A study was conducted to validate the Inoue protocol in determining the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of Filipinos. Dynamic posterior planar kidney images of 402 consecutive Filipino patients referred for in vitro GFR determination were reprocessed using the Inoue protocol. Regression and Bland-Altman analyses were done on surface area normalized glomerular filtration rates (GFRSAnorm) generated using the Inoue linear regression model of the sample, Gates' method, and original regression formula published by Inoue, using respective two-point plasma concentration (in vitro) GFRSAnorm values as reference standards. GFRSAnorm results from the three camera-based techniques had strong correlation with those obtained using the in vitro method (i.e. r values of 0.9349, 0.8922 and 0.9349, respectively). However, agreement analysis showed lack of both bias and precision in the results of the Inoue linear regression model of the sample, and presence of bias and lack of precision in the results of both the Gates' method and the original linear regression model published by Inoue when compared to their corresponding in vitro GFRSAnorm results (standard error of 0.6209, 0.8379 and 0.9473, respectively). Thus, the linear regression model of the Inoue protocol is superior to the Gates' method for camera-based GFR estimation, and is population-specific, but is not robust enough to be a replacement for the in vitro technique.

Human ; Male ; Female ; Aged 80 And Over ; Aged ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Bias (epidemiology) ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; In Vitro Techniques ; Kidney ; Linear Models ; Radioisotope Renography

We performed this research to determine the prevalence of low bone mineral density in patients given levothyroxine and to investigate the effects of replacement and suppressive doses of levothyroxine, age, body mass index, and TSH level on bone mineral density. One hundred and ten Asian women taking levothyroxine for at least six months were grouped into levothyroxine replacement group (levothyroxine dose that will maintain TSH level of 0.5-5.0 ulU / mL) and TSH-suppressive group (dose that will maintain TSH level of less than 0.5 uIU/mL). Bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry at the lumbar spine, femoral neck and total hip. The prevalence of low bone mineral density on levothyroxine replacement and TSH-suppressive groups were 58 % and 45.8%, respectively. In the levothyroxine replacement group significant associations between levothyroxine dose, as well as body mass index, and low BMD in both spine and femoral neck were detected. An inverse relationship between duration of therapy and low bone density was also observed. Even normal TSH level in this group correlated with low bone mass in the total hip. Age and menopausal status were also significantly associated with low bone density. In the group of patients taking TSH-suppressive doses of levothyroxine, only age showed an inverse correlation with BMD. This may be secondary to the small population size generated for this group.

Human ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Young Adult ; Adolescent ; Child ; Hormones ; Hormones, Hormone Substitutes, And Hormone Antagonists ; Thyroxine ; Absorptiometry, Photon ; Body Mass Index ; Bone Density ; Femur Neck ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; Population Density ; Prevalence ; Thyroid Hormones