Bone mineral density in men with and without the metabolic syndrome.

The objective of this study was to measure bone mineral density (BMD) in middle-aged men with and without the metabolic syndrome according to the International diabetes federation (IDF) definition from 2005. We studied 80 men (mean age: 51.9 +/- 9.

The EuroPrevall surveys on the prevalence of food allergies in children and adults: background and study methodology.

Background: The epidemiological surveys in children and adults of the EU-funded multidisciplinary Integrated Project EuroPrevall, launched in June 2005, were designed to estimate the currently unknown prevalence of food allergy and exposure to known or suspected risk factors for food allergy across Europe. We describe the protocol for the epidemiological surveys in children and adults. This protocol provides specific instructions on the sampling strategy, the use of questionnaires, and collection of blood samples for immunological analyses.

Estimation of lumbar spine bone mineral density by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry: standard anteroposterior scans vs sub-regional analyses of whole-body scans.

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry of the lumbar spine (anteroposterior (AP) L(1)-L(4) DXA) is one of the standards for testing bone density (BMD). Whole-body (WB) DXA scanning allows analysis of the L-spine (WB-LS). The objective of this study was (i) to predict the AP L(1)-L(4) BMD from the WB-LS BMD, and (ii) to compare WB and AP L(1)-L(4) T-scores.

Prevalence of low forearm bone mineral density in Bulgarian men: a pilot study.

Objective: To determine the prevalence of osteoporosis at the distal forearm in a male cohort referred for bone density testing and to compare it to published data of Bulgarian women.

Design And Subjects: 315 consecutive Bulgarian men aged 20 to 84 years were included (mean age 53.74 +/- 14.

14th International HLA and Immunogenetics Workshop: report on the immunogenetics of aging.

The 'Immunogenetics of Aging' is a newly included component within the 14th International HLA and Immunogenetics Workshop. The aim of this component was to determine the contribution of human leukocyte antigen (HLA), cytokine genes and other major histocompatibility complex-encoded loci to successful aging and to determine an increased capacity to reach the extreme limits of life span. Two main data sets from four European populations were included in this study: unrelated healthy elderly individuals and ethnically matched young controls, and families with longevity members.

[Bone density measurement: quantitative ultrasound of the calcaneus and distal radius. A comparison with dual spectrum X-ray absorptiometry].

Background And Objective: Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) has been successfully used for more than a decade in predicting the risk of osteoporotic fractures. However, the "gold standard" in the diagnosis of osteoporosis is dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). The aim of this study was to perform QUS at the calcaneus and distal radius, as well as DXA over the lumbar spine and proximal femur in women and to compare both QUS results with the DXA ones.

Organ transplantation in Bulgaria.

The transplantation program in Bulgaria started in 1968 with renal transplantations to a child and adult woman. In 1986 the first heart transplantation was performed. To date a total of 10 heart transplants have been performed, including one combined heart/lung.

PvuII and XbaI polymorphisms of the estrogen receptor gene and bone mineral density in a Bulgarian population sample.

Objective: The aim of this study was to search for a possible association of low bone mineral density (bMD) with the PvuII and XbaI polymorphisms of the estrogen receptor (Er) gene in bulgarian women.

Design: 400 bulgarian women participated in this study. bMD was measured at the lumbar spine, femoral neck and at the distal forearm.

Mitochondrial DNA variants in Bulgarian patients affected by multiple sclerosis.

The occurrence of multiple sclerosis (MS) in subjects clustering to a particular mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplogroup/haplotype or carrying mtDNA mutations associated with Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) has suggested that mitochondrial genome may contribute to susceptibility to MS. In the present study, 58 unrelated Bulgarian patients with relapsing remitting form of MS and 104 randomly selected healthy individuals were analysed for the presence of 14 mtDNA polymorphisms determining major European haplogroups as well as three (4216, 14 798, 13 708) secondary LHON mutations. Restriction enzyme analysis used to screen patients and controls for the common haplogroup-associated polymorphisms showed that each of these changes was present in MS patients at a similar frequency to control subjects.

FokI and BsmI polymorphisms of the vitamin D receptor gene and bone mineral density in a random Bulgarian population sample.

Numerous studies on vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms differ with conflicting data in various populations. We studied the association of FokI and BsmI polymorphisms in the gene encoding the vitamin D receptor with bone mineral density (BMD) in 219 persons of Bulgarian nationality. The calculated relative risk (RR) for low bone mineral density is higher for FokI marker (3.

Impact of KIR/HLA ligand combinations on immune responses in malignant melanoma.

