Bone density, microarchitecture and stiffness in Caucasian and Caribbean Hispanic postmenopausal American women

Hispanic Americans of Caribbean origin are a fast-growing subset of the US population, but there are no studies on bone density, microstructure and biomechanical integrity in this minority group. In this study, we aimed to compare Caucasian and Caribbean Hispanic postmenopausal American women with respect to these characteristics. Thirty-three Caribbean Hispanics were age-matched to thirty-three Caucasian postmenopausal women. At the lumbar spine, the Hispanic women had significantly lower areal bone mineral density （aBMD）. At the radius by high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography （HR-pQCT）, there were minimal differences between Hispanic and Caucasian women. At the tibia, Hispanic women had lower trabecular volumetric bone density and trabecular number, and higher trabecular separation. Individual trabecula segmentation （ITS） analyses indicated that at the tibia, Hispanic women not only had significantly lower bone volume fraction, but also had significantly lower rod bone volume fraction, plate trabecular number, rod trabecular number and lower plate-plate, plate-rod and rod-rod junction densities compared to Caucasian women. The differences in bone quantity and quality contributed to lower whole bone stiffness at the radius, and both whole bone and trabecular bone stiffness at the tibia in Hispanic women. In conclusion, Hispanic women had poorer bone mechanical and microarchitectural properties than Caucasian women, especially at the load-bearing distal tibia.

Prevalence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in Puerto Rico: A Study from 2016 to 2021

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a temporary form of insulin resistance during pregnancy and is linked to adverse outcomes for both mothers and offspring. Maternal risks include an increased prevalence of pre-eclampsia, cesarean delivery, and the development of type 2 diabetes within five to ten years post-delivery. For offspring, exposure to elevated maternal glucose levels is associated with macrosomia. A significant challenge in evaluating the prevalence of GDM in Puerto Rico is the lack of recent research quantifying this condition in pregnant women living in Puerto Rico. Objective: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus from 2016 to 2021 by analyzing data collected by Puerto Rico’s Department of Health. Methods: We obtained publicly accessible data from the Division of Children, Mothers, and Adolescents from Puerto Rico’s Department of Health to estimate the prevalence of GDM across the island. Additionally, we correlated the prevalence with socioeconomic, educational, and demographic variables using beta regression models to assess their significance. Results: The prevalence of GDM ranged from 3.2% to 4.5% for the six years studied, with an average prevalence of 3.68%. Regression analysis revealed a significant positive relationship between maternal age and educational level. Higher educational attainment was associated with a reduced risk of GDM, while increasing maternal age was linked to a higher prevalence of the condition. Conclusion: This statistical analysis provides evidence of a steady increase in the prevalence of GDM in Puerto Rico from 2016 to 2021, highlighting the importance of ongoing surveillance and specific interventions to mitigate risk factors.