Search Results (9)

Background: Prolonged courses of glucocorticoids (GCs) for patients suffering from inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRDs) are associated with adverse effects. High-frequency ultrasonography (HFUS) has been utilized to quantify skin changes during short-term topical GC treatment. We aimed to quantify skin atrophy in IRD patients treated systemically with prolonged courses of GCs. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study comparing patients with IRDs and GC treatment who presented with clinically evident skin atrophy to a matched cohort (1:1) without IRDs and GC treatment. Skinfold measurements, utilizing a standardized caliper, and B-mode HFUS images, utilizing an 18 MHz linear sonography probe, were acquired at back-of-hand, cubital, and dorsal midfoot regions and then compared between both groups. Results: A total of 53 GC-treated IRD patients (33 (62%) women, mean age 66.4 (±10.0) years, GC treatment median 8.0 (1.0–47.0) years) were compared to 53 subjects without IRDs and GC treatment (32 (60%) women, 65.9 (±11.3) years). Skinfold thickness measured at the back of hands [1.7 (±0.4) vs. 2.1 (±0.5) mm, p < 0.001], but not at the cubital [6.7 (±2.7) vs. 7.1 (±3.0) mm] or dorsal midfoot [3.6 (±3.7) vs. 4.1 (±3.4) mm] areas, showed a significant difference between the groups. In comparison, all areas displayed statistically significant different cutaneous thickness in the evaluation by HFUS: hand 0.66 (±0.12) vs. 0.82 (±0.18), p < 0.001; cubital 0.86 (±0.15) vs. 1.00 (±0.21), p < 0.001; and midfoot 0.76 (±0.16) vs. 0.94 (±0.18), p < 0.001. Conclusions: This study revealed significantly lower values in the measured cutaneous thickness by HFUS for GC-treated patients with IRDs compared to persons without IRD and GC treatment. Full article

Selecting high-immune-responding cattle benefits the individual animal and the herd. To assess factors that have a role in determining the immune status of cattle, this study used 55 weaned bull and 57 weaned heifer Brahman calves. Antibody-mediated immune response (AMIR) was determined by using a vaccine-specific IgG, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in response to cattle receiving the Salmonella Newport Extract vaccine. Cell-mediated immune response (CMIR) was determined by using a subcutaneous (neck) sensitization dose of Candida albicans (CA) with Quil-A adjuvant on Day 0. On Day 14, caudal skinfold thickness (SFT) was measured using Harpenden calipers prior to the intradermal injection of CA into the skinfold, and on Day 15, the injection site SFT was measured again. The response was determined by using the difference in SFT from Day 15 (post-injection) and Day 14 (pre-injection). In weaned Brahman calves, AMIR was not influenced by sex; however, there was sexual dimorphism associated with CMIR, in that bull calves had a greater response than heifers (p < 0.05). Our studies demonstrate that weaned Brahman calves can be separated into AMIR and CMIR classes and that AMIR and CMIR should be investigated further as selection tools in beef cattle production. Full article

Obesity is a major issue affecting not only adults but also children in many places of the world. There are numerous methods for estimating the body fat percentage, however, all of those methods are different in terms of availability, accuracy, and the cost of an individual examination. The aim of this study was to compare two relatively easy and widespread measurement methods for assessing skinfold thickness: the BodyMetrix BX2000 ultrasound machine and a classic GPM caliper. Fifty-eight young women aged 19–24 years with normative body weight participated in the study. We found that although the measurements performed by both methods are positively correlated, the obtained values were different. In seven out of nine measured points, these differences were statistically significant. The measurements of skin fat folds with a caliper showed a higher value of subcutaneous tissue compared to ultrasound measurements. Only the values of measurements on the pectoral and mid-axillary did not differ between the methods. We conclude that due to the significant discrepancies in the values of measured skinfold thickness, appropriate measurement tools and dedicated formulas estimating the amount of body fat should be used. Full article

Sarcopenia is a well-known highly prevalent muscle disease that severely impairs overall physical performance in elders, inducing a massive health-related economic burden. The widespread screening, diagnosis and treatment of sarcopenia are pivotal to restrain the disease progression and constrain its societal impact. Simple-to-use, portable, and reliable methods to evaluate sarcopenia are scarce, and sarcopenia-related assessments are typically done in several time-consuming stages. This study presents a portable digital system that enables a simple and intuitive method to evaluate sarcopenia—based on the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People 2 (EWGSOP2) algorithm—including the four Find-Assess-Confirm-Severity (FACS) steps. The system comprises a mobile application (app); two wireless devices: a dynamometer (Gripwise) and a skinfold caliper (Lipowise); and a back-end website. To find cases, the SARC-F questionnaire is applied. To assess sarcopenia, the handgrip strength and the sit-to-stand tests are performed with the Gripwise and an application-embedded stopwatch, respectively. To confirm cases, anthropometric measures are performed, and muscle quantity is estimated with Lipowise. Finally, to assess severity, the app stopwatch grants the gait speed test application, evaluating physical performance. This step-by-step sarcopenia assessment results in a final grading according to the cut-off points of the EWGSOP2 criteria. All data is automatically encrypted and exported into a GDPR-compliant cloud platform, in which healthcare professionals can access and monitor their patients through the internet. Full article

