Biomedical subjects

J Woo

Publications and source records attributed to J Woo.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2004

Use of fasting urinary methylmalonic acid to screen for metabolic vitamin B12 deficiency in older persons.

OBJECTIVES: We sought to determine the cutoffs of fasting urinary methylmalonic acid (MMA) indicating elevated and mildly elevated serum MMA concentrations in older persons. METHODS: We studied 113 female Chinese vegetarians older than 55 y with normal renal function. Fasting serum samples were obtained for measurement of vitamin B12, MMA, and folate and tests of renal function. A fasting urine sample was collected for MMA measurement by the stable-isotope dilution method. The correlation between serum and urinary MMA levels was examined. The optimal cutoffs of urinary MMA for predicting elevated and mildly elevated serum MMA were estimated by use of receiver operating characteristic curves. RESULTS: Fasting urinary and serum MMA levels were linearly correlated. Pearson's correlation coefficient was 0.94. The cutoff of fasting urinary MMA of 2 microM/mM of creatinine had a sensitivity of 79%, a specificity of 85%, and a positive predictive value of 93% for elevated serum MMA (> 0.4 microM/L). A cutoff of 1.5 microM/mM of creatinine had a sensitivity of 86%, a specificity of 85%, and a positive predictive value of 95% for mildly elevated serum MMA (> 0.3 microM/L). Both cutoffs had high positive predictive values for subnormal vitamin B12 concentrations. CONCLUSION: Overnight fasting urinary MMA concentrations have a strong linear relation to serum MMA in older vegetarians without renal impairment. Urinary MMA is potentially useful as a screening tool for metabolic vitamin B12 deficiency in older persons.

Aging↗

PubMed2004

Prevalence of Parkinson's disease in a Chinese population.

BACKGROUND: Ethnic differences in the prevalence of Parkinson's disease have been observed, but may be due to differences in screening instruments and diagnostic criteria. AIMS: To compare the prevalence of Parkinson's disease in Hong Kong Chinese and Australians in Sydney. METHODS: A door-to-door community survey in the Hong Kong Chinese population was carried out using a two-staged procedure (screening questionnaire followed by physical examination), which had been validated for use in the community in a survey among Australians, to determine the prevalence in Chinese and to compare with that in Australians. RESULTS: A total of 1080 households were contacted, the non-response rate was 27%. The prevalence among those aged 55 years in the community and above was 0.5%, and 0.186% for the overall population assuming no subjects were below 55 years. These figures are lower than the 3.6% for Australians, aged >55 years. CONCLUSION: There appears to be a difference in prevalence of Parkinson's disease between Hong Kong Chinese and Australians in Sydney. Such differences may be due to documented differences in prevalence of genetic polymorphisms associated with Parkinson's disease between Chinese and Australians, or to differences in environmental factors.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

The standard oxygen consumption value equivalent to one metabolic equivalent (3.5 ml/min/kg) is not appropriate for elderly people.

