Objective: To investigate the risk factors of sarcopenia among the elderly, so as to provide insights into prevention of sarcopenia among the elderly. Methods: A case-control study was conducted. A total of 371 patients with sarcopenia at ages of 60 years and older admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University were selected as the case group, while 1∶1 matching healthy volunteers by gender, age and ethnicity in the hospital during the study period served as controls. Participants' demographics, disease history and nutrition were collected using questionnaire surveys, and factors affecting the development of sarcopenia were identified using a multivariable conditional logistic regression model. Results: Participants in the case group included 171 men (46.09%), 254 Han ethnic populations (68.46%) and had a mean age of (73.04±7.83) years. Univariable conditional logistic regression analysis showed that participants with smoking, alcohol consumption, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, thyroid dysfunction and malnutrition had higher risk of developing sarcopenia (all P<0.05). Multivariable conditional logistic regression analysis identified hypertension (OR=1.851, 95%CI: 1.344-2.549), diabetes (OR=1.537, 95%CI: 1.068-2.213), dyslipidemia (OR=1.542, 95%CI: 1.112-2.140) and thyroid dysfunction (OR=2.575, 95%CI: 1.838-3.609) as risk factors of sarcopenia among the elderly. Conclusion Hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia and thyroid dysfunction may be risk factors of sarcopenia among the elderly.

Objective: To investigate the influencing factors for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) among the elderly inpatients of the department of geriatrics, so as to provide the reference for early screening and prevention of MCI in the elderly population. Methods: Inpatients aged 60 years and older and admitted to the Department of Geriatrics at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University were selected as the study subjects. Demographic information, past medical history, activities of daily living (ADL), depressive symptoms were collected through questionnaire surveys. MCI was diagnosed with Montreal Cognitive Assessment in combination with medical history and physical examination. Factors affecting MCI were identified using a multivariable logistic regression model. Results: A total of 1 019 elderly patients were collected, including 472 males (46.32%) and 547 females (53.68%), and had a median age of 73.00 (interquartile range, 14.00) years. Among them, 746 patients had an educational level of junior high school or above, accounting for 73.21%, 446 patients had cerebrovascular disease, accounting for 43.77%, and 220 patients were diagnosed with MCI, with a detection rate of 21.59%. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that age (OR=1.354, 95%CI: 1.285-1.426), educational level (primary school, OR=0.345, 95%CI: 0.163-0.731; junior high school or above, OR=0.196, 95%CI: 0.096-0.402), ADL (moderate/severe dependence, OR=4.744, 95%CI: 2.044-11.012) and cerebrovascular disease (OR=2.335, 95%CI: 1.482-3.679) were the influencing factors for MCI among geriatric inpatients. Conclusions The MCI of the elderly inpatients of the department of geriatrics is related to age, educational level, ADL and cerebrovascular disease. Therefore, targeted health education and cognitive function training should be provided for elderly patients to prevent MCI.

ObjectiveTo observe the 2-8 years' follow-up results of percutaneous laser disc decompression(PLDD) on cervical spondylotic radiculopathy,and to identify factors affecting the outcome of PLDD.MethodsEighty-seven patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy were treated consecutively by PLDD in our hospital from December 2002 to June 2009,who were followed up for 2-8 years.There were 32males and 26 females,with the mean age of 51.8 years (range,26-74).The results were evaluated according to the Japanese Orthopedic Association's score of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy(JOA 20 score) and numeric rating scales (NRS) after surgery.Two years after the operation,the excellent and good rate of JOA score of patients with different genders,ages and duration of each subgroup will be compared.ResultsThe excellent and good rate were 37.9％,51.7％,65.5％,81.0％,82.8％,80.9％,72.4％ and 72.7％ at 1,3,6months and 1,2,4,6,8 years after operation respectively.Significant difference was found between the time points of 6 months to eight years after operation and that of one month after operation.The NRS score of the pain symptoms at the final follow-up was significantly reduced(P＜0.05).The excellent and good rate of patients whose course of disease (93.3％) was less than 18 months was significantly higher than that of those whose course of disease was over than 18 months(71.4％) two years after operation (P＜0.05).Conclusion The intermediate-term curative effect of PLDD for the treatment of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy is reliable and stable,and the postoperative curative effect may be influenced by patients' duration of disease.

OBJECTIVETo investigate potential mutation of the ASS1 gene in a male infant with acute citrullinemia type I.

METHODSGenomic DNA was prepared from peripheral blood samples of the family members. Mutation analysis of the 14 ASS1 exons was carried out by PCR and direct DNA sequencing.

RESULTSA homozygous missense mutation of c.970G>A located in exon 13, which results in p.G324S, was identified in the child. Sequencing of the parents showed a heterozygous status for the same mutation.

CONCLUSIONA missense mutation of c.970G>A in the ASS1 gene is responsible for the pathogenesis of the disease in the infant.

Amino Acid Sequence ; Amino Acid Substitution ; Argininosuccinate Synthase ; chemistry ; genetics ; Base Sequence ; Citrullinemia ; genetics ; Gene Order ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Models, Molecular ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mutation, Missense ; Protein Conformation ; Sequence Alignment ; Sequence Analysis, DNA