustments for age, center, and weight.

Influence of Lifestyle Factors on Quantitative Heel Ultrasound Measurements in Middle-Aged and Elderly Men.

We examined the distribution of quantitative heel ultrasound (QUS) parameters in population samples of European men and looked at the influence of lifestyle factors on the occurrence of these parameters. Men aged between 40 and 79 years were recruited from eight European centers and invited to attend for an interviewer-assisted questionnaire, assessment of physical performance, and quantitative ultrasound (QUS) of the calcaneus (Hologic; Sahara). The relationships between QUS parameters and lifestyle variables were assessed using linear regression with adjustments for age, center, and weight.

Wegener's granulomatosis in pregnancy: a case report and review of the medical literature.

A Caucasian woman in the third trimester of her sixth pregnancy was diagnosed with Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) following investigation for recurrent ear infections and a persistent dry cough. Chest radiograph showed granulomatous lesions and the c-ANCA (antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody) was strongly positive. She required pulsed methylprednisolone and cyclophosphamide followed by oral prednisolone and azathioprine to control the disease process during and after pregnancy.

Risk factors for clinical coronary heart disease in systemic lupus erythematosus: the lupus and atherosclerosis evaluation of risk (LASER) study.

Objective: Accelerated atherosclerosis and premature coronary heart disease (CHD) are recognized complications of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but the exact etiology remains unclear and is likely to be multifactorial. We hypothesized that SLE patients with CHD have increased exposure to traditional risk factors as well as differing disease phenotype and therapy-related factors compared to SLE patients free of CHD. Our aim was to examine risk factors for development of clinical CHD in SLE in the clinical setting.