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Biomedical subjects

E J Bassey

Publications and source records attributed to E J Bassey.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Increase in femoral bone density in young women following high-impact exercise.

Healthy premenopausal women were randomized into control and test groups; both exercised weekly in class and daily at home for a year. The test class did intermittent high-impact exercise; the control class did low-impact exercise. Bone density was assessed blind using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry at the femur (neck, Ward's triangle and trochanter) and at the lumbar spine (antero-posterior L1-4) on entry into the study, and again after 6 months (n = 27) and 12 months (n = 19). At 6 months the test group (n = 14) showed a significant increase of 3.4% in trochanteric bone density (p = 0.01) and this was significantly different from control (p = 0.05). In the second 6 months the control group was crossed over to high-impact exercise and showed a significant increase of 4.1% in trochanteric density (n = 7) while the original group maintained their improvement relative to baseline.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Changes in bone mineral density associated with dietary-induced loss of body mass in young women.

1. Moderately overweight, premenopausal women were assessed for bone mineral density of the total body, lumbar spine and proximal femur before and after 6 months of modest dietary restriction (minimum 4800 kJ/day). The aim was to evaluate the effect of loss of body mass on bone mineral density. 2. Dietary assessment included two analyses of 3 day weighed food intakes, one before and the other after 4 months of dietary restriction. Energy and calcium intakes were significantly reduced by 27% and 5%, respectively. The change in calcium intake was negatively and significantly related to initial levels of calcium intake. 3. A significant mean loss of 3.4 +/- 3.1 kg in body mass was achieved mainly in the first 3 months of the study; it was accompanied by significant losses at 6 months in bone mineral density in the total body of 0.7% and in the lumbar spine of 0.5%. There were no changes in the femur. 4. The change in bone mineral density in the total body was significantly related to the reduced absolute calcium intake, initial bone mineral density and loss of body mass. The change in bone mineral density in the spine was significantly related to the change in calcium intake. 5. These modest losses could be a threat in women with lower bone mineral density, and indicate the importance of maintaining a high intake of calcium during dietary restriction.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗
PubMed1994

Dietary calcium intake relates to bone mineral density in premenopausal women.

Bone density and Ca intake were assessed in fifty-six healthy premenopausal women, aged 21-47 years. Bone density was measured at the spine (lumbar vertebrae 1-4, anterio-posterior view), the non-dominant femur (neck, Ward's triangle and trochanter) and radius (33% distal and ultradistal) using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (Lunar DPX-L). The mean values (SD) for bone density (g/cm2) were 1.18 (0.10) at the lumbar spine, 0.81(0.10) at the trochanter and for Ca intake 783 (329) mg. Bone density values were close to published normal values for young women and the Ca intakes were close to the recommended levels for the UK. However, there was a wide range especially in dietary Ca intake, and 27% of the group were at or below 500 mg/d. Correlations between Ca intake and bone density were highly significant at all three femoral sites (neck r 0.41; Ward's triangle r 0.40, P < 0.01; trochanter r 0.47, P < 0.001), significant at the spine (r 0.27, P < 0.05) but not found at the radius. These correlations were independent of body mass. The low levels of Ca intake found in a substantial proportion of this selected group of young women and their association with low femoral bone density are cause for concern.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗
PubMed1993

Normal values for handgrip strength in 920 men and women aged over 65 years, and longitudinal changes over 4 years in 620 survivors.

1. The maximal grip strength of the hand has been measured in a random sample of 359 men and 561 women aged over 65 years living in their own homes. The response rate was 80% from a representative demographic area of the U.K. Measurements were made of body mass, skeletal size (demispan) and grip strength. Grip strength was measured using a custom-built strain-gauged dynamometer. The best of three attempts was taken as definitive. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain information about customary activity, use of handgrip muscles, health and psychological well-being. This was repeated with 620 survivors 4 years later. 2. The results for strength were normally distributed. The right hand was 10% stronger than the left and men had twice the strength of women. Strength was significantly related to skeletal size and in men to body mass. The gender difference was only partly accounted for by skeletal size and women were substantially disadvantaged in terms of their strength/body mass ratio. 3. There was a significant decline in strength with age of 2%/year for men and women. Strength was also significantly related to customary activity, reported use of the hands and psychological and physical health. 4. After 4 years 620 survivors were re-measured. Grip strength had declined by 12% in men and 19% in women and these losses were significantly related to age. A significant decline was also found in reported use, customary activity and health scores, and in women in body mass and psychological health.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Leg extensor power and functional performance in very old men and women.

