Association analysis of the COL1A1 polymorphism with bone mineral density and prevalent fractures in Polish postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.

Introduction: Polymorphism in the promoter region of collagen type 1α (COL1A1) +1245G/T (Sp1, rs1800012) was in some studies shown to be relevant for bone mineral density (BMD) and low-energy fracture prediction. The aim of the study was to confirm this finding in a group of postmenopausal women diagnosed with osteoporosis.

Material And Methods: We investigated 311 Caucasian women (mean age: 65.

Osteoprotegerin, s-RANKL, and selected interleukins in the pathology of bone metabolism in patients with Crohn's disease.

Introduction: Crohn's disease (CD) promotes the development of osteopaenia/osteoporosis, the cytokine background of which is not fully known.

Aim: Evaluation of bone mineral density (BMD), the prevalence of osteopaenia and osteoporosis, and the determination of the levels of selected interleukins (IL), osteoprotegerin (OPG), and s-RANKL proteins in patients with CD in relation to a control group and assessment of the relationship between the tested cytokines, OPG, s-RANKL, and BMD.

Material And Methods: Thirty-seven CD patients and 37 healthy volunteers (control group) were enrolled into the study.

The importance of vitamin D in the pathology of bone metabolism in inflammatory bowel diseases.

Etiological factors of bone metabolism disorders in inflammatory bowel diseases have been the subject of interest of many researchers. One of the questions often raised is vitamin D deficiency. Calcitriol acts on cells, tissues and organs through a vitamin D receptor.

The attractiveness of family medicine among Polish medical students.

Background: In many developed countries tuning supply and demand of medical doctors is a continuous challenge to meet the ever changing needs of community and individual patients. The long study period for medical doctors creates the opportunity to observe the current career preferences of medical students and evolution in time.

Objectives: To investigate the career choices of Polish students in different stages of their medical education.

Prognostic factors in patients surgically treated after hip fracture.

Introduction: By the impact of demographic changes and as the result of the 'incorrect' lifestyles pursued in developed societies, osteoporosis has become a serious social problem. Hip fracture is the most serious complication of osteoporosis and is associated with high mortality rates or permanent health impairment. The goal of this study was an evaluation of the impact of selected socio-economic factors and of the time period from fracture to surgical intervention on the patient's prognosis.

Vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms, bone mineral density and fractures in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.

The goal of the study was to investigate the possibility of an association between polymorphisms and single alleles of BsmI, ApaI, TaqI of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene with bone mineral density (BMD) and prevalence of vertebral/non-vertebral fractures in a group of postmenopausal Polish women with osteoporosis. The study group comprised of 501 postmenopausal females with osteoporosis (mean age 66.4 ± 8.

Stimulating preventive procedures in primary care. Effect of PIUPOZ program on the delivery of preventive procedures.

Introduction: Educational meetings are one of the most frequently used strategies to change doctors' professional behavior; however, their effectiveness as a single intervention is limited. This study evaluated the effect of a multifactorial intervention, based on interactive workshops, on the GPs' knowledge and the delivery rates of preventive procedures in primary care.

Material And Methods: The study population comprised 106 GPs working in the Wielkopolska region recruited to the PIUPOZ program (Improving Quality in Primary Care).

Influence of social competence of physicians on patient compliance with osteoporosis medications--a study on Polish postmenopausal women.

Objective: The aim of the study was to examine the impact of social competence of physicians on the effectiveness of patient compliance and persistence with therapy.

Material And Methods: The study included physicians and their patients, previously diagnosed with osteoporosis, and eligible to receive pharmacological treatment. The physicians were evaluated with the social competence questionnaire involving three dimensions: social exposure, intimacy and assertiveness, as well as in the combined scale.

Pregnancy associated osteoporosis--a case report.

Loss of bone mineral density (BMD)--usually temporary--occurs during pregnancy and lactation. Pregnancy associated osteoporosis (PAO) is an uncommon disease of unknown etiology. We present a case of a 35-year old woman with PAO, manifesting initially at the end of the first pregnancy as back pain.

[The role of hormonal therapy in osteoporosis].

In developed societies, the post-menopausal period covers approximately one third of a woman's life. The deficit of oestrogens observed during the post-menopausal period significantly affects the course of many metabolic processes, causing a number of diseases and in consequence diminishing quality of life. Among others, bones belong to oestrogen-dependent tissues.

[The role of anorexia nervosa in secondary osteoporosis development with the risk for low energy fractures].

Anorexia nervosa (AN) has in recent years become considerably more common. The disease primarily affects girls and young women, also boys and young men. AN is a risk factor for secondary osteoporosis.

The effects of osteoprotegerin (OPG) gene polymorphism in patients with ischaemic heart disease on the morphology of coronary arteries and bone mineral density.

Background: The incidence of coronary artery disease (CAD) and osteoporosis increases with age, especially in the elderly. Many studies have shown that vessel calcification is associated with low bone mineral density (BMD) and an increased risk of bone fractures. Experimental studies have shown that osteoprotegerin (OPG) gene knockout mice have aortic calcification and osteoporosis at the same time.

Association between estrogen receptor alpha gene polymorphisms and bone mineral density in Polish female patients with Graves' disease.