In epidemiological studies, estimation of total energy expenditure can only be carried out from using metabolic equivalent (MET) units calculated physical activity questionnaires, where 1 MET is generally assumed to be 3.5 ml/min/kg resting oxygen consumption (VO2 resting). Since the basal metabolic rate varies with age, the energy expenditure equivalent to 1 MET is likely to vary with age. The objective of this study was to determine the energy value for 1 MET in elderly Chinese people compared with younger subjects, using a cross-sectional study. The participants were 138 young adults (88 female, 50 male) aged 16-64 years and 70 elderly adults (35 female, 35 male) aged 65-89 years. VO2 resting was determined by indirect calorimetry (Deltatrac; Datex Division Instrumentraium Corp, Helsinki, Finland). The height and weight were measured. The body fat percentage and lean mass was estimated by body mass index, tricep and bicep skinfold thickness and Bio-impedance analysis. Both VO2 resting and VO2 resting/kg body weight were significantly lower in elderly than young subjects in both gender groups (P<0.01). The significant age difference in VO2 resting remained after adjustment for weight, height and lean mass in both the male group (P<0.001) and the female group (P<0.01). In conclusion, age had an independent effect on VO2 resting, independent of the change of body composition. The present study suggested that the assumption of 1 MET=3.5 ml/min/kg VO2 resting may over-estimate energy expenditure when apply to elderly people.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Evaluation of scanning resolution on retinal nerve fiber layer measurement using optical coherence tomography in normal and glaucomatous eyes.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of varying the scanning resolution of optical coherence tomography (OCT) retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) measurement on diagnostic sensitivity and functional correlation in glaucoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 314 eyes from 182 subjects including 107 normal eyes, 83 glaucoma suspect eyes, and 124 glaucoma eyes were included in this cross-sectional study. Standard automated perimetry and OCT measurement of RNFL thickness were performed. Each individual underwent two scanning protocols: (1) fast RNFL thickness (3.4) scan (with resolution of 256 scan points) and (2) RNFL thickness (3.4) scan (with resolution of 512 scan points). RNFL thickness was compared among the groups. Diagnostic sensitivity was evaluated with Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) Curve. Relationship between RNFL thickness and visual field mean deviation was examined using linear regression analysis. RESULTS: Measured RNFL thickness using fast RNFL thickness (3.4) scan was significantly higher compared with RNFL thickness (3.4) scan in average, superior, nasal and inferior RNFL in all diagnostic groups. Comparing normal and glaucoma groups, RNFL thickness (3.4) scan produced the largest area under the ROC curve (0.912) based on average RNFL thickness. A stronger correlation between average RNFL and visual field mean deviation was found in RNFL thickness (3.4) scan (R = 0.75, R = 0.56). CONCLUSIONS: Higher resolution RNFL scan provides better diagnostic sensitivity in glaucoma detection and a stronger correlation with visual function.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Nutritional status of older Tibetans in rural Sichuan China.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the nutritional status of older Tibetans in rural China. DESIGN: Cross sectional study. SETTING: Remote mountainous region of Sichuan province of Western China. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: Forty four male and forty six female Tibetans, over 60 years old were recruited. Body weight, standing height, triceps and bicep skinfold thicknesses (TSF, BSF), mid arm circumference (MAC) and waist circumference (WC) were measured. Dietary intakes were assessed by a twenty-four hour dietary recall. Based on skinfold thicknesses and MAC, total body fat and corrected arm muscle area (CAMA) were calculated by published equations. Their nutritional status and dietary intakes were compared with those of normal older people in Hong Kong and a rural area near Tianjin in the east coast of China. RESULTS: Compared with Hong Kong older women, the Tibetan older women had similar BMI and total body fat, but their CAMA was significantly greater (p<0.01). The Tibetan older men had lower BMI, total body fat (p<0.05), and higher CAMA than the Hong Kong older men (p<0.05). The average calorie intake in the Tibetans was lower than that of older people in Hong Kong and rural Tianjin. Intakes of protein, vitamins and minerals were the lowest in Tibetans and the highest in older people in Hong Kong. CONCLUSIONS: Older Tibetans had more lean mass than Hong Kong older Chinese despite having lower caloric and protein intakes. Older Tibetan women were fatter than their male counterparts, and they were as fat as the older people in Hong Kong, despite having low caloric intakes.

Aged↗

PubMed2003

Identification of novel genes expressed during spermatogenesis in stage-synchronized rat testes by differential display.

The molecular mechanism regulating spermatogenesis at different developmental stages remains largely unknown. In a vitamin A-deficiency (VAD) rat model, five distinct histologically defined, stage-synchronized testes: (i) resting spermatogonia and preleptotene spermatocytes at Day 0 of post-vitamin A treatment (PVA); (ii) early pachytene spermatocytes at Day 7 PVA; (iii) late pachytene at Day 15 PVA; (iv) round spermatids at Day 25 PVA; and (v) elongated spermatids at Day 35 PVA were used to study gene expression profiles by mRNA differential display. Twenty-four differentially expressed cDNA fragments were identified and cloned; oligonucleotide sequence analyses indicated that there are 12 novel gene sequences, half of which share no apparent match in current GenBank/EMBL databases. Other 12 VAD clones share sequence homology to membrane channel and transport, transcription and translation, cell cycle and morphogenesis, inducer and transducer, surface or secreted glycoproteins or enzymes, and other miscellaneous molecules. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR analyses against different stages of VAD testes demonstrated: (i) restricted expression of VAD1.2 and 1.3 (novel) on Day 25 PVA when round spermatids form; (ii) escalating pattern of VAD12 (Cx43) in Sertoli cells; and (iii) relative constant levels of VAD4 (A5D3), VAD26.1 (ribonuclease), and VAD27 (GRP8) in spermatogenesis.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Areal and volumetric bone density in Hong Kong Chinese: a comparison with Caucasians living in the United States.

