WorldWideScience

Sample records for disease previous studies

  1. Is Previous Respiratory Disease a Risk Factor for Lung Cancer?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Denholm, Rachel; Schüz, Joachim; Straif, Kurt; Stücker, Isabelle; Jöckel, Karl-Heinz; Brenner, Darren R.; De Matteis, Sara; Boffetta, Paolo; Guida, Florence; Brüske, Irene; Wichmann, Heinz-Erich; Landi, Maria Teresa; Caporaso, Neil; Siemiatycki, Jack; Ahrens, Wolfgang; Pohlabeln, Hermann; Zaridze, David; Field, John K.; McLaughlin, John; Demers, Paul; Szeszenia-Dabrowska, Neonila; Lissowska, Jolanta; Rudnai, Peter; Fabianova, Eleonora; Dumitru, Rodica Stanescu; Bencko, Vladimir; Foretova, Lenka; Janout, Vladimir; Kendzia, Benjamin; Peters, Susan; Behrens, Thomas; Vermeulen, Roel; Brüning, Thomas; Kromhout, Hans

    2014-01-01

    Rationale: Previous respiratory diseases have been associated with increased risk of lung cancer. Respiratory conditions often co-occur and few studies have investigated multiple conditions simultaneously. Objectives: Investigate lung cancer risk associated with chronic bronchitis, emphysema, tuberculosis, pneumonia, and asthma. Methods: The SYNERGY project pooled information on previous respiratory diseases from 12,739 case subjects and 14,945 control subjects from 7 case–control studies conducted in Europe and Canada. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to investigate the relationship between individual diseases adjusting for co-occurring conditions, and patterns of respiratory disease diagnoses and lung cancer. Analyses were stratified by sex, and adjusted for age, center, ever-employed in a high-risk occupation, education, smoking status, cigarette pack-years, and time since quitting smoking. Measurements and Main Results: Chronic bronchitis and emphysema were positively associated with lung cancer, after accounting for other respiratory diseases and smoking (e.g., in men: odds ratio [OR], 1.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.20–1.48 and OR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.21–1.87, respectively). A positive relationship was observed between lung cancer and pneumonia diagnosed 2 years or less before lung cancer (OR, 3.31; 95% CI, 2.33–4.70 for men), but not longer. Co-occurrence of chronic bronchitis and emphysema and/or pneumonia had a stronger positive association with lung cancer than chronic bronchitis “only.” Asthma had an inverse association with lung cancer, the association being stronger with an asthma diagnosis 5 years or more before lung cancer compared with shorter. Conclusions: Findings from this large international case–control consortium indicate that after accounting for co-occurring respiratory diseases, chronic bronchitis and emphysema continue to have a positive association with lung cancer. PMID:25054566

  2. Sacrococcygeal pilonidal disease: analysis of previously proposed risk factors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ali Harlak

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available PURPOSE: Sacrococcygeal pilonidal disease is a source of one of the most common surgical problems among young adults. While male gender, obesity, occupations requiring sitting, deep natal clefts, excessive body hair, poor body hygiene and excessive sweating are described as the main risk factors for this disease, most of these need to be verified with a clinical trial. The present study aimed to evaluate the value and effect of these factors on pilonidal disease. METHOD: Previously proposed main risk factors were evaluated in a prospective case control study that included 587 patients with pilonidal disease and 2,780 healthy control patients. RESULTS: Stiffness of body hair, number of baths and time spent seated per day were the three most predictive risk factors. Adjusted odds ratios were 9.23, 6.33 and 4.03, respectively (p<0.001. With an adjusted odds ratio of 1.3 (p<.001, body mass index was another risk factor. Family history was not statistically different between the groups and there was no specific occupation associated with the disease. CONCLUSIONS: Hairy people who sit down for more than six hours a day and those who take a bath two or less times per week are at a 219-fold increased risk for sacrococcygeal pilonidal disease than those without these risk factors. For people with a great deal of hair, there is a greater need for them to clean their intergluteal sulcus. People who engage in work that requires sitting in a seat for long periods of time should choose more comfortable seats and should also try to stand whenever possible.

  3. Obstructive pulmonary disease in patients with previous tuberculosis ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Obstructive pulmonary disease in patients with previous tuberculosis: Pathophysiology of a community-based cohort. B.W. Allwood, R Gillespie, M Galperin-Aizenberg, M Bateman, H Olckers, L Taborda-Barata, G.L. Calligaro, Q Said-Hartley, R van Zyl-Smit, C.B. Cooper, E van Rikxoort, J Goldin, N Beyers, E.D. Bateman ...

  4. Iodine-131 induced hepatotoxicity in previously healthy patients with Grave's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jhummon, Navina Priya; Tohooloo, Bhavna; Qu, Shen

    2013-01-01

    To describe the association of the rare and serious complication of liver toxicity in previously healthy Grave's disease (GD) patients after the treatment with radioactive iodine (131)I (RAI). We report the clinical, laboratory and pathologic findings of 2 cases of severe liver toxicity associated with the treatment with RAI in previously healthy patients with GD. Clinical examination and laboratory investigations excluded viral hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, granulomatous disease, primary biliary disease, extrahepatic biliary obstruction, and heart failure. Case 1: A previously healthy 52-years old man reportedly having a typical GD but following RAI treatment, concomitantly developed severe liver toxicity that required 1 week of treatment in hospital. Case 2: A previously healthy 34-years old woman is reported as having a typical GD but developed jaundice following RAI treatment that required several weeks of in hospital treatment in the hepato-biliary department. In both cases, the liver dysfunction resolved after intensive treatment with hepato-protective agents. In this report the therapeutic considerations as well as the pathogenetic possibilities are reviewed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first description of the association observed, which is rare but may be severe and should be considered in any case of thyrotoxicosis where a liver dysfunction develops after the treatment with radioactive iodine (131)I.

  5. Association of Aortic Valve Sclerosis with Previous Coronary Artery Disease and Risk Factors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Filipe Carvalho Marmelo

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Background: Aortic valve sclerosis (AVS is characterized by increased thickness, calcification and stiffness of the aortic leaflets without fusion of the commissures. Several studies show an association between AVS and presence of coronary artery disease. Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate the association between presence of AVS with occurrence of previous coronary artery disease and classical risk factors. Methods: The sample was composed of 2,493 individuals who underwent transthoracic echocardiography between August 2011 and December 2012. The mean age of the cohort was 67.5 ± 15.9 years, and 50.7% were female. Results: The most frequent clinical indication for Doppler echocardiography was the presence of stroke (28.8%, and the most common risk factor was hypertension (60.8%. The most prevalent pathological findings on Doppler echocardiography were mitral valve sclerosis (37.1% and AVS (36.7%. There was a statistically significant association between AVS with hypertension (p < 0.001, myocardial infarction (p = 0.007, diabetes (p = 0.006 and compromised left ventricular systolic function (p < 0.001. Conclusion: Patients with AVS have higher prevalences of hypertension, stroke, hypercholesterolemia, myocardial infarction, diabetes and compromised left ventricular systolic function when compared with patients without AVS. We conclude that there is an association between presence of AVS with previous coronary artery disease and classical risk factors.

  6. Patterns of presentation of chronic ischemic heart disease with and without previous myocardial infarction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahmad, R.; Rabbani, A.; Awan, Z.A.

    2009-01-01

    The prevalence of Ischemic Heart Disease (IHD) is on the rise, from increasing lifespan of population and availability of better medical facilities. We studied chronic IHD cases with and without previous myocardial infarction, in Hazara, NWFP, Pakistan to evaluate left ventricular (LV) dysfunction, wall motion abnormalities and complications of IHD. All patients presenting with history of chest pain in Medical 'C' Unit, Ayub Teaching Hospital, Abbottabad from June 2004 to May 2005 were included in the study. Patients with non-cardiac chest pain were excluded from the study. Cases with congenital and rheumatic heart disease, cardiomyopathies, unstable angina and acute MI were excluded. Patients with IHD with or without myocardial infarction (MI) were studied for left ventricular dysfunction (ejection fraction, left atrial size, E/A ratio), wall motion abnormalities and complications of IHD (Mitral regurgitation, Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD), LV aneurysm, LV clot). Clinical and echocardiographic evaluation was done in each case. Out of 183 cases of chronic IHD, 123 patients were without previous MI and 60 had had previous MI. Ejection fraction (EF) was 45%+-15 in the group without MI and 35+-11% in cases with MI. Left Atrium (LA) size was 35+-6 mm and 39+-4 mm in the two groups respectively. LV diastolic dysfunction was seen in 17% in the first and 24% in the second group respectively. Global hypokinesia was seen in 8% and 17% in the 2 groups respectively. Regional Wall Motion Abnormality (RWMA) was observed in 12% in patients without MI and in 58% cases with MI. Mitral regurgitation was seen in 10 and 20% in the 2 groups respectively LV clots, VSD, LV and aneurysm were seen in 8.4, 5, and 6.5% respectively, only in cases with previous MI. LV dysfunction, wall motion abnormalities and mitral regurgitation were more common in IHD cases with previous heart attack. (author)

  7. Iodine-131 induced hepatotoxicity in previously healthy patients with Grave’s disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Objective To describe the association of the rare and serious complication of liver toxicity in previously healthy Grave’s disease (GD) patients after the treatment with radioactive iodine 131I (RAI). Case presentation We report the clinical, laboratory and pathologic findings of 2 cases of severe liver toxicity associated with the treatment with RAI in previously healthy patients with GD. Clinical examination and laboratory investigations excluded viral hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, granulomatous disease, primary biliary disease, extrahepatic biliary obstruction, and heart failure. Case 1: A previously healthy 52-years old man reportedly having a typical GD but following RAI treatment, concomitantly developed severe liver toxicity that required 1 week of treatment in hospital. Case 2: A previously healthy 34-years old woman is reported as having a typical GD but developed jaundice following RAI treatment that required several weeks of in hospital treatment in the hepato-biliary department. In both cases, the liver dysfunction resolved after intensive treatment with hepato-protective agents. In this report the therapeutic considerations as well as the pathogenetic possibilities are reviewed. Conclusion To the best of our knowledge, this is the first description of the association observed, which is rare but may be severe and should be considered in any case of thyrotoxicosis where a liver dysfunction develops after the treatment with radioactive iodine 131I. PMID:23497434

  8. Radioiodine treatment of recurrent hyperthyroidism in patients previously treated for Graves' disease by subtotal thyroidectomy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vestergaard, H; Laurberg, P

    1992-01-01

    showed a higher sensitivity to radioiodine, with more cases of early hypothyroidism, than non-operated patients. However, after 50 months of follow-up the outcome was identical. The results indicate that frequent assessment is necessary after radioiodine treatment of previously operated patients, since......Radioiodine therapy is often employed for treatment of patients with relapse of hyperthyroidism due to Graves' disease, after previous thyroid surgery. Little is known about the outcome of this treatment compared to patients with no previous surgery. A total of 20 patients who had received surgical...... treatment for Graves' hyperthyroidism 1-46 years previously and with relapse of the hyperthyroidism, and 25 patients with hyperthyroidism due to Graves' disease and no previous thyroid surgery were treated with radioiodine, following the same protocol. Early after treatment the previously operated patients...

  9. Analysis of 60 706 Exomes Questions the Role of De Novo Variants Previously Implicated in Cardiac Disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Paludan-Müller, Christian; Ahlberg, Gustav; Ghouse, Jonas

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: De novo variants in the exome occur at a rate of 1 per individual per generation, and because of the low reproductive fitness for de novo variants causing severe disease, the likelihood of finding these as standing variations in the general population is low. Therefore, this study...... sought to evaluate the pathogenicity of de novo variants previously associated with cardiac disease based on a large population-representative exome database. METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed a literature search for previous publications on de novo variants associated with severe arrhythmias...... trio studies (>1000 subjects). Of the monogenic variants, 11% (23/211) were present in ExAC, whereas 26% (802/3050) variants believed to increase susceptibility of disease were identified in ExAC. Monogenic de novo variants in ExAC had a total allele count of 109 and with ≈844 expected cases in Ex...

  10. The influence of general anesthesia on the brain in aged patients with previous ischemic cerebrovascular disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kokubo, Yasuaki; Kayama, Takamasa; Kondo, Rei; Oki, Masato; Takaoka, Seiji

    2008-01-01

    Whenever we discuss the overall results of surgical treatment for unruptured cerebral aneurysms, especially in aged patients, we tend to consider advanced age or general anesthesia as causes for unfavorable results. There are no reports concerning ischemic stroke events following general anesthesia in aged patients with a prior history of cerebrovascular disease. The purpose of this study is to clarify the influence of general anesthesia on the brats in aged patients with a previous history of ischemic cerebrovascular disease. The subjects were 30 consecutive patients over 70 years of age with previous ischemic cerebrovascular disease who underwent various surgeries except brain and cardiac surgery under general anesthesia. The patients were 70 to 85 years old, with a mean age of 76. Twenty-three were men and 7 were women. Surgical procedures were 12 gastrointestinal, 6 orthopedic and 4 urogenital and others. The type of cerebrovascular disease evaluated by neuroradiologist and anesthesiologist based on MR imaging was devided as follows: 16 patients had minor stroke, 7 had transient ischemic attack/reversible ischemic neurological deficit (TIA/RIND) and 7 had asymptomatic cerebral infarction. MR angiography was also assessed to evaluate the main artery in the brain. Blood pressure and arterial blood gas (PaCO 2 ) during general anesthesia were analyzed, and the rate of systemic and neurological complications following general anesthesia were evaluated. MR angiography revealed no occlusion or severe stenosis of the main artery in the brain of any of the patients. The minimum systolic blood pressure showed less than 100 mmHg transiently for 5-20 minutes in 28 of 30 patients during general anesthesia. The minimum value was 65 mmHg maintained for 5 minutes. The minimum PaCO 2 during general anesthesia was as follows: 1 case 36 mmHg. There were no neurological complications following general anesthesia in this study. One of 30 patients (3.3%) had suffered from pneumonia

  11. Previous medical history of diseases in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and their parents

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ayyoub Malek

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: The etiology of Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD is complex and most likely includes genetic and environmental factors. This study was conducted to evaluatethe role of previous medical history of diseases in ADHD children and their parents during theearlier years of the ADHD children's lives. Methods: In this case-control study, 164 ADHD children attending to Child and AdolescentPsychiatric Clinics of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Iran, compared with 166 normal children selected in a random-cluster method from primary and guidance schools. ADHDrating scale (Parents version and clinical interview based on schedule for Schedule forAffective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version(K-SADS were used to diagnose ADHD cases and to select the control group. Two groupswere compared for the existence of previous medical history of diseases in children andparents. Fisher's exact test and logistic regression model were used for data analysis. Results: The frequency of maternal history of medical disorders (28.7% vs. 12.0%; P = 0.001was significantly higher in children with ADHD compared with the control group. The frequency of jaundice, dysentery, epilepsy, asthma, allergy, and head trauma in the medicalhistory of children were not significantly differed between the two groups. Conclusion: According to this preliminary study, it may be concluded that the maternal historyof medical disorders is one of contributing risk factors for ADHD.

  12. Moyamoya disease in a child with previous acute necrotizing encephalopathy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Taik-Kun; Cha, Sang Hoon; Chung, Kyoo Byung; Kim, Jung Hyuck; Kim, Baek Hyun; Chung, Hwan Hoon [Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Korea University College of Medicine, Ansan Hospital, 516 Kojan-Dong, Ansan City, Kyungki-Do 425-020 (Korea); Eun, Baik-Lin [Department of Pediatrics, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea)

    2003-09-01

    A previously healthy 24-day-old boy presented with a 2-day history of fever and had a convulsion on the day of admission. MRI showed abnormal signal in the thalami, caudate nuclei and central white matter. Acute necrotising encephalopathy was diagnosed, other causes having been excluded after biochemical and haematological analysis of blood, urine and CSF. He recovered, but with spastic quadriparesis. At the age of 28 months, he suffered sudden deterioration of consciousness and motor weakness of his right limbs. MRI was consistent with an acute cerebrovascular accident. Angiography showed bilateral middle cerebral artery stenosis or frank occlusion with numerous lenticulostriate collateral vessels consistent with moyamoya disease. (orig.)

  13. Targeting Alzheimer's disease by investigating previously unexplored chemical space surrounding the cholinesterase inhibitor donepezil

    CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

    Van Greunen, DG

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available A series of twenty seven acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, as potential agents for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, were designed and synthesised based upon previously unexplored chemical space surrounding the molecular skeleton of the drug...

  14. Recurrent severe invasive pneumococcal disease in an adult with previously unknown hyposplenia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ballegaard, Vibe C; Schejbel, Lone; Hoffmann, Steen

    2015-01-01

    was found. Despite immunization against S. pneumoniae and measurement of what was interpreted as protective levels of serotype-specific IgG antibodies after vaccination, the patient suffered from a third episode of IPD. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with predisposing medical conditions or a history of severe......BACKGROUND: The risk of life-threatening and invasive infections with encapsulated bacteria is increased in patients with hyposplenia or asplenia. We report a case of recurrent invasive pneumococcal meningitis in a woman with previous unknown hyposplenia. She was vaccinated after the first episode...... of meningitis and developed sufficient levels of pneumococcal antibodies. The pneumococcal strains isolated were serotype 7 F and 17 F. To our knowledge, there has been no previously reported case of recurrent invasive pneumococcal disease in a pneumococcal vaccinated adult with hyposplenia and apparently...

  15. Phase II study of a 3-day schedule with topotecan and cisplatin in patients with previously untreated small cell lung cancer and extensive disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sorensen, M.; Lassen, Ulrik Niels; Jensen, Peter Buhl

    2008-01-01

    INTRODUCTION: Treatment with a topoisomerase I inhibitor in combination with a platinum results in superior or equal survival compared with etoposide-based treatment in extensive disease small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Five-day topotecan is inconvenient and therefore shorter schedules of topotecan...... and cisplatin are needed. The aim of this phase II study was to establish the response rate and response duration in chemo-naive patients with SCLC receiving a 3-day topotecan and cisplatin schedule. METHODS: Simons optimal two-stage design was used. Patients with previously untreated extensive disease SCLC...... age was 59 (range 44-74), 79% had performance status 0 or 1. Thirty-one patients completed all six cycles. Grade 3/4 anemia, neutrocytopenia, and thrombocytopenia were recorded in 9.5%, 66.7%, and 21.4% of patients, respectively. Fourteen percent of patients experienced neutropenic fever. No episodes...

  16. Neuropsychiatric and cardiometabolic comorbidities in patients with previously diagnosed Cushing's disease: a longitudinal observational study

    OpenAIRE

    Dimopoulou, C; Geraedts, V; Stalla, G K; Sievers, C

    2015-01-01

    INTRODUCTION: Only few studies have systematically investigated neuropsychiatric aspects in patients with Cushing's disease (CD). Pain syndromes have been described in patients with pituitary adenomas, but so far no systematical investigation has been conducted in patients with CD. Additionally, CD has an association with cardiometabolic comorbidities which ultimately leads to increased morbidity and mortality. Long-term treatment of the hypercortisolic state cannot prevent the persistence of...

  17. Circulating angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 activity in patients with chronic kidney disease without previous history of cardiovascular disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anguiano, Lidia; Riera, Marta; Pascual, Julio; Valdivielso, José Manuel; Barrios, Clara; Betriu, Angels; Mojal, Sergi; Fernández, Elvira; Soler, María José

    2015-07-01

    Patients with cardiovascular (CV) disease have an increased circulating angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) activity, but there is little information about changes in ACE2 in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients without history of CV disease. We examined circulating ACE2 activity in CKD patients at stages 3-5 (CKD3-5) and in dialysis (CKD5D) without any history of CV disease. Circulating ACE2 activity was measured in human ethylenediamine-tetraacetic acid (EDTA)-plasma samples from the NEFRONA study (n = 2572): control group (CONT) (n = 568), CKD3-5 (n = 1458) and CKD5D (n = 546). Different clinical and analytical variables such as gender; age; history of diabetes mellitus (DM), dyslipidemia and hypertension; glycaemic, renal, lipid and anaemia profiles; vitamin D analogues treatment and antihypertensive treatments (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blockade) were analysed. Circulating ACE2 and ACE activities were measured using modified fluorimetric assay for EDTA-plasma samples, where zinc chloride was added to recover enzymatic activity. In CKD3-5 and CKD5D, significant decrease in circulating ACE2 activity was observed when compared with CONT, but no differences were found between CKD3-5 and CKD5 when performing paired case-control studies. By multivariate linear regression analysis, male gender and advanced age were identified as independent predictors of ACE2 activity in all groups. Diabetes was identified as independent predictor of ACE2 activity in CKD3-5. Significant increase in the activity of circulating ACE was found in CKD3-5 and CKD5D when compared with CONT and in CKD5D when compared with CKD3-5. By multiple regression analysis, female gender and younger age were identified as independent predictors of ACE activity in CONT and CKD3-5. Diabetes was also identified as an independent predictor of ACE activity in CKD3-5 patients. Circulating ACE2 and ACE activities can be measured in human EDTA-plasma samples with zinc

  18. Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus: effectiveness in advanced Parkinson's disease patients previously reliant on apomorphine

    OpenAIRE

    Varma, T; Fox, S; Eldridge, P; Littlechild, P; Byrne, P; Forster, A; Marshall, A; Cameron, H; McIver, K; Fletcher, N; Steiger, M

    2003-01-01

    Objectives: To assess the efficacy of bilateral subthalamic nucleus (STN) deep brain stimulation (DBS) in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease previously reliant on apomorphine as their main antiparkinsonian medication.

  19. The association between previous and future severe exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Updating the literature using robust statistical methodology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadatsafavi, Mohsen; Xie, Hui; Etminan, Mahyar; Johnson, Kate; FitzGerald, J Mark

    2018-01-01

    There is minimal evidence on the extent to which the occurrence of a severe acute exacerbation of COPD that results in hospitalization affects the subsequent disease course. Previous studies on this topic did not generate causally-interpretable estimates. Our aim was to use corrected methodology to update previously reported estimates of the associations between previous and future exacerbations in these patients. Using administrative health data in British Columbia, Canada (1997-2012), we constructed a cohort of patients with at least one severe exacerbation, defined as an episode of inpatient care with the main diagnosis of COPD based on international classification of diseases (ICD) codes. We applied a random-effects 'joint frailty' survival model that is particularly developed for the analysis of recurrent events in the presence of competing risk of death and heterogeneity among individuals in their rate of events. Previous severe exacerbations entered the model as dummy-coded time-dependent covariates, and the model was adjusted for several observable patient and disease characteristics. 35,994 individuals (mean age at baseline 73.7, 49.8% female, average follow-up 3.21 years) contributed 34,271 severe exacerbations during follow-up. The first event was associated with a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.75 (95%CI 1.69-1.82) for the risk of future severe exacerbations. This risk decreased to HR = 1.36 (95%CI 1.30-1.42) for the second event and to 1.18 (95%CI 1.12-1.25) for the third event. The first two severe exacerbations that occurred during follow-up were also significantly associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality. There was substantial heterogeneity in the individual-specific rate of severe exacerbations. Even after adjusting for observable characteristics, individuals in the 97.5th percentile of exacerbation rate had 5.6 times higher rate of severe exacerbations than those in the 2.5th percentile. Using robust statistical methodology that controlled

  20. The chronic obstructive pulmonary disease assessment test improves the predictive value of previous exacerbations for poor outcomes in COPD.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miravitlles, Marc; García-Sidro, Patricia; Fernández-Nistal, Alonso; Buendía, María Jesús; Espinosa de Los Monteros, María José; Esquinas, Cristina; Molina, Jesús

    2015-01-01

    Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations have a negative impact on the quality of life of patients and the evolution of the disease. We have investigated the prognostic value of several health-related quality of life questionnaires to predict the appearance of a composite event (new ambulatory or emergency exacerbation, hospitalization, or death) over a 1-year follow-up. This was a multicenter, prospective, observational study. Patients completed four questionnaires after recovering from an exacerbation (COPD Assessment Test [CAT], a Clinical COPD Questionnaire [CCQ], COPD Severity Score [COPDSS], and Airways Questionnaire [AQ20]). Patients were followed-up until the appearance of the composite event or for 1 year, whichever came first. A total of 497 patients were included in the study. The majority of them were men (89.7%), with a mean age of 68.7 (SD 9.2) years, and a forced expiratory volume in 1 second of 47.1% (SD 17.5%). A total of 303 (61%) patients experienced a composite event. Patients with an event had worse mean scores of all questionnaires at baseline compared to patients without event: CAT=12.5 vs 11.3 (P=0.028); CCQ=2.2 vs 1.9 (P=0.013); COPDSS=12.3 vs 10.9 (P=0.001); AQ20=8.3 vs 7.5 (P=0.048). In the multivariate analysis, only previous history of exacerbations and CAT score ≥13.5 were significant risk factors for the composite event. A CAT score ≥13.5 increased the predictive value of previous exacerbations with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.864 (95% CI: 0.829-0.899; P=0.001). The predictive value of previous exacerbations significantly increased only in one of the four trialled questionnaires, namely in the CAT questionnaire. However, previous history of exacerbations was the strongest predictor of the composite event.

