Objective: To determine general and clinical characteristics associated with the use of inappropriate footwear among Filipino patients with diabetes. Methodology: Adult patients with diabetes were recruited. Comprehensive foot examination was done checking on foot deformities, neuropathies and peripheral arterial disease. Footwear was then examined as to length and width. Appropriateness of footwear to patient’s foot was measured using International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot (IWGDF) criteria. Results: We classified 170 adults with diabetes based on foot ulcer risk classification of IWGDF. In this population, 62% of respondents were at risk for foot ulcer. Flipflops are the primary choice of footwear among 82% and 47% of the respondents for indoor and outdoor footwear respectively. Inappropriate footwear was see in 91% of the patients. Binary logistic regression showed insufficient evidence to determine an association between the use of inappropriate footwear and patient sex, educational attainment, foot care evaluation and examination. Foot ulcer risk classification showed a trend for higher group levels to wear inappropriate footwear. Conclusion Flipflops and sandals are the primary preferences of the participants. Majority (91%) of the participants wear inappropriate footwear. This finding were due to multifactorial causes: preference, climate, economic reasons, and foot ulcer risk category. Educational attainment and foot care education did not improve the statistics of footwear appropriateness.
Diabetes Mellitus ; Foot Ulcer

INTRODUCTION: Thyroid  stimulating  hormone  (TSH)  acts  on  the  thyroid  gland  to  induce  thyroid  hormone  synthesis  and  maintain  trophic  thyroid  cell  integrity.  Earlier  studies  determined  the  role  of  thyroid  hormones  on  bone  metabolism,  skeletal  development  and  establishment  of  peak bone mass, but had conflicting results. This  study  aims to determine the association of TSH levels with bone mineral density (BMD) scores on healthy postmenopausal women.

METHODOLOGY: This  is  a  cross-sectional  study  involving  healthy  postmenopausal   women  seen  at  the  Makati  Medical Center (MMC). Linear correlation of TSH and BMD scores  was  determined  by  Pearson  correlation  analysis.  Odds  ratio  (OR)  for  osteoporosis  and/or  osteopenia  in  range-based categories of TSH was computed using binary logistic  regression.

RESULTS: TSH  levels  were  found  to  have  weak  inverse correlation  with  lowest  BMD  scores,  spine  and  femur  (p-value  0.959,  0.491  and  0.715  respectively).  OR  for  osteoporosis has no statistical significance for each range-based  categories  of  TSH.  Women  with  TSH  levels  of  2.50-3.49  mU/l  has  lower  OR  (p value 0.032, OR 0.23, 95% CI)  of having  osteoporosis  or  osteopenia  than  in  women  in  the  reference  category but was not significant after adjustment with other variables (p- value 0.107).

CONCLUSION: There is no significant association between TSH levels  and  BMD  scores  amongst  healthy  postmenopausal  woman.  Odds  of  having  osteoporosis  and/or  osteopenia  have  no  statistical  significant correlation  with  any  given  range  of  TSH  levels.  Age,  amongst  other  variables,  remained  a  significant  factor  in  having  osteoporosis  and/or  osteopenia.

Human ; Female ; Aged ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Bone Density ; Thyrotropin ; Thyroid Gland ; Postmenopause ; Osteoporosis ; Bone Diseases, Metabolic ; Thyroid Hormones ; Femur

BACKGROUND: Adrenal  nodules  can  either  be  non  functioning or hormone secreting. Once proven functional,
adrenalectomy is warranted. Laparoscopic adrenalectomy has been the popular intervention for these nodules. There is no local literature citing the clinical outcomes, particularly on  symptom  and  medication  reduction.  Considering  that  these tumors present with hypertension, such condition may be  under  diagnosed  in  a  population  with  a  hypertension  prevalence  of  22.3%.  This  study  reviewed  the  outcomes 
of the procedure particularly on the improvement of signs and  symptoms  and  medication  use.

METHODOLOGY: This  is  a  retrospective  review  describing  the  post-operative  outcomes  of  patients  who  underwent  laparoscopic  adrenalectomy  conducted  in  a  tertiary 
medical  center  from  2010  -  2015. 

RESULTS: Twenty-three  (23)  patients  were  categorized  according  to  pathology  -  primary  hyperaldosteronism 
-(17),   pheochromocytoma   -   four  (4)  and  Cushing's  syndrome - two (2). Post-operatively, there was a reduction in  the  systolic  blood  pressure  of  patients  with  primary  hyperaldosteronism  (p  =  0.156).  A  mean  reduction  of  20-30  mmHg  in  the  blood  pressure  was  documented  in patients  who  had  pheochromocytoma  (p  =  0.625).  There  was  a  reduction  in  the  number  and  dosages  of  anti-hypertensive  medications  (primary  hyperaldosteronism  p=
Human ; Male ; Female ; Aged 80 And Over ; Aged (a Person 65 Through 79 Years Of Age) ; Middle Aged (a Person 45-64 Years Of Age) ; Adult (a Perso ; Adrenalectomy ; Antihypertensive Agents ; Pheochromocytoma ; Hydrocortisone ; Hyperaldosteronism ; Hypertension ; Cushing Syndrome ; Blood Pressure Determination