It is a common perception that Asians have lower bone density than Caucasians. However, such relationships could be confounded by bone size. In this study, the skeletal status of a convenience sample of 482 men and 887 women living in Hong Kong is compared with published data for Caucasians living in Rochester, Minnesota. Areal bone mineral density (BMD, g/cm(2)) and volumetric bone mineral apparent density (BMAD, g/cm(3)) were determined for the lumbar spine and proximal femur, using the Hologic QDR 2000 instrument. Cross-calibration was performed by measuring a common phantom, and the Hong Kong data were adjusted by a multiplication factor. Lumbar spine and femoral neck BMD and BMAD of Chinese men and women were all significantly lower ( P<0.001 by t-test) than those of Caucasians, but the differences in BMAD were on average only about half the size of the differences in BMD. For instance, in postmenopausal Chinese women, BMD at the femoral neck and lumbar spine were 15.2% and 18.8% lower respectively, but BMAD at the femoral neck and lumbar spine were only 7.8% and 12.4% lower respectively. Similar trends were observed in men. After adjusting for age, body height and weight, the difference in BMAD between Caucasians and Chinese was further reduced and only statistically significant among postmenopausal women and among men younger than age 50 years for the lumbar spine. For instance, the adjusted BMAD in postmenopausal Chinese women at the femoral neck and lumbar spine were 3.9% ( P=0.03 by ANCOVA) and 7.3% ( P<0.001 by ANCOVA) lower respectively, while the adjusted BMAD at the lumbar spine for Chinese men younger than 50 years was 11.7% lower ( P<0.01 by ANCOVA). Predictors of BMAD in Hong Kong Chinese women include body weight, age at menarche, cigarette smoking, and oral contraceptive use ( P<0.001), while body weight was the only independent predictor of BMAD in Hong Kong Chinese men ( P<0.001). We conclude that bone density is lower in Hong Kong Chinese men and women than in Caucasians, although such differences were attenuated by adjustments for bone size, body weight and height.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

The epidemiology of cigarette smoking in Hong Kong Chinese women.

BACKGROUND: Smoking in women is a well-recognized public health problem. In many developed countries, cigarette smoking is now the single most important preventable cause of premature death in women. There are relatively few data on the epidemiology of cigarette smoking in Asian women, and this study examined the prevalence of and factors predisposing Chinese women to smoke cigarettes in Hong Kong. METHOD: A territory-wide random telephone survey of 26,716 households in Hong Kong was conducted. A total of 1064 current smokers and 291 ex-smokers were identified in these household, and in-depth interviews of 791 current smokers, 221 ex-smokers, and 1012 controls were conducted. RESULTS: The prevalence of cigarette smoking was 4.5% in women who were 25 years or younger, 2.6% in women aged 46-65 years, and 2.2% in women aged 65 years or older. Sixty-four percent of current smokers started when they were 19 years or younger. The main reasons for the initiation of cigarette smoking were the influence of friends, curiosity, feeling bored, or being idle. Current smokers and ex-smokers tended to have positive images of women who smoked. The following risk factors were found to be significant for cigarette smoking: less than university education, unemployment, being divorced, having a husband who smoked, and a low score on the perceived harms of cigarette smoking. CONCLUSION: Cigarette smoking is more prevalent in younger women in Hong Kong; and psychosocial issues should be addressed to prevent future epidemics.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Genetic and environmental risk factors and their interactions for Parkinson's disease in a Chinese population.

The interaction between genetic and environmental factors for PD was examined in a Chinese population. It was found that although the intron 2 MAOB (GT)(n) repeat polymorphism was not associated with PD in the population, a relationship might have been masked by the "protective effect" of tea drinking. In individuals who did not drink tea (<1 cup/day), the possession of short length < or = 178 bp (GT)(n) alleles conferred a borderline significant increased risk for PD (adjusted OR=1.47; C.I.=1.03-2.1). As the extent of tea consumption increased, the association between the < or = 178 bp allele and PD disappeared. This result suggests that the MAOB gene may be associated with PD in Chinese if the putative protective effect of tea drinking is taken into account. The significance of this finding is unclear as the study may be limited because of its marginal significance and limited numbers. However, it does demonstrate the importance of considering putative positive and negative environmental risk factors in any examination of genetic risk factors for PD.

