OBJECTIVES: One of the important risk factors of falling is decreased muscle mass and muscle strength. Recently, there has been an increasing concern on the role of vitamin D in muscle strength and physical activity. Aim of our study is to examine the relationships between vitamin D status and muscle mass and muscle strength in middle-aged healthy adults. METHODS: Subjects were 40 healthy volunteers aged 42.0 ± 10.6 years old. Evaluation was made for serum vitamin D₃ metabolites including 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ [25(OH)D₃] and 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D₃ [24,25(OH)₂D₃] concentrations, lower limb muscle strength, and dietary intake by food frequency questionnaire. Body composition was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and appendicular skeletal mass index (ASMI) was calculated as skeletal muscle mass/squared height. RESULTS: 70% of the subjects had vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency (serum total 25(OH)D < 20 ng/mL), and female subjects had significantly lower serum total 25(OH)D level compared with males. Vitamin D insufficiency/deficiency group had significantly higher body fat, lower SMI and muscle strength, probably reflecting higher percentage of female subjects. Serum vitamin D₃ metabolites levels were significantly correlated with whole and site-specific ASMI, and lower limb muscle strength, except for the correlation between serum 24,25(OH)₂D₃ concentration and lower limb muscle strength. In addition, serum 25(OH)D₃ level was a positive significant predictor for both ASMI and lower limb muscle strength, while serum 24,25(OH)₂D₃ level was not their significant predictor. CONCLUSIONS: Serum 25(OH)D₃ level was significantly correlated with both skeletal muscle mass and lower limb muscle strength.
Absorptiometry, Photon ; Accidental Falls ; Adipose Tissue ; Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group* ; Body Composition ; Calcifediol* ; Female ; Healthy Volunteers ; Humans ; Lower Extremity* ; Male ; Motor Activity ; Muscle Strength* ; Muscle, Skeletal* ; Risk Factors ; Vitamin D ; Vitamins

OBJECTIVE: We conducted a retrospective, multi-institutional, collaborative study to accumulate cases of neuroendocrine carcinoma of the endometrium, to clarify its clinicopathologic features, treatment, prognosis and prognostic factors to collate findings to establish future individualized treatment regimens. To our knowledge, this is the largest case study and the first study to statistically analyze the prognosis of this disease. METHODS: At medical institutions participating in the Kansai Clinical Oncology Group/Intergroup, cases diagnosed at a central pathologic review as neuroendocrine carcinoma of the endometrium between 1995 and 2014 were enrolled. We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathologic features, treatment, prognosis and prognostic factors of this disease. RESULTS: A total of 65 cases were registered from 18 medical institutions in Japan. Of these, 42 (64.6%) cases were diagnosed as neuroendocrine carcinoma of the endometrium based on the central pathological review and thus included in the study. Advanced International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stages (stage III and IV) and pure type small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma cases had a significantly worse prognosis. Upon multivariate analysis, only histologic subtypes and surgery were significant prognostic factors. Pure type cases had a significantly worse prognosis compared to mixed type cases and complete surgery cases had a significantly better prognosis compared to cases with no or incomplete surgery. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that complete surgery improves the prognosis of neuroendocrine carcinoma of the endometrium. Even among cases with advanced disease stages, if complete surgery is expected to be achieved, clinicians should consider curative surgery to improve the prognosis of neuroendocrine carcinoma of the endometrium.
Carcinoma, Large Cell ; Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine ; Carcinoma, Small Cell ; Endometrial Neoplasms ; Endometrium ; Female ; Gynecology ; Japan ; Medical Oncology ; Multivariate Analysis ; Obstetrics ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies

The patient was a 76-year-old woman who developed involuntary movements in both hands and gait disorder. Weakness in both lower limbs gradually worsened, and she was referred to our hospital. Neurological findings included spastic paraplegia, deep sensory disturbance, sensory ataxia, and bladder and bowel dysfunction. Approximately 4 months after the onset, she became unable to walk independently and had to use a walker. MRI showed a long spinal cord lesion extending from the cervical to thoracic spinal cord. Blood and spinal fluid samples tested positive for anti-human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) antibodies. Given these findings and subacute course, she was diagnosed with rapidly progressive HTLV-1 associated myelopathy (HAM). High levels of neopterin and CXCL10 in the cerebrospinal fluid suggested high disease activity；thus, she underwent steroid pulse therapy followed by treatment with maintenance oral prednisolone in our convalescent rehabilitation ward. After approximately 3 months of muscle strength training, mainly for the trunk muscle and the proximal muscle of the lower limbs, and balance exercise, she was able to walk independently and her activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental ADL (IADL) improved；however, dysuria persisted. The use of clean intermittent self-catheterization instead of indwelling urethral catheter improved her quality of life (QOL). Although rapidly progressive HAM is generally associated with poor prognosis, steroid therapy combined with comprehensive rehabilitation treatment was effective in the present case.

The patient was a 76-year-old woman who developed involuntary movements in both hands and gait disorder. Weakness in both lower limbs gradually worsened, and she was referred to our hospital. Neurological findings included spastic paraplegia, deep sensory disturbance, sensory ataxia, and bladder and bowel dysfunction. Approximately 4 months after the onset, she became unable to walk independently and had to use a walker. MRI showed a long spinal cord lesion extending from the cervical to thoracic spinal cord. Blood and spinal fluid samples tested positive for anti-human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) antibodies. Given these findings and subacute course, she was diagnosed with rapidly progressive HTLV-1 associated myelopathy (HAM). High levels of neopterin and CXCL10 in the cerebrospinal fluid suggested high disease activity；thus, she underwent steroid pulse therapy followed by treatment with maintenance oral prednisolone in our convalescent rehabilitation ward. After approximately 3 months of muscle strength training, mainly for the trunk muscle and the proximal muscle of the lower limbs, and balance exercise, she was able to walk independently and her activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental ADL (IADL) improved；however, dysuria persisted. The use of clean intermittent self-catheterization instead of indwelling urethral catheter improved her quality of life (QOL). Although rapidly progressive HAM is generally associated with poor prognosis, steroid therapy combined with comprehensive rehabilitation treatment was effective in the present case.