[Age(ing) and participative neighbourhood development. Obstacles and perspectives for social sustainability]

Ageing urban societies face the challenge of enabling a "good" life for older people in their neighbourhood areas. This article focuses on potential obstacles and required preconditions for processes of neighbourhood development, based on results from the research and development project "Quality of life of older people in their neighbourhood" (LiW). Preconditions and obstacles include political and organizational requirements, differing understandings of participation of local experts, as well as the organization of the process and the access to the process. Furthermore, problems and social conflicts, which have to be dealt with on the local level, are examined. An example for such conflicts are statements of group-focused enmity. The paper aims to point out the significials of such processes as well as potential barriers and limits in order to inform academics as well as practitioners and to contribute to the sustainable integration of participative neighbourhood development.

Prevalence of positive anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) in patients receiving anti-thyroid medication

OBJECTIVE

Vasculitis is a rare complication of anti-thyroid medications. There are 32 cases of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-positive vasculitis in association with anti-thyroid medication reported in the English literature. The objectives of this study were to assess the frequency of positive ANCA in patients on long-term anti-thyroid medication, and to follow patients prospectively from commencement of medication to determine whether they became ANCA-positive after therapy.

DESIGN

Prospectively collected cross-sectional study of two groups of patients: (i) who had received long-term (>18 months) anti-thyroid medication, and (ii) newly diagnosed thyrotoxicosis before commencement of anti-thyroid medication attending clinic between 28 April 1998 and 30 September 1998. Data were collected for age, sex, ethnicity, underlying thyroid disease, medication and duration, and symptomatology.

RESULTS

Eight of 30 patients on long-term anti-thyroid medication (26.7%) were ANCA-positive. All ANCA-positive patients were female, seven were taking propylthiouracil (PTU) at the time of testing. ANCA-positive patients had taken PTU for a mean +/- s.d. of 7.9+/-10.2 years, compared with 0.8+/-2.2 years in ANCA-negative patients (Mann-Whitney, P<0.0001). The ten patients with newly diagnosed thyrotoxicosis were ANCA-negative before commencement of carbimazole. One (10%) became ANCA-positive within 8 months of therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

In our population, ANCA-positivity in association with long-term anti-thyroid medication is common (26.7%). One patient who was ANCA-negative prior to anti-thyroid therapy has become ANCA-positive. ANCA should be tested in patients receiving long-term anti-thyroid medications, and in patients with adverse reactions. As PTU is more commonly associated with vasculitis and positive ANCA, carbimazole may be the preferred medication for long-term use. Patients with positive ANCA should be followed, and considered for definitive anti-thyroid therapy, to allow cessation of medication. ANCA-positivity may resolve after cessation of anti-thyroid medication.

Outcome of pregnancies complicated by pre-gestational diabetes mellitus

Pregestational diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with adverse fetal and maternal outcomes. Studies suggest that optimal control of diabetes before and during pregnancy minimises these risks. There are few recent reviews of outcomes of pregnancies complicated by DM in Australia. Ninety-three pregnancies in women with DM at our hospital since 1989 were identified. We collected data for maternal age, type of diabetes, duration of therapy, complications of diabetes, maternal complications of pregnancy and fetal outcomes including malformations. The rate of pregnancy planning with optimal glycaemic control at conception was low in our population, particularly in patients with Type 1 diabetes. Women who smoked had worse glycaemic control, and a higher rate of miscarriage. There was a high rate of Caesarean section, particularly in those women with Type 1 diabetes (77.4%). The rate of Caesarean section was lower in planned pregnancies. There were no perinatal deaths. The number of neonates with major congenital anomalies was high (13%) in the Type 1 population. It is important to increase the rates of prepregnancy planning and to optimise glycaemic control before pregnancy. In many cases there has been a long interval between diagnosis and pregnancy, so all women with diabetes should receive counselling at frequent intervals about pregnancy and the importance of planning. Women who planned their pregnancies had improved outcomes, with decreased rate of Caesarean section, better glycaemic control and better neonatal Apgar scores. Women with diabetes should not smoke during pregnancy because of the increased risk of miscarriage and poorer glycaemic control.

