Yi Chao Foong

Accelerometer-determined physical activity, muscle mass, and leg strength in community-dwelling older adults

The aim of this study was to describe the relationship between accelerometer‐determined physical activity (PA), muscle mass, and lower‐limb strength in community‐dwelling older adults.

The clinical significance, natural history and predictors of bone marrow lesion change over eight years

IntroductionThere is increasing evidence to suggest that bone marrow lesions (BMLs) play a key role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis (OA). However, there is a lack of long term data. The aim of this study was to describe the natural history of knee BMLs, their association with knee pain and examine predictors of BML change over eight years.MethodsA total of 198 subjects (109 adult offspring of subjects who had a knee replacement and 89 community-based controls) were studied. Knee pain and BML size were assessed at two and ten year visits.ResultsAt the two year visit, 64% of participants (n = 127) had 229 BMLs (34% patella, 26% femoral and 40% tibial). Over eight years, 24% (55/229) increased in size, 55% (125/229) remained stable and 21% (49/229) decreased in size or resolved completely. Of the participants without BMLs at baseline, 52% (37/71) developed incident BMLs.After adjusting for confounders, eight year change in total BML size was associated with change in knee pain in offspring (β = 2.50, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.96 to 4.05) but not controls. This association was stronger in males. Incident BMLs were associated with increase in pain (β = 3.60, 95% CI 1.14 to 6.05). Body mass index (BMI) and strenuous activity (but not radiographic osteoarthritis or smoking) were associated with an increase in BML size.ConclusionIn this midlife cohort, the proportion of BMLs increasing in size was similar to those decreasing in size with the majority remaining stable. Change in BMLs was predicted by BMI and strenuous activity. An increase in BML size or a new BML resulted in an increase in pain especially in males and those with a family history of OA.

The association between physical activity and reduced body fat lessens with age — Results from a cross-sectional study in community-dwelling older adults

INTRODUCTION The aim of this study was to describe the relationship between accelerometer-determined physical activity (PA) and adiposity in community-dwelling older adults. In addition, we were interested in comparing the extent of correlation between questionnaire and accelerometer determined PA. METHODS 636 community-dwelling older adults (66±7years) were studied. Adiposity was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and BMI was calculated. We measured minutes/day spent in sedentary, light, moderate and vigorous intensity activity using both questionnaires and Actigraph GT1M accelerometers. RESULTS Participants spent a median of 583(IQR 522-646), 225(176-271), 27(12-45) and 0(0-0) minutes in sedentary, light, moderate and vigorous activities respectively. There was a non linear dose-response inverse relationship between activity intensity and adiposity. After adjusting for age, sex and other levels of PA, for every 10minute increase in activity, total body fat decreased by 169g(95% CI 61-277), 905g(632-1178), and 2208g(759-3657) for light, moderate and vigorous activities respectively. There was an interaction between age and activity; as age increased, the magnitude of the effects of light and moderate activities on adiposity decreased. Sedentary minutes were not associated with adiposity after adjusting for time spent at other PA intensities. Questionnaire measures of PA were weakly correlated with body fat measures when compared to accelerometer determined PA. CONCLUSION Both the amount and intensity of PA, but not sedentary time, have an independent dose-response association with adiposity. The association is much stronger using objective assessment compared to questionnaire. The magnitude of these associations decrease with age suggesting that physical activity programmes may need to be modified with increasing age.

Mobile Phones as a Potential Vehicle of Infection in a Hospital Setting

The objective of this article is to investigate the potential role of mobile phones as a reservoir for bacterial colonization and the risk factors for bacterial colonization in a hospital setting. We screened 226 staff members at a regional Australian hospital (146 doctors and 80 medical students) between January 2013 and March 2014. The main outcomes of interest were the types of microorganisms and the amount of contamination of the mobile phones. This study found a high level of bacterial contamination (n = 168/226, 74%) on the mobile phones of staff members in a tertiary hospital, with similar organisms isolated from the staff members dominant hand and mobile phones. While most of the isolated organisms were normal skin flora, a small percentage were potentially pathogenic (n = 12/226, 5%). Being a junior medical staff was found to be a risk factor for heavy microbial growth (OR 4.00, 95% CI 1.54, 10.37). Only 31% (70/226) of our participants reported cleaning their phones routinely, and only 21% (47/226) reported using alcohol containing wipes on their phones. This study demonstrates that mobile phones are potentially vehicles for pathogenic bacteria in a hospital setting. Only a minority of our participants reported cleaning their phones routinely. Disinfection guidelines utilizing alcohol wipes should be developed and implemented.

Mobile phones as a potential vector of infection in a paediatric ward

1 Skinner NA, MacIsaac CM, Hamilton JA, Visvanathan K. Regulation of Toll-like receptor (TLR)2 and TLR4 on CD14dimCD16+ monocytes in response to sepsis-related antigens. Clin. Exp. Immunol. 2005; 141: 270–8. 2 Viemann D, Dubbel G, Schleifenbaum S, Harms E, Sorg C, Roth J. Expression of toll-like receptors in neonatal sepsis. Pediatr. Res. 2005; 58: 654–9. 3 Corbett NP, Blimkie D, Ho KC et al. Ontogeny of Toll-like receptor mediated cytokine responses of human blood mononuclear cells. PLoS ONE 2010; 5: e15041. 4 Imahara SD, Jelacic S, Junker CE, O’Keefe GE. The influence of gender on human innate immunity. Surgery 2005; 138: 275–82.

Swimming training for asthma in children and adolescents aged 18 years and under

This is the protocol for a review and there is no abstract. The objectives are as follows: The objective of this review is to determine the effectiveness of swimming training as an intervention for asthma in children and adolescents aged 18 years and under.