Israel Medical Association Journal

Background: The Muslim Circassians in Israel represent a unique ethnic community, distinct from Jews and Arabs. This endogamous group has a limited genetic variability that allows studying risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes.

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of type 2 diabetes among Israeli Circassians and its correlation to obesity and genetic susceptibility.

Methods: Israeli Circassian women (n=450) and men (n=289) older than 35 were included in the study. They were classified as having or not having diabetes, and their risk factors, including hypertension, body mass index, family history of diabetes, and laboratory tests, were examined retrospectively.

Results: The age-adjusted prevalence of diabetes among the 739 participants was 12% (men 14.6%, women 10.7%). It was higher among those with BMI[1] > 30 than in those with lower BMI and a family history of diabetes without high BMI. But the risk of diabetes with BMI > 30 plus a family history was three times higher than when these factors were missing (odds ratio 2.96, 95% confidence interval 1.30–6.6). Multivariate analysis, however, found familial history of diabetes to be the strongest risk factor, independent of obesity (OR[2] 2.47, 95% CI[3] 1.45–4.20).

Conclusions: The results yielded by this homogeneous Circassian population, sharing the same environmental influences and having an endogamous pattern of marriage, suggest a role of genetic risk factors for diabetes. Israeli Circassians are suitable for additional genetic studies that may lead to the identification of susceptibility genes for type 2 diabetes.

Premature very low birth weight (< 1500 g) infants are one of the largest groups receiving parenteral nutrition. PN[1] should be optimized to answer their large nutritional requirements and suit their metabolic status, but should also be validated pharmaceutically. PN can be provided as a standard, usually commercial, formulation, representing the average needs of a large group of patients. Alternatively, an individualized PN compound adapted to the patient's needs can be prescribed and prepared, usually on a daily basis. The main advantage of individually prescribed PN is that it is tailored to suit a specific patient, thereby assuring the best possible nutrition and biochemical control. Batch-produced standardized PN bags can be readily available as ward stocks in neonatal intensive care units, enabling initiation of early PN immediately after the delivery of a premature infant. Moreover, standard PN solutions incorporate expert nutritional knowledge and support. A combination of standardized PN bags, prepared under strict standardization criteria, for most neonates, with a small number of specifically tailored individualized PN formulations for those in need for them, could reduce pharmacy workload and costs, and increase safety, while maintaining the desired clinical flexibility. For those in need of the individualized PN formulations, a computerized ordering system can save time, decrease prescription and compounding errors, and improve quality of nutritional care.

Objectives: To assess the prevalence of reversible and treatable cardiovascular risk factors among 26’477 healthy Israeli adults: 23’339 men and 3138 women aged 25-55 years.

Methods: We collected data during routine examinations performed as part of a screening program for Israel Defense Force personnel.

Objective: To study the attitude of physicians to obesity by examining discharge letters of overweight patients with ischemic heart disease.

Methods: We used the HOLEM database for this analysis. The HOLEM project was designed to study the NCEP (National Cholesterol Education Program) guideline implementation among patients with IHD[1] at hospital discharge. We documented the recording of risk factors and treatment recommendations for IHD by reviewing the discharge letters of 2994 IHD patients admitted to four central hospitals in Israel between 1998 and 2000. A follow-up visit was held 6–8 weeks after discharge, at which time the diagnosis of IHD was verified, risk factor status was checked, height and weight were measured and drug treatment was reviewed.

Results: Mean body mass index was 28.3 kg/m² and 32% were obese (BMI[2] ³ 30 kg/m²). Only 39.6% of the obese patients and 65.8% of the morbidly obese patients (BMI ³ 40 kg/m²) had "obesity" noted in their discharging letters, and weight loss recommendation was written in only 15% of the obese patients' discharge letters. Acute episodes like acute myocardial infarction and unstable angina did not influence the notation of obesity, and only BMI and the number of additional risk factors were positively correlated with the notation of this risk factor.

Conclusions: Despite the importance of obesity, weight status was not noted and weight loss was not recommended in most of the discharge letters of obese IHD patients.

Background: Phototherapy is considered the standard of care for neonatal jaundice. However, its short term cardiorespiratory effects have not been studied thoroughly.

Objectives: To assess the cardiorespiratory effect of phototherapy during sleep in term infants with physiologic jaundice.