1. Residents of a chronic care hospital (13 men of mean age 88.5 +/- 6 SD years and 13 women of mean age 86.5 +/- 6 SD years) who had multiple pathologies were assessed for leg extensor capability in several ways. 2. A custom-built rig was used to assess leg extensor power, that is, maximal power output over less than 1 s in a single extension of one leg. Performance measures were obtained by timing chair rises (from a standard chair 0.43 m high), stair climbing (four risers, total height 0.635 m) and a walk (6.1 m). For each measurement the best of several trials were recorded as definitive. 3. Leg extensor power was significantly correlated with all performance measures, but the performance measures were not related to each other except for chair rising and walking speed. 4. Women had significantly less extensor power than men, but their power explained more of the variance in performance, e.g. power accounted for 86% of the variance in walking speed. 5. There was no relation within the group between age and any of the variables measured. 6. Measurement of leg extensor power in frail elderly people may prove useful in focusing effective rehabilitation programmes.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Normal values for weight, skeletal size and body mass indices in 890 men and women aged over 65 years.

Measurements of body weight and skeletal size have been made, as part of a demographically representative survey, in 532 women and 358 men aged over 65 years living in their own homes. Body weight was assessed using calibrated portable scales. Skeletal size was measured as half body span (demispan) using a steel tape stretched from the sternal notch to the finger roots. Age had a weak but significant negative association with both body weight and demispan. After controlling for demispan, age still accounted for a significant decline in weight (in kg per decade) of 2.5 in men and 3.5 in women. Weight, demispan and indices of weight-for-skeletal-size have been presented as percentiles for men and women separately.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1990

A new method for measuring power output in a single leg extension: feasibility, reliability and validity.

A method is described for measuring the explosive power of the leg in extension which has been found safe and acceptable for all age groups and levels of physical capability. The extension movement takes 0.25-0.40 s in a push through 0.165 m against a flat pedal. At the end of the push the leg is fully extended. The movement is made seated so that the forces are contained between the buttocks and the foot. The seat position is adjusted for leg length and the push is transmitted by a lever and chain to spin a flywheel. The gearing is such that resistance to the movement remains velocity of the flywheel is measured by an optoswitch and used to calculated the average leg extensor power (LEP) in the push. The reliability of the power measurement was evaluated in 46 subjects ranging in age from 20 to 86 years; they included medical students and geriatric day patients. They were tested on two occasions separated by a week. The maximal values on the first occasion (best of at least five trials) ranged from 30 to 300 W (mean +/- 1 SD = 154 +/- 88 W). There was no significant difference on re-test and the coefficient of variation was 9.4%. In a subgroup of 9 non-naive subjects who were measured by an experienced observer it was 6.3%. As expected, power was lower in women than in men and declined sharply with age. The sex difference was less when the values were expressed as power per body mass; a sharp age-related decline remained.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Torque-velocity relationships for the knee extensors in women in their 3rd and 7th decades.

Maximal isokinetic knee extensor strength was measured as torque in 17 young (mean age +/- SD, 21 +/- 3 years) and 16 elderly (68 +/- 5 years) women at 30 degrees (0.52 rad) before full extension, at angular velocities from 0 to 5.24 rad s-1, in 7 increments of 0.87 rad s-1. The elderly women were significantly weaker than the young women at all angular velocities. The rate of loss of absolute torque with increasing velocity was similar for both age groups, but when torque was standardised as a percentage of the individual's maximum, the elderly group showed a significantly greater rate of loss than the younger group. Quick-release from an isometric effort did not increase the recorded torques at 4.36 rad s-1 compared with the free-running method in either age group. The age differences are compatible with lower ratio of type II to type I fibre are in the older group.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Low anthropometric indices in elderly females with fractured neck of femur.

