Reference intervals of spinal mobility measures in normal individuals: the mobility study

2014 ◽  
Vol 74 (6) ◽  
pp. 1218-1224 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sofia Ramiro ◽  
Astrid van Tubergen ◽  
Carmen Stolwijk ◽  
Désirée van der Heijde ◽  
Patrick Royston ◽  
...  

ObjectivesTo establish reference intervals (RIs) for spinal mobility measures as recommended for patients with axial spondyloarthritis, and to determine the effect of age, height and gender on spinal mobility, in normal individuals.MethodsA cross-sectional study (MOBILITY) was conducted among normal individuals aged 20–69 years. Recruitment was stratified by gender, age (10-year categories) and height (10 cm categories). Eleven spinal mobility measures were assessed. Age specific RIs and percentiles were derived for each measure.Results393 volunteers were included. All spinal mobility measures decreased with increasing age. Therefore, age specific RIs were developed. The 95% RIs (2.5th and 97.5th percentiles), as well as the 5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentiles for each spinal mobility measure and different ages are presented. Mobility percentile curves were also plotted for each of the measures. For instance, the 95% RI for lateral spinal flexion was 16.2–28.0 cm for a 25-year-old subject, 13.2–25.0 cm for a 45-year-old subject and 10.1–21.9 cm for a 65-year-old subject. After adjustment for age, there was no need for gender specific RIs, while RIs of some measures are height-adjusted.ConclusionsAge specific RIs and percentiles were derived for each of the spinal mobility measures for normal individuals. These may guide clinicians when assessing the mobility of patients with axial spondyloarthritis. The RIs may serve as cut-off levels for ‘normal’ versus ‘abnormal’, whereas the mobility percentile curves may be used to assess the level of mobility of patients with axial spondyloarthritis.

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. e024713 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristyna Bubová ◽  
Šárka Forejtová ◽  
Kateřina Zegzulková ◽  
Monika Gregová ◽  
Markéta Hušáková ◽  
...  

ObjectiveThis study compared demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics between patients with radiographic and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA).MethodsIn this single-centre cross-sectional study, a total of 246 patients with axSpA fulfilling the imaging arm of Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society classification criteria were recruited. A total of 140 patients were diagnosed as non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA), and 106 patients had ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Sociodemographic characteristics, disease manifestations, clinical and laboratory disease activity and their differences between subsets were analysed. P values below 0.05 with CI 95% were considered statistically significant.ResultsMore nr-axSpA patients were women (61.4%) compared with 24.7% of AS patients. First symptoms developed earlier in AS patients compared with nr-axSpA (23.0 (IQR 17.5–30.0) vs 27.8 (IQR 21.0–33.7) years, p=0.001). Disease manifestations did not differ, but patients with nr-axSpA experienced peripheral arthritis more frequently (35.7% vs 17.0%, p=0.001) with less hip involvement (8.6% vs 18.9%, p=0.022) compared with patients with AS. Patients with AS exhibited worse spinal mobility and physical function compared with nr-axSpA. AS Disease Activity Scores and CRP levels were significantly higher in patients with AS compared with nr-axSpA (2.4 (IQR 1.7–2.8) vs 2.0 (IQR 1.1–2.3), p=0.022 and 7.1 (IQR 2.6–14.9) vs 2.5 (IQR 0.8–8.2) mg/L, p<0.001, respectively).ConclusionsOur data demonstrated some known and also novel differences between the two imaging arm fulfilling axSpA subgroups. Non-radiographic patients were mostly women who had experienced shorter disease duration, milder disease activity and better functional status with less hip involvement but more peripheral arthritis compared with patients with AS.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunchun Gau ◽  
Tsung-Chieh Yao ◽  
Shu-Ting Gan ◽  
Syh-Jae Lin ◽  
Kuo-Wei Yeh ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Among school-age children, the decrease of cartilage thickness (Cth) with increasing age is well known. However, the influence of body mass index (BMI), height or weight on Cth has not been revealed. Here in, we aim to establish an age- and gender-specific Cth standard reference among Asians and investigate the possible prestige of BMI, height and weight. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in healthy Asian children. Bilateral knees, ankles, wrists, second metacarpophalangeals (MCPs) and proximal interphalangeals (PIPs) were measured using ultrasound. The children’s height, weight and BMI were also recorded for later adjustment.Results: A total of 200 school age Asian children (including 86 girls and 114 boys, aged between 5 to 13 years-old) were investigated. Cth differences were observed in the knees, ankles, wrists, MCPs and PIPs between sexes (p<0.05), with girls having thinner cartilage thickness. While Cth decreases with increasing age ( p <0.0001, 0.039, 0.001, 0.023, 0.091 in girls’ knees, ankles, wrists, MCPs and PIPs and p = 0.002, 0.001, <0.0001, 0.001, 0.045 in boys’, respectively). Our data showed that weight, height and BMI are not the main factors contributing to Cth. A formula to calculate gender-specific cartilage thickness for Asian school age children is suggested. There was no difference in Cth after adjusting for height or weight between Asian or Caucasian group.Conclusions: A formula to calculate gender-specific cartilage thickness for Asian school age children is suggested. Height, weight and BMI were not the major contributor for Cth among school age children.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Liao ◽  
Zhicheng Luo ◽  
Yitan Hou ◽  
Ningning Cui ◽  
Xiaotian Liu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background This is a cross-sectional study to explore the age and gender specific association between obesity and depression in Chinese rural adults. Methods A total of 29,900 eligible participants from the Henan Rural Cohort Study were included. Standard anthropometric measurements were undertaken to obtain data on body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC). The Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2) was utilized to discover depressive symptoms. Logistic regression was performed to explore the association between obesity (independent variable) and depressive symptoms (dependent variable). Results There were 1777 subjects with depressive symptoms, accounting for 5.94%. After multivariable adjustment, compared with normal weight group, the odds ratios (ORs) [95% confidence interval (CI)] for depressive symptoms in underweight, overweight and general obese groups were 1.41 (1.08–1.84), 0.87 (0.78–0.97) and 0.86 (0.74–0.99), respectively. Similarly, the OR (95% CI) of abdominal obesity group was 0.84 (0.76–0.93). Besides, there was linear decreasing trend of WC with depressive symptoms, but not BMI. Moreover, the inverse association between obesity and depressive symptoms was stronger in men and the elderly than that in women and the young. Conclusion Underweight was associated with a higher prevalence of depressive symptoms, which indicated that health care should pay attention to underweight as well as obesity, especially for women and the young. Clinical trial registration The Henan Rural Cohort Study has been registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Register (Registration number: ChiCTR-OOC-15006699). Date of registration: 2015-07-06.