Asian People↗

PubMed2003

Relationship of urinary sodium/potassium excretion and calcium intake to blood pressure and prevalence of hypertension among older Chinese vegetarians.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the associations of dietary sodium and potassium, as reflected by the urinary sodium/potassium excretion, and calcium intake with blood pressure and the prevalence of hypertension among older Chinese vegetarians in Hong Kong. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Research clinic in a teaching hospital in Hong Kong. SUBJECTS: A total of 111 ambulatory vegetarians over the age of 55 were recruited from members of religious organizations or old age hostels. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Hypertension was defined as supine blood pressure >140/90 mmHg or a history of hypertension. Dietary sodium, potassium and calcium intakes were assessed by 24 h recall method or fasting urinary sodium or potassium/creatinine ratios. RESULTS: Seventy-one subjects (64%) were found to have hypertension. Compared with normotensive subjects, hypertensive subjects had lower calcium intake (411+/-s.d. 324 vs 589+/-428 mg, P=0.04), but higher urinary sodium/creatinine ratio (32.6+/-19.3 vs 21.0+/-12.4, P=0.00) and sodium/potassium ratio (4.7+/-2.8 vs 3.4+/-2.3, P=0.02). Among 88 subjects not taking diuretics or antihypertensive drugs, systolic blood pressure was related to calcium intake (r=-0.40), urinary sodium/creatinine ratio (r=0.39), urinary sodium/potassium ratio (r=0.30) and age (r=0.23). Diastolic blood pressure was related to urinary sodium/creatinine (r=0.29). Twenty-three subjects with high urinary sodium/potassium and low calcium intake and 16 subjects with low urinary sodium/potassium ratio and high calcium intake differed markedly with respect to systolic blood pressure (159+/-26 vs 130+/-15 mmHg) and prevalence of hypertension (78% vs 25%). CONCLUSIONS: Older Chinese vegetarians are predisposed to hypertension because of their sodium-rich but calcium-deficient diets.

Aged↗

PubMed2003

Diet and glucose tolerance in a Chinese population.

BACKGROUND: Associations between dietary factors and glucose tolerance observed in Caucasian populations may not be applicable to Chinese populations, since the traditional Chinese diet contains plentiful vegetables and is rice-based (which has a lower glycemic index than potatoes). To address this question, the dietary patterns in 988 Hong Kong Chinese subjects with normal and impaired glucose tolerance, and diabetes, were examined in a cross sectional survey to determine if there is any association between diet and glucose tolerance. METHOD: A stratified random population sample of 988 subjects (488 male, 500 female) was recruited. A food frequency questionnaire was used to determine dietary intake, and glucose tolerance was examined using the glucose tolerance test and the WHO criteria used to classify subjects into the three glucose tolerance categories. RESULTS: Using the standardized world population of Segi, the prevalence rate for DM was 6.6% for men and 5.7% for women; and for IGT 10.3% for men and 15.4% for women aged 30-64 y. Abnormal glucose tolerance is associated with female gender, older age, lower educational attainment and higher body mass index (BMI). No clear pattern of association with dietary factors was observed after adjusting for confounding factors. However, if subjects with BMI>or=25 kg/m(2) were excluded, an increase in mean consumption of rice/noodles/pasta per week was observed in the DM group, after adjusting for total energy intake and other confounding factors. No association between dietary variety, which has been linked with body fatness, and glucose tolerance, was observed. CONCLUSION: Dietary habit may not be a strong risk factor for the development of glucose intolerance in Chinese populations, given the favorable features of the Chinese diet. The high consumption of rice in the DM subjects who are of normal BMI suggests that further studies examining glycemic indices of Chinese food items may be beneficial. Obesity still remains the most important predisposing factor.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Efficacy of a specially designed hip protector for hip fracture prevention and compliance with use in elderly Hong Kong Chinese.

