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Measuring the weight of the isolated perfused rat lung during negative pressure ventilation.

Weight measurement represents a means of quantitating edema formation in isolated lungs and following its time course. During ventilation by negative pressure measurements with commonly used weight transducers are impossible because the pressure changes inside the artificial thoracic chamber affect the weight reading. Therefore, we have developed a weight transducer that can be used during negative pressure ventilation. Its design and applicability for assessing weight gain induced by various agents in the negative-pressure-ventilated isolated perfused rat lung is presented here.

Animals↗

Mid-arm circumference and mid-arm circumference: head circumference ratio for assessing longitudinal growth in hospitalized preterm infants.

In order to study the usefulness of upper mid-arm circumference (MAC) and mid-arm circumference:head circumference ratio (MAC:HC) measurements in assessing longitudinal growth in hospitalized preterm infants, we prospectively measured weights, lengths, occipitofrontal head circumferences (OFC), MACs, MAC:HCs, weight/length for age, nutritional intakes, and serum transthyretin and albumin levels in 50 preterm, low-birth-weight, appropriate for gestational age newborn infants during their first 4 postnatal weeks and at hospital discharge. At some time during hospitalization, weight measurements were abnormal (greater than or equal to 2SD from the gestational age mean) in 48% of the infants as compared with 24% with abnormal MAC measurements (p = 0.002). Abnormal MAC:HCs occurred in 25% of the infants as compared with 68% with abnormal weight/length for age values (p less than 0.001). During weeks 2-4, when nutritional intakes were adequate and serum transthyretin and albumin levels were normal, mean weight gain velocity was less than intrauterine rates and was significantly slower than MAC velocities, which were at or greater than intrauterine rates (p less than 0.001). At discharge, when all infants were gaining weight at intrauterine rates, weight measurements were still abnormal in 28% of the infants as compared with 10% of infants who had abnormal MACs (p = 0.005). Similarly, only 12% of infants had abnormal MAC:HCs as compared with 25% of infants with abnormal weight/length for age values at discharge (p = 0.05). The MAC and MAC:HC are useful for assessing longitudinal growth in preterm infants since they do not overestimate the prevalence of malnourishment during periods of apparent protein-calorie sufficiency.

Anthropometry↗

The accuracy of long-term recall of past body weight in Japanese adult men.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the influences of recall period, current body weight, weight gain and loss, and weight variability on the accuracy of long-term recall of past weight. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS: Comparison of recalled weights around 25 y old with weights measured at age 25y in health checkup records among 2453 Japanese men (age: 34-61 y). MEASUREMENTS: Deviations between reported and measured weights were examined as to the three indexes: actual error (reported-measured), percent error (actual error/measured x 100), and absolute value of the percent error. Weight variability was defined as (1) the coefficient of variation of weight (CV) and (2) the root mean square error around the slope of weight on age (RMSE). RESULTS: Recalled weight strongly correlated with measured weight (r=0.849). Correlation coefficients decreased as age or the elapsed time since age 25y increased. Recalled weight (mean=58.3 kg) was slightly greater than measured weight at age 25y (mean=57.0 kg, mean actual error=1.28 kg). Subjects with a current body mass index (BMI) of less than 28.6 kg/m(2) overestimated their past weights, whereas those with BM1 of 28.6 kg/m(2) or over underestimated it. Subjects with weight loss since age 25y underestimated their past weights, whereas those with stable weight or gain overestimated it. There were monotonic increases in the three indexes of deviation across the CV quartile categories. Concerning the effect RMSE, a similar trend was observed. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that past body weights over a long period seem to be recalled with good accuracy. However, it should be kept in mind when using recalled weight in an epidemiologic study that accuracy of recall is influenced by age or elapsed time, current BMI, weight gain and loss, and weight variability.

Adult↗

Repeated measurement of maternal weight during pregnancy. Is this a useful practice?

A retrospective study of 1092 pregnant women showed that the use of a centile chart of maternal weight gain was not effective at detecting women who give birth to small for gestational age (SGA) infants. Multiple regression analysis showed that of the various weight measurements recorded, weekly weight gain and maternal size at booking were the only factors which had a significant association with infant birthweight after taking into account maternal gestation, age, smoking habit and parity. Low maternal booking weight (less than 51 kg) was the most effective maternal weight measurement for antenatal detection of SGA infants (positive predictive value 20.0%). Low average weekly maternal weight gain (less than 0.20 kg) had a positive predictive value of only 12.9% for detecting these pregnancies. Weight loss or failure to gain weight over a 2-week interval occurring in the third trimester was observed in 46% of all women studied. Maternal smoking had a positive predictive value of 16.3% in antenatal detection of SGA infants. Maternal weight need be recorded only at booking, with the exception of patients in whom nutrition is of concern. The subsequent routine weighing of patients may produce unnecessary anxiety and should cease.