  1. A Twin Study of Perthes Disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Metcalfe, David; Van Dijck, Stephanie; Parsons, Nicolas

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (LCPD) is an idiopathic avascular necrosis of the femoral head. Its etiology is poorly understood, although previous studies have implicated low birth weight and possible genetic determinants. The aim of this study was to identify potential birth weight...

  2. Previously Unidentified Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in HIV/AIDS Cases Associate with Clinical Parameters and Disease Progression

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vladimir V. Anokhin

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The genetic background of an individual plays an important role in the progression of HIV infection to AIDS. Identifying previously unknown or uncharacterized single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs that associate with disease progression may reveal important therapeutic targets and provide a greater understanding of disease pathogenesis. In the present study, we employed ultra-high multiplex PCR on an Ion Torrent next-generation sequencing platform to sequence 23 innate immune genes from 94 individuals with HIV/AIDS. This data was used to identify potential associations of SNPs with clinical parameters and disease progression. SNPs that associated with an increased viral load were identified in the genes for the interleukin 15 receptor (IL15RA, toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7, tripartite motif-containing protein 5 (TRIM5, and two killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR2DL1 and KIR2DL3. Additionally, SNPs that associated with progression from HIV infection to AIDS were identified in two 2′-5′-oligoadenylate synthetase genes (OAS2 and OAS3. In contrast, other SNPs identified in OAS2 and OAS3 genes, as well as in the TRIM5 and KIR2DS4 genes, were associated with a slower progression of disease. Taken together, our data demonstrates the utility of ultra-high multiplex PCR in identifying polymorphisms of potential clinical significance and further,identifies SNPs that may play a role in HIV pathogenesis.

  3. On the Tengiz petroleum deposit previous study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nysangaliev, A.N.; Kuspangaliev, T.K.

    1997-01-01

    Tengiz petroleum deposit previous study is described. Some consideration about structure of productive formation, specific characteristic properties of petroleum-bearing collectors are presented. Recommendation on their detail study and using of experience on exploration and development of petroleum deposit which have analogy on most important geological and industrial parameters are given. (author)

  4. Thiopurines, a previously unrecognised cause for fatigue in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Thomas W T; Iser, John H; Sparrow, Miles P; Newnham, Evan D; Headon, Belinda J; Gibson, Peter R

    2009-09-01

    Active inflammatory bowel disease, anaemia, iron deficiency and depression, alone or in combination, are known contributing factors of fatigue in inflammatory bowel disease. However, in some patients, fatigue cannot be attributed to known causes. Thiopurines are not a recognized cause. To describe the clinical scenario of a series of patients where thiopurines were the likely cause of fatigue. The clinical scenario of 5 patients was examined with specific reference to the temporal association of thiopurine therapy with fatigue, the effect of its withdrawal and rechallenge, and drug specificity. The onset of severe fatigue was related to the introduction of azathioprine or 6-mercaptopurine, rapid relief was experienced on its withdrawal in all patients, and fatigue rapidly occurred on rechallenge. The speed of onset was rapid in two patients and in the context of gradual withdrawal of moderate steroid dose, but recurred rapidly on rechallenge when not on steroids. Marked fatigue is a previously unrecognized adverse effect of thiopurines. It does not appear to be drug-specific. Its onset might be masked by concurrent steroid therapy.

  5. Sudden unexpected death in children with a previously diagnosed cardiovascular disorder

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Polderman, Florens N.; Cohen, Joeri; Blom, Nico A.; Delhaas, Tammo; Helbing, Wim A.; Lam, Jan; Sobotka-Plojhar, Marta A.; Temmerman, Arno M.; Sreeram, Narayanswani

    2004-01-01

    BACKGROUND: It is known that children with previously diagnosed heart defects die suddenly. The causes of death are often unknown. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to identify all infants and children within the Netherlands with previously diagnosed heart disease who had a sudden unexpected death

  6. Sudden unexpected death in children with a previously diagnosed cardiovascular disorder

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Polderman, F.N.; Cohen, Joeri; Blom, N.A.; Delhaas, T.; Helbing, W.A.; Lam, J.; Sobotka-Plojhar, M.A.; Temmerman, Arno M.; Sreeram, N.

    2004-01-01

    Background: It is known that children with previously diagnosed heart defects die suddenly. The causes of death are often unknown. Objective: The aim of the study was to identify all infants and children within the Netherlands with previously diagnosed heart disease who had a sudden unexpected death

  7. Hamstring tightness and Scheuermann's disease a pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fisk, J W; Baigent, M L

    1981-06-01

    The lateral radiographs of the dorsal spines of 20 patients presenting with mainly low back pain are studied. These patients had clinically evident loss of flexion in the low dorsal spine and very tight hamstring muscles. 85% of them showed definite evidence of previous Scheuermann's Disease. The possibility that tight hamstrings may be an important factor in the aetiology of this disease is discussed, and a further large scale study is proposed.

  8. 40 CFR 152.93 - Citation of a previously submitted valid study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... Data Submitters' Rights § 152.93 Citation of a previously submitted valid study. An applicant may demonstrate compliance for a data requirement by citing a valid study previously submitted to the Agency. The... the original data submitter, the applicant may cite the study only in accordance with paragraphs (b...

  9. Association between previously identified loci affecting telomere length and coronary heart disease (CHD in Han Chinese population

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ding H

    2014-05-01

    7675998. By one-way analysis of variance test, rs7675998 was associated with the onset age of CHD. CHD patients with the AA genotype of rs7675998 had significantly lower onset age (P<0.05.Conclusion: In a Chinese Han population, NAF1 gene encoding proteins with known function in telomere biology may influence both the possibility of and the age at onset of CHD, as previously reported in European studies.Keywords: coronary heart disease, gene, leucocyte telomere length

  10. Parental anxiety associated with Kawasaki disease in previously healthy children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chahal, Nita; Clarizia, Nadia A; McCrindle, Brian W; Boydell, Katherine M; Obadia, Maya; Manlhiot, Cedric; Dillenburg, Rejane; Yeung, Rae S M

    2010-01-01

    The objective of this study was to explore the lived experience of parents of children diagnosed with Kawasaki disease (KD) and to identify factors associated with increased levels of parental anxiety. Three focus groups were conducted including 25 parents of 17 patients with KD, seven (41%) of whom had coronary artery complications. A conceptual model was developed to depict parental experiences and illustrate the key issues related to heightened anxiety. Themes identified included anxiety related to the child's sudden illness and delay in obtaining a correct diagnosis because of the lack of health care providers' awareness and knowledge regarding KD. Parents were frustrated by the lack of information available in lay language and the limited scientific knowledge regarding the long-term consequences of the disease. Parents also reported positive transformations and different perspective toward challenges in life. However, the parents of children with coronary artery complications expressed persistent anxiety even years after the acute phase of the illness due to the uncertainty of the long-term prognosis. There remains a critical need for richly textured research data on the perspective and experience of families of children with KD. Copyright 2010 National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Multifractal detrended cross correlation analysis of neuro-degenerative diseases-An in depth study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dutta, Srimonti; Ghosh, Dipak; Chatterjee, Sucharita

    2018-02-01

    This work revisits our previous study on human gait diseases, (Dutta et al., 2013) where we have studied the autocorrelation of human gait pattern in normal and diseased set. Significant difference in results was observed for normal and diseased set. However we were not able to distinguish between sets of Parkinson's and Huntington's disease. In this paper we attempt to study whether cross correlations between two feet of human gait pattern can help to distinguish between different diseased set. The results reveal that study of cross correlations can help to distinguish between Parkinson's and Huntington's disease.

  12. A Metabolic Study of Huntington's Disease.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rajasree Nambron

    Full Text Available Huntington's disease patients have a number of peripheral manifestations suggestive of metabolic and endocrine abnormalities. We, therefore, investigated a number of metabolic factors in a 24-hour study of Huntington's disease gene carriers (premanifest and moderate stage II/III and controls.Control (n = 15, premanifest (n = 14 and stage II/III (n = 13 participants were studied with blood sampling over a 24-hour period. A battery of clinical tests including neurological rating and function scales were performed. Visceral and subcutaneous adipose distribution was measured using magnetic resonance imaging. We quantified fasting baseline concentrations of glucose, insulin, cholesterol, triglycerides, lipoprotein (a, fatty acids, amino acids, lactate and osteokines. Leptin and ghrelin were quantified in fasting samples and after a standardised meal. We assessed glucose, insulin, growth hormone and cortisol concentrations during a prolonged oral glucose tolerance test.We found no highly significant differences in carbohydrate, protein or lipid metabolism markers between healthy controls, premanifest and stage II/III Huntington's disease subjects. For some markers (osteoprotegerin, tyrosine, lysine, phenylalanine and arginine there is a suggestion (p values between 0.02 and 0.05 that levels are higher in patients with premanifest HD, but not moderate HD. However, given the large number of statistical tests performed interpretation of these findings must be cautious.Contrary to previous studies that showed altered levels of metabolic markers in patients with Huntington's disease, our study did not demonstrate convincing evidence of abnormalities in any of the markers examined. Our analyses were restricted to Huntington's disease patients not taking neuroleptics, anti-depressants or other medication affecting metabolic pathways. Even with the modest sample sizes studied, the lack of highly significant results, despite many being tested, suggests that

  13. Celiac Disease Is Associated with Childhood Psychiatric Disorders: A Population-Based Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butwicka, Agnieszka; Lichtenstein, Paul; Frisén, Louise; Almqvist, Catarina; Larsson, Henrik; Ludvigsson, Jonas F

    2017-05-01

    To determine the risk of future childhood psychiatric disorders in celiac disease, assess the association between previous psychiatric disorders and celiac disease in children, and investigate the risk of childhood psychiatric disorders in siblings of celiac disease probands. This was a nationwide registry-based matched cohort study in Sweden with 10 903 children (aged celiac disease and 12 710 of their siblings. We assessed the risk of childhood psychiatric disorders (any psychiatric disorder, psychotic disorder, mood disorder, anxiety disorder, eating disorder, psychoactive substance misuse, behavioral disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder [ADHD], autism spectrum disorder [ASD], and intellectual disability). HRs of future psychiatric disorders in children with celiac disease and their siblings was estimated by Cox regression. The association between previous diagnosis of a psychiatric disorder and current celiac disease was assessed using logistic regression. Compared with the general population, children with celiac disease had a 1.4-fold greater risk of future psychiatric disorders. Childhood celiac disease was identified as a risk factor for mood disorders, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, behavioral disorders, ADHD, ASD, and intellectual disability. In addition, a previous diagnosis of a mood, eating, or behavioral disorder was more common before the diagnosis of celiac disease. In contrast, siblings of celiac disease probands were at no increased risk of any of the investigated psychiatric disorders. Children with celiac disease are at increased risk for most psychiatric disorders, apparently owing to the biological and/or psychological effects of celiac disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. Impact of previous vascular burden on in-hospital and long-term mortality in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Consuegra-Sánchez, Luciano; Melgarejo-Moreno, Antonio; Galcerá-Tomás, José; Alonso-Fernández, Nuria; Díaz-Pastor, Angela; Escudero-García, Germán; Jaulent-Huertas, Leticia; Vicente-Gilabert, Marta

    2014-06-01

    Patients with a current acute coronary syndrome and previous ischemic heart disease, peripheral arterial disease, and/or cerebrovascular disease are reported to have a poorer outcome than those without these previous conditions. It is uncertain whether this association with outcome is observed at long-term follow-up. Prospective observational study, including 4247 patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Detailed clinical data and information on previous ischemic heart disease, peripheral arterial disease, and cerebrovascular disease ("vascular burden") were recorded. Multivariate models were performed for in-hospital and long-term (median, 7.2 years) all-cause mortality. One vascular territory was affected in 1131 (26.6%) patients and ≥ 2 territories in 221 (5.2%). The total in-hospital mortality rate was 12.3% and the long-term incidence density was 3.5 deaths per 100 patient-years. A background of previous ischemic heart disease (odds ratio = 0.83; P = .35), peripheral arterial disease (odds ratio = 1.30; P = .34), or cerebrovascular disease (stroke) (odds ratio = 1.15; P = .59) was not independently predictive of in-hospital death. In an adjusted model, previous cerebrovascular disease and previous peripheral arterial disease were both predictors of mortality at long-term follow-up (hazard ratio = 1.57; P cerebrovascular disease and peripheral arterial disease were predictors of mortality at long-term after hospital discharge. Copyright © 2013 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  15. Mammographic breast cancer screening for women previously treated with high breast doses for diseases such as Hodgkin's

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Faulkner, K.; Law, J.

    2005-01-01

    In screening of a general population for breast cancer, benefit/risk ratios are of the order of 100/1. For the very small subgroup of women treated by radiotherapy for Hodgkin's disease below age 35, calculations of this type require different considerations, an overview of which is given in this text. It is concluded that although such previous exposures will increase their radiation risk, their increased risk of carrying an undetected breast cancer means that the potential benefit for them of screening is increased even more. In the United Kingdom, the Dept. of Health has recommended annual screening for these women. (authors)

  16. Squamous cell carcinoma arising in previously burned or irradiated skin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Edwards, M.J.; Hirsch, R.M.; Broadwater, J.R.; Netscher, D.T.; Ames, F.C.

    1989-01-01

    Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) arising in previously burned or irradiated skin was reviewed in 66 patients treated between 1944 and 1986. Healing of the initial injury was complicated in 70% of patients. Mean interval from initial injury to diagnosis of SCC was 37 years. The overwhelming majority of patients presented with a chronic intractable ulcer in previously injured skin. The regional relapse rate after surgical excision was very high, 58% of all patients. Predominant patterns of recurrence were in local skin and regional lymph nodes (93% of recurrences). Survival rates at 5, 10, and 20 years were 52%, 34%, and 23%, respectively. Five-year survival rates in previously burned and irradiated patients were not significantly different (53% and 50%, respectively). This review, one of the largest reported series, better defines SCC arising in previously burned or irradiated skin as a locally aggressive disease that is distinct from SCC arising in sunlight-damaged skin. An increased awareness of the significance of chronic ulceration in scar tissue may allow earlier diagnosis. Regional disease control and survival depend on surgical resection of all known disease and may require radical lymph node dissection or amputation

  17. Study of functional-performance deficits in athletes with previous ankle sprains

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    hamid Babaee

    2008-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background: Despite the importance of functional-performance deficits in athletes with history of ankle sprain few, studies have been carried out in this area. The aim of this research was to study relationship between previous ankle sprains and functional-performance deficits in athletes. Materials and methods: The subjects were 40 professional athletes selected through random sampling among volunteer participants in soccer, basketball, volleyball and handball teams of Lorestan province. The subjects were divided into 2 groups: Injured group (athletes with previous ankle sprains and healthy group (athletes without previous ankle sprains. In this descriptive study we used Functional-performance tests (figure 8 hop test and side hop test to determine ankle deficits and limitations. They participated in figure 8 hop test including hopping in 8 shape course with the length of 5 meters and side hop test including 10 side hop repetitions in course with the length of 30 centimeters. Time were recorded via stopwatch. Results: After data gathering and assessing information distributions, Pearson correlation was used to assess relationships, and independent T test to assess differences between variables. Finally the results showed that there is a significant relationship between previous ankle sprains and functional-performance deficits in the athletes. Conclusion: The athletes who had previous ankle sprains indicated functional-performance deficits more than healthy athletes in completion of mentioned functional-performance tests. The functional-performance tests (figure 8 hop test and side hop test are sensitive and suitable to assess and detect functional-performance deficits in athletes. Therefore we can use the figure 8 hop and side hop tests for goals such as prevention, assessment and rehabilitation of ankle sprains without spending too much money and time.

  18. Effect of donepezil in patients with Alzheimer's disease previously untreated or treated with memantine or nootropic agents in Germany: an observational study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klinger, Tatjana; Ibach, Bernd; Schoenknecht, Peter; Kamleiter, Martin; Silver, Gabrielle; Schroeder, Johannes; Mielke, Ruediger

    2005-05-01

    This open-label, prospective, observational, Post-Marketing Surveillance (PMS) study assessed the efficacy and safety of donepezil in patients who had been switched from therapies currently used in Germany to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD), such as memantine and nootropics, due to insufficient efficacy or poor tolerability. A treatment-naive population was included as a comparator. Patients with AD were treated with donepezil and observed for a period of approximately 3 months. A cognitive assessment was made using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Quality of life (QoL) was assessed by the investigators who answered the question 'How did therapy with donepezil influence the QoL of the patient and/or his family over the observation period?' and was graded using three ratings: improved/unchanged/worsened. Adverse events (AEs) were also monitored. A total of 913 patients entered the study (mean +/- SD MMSE score 18.03 +/- 5.34). Efficacy assessments were analyzed for three groups: an overall group of patients who had received any form of prior AD drug therapy (N+ group; n = 709); a subgroup of patients from the N+ group who had received prior memantine therapy only (M+ group; n = 111) and patients who were drug treatment naive (N- group; n = 204). In the evaluable population donepezil improved MMSE scores by 2.21 +/- 3.47 points on average, with similar improvements observed in all three groups. QoL was judged to be improved in at least 70% of patients, again with similar results obtained for all three groups. Donepezil was well tolerated, with 85 of 913 (9.3%) patients reporting AEs. The most common AEs were those typically seen with cholinergic therapies (i.e., diarrhoea, vomiting and nausea). In this observational PMS study, donepezil was shown to be efficacious and well tolerated in patients who were being insufficiently treated with memantine or nootropic therapy. The magnitude of response was similar to that observed in patients who were previously

  19. Personality disorders in previously detained adolescent females: a prospective study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Krabbendam, A.; Colins, O.F.; Doreleijers, T.A.H.; van der Molen, E.; Beekman, A.T.F.; Vermeiren, R.R.J.M.

    2015-01-01

    This longitudinal study investigated the predictive value of trauma and mental health problems for the development of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD) in previously detained women. The participants were 229 detained adolescent females who were assessed

  20. The effects of anticholinergic drugs on regional cerebral blood flow, and oxygen metabolism in previously untreated patients with Parkinson's disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Obara, Satoko; Takahashi, Satoshi; Yonezawa, Hisashi; Sato, Yoshitomo

    1998-01-01

    Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and oxygen metabolism (rCMRO 2 ) were measured using the steady-state 15 O technique and positron emission tomography (PET) in six previously untreated patients with Parkinson's disease before and after trihexyphenidyl (THP) treatment. The patients comprised of 4 men and 2 women with Hoehn-Yahr stage II-III. Their ages at the onset of the study ranged from 46 to 57 years (mean±SD, 51.8±3.7) and the duration of the illness ranged from 10 to 48 months (mean±SD, 28.8±15.5). The PET study, assessments of the disability and cognitive function were undergone twice. The first time assessments were done was when the patients were not receiving any drugs, and the second time was one to three months after administration of 6 mg THP. All patients showed clinical improvement after THP treatment. The mean disability score of Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale decreased from 35.1 (SD±11.3) to 25.7 (SD±11.6). The cognitive function assessed by Hasegawa's dementia rating scale-revised, Mini-Mental State Examination, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised, and Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised, were not significantly different before and after the THP treatment. After the THP treatment, rCBF and rCMRO 2 decreased significantly in the striatum (about 15%) and all cerebral cortices (about 10%) on both sides contralateral and ipsilateral to the predominantly symptomatic limbs. We conclude that an anticholinergic THP decreases the rCBF and rCMRO 2 significantly in the cerebral cortices without cognitive impairment in early untreated patients with Parkinson's disease. (author)

  1. Detection of previously undiagnosed cases of COPD in a high-risk population identified in general practice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Løkke, Anders; Ulrik, Charlotte Suppli; Dahl, Ronald

    2012-01-01

    Background and Aim: Under-diagnosis of COPD is a widespread problem. This study aimed to identify previously undiagnosed cases of COPD in a high-risk population identified through general practice. Methods: Participating GPs (n = 241) recruited subjects with no previous diagnosis of lung disease,...

  2. Chronic diseases in Nyeri, Kenya: a study of knowledge and perceptions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michael A.T. Freiberg

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The burden of chronic, non-communicable disease such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer is growing in many developing countries including Kenya. The use of community health workers is an important tool to improve the access to care and education in rural areas. This study aims to understand the knowledge and perceptions among the general population regarding three chronic diseases – diabetes, hypertension, and cancer – in Nyeri, Kenya. Standardized, open-ended interviews were conducted with 200 participants. This study shows that most individuals interviewed are familiar with these three diseases; however, knowledge varied among individuals with many having significant gaps in knowledge. These results are consistent with previous studies from this region and will inform future education directed at community health workers and the general population.

  3. Awareness of periodontal disease and its management among medical faculty in Guntur district: A questionnaire-based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dhulipalla, Ravindranath; Marella, Yamuna; Keerthana, Alluri Juhee; Pillutla, Harish Prabhu Dev; Chintagunta, Chaitanya; Polepalle, Tejaswin

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study was to assess the awareness of periodontal disease, its influence on general health, and attitude toward periodontal disease management among medical faculty in Guntur district. In this cross-sectional study, 150 medical faculty members from different specialties in Guntur district were included in the study. A self-administered questionnaire was prepared based on knowledge, attitude, and practice surveys to assess the awareness of periodontal disease and its management. Majority of the study participants (82%) had a previous dental visit. Only 31.3% believed that plaque is the major cause for periodontal disease. 56.7% responded that the relation between periodontal disease and systemic diseases is bidirectional. Only 39.3% were aware that periodontal disease is a risk factor for preterm low-birth weight infants. 52.6% of the medical faculty thought that scaling causes loss of enamel. 54.7% were aware that light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation is used in the periodontal treatment. Medical professionals who visited specialist in their previous dental visit obtained mean periodontal score (5.35 ± 1.686) greater than those who had visited general dentist and the difference is statistically significant (0.024). This study clearly demonstrates that medical practitioners had fair knowledge about various aspects of periodontal disease. This was particularly evident among those who have had a previous visit to a dentist. It was also found that young professionals with limited experience in the profession had better knowledge.

  4. Previous bacterial infection affects textural quality parameters of heat-treated fillets from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ingerslev, Hans-Christian; Hyldig, Grethe; Przybylska, Dominika Alicja

    2012-01-01

    Sensory quality of fish meat is influenced by many parameters prior to slaughter. In the present study, it was examined if previous infections or damages in the muscle tissue influence product quality parameters in fish. Fillets from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) reared in seawater....... This article was the first to describe a correlation between previous infections in fish and changes in sensory-quality parameters. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS. This work contributes with knowledge about sensory-quality parameters of fish meat after recovery from infections and physical-tissue damage. Because...... the results demonstrate an influence on the texture from previous disease, the practical potentials of the results are valuable for the aquaculture industry. In order to minimize the effects of previous diseases on the sensory quality regarding the texture, these fishes should be processed as cold...

  5. A framework for investigating geographical variation in diseases, based on a study of Legionnaires' disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhopal, R S

    1991-11-01

    Demonstration of geographical variations in disease can yield powerful insight into the disease pathway, particularly for environmentally acquired conditions, but only if the many problems of data interpretation can be solved. This paper presents the framework, methods and principles guiding a study of the geographical epidemiology of Legionnaires' Disease in Scotland. A case-list was constructed and disease incidence rates were calculated by geographical area; these showed variation. Five categories of explanation for the variation were identified: short-term fluctuations of incidence in time masquerading as differences by place; artefact; and differences in host-susceptibility, agent virulence, or environment. The methods used to study these explanations, excepting agent virulence, are described, with an emphasis on the use of previously existing data to test hypotheses. Examples include the use of mortality, census and hospital morbidity data to assess the artefact and host-susceptibility explanations; and the use of ratios of serology tests to disease to examine the differential testing hypothesis. The reasoning and process by which the environmental focus of the study was narrowed and the technique for relating the geographical pattern of disease to the putative source are outlined. This framework allows the researcher to plan for the parallel collection of the data necessary both to demonstrate geographical variation and to point to the likely explanation.

