The American journal of the medical sciences
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Black and white female adolescents lose vitamin D metabolites into urine.
The black American population has a higher prevalence of salt sensitivity compared with the white American population. Dahl salt-sensitive rats, models of salt-induced hypertension, excrete protein-bound vitamin D metabolites into urine, a process that is accelerated during high salt intake. We tested the hypothesis that urinary vitamin D metabolite content and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) binding activity of black female adolescents would be greater than that of white female adolescents. ⋯ Urinary loss of vitamin D metabolites may be one cause of low vitamin D status, in addition to low dietary intake and reduced skin synthesis.
-
We are presenting a case of a 19-year-old college student with sudden-onset, asymmetric polyarticular arthritis with Neisseria meningitidis 10 days after an acute upper respiratory infection consisting of fevers, chills, pharyngitis, and productive cough. Primary meningococcal septic arthritis is a rare entity. ⋯ This entity, although rare, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of septic arthritis of large joints, especially since N. meningitiditis does not grow well on routine culture media. A literature review on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of primary meningococcal septic arthritis is presented.
-
Chronic diseases account for three-quarters of the U. S. health care expenditures and a majority of early deaths and lost of productive years of life. ⋯ Strategies to eliminate these disparities in chronic diseases need to be multidisciplinary and focus on increasing access to all aspects of health care, including prevention. This article discusses the impact of health disparities on chronic diseases and offers some factors to consider for solutions to the problem.
-
Factors contributing to heart failure (HF) in African Americans (AA) are under investigation. Reduced 25(OH)D confers increased cardiovascular risk, including HF. ⋯ Hypovitaminosis D is prevalent amongst AA residing in Memphis, with or without HF. Elevations in serum PTH in keeping with secondary hyperparathyroidism are only found in AA with decompensated HF, where hypovitaminosis D and other factors are contributory.