The effects of three different visual inputs (eyes open, eyes closed, and inaccurate) while standing on an unstable surface (respectively, UEO, UEC, UI) were compared in a group of healthy elderly community dwellers (N = 239; mean age 76) and young (N = 34; mean age 34) adults. Subjects with medical factors known to affect balance were excluded. Body sway and loss of balance measured dynamic force platform (EquiTest, NeuroCom International). Visual and somatosensory inputs were rendered inaccurate through tilting of the standing surface and/or the visual surround proportional to the subject's angle of sway (sway-referencing). The elderly group had significantly more difficulty balancing during UEC and UI, and a larger proportion lost their balance during UI. These findings are compared to those of other dynamic posturography studies in which sensory inputs were controlled. Issues of age, frailty, screening, and test protocol are addressed in order to account for differences in results among studies.

Lower standing SBP, even within normotensive ranges, was an independent predictor of falls in the community-dwelling elderly. Elderly women with a history of falls and with lower SBP levels should have more attention paid to the prevention of falls and related accidents.

No abstract

Cardiac haemangiomas (CH) are rare benign primary tumours of the heart and constitute nearly 2.8% of primary cardiac tumours. In a-48-year-old female, a cardiac tumour mass over right ventricular out flow area and main pulmonary artery was detected during diagnostic workup for aetiology of recurrent pericardial effusion. Echocardiograhy and pericardial fluid findings were non conclusive. Contrast enhanced Computed tomography (CECT) and Positron emission tomography (PET) scan imaging found the exophytic, moderately hypermetabolic, heterogeneous mass lesion posterolateral to main pulmonary trunk. We did partial resection of lesion without cardiac reconstruction and open incisional biopsy through midline sternotomy incision. Histopathological analysis confirmed this as a case of Capillary type of haemangioma of heart.