Vitamin D deficiency is common in the elderly, especially in the housebound and in geriatric patients. The establishment of strict diagnostic criteria is hampered by differences in assay methods for 25-hydroxyvitamin D. The synthesis of vitamin D3 in the skin under influence of UV light decreases with aging due to insufficient sunlight exposure, and a decreased functional capacity of the skin. The diet contains a minor part of the vitamin D requirement. Vitamin D deficiency in the elderly is less common in the United States than elsewhere due to the fortification of milk and use of supplements. Deficiency in vitamin D causes secondary hyperparathyroidism, high bone turnover, bone loss, mineralization defects, and hip and other fractures. Less certain consequences include myopathy and falls. A diet low in calcium may cause an increased turnover of vitamin D metabolites and thereby aggravate vitamin D deficiency. Prevention is feasible by UV light exposure, food fortification, and supplements. Vitamin D3 supplementation causes a decrease of the serum PTH concentration, a decrease of bone turnover, and an increase of bone mineral density. Vitamin D3 and calcium may decrease the incidence of hip and other peripheral fractures in nursing home residents. Vitamin D3 is recommended in housebound elderly, and it may be cost-effective in hip fracture prevention in selected risk groups. (Endocrine Reviews 22: 477–501, 2001)

Vitamin D Deficiency and Secondary Hyperparathyroidism in the Elderly: Consequences for Bone Loss and Fractures and Therapeutic Implications

Biopolymer-based hydrogels as scaffolds for tissue engineering applications: a review

Definition, structure, content, use and impacts of electronic health records: A review of the research literature

Summary
This review describes the vitamin D status in different regions of the world with the objective of understanding the scope of hypovitaminosis D and the factors related to its prevalence that may contribute to the pathogenesis of osteoporosis and fragility fractures.

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Global vitamin D status and determinants of hypovitaminosis D.

Bioceramics of calcium orthophosphates

International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine (ISSLS) Special Poster Presentations: Disc Degeneration / Cell Biology: paper no. SP51

Association of the asporin D14 allele with lumbar disc degeneration

Study design Eighty-five patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis treated with Milwaukee or thoracolumbosacral orthoses at The Duchess of Kent Children's Hospital were studied longitudinally at 4-6-month intervals until maturity for spinal curvature and vertebral rotation, or until termination of brace treatment for persons who experienced brace failure who went on to have surgery. Objectives To identify radiologic features so that it may be possible to predict outcome of brace treatment early on. Summary of background data The structural curve with poor flexibility and large rotational prominence have been found to be associated with poor prognosis for brace treatment. However, early response to bracing for spinal deformity and its relationship to final outcome of brace treatment in a longitudinal study is not available in the literature. Methods Vertebral rotation and Cobb angles measured from anteroposterior radiographs of the spine obtained before bracing and 1-2 months after bracing were found valuable for prediction. Changes in post-brace Cobb angle and vertebral rotation were considered as an increase or reduction only when there was an increase or reduction of minimum 5 degrees or more from their prebrace measurements. Results Those patients who showed increase in vertebral rotation and/or in Cobb angle after brace application were shown to have progression of curves leading to brace failure in 93% of patients, and 79% of these required surgery. The patients with no change in both vertebral rotation and Cobb angle after bracing often experienced brace failure (69%). Two patients (15%) required surgery. The results show that reduction of both Cobb angle and vertebral rotation after application of a brace is a prognostic indicator for a good outcome (97%), and no patients required surgery. Most of the patients with lumbar scoliosis (91%) showed such reductions. Conclusion The findings show a strong association between changes in vertebral rotation and the Cobb angle after application of a brace and the final outcome. Reduction in both is indicative of a good outcome, whereas increase in one or both indicates brace failure.

New prognostic factors to predict the final outcome of brace treatment in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

STUDY DESIGN The lung function test by a Plethysmograph enabled calculations to be made of the total lung capacity and vital capacity. A Motion Analysis System (Elite, BTS Inc., Milano, Italy) was used to observe and record chest cage and spinal movements and as to correlate lung function with the chest cage and spine kinematics. OBJECTIVES To determine the three-dimensional kinematics and the shape and size changes of the chest cage and thoracic spine motion during deep breathing in healthy and scoliotic individuals. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Lateral flexion plus rotation of the involved vertebrae around a vertical axis causing a decrease in lung function is the main disfigurement of scoliosis. Reports show that even after spinal fusion, reduced vital capacity associated with an increased residual volume are detected. Factors such as angle of scoliosis, length of the spinal column involved, and duration of the deformity influence pulmonary function but do not significantly affect its reduction. Mechanical inefficiency during breathing has not been studied. METHODS Three-dimensional kinematics of the chest cage and spine during breathing were studied in 41 scoliotic patients and in 20 healthy individuals. Three-dimensional chest cage motions relative to the spine and thoracic spine motions relative to T12 were calculated. To examine stiffness of the spine, lateral bending angles were calculated. The lung function test, which including spirometry and lung subdivision, also was performed for the scoliotic patients. RESULTS Significant differences (P < 0.05) were found in the movements of the upper level of the chest cage in anteroposterior and vertical directions, ranging from 16.7 to 28.6 mm in healthy individuals and from 12.1 to 24.2 mm in scoliotic patients. The thoracic spine displayed two-dimensional movements posteriorly and vertically during breathing, whereas less movement was seen in scoliotic patients. In addition, overall the scoliotic spine showed signs of stiffness in lateral bending. CONCLUSIONS The range of movement of the chest cage and spine is more limited in the scoliotic cases. This overall stiffness of the chest cage and the spine may contribute to the mechanical inefficiency and impairment of pulmonary function found in scoliotic patients.

Kinematics of the chest cage and spine during breathing in healthy individuals and in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Twenty-two patients with late onset Pott's paraplegia presenting at a mean of 18 years after initial symptoms were reviewed an average of seven years after treatment by anterior decompression and fusion. Fourteen patients had active disease, and in 12 of these, activity at the internal kyphus was the direct cause of the paraplegia. In the other two, a soft healing bony ridge was the cause. The eight patients with healed disease had hard bony ridges compressing the cord. The response to anterior decompression was faster, better and safer in patients with active disease: nine recovered completely and three significantly. In patients with healed disease, the anterior decompression was technically more difficult and the recovery less satisfactory. Significant complications included two cases with neurological deterioration, two with cerebrospinal fluid fistulae and four with neurapraxia of the cord.

Pott's paraplegia of late onset. The cause of compression and results after anterior decompression

We have reviewed 16 patients with avulsion fractures of the tibial tubercle, mostly boys who sustained left-sided injuries during sport. Two-thirds had type I or II injuries and were treated conservatively. Fractures involving the knee joint (type III) had internal fixation. The final results were good except for minor complications such as a prominent and uncomfortable tibial tubercle.

Jcy Leong

Papers

Association of the asporin D14 allele with lumbar disc degeneration

New prognostic factors to predict the final outcome of brace treatment in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Kinematics of the chest cage and spine during breathing in healthy individuals and in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Pott's paraplegia of late onset. The cause of compression and results after anterior decompression

Fracture of the tibial tubercle in the adolescent