  6. Prevalence of chronic diseases at the onset of inflammatory arthritis: a population-based study.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ursum, J.; Korevaar, J.C.; Twisk, J.W.R.; Peters, M.J.L.; Schellevis, F.G.; Nurmohamed, M.T.; Nielen, M.M.J.

    2013-01-01

    Objective. Little is known about the presence of chronic morbidity in inflammatory arthritis (IA) patients at disease onset. Previous studies have been mainly performed in established IA patients or they focus on isolated co-morbid diseases. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of chronic

  7. Improved ability of biological and previous caries multimarkers to predict caries disease as revealed by multivariate PLS modelling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ericson Thorild

    2009-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Dental caries is a chronic disease with plaque bacteria, diet and saliva modifying disease activity. Here we have used the PLS method to evaluate a multiplicity of such biological variables (n = 88 for ability to predict caries in a cross-sectional (baseline caries and prospective (2-year caries development setting. Methods Multivariate PLS modelling was used to associate the many biological variables with caries recorded in thirty 14-year-old children by measuring the numbers of incipient and manifest caries lesions at all surfaces. Results A wide but shallow gliding scale of one fifth caries promoting or protecting, and four fifths non-influential, variables occurred. The influential markers behaved in the order of plaque bacteria > diet > saliva, with previously known plaque bacteria/diet markers and a set of new protective diet markers. A differential variable patterning appeared for new versus progressing lesions. The influential biological multimarkers (n = 18 predicted baseline caries better (ROC area 0.96 than five markers (0.92 and a single lactobacilli marker (0.7 with sensitivity/specificity of 1.87, 1.78 and 1.13 at 1/3 of the subjects diagnosed sick, respectively. Moreover, biological multimarkers (n = 18 explained 2-year caries increment slightly better than reported before but predicted it poorly (ROC area 0.76. By contrast, multimarkers based on previous caries predicted alone (ROC area 0.88, or together with biological multimarkers (0.94, increment well with a sensitivity/specificity of 1.74 at 1/3 of the subjects diagnosed sick. Conclusion Multimarkers behave better than single-to-five markers but future multimarker strategies will require systematic searches for improved saliva and plaque bacteria markers.

  8. The effects of anticholinergic drugs on regional cerebral blood flow, and oxygen metabolism in previously untreated patients with Parkinson`s disease

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Obara, Satoko; Takahashi, Satoshi; Yonezawa, Hisashi; Sato, Yoshitomo [Iwate Medical Univ., Morioka (Japan). School of Medicine

    1998-12-01

    Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and oxygen metabolism (rCMRO{sub 2}) were measured using the steady-state {sup 15}O technique and positron emission tomography (PET) in six previously untreated patients with Parkinson`s disease before and after trihexyphenidyl (THP) treatment. The patients comprised of 4 men and 2 women with Hoehn-Yahr stage II-III. Their ages at the onset of the study ranged from 46 to 57 years (mean{+-}SD, 51.8{+-}3.7) and the duration of the illness ranged from 10 to 48 months (mean{+-}SD, 28.8{+-}15.5). The PET study, assessments of the disability and cognitive function were undergone twice. The first time assessments were done was when the patients were not receiving any drugs, and the second time was one to three months after administration of 6 mg THP. All patients showed clinical improvement after THP treatment. The mean disability score of Unified Parkinson`s Disease Rating Scale decreased from 35.1 (SD{+-}11.3) to 25.7 (SD{+-}11.6). The cognitive function assessed by Hasegawa`s dementia rating scale-revised, Mini-Mental State Examination, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised, and Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised, were not significantly different before and after the THP treatment. After the THP treatment, rCBF and rCMRO{sub 2} decreased significantly in the striatum (about 15%) and all cerebral cortices (about 10%) on both sides contralateral and ipsilateral to the predominantly symptomatic limbs. We conclude that an anticholinergic THP decreases the rCBF and rCMRO{sub 2} significantly in the cerebral cortices without cognitive impairment in early untreated patients with Parkinson`s disease. (author)

  9. Dental Caries and Periodontal Disease in Children and Adolescents with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Case-Control Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koutsochristou, Vassiliki; Zellos, Aglaia; Dimakou, Konstantina; Panayotou, Ioanna; Siahanidou, Sultana; Roma-Giannikou, Eleftheria; Tsami, Alexandra

    2015-08-01

    Previous reports have demonstrated a higher prevalence of dental caries and periodontal disease in adults with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but similar data in children and adolescents do not exist. The aim of the study was to evaluate the status of dental caries, oral hygiene, gingival status and periodontal treatment needs of children with IBD. In this case-control study, 55 children on remission from a single outpatient IBD clinic, aged 4 to 18 years (12.27 ± 3.67 yr) and 55 matched systemically healthy controls of a dental practice were assessed prospectively. The evaluation included medical history, dental questionnaire in both groups, and previous and current medical therapy of children with IBD. Additionally, the decayed, missing, and filled tooth (dmf-t or DMF-T), simplified gingival, plaque control record and community periodontal treatment needs indices were evaluated. Children with IBD compared with controls had a statistically significant (P periodontal treatment needs was significantly higher compared with controls (P periodontal treatment needs in children and adolescents with IBD despite similar oral hygiene status.

  10. Prediction of disease and phenotype associations from genome-wide association studies.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephanie N Lewis

    Full Text Available Genome wide association studies (GWAS have proven useful as a method for identifying genetic variations associated with diseases. In this study, we analyzed GWAS data for 61 diseases and phenotypes to elucidate common associations based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP. The study was an expansion on a previous study on identifying disease associations via data from a single GWAS on seven diseases.Adjustments to the originally reported study included expansion of the SNP dataset using Linkage Disequilibrium (LD and refinement of the four levels of analysis to encompass SNP, SNP block, gene, and pathway level comparisons. A pair-wise comparison between diseases and phenotypes was performed at each level and the Jaccard similarity index was used to measure the degree of association between two diseases/phenotypes. Disease relatedness networks (DRNs were used to visualize our results. We saw predominant relatedness between Multiple Sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis for the first three levels of analysis. Expected relatedness was also seen between lipid- and blood-related traits.The predominant associations between Multiple Sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis can be validated by clinical studies. The diseases have been proposed to share a systemic inflammation phenotype that can result in progression of additional diseases in patients with one of these three diseases. We also noticed unexpected relationships between metabolic and neurological diseases at the pathway comparison level. The less significant relationships found between diseases require a more detailed literature review to determine validity of the predictions. The results from this study serve as a first step towards a better understanding of seemingly unrelated diseases and phenotypes with similar symptoms or modes of treatment.

  11. Matched cohort study of external cephalic version in women with previous cesarean delivery.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keepanasseril, Anish; Anand, Keerthana; Soundara Raghavan, Subrahmanian

    2017-07-01

    To evaluate the efficacy and safety of external cephalic version (ECV) among women with previous cesarean delivery. A retrospective study was conducted using data for women with previous cesarean delivery and breech presentation who underwent ECV at or after 36 weeks of pregnancy during 2011-2016. For every case, two multiparous women without previous cesarean delivery who underwent ECV and were matched for age and pregnancy duration were included. Characteristics and outcomes were compared between groups. ECV was successful for 32 (84.2%) of 38 women with previous cesarean delivery and 62 (81.6%) in the control group (P=0.728). Multivariate regression analysis confirmed that previous cesarean was not associated with ECV success (odds ratio 1.89, 95% confidence interval 0.19-18.47; P=0.244). Successful vaginal delivery after successful ECV was reported for 19 (59.4%) women in the previous cesarean delivery group and 52 (83.9%) in the control group (P<0.001). No ECV-associated complications occurred in women with previous cesarean delivery. To avoid a repeat cesarean delivery, ECV can be offered to women with breech presentation and previous cesarean delivery who are otherwise eligible for a trial of labor. © 2017 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.

  12. Genome-Wide Association Study of Metabolic Traits Reveals Novel Gene-Metabolite-Disease Links

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nicholls, Andrew W.; Salek, Reza M.; Marques-Vidal, Pedro; Morya, Edgard; Sameshima, Koichi; Montoliu, Ivan; Da Silva, Laeticia; Collino, Sebastiano; Martin, François-Pierre; Rezzi, Serge; Steinbeck, Christoph; Waterworth, Dawn M.; Waeber, Gérard; Vollenweider, Peter; Beckmann, Jacques S.; Le Coutre, Johannes; Mooser, Vincent; Bergmann, Sven; Genick, Ulrich K.; Kutalik, Zoltán

    2014-01-01

    Metabolic traits are molecular phenotypes that can drive clinical phenotypes and may predict disease progression. Here, we report results from a metabolome- and genome-wide association study on 1H-NMR urine metabolic profiles. The study was conducted within an untargeted approach, employing a novel method for compound identification. From our discovery cohort of 835 Caucasian individuals who participated in the CoLaus study, we identified 139 suggestively significant (P<5×10−8) and independent associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) and metabolome features. Fifty-six of these associations replicated in the TasteSensomics cohort, comprising 601 individuals from São Paulo of vastly diverse ethnic background. They correspond to eleven gene-metabolite associations, six of which had been previously identified in the urine metabolome and three in the serum metabolome. Our key novel findings are the associations of two SNPs with NMR spectral signatures pointing to fucose (rs492602, P = 6.9×10−44) and lysine (rs8101881, P = 1.2×10−33), respectively. Fine-mapping of the first locus pinpointed the FUT2 gene, which encodes a fucosyltransferase enzyme and has previously been associated with Crohn's disease. This implicates fucose as a potential prognostic disease marker, for which there is already published evidence from a mouse model. The second SNP lies within the SLC7A9 gene, rare mutations of which have been linked to severe kidney damage. The replication of previous associations and our new discoveries demonstrate the potential of untargeted metabolomics GWAS to robustly identify molecular disease markers. PMID:24586186

  13. Bilateral orbital infarction and retinal detachment in a previously undiagnosed sickle cell hemoglobinopathy African child

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helen, Onakpoya Oluwatoyin; Ajite, K. O.; Oyelami, O. A.; Asaleye, C. M.; Adeoye, A. O.

    2013-01-01

    Bone infarction involving the orbit in sickle cell disease is not common. Bilateral orbital infarction in a previously undiagnosed sickle cell hemoglobinopathy has not been previously reported. In this report, we present a case of an 11-year-old previously undiagnosed sickle cell disease Nigerian girl with severe acute bilateral orbital infarction and retinal detachment to highlight that hemoglobinopathy induced orbital infarction should be considered in African children with acute onset proptosis with or without previous history of sickle cell hemoglobinopathy. PMID:23901183

  14. Are Serum Vitamin D Levels Associated With Dry Eye Disease? Results From the Study Group for Environmental Eye Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Da-Hye Jeon

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Objectives Dry eye disease (DED is an increasingly important public health problem in Korea. Previous studies conducted in Korea have reported inconsistent results regarding the protective effects of vitamin D on DED, and these discrepancies may be related to the relatively simple questionnaire that has been used. Thus, we evaluated the association of serum vitamin D levels with DED using the ocular surface disease index (OSDI. Methods The present study evaluated data from participants in the Study Group for Environmental Eye Disease (2014-2015. This group included data from 752 participants, and data from 740 participants (253 men and 487 women were analyzed in the present study. DED severity was evaluated using the OSDI. Results Higher serum vitamin D levels were associated with a non-significantly reduced risk of DED in the crude analysis (odds ratio [OR], 0.991; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.971 to 1.011 and in the adjusted analysis (OR, 0.988; 95% CI, 0.966 to 1.010. In the crude analysis of no/mild DED vs. moderate/severe DED, men exhibited a decreased risk with increasing serum vitamin D levels (OR, 0.999; 95% CI, 0.950 to 1.051, while women exhibited an increased risk (OR, 1.003; 95% CI, 0.979 to 1.027. In these analyses, we found no significant associations. Conclusions The findings of the present study support previous reports that serum vitamin D levels are not associated with DED.

  15. Oral contraceptives, pregnancy and the risk of cerebral thromboembolism: the influence of diabetes, hypertension, migraine and previous thrombotic disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lidegaard, O

    1995-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To assess the risk of developing cerebral thromboembolism among pregnant women and among fertile women with hypertension, migraine, diabetes, and previous thrombotic disease, and to investigate the interaction of these risk factors with the use of oral contraceptives. DESIGN...... multivariate analysis, pregnancy implied an odds ratio (OR) for a cerebral thromboembolic attack of 1.3 (nonsignificant), diabetes an OR of 5.4 (P hypertension an OR of 3.1 (P ... thromboembolism whereas diabetes, hypertension, migraine and past thromboembolic events increased the risk of cerebral thromboembolism significantly. Women with these increased thrombotic risks should use oestrogen-containing oral contraceptives only after careful considerations of the risks, if at all....

  16. Traditional Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Their Relation to Future Surgery for Valvular Heart Disease or Ascending Aortic Disease: A Case-Referent Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ljungberg, Johan; Johansson, Bengt; Engström, Karl Gunnar; Albertsson, Elin; Holmer, Paul; Norberg, Margareta; Bergdahl, Ingvar A; Söderberg, Stefan

    2017-05-05

    Risk factors for developing heart valve and ascending aortic disease are based mainly on retrospective data. To elucidate these factors in a prospective manner, we have performed a nested case-referent study using data from large, population-based surveys. A total of 777 patients operated for heart valve disease or disease of the ascending aorta had previously participated in population-based health surveys in Northern Sweden. Median time (interquartile range) from survey to surgery was 10.5 (9.0) years. Primary indications for surgery were aortic stenosis (41%), aortic regurgitation (12%), mitral regurgitation (23%), and dilatation/dissection of the ascending aorta (17%). For each case, referents were allocated, matched for age, sex, and geographical area. In multivariable models, surgery for aortic stenosis was predicted by hypertension, high cholesterol levels, diabetes mellitus, and active smoking. Surgery for aortic regurgitation was associated with a low cholesterol level, whereas a high cholesterol level predicted surgery for mitral regurgitation. Hypertension, blood pressure, and previous smoking predicted surgery for disease of the ascending aorta whereas diabetes mellitus was associated with reduced risk. After exclusion of cases with coronary atherosclerosis, only the inverse associations between cholesterol and aortic regurgitation and between diabetes mellitus and disease of the ascending aorta remained. This is the first truly prospective study of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and their association with valvular heart disease and disease of the ascending aorta. We confirm the strong association between traditional risk factors and aortic stenosis, but only in patients with concomitant coronary artery disease. In isolated valvular heart disease, the impact of traditional risk factors is varying. © 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.

  17. Previous exercise training has a beneficial effect on renal and cardiovascular function in a model of diabetes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kleiton Augusto dos Santos Silva

    Full Text Available Exercise training (ET is an important intervention for chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus (DM. However, it is not known whether previous exercise training intervention alters the physiological and medical complications of these diseases. We investigated the effects of previous ET on the progression of renal disease and cardiovascular autonomic control in rats with streptozotocin (STZ-induced DM. Male Wistar rats were divided into five groups. All groups were followed for 15 weeks. Trained control and trained diabetic rats underwent 10 weeks of exercise training, whereas previously trained diabetic rats underwent 14 weeks of exercise training. Renal function, proteinuria, renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA and the echocardiographic parameters autonomic modulation and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS were evaluated. In the previously trained group, the urinary albumin/creatinine ratio was reduced compared with the sedentary diabetic and trained diabetic groups (p<0.05. Additionally, RSNA was normalized in the trained diabetic and previously trained diabetic animals (p<0.05. The ejection fraction was increased in the previously trained diabetic animals compared with the diabetic and trained diabetic groups (p<0.05, and the myocardial performance index was improved in the previously trained diabetic group compared with the diabetic and trained diabetic groups (p<0.05. In addition, the previously trained rats had improved heart rate variability and BRS in the tachycardic response and bradycardic response in relation to the diabetic group (p<0.05. This study demonstrates that previous ET improves the functional damage that affects DM. Additionally, our findings suggest that the development of renal and cardiac dysfunction can be minimized by 4 weeks of ET before the induction of DM by STZ.

  18. Tickborne Rickettsial Diseases: Epidemiological studies in China

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    W.-C. Cao (Wu-Chun)

    2010-01-01

    textabstractRickettsial diseases are vector-borne zoonoses caused by obligate intracellular bacteria within the order Rickettsiales, which was previously described as short, Gram-negative rod bacteria that retained basic fuchsin when stained by the method of Gimenez. As development in molecular

  19. Everolimus for Previously Treated Advanced Gastric Cancer: Results of the Randomized, Double-Blind, Phase III GRANITE-1 Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ohtsu, Atsushi; Ajani, Jaffer A.; Bai, Yu-Xian; Bang, Yung-Jue; Chung, Hyun-Cheol; Pan, Hong-Ming; Sahmoud, Tarek; Shen, Lin; Yeh, Kun-Huei; Chin, Keisho; Muro, Kei; Kim, Yeul Hong; Ferry, David; Tebbutt, Niall C.; Al-Batran, Salah-Eddin; Smith, Heind; Costantini, Chiara; Rizvi, Syed; Lebwohl, David; Van Cutsem, Eric

    2013-01-01

    Purpose The oral mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor everolimus demonstrated promising efficacy in a phase II study of pretreated advanced gastric cancer. This international, double-blind, phase III study compared everolimus efficacy and safety with that of best supportive care (BSC) in previously treated advanced gastric cancer. Patients and Methods Patients with advanced gastric cancer that progressed after one or two lines of systemic chemotherapy were randomly assigned to everolimus 10 mg/d (assignment schedule: 2:1) or matching placebo, both given with BSC. Randomization was stratified by previous chemotherapy lines (one v two) and region (Asia v rest of the world [ROW]). Treatment continued until disease progression or intolerable toxicity. Primary end point was overall survival (OS). Secondary end points included progression-free survival (PFS), overall response rate, and safety. Results Six hundred fifty-six patients (median age, 62.0 years; 73.6% male) were enrolled. Median OS was 5.4 months with everolimus and 4.3 months with placebo (hazard ratio, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.75 to 1.08; P = .124). Median PFS was 1.7 months and 1.4 months in the everolimus and placebo arms, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.56 to 0.78). Common grade 3/4 adverse events included anemia, decreased appetite, and fatigue. The safety profile was similar in patients enrolled in Asia versus ROW. Conclusion Compared with BSC, everolimus did not significantly improve overall survival for advanced gastric cancer that progressed after one or two lines of previous systemic chemotherapy. The safety profile observed for everolimus was consistent with that observed for everolimus in other cancers. PMID:24043745

  20. The stem-cell application in ischemic heart disease: Basic principles, specifics and practical experience from clinical studies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Banović Marko

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Longer life duration, different clinical presentations of coronary disease, as well as high incidence of comorbidity in patients with ischemic heart disease have led to an increase in the incidence of ischemic heart failure. Despite numerous and new treatment methods that act on different pathophysiological mechanisms that cause heart failure, and whose aim is to slowdown or stop the progression of this devastating disease, morbidity and mortality in these patients remain high. These facts have firstly led to the introduction of the experimental, and then clinical studies with the application of stem cells in patients with ischemic heart disease. Previous studies have shown that the application of stem cells is a feasible and safe method in patients with acute coronary syndrome, as well as in patients with chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy, but the efficacy of these methods in both of the abovementioned clinical syndromes has yet to be established. This review paper outlines the basic principles of treatment of ischemic heart disease with stem cells, as well as the experience and knowledge gained in previous clinical studies.

  1. [Prevalence of previously diagnosed diabetes mellitus in Mexico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rojas-Martínez, Rosalba; Basto-Abreu, Ana; Aguilar-Salinas, Carlos A; Zárate-Rojas, Emiliano; Villalpando, Salvador; Barrientos-Gutiérrez, Tonatiuh

    2018-01-01

    To compare the prevalence of previously diagnosed diabetes in 2016 with previous national surveys and to describe treatment and its complications. Mexico's national surveys Ensa 2000, Ensanut 2006, 2012 and 2016 were used. For 2016, logistic regression models and measures of central tendency and dispersion were obtained. The prevalence of previously diagnosed diabetes in 2016 was 9.4%. The increase of 2.2% relative to 2012 was not significant and only observed in patients older than 60 years. While preventive measures have increased, the access to medical treatment and lifestyle has not changed. The treatment has been modified, with an increase in insulin and decrease in hypoglycaemic agents. Population aging, lack of screening actions and the increase in diabetes complications will lead to an increase on the burden of disease. Policy measures targeting primary and secondary prevention of diabetes are crucial.

  2. High prevalence of peripheral arterial disease in patients with previous cerebrovascular or coronary event

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mehlsen, Jesper; Wiinberg, Niels; Joergensen, Bjarne S

    2010-01-01

    The presence of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in patients with other manifestations of cardiovascular disease identifies a population at increased risk of complications both during acute coronary events and on a long-term basis and possibly a population in whom secondary prevention of cardiov......The presence of peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in patients with other manifestations of cardiovascular disease identifies a population at increased risk of complications both during acute coronary events and on a long-term basis and possibly a population in whom secondary prevention...

  3. Previously unknown species of Aspergillus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gautier, M; Normand, A-C; Ranque, S

    2016-08-01

    The use of multi-locus DNA sequence analysis has led to the description of previously unknown 'cryptic' Aspergillus species, whereas classical morphology-based identification of Aspergillus remains limited to the section or species-complex level. The current literature highlights two main features concerning these 'cryptic' Aspergillus species. First, the prevalence of such species in clinical samples is relatively high compared with emergent filamentous fungal taxa such as Mucorales, Scedosporium or Fusarium. Second, it is clearly important to identify these species in the clinical laboratory because of the high frequency of antifungal drug-resistant isolates of such Aspergillus species. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has recently been shown to enable the identification of filamentous fungi with an accuracy similar to that of DNA sequence-based methods. As MALDI-TOF MS is well suited to the routine clinical laboratory workflow, it facilitates the identification of these 'cryptic' Aspergillus species at the routine mycology bench. The rapid establishment of enhanced filamentous fungi identification facilities will lead to a better understanding of the epidemiology and clinical importance of these emerging Aspergillus species. Based on routine MALDI-TOF MS-based identification results, we provide original insights into the key interpretation issues of a positive Aspergillus culture from a clinical sample. Which ubiquitous species that are frequently isolated from air samples are rarely involved in human invasive disease? Can both the species and the type of biological sample indicate Aspergillus carriage, colonization or infection in a patient? Highly accurate routine filamentous fungi identification is central to enhance the understanding of these previously unknown Aspergillus species, with a vital impact on further improved patient care. Copyright © 2016 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and

  4. Dry Eye Disease Incidence Associated with Chronic Graft-Host Disease: Nonconcurrent Cohort Study (An American Ophthalmological Society Thesis)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mian, Shahzad I.; De la Parra-Colín, Paola; De Melo-Franco, Rafael; Johnson, Christopher; Barrientos-Gutierrez, Tonatiuh

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: To determine if chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is associated with stable or progressive dry eye disease and to determine the true incidence in patients with no prior history of dry eye disease. Methods: A nonconcurrent cohort study at a single institution with 136 patients who had no previous history of dry eye disease before HSCT. Survival analysis was used to estimate dry eye disease incidence. The incidence rate was calculated using life tables as the number of observed dry eye disease cases divided by the person-time at risk accumulated by the cohort. Transition probabilities were calculated from time of transplant to time of diagnosis, and then to last recorded visit. Results: Incidence rate was 0.8 cases of dry eye disease per person-year, and half of the population at risk developed dry eye disease during the first 10 months post transplant. Time to develop dry eye disease was 2.5 months for mild dry eye disease, 9.6 months for moderate dry eye disease, and 13.2 months for severe dry eye disease. In terms of cumulative incidence, 73% of subjects developed dry eye disease (50% mild, 16% moderate, and 7% severe) at the time of diagnosis. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that dry eye disease associated with cGVHD is an extremely frequent event and shows a wide spectrum of severity, with a mild form presenting early and a moderate to severe form presenting later after HSCT. These findings need to be studied further to elucidate if these are two different pathophysiological entities or just different expressions of the same pathology. PMID:27507907

  5. Pulmonary Aspergillosis in a Previously Healthy 13-Year-Old Boy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jonathan H. Rayment

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD is a rare, polygenic primary immunodeficiency. In this case report, we describe a previously healthy 13-year-old boy who presented with multifocal pulmonary aspergillosis and was subsequently diagnosed with an autosomal recessive form of chronic granulomatous disease. CGD has a variable natural history and age of presentation and should be considered when investigating a patient with recurrent or severe infections with catalase-positive organisms.

