Rickets

Rickets

A bone abnormality of childhood. The term refers to a group of disorders in which there is a defect in the mineralization of bone matrix or osteoid. In adults, the disorder is referred to as OSTEOMALACIA, as the defect occurs only in the matrix and the growth plates have already sealed. In children, the disorder is referred to as rickets because the mineralization abnormality is located at the growth plate. Rickets is often classified as calcium- or phosphate-deficient rickets.

The major skeletal problems are seen at sites in the body where there is rapid bone growth, such as in the forearm, knee, and the costochondral junctions. Thus, the child with rickets may have bone abnormalities, such as a bowing of the legs and the wrists. Abnormalities may also be seen at the ends of ribs, such as a beading known as rachitic rosary.

Rickets can cause growth abnormalities as well as be associated with abnormalities of nerve and muscle function, depending on the cause. Children with severe metabolic abnormalities have bone pain, sweat excessively, and are more prone to developing infections.


Vitamin D-Dependent Rickets

Type 1 and type 2 rickets are caused by rare congenital errors of vitamin D metabolism. With type 1 rickets, there is a defect in the enzyme in the kidney
that coverts vitamin D stores to its most active form. Children with type 1 rickets typically have symptoms in their first two years of life. Calcium and 2,5-dihydroxyvitamin D levels are low, while, parathyroid hormone levels are elevated. Large doses of vitamin D preparations are used to treat this condition.
In children with type 2 rickets, the children are resistant to the effects of vitamin D. Their vitamin D blood levels are normal or elevated. This disorder is usually diagnosed in children before they reach age two. Rarely, this condition has been diagnosed in adults. Very large doses of vitamin D are needed by patients to correct their low calcium levels and to lead to normal bone mineralization.


Hypophosphatemic Rickets

Another form of rickets is hypophosphatemic rickets.
This disorder causes an abnormal reabsorption of phosphorus from the kidneys. Typically, male children are affected. They present with growth problems, low blood phosphorus levels, and lowerleg abnormalities. The abnormal gene that causes this disorder has been named PHEX. There have been rare reports of females with a mild form of this disorder. Growth hormone has been effectively
used with patients to improve growth, although these children are not growth hormone deficient.

Radioactive iodine

Radioactive iodine

A substance used for both diagnostic purposes and therapeutic reasons in suspected or known cases of thyroid disease. The iodine isotopes I-123, I-125, and I-131 can all be used for radioactive iodine uptake studies and scans of the thyroid gland. Typically I-123 is chosen, although technetium pertechnetate is also often used as it is less expensive and more readily available. For uptake purposes, only an iodine isotope can be used.


Radioactive iodine is given orally. It is absorbed from the gut and then trapped by the thyroid
gland. The more active the thyroid is, the more iodine trapped in the gland. Thus, a radioisotope
uptake scan will provide an excellent measure of the physiological activity of the thyroid.

The patient is brought into the nuclear medicine department, and the amount of radioactive activity taken up by the thyroid is counted and reported as a percentage. The typical normal range in the United States is from 15–30 percent. With GRAVES’ DISEASE, the percentages usually range from 40–100 percent. In THYROIDITIS, however, the percentage is usually very low, in the 0–5 percent range.

The amount of iodine that is trapped by the thyroid depends on the diet and the amount of iodine available in the food supply, and it also varies greatly around the world; however, it is fairly consistent throughout the world.

Technetium is more often used to scan the thyroid gland or, in essence, to obtain a picture of the
thyroid. It can also help to determine if a palpable abnormality is a nodule; whether the activity in the thyroid gland is homogenous or heterogeneous; if there is other active thyroid tissue around the thyroid gland or elsewhere; and whether functional and/or nonfunctional hot nodules are present.

Nodules that take up iodine or technetium are known as hot nodules and are rarely malignant.
Nonfunctional or cold nodules may have a 5–15 percent risk of malignancy.

Effects of Radioactive Iodine
The major, long-term effect of radioactive therapy is HYPOTHYROIDISM that necessitates the use of lifelong thyroid hormone therapy. Concern has been raised that the use of radioactive iodine therapy may lead to an exacerbation of Graves’ ophthalmopathy (bulging eyes), although most endocrinologists do not feel this is a significant problem.

When there is concern about the possible worsening of these EYE PROBLEMS, patients are often pretreated with a glucocorticoid medication, such as prednisone, to help minimize the impact.

What is cow? What is cow-urine?

What is cow? What is cow-urine?

From vedic reference:
In a calm voice a cow Nandini says to King Dilip "Na kevalam payasa prasutim - ve hi man kam dugham prasannam"
Trans : "Whenever I am pleased and happy I can fulfill all desires. Don't consider me to be just milk supplier"Cow is abode of gods. She is Kamdhenu (desire fulfiller) personified. She is receiver of the auspicious rays from all heavenly constellations. Thus it contains influences of all constellations.

Wherever there is a cow, there is influence of all heavenly constellations, blessings of all gods are there. Cow is the only divine living being that has a surya ketu nadi (vein connected to sun) passing through her backbone. Therefore the cow's milk, butter and ghee has golden hue. This is
because Surya ketu Vein, on interaction with solar rays produces gold salts in her blood. These salts are present in the cow's milk and cow's other bodily fluids.


What is cow urine?

In cow blood there is pran shakti (Life Force). Cow urine is cow's blood that is filtered by kidney.
Kidneys filter blood. Whatever elements are present in blood are present in cow urine also.