Obesity is thought to be an aetiological factor for slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE). We analysed changes in the incidence of SCFE in Scotland over the last two decades. During this period rates of childhood obesity have risen substantially and evidence for a relationship between these changes and the incidence of SCFE was sought. We found that the incidence of SCFE increased from 3.78 per 100,000 children in 1981 to 9.66 per 100,000 in 2000 (R(2) = 0.715): a two and a half times increase over two decades. It was seen at a younger age, with a fall in the mean age at diagnosis from 13.4 to 12.6 years for boys (p = 0.007) and 12.2 to 11.6 for girls (p = 0.047). More children under eight years old were seen with SCFE in Scotland in the decade to 2000 than in the previous decade (p = 0.002, R(2) = 0.346). A close correlation was observed between rising childhood obesity over the last 20 years in Scotland and an increasing incidence of SCFE.
suMMARY Discrete delicate fibromuscular structures crossing the cavity of the left ventricle were identified on morphological examination in 329 (48%) of 686 hearts from patients of all ages with congenital heart disease, acquired heart disease, or normal hearts. These structures were also present in 151 (95%) of 159 hearts from animals of six species. Cross sectional echocardiographic findings compatible with these structures were obtined in 39 (21-7%) of 179 children reviewed retrospectively and in three of 800 (0-4%) adults studied prospectively. These structures appear to be a normal anatomical finding.Isolated examples of filaments of tissue crossing the cavity of the left ventricle were first reported in 1893 by Turner. '-3 In 1906 Keith and Flack noted that they were almost constantly present in both bovine and human hearts and they regarded them as being part of the left bundle branch distribution of the Purkinje conduction fibres.4 Although these structures are hardly mentioned in the standard textbooks of anatomy and cardiac pathology,56 the development of echocardiography appears to have reawakened interest in them.7-1 ' We made a quantitative morphological assessment of the prevalence of these structures as this would seem to be a prerequisite for an appraisal of their importance. For reasons that we will discuss later we have called these structures left ventricular bands. Patients and methodsWe reviewed 686 hearts in the collection of this hospital specifically for the presence of left ventricular bands. Six hundred and thirty six were from children below the age of 15. Of these, 581 had had congenital cardiac malformations and 55 had had normal hearts. The 50 other hearts were from adults who had previously had surgery for acquired cardiac disease. We also examined 159 hearts from six species of animals Accepted for publication 31 July 1984 (none of which was killed for the purpose of the study). Ventricular bands were identified as discrete fibromuscular structures crossing the left ventricular cavity and having no attachment to the atrioventricular valve (Fig. 1). They extended from a papillary muscle to the septum, from a papillary muscle to the free wall, between the papillary muscles, or from the septum to the free wall. They were either single or multiple and sometimes branched. Small multiple strands at the junction of the setpum with the free walls were disregarded as were small apical networks.In addition to the morphological study, we reviewed cross sectional echocardiograms from 800 adults and 179 children. Adult echocardiograms had been recorded on a Varian V3400 phased array system with a 2*2 MHz transducer.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.