2012 ◽  
Vol 21 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 29-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Singhammer

Abstract Background: Little is known about age and gender specific attitudes to performance enhancing drugs and methods or other characteristics by which attitudes may vary. Methods: Using a population based cross-sectional sample of 1,703 Danish men and women aged 15-60 years, the present study examined age and gender variation in attitudes to performance enhancing drugs and methods. Response rate was 34 %. Information on attitudes was collected by questionnaire. Results: Overall, participants held negative attitudes to drugs and methods enhancing predominantly cognitive abilities enhancing performance drugs and to appearance modifying methods, but were positive to drugs for restoring physical functioning conditions. However, attitudes varied nonlinearly across age. Lenient attitudes peaked at age around 25 and subsequently decreased. Lenient attitudes to use of drugs against common disorders decreased in a linear fashion. No gender differences were observed and attitude did not vary with level of education, self-reported health or weekly hours of physical activity. Conclusion: The present study expands existing knowledge about attitudes toward PEDM with respect to age and gender specific differences. Future studies should take age variations into account, when examining attitudes to PEDM in the general population.


2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chun-Chun Gau ◽  
Tsung-Chieh Yao ◽  
Shu-Ting Gan ◽  
Syh-Jae Lin ◽  
Kuo-Wei Yeh ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Among school-age children, the decrease of cartilage thickness (Cth) with increasing age is well known. However, the influence of body mass index (BMI), height or weight on Cth has not been revealed. Here in, we aim to establish an age- and gender-specific Cth standard reference among Asians and investigate the possible prestige of BMI, height and weight. Methods A cross-sectional study was performed in healthy Asian children. Bilateral knees, ankles, wrists, second metacarpophalangeals (MCPs) and proximal interphalangeals (PIPs) were measured using ultrasound. The children’s height, weight and BMI were also recorded for later adjustment. Results A total of 200 school age Asian children (including 86 girls and 114 boys, aged between 5 to 13 years-old) were investigated. Cth differences were observed in the knees, ankles, wrists, MCPs and PIPs between sexes (p < 0.05), with girls having thinner cartilage thickness. While Cth decreases with increasing age (p < 0.0001, 0.039, 0.001, 0.023, 0.091 in girls’ knees, ankles, wrists, MCPs and PIPs and p = 0.002, 0.001, < 0.0001, 0.001, 0.045 in boys’, respectively). Our data showed that weight, height and BMI are not the main factors contributing to Cth. A formula to calculate gender-specific cartilage thickness for Asian school age children is suggested. There was no difference in Cth after adjusting for height or weight between Asian or Caucasian group. Conclusions A formula to calculate gender-specific cartilage thickness for Asian school age children is suggested. Height, weight and BMI were not the major contributor for Cth among school age children.


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