Anthropometric measurements were made in 3 groups of elderly females (1) with fractured neck of femur, (2) those admitted to acute medical and geriatric wards, and (3) healthy women in the community. Mid-arm circumference was different in the three groups with mean values of 22.8 +/- 0.21 cm, 25.9 +/- 0.41 cm and 28.6 +/- 0.27 cm respectively; (p < 0.001 for all comparisons). Triceps skinfold thickness was 24.7 +/- 0.70 mm in the healthy elderly but only 13.0 +/- 0.59 mm in the fracture group (p < 0.001). Fractured femur patients are therefore thinner than both healthy controls and unselected elderly female medical in-patients. These differences are most apparent in anthropometric indices dependent on body fat and this may be significant in terms of the aetiology of fractured femur.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1989

Delayed recovery of hand grip strength predicts postoperative morbidity following major vascular surgery.

Forearm muscle dynamometry was performed in the non-dominant arm in 61 patients undergoing major abdominal and limb vascular surgery, before operation and then 1, 3, 5, and 7 days after surgery. Six patients died in the postoperative period and seven patients developed major postoperative complications (bronchopneumonia, two; wound infection, four; myocardial infarction, one). The preoperative grip strength, measured in kilograms, of the patients who died after major vascular surgery was not significantly lower than that of patients who had an uncomplicated postoperative course. Of the 55 surviving patients, seven developed complications after surgery. These patients had significantly reduced grip strength, expressed as a percentage of the individual preoperative value (P less than 0.05), from the first to the seventh postoperative day when compared with patients without complications. The delayed recovery of grip strength preceded the clinical manifestation of complications. These data suggest that delayed recovery of voluntary muscle performance may be used to detect patients developing postoperative complications and so allow their early treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Flexibility of the shoulder joint measured as range of abduction in a large representative sample of men and women over 65 years of age.

In a representative survey of 1000 elderly men and women aged over 65 years living in their own homes, assessments have been made of flexibility measured as range of shoulder abduction in addition to health status, psychological well-being and reported customary activity. The results for shoulder abduction were approximately normally distributed and the mean values (+/- 1 standard deviation) were as follows: - in men aged 65-74 years, 129 (+/- 14) degrees and aged over 74 years, 121 (+/- 19) degrees; in women aged 65-74 years, 124 (+/- 19) degrees and aged over 74 years, 114 (+/- 22) degrees. These mean values are about 30 degrees less than those accepted for younger subjects. Nearly half the distribution falls below the accepted threshold level of 120 degrees for adequate function. There were significant effects of sex and age (P less than 0.001); women had poorer flexibility and the reduction with age amounted to 10 degrees per decade. Multiple regression analysis showed that the effect of age was accounted for in part by health, strength and customary use. The effects of use were most marked in those with some disability. This suggests that maintained or increased use could offset some of the age-related loss of the range of shoulder movement.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Factors affecting walking speed of elderly people.

Associations between walking speed and other variables have been investigated in a group of 67 women and 58 men aged between 65 and 90 years and living independently. In men, walking speed was related positively to calf strength, step-score (a measure of customary physical activity), hours spent in active leisure, height and weight, and negatively to age and the presence of health problems. In women, the relations were the same, with the exception of weight, and reported leg pain was negatively associated with walking speed. Multiple regression analysis showed that in men 44% of the variance in walking speed was accounted for by height, calf strength and the presence of health problems, and that in women 42% of the variance was accounted for by height, calf strength, step-score and the presence of leg pain limiting mobility. The significance of these findings to maintenance and improvement of walking speed in the elderly is discussed.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Muscle strength in the triceps surae and objectively measured customary walking activity in men and women over 65 years of age.

1. Objective measurements of the maximal voluntary strength of triceps surae and the amount and speed of customary walking have been made in 56 men and 66 women aged over 65 years, who were living independently. 2. Strength was measured using a dynamometer based upon a hydraulic system (Bourdon tube). Walking was assessed, for amount using a mechanical accelerometer (pedometer) over a week, and for speed using a self-paced test for normal walking over 100 m on the level. The reliability and validity of these methods has been described. 3. The men were significantly stronger (1128 +/- 206 vs 873 +/- 177 N) even after adjustment for body weight; their amount of walking was similar to that of women, but they walked significantly faster (4.8 +/- 0.6 vs 4.2 +/- 0.6 km/h). Men were significantly more active in leisure pursuits (as assessed by questionnaire). 4. Significant associations between strength and chosen normal walking speed were found for both sexes (r = 0.41, P less than 0.001 for men and r = 0.36, P less than 0.01 for women). The amount of walking (daily stepscore as a mean from 7 consecutive days recorded) was significantly but less strongly correlated with strength (r = 0.30, P less than 0.05) in the men only. 5. Multiple regression analysis showed that in men neither age nor amount of walking had any further effect in addition to speed, but in women age had an additional effect (multiple R = 0.48). 6. An association has been demonstrated which raises the possibility of reversing loss of muscle strength through increased daily activity.