Adult↗

Dietary advice for treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus in adults.

BACKGROUND: While initial dietary management immediately after formal diagnosis is an 'accepted' cornerstone of treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, a formal and systematic overview of its efficacy and method of delivery is not currently available. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effect of type and frequency of different types of dietary advice to all adults with type 2 diabetes on weight, measures of diabetic control, morbidity, total mortality and quality of life. SEARCH STRATEGY: We carried out a comprehensive search of The Cochrane Library (The Cochrane Library Issue 3, 2003), MEDLINE (1966 to October Week 1, 2003), EMBASE (1980 to Week 40, 2003), CINAHL (1982 to October Week 1, 2003), AMED (1985 to October 2003), bibliographies and contacted relevant experts. SELECTION CRITERIA: All randomised controlled trials, of six months or longer, in which dietary advice was the main intervention in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: The lead investigator performed all data extraction and quality scoring with duplication being carried out by one of the other six investigators independently with discrepancies resolved by discussion and consensus. Authors were contacted for missing data. For continuous outcomes, endpoint data were preferred to change data. MAIN RESULTS: Thirty-six articles reporting a total of eighteen trials following 1467 participants were included. Dietary approaches assessed in this review were low-fat/high-carbohydrate diets, high-fat/low-carbohydrate diets, low-calorie (1000 kcal per day) and very-low-calorie (500 kcal per day) diets and modified fat diets. Two trials compared the American Diabetes Association exchange diet with a standard reduced fat diet and five studies assessed low-fat diets versus moderate fat or low-carbohydrate diets. Two studies assessed the effect of a very-low-calorie diet versus a low-calorie diet. Six studies compared dietary advice with dietary advice plus exercise and three other studies assessed dietary advice versus dietary advice plus behavioural approaches. The studies all measured weight and measures of glycaemic control although not all studies reported these in the articles published. Other outcomes which were measured in these studies included mortality, blood pressure, serum cholesterol (including LDL and HDL cholesterol), serum triglycerides, maximal exercise capacity and compliance. The results suggest that adoption of regular exercise is a good way to promote better glycaemic control in type 2 diabetic patients, however all of these studies were at high risk of bias. REVIEWERS' CONCLUSIONS: There are no high quality data on the efficacy of the dietary treatment of type 2 diabetes, however the data available indicate that the adoption of exercise appears to improve glycated haemoglobin at six and twelve months in people with type 2 diabetes. There is an urgent need for well-designed studies which examine a range of interventions, at various points during follow-up, although there is a promising study currently underway.

Adult↗

Dietary advice for treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus in adults.

BACKGROUND: While initial dietary management immediately after formal diagnosis is an 'accepted' cornerstone of treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, a formal and systematic overview of its efficacy and method of delivery is not currently available. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effect of type and frequency of different types of dietary advice to all adults with type 2 diabetes on weight, measures of diabetic control, morbidity, total mortality and quality of life. SEARCH STRATEGY: We carried out a comprehensive search of The Cochrane Library (The Cochrane Library Issue 3, 2003), MEDLINE (1966 to October Week 1, 2003), EMBASE (1980 to Week 40, 2003), CINAHL (1982 to October Week 1, 2003), AMED (1985 to October 2003), bibliographies and contacted relevant experts. SELECTION CRITERIA: All randomised controlled trials, of six months or longer, in which dietary advice was the main intervention in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: The lead investigator performed all data extraction and quality scoring with duplication being carried out by one of the other six investigators independently with discrepancies resolved by discussion and consensus. Authors were contacted for missing data. For continuous outcomes, endpoint data were preferred to change data. MAIN RESULTS: Thirty-six articles reporting a total of eighteen trials following 1467 participants were included. Dietary approaches assessed in this review were low-fat/high-carbohydrate diets, high-fat/low-carbohydrate diets, low-calorie (1000 kcal per day) and very-low-calorie (500 kcal per day) diets and modified fat diets. Two trials compared the American Diabetes Association exchange diet with a standard reduced fat diet and five studies assessed low-fat diets versus moderate fat or low-carbohydrate diets. Two studies assessed the effect of a very-low-calorie diet versus a low-calorie diet. Six studies compared dietary advice with dietary advice plus exercise and three other studies assessed dietary advice versus dietary advice plus behavioural approaches. The studies all measured weight and measures of glycaemic control although not all studies reported these in the articles published. Other outcomes which were measured in these studies included mortality, blood pressure, serum cholesterol (including LDL and HDL cholesterol), serum triglycerides, maximal exercise capacity and compliance. The results suggest that adoption of regular exercise is a good way to promote better glycaemic control in type 2 diabetic patients, however all of these studies were at high risk of bias. REVIEWERS' CONCLUSIONS: There are no high quality data on the efficacy of the dietary treatment of type 2 diabetes, however the data available indicate that the adoption of exercise appears to improve glycated haemoglobin at six and twelve months in people with type 2 diabetes. There is an urgent need for well-designed studies which examine a range of interventions, at various points during follow-up, although there is a promising study currently underway.