Background: The aim of this study was to analyze the validity of four different skinfold calipers, as well as to establish the differences between them in a healthy young adult population. Methods: The present study followed a cross-sectional design, including 138 participants, with 69 males (21.46 ± 2.52 years) and 69 females (22.19 ± 2.85 years). The measurement protocol included basic measurements of body mass and stretch stature and eight skinfolds with a Harpenden, Holtain, Slim Guide, and Lipowise. The ∑6 and ∑8 skinfolds and fat mass were calculated. The order in which the skinfold calipers were used was randomized. Results: No significant differences were found in either the Σ6 and Σ8 skinfolds or masses and fat percentages calculated with the skinfolds obtained with the different calipers (p > 0.05), and the inclusion of the covariates of sex, BMI, and hydration status of the participants showed no effect on the differences. The Bland–Altman test showed significant differences between the calipers (p < 0.001). Conclusion: It has been observed that the analyzed calipers have shown validity for the assessment of adiposity-related variables in a male and female sample of non-overweight, young healthy adults, but they are not interchangeable with each other when the assessment is meant to be compared over time or with other samples. Full article

Multiple micronutrient supplementation (MMS) in pregnancy has previously been associated with positive effects on fetal growth, but its value in high-income countries remains controversial. In this study, we investigated effects of pregnancy MMS on offspring size at birth and adiposity, along with risks of various maternal outcomes of pregnancy, using the prospective Cambridge Baby Growth Study. Maternal MMS was reported in 528 out of 970 women who completed pregnancy questionnaires. Gestational diabetes (GDM) was assessed using results from 75 g oral glucose tolerance tests at week 28 of pregnancy. Offspring size at birth was assessed using standard anthropometric measurements and adiposity using skinfold calipers. MMS was associated with increased risk of developing GDM (risk ratio = 1.86 (1.13–3.08), p = 0.02), as well as increased offspring size at birth in terms of weight (p = 0.03), head circumference (p = 0.04), and flank, and subscapular and triceps skinfold thicknesses (p = 0.04, 0.03, and 0.003, respectively). There was no association with quadriceps skinfold thickness (p = 0.2), suggesting that the increased adiposity was partially regionalized. In women who underwent oral glucose tolerance testing, nearly all of these associations were attenuated by adjusting for GDM. These results suggest that the increased offspring size at birth, including (regionalized) adiposity associated with pregnancy, and MMS may be partially related to the development of GDM. Full article

The relationship of body fat (BF) percentage with performance of elite marathon runners has been well studied; however, less information is available about the variation of skinfold thickness by sex and performance in non-elite marathon runners. The aim of the present study was to examine the variation of skinfold thickness by sex and performance in recreational marathon runners. Participants included 32 female (age 40.1 ± 9.0 years, BF 19.6 ± 4.7%, and training volume 47.7 ± 22.6 km) and 134 male marathon runners (44.3 ± 8.8 years, 17.6 ± 4.0%, and 53.0 ± 21.2 km, respectively). The largest skinfold thickness was the abdomen in both sexes, whereas the smallest was biceps in men, and chins in women (p < 0.001). The largest sex difference in skinfold thickness was observed in triceps being the fattest in women (p < 0.001). The largest difference in skinfold thickness among men’s performance groups was observed in the iliac crest, and the smallest in the patella and proximal calf (p < 0.001). In summary, skinfold measurements indicated that women had more fat in both their upper and lower limbs, while men had more fat in their trunk. With regards to the role of performance level, the slowest runners presented relatively more fat in the upper limbs and trunk anatomical sites, i.e., away from the active muscles of legs. Full article

Physical manifestations of Turner syndrome include short stature, a webbed neck, and a shield chest with widely spaced nipples. An aspect of the disease which has not been sufficiently explored so far is the tactile sensitivity of Turner syndrome patients. Thus, the aim of the study was to assess the threshold of tactile sensitivity on hands and feet of women suffering from Turner syndrome. Information on the participants of the study was collected on the basis of questionnaires, as well as anthropometric measurements using a skinfold caliper. Semmes-Weinstein Aesthesiometer was used to find the tactile sensitivity threshold of hands and feet of study participants. Based on the results of the study, significant differences in tactile sensitivity between women with Turner syndrome and healthy women were found. Affected women seem be more sensitive to the touch on the feet than healthy volunteers. The results of the study showed that the tactile sensitivity of women with Turner syndrome is different from that of healthy women. Full article

Wildland firefighting is arduous work with extreme physical and nutritional demands that often exceeds those of athletes competing in sports. The intensity and duration of job demands, impacts the amount of calories burned, which can influence body composition. The purpose of this study was to determine if the body composition of nine wildland firefighters working as smokejumpers changed throughout the 2017 fire season. Subjects (n = 9) for the study ranged in age from 24–49 (age 30.1 ± 8.3 y). Height (177 ± 18.8 cm) and weight (81.32 ± 6.39 kg) was recorded during initial body composition testing and body fat percentage was determined pre and post-season using Lange skinfold calipers. Outcomes were evaluated using a paired t-test. Body fat percentage was significantly different between pre and post-season (average body fat percentage increase = 1.31%; t = 2.31, p = 0.04, alpha = 0.05). Body weight increased slightly from pre to post-season (average increase in body weight: 0.17 kg), although the differences were not significant (t = 2.31, p = 0.78). Change in body fat percentage without change in body weight suggest that monitoring of WLFF body composition and fitness may be needed help inform dietary and fitness interventions to insure that nutritional demands of this population are sufficient to support physical work on the fireline. Full article