Effects of E2 and E2/norgestimate hormone therapy on elevated baseline lipids.

Objective: To evaluate lipid effects of estradiol/ norgestimate hormone therapy in postmenopausal women with elevated lipid levels.

Study Design: Postmenopausal women were randomized to E2, 1 mg/intermittent norgestimate (NGM) 90 microg (n = 31), or opposed E2, 1 mg (n = 36), in a 12-month trial. A subset analysis was conducted on participants with unfavorable baseline lipid levels, either total cholesterol (TC) levels > 200 mg/dL, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels < 40 mg/dL, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels > or = 160 mg/dL or triglyceride levels > or = 150 mg/dL.

Past adult lead exposure is linked to neurodegeneration measured by brain MRI.

Objective: To determine whether cumulative lead dose in former organolead workers was associated with MRI measures of white matter lesions (WML) and global and structure-specific brain volumes.

Methods: MRIs, tibia lead, and other measures were obtained from 532 former organolead workers with a mean age of 56 years and a mean of 18 years since last occupational exposure to lead. Cumulative lead dose was measured by tibia lead, obtained by X-ray fluorescence, and expressed as microg lead per gram of bone mineral (microg Pb/g).

Perioperative outcomes and risk factors in gastric surgery for morbid obesity: a 9-year experience.

Objective: Surgical treatment of severe obesity is the most rapidly growing specialty area of surgery. The rapid expansion of bariatric surgery has raised questions and concerns regarding possible increased surgical mortality and morbidity rates in both academic and community settings. The purpose of this study was to evaluate postoperative outcomes and risk factors for bariatric gastric surgery for severe obesity.

Familial risk of migraine: variation by proband age at onset and headache severity.

Background: It is well established that migraine aggregates within families. Less is known about the influence of proband characteristics (e.g.