Adult↗

Self-reported versus measured height, weight and body mass index in Spanish Mediterranean teenagers: effects of gender, age and weight on perceptual measures of body image.

BACKGROUND: To have a good physical appearance is a determining factor by which adolescents show a tendency to worry excessively about their weight. The aim of this work is to study the possible relationship between actual and perceived body weight, how it is considered and what strategies are followed for weight control among adolescents residing in Valencia. METHODS: A sample of 568 students, 325 girls and 243 boys, aged 14-20 years, were selected from public high schools in Valencia. Their height and weight were used to calculate their actual body mass index (BMIO). The subjective perception of their physical measurements (BMIS) was evaluated by means of a questionnaire. The statistical treatment of data was done with commercially available software. RESULTS: There is a relatively large proportion of underweight subjects among the participants of the survey. Differences between the BMIO and BMIS indicate a misperception of height (overestimated) and weight (underestimated) that is greater in girls than in boys. Girls tend to undergo restrictive dietary measures when they consider themselves overweight. A general lack of knowledge about adequate weight was observed. CONCLUSION: Valencia teenagers show a poor knowledge of their body size and of the weight that should be adequate for their age and tallness.

Adolescent↗

Accuracy of current, 4-year, and 28-year self-reported body weight in an elderly population.

Participants in the 1987-1989 recall of the Charleston Heart Study were asked to report their current weight and to recall their weight in 1984 and 1960. Reported weights were compared with weights measured in the respective time periods. Subjects included male and female blacks and whites between ages 62 and 100 years. Correlations between reported and measured weights over all subjects were 0.979 for current, 0.935 for 4-year, and 0.822 for 28-year recall. Subjects in the lowest body mass index quartile overestimated their weight, while subjects in the highest quartile underestimated their weight. This tendency increased as the elapsed time increased. Deviations between measured and reported weights increased as performance on cognitive tests declined.

Aged↗

Accuracy of measurements of small changes in soft-tissue mass by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the ability of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to measure accurately small changes in lean soft-tissue mass. DXA has recently been suggested as an accurate, noninvasive method of analysis of body composition. DESIGN: Experimental use of DXA to assess human body composition before and after rapid saline infusion. PARTICIPANTS: Six healthy men. OUTCOME MEASURES: Weight measurements, DXA scanning results and skinfold thicknesses taken on the first day of the experiment and on the second day, before and after rapid saline infusion. RESULTS: After the infusion, the subjects' weight increased by a mean 2.26 kg (standard deviation 0.199 kg). At each of the four readings, there was a strong correlation between weight and DXA-derived total mass (r = 0.999) and between skinfold-derived fat-free mass and DXA-derived lean mass (r = 0.941 to 0.957). Following infusion, no differences were found between the measured and theoretical (i.e., preinfusion value plus weight change) values for total mass (p = 22), lean soft-tissue mass (p = 0.10) and lean mass (p = 0.09). The bias was -0.669 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.18 to -1.49) for total mass, -0.65 (95% CI 0.16 to -1.47) for lean soft-tissue mass, and -0.14 (95% CI 0.11 to -0.38) for lean mass. CONCLUSIONS: DXA is an improvement over- previous dual-energy technologies and appears to provide sufficient accuracy to detect small (less than 2.5 kg) changes in mass in individual, healthy men, over a short period and under non-steady-state conditions. Therefore, DXA may also be of practical use for longitudinal assessment of weight change.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

Summary measures of quality of diabetes care: comparison of continuous weighted performance measurement and dichotomous thresholds.

