A European multicenter comparison of quantitative ultrasound measurement variables: the OPUS study.

Osteoporos Int

Sheffield NIHR Biomedical Research Unit for Musculoskeletal Disease, University of Sheffield and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Centre for Biomedical Research, Northern General Hospital, Herries Road, Sheffield, S5 7AU, UK.

Published: December 2012

Unlabelled: Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) measurement variables vary between European countries in a different way to hip bone mineral density. Standardization of data can be achieved through statistical approaches to reduce any between-center differences in QUS measurement variables. However, further validation of this method is required before it can be widely applied.

Introduction: European between-center differences in hip bone mineral density (BMD) have been shown to exist; however, little is known about the geographical heterogeneity of QUS measurement variables. We aimed to examine the differences in QUS variables between three different European countries.

Methods: Five calcaneal and phalangeal QUS devices in Sheffield, Aberdeen (UK), Kiel and Berlin (Germany), and three devices in Paris (France) were used to measure QUS variables in younger (n = 463, 20-39 years old) and older (n = 2,399, 55-79 years old) women participating in the European multicenter Osteoporosis and Ultrasound (OPUS) study. Broadband ultrasound attenuation, speed of sound, stiffness index, amplitude-dependent speed of sound, bone transmission time, and ultrasonic bone profiler index data were collected. Between-center differences were examined using ANOVA followed by post hoc Fisher's least significant difference tests, and ANCOVA with linear contrasts. p < 0.05 indicated statistical significance.

Results: Between-center differences in nonstandardized QUS measurement variables existed for younger (p = 0.0023 to p < 0.0001) and older women (p < 0.001). Anthropometric characteristics exerted a significant influence on nonstandardized data (p = 0.045 to p < 0.001). However, following statistical standardization, based on height and weight or based on measurements made in young people, geographical heterogeneity in QUS measurement variables was no longer apparent.

Conclusions: QUS measurement variables vary between European countries in a different way to those for hip BMD. Standardization of data can be achieved through statistical approaches to reduce any between-center differences in QUS measurement variables. However, further validation of this method is required before it can be widely applied.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00198-012-1912-2DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

measurement variables
16
qus measurement
12
between-center differences
12
european multicenter
8
quantitative ultrasound
8
opus study
8
hip bone
8
bone mineral
8
mineral density
8
differences qus
8

Similar Publications

Objective: To establish an arterial spin labeling (ASL) protocol for rat livers that improves data reliability and reproducibility for perfusion quantification.

Methods: This study used respiratory-gated, single-slice, FAIR-based ASL imaging with multiple inversion times (TI) in rat livers. Quality assurance measures included: (1) introduction of mechanical ventilation to ensure consistent respiratory cycles by controlling the respiratory rate (45 bpm), tidal volume (10 ml/kg), and inspiration: expiration ratio (I:E ratio, 1:2), (2) optimization of the trigger window for consistent trigger points, and (3) use of fit residual map and coefficient of variance as metrics to assess data quality.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk calculators estimate the 10-year incident risk of myocardial infarction (MI), coronary artery disease (CAD) death, or stroke; however, they lack comprehensiveness and accuracy. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is a surrogate marker that may improve risk estimation acumen. The objective of this study was to derive ASCVD risk scores from historical data and determine whether these risk scores are associated with the history of subclinical CAD and CIMT.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Emergent phenomena exhibit interesting dynamics when considered individually. The present article examines two emergent processes that could be occurring simultaneously in an intense team interaction: the emergence of leaders and the emergence of autonomic synchrony within teams making dynamic decisions. In the framework of panarchy theory and related studies on complex systems, autonomic synchrony would be a fast dynamic that is shaped or controlled by leadership emergence, which is a slower dynamic.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: This study compares ambulatory glycemic profile and glycemic variability between pregnant women diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) receiving pharmacotherapy and healthy pregnant women without diabetes and assesses their correlation with fetal outcome.

Method: This was a case-control study involving 60 pregnant women (40 with T2DM and 20 healthy controls) in the third trimester of pregnancy. A flash glucose monitor device was applied over the upper arm to obtain the ambulatory glucose profile.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

BACKGROUNDAlthough physical activity is an important outcome in patients with chronic respiratory disease, it has not been characterised in those with non-tuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD). This study aimed to evaluate physical activity and its associated factors in patients with NTM-PD.METHODSThis prospective observational study measured daily step counts using an accelerometer to assess physical activity (steps per day).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!