  6. Different impact of aspirin on renal progression in patients with predialysis advanced chronic kidney disease with or without previous stroke.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hsiao, Kuang-Chih; Huang, Jing-Yang; Lee, Chun-Te; Hung, Tung-Wei; Liaw, Yung-Po; Chang, Horng-Rong

    2017-04-01

    The benefit of reducing the risk of stroke against increasing the risk of renal progression associated with antiplatelet therapy in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) is controversial. We enrolled 1301 adult patients with advanced CKD treated with erythropoiesis stimulating agents from January 1, 2002 to June 30, 2009 from the 2005 Longitudinal Health Insurance Database in Taiwan. All of the patients were followed until the development of the primary or secondary endpoints, or the end of the study (December 31, 2011). The primary endpoint was the development of ischemic stroke, and the secondary endpoints included hospitalization for bleeding events, cardiovascular mortality, all-cause mortality, and renal failure. The adjusted cumulative probability of events was calculated using multivariate Cox proportional regression analysis. Adjusted survival curves showed that the usage of aspirin was not associated with ischemic stroke, hospitalization for bleeding events, cardiovascular mortality or all-cause mortality, however, it was significantly associated with renal failure. In subgroup analysis, aspirin use was associated with renal failure in the patients with no history of stroke (HR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.14-1.73), and there was a borderline interaction between previous stroke and the use of aspirin on renal failure (interaction p=0.0565). There was no significant benefit in preventing ischemic stroke in the patients with advanced CKD who received aspirin therapy. Furthermore, the use of aspirin was associated with the risk of renal failure in the patients with advanced CKD without previous stroke. Copyright © 2016 European Federation of Internal Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Chronic Chagas disease: PCR-xenodiagnosis without previous microscopic observation is a useful tool to detect viable Trypanosoma cruzi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saavedra, Miguel; Zulantay, Inés; Apt, Werner; Martínez, Gabriela; Rojas, Antonio; Rodríguez, Jorge

    2013-01-01

    We evaluate the elimination of the microscopic stage of conventional xenodiagnosis (XD) to optimize the parasitological diagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi in chronic Chagas disease. To this purpose we applied under informed consent two XD cages to 150 Chilean chronic chagasic patients. The fecal samples (FS) of the triatomines at 30, 60 and 90 days post feeding were divided into two parts: in one a microscopic search for mobile trypomastigote and/or epimastigote forms was performed. In the other part, DNA extraction-purification for PCR directed to the conserved region of kDNA minicircles of trypanosomes (PCR-XD), without previous microscopic observation was done. An XD was considered positive when at least one mobile T. cruzi parasite in any one of three periods of incubation was observed, whereas PCR-XD was considered positive when the 330 bp band specific for T. cruzi was detected. 25 of 26 cases with positive conventional XD were PCR-XD positive (concordance 96.2%), whereas 85 of 124 cases with negative conventional XD were positive by PCR-XD (68.5%). Human chromosome 12 detected by Real-time PCR used as exogenous internal control of PCR-XD reaction allowed to discounting of PCR inhibition and false negative in 40 cases with negative PCR-XD. PCR-XD performed without previous microscopic observation is a useful tool for detection of viable parasites with higher efficiency then conventional XD.

  8. Cardiovascular disease risk factors in persons with paraplegia: the Stockholm spinal cord injury study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wahman, Kerstin; Nash, Mark S; Westgren, Ninni; Lewis, John E; Seiger, Ake; Levi, Richard

    2010-03-01

    To examine cardiovascular disease risk factors and risk clusters in Swedish persons with traumatic wheelchair-dependent paraplegia. Prospective examination. A total of 135 individuals aged 18-79 years with chronic (>or= 1 year) post-traumatic paraplegia. Cardiovascular disease risk factors; dyslipidemia, impaired fasting glucose, hypertension, overweight, smoking, and medication usage for dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, were analyzed according to authoritative guidelines. Stepwise regression tested the effects of age, gender, and injury characteristics on cardiovascular disease risks. High-prevalence risk factors were dyslipidemia (83.1%), hypertension (39.3%), and overweight (42.2%) with pervasive clustering of these risks. Being older was related to increased cardiovascular disease risk, except for dyslipidemia. Hypertension was more common in low-level paraplegia. Prevalence of impaired fasting glucose was lower than previously reported after paraplegia. A high percentage of persons being prescribed drug treatment for dyslipidemia and hypertension failed to reach authoritative targets for cardiovascular disease risk reduction. Swedish persons with paraplegia are at high risk for dyslipidemia, hypertension, and overweight. Impaired fasting glucose was not as common as reported in some previous studies. Pharmacotherapy for dyslipidemia and hypertension often failed to achieve recommended targets. Population-based screening and therapeutic countermeasures to these cardiovascular disease risks are indicated.

  9. Mediastinal involvement in lymphangiomatosis: a previously unreported MRI sign

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shah, Vikas; Shah, Sachit; Barnacle, Alex; McHugh, Kieran [Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, Department of Radiology, London (United Kingdom); Sebire, Neil J. [Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, Department of Histopathology, London (United Kingdom); Brock, Penelope [Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, Department of Oncology, London (United Kingdom); Harper, John I. [Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, Department of Dermatology, London (United Kingdom)

    2011-08-15

    Multifocal lymphangiomatosis is a rare systemic disorder affecting children. Due to its rarity and wide spectrum of clinical, histological and imaging features, establishing the diagnosis of multifocal lymphangiomatosis can be challenging. The purpose of this study was to describe a new imaging sign in this disorder: paraspinal soft tissue and signal abnormality at MRI. We retrospectively reviewed the imaging, clinical and histopathological findings in a cohort of eight children with thoracic involvement from this condition. Evidence of paraspinal chest disease was identified at MRI and CT in all eight of these children. The changes comprise heterogeneous intermediate-to-high signal parallel to the thoracic vertebrae on T2-weighted sequences at MRI, with abnormal paraspinal soft tissue at CT and plain radiography. Multifocal lymphangiomatosis is a rare disorder with a broad range of clinicopathological and imaging features. MRI allows complete evaluation of disease extent without the use of ionising radiation and has allowed us to describe a previously unreported imaging sign in this disorder, namely, heterogeneous hyperintense signal in abnormal paraspinal tissue on T2-weighted images. (orig.)

  10. An epidemiological study of the association of coffee with chronic liver disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walton, H B; Masterton, G S; Hayes, P C

    2013-11-01

    Chronic liver disease affects 855 people per million in the UK. Previous studies have reported that coffee appears protective against the development of abnormal liver enzymes, hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis. The aim of this study, the first in a Scottish population, was to compare coffee consumption in patients with liver disease and that of control populations to determine correlations between coffee intake and the incidence of non-cancerous liver disease and with Child's-Pugh and model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) scores. Two hundred and eighty-six patients attending the liver outpatient department at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh completed a questionnaire regarding coffee consumption and lifestyle factors. Control questionnaires were also completed by 100 orthopaedic outpatients and 120 medical students. Patients with cirrhosis (n = 95) drank significantly less coffee than those without cirrhosis (p = coffee consumption. Coffee drinking is associated with a reduced prevalence of cirrhosis in patients with chronic liver disease. However, there was no significant difference in the amount of coffee drunk by liver patients and the control groups. It is possible that by changing the amount of coffee drunk, the development of cirrhosis in liver disease could be postponed.

  11. Chronic Chagas disease: PCR-xenodiagnosis without previous microscopic observation is a useful tool to detect viable Trypanosoma cruzi

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miguel Saavedra

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available We evaluate the elimination of the microscopic stage of conventional xenodiagnosis (XD to optimize the parasitological diagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi in chronic Chagas disease. To this purpose we applied under informed consent two XD cages to 150 Chilean chronic chagasic patients. The fecal samples (FS of the triatomines at 30, 60 and 90 days post feeding were divided into two parts: in one a microscopic search for mobile trypomastigote and/or epimastigote forms was performed. In the other part, DNA extraction-purification for PCR directed to the conserved region of kDNA minicircles of trypanosomes (PCR-XD, without previous microscopic observation was done. An XD was considered positive when at least one mobile T. cruzi parasite in any one of three periods of incubation was observed, whereas PCR-XD was considered positive when the 330 bp band specific for T. cruzi was detected. 25 of 26 cases with positive conventional XD were PCR-XD positive (concordance 96.2%, whereas 85 of 124 cases with negative conventional XD were positive by PCR-XD (68.5%. Human chromosome 12 detected by Real-time PCR used as exogenous internal control of PCR-XD reaction allowed to discounting of PCR inhibition and false negative in 40 cases with negative PCR-XD. Conclusion: PCR-XD performed without previous microscopic observation is a useful tool for detection of viable parasites with higher efficiency then conventional XD.

  12. Probiotics in diverticular disease of the colon: an open label study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lamiki, Pepu; Tsuchiya, Junji; Pathak, Surajit; Okura, Ruichi; Solimene, Umberto; Jain, Shalini; Kawakita, Shichiro; Marotta, Francesco

    2010-03-01

    To investigate the effectiveness and safety of a symbiotic mixture in preventing recurrence of constipation-related abdominal pain in patients with uncomplicated diverticular disease of the colon. Forty-six consecutive patients (10 men, 36 women, mean age 62.5 years, range 49 to 77 years), previously affected by symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease of the colon, were enrolled in a 6-month follow-up study in a prospective, randomized, open-label study. The following symptoms were assessed at entry and through follow-up by using a quantitative scale: constipation, diarrhoea and abdominal pain. After recruitment, the patients were assigned to the following treatment: SCM-III symbiotic mixture, 10 ml three times a day. The colonization of ingested Lactobacillus acidophilus 145 and Bifidobacterium spp. 420 was assessed by species-specific PCR. Forty-five patients completed the study (97%). Thirty-one patients (68%) were still symptom free after the 6th month of treatment. Treatment with SCM-III was regarded as "effective" or "very effective" in more than 78% of the patients altogether (pdiverticular disease of the colon, especially in those patients with constipation-predominant features.

  13. Surgical management of colonic diverticular disease: discrepancy between right- and left-sided diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oh, Heung-Kwon; Han, Eon Chul; Ha, Heon-Kyun; Choe, Eun Kyung; Moon, Sang Hui; Ryoo, Seung-Bum; Jeong, Seung-Yong; Park, Kyu Joo

    2014-08-07

    To compare the outcome of the surgical management of left-sided and right-sided diverticular disease. The medical records of 77 patients who were surgically treated for diverticular disease between 1999 and 2010 in a tertiary referral hospital were retrospectively reviewed. The study population was limited to cases wherein the surgical specimen was confirmed as diverticulosis by pathology. Right-sided diverticula were classified as those arising from the cecum, ascending colon, and transverse colon, and those from the descending colon, sigmoid colon, and rectum were classified as left-sided diverticulosis. To assess the changing trend of occurrence of diverticulosis, data were compared with two previous studies of 51 patients. The proportion of left-sided disease cases was significantly increased compared to the results of our previous studies in 1994 and 2001, (27.5% vs 48.1%, P disease. However, patients with right-sided disease were significantly younger (50.9 year vs 64.0 year, P disease was significantly associated with a higher incidence of complicated diverticulitis (89.2% vs 57.5%, P diverticular disease, the incidence of left-sided disease in Korea has increased since 2001 and is associated with worse surgical outcomes.

  14. Celiac-Associated Autoimmune Thyroid Disease: A Study of 16 Patients with Overt Hypothyroidism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hugh J Freeman

    1995-01-01

    Full Text Available Previous reports have suggested that autoimmune thyroid disorders (including Hashimoto’s or lymphocytic thyroiditis may occur in patients with celiac disease. In this study, the prevalence of thyroid disease was explored in a series of 96 consecutive patients seen with biopsy-defined adult celiac disease (average age 47.3 years. Sixteen celiac patients (average age 58.1 years were detected with hypothyroidism, including four treated with radio-iodine ablation or thyroidectomy for Grave’s disease. In addition to celiac disease, almost half had dermatitis herpetiformis, a small intestinal neoplasm (particularly lymphoma or both. Diagnosis of thyroid disease preceded diagnosis of celiac disease in 13 patients or was made concurrently in two patients. In only one patient was thyroid disease detected after celiac disease was diagnosed. This indicates that thyroid diseases occur more commonly in celiac disease than is currently appreciated, possibly due to shared embryological origins or common immunopathological features, and may be the presenting clinical manifestation in adults especially if there is coexistent dermatitis herpetiformis. Careful monitoring of this subgroup may be warranted because of the frequency of neoplastic intestinal diseases, particularly lymphoma.

  15. Correlation between coronary artery calcification and the need for revascularization in patients with no previous diagnosis of arterial coronary disease

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Prazeres, Carlos Eduardo Elias dos; Cury, Roberto Caldeira; Bello, Juliana Hiromi Silva Matsumoto [Instituto do Coracao (InCor/FM/USP), Sao paulo, SP (Brazil); Magalhaes, Tiago Augusto [Hospital Pro-Cardiaco, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Moreira, Valeria de Melo; Carlos Eduardo Rochitte, E-mail: rochitte@gmail.com, E-mail: crochitte@hcor.com.br [Hospital do Coracao (HCOR), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

    2012-10-15

    Introduction: about half of deaths from coronary heart disease (CHD) are not preceded by cardiac symptoms or previous diagnosis. Quantification of coronary artery calcification (CAC) by computed tomography is a strong predictor of events and improves the stratification the Framingham Risk Score. Objective: to evaluate the ability of the calcium score to predict the necessity invasive treatment (bypass (CABG) or intervention coronary percutaneous (ICP)) with no previous CAD. Method: retrospective study in pts without prior CAD and with quantification of CAC during 2009. The CAC was obtained in 64 multislice CT without contrast, with synchronized ECG acquisition, 120kV, 80-100mA, radiation <1mSv, and measured by the Agatston calcium score (CS) (threshold of 130 HU). Mean, median, and diagnostic tests were used. Results: We evaluated 263 pts (171 men), 59±13 years, BMI = 27.7 kg/m2, and mean follow up of 18±3 months. The total CS was 199.5±24.39. In patients with diabetes (DM), the CS was 320.5±67.56 and 166±24.47 in non-DM. The 23 patients who underwent invasive treatment had an average CS of 692 ± 72.3 versus 134.7 ± 21.35 in patients not treated (p <0.001). Of the 47 pts with CS ≥ 400, 17 were treated (CABG or ICP). Of the 216 pts with CS <400, 6 underwent treatment. Of the treated pts, 15 without diabetes had average CS 672.7 ± 92.04 versus 728.3 ± 11 of DM (8pts). In pts without DM who not underwent invasive treatment (191 pts), only 18 pts had SC ≥ 400. Conclusion: CS ≥ 400 was a strong predictor of revascularization (CABG or ICP) with good diagnostic performance in patients without prior diagnosis of CAD in the following 18 months. (author)

  16. Quantifying the contributions of behavioral and biological risk factors to socioeconomic disparities in coronary heart disease incidence: the MORGEN study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kershaw, Kiarri N.; Droomers, Mariël; Robinson, Whitney R.; Carnethon, Mercedes R.; Daviglus, Martha L.; Verschuren, W. M. Monique

    2013-01-01

    Quantifying the impact of different modifiable behavioral and biological risk factors on socioeconomic disparities in coronary heart disease (CHD) may help inform targeted, population-specific strategies to reduce the unequal distribution of the disease. Previous studies have used analytic

  17. Food and Drug Administration criteria for the diagnosis of drug-induced valvular heart disease in patients previously exposed to benfluorex: a prospective multicentre study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maréchaux, Sylvestre; Rusinaru, Dan; Jobic, Yannick; Ederhy, Stéphane; Donal, Erwan; Réant, Patricia; Arnalsteen, Elise; Boulanger, Jacques; Garban, Thierry; Ennezat, Pierre-Vladimir; Jeu, Antoine; Szymanski, Catherine; Tribouilloy, Christophe

    2015-02-01

    The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) criteria for diagnosis of drug-induced valvular heart disease (DIVHD) are only based on the observation of aortic regurgitation ≥ mild and/or mitral regurgitation ≥ moderate. We sought to evaluate the diagnostic value of FDA criteria in a cohort of control patients and in a cohort of patients exposed to a drug (benfluorex) known to induce VHD. This prospective, multicentre study included 376 diabetic control patients not exposed to valvulopathic drugs and 1000 subjects previously exposed to benfluorex. Diagnosis of mitral or aortic DIVHD was based on a combined functional and morphological echocardiographic analysis of cardiac valves. Patients were classified according to the FDA criteria [mitral or aortic-FDA(+) and mitral or aortic-FDA(-)]. Among the 376 control patients, 2 were wrongly classified as mitral-FDA(+) and 17 as aortic-FDA(+) (0.53 and 4.5% of false positives, respectively). Of those exposed to benfluorex, 48 of 58 with a diagnosis of mitral DIVHD (83%) were classified as mitral-FDA(-), and 901 of the 910 patients (99%) without a diagnosis of the mitral DIVHD group were classified as mitral-FDA(-). All 40 patients with a diagnosis of aortic DIVHD were classified as aortic-FDA(+), and 105 of the 910 patients without a diagnosis of aortic DIVHD (12%) were classified aortic-FDA(+). Older age and lower BMI were independent predictors of disagreement between FDA criteria and the diagnosis of DIVHD in patients exposed to benfluorex (both P ≤ 0.001). FDA criteria solely based on the Doppler detection of cardiac valve regurgitation underestimate for the mitral valve and overestimate for the aortic valve the frequency of DIVHD. Therefore, the diagnosis of DIVHD must be based on a combined echocardiographic and Doppler morphological and functional analysis of cardiac valves. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2014. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  18. RISK OF INFERTILITY IN PATIENTS WITH CELIAC DISEASE: a meta-analysis of observational studies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan Sebastian LASA

    2014-04-01

    Full Text Available Context Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine associated with several extra-intestinal features, such as reproductive disorders. The relationship between celiac disease and infertility has been previously assessed, with conflicting results. Objectives We seek to determine the relationship between celiac disease and infertility. Methods Data was extracted from case-control or cohort design studies from 1966 to December 2013 using the MEDLINE-Pubmed, EMBASE, LILACS and Cochrane Library databases. We analyzed two kinds of trials: those assessing the risk of infertility in subjects with already diagnosed celiac disease, and those evaluating the prevalence of undiagnosed celiac disease in subjects with a diagnosis of infertility. Results The search yielded 413 potentially relevant studies for revision, 12 of which were finally included for analysis. A significant association was found between women with a diagnosis of infertility and undiagnosed celiac disease [OR 3.09 (95% CI 1.74-5.49]. When considering those studies assessing the occurrence of infertility in subjects with already-diagnosed celiac disease, no difference was found between celiac disease patients and control subjects [OR 0.99 (0.86-1.13]. Conclusions Undiagnosed celiac disease is a risk factor for infertility. Women seeking medical advice for this particular condition should be screened for celiac disease. Adoption of a gluten-free diet could have a positive impact on fertility in this group of patients.

  19. Risk of cardiovascular disease? A qualitative study of risk interpretation among patients with high cholesterol

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kirkegaard, P.; Edwards, A.; Risor, M. B.

    2013-01-01

    Background: Previous studies have shown the importance of paying attention to lay peoples' interpretations of risk of disease, in order to explain health-related behavior. However, risk interpretations interplay with social context in complex ways. The objective was to explore how asymptomatic...

  20. Rhabdomyosarcoma Arising in a Previously Irradiated Field: An Analysis of 43 Patients

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dang, Nguyen D. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas (United States); Teh, Bin S. [Department of Radiation Oncology, The Methodist Hospital and Methodist Hospital Research Institute, Houston, Texas (United States); Paulino, Arnold C., E-mail: apaulino@tmhs.org [Department of Radiation Oncology, The Methodist Hospital and Methodist Hospital Research Institute, Houston, Texas (United States)

    2013-03-01

    Patients with soft tissue sarcomas that arise from previously irradiated fields have traditionally been reported to have a poor prognosis. In this report, we examined the characteristics and outcomes of patients who developed a rhabdomyosarcoma in a previously irradiated field (RMS-RIF); we hypothesize that these patients should have a better outcome compared to other postradiation soft tissue sarcomas as these tumors are chemosensitive and radiosensitive. A PubMed search of the literature from 1961-2010 yielded 33 studies with data for patients with RMS-RIF. The study included 43 patients with a median age of 6.5 years at the time of radiation therapy (RT) for the initial tumor. The median RT dose was 48 Gy. The median latency period, the time from RT to development of RMS-RIF, was 8 years. The 3-year overall survival for RMS-RIF was 42%. The 3-year overall survival was 66% for patients receiving chemotherapy and local treatment (surgery and/or RT) compared to 29% for those who had systemic treatment only or local treatment only (P=.049). Other factors associated with increased 3-year overall survival included retinoblastoma initial diagnosis (P<.001), age ≤18 years at diagnosis of RMS-RIF (P=.003), favorable site (P=.008), and stage 1 disease (P=.002). Age at time of RMS-RIF, retinoblastoma initial tumor, favorable site, stage 1 disease, and use of both systemic and local treatment were found to be favorable prognostic factors for 3-year overall survival.

  1. Study of some physical aspects previous to design of an exponential experiment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Caro, R.; Francisco, J. L. de

    1961-01-01

    This report presents the theoretical study of some physical aspects previous to the design of an exponential facility. The are: Fast and slow flux distribution in the multiplicative medium and in the thermal column, slowing down in the thermal column, geometrical distribution and minimum needed intensity of sources access channels and perturbations produced by possible variations in its position and intensity. (Author) 4 refs

  2. Radon anomalies prior to earthquakes (1). Review of previous studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ishikawa, Tetsuo; Tokonami, Shinji; Yasuoka, Yumi; Shinogi, Masaki; Nagahama, Hiroyuki; Omori, Yasutaka; Kawada, Yusuke

    2008-01-01

    The relationship between radon anomalies and earthquakes has been studied for more than 30 years. However, most of the studies dealt with radon in soil gas or in groundwater. Before the 1995 Hyogoken-Nanbu earthquake, an anomalous increase of atmospheric radon was observed at Kobe Pharmaceutical University. The increase was well fitted with a mathematical model related to earthquake fault dynamics. This paper reports the significance of this observation, reviewing previous studies on radon anomaly before earthquakes. Groundwater/soil radon measurements for earthquake prediction began in 1970's in Japan as well as foreign countries. One of the most famous studies in Japan is groundwater radon anomaly before the 1978 Izu-Oshima-kinkai earthquake. We have recognized the significance of radon in earthquake prediction research, but recently its limitation was also pointed out. Some researchers are looking for a better indicator for precursors; simultaneous measurements of radon and other gases are new trials in recent studies. Contrary to soil/groundwater radon, we have not paid much attention to atmospheric radon before earthquakes. However, it might be possible to detect precursors in atmospheric radon before a large earthquake. In the next issues, we will discuss the details of the anomalous atmospheric radon data observed before the Hyogoken-Nanbu earthquake. (author)

  3. A prospective study of 137 patients with Parkinson's disease and anosmia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soltanzadeh A

    1997-08-01

    Full Text Available In this research we tried to study frequency of clinical manifestations in Parkinson's disease. Hence, a prospective study was conducted in 317 patients who were affected by Parkinson's disease. In a questionnaire we collected data of patient's age, gender and signs and symptoms and then analyzed them. The most common features in our patients were tremor and muscular rigidity. Olfactory dysfunction was observed in 61% of our patients. Dysarthria, stooped posture, fixed facial expression, intellectual deterioration and the on-off response had various frequency among the patients. A new and important point in our research was considerable frequency of Anosmia or Hyposmia in spite of it's low prevalence among the patients of previous studies.