BACKGROUND: The Institute of Medicine has suggested that related individual measures of quality be combined into summary measures. Averages of adherence on dichotomous measures for intermediate outcomes have shortcomings because control of individual risk factors differs in their health benefit. Therefore, a common metric is necessary to weight measures appropriately. OBJECTIVE: Compare health care system performance using continuous measures weighted based on quality adjusted life years saved (QALYsS) versus dichotomous threshold measures. RESEARCH DESIGN: Retrospective cross-sectional analysis of 2000-01 chart abstraction data of diabetic patients from 141 Veterans Health Administration medical centers. Outcome variables included correlation of individual level and facility level adherence to and rankings by continuous weighted individual and summary dichotomous measures for glycemic control (<8% A1c), blood pressure (<140/80 mm/Hg), and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) <130 mg/dl. RESULTS: The 141 facilities had a range of 163-740 (mean 263) subjects. The population (n = 37 142) was largely male (86.1%) and older (mean age 65.9 years, SD +/-11.4 years), with mean overall A1c of 7.58%, systolic blood pressure of 137.2 mm/Hg, and LDL-C 104.8 mg/dl. There was excellent correlation between QALYsS and dichotomous outcomes for A1c (r = 0.86), blood pressure (r = 0.94), LDL-C (r = 0.95), and the summary measure (r = 0.92), but poor correlation among the risk factors (r = 0.19-0.36). There was considerable difference in rankings between the dichotomous and the continuous weighted measures; only 46% of facilities remained within the same or within 1 decile. CONCLUSION: Continuous weighted measures for the major risk factors for diabetes-related complications have high correlation with dichotomous measures. We propose that a continuous QALYs-weighted summary measure could function as a global measure for the quality of diabetes care.

Aged↗

Visits to office-based physicians in the United States for medication-related morbidity.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence, nature, demographics, and resource use associated with visits to office-based physicians in the United States during 1995 for medication-related morbidity. DESIGN: A nationwide cross-sectional survey of ambulatory care visits to physician offices, based on data from the National Center for Health Statistics' 1995 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. SETTING: Physician office-based settings in the United States. PATIENTS: Patients visiting office-based physicians for principal diagnoses of adverse effect of medications (ICD-9-CM E-code 930.00-947.9). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Weighted measures of prevalence, nature, demographics, and resource use associated with visits related to adverse effects of medications. RESULTS: An estimated 2.01 million (95% confidence interval, 1.69 to 2.34 million) visits for medication-related morbidity were made to office-based physicians in the United States during 1995, representing an annual rate of 7.70 visits per 1,000 persons. Medication-related visit rates were greater in women, in patients between 65 and 74 years of age, and in the Midwest. The most frequently cited reasons for medication-related visits were skin rash, nausea, and shortness of breath. The therapeutic agents responsible for medication-related visits were most often hormone and synthetic substitutes (13.32%), antibiotics (11.55%), and cardiovascular drugs (9.30%). Medication-related visits most often involved diagnostic services and medication therapy. The majority included instructions for a scheduled follow-up, and fewer than 1% resulted in hospital admission. CONCLUSION: Medication-related ambulatory care utilization can pose a significant burden on health care resources unless specific strategies are initiated to control medication-related problems. The provision of pharmaceutical care can play an important role in reducing medication-related problems and associated health care costs.

Ambulatory Care↗

The validity of self-reported weight in US adults: a population based cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Investigating the validity of the self-reported values of weight allows for the proper assessment of studies using questionnaire-derived data. The study examined the accuracy of gender-specific self-reported weight in a sample of adults. The effects of age, education, race and ethnicity, income, general health and medical status on the degree of discrepancy (the difference between self-reported weight and measured weight) are similarly considered. METHODS: The analysis used data from the US Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Self-reported and measured weights were abstracted and analyzed according to sex, age, measured weight, self-reported weight, and body mass index (BMI). A proportional odds model was applied. RESULTS: The weight discrepancy was positively associated with age, and negatively associated with measured weight and BMI. Ordered logistic regression modeling showed age, race-ethnicity, education, and BMI to be associated with the degree of discrepancy in both sexes. In men, additional predictors were consumption of more than 100 cigarettes and the desire to change weight. In women, marital status, income, activity level, and the number of months since the last doctor's visit were important. CONCLUSIONS: Predictors of the degree of weight discrepancy are gender-specific, and require careful consideration when examined.

Adult↗

The accuracy of self-reported weights.