Graves' (GD) hyperthyroidism leads to reduced bone mineral density (BMD) accompanied by accelerated bone turnover. Ample studies have identified association between estrogen receptor (ESR1) gene polymorphism and decreased BMD and osteoporosis. In contrast, number of publications that link ESR1, BMD and Graves' disease is limited.

[Pregnancy, lactation and bone mineral density].

Evidence shows that pregnancy and lactation lead to the decrease of bone mineral density (BMD), which is related to mobilization of skeletal calcium. Numeorous mechanisms are involved in maternal adaptation to the increased demand for calcium. BMD has been proved to return to the baseline level after weaning.

The role of hormonal therapy in osteoporosis.

In developed societies, the post-menopausal period covers approximately one third of a woman's life. The deficit of oestrogens observed during the post-menopausal period significantly affects the course of many metabolic processes, causing a number of diseases and in consequence diminishing quality of life. Among others, bones belong to oestrogen-dependent tissues.

The role of anorexia nervosa in secondary osteoporosis development with the risk for low energy fractures.

Anorexia nervosa (AN) has in recent years become considerably more common. The disease primarily affects girls and young women, and also boys and young men. AN is a risk factor for secondary osteoporosis.

A discussion of the intervention thresholds in osteoporosis treatment in Poland.

Introduction: Epidemiological prognoses regarding the global spread of post-menopausal osteoporosis can prove somewhat nebulous. But it is clear that low-energy fractures and their consequences will become an increasingly serious health problem. Therefore it is crucial to implement prognostic procedures which could more effectively predict the incidence of osteoporosis and its complications.

Alendronate 70 therapy in elderly women with post-menopausal osteoporosis: the problem of compliance.

Introduction: More than half of those with chronic diseases, including osteoporosis, discontinue treatment during the first year of its administration. This problem increases over the course of continued follow-up. Additionally, it has been observed that 13% of women, prescribed oral daily alendronate, do not even start the treatment, while 20% of patients discontinue the therapy during the first four months.

Influence of lean and fat mass on bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis.

Despite known positive association between body mass and bone mineral density (BMD), relative contribution of fat and lean tissue to BMD remains under debate. We aimed at investigating the effect of selected anthropometric parameters, including fat content and lean body mass (LBM) on BMD in postmenopausal, osteoporotic women with body mass index (BMI) > 20 kg/m(2). The study involved 92 never-treated women (mean age 69.

Vitamin D supplementation in adults - guidelines.

Vitamin D is necessary in maintaining appropriate calcium and phosphate homeostasis in the body (classical function) and ensuring appropriate functioning of many tissues, organs and cells, unrelated to mineral economy (non-classical function). Vitamin D deficiency in adults may cause osteomalacia, increase fracture risk in osteoporosis, induce cardiovascular diseases, diabetes type 1 and 2, multiple sclerosis, Lesniowski-Crohn disease, and cancer, including colon, breast, and prostate cancer. Possible causes of vitamin D deficiency in a healthy population include decreased cutaneous synthesis and an inadequate intake of vitamin D, both in food and in supplements.

British and Polish general practitioners' opinions on the importance of preventive medicine.

The delivery of preventive services in GPs' surgeries falls below recommended levels. Different attempts are performed to change the situation. The introduction in the UK in 2004 of a new GP contract based on a QOF fundamentally changed the way that primary practitioners are paid.

[Vitamin D supplementation in adults--guidelines].

Vitamin D is necessary in maintaining appropriate calcium and phosphate homeostasis in the body (classical function) and ensuring appropriate functioning of many tissues, organs and cells, unrelated to mineral economy (non-classical function). Vitamin D deficiency in adults may cause osteomalacia, increase fracture risk in osteoporosis, induce cardiovascular diseases, diabetes type 1 and 2, multiple sclerosis, Lesniowski-Crohn disease, and cancer, including colon, breast, and prostate cancer. Possible causes of vitamin D deficiency in a healthy population include decreased cutaneous synthesis and an inadequate intake of vitamin D, both in food and in supplements.

[Metabolic syndrome and bone].

In recent years an increasing socioeconomic burden of two pressing problems has been observed: enormous prevalence of obesity and - along with aging of populations - great number of people affected with osteoporosis. Visceral obesity, expressed by increased waist circumference, is according to the latest guidelines a crucial component of metabolic syndrome (MS). So far the two entities have not been linked, as studies have proven beneficial effect of increased body weight on bone mineral density (BMD).

Correlation of vitamin D receptor gene (VDR) polymorphism with osteoporotic changes in Polish postmenopausal women.

Objective: Recently the significance of genetic traits, influencing hormonal and environmental factors, in susceptibility to osteopenia and osteoporosis development has been indicated. Much attention to the polymorphic variants of vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene was paid. The restriction polymorphisms in VDR gene could be involved in the modulation of vitamin D action and modulate the level of bone mineral density (BMD) and the risk to develop osteopenia and osteoporosis.

Gender makes the difference: the influence of patients' gender on the delivery of preventive services in primary care in Poland.

Objective: General practitioners' (GPs') time and resources for preventive services needs to be delivered equitably. We aimed to study the effect of patients' gender on the delivery of preventive procedures to adult patients aged 40 years and over.

Method: An observational study was performed in primary care surgeries in Wielkopolska (Poland) as a part of the Improving Quality in Primary Care (PIUPOZ) programme carried out by Family Medicine Department of the University of Medical Sciences, Poznan.