  4. Risk of Periodontal Diseases in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Nationwide Population-based Cohort Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Te-Chun; Chang, Pei-Ying; Lin, Cheng-Li; Chen, Chia-Hung; Tu, Chih-Yen; Hsia, Te-Chun; Shih, Chuen-Ming; Hsu, Wu-Huei; Sung, Fung-Chang; Kao, Chia-Hung

    2015-11-01

    Several studies have reported an association between chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and periodontal diseases. However, a large-scale population-based cohort study was previously absent from the literature. Therefore, we evaluated the risk of periodontal diseases in patients with COPD in a nationwide population.From the National Health Insurance claims data of Taiwan, we identified 22,332 patients with COPD who were newly diagnosed during 2000 to 2010. For each case, two individuals without COPD were randomly selected and frequency matched by age, sex, and diagnosis year. Both groups were followed up till the end of 2011.The overall incidence of periodontal diseases was 1.19-fold greater in the COPD group than in the comparison group (32.2 vs 26.4 per 1000 person-years; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.15-1.24). Compared with non-COPD patients, the adjusted hazard ratios of patients with COPD increased with the number of emergency room visits (from 1.14 [95% CI 1.10-1.19] to 5.09 [95% CI 4.53-5.72]) and admissions (from 1.15 [95% CI 1.10-1.20] to 3.17 [95% CI 2.81-3.57]). In addition, the adjusted hazard ratios of patients with COPD treated with inhaled corticosteroids (1.22, 95% CI 1.11-1.34) and systemic corticosteroids (1.15, 95% CI 1.07-1.23) were significantly higher than those of patients not treated with corticosteroids.Patient with COPD are at a higher risk of developing periodontal diseases than the general population. Our results also support that the risk of periodontal diseases is proportional to COPD control. In addition, patients who receive corticosteroid treatment are at a higher risk of developing periodontal diseases.

  5. Left ventricular asynergy score as an indicator of previous myocardial infarction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Backman, C.; Jacobsson, K.A.; Linderholm, H.; Osterman, G.

    1986-01-01

    Sixty-eight patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) i.e. a hisotry of angina of effort and/or previous 'possible infarction' were examined inter alia with ECG and cinecardioangiography. A system of scoring was designed which allowed a semiquantitative estimate of the left ventricular asynergy from cinecardioangiography - the left ventricular motion score (LVMS). The LVMS was associated with the presence of a previous myocardial infarction (MI), as indicated by the history and ECG findings. The ECG changes specific for a previous MI were associated with high LVMS values and unspecific or absent ECG changes with low LVMS values. Decision thresholds for ECG changes and asynergy in diagnosing a previous MI were evaluated by means of a ROC analysis. The accuracy of ECG in detecting a previous MI was slightly higher when asynergy indicated a 'true MI' than when autopsy result did so in a comparable group. Therefore the accuracy of asynergy (LVMS ≥ 1) in detecting a previous MI or myocardial fibrosis in patients with CHD should be at least comparable with that of autopsy (scar > 1 cm). (orig.)

  6. Stress thallium-201 myocardial scintigraphy for the detection of individual coronary arterial lesions in patients with and without previous myocardial infarction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rigo, P.; Bailey, I.K.; Griffith, L.S.; Pitt, B.; Wagner, H.N. Jr.; Becker, L.C.

    1981-01-01

    The value of stress thallium-201 scintigraphy for detecting individual coronary arterial stenoses was analyzed in 141 patients with angiographically proved coronary artery disease, 101 with and 40 without a previous myocardial infarction. In patients without infarction, the sensitivity for detecting greater than 50 percent narrowing in the left anterior descending, the right and the left circumflex coronary artery was 66, 53 and 24 percent, respectively. In those with a previous infarction, the sensitivity for demonstrating disease in the artery corresponding to the site of infarction was 100 percent for the left anterior descending, 79 percent for the right and 63 percent for the left circumflex coronary artery. In patients with a prior anterior infarction, concomitant right or left circumflex coronary arterial lesions were detected in only 1 of 12 cases, whereas in those with previous inferior or inferolateral infarction, the sensitivity for left anterior descending coronary artery disease was 69 percent. Because of the reasonably high sensitivity for detecting left anterior descending arterial disease, irrespective of the presence and location of previous infarction, myocardial scintigraphy was useful in identifying multivessel disease in patients with a previous inferior infarction. However, because of its relative insensitivity for right or left circumflex coronary artery disease, scintigraphy proved to be a poor predictor of multivessel disease in patients with a prior anterior infarction and in patients without previous myocardial infarction

  7. Changing incidence of diverticular disease of the colon in the Koreans: a radiological study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chung, Soo Kyo; Sohn, Hyung Sun; Lee, Soon Kyu; Bahk, Young Whee

    1979-01-01

    Diverticular disease of the colon is the commonest pathological process in the large bowel in the aged caucasians, but this is rare in oriental races.In Korea, diverticular disease of the colon was known to be rare as reported by Kim in 1964. Since then, however, we have had an impression that the diverticular disease of the colon is not so rare as was reported by Kim previously from our department. The present study has been undertaken to substantiate our impression. We received 1,143 consecutive cases of double-contrast barium performed at the Department of radiology, St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic Medical College during the past 7 years to analyzed diverticular disease patterns of the colon in the Koreans. 1. The present study revealed 29 patients of diverticular disease of the colon, an incidence of 2.5%. The age distribution was shown in Table 1. 2. The mean number of diverticular were 9 and the mean size as follows: the cecum, 6.4 mm; the proximal 1/3 of the ascending colon, 5.6 mm, The mid 1/3 of ascending colon, 4.9 mm; and the distal 1/3 of the ascending colon, 4.4 mm. 3. The average age of patients with diverticular disease of the colon was 49.5 years. Chief complaints were change of bowel habit (31.6%), abdominal pain (28.9%) and indigestion (18.4%). 4. The associated radiological findings of diverticular disease of the colon were: (1) spasm in 16 cases (46%); (2) a marginal irregularity in 16 cases (25%); and (3) asymmetrical haustra in 16 cases (30%). In 13 cases no associated signs seen. We have found that incidence of the diverticular disease of the colon in the present series is very significantly higher than that of the previous report from our department (Kim, 1964). We postulate that the possible factors operational in such increase in the incidence of the clonic diverticular disease in the last decade are: (1) changing dietary pattern characterized by high-protein and high refined-sugar consumption, and (2) routine use of the double contrast

  8. Changing incidence of diverticular disease of the colon in the Koreans: a radiological study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chung, Soo Kyo; Sohn, Hyung Sun; Lee, Soon Kyu; Bahk, Young Whee [St. Mary' s Hospital., Catholic Medical College, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    1979-06-15

    Diverticular disease of the colon is the commonest pathological process in the large bowel in the aged caucasians, but this is rare in oriental races.In Korea, diverticular disease of the colon was known to be rare as reported by Kim in 1964. Since then, however, we have had an impression that the diverticular disease of the colon is not so rare as was reported by Kim previously from our department. The present study has been undertaken to substantiate our impression. We received 1,143 consecutive cases of double-contrast barium performed at the Department of radiology, St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic Medical College during the past 7 years to analyzed diverticular disease patterns of the colon in the Koreans. 1. The present study revealed 29 patients of diverticular disease of the colon, an incidence of 2.5%. The age distribution was shown in Table 1. 2. The mean number of diverticular were 9 and the mean size as follows: the cecum, 6.4 mm; the proximal 1/3 of the ascending colon, 5.6 mm, The mid 1/3 of ascending colon, 4.9 mm; and the distal 1/3 of the ascending colon, 4.4 mm. 3. The average age of patients with diverticular disease of the colon was 49.5 years. Chief complaints were change of bowel habit (31.6%), abdominal pain (28.9%) and indigestion (18.4%). 4. The associated radiological findings of diverticular disease of the colon were: (1) spasm in 16 cases (46%); (2) a marginal irregularity in 16 cases (25%); and (3) asymmetrical haustra in 16 cases (30%). In 13 cases no associated signs seen. We have found that incidence of the diverticular disease of the colon in the present series is very significantly higher than that of the previous report from our department (Kim, 1964). We postulate that the possible factors operational in such increase in the incidence of the clonic diverticular disease in the last decade are: (1) changing dietary pattern characterized by high-protein and high refined-sugar consumption, and (2) routine use of the double contrast

  9. Association between falls in elderly women and chronic diseases and drug use: cross sectional study

    OpenAIRE

    Lawlor, Debbie A; Patel, Rita; Ebrahim, Shah

    2003-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To assess the associations between having had a fall and chronic diseases and drug use in elderly women. DESIGN: Cross sectional survey, using data from the British women's heart and health study. SETTING: General practices in 23 towns in Great Britain. PARTICIPANTS: 4050 women aged 60-79 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Whether women had had falls in the previous 12 months. RESULTS: The prevalence of falling increased with increasing numbers of simultaneously occurring chronic disease...

  10. Meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies in celiac disease and rheumatoid arthritis identifies fourteen non-HLA shared loci.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexandra Zhernakova

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Epidemiology and candidate gene studies indicate a shared genetic basis for celiac disease (CD and rheumatoid arthritis (RA, but the extent of this sharing has not been systematically explored. Previous studies demonstrate that 6 of the established non-HLA CD and RA risk loci (out of 26 loci for each disease are shared between both diseases. We hypothesized that there are additional shared risk alleles and that combining genome-wide association study (GWAS data from each disease would increase power to identify these shared risk alleles. We performed a meta-analysis of two published GWAS on CD (4,533 cases and 10,750 controls and RA (5,539 cases and 17,231 controls. After genotyping the top associated SNPs in 2,169 CD cases and 2,255 controls, and 2,845 RA cases and 4,944 controls, 8 additional SNPs demonstrated P<5 × 10(-8 in a combined analysis of all 50,266 samples, including four SNPs that have not been previously confirmed in either disease: rs10892279 near the DDX6 gene (P(combined =  1.2 × 10(-12, rs864537 near CD247 (P(combined =  2.2 × 10(-11, rs2298428 near UBE2L3 (P(combined =  2.5 × 10(-10, and rs11203203 near UBASH3A (P(combined =  1.1 × 10(-8. We also confirmed that 4 gene loci previously established in either CD or RA are associated with the other autoimmune disease at combined P<5 × 10(-8 (SH2B3, 8q24, STAT4, and TRAF1-C5. From the 14 shared gene loci, 7 SNPs showed a genome-wide significant effect on expression of one or more transcripts in the linkage disequilibrium (LD block around the SNP. These associations implicate antigen presentation and T-cell activation as a shared mechanism of disease pathogenesis and underscore the utility of cross-disease meta-analysis for identification of genetic risk factors with pleiotropic effects between two clinically distinct diseases.

  11. A deformation-based morphometry study of patients with early-stage Parkinson's disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Borghammer, P; Østergaard, Karen; Cumming, P

    2010-01-01

    BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Previous volumetric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of Parkinson's disease (PD) utilized primarily voxel-based morphometry (VBM), and investigated mostly patients with moderate- to late-stage disease. We now use deformation-based morphometry (DBM), a method...... purported to be more sensitive than VBM, to test for atrophy in patients with early-stage PD. METHODS: T1-weighted MRI images from 24 early-stage PD patients and 26 age-matched normal control subjects were compared using DBM. Two separate studies were conducted, where two minimally-biased nonlinear...... intensity-average were created; one for all subjects and another for just the PD patients. The DBM technique creates an average population-based MRI-average in an iterative hierarchical fashion. The nonlinear transformations estimated to match each subject to the MRI-average were then analysed. RESULTS...

  12. Lung cancer in Hodgkin's disease: association with previous radiotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    List, A.F.; Doll, D.C.; Greco, F.A.

    1985-01-01

    Seven cases of lung cancer were observed in patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD) since 1970. The risk ratio for the development of lung cancer among HD patients was 5.6 times that expected in the general population. The pertinent clinical data from these patients are described and compared to 28 additional patients reported from other institutions. Small-cell lung cancer represented the predominant histologic type of lung cancer encountered in both smoking and nonsmoking patients with HD, accounting for 42% of cases overall and greater than 55% of cases reported in reviews of second malignancies. Tobacco use was noted in only 53% of patients. Twenty-eight (94%) of 30 patients developing metachronous lung cancer received supradiaphragmatic irradiation as primary therapy for HD. Nineteen (68%) of these patients received subsequent chemotherapy salvage. The median age at diagnosis of HD and lung cancer was 39 and 45 years, respectively. The interval between diagnosis of HD and metachronous lung cancer averaged seven years but appeared to vary inversely with age. HD patients treated with supradiaphragmatic irradiation or combined modality therapy may be at increased risk for developing lung cancer. The high frequency of in-field malignancies that the authors observed and the prevalence of small-cell lung cancer in both smoking and nonsmoking patients suggests that chest irradiation may influence the development of metachronous lung cancer in these patients. The finding of a mean latent interval in excess of seven years emphasizes the need for close long-term observation

  13. Summary of Previous Chamber or Controlled Anthrax Studies and Recommendations for Possible Additional Studies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Piepel, Gregory F.; Amidan, Brett G.; Morrow, Jayne B.

    2010-12-29

    This report and an associated Excel file(a) summarizes the investigations and results of previous chamber and controlled studies(b) to characterize the performance of methods for collecting, storing and/or transporting, extracting, and analyzing samples from surfaces contaminated by Bacillus anthracis (BA) or related simulants. This report and the Excel are the joint work of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for the Department of Homeland Security, Science and Technology Directorate. The report was originally released as PNNL-SA-69338, Rev. 0 in November 2009 with limited distribution, but was subsequently cleared for release with unlimited distribution in this Rev. 1. Only minor changes were made to Rev. 0 to yield Rev. 1. A more substantial update (including summarizing data from other studies and more condensed summary tables of data) is underway

  14. An fMRI study of neuronal activation in schizophrenia patients with and without previous cannabis use

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Else-Marie eLøberg

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Previous studies have mostly shown positive effects of cannabis use on cognition in patients with schizophrenia, which could reflect lower neurocognitive vulnerability. There are however no studies comparing whether such cognitive differences have neuronal correlates. Thus, the aim of the present study was to compare whether patients with previous cannabis use differ in brain activation from patients who has never used cannabis. The patients groups were compared on the ability to up-regulate an effort mode network during a cognitive task and down-regulate activation in the same network during a task-absent condition. Task-present and task-absent brain activation was measured by functional magnetic resonance neuroimaging (fMRI. Twenty-six patients with a DSM-IV and ICD-10 diagnosis of schizophrenia were grouped into a previous cannabis user group and a no-cannabis group. An auditory dichotic listening task with instructions of attention focus on either the right or left ear stimulus was used to tap verbal processing, attention and cognitive control, calculated as an aggregate score. When comparing the two groups, there were remaining activations in the task-present condition for the cannabis group, not seen in the no-cannabis group, while there was remaining activation in the task-absent condition for the no-cannabis group, not seen in the cannabis group. Thus, the patients with previous cannabis use showed increased activation in an effort mode network and decreased activation in the default mode network as compared to the no-cannabis group. It is concluded that the present study show some differences in brain activation to a cognitively challenging task between previous cannabis and no-cannabis schizophrenia patients.

  15. Education and coronary heart disease: mendelian randomisation study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tillmann, Taavi; Vaucher, Julien; Okbay, Aysu; Pikhart, Hynek; Peasey, Anne; Kubinova, Ruzena; Pajak, Andrzej; Tamosiunas, Abdonas; Malyutina, Sofia; Hartwig, Fernando Pires; Fischer, Krista; Veronesi, Giovanni; Palmer, Tom; Bowden, Jack; Davey Smith, George; Bobak, Martin; Holmes, Michael V

    2017-08-30

    Objective  To determine whether educational attainment is a causal risk factor in the development of coronary heart disease. Design  Mendelian randomisation study, using genetic data as proxies for education to minimise confounding. Setting  The main analysis used genetic data from two large consortia (CARDIoGRAMplusC4D and SSGAC), comprising 112 studies from predominantly high income countries. Findings from mendelian randomisation analyses were then compared against results from traditional observational studies (164 170 participants). Finally, genetic data from six additional consortia were analysed to investigate whether longer education can causally alter the common cardiovascular risk factors. Participants  The main analysis was of 543 733 men and women (from CARDIoGRAMplusC4D and SSGAC), predominantly of European origin. Exposure  A one standard deviation increase in the genetic predisposition towards higher education (3.6 years of additional schooling), measured by 162 genetic variants that have been previously associated with education. Main outcome measure  Combined fatal and non-fatal coronary heart disease (63 746 events in CARDIoGRAMplusC4D). Results  Genetic predisposition towards 3.6 years of additional education was associated with a one third lower risk of coronary heart disease (odds ratio 0.67, 95% confidence interval 0.59 to 0.77; P=3×10 -8 ). This was comparable to findings from traditional observational studies (prevalence odds ratio 0.73, 0.68 to 0.78; incidence odds ratio 0.80, 0.76 to 0.83). Sensitivity analyses were consistent with a causal interpretation in which major bias from genetic pleiotropy was unlikely, although this remains an untestable possibility. Genetic predisposition towards longer education was additionally associated with less smoking, lower body mass index, and a favourable blood lipid profile. Conclusions  This mendelian randomisation study found support for the hypothesis that low education is a causal risk

  16. [Hyperhomocysteinemia in coronary artery diseases. Apropos of a study on 102 patients].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blacher, J; Montalescot, G; Ankri, A; Chadefaux-Vekemans, B; Benzidia, R; Grosgogeat, Y; Kamoun, P; Thomas, D

    1996-10-01

    Homocystein is at the crossroads of the metabolic pathways of sulphuric amino acids. Homocystinuria is a congenital autosomal recessive disease, usually related to cystathionine beta-synthetase deficiency. Children with homozygotic forms of the disease have early vascular complications which represent the main cause of death. Moderately elevated serum homocystein levels are related to two major genetic factors (heterozygotic cystathionine beta-synthetase deficiency and mutation of the 5-10 methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase) and several minor, genetic and non-genetic factors (folic acid, vitamins B6 and B12 and betain deficiencies). Previous studies have suggested that hyperhomocysteinaemia could be a cardiovascular risk factor. This study was based on 222 subjects including 102 consecutive patients with angiographically documented coronary artery disease and 120 control subjects without vascular disease. No relationship was observed between serum homocystein concentrations and the classical cardiovascular risk factors. Coronary patients had higher average homocystein concentrations than control subjects (11.27 +/- 0.52 vs 8.77 +/- 0.31 mumol/l); p 15.67 mumol/l) was higher in the coronary group (15.7%) than in the controls (2.5%). A significant relationship was also observed between homocystein concentrations and the severity of the coronary disease (defined by a coronary score) and the number of diseased vascular territories. These results underline the relationship between homocystein and vascular risk, especially that of coronary artery disease. The treatment of hyperhomocysteinaemia by folic acid supplements is effective in correcting plasma levels, without side effects and at a relatively low cost.

  17. [Fatal amnioinfusion with previous choriocarcinoma in a parturient woman].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hrgović, Z; Bukovic, D; Mrcela, M; Hrgović, I; Siebzehnrübl, E; Karelovic, D

    2004-04-01

    The case of 36-year-old tercipare is described who developed choriocharcinoma in a previous pregnancy. During the first term labour the patient developed cardiac arrest, so reanimation and sectio cesarea was performed. A male new-born was delivered in good condition, but even after intensive therapy and reanimation occurred death of parturient woman with picture of disseminate intravascular coagulopathia (DIK). On autopsy and on histology there was no sign of malignant disease, so it was not possible to connect previous choricarcinoma with amniotic fluid embolism. Maybe was place of choriocarcinoma "locus minoris resistentiae" which later resulted with failure in placentation what was hard to prove. On autopsy we found embolia of lung with a microthrombosis of terminal circulation with punctiformis bleeding in mucous, what stands for DIK.

  18. A POPULATION-BASED STUDY ON CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE IN KANYAKUMARI GOVERNMENT MEDICAL COLLEGE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ponnaian John Christopher

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND Chronic kidney disease encompasses a spectrum of different pathophysiologic processes associated with abnormal kidney function and a progressive decline in glomerular filtration rate. Our study deals with the risk factors, stages and the management among the general population of Kanyakumari district who came to Kanyakumari Government Medical College during the period of 2014-2015. MATERIALS AND METHODS The newly-diagnosed CKD patients who were admitted as inpatients in the Department of General Medicine in the period of 2014-2015 were studied retrospectively. Those who came as outpatients as well as previously diagnosed ESRD patients who had repeated admissions for maintenance haemodialysis were excluded from our study. We documented the age, sex, previous history of diabetes, hypertension, the mean duration of diabetes or hypertension, eGFR of the patient, stage of CKD and the treatment given. RESULTS The number of CKD patients admitted in our hospital during 2014-2015 were 314 of which newly detected CKD cases were 212. The most frequent cause of CKD in this population is diabetic nephropathy secondary to type 2 diabetes mellitus (90%. CKD is most common among males in this population. The mean age of association of diabetes in this population is 9-12 years. Patients with newly-diagnosed CKD often present with hypertension. eGFR was calculated for all CKD patients by CockgraftGault Equation. 18 out of 212 newly-diagnosed CKD patients (8.5% presented with ESRD (eGFR <15 mL/min./1.73 m2 and haemodialysis was initiated. Most evident complications among this patients were anaemia, easy fatigability, decreased appetite, progressive malnutrition and electrolyte abnormalities. CONCLUSION Diabetes, glomerulonephritis and hypertension associated CKD are the leading categories of aetiologies of CKD. When no overt evidence for a primary glomerular disease or tubulointerstitial disease process is present, CKD is often attributed to

  19. Laparoscopy After Previous Laparotomy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zulfo Godinjak

    2006-11-01

    Full Text Available Following the abdominal surgery, extensive adhesions often occur and they can cause difficulties during laparoscopic operations. However, previous laparotomy is not considered to be a contraindication for laparoscopy. The aim of this study is to present that an insertion of Veres needle in the region of umbilicus is a safe method for creating a pneumoperitoneum for laparoscopic operations after previous laparotomy. In the last three years, we have performed 144 laparoscopic operations in patients that previously underwent one or two laparotomies. Pathology of digestive system, genital organs, Cesarean Section or abdominal war injuries were the most common causes of previouslaparotomy. During those operations or during entering into abdominal cavity we have not experienced any complications, while in 7 patients we performed conversion to laparotomy following the diagnostic laparoscopy. In all patients an insertion of Veres needle and trocar insertion in the umbilical region was performed, namely a technique of closed laparoscopy. Not even in one patient adhesions in the region of umbilicus were found, and no abdominal organs were injured.

  20. Data from studies of previous radioactive waste disposal in Massachusetts Bay

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Curtis, W.R.; Mardis, H.M.

    1984-12-01

    This report presents the results of studies conducted in Massachusetts Bay during 1981 and 1982. Included are data from: (1) a side scan sonar survey of disposal areas in the Bay that was carried out by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for EPA; (2) Collections of sediment and biota by NOAA for radiochemical analysis by EPA; (3) collections of marketplace seafood samples by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for radioanalysis by both FDA and EPA; and (4) a radiological monitoring survey of LLW disposal areas by EPA to determine whether there should be any concern for public health resulting from previous LLW disposals in the Bay

  1. Previously unreported abnormalities in Wolfram Syndrome Type 2.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akturk, Halis Kaan; Yasa, Seda

    2017-01-01

    Wolfram syndrome (WFS) is a rare autosomal recessive disease with non-autoimmune childhood onset insulin dependent diabetes and optic atrophy. WFS type 2 (WFS2) differs from WFS type 1 (WFS1) with upper intestinal ulcers, bleeding tendency and the lack ofdiabetes insipidus. Li-fespan is short due to related comorbidities. Only a few familieshave been reported with this syndrome with the CISD2 mutation. Here we report two siblings with a clinical diagnosis of WFS2, previously misdiagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus and diabetic retinopathy-related blindness. We report possible additional clinical and laboratory findings that have not been pre-viously reported, such as asymptomatic hypoparathyroidism, osteomalacia, growth hormone (GH) deficiency and hepatomegaly. Even though not a requirement for the diagnosis of WFS2 currently, our case series confirm hypogonadotropic hypogonadism to be also a feature of this syndrome, as reported before. © Polish Society for Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology.