BACKGROUND: Hip protectors, while effective in prevention of hip fractures, have been designed for a Caucasian body build and may not be suitable for Asian subjects living in a subtropical climate. OBJECTIVE: Hip protectors and accompanying shorts were specially designed for use for the Chinese body build and subtropical climate, and tested for compliance and efficacy in fracture prevention. METHOD: A pragmatic study examining compliance with the wearing of hip protectors, and effectiveness in preventing hip fractures (using a case control design), in 302 subjects wearing hip protectors and 352 control subjects. RESULTS: Overall compliance varied from 55 to 70%. The relative risk for hip fracture was 0.18 (0.04-0.79), relative risk reduction 82%, and the number of subjects needing to wear a hip protector to prevent one fracture was 33 (19-117). CONCLUSION: Hip protectors adapted for use in Chinese people appear to reduce hip fractures in routine clinical practice.

Accidental Falls↗

PubMed2003

Ethical issues related to the use of placebo in clinical trials.

Controversy exists regarding the ethics of using placebo control groups in clinical trials when effective treatments exist. The debate was fuelled by the announcement of the fifth revision of the Declaration of Helsinki in 2000. This study reviews the history and scientific background surrounding the controversy and investigates the prevailing attitudes of Hong Kong researchers regarding this issue. The controversy has centred on several issues. The first involves the methodological superiority of placebo-controlled trials in discerning treatment effects. Secondly, it is unclear whether the treatment effects encompass absolute treatment effects (including placebo effects) or are confined to treatment-specific effects (excluding placebo effects). Thirdly, there are concerns that subjects in the placebo group could be exposed to a high risk for developing serious adverse events. Fourthly, it is unclear whether the standard of best available treatment should be local or international. Preliminary research findings suggest that the opinions of Hong Kong researchers are divided on the use of placebo control groups in clinical trials when effective treatment exists. Further research on the topic is therefore warranted, and training and consensus meeting may be necessary to minimise the confusion related to this issue.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗

PubMed2002

Independent effect of vitamin B12 deficiency on hematological status in older Chinese vegetarian women.

We have examined the independent effect of vitamin B(12) deficiency on hematological indices in older Chinese vegetarian women using a cross-sectional study design: 119 women older than 55 years who had been vegetarian for more than 3 years were studied. Fasting blood samples were taken for complete blood count, serum iron, total serum iron binding capacity, serum iron saturation, serum vitamin B(12), serum folate, serum methylmalonic acid levels (MMA), and renal function test. Subjects with iron deficiency (iron saturation <15%) and those with serum creatinine >150 mmol/L were excluded. The prevalence of definite vitamin B(12) deficiency (vitamin B(12) level < 150 pmol/L and MMA >or= 0.4 micromol/L) was 42%. Another 32.8% had possible vitamin B(12) deficiency (either criterion). The prevalence of iron deficiency was 10%. After exclusions, 96 subjects were further analyzed. Vitamin B(12) deficiency defined by serum vitamin B(12) and MMA was associated with a decrease in hemoglobin concentrations by up to 0.9 g/dL, but it was not associated with an increase in mean corpuscular volume (MCV). Serum MMA but not vitamin B(12) levels correlated inversely with hemoglobin and platelet counts and positively with MCV, after adjustment of confounding factors. However, the percentage of subjects with anemia did not increase significantly until serum MMA became >1.0 micromol/L. In conclusion, vitamin B(12) deficiency was associated with a significant decrease in hemoglobin concentration. However, anemia associated with vitamin B(12) deficiency was seldom macrocytic. We recommend that older vegetarians should be given vitamin B(12) supplements routinely.

Aged↗

PubMed2002

Vitamin D receptor start codon polymorphism (Fok I) and bone mineral density in Chinese men and women.

The relationship between Fok I polymorphism of the vitamin D receptor start codon, bone mineral density (BMD) and vertebral fractures was studied in 684 Chinese men and women. A significant trend was observed only in Chinese women aged 70-79 years. The mean BMD at the total body was 0.85 +/- 0.01 g/cm2, 0.82 +/- 0.01 g/cm2 and 0.84 +/- 0.01 g/cm2 for elderly women of the FF, Ff and ff genotypes respectively (p = 0.06 by ANOVA). Similar but statistically non-significant trends were observed at the hip and spine. However, no association between BMD and the Fok I genotype was observed in younger women (aged 50-59 years) and elderly men (aged 70-79 years). In all study groups, there was no effect of an interaction between Fok I polymorphism and calcium intake on BMD (p > 0.05 for the interaction effects by two-way ANOVA). No significant association was observed between Fok I polymorphism and vertebral fracture in elderly men or women (p > 0.05 by the chi-square test). We conclude that the Fok I polymorphism may have a weak effect on the BMD of elderly Chinese women.