Tumor growth and dissemination depend partly on the reactivity of natural killer (NK) cells and T cells expressing NK-associated receptors. Their effector functions are regulated by an array of activating and inhibitory cell surface receptors with MHC class I ligand specificity, such as the killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs). Given the extensive genomic diversity of KIRs and their HLA ligands, it is reasonable to speculate that HLA, KIR gene variations and specific KIR-ligand combinations will have an impact on disease susceptibility and/or progression.

Forearm single X-ray absorptiometry in the identification of postmenopausal women with osteoporosis at the hip and spine: a correlation study.

The International Society for Clinical Densitometry (ISCD) has stated that forearm bone mineral density (BMD) testing combined with a thorough clinical evaluation may be an option for the diagnosis of osteoporosis when central bone density (CBD) testing is not available. This study assessed the performance of two different forearm sites in identifying subjects with spinal and femoral osteoporosis, and defined the 90% sensitivity point for the DTX-100 bone densitometer in the detection of central osteoporosis. Four hundred and two postmenopausal Bulgarian women between the ages of 50 and 81 yr (mean age 60.

Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in a Bulgarian female population referred for bone density testing.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in Bulgarian women referred for bone density screening.

Research Methods And Procedures: This was a cross-sectional clinical study. Subjects were 444 consecutive 30- to 75-year-old Bulgarian women recruited from the outpatients referred for bone density testing (mean age, 52.

Prevalence of low central bone mineral density in a Bulgarian female referral population: a pilot study.

Osteoporosis is one of the most important health problems among elderly women. The prevalence of central osteoporosis in Bulgaria is still unknown. We tried to retrospectively determine the prevalence of osteopenia and osteoporosis at the spine and hip in a female referral population.

Effects of tibolone on body composition in postmenopausal women: a 1-year follow up study.

Objective: We investigated the effects of 1-year tibolone treatment on body weight, body composition and indices of android obesity in postmenopausal women.

Methods: Forty-four postmenopausal women participated in this open-label controlled study; mean age was 51.8+/-2.

Determinants of thyroid volume in schoolchildren: fat-free mass versus body fat mass--a cross-sectional study.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between thyroid volume and body composition in schoolchildren 11 to 15 years of age.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 126 girls and 86 boys who were living in an urban area and receiving iodine supplementation. The medical history was reviewed.

Bone mineral density changes in women with systemic lupus erythematosus.

The aim of this study was to analyse the heterogeneity of bone mineral density (BMD) reduction across measurement sites in female systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients on glucocorticoid (CS) treatment. The study population consisted of two subgroups: 32 women at a mean (SD) age of 43.2 (12.

Testosterone supplementation in men with type 2 diabetes, visceral obesity and partial androgen deficiency.

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of oral testosterone supplementation therapy on glucose homeostasis, obesity and sexual function in middle-aged men with type 2 diabetes and mild androgen deficiency. Forty-eight middle-aged men, with type 2 diabetes, (visceral) obesity and symptoms of androgen deficiency, were included in this open-label study. Twenty-four subjects received testosterone undecanoate (TU; 120 mg daily, for 3 months); 24 subjects received no treatment.

Breast asymmetry as a result of congenital amniotic folds in the thoracoabdominal area.

Breast asymmetry is a relatively common condition. Mild breast asymmetry usually does not require correction. A rare case of breast asymmetry associated with congenital amniotic bands in the thoracoabdominal area was surgically corrected by transposition of the ectopic right breast and nipple-areola complex with Z-plasty and thick split-skin grafting.

Clinical significance of antinuclear antibodies, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies and anticardiolipin antibodies in heroin abusers.

Background: Different autoantibodies and immunologic abnormalities have been described in heroin abusers positive for human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B surface antigen, or hepatitis C virus, as well as in addicts with negative viral markers.

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of different autoantibodies in heroin addicts.

Methods: We studied 10 heroin addicts (8 males and 2 females aged 18-30 years) with a mean duration of heroin abuse of 46.

Serum cystatin C in renal transplant patients.

Assessment of renal function in clinical medicine is of great importance especially in patients with renal transplants. Cystatin C has the characteristics of an ideal marker to assess renal glomerular filtration rate. Forty patients with renal transplants under steady-state post-transplant conditions were included in the study.

Current activity and perspectives of Clinical and Transplantation Immunology Division, Medical University, Sofia, Bulgaria.

Our unit was established in 1972 as Laboratory of Clinical Immunology in the Department of Nephrology, Medical Academy, Sofia Since 1985 it was expanded in Division of Clinical and Transplantation Immunology. Transplantation activity includes: HLA typing (serology and DNA) of all kind of recipients and donors, alloantibody screening and crossmatching (basic microlymphocytotoxicity, DTT and flowcytometry tests). Immunologic evaluation of patients prior to and after transplantation is also performed for individualization of immunosuppressive therapy and discrimination between rejection, CMV infection and cyclosporine toxicity.