  2. Comorbidities in rotator cuff disease: a case-control study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Titchener, Andrew G; White, Jonathan J E; Hinchliffe, Sally R; Tambe, Amol A; Hubbard, Richard B; Clark, David I

    2014-09-01

    Rotator cuff disease is a common condition in the general population, but relatively little is known about its associated risk factors. We have undertaken a large case-control study using The Health Improvement Network database to assess and to quantify the relative contributions of some constitutional and environmental risk factors for rotator cuff disease in the community. Our data set included 5000 patients with rotator cuff disease who were individually matched with a single control by age, sex, and general practice (primary care practice). The median age at diagnosis was 55 years (interquartile range, 44-65 years). Multivariate analysis showed that the risk factors associated with rotator cuff disease were Achilles tendinitis (odds ratio [OR] = 1.78), trigger finger (OR = 1.99), lateral epicondylitis (OR = 1.71), and carpal tunnel syndrome (OR = 1.55). Oral corticosteroid therapy (OR = 2.03), oral antidiabetic use (OR = 1.66), insulin use (OR = 1.77), and "overweight" body mass index of 25.1 to 30 (OR = 1.15) were also significantly associated. Current or previous smoking history, body mass index of greater than 30, any alcohol intake, medial epicondylitis, de Quervain syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome, and rheumatoid arthritis were not found to be associated with rotator cuff disease. We have identified a number of comorbidities and risk factors for rotator cuff disease. These include lateral epicondylitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger, Achilles tendinitis, oral corticosteroid use, and diabetes mellitus. The findings should alert the clinician to comorbid pathologic processes and guide future research into the etiology of this condition. Copyright © 2014 Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery Board of Trustees. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  3. Dietary fat and cholesterol and risk of cardiovascular disease in older adults: The Health ABC Study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Houston, D.K.; Ding, J.; Lee, J.S.; Garcia, M.; Kanaya, A.; Tylavsky, F.A.; Newman, A.B.; Visser, M.; Kritchevsky, S.B.

    2011-01-01

    Background and aims: Although dietary fats and cholesterol have previously been associated with risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in middle-aged populations, less is known among older adults. The purpose of this study was to determine the association between dietary fats, cholesterol, and eggs

  4. In Women with Previous Pregnancy Hypertension, Levels of Cardiovascular Risk Biomarkers May Be Modulated by Haptoglobin Polymorphism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andreia Matos

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Preeclampsia (PE may affect the risk for future cardiovascular disease. Haptoglobin (Hp, an acute phase protein with functional genetic polymorphism, synthesized in the hepatocyte and in many peripheral tissues secondary of oxidative stress of PE, may modulate that risk through the antioxidant, angiogenic, and anti-inflammatory differential effects of their genotypes. We performed a prospective study in 352 women aged 35±5.48 years, which 165 had previous PE, 2 to 16 years ago. We studied demographic, anthropometric, and haemodynamic biomarkers such as C-reactive protein (CRP, myeloperoxidase (MPO, and nitric oxide metabolites (total and nitrites, and others associated with liver function (AST and ALT and lipid profile (total LDL and cholesterol HDL, non-HDL, and apolipoproteins A and B. Finally, we study the influence of Hp genetic polymorphism on all these biomarkers and as a predisposing factor for PE and its remote cardiovascular disease prognosis. Previously preeclamptic women either hypertensive or normotensive presented significant differences in those risk biomarkers (MPO, nitrites, and ALT, whose variation may be modulated by Hp 1/2 functional genetic polymorphism. The history of PE may be relevant, in association with these biomarkers to the cardiovascular risk in premenopausal women.

  5. Medication Responsiveness of Motor Symptoms in a Population-Based Study of Parkinson Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yvette M. Bordelon

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available We assessed degree of Parkinson disease motor symptom improvement with medication among subjects enrolled in an ongoing, population-based study in Central California. The motor section of the unified Parkinson disease rating scale (UPDRS was performed on subjects in both OFF and ON medication states, and difference between these scores was used as an indicator of symptomatic benefit. Higher OFF minus ON scores correlated with more severe baseline symptoms. There was equivalent improvement on the motor UPDRS scale for subjects divided according to medication classes used: levodopa alone 7.3 points, levodopa plus other medications 8.5 points, and dopamine agonists but not levodopa 6.1 points. In addition, there was no difference in the magnitude of improvement when subjects were divided according to Parkinson disease subtype, defined as tremor dominant, akinetic-rigid, or mixed. In this community-based sample, these values are within the range of a clinically important difference as defined by previous studies.

  6. Experimental Chagas disease in Balb/c mice previously vaccinated with T. rangeli. II. The innate immune response shows immunological memory: reality or fiction?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Basso, B; Marini, V

    2015-03-01

    Trypanosoma cruzi is a real challenge to the host's immune system, because it requires strong humoral and cellular immune response to remove circulating trypomastigote forms, and to prevent the replication of amastigote forms in tissues, involving many regulator and effector components. This protozoan is responsible for Chagas disease, a major public health problem in Latinamerica. We have developed a model of vaccination with Trypanosoma rangeli, a parasite closely related to T. cruzi, but nonpathogenic to humans, which reduces the infectiousness in three different species of animals, mice, dogs and guinea pigs, against challenge with T. cruzi. In a previous work, we demonstrated that mice vaccinated with T. rangeli showed important soluble mediators that stimulate phagocytic activity versus only infected groups. The aim of this work was to study the innate immune response in mice vaccinated or not with T. rangeli. Different population cells and some soluble mediators (cytokines) in peritoneal fluid and plasma in mice vaccinated-infected and only infected with T. cruzi were studied. In the first hours of challenge vaccinated mice showed an increase of macrophages, NK, granulocytes, and regulation of IL6, IFNγ, TNFα and IL10, with an increase of IL12, with respect to only infected mice. Furthermore an increase was observed of Li T, Li B responsible for adaptative response. Finally the findings showed that the innate immune response plays an important role in vaccinated mice for the early elimination of the parasites, complementary with the adaptative immune response, suggesting that vaccination with T. rangeli modulates the innate response, which develops some kind of immunological memory, recognizing shared antigens with T. cruzi. These results could contribute to the knowledge of new mechanisms which would have an important role in the immune response to Chagas disease. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

  7. The Peripheral Arterial disease study (PERART/ARTPER: prevalence and risk factors in the general population

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vicheto Marisa

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The early diagnosis of atherosclerotic disease is essential for developing preventive strategies in populations at high risk and acting when the disease is still asymptomatic. A low ankle-arm index is a good marker of vascular events and may be diminished without presenting symptomatology (silent peripheral arterial disease. The aim of the study is to know the prevalence and associated risk factors of peripheral arterial disease in the general population. Methods We performed a cross-sectional, multicentre, population-based study in 3786 individuals >49 years, randomly selected in 28 primary care centres in Barcelona (Spain. Peripheral arterial disease was evaluated using the ankle-arm index. Values Results The prevalence (95% confidence interval of peripheral arterial disease was 7.6% (6.7-8.4, (males 10.2% (9.2-11.2, females 5.3% (4.6-6.0; p Multivariate analysis showed the following risk factors: male sex [odds ratio (OR 1.62; 95% confidence interval 1.01-2.59]; age OR 2.00 per 10 years (1.64-2.44; inability to perform physical activity [OR 1.77 (1.17-2.68 for mild limitation to OR 7.08 (2.61-19.16 for breathless performing any activity]; smoking [OR 2.19 (1.34-3.58 for former smokers and OR 3.83 (2.23-6.58 for current smokers]; hypertension OR 1.85 (1.29-2.65; diabetes OR 2.01 (1.42-2.83; previous cardiovascular disease OR 2.19 (1.52-3.15; hypercholesterolemia OR 1.55 (1.11-2.18; hypertriglyceridemia OR 1.55 (1.10-2.19. Body mass index ≥25 Kg/m2 OR 0.57 (0.38-0.87 and walking >7 hours/week OR 0.67 (0.49-0.94 were found as protector factors. Conclusions The prevalence of peripheral arterial disease is low, higher in males and increases with age in both sexes. In addition to previously described risk factors we found a protector effect in physical exercise and overweight.

  8. Cardiovascular disease in women with polycystic ovary syndrome at long-term follow-up: a retrospective cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wild, S; Pierpoint, T; McKeigue, P; Jacobs, H

    2000-05-01

    Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors but the relative prevalence of cardiovascular disease in women with PCOS has not previously been reported. We have compared cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in middle-aged women previously diagnosed with PCOS and age-matched control women. A retrospective cohort study of women diagnosed with PCOS in the United Kingdom before 1979. Seventy cohort members died before 31 March 1999. Morbidity data were collected from 319 women with PCOS and 1060 age-matched control women. Sixty-one women with PCOS and 63 control women attended a clinical examination. Data were collected from death certificates, general practitioners' records and questionnaires with measurement of cardiovascular risk factors in a subsample of questionnaire respondents. All-cause and cardiovascular mortality in the cohort were similar to women in the general population (standardized mortality ratios (95% CI): 93 (72-117) and 78 (45-124), respectively). Women with PCOS had higher levels of several cardiovascular risk factors: diabetes (P = 0.002) hypertension (P = 0.04), hypercholesterolaemia (P heart disease (CHD) was not significantly more common in women with PCOS (crude OR (95%CI) 1.5 (0.7-2.9)) but the crude OR for cerebrovascular disease was 2.8 (1.1-7.1). At long-term follow-up, a history of nonfatal cerebrovascular disease and cardiovascular risk factors including diabetes are more prevalent among women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Morbidity and mortality from of coronary heart disease among women with polycystic ovary syndrome is not as high as previously predicted. This finding challenges our understanding of the aetiology of coronary heart disease in women.

  9. Studying the role of dystrophin-associated proteins in influencing Becker muscular dystrophy disease severity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van den Bergen, J C; Wokke, B H A; Hulsker, M A; Verschuuren, J J G M; Aartsma-Rus, A M

    2015-03-01

    Becker muscular dystrophy is characterized by a variable disease course. Many factors have been implicated to contribute to this diversity, among which the expression of several components of the dystrophin associated glycoprotein complex. Together with dystrophin, most of these proteins anchor the muscle fiber cytoskeleton to the extracellular matrix, thus protecting the muscle from contraction induced injury, while nNOS is primarily involved in inducing vasodilation during muscle contraction, enabling adequate muscle oxygenation. In the current study, we investigated the role of three components of the dystrophin associated glycoprotein complex (beta-dystroglycan, gamma-sarcoglycan and nNOS) and the dystrophin homologue utrophin on disease severity in Becker patients. Strength measurements, data about disease course and fresh muscle biopsies of the anterior tibial muscle were obtained from 24 Becker patients aged 19 to 66. The designation of Becker muscular dystrophy in this study was based on the mutation and not on the clinical severity. Contrary to previous studies, we were unable to find a relationship between expression of nNOS, beta-dystroglycan and gamma-sarcoglycan at the sarcolemma and disease severity, as measured by muscle strength in five muscle groups and age at reaching several disease milestones. Unexpectedly, we found an inverse correlation between utrophin expression at the sarcolemma and age at reaching disease milestones. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. A study on periodontal disease and systemic disease relationship a hospital based study in Bangalore

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sukhvinder Singh Oberoi

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Periodontal deterioration has been reported to be associated with various systemic conditions like Cardiovascular disease, Diabetes, Respiratory disease, Liver cirrhosis, Bacterial Pneumonia, Nutritional deficiencies and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Aim: To assess the periodontal disease among patients with systemic disease/conditions. Materials and Method: A total of 500 patients with systemic disease/conditions (Diabetes, Cardiovascular disease, Respiratory disease and Renal disease and 500-age and gender matched controls without systemic disease/conditions were selected from the Government Hospitals in Bangalore City. The medical conditions were recorded and the periodontal status of the study population was assessed using the CPITN index. Results: The prevalence of CPITN Code 4 was found to be more among the patients with systemic disease/conditions (46.2%. The mean number of sextants with CPITN code 3 and 4 were more among the patients with systemic disease/conditions. The prevalence of CPITN code was found to be more among the patients with Respiratory disease whereas the mean number of sextants was found to be more among the patients with Diabetes, Cardiovascular and Renal disease. Conclusion: It may be concluded that the systemic diseases/conditions are associated with higher severity of periodontal disease.

  11. Association between chronic kidney disease and urinary calculus by stone location: a population-based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keller, Joseph J; Chen, Yi-Kuang; Lin, Herng-Ching

    2012-12-01

    Study Type--Disease prevalence study (cohort design) Level of Evidence 2a. What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Several studies have estimated the potential association of urinary calculus (UC) with chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, previous literature focusing on this issue tended to evaluate the impact of kidney stones alone on incident CKD, with no studies having been conducted investigating the association between CKD and stone formation in other portions of the urological system. We found that patients with CKD were consistently more likely than comparison subjects to have been previously diagnosed with kidney calculus (odds ratio [OR] 2.10, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.95-2.27), ureter calculus (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.51-1.85), bladder calculus (OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.13-1.98), and unspecified calculus (OR 1.89, 95% CI 1.74-2.06). We concluded that there was an association between CKD and UC regardless of stone location. • To explore the association of chronic kidney disease (CKD) with prior kidney calculus, ureter calculus, and bladder calculus using a population-based dataset in Taiwan. Several studies have estimated the potential association of urinary calculus (UC) with CKD. However, previous literature focusing on this issue tended to evaluate the impact of kidney stones alone on incident CKD, with no studies having been conducted investigating the association between CKD and stone formation in other portions of the urological system. • We identified 21,474 patients who received their first-time diagnosis of CKD between 2001 and 2009. • The 21,474 controls were frequency-matched with cases for sex, age group, and index year. • We used conditional logistic regression analyses to compute the odds ratio (OR) and corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) as an estimation of association between CKD and having been previously diagnosed with UC. • The results show that compared with controls, the OR of prior UC for cases was 1

  12. Cardiovascular diseases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kodama, Kazunori

    1992-01-01

    This paper is aimed to discuss the involvement of delayed radiation effects of A-bomb exposure in cardiovascular diseases. First, the relationship between radiation and cardiovascular diseases is reviewed in the literature. Animal experiments have confirmed the relationship between ionizing radiation and vascular lesions. There are many reports which describe ischemic heart disease, cervical and cerebrovascular diseases, and peripheral disease occurring after radiation therapy. The previous A-bomb survivor cohort studies, i.e., the RERF Life Span Study and Adult Health Study, have dealt with the mortality rate from cardiovascular diseases, the prevalence or incidence of cardiovascular diseases, pathological findings, clinical observation of arteriosclerosis, ECG abnormality, blood pressure abnormality, and cardiac function. The following findings have been suggested: (1) A-bomb exposure is likely to be involved in the mortality rate and incidence of ischemic heart disease and cerebrovascular diseases; (2) similarly, the involvement of A-bomb exposure is considered in the prevalence of the arch of aorta; (3) ECG abnormality corresponding to ischemic heart disease may reflect the involvement of A-bomb exposure. To confirm the above findings, further studies are required on the basis of more accurate information and the appropriate number of cohort samples. Little evidence has been presented for the correlation between A-bomb exposure and both rheumatic heart disease and congenital heart disease. (N.K.) 88 refs

  13. Using internet search queries for infectious disease surveillance: screening diseases for suitability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milinovich, Gabriel J; Avril, Simon M R; Clements, Archie C A; Brownstein, John S; Tong, Shilu; Hu, Wenbiao

    2014-12-31

    Internet-based surveillance systems provide a novel approach to monitoring infectious diseases. Surveillance systems built on internet data are economically, logistically and epidemiologically appealing and have shown significant promise. The potential for these systems has increased with increased internet availability and shifts in health-related information seeking behaviour. This approach to monitoring infectious diseases has, however, only been applied to single or small groups of select diseases. This study aims to systematically investigate the potential for developing surveillance and early warning systems using internet search data, for a wide range of infectious diseases. Official notifications for 64 infectious diseases in Australia were downloaded and correlated with frequencies for 164 internet search terms for the period 2009-13 using Spearman's rank correlations. Time series cross correlations were performed to assess the potential for search terms to be used in construction of early warning systems. Notifications for 17 infectious diseases (26.6%) were found to be significantly correlated with a selected search term. The use of internet metrics as a means of surveillance has not previously been described for 12 (70.6%) of these diseases. The majority of diseases identified were vaccine-preventable, vector-borne or sexually transmissible; cross correlations, however, indicated that vector-borne and vaccine preventable diseases are best suited for development of early warning systems. The findings of this study suggest that internet-based surveillance systems have broader applicability to monitoring infectious diseases than has previously been recognised. Furthermore, internet-based surveillance systems have a potential role in forecasting emerging infectious disease events, especially for vaccine-preventable and vector-borne diseases.

  14. Preoperative screening: value of previous tests.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macpherson, D S; Snow, R; Lofgren, R P

    1990-12-15

    To determine the frequency of tests done in the year before elective surgery that might substitute for preoperative screening tests and to determine the frequency of test results that change from a normal value to a value likely to alter perioperative management. Retrospective cohort analysis of computerized laboratory data (complete blood count, sodium, potassium, and creatinine levels, prothrombin time, and partial thromboplastin time). Urban tertiary care Veterans Affairs Hospital. Consecutive sample of 1109 patients who had elective surgery in 1988. At admission, 7549 preoperative tests were done, 47% of which duplicated tests performed in the previous year. Of 3096 previous results that were normal as defined by hospital reference range and done closest to the time of but before admission (median interval, 2 months), 13 (0.4%; 95% CI, 0.2% to 0.7%), repeat values were outside a range considered acceptable for surgery. Most of the abnormalities were predictable from the patient's history, and most were not noted in the medical record. Of 461 previous tests that were abnormal, 78 (17%; CI, 13% to 20%) repeat values at admission were outside a range considered acceptable for surgery (P less than 0.001, frequency of clinically important abnormalities of patients with normal previous results with those with abnormal previous results). Physicians evaluating patients preoperatively could safely substitute the previous test results analyzed in this study for preoperative screening tests if the previous tests are normal and no obvious indication for retesting is present.

  15. Aorto-iliac occlusive disease in the different population groups ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background. It has previously been accepted that atherosclerotic disease is uncommon among blacks worldv.ride; however, recent studies have increasingly reported atherosclerotic disease in this group. Study design. Prospective study of hospital patients with aorta-iliac occlusive disease presenting to the vascUlar ...

  16. Disease-associated prion protein detected in lymphoid tissues from pigs challenged with the agent of chronic wasting disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aims: Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a naturally-occurring, fatal neurodegenerative disease of cervids. We previously demonstrated that disease-associated prion protein (PrPSc) can be detected in the brain and retina from pigs challenged intracranially or orally with the CWD agent. In that study,...

  17. Pertussis-associated persistent cough in previously vaccinated children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Principi, Nicola; Litt, David; Terranova, Leonardo; Picca, Marina; Malvaso, Concetta; Vitale, Cettina; Fry, Norman K; Esposito, Susanna

    2017-11-01

    To evaluate the role of Bordetella pertussis infection, 96 otherwise healthy 7- to 17-year-old subjects who were suffering from a cough lasting from 2 to 8 weeks were prospectively recruited. At enrolment, a nasopharyngeal swab and an oral fluid sample were obtained to search for pertussis infection by the detection of B. pertussis DNA and/or an elevated titre of anti-pertussis toxin IgG. Evidence of pertussis infection was found in 18 (18.7 %; 95 % confidence interval, 11.5-28.0) cases. In 15 cases, the disease occurred despite booster administration. In two cases, pertussis was diagnosed less than 2 years after the booster injection, whereas in the other cases it was diagnosed between 2 and 9 years after the booster dose. This study used non-invasive testing to show that pertussis is one of the most important causes of long-lasting cough in school-age subjects. Moreover, the protection offered by acellular pertussis vaccines currently wanes more rapidly than previously thought.

  18. Disease stage, but not sex, predicts depression and psychological distress in Huntington's disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dale, Maria; Maltby, John; Shimozaki, Steve

    2016-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: Depression and anxiety significantly affect morbidity in Huntington's disease. Mice. models of Huntington's disease have identified sex differences in mood-like behaviours that vary across disease lifespan, but this interaction has not previously been explored in humans with Huntington......'s disease. However, among certain medical populations, evidence of sex differences in mood across various disease stages has been found, reflecting trends among the general population that women tend to experience anxiety and depression 1.5 to 2 times more than men. The current study examined whether...... disease stage and sex, either separately or as an interaction term, predicted anxiety and depression in Huntington's disease. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of REGISTRY data involving 453 Huntington's disease participants from 12 European countries was undertaken using the Hospital Anxiety...

  19. A Phase 3, multicenter, open-label, switchover trial to assess the safety and efficacy of taliglucerase alfa, a plant cell-expressed recombinant human glucocerebrosidase, in adult and pediatric patients with Gaucher disease previously treated with imiglucerase.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pastores, Gregory M; Petakov, Milan; Giraldo, Pilar; Rosenbaum, Hanna; Szer, Jeffrey; Deegan, Patrick B; Amato, Dominick J; Mengel, Eugen; Tan, Ee Shien; Chertkoff, Raul; Brill-Almon, Einat; Zimran, Ari

    2014-12-01

    Taliglucerase alfa is a β-glucosidase enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) approved in the US and other countries for the treatment of Gaucher disease (GD) in adults and is approved in pediatric and adult patients in Australia and Canada. It is the first approved plant cell-expressed recombinant human protein. A Phase 3, multicenter, open-label, 9-month study assessed safety and efficacy of switching to taliglucerase alfa in adult and pediatric patients with GD treated with imiglucerase for at least the previous 2years. Patients with stable disease were offered taliglucerase alfa treatment using the same dose (9-60U/kg body weight) and regimen of administration (every 2weeks) as imiglucerase. This report summarizes results from 26 adult and 5 pediatric patients who participated in the trial. Disease parameters (spleen and liver volumes, hemoglobin concentration, platelet count, and biomarker levels) remained stable through 9months of treatment in adults and children following the switch from imiglucerase. All treatment-related adverse events were mild or moderate in severity and transient in nature. Exploratory parameters of linear growth and development showed positive outcomes in pediatric patients. These findings provide evidence of the efficacy and safety profile of taliglucerase alfa as an ERT for GD in patients previously treated with imiglucerase. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as # NCT00712348. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Inflammation and peripheral venous disease. The San Diego Population Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cushman, M; Callas, P W; Allison, M A; Criqui, M H

    2014-09-02

    The inflammatory response to healing in venous thrombosis might cause vein damage and post-thrombotic syndrome. Inflammation may also be involved in venous insufficiency apart from deep-vein thrombosis. We studied the association of inflammation markers with venous insufficiency in a general population sample. We characterised 2,404 men and women in a general population cohort for peripheral venous disease and its severity using physical exam, symptom assessment, and venous ultrasound. Inflammation markers, C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, interleukin 1-beta (IL-1-beta), IL-8, IL-10, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), E-selectin, monocyte chemoattractant-1 (MCP-1) and vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) were compared in 352 case participants with peripheral venous disease and 352 controls with no venous abnormalities frequency matched to cases by age, sex and race. Associations were also evaluated including a subset of 108 cases of severe venous disease, as previously defined. Odds ratios (95% CI), for peripheral venous disease for biomarkers in the top quartile (adjusting for age, race, sex, body mass index and history of venous thrombosis) were 1.8 (1.1-3.0), 1.6 (1.0-2.5) and 1.5 (0.9-2.3) for CRP, fibrinogen and IL-10, respectively. Associations were larger considering cases of severe venous disease, with odds ratios for these three analytes of 2.6 (1.2-5.9), 3.1 (1.3-7.3) and 2.2 (1.1-4.4), and for IL-8: 2.4 (1.1-5.2). There was no association of IL-1-beta, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, E-selectin, MCP-1 or VEGF with overall cases or severe venous disease. In conclusion, a subset of inflammation markers were associated with increased risk of peripheral venous disease, suggesting potential therapeutic targets for treatment.

  1. Administrative database code accuracy did not vary notably with changes in disease prevalence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Walraven, Carl; English, Shane; Austin, Peter C

    2016-11-01

    Previous mathematical analyses of diagnostic tests based on the categorization of a continuous measure have found that test sensitivity and specificity varies significantly by disease prevalence. This study determined if the accuracy of diagnostic codes varied by disease prevalence. We used data from two previous studies in which the true status of renal disease and primary subarachnoid hemorrhage, respectively, had been determined. In multiple stratified random samples from the two previous studies having varying disease prevalence, we measured the accuracy of diagnostic codes for each disease using sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value. Diagnostic code sensitivity and specificity did not change notably within clinically sensible disease prevalence. In contrast, positive and negative predictive values changed significantly with disease prevalence. Disease prevalence had no important influence on the sensitivity and specificity of diagnostic codes in administrative databases. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Longitudinal Andhra Pradesh Eye Disease Study: rationale, study design and research methodology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khanna, Rohit C; Murthy, Gudlavalleti Vs; Marmamula, Srinivas; Mettla, Asha Latha; Giridhar, Pyda; Banerjee, Seema; Shekhar, Konegari; Chakrabarti, Subhabrata; Gilbert, Clare; Rao, Gullapalli N

    2016-03-01

    The rationale, objectives, study design and procedures for the longitudinal Andhra Pradesh Eye Disease Study are described. A longitudinal cohort study was carried out. Participants include surviving cohort from the rural component of Andhra Pradesh Eye Disease Study. During 1996-2000, Andhra Pradesh Eye Disease Survey was conducted in three rural (n = 7771) and one urban (n = 2522) areas (now called Andhra Pradesh Eye Disease Study 1). In 2009-2010, a feasibility exercise (Andhra Pradesh Eye Disease Study 2) for a longitudinal study (Andhra Pradesh Eye Disease Study 3) was undertaken in the rural clusters only, as urban clusters no longer existed. In Andhra Pradesh Eye Disease Study 3, a detailed interview will be carried out to collect data on sociodemographic factors, ocular and systemic history, risk factors, visual function, knowledge of eye diseases and barriers to accessing services. All participants will also undergo a comprehensive eye examination including photography of lens, optic disc and retina, Optic Coherence Tomography of the posterior segment, anthropometry, blood pressure and frailty measures. Measures include estimates of the incidence of visual impairment and age-related eye disease (lens opacities, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration) and the progression of eye disease (lens opacities and myopia) and associated risk factors. Of the 7771 respondents examined in rural areas in Andhra Pradesh Eye Disease Study 1, 5447 (70.1%) participants were traced in Andhra Pradesh Eye Disease Study 2. These participants will be re-examined. Andhra Pradesh Eye Disease Study 3 will provide data on the incidence and progression of visual impairment and major eye diseases and their associated risk factors in India. The study will provide further evidence to aid planning eye care services. © 2015 Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists.