Age Factors↗

PubMed2002

Baseline BMD and bone loss at distal radius measured by peripheral quantitative computed tomography in peri- and postmenopausal Hong Kong Chinese women.

The current study was designed to investigate the rate of bone loss in distal radius and its association with baseline volumetric bone mineral density (BMD) and years since menopause (YSM) in peri- and postmenopausal women using precise and multislice peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT; Densiscan 2000). Two hundred and five healthy Hong Kong Chinese perimenopausal ( n = 26) and postmenopausal ( n = 179) women within 10 years of the onset of menopause were recruited. Anthropometric parameters and menstrual status were also measured. The linear regression model derived from the baseline volumetric BMD revealed a significant and slightly better correlation with YSM than age, with a YSM-related annual decline of 2.56%, 1.82% and 0.65% in trabecular BMD (tBMD), integral BMD (iBMD) and cortical BMD (cBMD), respectively. Follow-up measurements after a time interval of 12 months showed that the rate of bone loss was higher than the annual decline in BMD calculated from the baseline BMD, with decreases of 2.89%, 2.16% 0.91% in tBMD, iBMD and cBMD, respectively. Baseline BMD was associated with age or YSM ( r ranges from -0.283 to -0.502; p<0.001 in all cases), but no relationship was found between annual rate of bone loss and age or YSM. The rate of bone loss did not correlate with baseline volumetric BMD values or YSM after dividing the subjects into fast bone losers (with annual tBMD loss > or =3%), normal bone losers (with annual tBMD loss > or = 1% but <3%) or slow bone losers (with annual tBMD loss <1%). The rate of bone loss was greater in both trabecular and cortical bone of postmenopausal women within the first 3 menopausal years but was only significant in the iBMD as compared with perimenopausal and postmenopausal women over 7 years after onset of menopause. The percentage distribution of slow and fast bone losers was not found to be associated with YSM. As a total of only 4 fracture cases were documented, the study could not provide conclusive information on whether perimenopausal and early postmenopausal baseline volumetric BMD or rate of bone loss determines the development of osteoporosis or fracture occurrence.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Lack of association between CYP1A1 polymorphism and Parkinson's disease in a Chinese population.

Apart from very few families who have a direct cause from genetic mutation, causes of most Parkinson's disease (PD) remain unclear. Many allelic association studies on polymorphism of different candidate genes have been studied. Although these association studies do not imply a causal relationship, it does warrant further studies to elucidate the pathophysiologic significance. CYP1A1 polymorphisms have been reported to be associated with PD in a Japanese population sample. Since CYP1A1 transforms aromatic hydrocarbons into products that may be neurotoxic and perhaps lead to PD, we therefore undertook a study to look at the possible association of CYP1A1 polymorphism and PD in a Chinese population. Contrary to the Japanese result, we did not find any statistically significant difference between the PD group and the control group in our study with a bigger sample size.

Aged↗

PubMed2002

Milk supplementation prevents bone loss in postmenopausal Chinese women over 3 years.

Previously published results from a 2 year randomized, controlled clinical trial on supplementing the diet of postmenopausal Chinese women with high-calcium milk powder (containing 800 mg of calcium) showed that bone loss, as measured by bone mineral density (BMD), was prevented. To determine whether the effect of calcium supplementation could be sustained, the study was extended for 1 additional year. According to the intention-to-treat analysis, the differences in the rate of bone loss (percentage decrease in control group--percentage decrease in milk supplementation group) in the third year of the study were: total body BMD, 0.23% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.07%-0.39%); total spine BMD, 0.31% (95% CI - 0.02%-0.65%); and total hip BMD, 0.44% (95% CI 0.19%-0.69%). Analysis by the per-protocol method showed a similar effect size. These results indicate that the effects of milk supplementation in preventing bone loss in postmenopausal Chinese women were sustained after 2 years.

Animals↗