The relationship of prorenin values to microvascular complications in patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

We have performed a cross-sectional analysis of the relationship between prorenin values and the microvascular complications of diabetes in a well controlled population of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) subjects. One hundred and thirty-nine subjects (75 men, 64 women, age 44 +/- 17 years; duration of diabetes 19 +/- 15 years), formed the study group. Sixty-seven subjects (48.2%) had no complications, 55 (39.6%) had retinopathy alone, and 17 (12.2%) had retinopathy and albuminuria. Patients with no complications had lower prorenin values than those with microvascular complications (p < 0.001), whilst patients with both albuminuria and retinopathy had higher values than those with retinopathy alone (p < 0.05). Retinopathy was associated with duration of diabetes (p < 0.0001), diastolic blood pressure (p < 0.02) and albuminuria (p < 0.0001) while albuminuria was associated with prorenin (p < 0.02), serum triglyceride (p < 0.01) and retinopathy (p < 0.001). Patients with albuminuria were 5.5 times more likely to have raised prorenin values (>80 ng/mL/h) than those with normal albumin excretion [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.48-20.12] and those with retinopathy alone were 2.5 times as likely (95% CI: 1.19-5.15). Eighty patients with IDDM (40 males, 40 females; age: 47 +/- 17 years; duration of diabetes: 20 +/- 15 years), had retinal photography performed to determine the association between the severity of retinopathy and prorenin values. Retinopathy was more severe in patients with retinopathy and albuminuria than in those with retinopathy alone (p < 0.002). When the prorenin values of patients with more marked retinopathy (eye grade greater than 3) were compared, prorenin values of those with retinopathy and albuminuria were greater than those of patients with retinopathy alone [269 (139-1406) versus 91 (41-273) ng/mL/h: geometric mean (range); p < 0.05]. Furthermore, when patients without albuminuria were considered, there was no significant difference between the prorenin levels of patients with more severe retinopathy (eye grade >3) when compared to patients with lesser degrees of retinopathy [91 (41-273) versus 69 (23-375). In patients with microvascular complications, prorenin values were independently predicted by albuminuria (p < 0.0001) and diastolic blood pressure (p < 0.02) but not the severity of retinopathy. In conclusion, prorenin values are significantly associated with the presence of microvascular complications in patients with IDDM. The association with albuminuria may be stronger than the association with retinopathy.

Giant double parathyroid adenoma presenting as a hypercalcaemic crisis

The largest documented case of a double parathyroid adenoma is reported. The patient presented in hypercalcaemic crisis with a large intrathoracic mass. After removal of a massive cystic parathyroid adenoma from the right superior mediastinum, a second very large parathyroid adenoma was found on the contralateral side adjacent to the left thyroid lobe. This case illustrates the importance of the cervical approach, as well as routine bilateral neck exploration, for all cases of primary hyperparathyroidism.

Articular manifestations of acromegaly

Forty-five patients with acromegaly or gigantism were reviewed for musculoskeletal abnormalities. Abnormalities of peripheral joints occurred in 74% of the patients and spinal involvement in 47%, leading to significant morbidity. Joint abnormalities most frequently affected the large joints (hips, knees and shoulders) but the wrist and hand were also involved. The radiological features of acromegalic arthropathy are described, including vertical widening of the hip joint, enthesopathy and osteophytosis. A favourable response to treatment is associated with a less severe arthropathy and a good functional outcome.

Thyroglobulin may be undetectable in the serum of patients with metastatic disease secondary to differentiated thyroid carcinoma. Follow-up of differentiated thyroid carcinoma

To assess the value of serum thyroglobulin (Tg) levels in the follow-up of differentiated thyroid carcinoma after ablative therapy simultaneous Tg estimations and radioiodine (131I) scans were performed on patients during an 18-month follow-up period. In this study, 287 scans were performed on 200 patients who were not receiving Thyroxine (T4) replacement at the time, i.e., off T4. Wherever possible, Tg was also estimated while the patient was receiving T4. All sera were screened for Tg autoantibodies which were detected on 67 occasions in 44 patients (22%). Of the 220 sera without Tg autoantibodies (156 patients), 17 were accompanied by scan evidence of functioning thyroid tissue, although Tg was undetectable (less than 5 micrograms/l) either on or off T4. Serum Tg was only detectable off T4 in a further five patients (six scans) who simultaneously had scan evidence of functioning thyroid tissue. In seven patients the finding of detectable Tg preceded scan evidence of recurrence. Thus, serum Tg is useful in the follow-up of differentiated thyroid cancer after ablative therapy. However, some patients with recurrence or metastasis will be missed if Tg alone is relied on, particularly if thyroxine treatment is continued.