  3. Natural history of severe atheromatous disease of the thoracic aorta: a transesophageal echocardiographic study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Montgomery, D H; Ververis, J J; McGorisk, G; Frohwein, S; Martin, R P; Taylor, W R

    1996-01-01

    This study sought to prospectively observe the morphologic and clinical natural history of severe atherosclerotic disease of the thoracic aorta as defined by transesophageal echocardiography. Atherosclerosis of the thoracic aorta has been shown to be highly associated with risk for embolic events in transesophageal studies, but the natural history of the disease under clinical conditions has not been reported. During a 20-month period, 191 of 264 patients undergoing transesophageal echocardiography had adequate visualization of the aorta to allow atherosclerotic severity to be graded as follows: grade I = normal (44 patients); grade II = intimal thickening (52 patients); grade III = atheroma or = 5 mm (19 patients); grade V = mobile lesion (14 patients). All available patients with grades IV (8 patients) and V (10 patients) disease as well as a subgroup of 12 patients with grade III disease had follow-up transesophageal echocardiographic studies (mean [+/- SD] 11.7 +/- 0.9 months, range 6 to 22). Of 30 patients undergoing follow-up transesophageal echocardiographic studies, 20 (66%) had no change in atherosclerotic severity grade. Of the remaining 10 patients, atherosclerotic severity progressed one grade in 7 and decreased in 3 with resolved mobile lesions. Of 18 patients with grade IV or V disease of the aorta who underwent a follow-up study, 11 (61%) demonstrated formation of new mobile lesions. Of 10 patients with grade V disease on initial study who underwent follow-up study, 7 (70%) demonstrated resolution of a specific previously documented mobile lesion. However, seven patients (70%) with grade V disease also demonstrated development of a new mobile lesion. Of 33 patients with grade IV or V disease, 8 (24%) died during the study period, and 1 (3%) had a clinical embolic event. The presence of severe atherosclerotic disease of the thoracic aorta as defined by transesophageal echocardiography is associated with a high mortality rate. Although the morphologic

  4. New population-based exome data are questioning the pathogenicity of previously cardiomyopathy-associated genetic variants

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andreasen, Charlotte Hartig; Nielsen, Jonas B; Refsgaard, Lena

    2013-01-01

    Cardiomyopathies are a heterogeneous group of diseases with various etiologies. We focused on three genetically determined cardiomyopathies: hypertrophic (HCM), dilated (DCM), and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). Eighty-four genes have so far been associated with these card......Cardiomyopathies are a heterogeneous group of diseases with various etiologies. We focused on three genetically determined cardiomyopathies: hypertrophic (HCM), dilated (DCM), and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). Eighty-four genes have so far been associated...... with these cardiomyopathies, but the disease-causing effect of reported variants is often dubious. In order to identify possible false-positive variants, we investigated the prevalence of previously reported cardiomyopathy-associated variants in recently published exome data. We searched for reported missense and nonsense...... variants in the NHLBI-Go Exome Sequencing Project (ESP) containing exome data from 6500 individuals. In ESP, we identified 94 variants out of 687 (14%) variants previously associated with HCM, 58 out of 337 (17%) variants associated with DCM, and 38 variants out of 209 (18%) associated with ARVC...

  5. Cyanotic congenital heart disease and atherosclerosis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tarp, Julie Bjerre; Jensen, Annette Schophuus; Engstrøm, Thomas

    2017-01-01

    Improved treatment options in paediatric cardiology and congenital heart surgery have resulted in an ageing population of patients with cyanotic congenital heart disease (CCHD). The risk of acquired heart disease such as atherosclerosis increases with age.Previous studies have speculated whether...

  6. Meta-Analysis of Genome-Wide Association Studies in Celiac Disease and Rheumatoid Arthritis Identifies Fourteen Non-HLA Shared Loci

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zhernakova, Alexandra; Stahl, Eli A.; Trynka, Gosia; Raychaudhuri, Soumya; Festen, Eleanora A.; Franke, Lude; Westra, Harm-Jan; Fehrmann, Rudolf S. N.; Kurreeman, Fina A. S.; Thomson, Brian; Gupta, Namrata; Romanos, Jihane; McManus, Ross; Ryan, Anthony W.; Turner, Graham; Brouwer, Elisabeth; Posthumus, Marcel D.; Remmers, Elaine F.; Tucci, Francesca; Toes, Rene; Grandone, Elvira; Mazzilli, Maria Cristina; Rybak, Anna; Cukrowska, Bozena; Coenen, Marieke J. H.; Radstake, Timothy R. D. J.; van Riel, Piet L. C. M.; Li, Yonghong; de Bakker, Paul I. W.; Gregersen, Peter K.; Worthington, Jane; Siminovitch, Katherine A.; Klareskog, Lars; Huizinga, Tom W. J.; Wijmenga, Cisca; Plenge, Robert M.

    2011-01-01

    Epidemiology and candidate gene studies indicate a shared genetic basis for celiac disease (CD) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but the extent of this sharing has not been systematically explored. Previous studies demonstrate that 6 of the established non-HLA CD and RA risk loci (out of 26 loci for

  7. Celiac disease : how complicated can it get?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Tjon, Jennifer May-Ling

    2011-01-01

    Celiac disease (CD) is a common inflammatory disorder of the small intestine which is triggered by ingested gluten proteins. Previous studies identified crucial steps in the development of celiac disease and based on this knowledge, we propose a threshold model for the development of celiac disease

  8. Association of Previous Clinical Breast Examination With Reduced Delays and Earlier-Stage Breast Cancer Diagnosis Among Women in Peru.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Romanoff, Anya; Constant, Tara Hayes; Johnson, Kay M; Guadiamos, Manuel Cedano; Vega, Ana María Burga; Zunt, Joseph; Anderson, Benjamin O

    2017-11-01

    Mammographic screening is impractical in most of the world where breast cancers are first identified based on clinical signs and symptoms. Clinical breast examination may improve early diagnosis directly by finding breast cancers at earlier stages or indirectly by heightening women's awareness of breast health concerns. To investigate factors that influence time to presentation and stage at diagnosis among patients with breast cancer to determine whether history of previous clinical breast examination is associated with earlier presentation and/or earlier cancer stage at diagnosis. In this cross-sectional analysis of individual patient interviews using a validated Breast Cancer Delay Questionnaire, 113 (71.1%) of 159 women with breast cancer treated at a federally funded tertiary care referral cancer center in Trujillo, Peru, from February 1 through May 31, 2015, were studied. Method of breast cancer detection and factors that influence time to and stage at diagnosis. Of 113 women with diagnosed cancer (mean [SD] age, 54 [10.8] years; age range, 32-82 years), 105 (92.9%) had self-detected disease. Of the 93 women for whom stage was documented, 45 (48.4%) were diagnosed with early-stage disease (American Joint Committee on Cancer [AJCC] stage 0, I, or II), and 48 (51.6%) were diagnosed with late-stage disease (AJCC stage III or IV). Mean (SD) total delay from symptom onset to initiation of treatment was 407 (665) days because of patient (mean [SD], 198 [449] days) and health care system (mean [SD], 241 [556] days) delay. Fifty-two women (46.0%) had a history of clinical breast examination, and 23 (20.4%) had undergone previous mammography. Women who underwent a previous clinical breast examination were more likely to have shorter delays from symptom development to presentation compared with women who had never undergone a previous clinical breast examination (odds ratio, 2.92; 95% CI, 1.30-6.60; P = .01). Women diagnosed with shorter patient delay were more

  9. Parkinson's disease prevalence in Fabry disease: A survey study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adina H. Wise

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Recent research has suggested a possible link between Parkinson's disease (PD and Fabry disease. To test this relationship, we administered a self-report and family history questionnaire to determine the prevalence of PD in Fabry disease patients and family members with likely pathogenic alpha-galactosidase A (GLA mutations. A total of 90 Fabry patients (77 from the online survey and 13 from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS were included in the analysis. Two of the Fabry disease patients who completed the online survey were diagnosed with PD (2/90, 2.2%. Among probands older than 60, 8.3% (2/24 were diagnosed with PD. Using Kaplan Meier survival analysis, the age-specific risk of PD by age 70 was 11.1%. Family history was available on 72 Fabry families from the online study and 9 Fabry families from ISMMS. Among these 81 families, 6 (7.4% had one first degree relative who fit the criteria for a conservative diagnosis of PD. The results of this study suggest that there may be an increased risk of developing PD in individuals with GLA mutations, but these findings should be interpreted with caution given the limitations of the study design.

  10. Association of Relationship between Periodontal Disease and Cardiovascular Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johar, N; Dhodapkar, S V; Kumar, R; Verma, T; Jajoo, A

    2017-04-01

    The present study was undertaken to determine the relationship between periodontal and cardiovascular disease. Previous studies have shown some co-relation between the two conditions. We included 186 patients divided into four groups. First two Groups (A1 & A2) were the patients with cardiac disease (100 in numbers) whilst Groups (B1 & B2) (86 in numbers) were treated as controls (without cardiac disease). Following markers of periodontal disease were assessed - plaque index, calculus index, gingival and periodontal index. Markers of cardiovascular disease included were LDL, HDL, total cholesterol and CRP. Ramfjords periodontal index was used to assess the extent of periodontal disease. In the present study there was a significant increase in CRP levels in Group A1 (CVD + PD) compared to controls and overall the two cardiac groups showed a significant increase in CRP compared to controls. There was a non-significant change in lipid profile markers (LDL, HDL and total cholesterol). Periodontal Disease Index (PDI) was also increased in Group A1 compared to other groups except Group B1 and overall in cardiac groups compared to non-cardiac (PD) groups. In this study no correlation between periodontal and cardiovascular disease was found. This may be due intake of statins by few patients in Group A with a confirmed diagnosis of cardiovascular disease.

  11. Histopathologic reproducibility of thyroid disease in an epidemiologic study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ron, E.; Griffel, B.; Liban, E.; Modan, B.

    1986-01-01

    An investigation of the long-term effects of childhood scalp irradiation demonstrated a significantly increased risk of thyroid tumors in the irradiated population. Because of the complexity of thyroid cancer diagnosis, a histopathologic slide review of 59 of the 68 patients (irradiated and nonirradiated) with thyroid disease was undertaken. The review revealed 90% agreement (kappa = +0.85, P less than 0.01) between the original and review diagnosis. Four of 27 cases previously diagnosed as malignant were reclassified as benign, yielding a cancer misdiagnosis rate of 14.8%. All four of the misdiagnosed cancers were of follicular or mixed papillary-follicular type. As a result of the histologic review, the ratio of malignant to benign tumors decreased from 2.55 to 1.75. Since disagreement in diagnosis was similar in the irradiated and nonirradiated groups, the relative risk of radiation-associated neoplasms did not change substantially. The histopathologic review shows that although there were some problems in diagnostic reproducibility, they were not statistically significant and did not alter our previous conclusions regarding radiation exposure. However, a 15% reduction in the number of malignancies might affect epidemiologic studies with an external comparison as well as geographic or temporal comparisons

  12. TEMPORAL ORDER OF DISEASE PAIRS AFFECTS SUBSEQUENT DISEASE TRAJECTORIES

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Beck, Mette K; Westergaard, David; Jensen, Anders Boeck

    2016-01-01

    order of appearance. We discuss these different types of disease co-occurrences, and use the two diseases "sleep apnea" and "diabetes" to showcase the approach which otherwise can be applied to any disease pair. We benefit from seven million electronic medical records covering the entire population...... of Denmark for more than 20 years. Sleep apnea is the most common sleep-related breathing disorder and it has previously been shown to be bidirectionally linked to diabetes, meaning that each disease increases the risk of acquiring the other. We confirm that there is no significant temporal relationship......, as approximately half of patients with both diseases are diagnosed with diabetes first. However, we also show that patients diagnosed with diabetes before sleep apnea have a higher disease burden compared to patients diagnosed with sleep apnea before diabetes. The study clearly demonstrates that it is not only...

  13. Secondary hip dysplasia in Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease - a long-term case-control study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Froberg, Lonnie; Christensen, Finn; Pedersen, Niels Wisbech

    Poor long-time results in Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (LCP) have in previous reports been attributed to the presence of degenerative joint disease due to deformities of the femoral head. Reports have stated that hip dysplasia (HD) pre-dispose to hip osteoarthritis (OA). The increased risk of OA...... excluded, however we do not have any reason to believe that they were excluded systematically. The reviewed Stulberg classification was used. The advantages of the classification included the simplicity of application and reliability with good inter- and intraobserver agreement. Previous report has also...

  14. Estimating the effect of current, previous and never use of drugs in studies based on prescription registries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Lars Hougaard; Løkkegaard, Ellen; Andreasen, Anne Helms

    2009-01-01

    of this misclassification for analysing the risk of breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prescription data were obtained from Danish Registry of Medicinal Products Statistics and we applied various methods to approximate treatment episodes. We analysed the duration of HT episodes to study the ability to identify......PURPOSE: Many studies which investigate the effect of drugs categorize the exposure variable into never, current, and previous use of the study drug. When prescription registries are used to make this categorization, the exposure variable possibly gets misclassified since the registries do...... not carry any information on the time of discontinuation of treatment.In this study, we investigated the amount of misclassification of exposure (never, current, previous use) to hormone therapy (HT) when the exposure variable was based on prescription data. Furthermore, we evaluated the significance...

  15. Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lauritzen, Didde; Andreassen, Bente Utoft; Heegaard, Niels Henrik H

    2018-01-01

    Background: Kidney disease has been reported in adults with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and is regarded an extraintestinal manifestation or more rarely a side effect of the medical treatment. Methods: In this cross-sectional study we describe the extent of kidney pathology in a cohort of 56...... children with IBD. Blood and urine samples were analyzed for markers of kidney disease and ultrasonography was performed to evaluate pole-to-pole kidney length. Results: We found that 25% of the patients had either previously reported kidney disease or ultrasonographic signs of chronic kidney disease...... are at risk of chronic kidney disease, and the risk seems to be increased with the severity of the disease....

  16. Parkinsons Disease-related Circulating microRNA Biomarkers——a Validation Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David Petillo

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available Parkinson's disease (PD is the second most common neurodegenerative disease. One of the major challenges in studying this progressive neurological disorder is to identify and develop biomarkers for early detection. Recently, several blood-based microRNA (miRNA biomarkers for PD have been reported. However, follow-up studies with new, independent cohorts have been rare. Previously, we identified a panel of four circulating miRNA biomarkers for PD (miR-1826, miR-450b-3p, miR-505, and miR-626 with biomarker performance of 91% sensitivity and 100% specificity. However, the expression of miR-450b-3p could not be detected in a new, independent validation set. In our current study, we improved the detection power by including a non-biased pre-amplification step in quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR and reevaluated the biomarker performance. We found the panel of four PD-related miRNAs achieved the predictive power of 83% sensitivity and 75% specificity in our validation set. This is the first biomarker validation study of PD which showed reproducibility and robustness of plasma-based circulating miRNAs as molecular biomarkers and qRT-PCR as potential diagnostic assay.

  17. Severe radiation morbidity in carcinoma of the cervix: impact of pretherapy surgical staging and previous surgery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fine, Bruce A.; Hempling, Ronald E.; Piver, M. Steven; Baker, Trudy R.; McAuley, Michael; Driscoll, Deborah

    1995-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this study is to delineate the factors which (a) contribute to an increase in the severe, radiation induced complication rate and (b) have a significant effect on survival in patients with International Federation of Gynecologists and Obstetricians (FIGO) Stage I-IVA cervical cancer undergoing pretherapy surgical staging. Methods and Materials: From 1971-1991, 189 patients underwent pretherapy surgical staging via a retroperitoneal approach (67) or transperitoneal approach (122). Seventy-nine patients had previously experienced a laparotomy. Patients subsequently received a median of 85 Gy to point A. In patients receiving paraaortic radiation, a median of 45 Gy was administered. One hundred and thirty-two (69.8%) patients received hydroxyurea as a radiation sensitizer. Results: Pretherapy surgical evaluation revealed that 21 of 89 (23.6%) Stage II patients and 32 of 85 (37.6%) Stage III patients had paraaortic lymph node metastases. Multivariate logistic regression analysis detailed the significant factors favorably influencing the radiation-induced complication rate to be a retroperitoneal approach of pretherapy surgical staging and no previous laparotomy. Survival was significantly prolonged in patients receiving hydroxyurea, evaluated via a retroperitoneal incision, with negative paraaortic lymph nodes, and with an early stage of disease. Conclusion: A retroperitoneal approach to pretherapy surgical staging and absence of previous surgery reduced the incidence of subsequent radiation-induced complications. Despite improvements in the detection of occult disease, prolonged survival is impaired when the therapeutic measures currently available are used

  18. The Need for Total Hip Arthroplasty in Perthes Disease: A Long-term Study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Froberg, Lonnie; Christensen, Finn; Pedersen, Niels Wisbech

    2010-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (LCPD) was described a century ago. In previous long-term reports of patients with LCPD, nonoperative treatment varied considerably. The likelihood of hip osteoarthritis (OA) developing in patients with LCPD and possible need for THA are not well defined...... with hips with Classes I/II femoral heads. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study population consisted of 167 patients with LCPD treated with a Thomas splint. The control population consisted of gender- and age-matched control subjects who were participants in the Copenhagen City Heart Study: the Osteoarthritis...... OF EVIDENCE: Level III, prognostic study. See Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence....

  19. Small bowel angiodysplasia and novel disease associations: a cohort study.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Holleran, Grainne

    2013-04-01

    Gastrointestinal angiodysplasias recurrently bleed, accounting for 3-5% of obscure gastrointestinal bleeding. The advent of small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) has led to an increased recognition of small bowel angiodysplasias (SBAs) but little is known about their etiology. Previous small cohorts and case reports suggest an equal gender incidence and associations with cardiovascular disease, renal impairment, and coagulopathies.

  20. Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy Followed by Consolidation Chemotherapy With Bi-Weekly Docetaxel and Carboplatin for Stage III Unresectable, Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Clinical Application of a Protocol Used in a Previous Phase II Study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saitoh, Jun-Ichi; Saito, Yoshihiro; Kazumoto, Tomoko; Kudo, Shigehiro; Yoshida, Daisaku; Ichikawa, Akihiro; Sakai, Hiroshi; Kurimoto, Futoshi; Kato, Shingo; Shibuya, Kei

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: To assess the clinical applicability of a protocol evaluated in a previously reported phase II study of concurrent chemoradiotherapy followed by consolidation chemotherapy with bi-weekly docetaxel and carboplatin in patients with stage III, unresectable, non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods and Materials: Between January 2000 and March 2006, 116 previously untreated patients with histologically proven, stage III NSCLC were treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Radiation therapy was administered in 2-Gy daily fractions to a total dose of 60 Gy in combination with docetaxel, 30 mg/m 2 , and carboplatin at an area under the curve value of 3 every 2 weeks during and after radiation therapy. Results: The median survival time for the entire group was 25.5 months. The actuarial 2-year and 5-year overall survival rates were 53% and 31%, respectively. The 3-year cause-specific survival rate was 60% in patients with stage IIIA disease, whereas it was 35% in patients with stage IIIB disease (p = 0.007). The actuarial 2-year and 5-year local control rates were 62% and 55%, respectively. Acute hematologic toxicities of Grade ≥3 severity were observed in 20.7% of patients, while radiation pneumonitis and esophagitis of Grade ≥3 severity were observed in 2.6% and 1.7% of patients, respectively. Conclusions: The feasibility of the protocol used in the previous phase II study was reconfirmed in this series, and excellent treatment results were achieved.

  1. Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy Followed by Consolidation Chemotherapy With Bi-Weekly Docetaxel and Carboplatin for Stage III Unresectable, Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Clinical Application of a Protocol Used in a Previous Phase II Study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Saitoh, Jun-Ichi, E-mail: junsaito@sannet.ne.jp [Division of Radiation Oncology, Saitama Cancer Center, Saitama (Japan); Saito, Yoshihiro; Kazumoto, Tomoko; Kudo, Shigehiro; Yoshida, Daisaku; Ichikawa, Akihiro [Division of Radiation Oncology, Saitama Cancer Center, Saitama (Japan); Sakai, Hiroshi; Kurimoto, Futoshi [Division of Respiratory Disease, Saitama Cancer Center, Saitama (Japan); Kato, Shingo [Research Center Hospital for Charged Particle Therapy, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Chiba (Japan); Shibuya, Kei [Department of Radiation Oncology, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Gunma (Japan)

    2012-04-01

    Purpose: To assess the clinical applicability of a protocol evaluated in a previously reported phase II study of concurrent chemoradiotherapy followed by consolidation chemotherapy with bi-weekly docetaxel and carboplatin in patients with stage III, unresectable, non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods and Materials: Between January 2000 and March 2006, 116 previously untreated patients with histologically proven, stage III NSCLC were treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Radiation therapy was administered in 2-Gy daily fractions to a total dose of 60 Gy in combination with docetaxel, 30 mg/m{sup 2}, and carboplatin at an area under the curve value of 3 every 2 weeks during and after radiation therapy. Results: The median survival time for the entire group was 25.5 months. The actuarial 2-year and 5-year overall survival rates were 53% and 31%, respectively. The 3-year cause-specific survival rate was 60% in patients with stage IIIA disease, whereas it was 35% in patients with stage IIIB disease (p = 0.007). The actuarial 2-year and 5-year local control rates were 62% and 55%, respectively. Acute hematologic toxicities of Grade {>=}3 severity were observed in 20.7% of patients, while radiation pneumonitis and esophagitis of Grade {>=}3 severity were observed in 2.6% and 1.7% of patients, respectively. Conclusions: The feasibility of the protocol used in the previous phase II study was reconfirmed in this series, and excellent treatment results were achieved.

  2. Short-term exposure to dimethylformamide and the impact on digestive system disease: an outdoor study for volatile organic compound.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Cui; Huang, Canke; Wei, Yumei; Zhu, Qi; Tian, Weili; Zhang, Qingyu

    2014-07-01

    Occupational and experimental studies have revealed the organs most affected by dimethylformamide (DMF) are liver and gastrointestinal tract. However, few studies have focused on the potential effect of outdoor pollution of DMF. This study examined the health risk of hospitalization due to digestive system disease by time series studies in a case city Longwan, China. The urine metabolite of DMF was correlated well with DMF exposure concentration (EC). A 101.0-μg/m(3) (interquartile range) increase in the two-day moving average of DMF EC was associated with a 1.10 (1.01 ˜ 1.20), 1.22 (1.10 ˜ 1.35), and 1.05 (0.90 ˜ 1.22) increase in hospitalization for total digestive system diseases, liver disease, and gastrointestinal tract disease, respectively. The exposure-dose response between DMF and the relative risk of liver disease was linear only below 350 μg/m(3). These findings highlight a previously unrecognized health problem related to VOCs released into the outdoor environment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Advanced sickle cell associated interstitial lung disease presenting ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Previous studies have reported abnormal pulmonary function and pulmonary hypertension among Nigerians with sickle cell disease, but there is no report of interstitial lung disease among them. We report a Nigerian sickle cell patient who presented with computed tomography proven interstitial lung disease complicated by ...