The accuracy of self-reported weights was assessed by comparing reported weights with measured weights of 1302 subjects at eight different medical and nonmedical sites across two countries (United States and Denmark), across ages, sexes, and different purposes for the weight measurements. Self-reported weights were remarkably accurate across all these variables in the American sample, even among obese people, and may obviate the need for measured weights in epidemiological investigations. Danish reports were somewhat less accurate, particularly among women over 40 yr of age.

Adult↗

Variability in Holstein heifer heart-girth measurements and comparison of prediction equations for live weight.

Measurement of heart-girth (chest circumference) is commonly used to estimate dairy heifer body weight from previously derived equations or tables. In this experiment, variability of heart-girth measurements as they are taken in the field was analyzed to determine the standard deviation within a group of 26 Holstein heifers of various ages weighing 42-590 kg. Standard deviations were 2.19 cm among 26 observers and 2.74 cm within any one observer. Repeatability between two heart-girth measurements by an individual observer on the same animal using a blind heart-girth tape was >0.99. Correlation coefficients between two measurements by different observers using blind measuring tapes on the same animal also were >0.99, with 99% of total differences due to observer and heifer, indicating very little random variation. A second part of this study was the validation of the most recently derived equation to calculate body weight from heart-girth. The equation was validated with data sets from universities across the United States and field data collected specifically for this study. Experimental and field data comprised of heart-girth and body weight measurements upheld the previously derived equation and support its continued use. These results allow more precise interpretation of heart-girth data collected from field studies with Holstein dairy heifers and provide more complete validation of existing body weight-prediction equations.

Abdomen↗

Practical approaches for estimating prepregnant body weight.

Measurements of prepregnant body weight have important research and clinical applications. In practice, however, they are not always recorded; even when they are, this information is not always readily available. For this reason, researchers and clinicians have to rely on retrospective estimates of prepregnant weight, which can be estimated using: 1) maternal self-reports, 2) retrospective extrapolation, or 3) standardized estimates that correct for weight gained during early pregnancy. The aim of the present study was to examine the relative merits of these three approaches. Maternal self-reports tend to be unreliable and biased, being influenced by a variety of sociodemographic characteristics that generally underestimate true prepregnant body weight. Estimates of prepregnant weight based on retrospective extrapolation are vulnerable to measurement error, transient fluctuations in body weight, and incorrectly assume that the rate of weight gain is constant throughout pregnancy. Standardized estimates that correct for weight gained during early pregnancy incorrectly presume that there is little interindividual variation in gestational weight gain and that weight gain is similar for each woman in consecutive pregnancies. Because none of these techniques can provide a precise measure of prepregnant weight, researchers have little alternative but to recruit and weigh women before they become pregnant, although measurements of body weight recorded during the first trimester of pregnancy may provide a reasonable indication of prepregnant weight. For clinicians, self-reports of prepregnant weight or measurements recorded early in pregnancy are probably sufficiently accurate for practical purposes whenever recent, accurate measurements of prepregnant weight are unavailable.

Anthropometry↗

Combining functional and topological properties to identify core modules in protein interaction networks.

Advances in large-scale technologies in proteomics, such as yeast two-hybrid screening and mass spectrometry, have made it possible to generate large Protein Interaction Networks (PINs). Recent methods for identifying dense sub-graphs in such networks have been based solely on graph theoretic properties. Therefore, there is a need for an approach that will allow us to combine domain-specific knowledge with topological properties to generate functionally relevant sub-graphs from large networks. This article describes two alternative network measures for analysis of PINs, which combine functional information with topological properties of the networks. These measures, called weighted clustering coefficient and weighted average nearest-neighbors degree, use weights representing the strengths of interactions between the proteins, calculated according to their semantic similarity, which is based on the Gene Ontology terms of the proteins. We perform a global analysis of the yeast PIN by systematically comparing the weighted measures with their topological counterparts. To show the usefulness of the weighted measures, we develop an algorithm for identification of functional modules, called SWEMODE (Semantic WEights for MODule Elucidation), that identifies dense sub-graphs containing functionally similar proteins. The proposed method is based on the ranking of nodes, i.e., proteins, according to their weighted neighborhood cohesiveness. The highest ranked nodes are considered as seeds for candidate modules. The algorithm then iterates through the neighborhood of each seed protein, to identify densely connected proteins with high functional similarity, according to the chosen parameters. Using a yeast two-hybrid data set of experimentally determined protein-protein interactions, we demonstrate that SWEMODE is able to identify dense clusters containing proteins that are functionally similar. Many of the identified modules correspond to known complexes or subunits of these complexes.

Algorithms↗