Aged↗
PubMed1988

Falls by elderly people at home: prevalence and associated factors.

Of 1042 individuals aged 65 years and over who were successfully interviewed in a community survey of health and physical activity, 35% (n = 356) reported one or more falls in the preceding year. Although the overall ratio of female fallers to male fallers was 2.7:1, this ratio approached unity with advancing age. Mobility was significantly impaired in those reporting falls. Asked to provide a reason for their falls, 53% reported tripping, 8% dizziness and 6% reported blackouts. A further 19% were unable to give a reason. There was no association between falls and the use of diuretics, antihypertensives or tranquilizers, but a significant association between falls and the use of hypnotics and antidepressants was found. Discriminant analysis of selected medical and anthropometric variables indicated that handgrip strength in the dominant hand and reported symptoms of arthritis, giddiness and foot difficulties were most influential in predicting reports of recent falls.

Accidental Falls↗
PubMed1988

Levels of customary physical activity among the old and the very old living at home.

With an activity inventory designed specifically for use among elderly people, detailed profiles of customary physical activity were obtained from 507 old (aged 65-74 years) and 535 very old (aged 75 years and over) individuals randomly sampled from the community. Participation in four categories of activity was assessed: outdoor productive activities; indoor productive activities; leisure activities; and walking. Customary engagement in many activities was found to be low, age (old versus very old) and sex being among the most important determinants of participation. The method of assessment is described, and activity profiles normative for older age groups are presented.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1987

Validation of a simple mechanical accelerometer (pedometer) for the estimation of walking activity.

A small (28 g) mechanical accelerometer has been tested by subjecting it to controlled bench tests consisting of repetitive vertical oscillations on two designs of test rig. The accelerometer's 3-digit display provided a cumulated score with a maximum of 99.9 units. This score was compared with an independent count of the imposed oscillations and found to be linear with time (r = 0.996) and reproducible on retest (coefficient of variation = +/- 1.5%). The sensitivity ranged from 6.2 to 7.4 units/10,000 oscillations. The response was related to the maximal applied acceleration (calculated from the amplitude and frequency of the oscillations on the assumption that they were sinusoidal) and independent of the amplitude and frequency used. The threshold maximal acceleration was less than 2 m s-2 and the response had reached a plateau at 4 m s-2. During field studies the accelerometer was firmly attached over the hip in a waistband where it responded to the vertical accelerations produced by walking. When compared with an independent count of footsteps from a heel-mounted resistance pad the accelerometer score (after calibration) was not significantly different. The mean difference was (0.29 +/- 0.67, S.D.) 10(3) "steps" in a younger group (n = 8, mean age 39 years) and (0.46 +/- 1.08, S.D.) 10(3) "steps" in an older group of women (n = 6, mean age 65 years). Scores of around 10 X 10(3) "steps" can be expected in a day in moderately active young subjects and 40 X 10(3) "steps" in a week in the elderly. Simultaneously recorded scores from both right and left hips wee not significantly different.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acceleration↗
PubMed1986

Objective measurements of customary physical activity in elderly men and women before and after retirement.

An objective method for assessing customary physical activity has been described, based on heart rate and footfall signals recorded on magnetic tape using small body-borne recorders. Computer analyses were used to obtain indices of the intensity and duration of periods of physical activity using both biosignals. Threshold values were set for each individual at a heart rate related to a standard walking speed of 4.8 km . h-1 (3 miles per hour). Four activity indices were defined in terms of time spent above this threshold and the intensity of the heart rate elevation above it, applying criteria relating to the duration of periods of activity or the concurrent activation of the walking signal. The choice and validity of these indices are discussed, and results for several groups of subjects presented. Three groups of subjects aged over 60 years were studied before and after retirement: twenty-five were steel-workers and thirty-nine were factory-workers (men and women). Rather low levels of activity were recorded. After one year of retirement the female factory workers showed a significant decrease in activity. In men this was found only after several years of retirement had elapsed.

Aged↗