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Biomedical subjects

W Castelli

Publications and source records attributed to W Castelli.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1989

The aging thyroid. The use of thyroid hormone in older persons.

The overall prevalence of thyroid hormone use in an unselected population of older adults (n = 2575; average age, 68.6 years) was 6.9% (10.0% in women and 2.3% in men). Eighty-one percent of women taking it were doing so for appropriate indications, eg, hypothyroidism, while 12% were not, eg, for obesity or high serum cholesterol; more men (29%) were taking it inappropriately. Inappropriate use was associated with desiccated thyroid more than with thyroxine. After follow-up averaging 6.9 years, 58% of inappropriate users were still taking it. Underuse also occurred. Thirty-seven percent of those definitely hypothyroid had a clearly elevated serum thyrotropin level (greater than 10 mU/L) despite thyroid therapy. Thyroid therapy is common in the elderly; most is appropriate. When inappropriate use occurs, it is more common in men and more often associated with desiccated thyroid, still commonly used in this age group. In chronic users of thyroid hormone, it is important to review currently appropriate indications and to measure serum thyrotropin levels to assess the adequacy of treatment of primary hypothyroidism.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1987

The prevalence of knee osteoarthritis in the elderly. The Framingham Osteoarthritis Study.

To investigate the prevalence of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee in elderly subjects, we studied the Framingham Heart Study cohort, a population-based group. During the eighteenth biennial examination, we evaluated the cohort members for OA of the knee by use of medical history, physical examination, and anteroposterior (standing) radiograph of the knees. Radiographs were obtained on 1,424 of the 1,805 subjects (79%). Their ages ranged from 63-94 years (mean 73). Radiographs were read by a radiologist who specializes in bone and joint radiology, and were graded 0-4 according to the scale described by Kellgren and Lawrence. OA was defined as grade 2 changes (definite osteophytes), or higher, in either knee. Radiographic evidence of OA increased with age, from 27% in subjects younger than age 70, to 44% in subjects age 80 or older. There was a slightly higher prevalence of radiographic changes of OA in women than in men (34% versus 31%); however, there was a significantly higher proportion of women with symptomatic disease (11% of all women versus 7% of all men; P = 0.003). The age-associated increase in OA was almost entirely the result of the marked age-associated increase in the incidence of OA in the women studied. This study extends current knowledge about OA of the knee to include elderly subjects, and shows that the prevalence of knee OA increases with age throughout the elderly years.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1987

Effects of citric acid and fibronectin and laminin application in treating periodontitis.

To determine the effect on new connective tissue attachment of citric acid conditioning and fibronectin-laminin application in treating naturally occurring periodontitis, all 4 quadrants in each of 2 Beagle dogs were used. Each quadrant included: P2, P3, P4, and M1 teeth. 2 treatment modalities were employed and comparatively analyzed for differences in histological healing respponses at 120 days after surgery. The treatments were: (1) surgery (mucoperiosteal flaps) plus citric acid; (2) surgery plus citric acid followed by fibronectin-laminin application. After scaling and root planing, coronal and root surface reference notches were placed for histometric measurements. Following each of the randomly assigned treatments, flaps were sutured. After sacrifice, tissue blocks of treated areas were decalcified and serially cut, obtaining bucco-lingual and mesiodistal sections. Using a Filar micrometer, 5 distances were masured on the buccal aspect: (1) from root surface notch to alveolar bone crest; (2) from root surface notch to coronal extent of the cementum; (3) from root surface notch to apical extent of the junctional epithelium; 84) from free gingival margin to apical extent of junctional epithelium; (5) from the coronal notch to the alveolar bone crest. Results showed no differences among the 5 measurements between the 2 treatments tested. On mesio-distal sections, surface area determinations were made in the furcations, evaluating the space occupied by new connective tissue, with or without bone, or by epithelium. For this, images were digitized using a Zeiss IBAS Image analysis system with a 4mB of array processor memory coupled to a Newvicon TV camera and a microcomputer.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Celebrating 40 years of the Framingham Heart Study.

The 40th anniversary of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute provided an opportunity to pay tribute to the Framingham Heart Study, the landmark epidemiological study that examined longitudinally the development of coronary heart disease in a general adult population. The Framingham Heart Study pioneered the concept that certain items, known eventually as risk factors, were associated with the development of heart disease. The concept of risk factors spawned a new generation of studies aimed at intervening to reduce the impact of risk factors on health. As part of its celebration of the 40th anniversary--and the 100th anniversary of the National Institutes of Health--the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, sponsored poster and essay contests for Framingham, Mass., students to commemorate the event. This article recaps the history of the Framingham Heart Study, describes the poster and essay contests, and outlines current and future involvement of the NHLBI in school health research.

Cerebral Infarction↗
PubMed1983

Effects of cigarette smoking on fasting triglyceride, total cholesterol, and HDL-cholesterol in women.

We examined the relationships of cigarette smoking with fasting triglycerides, total cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels among a group of 191 white women aged 20 to 40 years. The mean triglyceride level among current smokers was 100.0 mg/100 ml and among nonsmokers was 68.4 mg/dl (p less than 0.005). Mean total cholesterol values among current smokers and nonsmokers were, respectively, 197.0 and 189.1 mg/dl (p less than 0.1). Mean HDL-C levels were 45.0 mg/dl among women who were smoking and 52.1 mg/dl among nonsmokers (p less than 0.005). Simultaneous adjustments for the effects of age, weight, height, blood glucose, resting pulse, and oral contraceptive use did not materially alter these relationships. A modest portion of the effect of cigarette smoking on risk of coronary heart disease may be explained by an adverse effect of cigarette smoking on blood lipids.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Unlikely association between clinically apparent herpesvirus infection and coronary incidence at older ages. The Framingham Heart Study.

Experimental studies in chickens have shown a relationship of a herpesvirus to atherosclerosis. The hypothesis of an association in humans was tested by using data on the history of cold sores and other manifestations of herpes infections reported by 658 male and 919 female participants (ages 58 to 89) in the Framingham Heart Study from 1977 to 1979 and on the prevalence and subsequent 6-year incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD). Approximately 40% of the men and 52% of the women reported a history of ever having "fever blisters or cold sores." Overall, there was no association between a history of such oropharyngeal manifestations and prevalent CHD. Only in the subgroup of women with recurrent infections was there a suggestion of a possible relationship (relative risk = 1.5, 95% confidence interval 1.0 to 2.1). Among members of the cohort without CHD at baseline there was no association between the history of cold sores, chicken pox, shingles, or infectious mononucleosis and 6-year CHD incidence. However, a possible interaction among women with recurrent herpes, lower levels of serum cholesterol, and incidence of angina pectoris without myocardial infarction was suggested in post hoc analyses. These data from the Framingham cohort do not support the notion that any self-reported clinically manifest herpesvirus infection has a strong etiological role in older persons, but they do raise issues to be addressed in any further research.

Chickenpox↗