Methods: We performed two polysomnography studies during 3 hours sleep in 10 healthy term infants with physiologic jaundice; each infant served as his/her own control. The first study was performed just prior to phototherapy and the second study during phototherapy 24 hours later. Heart and respiratory rates, type and duration of apneas, and arterial oxygen saturation were analyzed during active and quiet sleep.

Results: Term infants (gestational age 38.6 ± 1.4 weeks, birth weight 3.2 ± 0.5 kg) underwent the two polysomnography studies within a short time interval and had a comparable bilrubin level (3.6 ± 0.8 and 4.5 ± 0.8 days; 14.5 ± 1.4 and 13.8 ± 2.1 mg/dl, P = NS, respectively). There was no difference in sleeping time or the fraction of active and quiet sleep before or during phototherapy. During active sleep under phototherapy there was a significant decrease in respiratory rate and increase in heart rate (54.3 ± 10.3 vs. 49.1 ± 10.8 breaths/minute, and 125.9 ± 11.7 vs. 129.7 ± 15.3 beats/minute, respectively, P < 0.05), as well as a decrease in respiratory effort in response to apnea. These effects were not found during quiet sleep. Phototherapy had no significant effect on oxygen saturation, apnea rate or periodic breathing in either sleep state. No clinical significant apnea or bradycardia occurred.

Conclusions: Phototherapy affected the cardiorespiratory activity during active sleep but not during quiet sleep in term infants with physiologic jaundice. These effects do not seem to have clinical significance in "real-life" conditions.

Background: The cause of cerebral palsy remains unknown in most cases. Factor V Leiden mutation, a common cause of hereditary thrombophilia, has been associated with CP[1].

Objectives: To analyze the prevalence of factor V Leiden (G1691A), prothrombin (G20210A), and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (C677T) mutations in children with CP.

Methods: Sixty-one children with CP were studied for the presence of the three gene mutations associated with thrombophilia.

Results: We found that 41% of the children with CP and 33% of the controls carry one or more of the studied mutations (P = 0.348). The prevalence of the factor V mutation was 27.9% in CP and 16.4% in controls (P = 0.127). The frequency of the other two genetic factors was even less significant. The FVL[2] mutation was found in 35% of the Arab CP patients (15/42) and in 22% of the controls from the same population (9/40) (P = 0.067).

Conclusions: Each of the genetic factors studied was shown to be related to CP. Despite the high frequency of FVL among the studied patients, we were unable to prove a significant correlation between FVL and CP, mainly because this factor is frequent in the Arab control group. In this population a trend toward significance can be seen (P = 0.067). Larger studies are needed to validate the significance of these results.

Background: The proportion of motorcyclists injured in road accidents in Israel is larger than their proportion among road users.

Objectives: To identify factors contributing to the risk of injury for motorcyclists as compared to drivers of other motor vehicles.

Methods: We retrieved and analyzed National Trauma Registry data on drivers, aged 16 and above, who were involved in traffic accidents and hospitalized between 1 January 1997 and 30 June 2003.

Results: The study group comprised 10,967 patients: 3,055 (28%) were motorcyclists and 7,912 (72%) were drivers of other motor vehicles. A multiple logistic regression revealed that Tel Aviv, the busiest metropolitan city in Israel, is a risk for motorcycle injury as compared to other regions; males have an increased risk compared to females; and age is a protecting factor since the risk of injury as a motorcyclist decreases as age increases. Nevertheless, the population of injured motorcyclists in Tel Aviv was significantly older (mean age 32.5 years vs. 28.6 elsewhere; t-test P < 0.0001). Twenty percent (n=156) of the injured motorcyclists in Tel Aviv were injured while working, compared to 9.5% (n=217) in other regions (chi-square P < 0.0001). Motorcycle injuries in Tel Aviv were of lower severity (7.7% vs. 16.4% according to the Injury Severity Scale 16+, c2 P < 0.0001), and had lower inpatient death rates (1.2% vs. 2.5%, c2 P = 0.001).

Conclusions: Tel Aviv is a risk for motorcycle injury compared to other regions, males have an increased risk compared to females, and age is a protecting factor. The proportion of motorcyclists in Tel Aviv injured while working is double that in other regions