  4. Alignment between chronic disease policy and practice: case study at a primary care facility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Draper, Claire A; Draper, Catherine E; Bresick, Graham F

    2014-01-01

    Chronic disease is by far the leading cause of death worldwide and of increasing concern in low- and middle-income countries, including South Africa, where chronic diseases disproportionately affect the poor living in urban settings. The Provincial Government of the Western Cape (PGWC) has prioritized the management of chronic diseases and has developed a policy and framework (Adult Chronic Disease Management Policy 2009) to guide and improve the prevention and management of chronic diseases at a primary care level. The aim of this study is to assess the alignment of current primary care practices with the PGWC Adult Chronic Disease Management policy. One comprehensive primary care facility in a Cape Town health district was used as a case study. Data was collected via semi-structured interviews (n = 10), focus groups (n = 8) and document review. Participants in this study included clinical staff involved in chronic disease management at the facility and at a provincial level. Data previously collected using the Integrated Audit Tool for Chronic Disease Management (part of the PGWC Adult Chronic Disease Management policy) formed the basis of the guide questions used in focus groups and interviews. The results of this research indicate a significant gap between policy and its implementation to improve and support chronic disease management at this primary care facility. A major factor seems to be poor policy knowledge by clinicians, which contributes to an individual rather than a team approach in the management of chronic disease patients. Poor interaction between facility- and community-based services also emerged. A number of factors were identified that seemed to contribute to poor policy implementation, the majority of which were staff related and ultimately resulted in a decrease in the quality of patient care. Chronic disease policy implementation needs to be improved in order to support chronic disease management at this facility. It is possible that similar

  5. Exercise induced ST elevation and residual myocardial ischemia in previous myocardial infarction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shimonagata, Tsuyoshi; Nishimura, Tsunehiko; Uehara, Toshiisa; Hayashida, Kohei; Saito, Muneyasu; Sumiyoshi, Tetsuya

    1987-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of stress induced ST elevation on infarcted area in 65 patients with previous myocardial infarction (single vessel disease) who had stress thallium scan. Stress induced ST changes on infarcted area were compared with quantitative assessment of myocardial ischemia (thallium ischemic score; TIS) and extent of myocardial infarction (defect score; DS) derived from circumferential profile analysis. In patients with previous myocardial infarction in less than 3 month from the onset (n = 36), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and extent of abnormal LV wall motion were not significantly different between patients with stress induced ST elevation ( ≥ 2 mm, n = 26) and those with stress induced ST elevation ( < 2 mm, n = 10), while, in patients with previous myocardial infarction in more than 3 month (n = 29), patients with stress induced ST elevation ( ≥ 2 mm, n = 15) showed left ventricular dyskinesis more frequently than those with ST elevation ( < 2 mm, n = 14). In addition, the former showed significantly higher DS and significantly lower TIS than the latter. In patients with previous myocardial infarction in less than 3 month, patients with ST elevation ( ≥ 2 mm, n = 15) with prominent upright T wave (n = 15) had transient thallium defect in infarcted area in 73 % and they had significantly higher LVEF and TIS than those with ST elevation ( < 2 mm, n = 11). These results indicated that ST elevation in infarcted area reflect different significance according to the recovery of injured myocardium and stress induced ST elevation with prominent upright T wave in infarcted area reflect residual myocardial ischemia in less than 3 month from the onset of myocardial infarction. (author)

  6. PET-Studies in parkinson's disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schwarz, J.

    2002-01-01

    Positron-emission-tomography (PET) has enabled to study the metabolism and blood flow in specific brain areas. Besides, there is a variety of radiotracers that allow quantification of the function of distinct molecules. In respect to Parkinson's disease, PET allowed for the first time to assess the number of dopaminergic neurons in vivo. Thus, helping confirming a dopaminergic deficit, measuring disease progression and also help to determine the function of dopaminergic grafts. Current research has shifted to determine the role of related neurotransmitter systems in the pathophysiology of Parkinson's disease. (orig.) [de

  7. Radioisotopic studies of bone diseases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ell, P.J.

    1976-01-01

    Consideration is given to the study of bone diseases. The most used radionuclides in the skeletal investigation are analysed and a table of radiopharmaceuticals of localization in the skeleton is showed. Emphasis is given to the use of Strontium 85 and 87m, fluorine 18 and technetium 99m. The phosphate compounds labelled with Technetium 99m are studied in detail and the structures of these organic and inorganic compounds are given. A table with values of the blood clearance of those compounds is presented. The skeletal distribution of the phosphate compounds-sup(99m)Tc, as well as the abnormal scintigraphy of skeleton by means of them, are analysed. Referring to bone diseases, the benign and malignant ones are studied: a table is given of bone diseases with positive imaging to the skeleton scintigraphy in the former case and the main applications of this scintigraphy in the latter one. Emphasis is given, in all the cases, to the clinical applications of the method, with recommendations in each one. Scintigraphic imagings are presented referring to each item studied [pt

  8. Aortic pseudoaneurysm detected on external jugular venous distention following a Bentall procedure 10 years previously.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fukunaga, Naoto; Shomura, Yu; Nasu, Michihiro; Okada, Yukikatsu

    2010-11-01

    An asymptomatic 49-year-old woman was admitted for the purpose of surgery for aortic pseudoaneurysm. She had Marfan syndrome and had undergone an emergent Bentall procedure 10 years previously. About six months previously, she could palpate distended bilateral external jugular veins, which became distended only in a supine position and without any other symptoms. Enhanced computed tomography revealed an aortic pseudoaneurysm originating from a previous distal anastomosis site. During induction of general anesthesia in a supine position, bilateral external jugular venous distention was remarkable. Immediately after a successful operation, distention completely resolved. The present case emphasizes the importance of physical examination leading to a diagnosis of asymptomatic life-threatening diseases in patients with a history of previous aortic surgery.

  9. Chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease and mortality: A prospective cohort study in a multi-ethnic Asian population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lim, Cynthia C; Teo, Boon Wee; Ong, Peng Guan; Cheung, Carol Y; Lim, Su Chi; Chow, Khuan Yew; Meng, Chan Choon; Lee, Jeannette; Tai, E Shyong; Wong, Tien Y; Sabanayagam, Charumathi

    2015-08-01

    Few studies have examined the impact of chronic kidney disease (CKD) on adverse cardiovascular outcomes and deaths in Asian populations. We evaluated the associations of CKD with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality in a multi-ethnic Asian population. Prospective cohort study of 7098 individuals who participated in two independent population-based studies involving Malay adults (n = 3148) and a multi-ethnic cohort of Chinese, Malay and Indian adults (n = 3950). CKD was assessed from CKD-EPI estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR). Incident CVD (myocardial infarction, stroke and CVD mortality) and all-cause mortality were identified by linkage with national disease/death registries. Over a median follow-up of 4.3 years, 4.6% developed CVD and 6.1% died. Risks of both CVD and all-cause mortality increased with decreasing eGFR and increasing albuminuria (all p-trend <0.05). Adjusted hazard ratios (HR (95% confidence interval)) of CVD and all-cause mortality were: 1.54 (1.05-2.27) and 2.21 (1.67-2.92) comparing eGFR <45 vs ≥60; 2.81 (1.49-5.29) and 2.34 (1.28-4.28) comparing UACR ≥300 vs <30. The association between eGFR <60 and all-cause mortality was stronger among those with diabetes (p-interaction = 0.02). PAR of incident CVD was greater among those with UACR ≥300 (12.9%) and that of all-cause mortality greater among those with eGFR <45 (16.5%). In multi-ethnic Asian adults, lower eGFR and higher albuminuria were independently associated with incident CVD and all-cause mortality. These findings extend previously reported similar associations in Western populations to Asians and emphasize the need for early detection of CKD and intervention to prevent adverse outcomes. © The European Society of Cardiology 2014.

  10. Clinical presentation of acute coronary syndrome in patients previously treated with nitrates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Latour-Pérez, Jaime; Gómez-Tello, Vicente; Fuset-Cabanes, María Paz; Balsa, Eva de Miguel; Sáez, Frutos Del Nogal; Orts, Francisco Javier Coves; Rodríguez, Carmen Martín; Pino-Izquierdo, Karel; Pesquera, María de la Concepción Pavía; Rodríguez, Antonio José Montón

    2013-11-01

    Several reports have suggested that nitrates limit acute ischaemic damage by a mechanism similar to preconditioning. This study aims to evaluate the effect of chronic oral nitrates on the clinical presentation and short-term outcomes of patients admitted with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). A retrospective cohort study was conducted in patients with ACS admitted to 62 acute care units from 2010 to 2011. A propensity score-matched samples analysis was performed. We analysed 3171 consecutive patients, of whom 298 (9.4%) were chronically treated with nitrates. Patients previously treated with nitrates had higher comorbidity and disease severity at admission, lower prevalence of ACS with ST elevation, lower troponin elevation, higher prevalence of initial Killip class 2-4 and higher hospital mortality. The propensity score-matched analysis confirmed that previous use of nitrates is independently associated with a lower prevalence of ST-elevation ACS [odds ratio (OR) 0.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.36-0.78; P = 0.0014] and a lower troponin elevation (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.41-0.92) but not with Killip class on admission (OR 1.18, 95% CI 0.83-1.67, P = 0.3697) or mortality (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.37-1.38, P = 0.3196). The results support the hypothesis that nitrates have a protective effect on acute ischaemic injury.

  11. Comparison of Na+/I- symporter expression rate in malignant and benign thyroid diseases: immunohistochemical study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kang, Do Young; Jeong, Young Jin; Lee, Kyung Eun; Park, Heon Soo; Yoo, Young Hyun; Roh, Mee Sook

    2006-01-01

    Previous studies have not showed consistent results for the level of expression of sodium/iodide symporter (NIS) in thyroid diseases, especially malignant tumor. We undertook this study to evaluate the distribution of NIS expression in malignant thyroid diseases and compare with that in benign thyoid disease. Total patients were 119 cases (Men 15, 48±13 yrs). Total number of samples were 205 pieces. In malignant thyroid disease, there were 153 samples: 90 in papillary carcinoma, 4 in follicular carcinoma, 2 in medullary carcinoma and 57 in metastatic lymph node. In benign thyroid disease, there were 52 samples: 36 in goiter/cyst, 11 in thyroiditis and 5 in follicular adenoma. Using immunohistochemical methods, we probed 205 samples with monoclonal anti-NIS Ab. Grading of staining was scored as 0 (negative or absent), 1 (weakly positive), 2 (moderately positive) or 3 (strongly positive). Expression rate (ER) of NIS positivity in individual disease entity was expressed as percentage of total number divided by number in 2 plus 3 grade. ERs of malignant thyroid diseases were 63% in papillary carcinoma, 81% in metastatic lymph node, 71% in follicular carcinoma and 100% in medullary carcinoma. ERs of benign thyroid disease were 53% in goiter/cyst, 64% in thyroiditis and 40% in follicular adenoma. ER of benign thyroid deceases was higher than benign thyroid diseases (71% vs 54%). Grading of NIS expression in papillary carcinoma or goiter/cyst was heterogeneously distributed in considerable cases. Normal tissue also showed heterogeneous distribution or NIS expression, which was not correlated with that of primary lesion. In papillary thyroid carcinoma, distribution of NIS expression was heterogeneous and increased, and not different compared with that of benign thyroid disease

  12. Hyperosmia in Lyme disease

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    Basant K. Puri

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Neurological involvement in Lyme disease has been reported to include meningitis, cranial neuropathy and radiculoneuritis. While it is known that in some cases of asceptic meningitis patients may develop hyperosmia, the association between hyperosmia and Lyme disease has not previously been studied. Objective To carry out the first systematic study to ascertain whether hyperosmia is also a feature of Lyme disease. Method A questionnaire regarding abnormal sensory sensitivity in respect of the sense of smell was administered to 16 serologically positive Lyme disease patients and to 18 control subjects. Results The two groups were matched in respect of age, sex and body mass. None of the 34 subjects was suffering from migraine. Eight (50% of the Lyme patients and none (0% of the controls suffered from hyperosmia (p=0.0007. Conclusion This first systematic controlled study showed that Lyme disease is associated with hyperosmia.

  13. Prevalence of Periodontal Disease in Children with Leukemia and Thalassemia

    OpenAIRE

    Marhamah; Maulidita, Hardianti

    2014-01-01

    Background. Various periodontal disease can occur in children and adolescents. Some can take place quickly and periodontal tissue damage. Several previous studies indicate that systemic diseases associated with periodontal disease in children. Objectives. This study aims to determine the prevalence of periodontal disease in children with leukemia and thalassemia. Methods. The design study is a cross-sectional approach. Periodontal pocket depth measurements performed using the WHO standa...

  14. Risk of Fractures in Youths with Celiac Disease-A Population-Based Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Canova, Cristina; Pitter, Gisella; Zanier, Loris; Simonato, Lorenzo; Michaelsson, Karl; Ludvigsson, Jonas F

    2018-04-19

    To assess the risk of any fracture requiring hospital care in a cohort of individuals with celiac disease diagnosed in childhood/adolescence compared with reference individuals matched by age and sex. Our study cohort consisted of 213 635 people born and residing in Friuli-Venezia Giulia Region, Italy, in 1989-2011. We selected, through pathology reports, hospital discharge records, or co-payment exemptions, 1233 individuals with celiac disease (aged 0-17 years at diagnosis) and compared them with 6167 reference individuals matched by sex and year of birth. Fractures were identified through hospital discharge records. We calculated hazard ratios (HRs) for any fracture after celiac disease diagnosis (or index date for reference individuals) with Cox regression and ORs for any fracture before celiac disease diagnosis with conditional logistic regression. During the follow-up period (maximum 23 years), 22 individuals with celiac disease (9394 person-years) and 128 reference individuals (47 308 person-years) experienced a fracture, giving an overall HR of 0.87 (95% CI 0.55-1.37). The risk was not modified by sex, age at diagnosis, or calendar period of diagnosis. We obtained similar HRs when excluding fractures occurring after the age of 18 years and adjusting for maternal education or vitamin D supplementation. The odds of previous fracture also did not differ between subjects with celiac disease and reference individuals (22 and 96 cases, respectively: OR 1.15; 95% CI 0.72-1.84). We did not find any evidence of an increased risk of fractures during childhood and youth among patients with celiac disease. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Implant breast reconstruction after salvage mastectomy in previously irradiated patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Persichetti, Paolo; Cagli, Barbara; Simone, Pierfranco; Cogliandro, Annalisa; Fortunato, Lucio; Altomare, Vittorio; Trodella, Lucio

    2009-04-01

    The most common surgical approach in case of local tumor recurrence after quadrantectomy and radiotherapy is salvage mastectomy. Breast reconstruction is the subsequent phase of the treatment and the plastic surgeon has to operate on previously irradiated and manipulated tissues. The medical literature highlights that breast reconstruction with tissue expanders is not a pursuable option, considering previous radiotherapy a contraindication. The purpose of this retrospective study is to evaluate the influence of previous radiotherapy on 2-stage breast reconstruction (tissue expander/implant). Only patients with analogous timing of radiation therapy and the same demolitive and reconstructive procedures were recruited. The results of this study prove that, after salvage mastectomy in previously irradiated patients, implant reconstruction is still possible. Further comparative studies are, of course, advisable to draw any conclusion on the possibility to perform implant reconstruction in previously irradiated patients.

  16. Periodontal disease in pregnant patients with rheumatic valvular disease: clinical and microbiological study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avila, Walkiria Samuel; Timerman, Lilia; Romito, Giuseppe Alexandre; Marcelino, Sílvia Linard; Neves, Itamara Lúcia Itagiba; Zugaib, Marcelo; Grinberg, Max

    2011-04-01

    The periodontal disease during pregnancy of women with rheumatic valve disease imply infective endocarditis risks and higher rate of preterm birth and low birth weight. To study the periodontal disease rate of women with rheumatic valve disease during pregnancy. We studied 140 pregnant women who included 70 patients with rheumatic valve disease and 70 healthy women. The periodontal examination included: 1) periodontal clinical exam regard the follow variables: a) probing depth; b) gingival margin; c) clinical attachment level; d) bleeding on probing; e) plaque index and f) gingival index; and 2) microbiological test was performed in samples serum and gingival crevicular fluid and considered positive controls to Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsithia e Aggregobacter actinomycetemcomitans. Age and parity were similar between groups; as single or combined the mitral valve disease was prevalent among the rheumatic valve lesion in 45 (32.1%) e 20 (28.5%) cases, respectively. Among the periodontal variables gingival margin (p=0.01) and plaque index (p=0.04) were different between groups. The periodontal disease was identified in 20 (14,3%) pregnant women, seven (10%) of them were patients with valve rheumatic disease and the remain 13 (18,6%) were healthy women, its percentual was not different between groups (p=0,147). Microbiological analyses of oral samples showed higher percentual of P. gingivalis in healthy pregnant women (p=0.004). The clinical and microbiological study during pregnancy showed comparable incidence of periodontal disease between women with rheumatic valve disease and healthy women.

  17. Previously unidentified changes in renal cell carcinoma gene expression identified by parametric analysis of microarray data

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lenburg, Marc E; Liou, Louis S; Gerry, Norman P; Frampton, Garrett M; Cohen, Herbert T; Christman, Michael F

    2003-01-01

    Renal cell carcinoma is a common malignancy that often presents as a metastatic-disease for which there are no effective treatments. To gain insights into the mechanism of renal cell carcinogenesis, a number of genome-wide expression profiling studies have been performed. Surprisingly, there is very poor agreement among these studies as to which genes are differentially regulated. To better understand this lack of agreement we profiled renal cell tumor gene expression using genome-wide microarrays (45,000 probe sets) and compare our analysis to previous microarray studies. We hybridized total RNA isolated from renal cell tumors and adjacent normal tissue to Affymetrix U133A and U133B arrays. We removed samples with technical defects and removed probesets that failed to exhibit sequence-specific hybridization in any of the samples. We detected differential gene expression in the resulting dataset with parametric methods and identified keywords that are overrepresented in the differentially expressed genes with the Fisher-exact test. We identify 1,234 genes that are more than three-fold changed in renal tumors by t-test, 800 of which have not been previously reported to be altered in renal cell tumors. Of the only 37 genes that have been identified as being differentially expressed in three or more of five previous microarray studies of renal tumor gene expression, our analysis finds 33 of these genes (89%). A key to the sensitivity and power of our analysis is filtering out defective samples and genes that are not reliably detected. The widespread use of sample-wise voting schemes for detecting differential expression that do not control for false positives likely account for the poor overlap among previous studies. Among the many genes we identified using parametric methods that were not previously reported as being differentially expressed in renal cell tumors are several oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes that likely play important roles in renal cell

  18. A cross-sectional survey to study the relationship of periodontal disease with cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and diabetes mellitus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oberoi, Sukhvinder Singh; Harish, Yashoda; Hiremath, Shivalingaswamy; Puranik, Manjunath

    2016-01-01

    Periodontal deterioration has been reported to be associated with systemic diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes mellitus, respiratory disease, liver cirrhosis, bacterial pneumonia, nutritional deficiencies, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. The present study assessed the periodontal disease among patients with systemic conditions such as diabetes, CVD, and respiratory disease. The study population consisted of 220 patients each of CVD, respiratory disease, and diabetes mellitus, making a total of 660 patients in the systemic disease group. A control group of 340 subjects were also included in the study for comparison purpose. The periodontal status of the patients with these confirmed medical conditions was assessed using the community periodontal index of treatment needs (CPITNs) index. The prevalence of CPITN code 4 was found to be greater among the patients with respiratory disease whereas the mean number of sextants with score 4 was found to be greater among the patients with diabetes mellitus and CVD. The treatment need 0 was found to be more among the controls (1.18%) whereas the treatment need 1, 2, and 3 were more among the patients with respiratory disease (100%, 97.73%, and 54.8%), diabetes mellitus (100%, 100% and 46.4%), and CVD (100%, 97.73%, and 38.1%), in comparison to the controls (6.18%). From the findings of the present study, it can be concluded that diabetes mellitus, CVD, and respiratory disease are associated with a higher severity of periodontal disease.

  19. A cross-sectional survey to study the relationship of periodontal disease with cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, and diabetes mellitus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sukhvinder Singh Oberoi

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Periodontal deterioration has been reported to be associated with systemic diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD, diabetes mellitus, respiratory disease, liver cirrhosis, bacterial pneumonia, nutritional deficiencies, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Aim: The present study assessed the periodontal disease among patients with systemic conditions such as diabetes, CVD, and respiratory disease. Materials and Methods: The study population consisted of 220 patients each of CVD, respiratory disease, and diabetes mellitus, making a total of 660 patients in the systemic disease group. A control group of 340 subjects were also included in the study for comparison purpose. The periodontal status of the patients with these confirmed medical conditions was assessed using the community periodontal index of treatment needs (CPITNs index. Results: The prevalence of CPITN code 4 was found to be greater among the patients with respiratory disease whereas the mean number of sextants with score 4 was found to be greater among the patients with diabetes mellitus and CVD. The treatment need 0 was found to be more among the controls (1.18% whereas the treatment need 1, 2, and 3 were more among the patients with respiratory disease (100%, 97.73%, and 54.8%, diabetes mellitus (100%, 100% and 46.4%, and CVD (100%, 97.73%, and 38.1%, in comparison to the controls (6.18%. Conclusion: From the findings of the present study, it can be concluded that diabetes mellitus, CVD, and respiratory disease are associated with a higher severity of periodontal disease.

  20. DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF REPRODUCTIVE DISORDERS IN MEN AFTER PREVIOUS SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES

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    S. N. Kalininа

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Study of the efficacy and safety of natural complex multi-component biologically active additives (BAA to food Spermstrong and Testogenona in the diagnosis and treating 63 men with reproductive disorders after illness, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs. During the 12 weeks 41 patients the primary group assigned Spermstrongom combination therapy in combination with Testogenonom, 22 patient control group received only Spermstrong. Immediate treatment results evaluated through 4 weeks and distant through 12 weeks after stopping treatment. It has been established that the appointment of a combination therapy of complex components Spermstrong and Testogenon was statistically significantly increases the effectiveness of treatment. In the main group was marked by a more pronounced positive clinical effect through 12 weeks after treatment in 84.5 % of patients receiving combination therapy (increase the concentration and mobility of spermatozoa to normozoospermii, increase testosterone levels to normal values, improving the quality of erections, improve blood flow in the prostate gland, testes, in the control group who received Spermstrong, the effect is achieved in two times fewer patients, i. e. normozoospermija in 40.9 % have patients. The results confirm that the components of the Spermstrong complexes and Testogenon in combination therapy is effective, safe, have no side effects and can be used in complex treatment of reproductive disorders in men who have STDs, as well as for prophylaxis of incremental sexual glands: prostate, testicules and improve sexual function. 

  1. Predicting Radiation Pneumonitis After Stereotactic Ablative Radiation Therapy in Patients Previously Treated With Conventional Thoracic Radiation Therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu Hui; Zhang Xu; Vinogradskiy, Yevgeniy Y.; Swisher, Stephen G.; Komaki, Ritsuko; Chang, Joe Y.

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: To determine the incidence of and risk factors for radiation pneumonitis (RP) after stereotactic ablative radiation therapy (SABR) to the lung in patients who had previously undergone conventional thoracic radiation therapy. Methods and Materials: Seventy-two patients who had previously received conventionally fractionated radiation therapy to the thorax were treated with SABR (50 Gy in 4 fractions) for recurrent disease or secondary parenchymal lung cancer (T 10 and mean lung dose (MLD) of the previous plan and the V 10 -V 40 and MLD of the composite plan were also related to RP. Multivariate analysis revealed that ECOG PS scores of 2-3 before SABR (P=.009), FEV1 ≤65% before SABR (P=.012), V 20 ≥30% of the composite plan (P=.021), and an initial PTV in the bilateral mediastinum (P=.025) were all associated with RP. Conclusions: We found that severe RP was relatively common, occurring in 20.8% of patients, and could be predicted by an ECOG PS score of 2-3, an FEV1 ≤65%, a previous PTV spanning the bilateral mediastinum, and V 20 ≥30% on composite (previous RT+SABR) plans. Prospective studies are needed to validate these predictors and the scoring system on which they are based.

  2. A diagnostic dilemma: Left-sided appendicitis in a 10 year old boy with previously undiagnosed intestinal malrotation. A case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashvini Shekhar

    2015-01-01

    Conclusion: Left sided acute appendicitis is a diagnostic dilemma, thus often leading to management delays. It is pertinent to remember that malrotation of the gut is more common than previously thought, and not just a disease of infancy. It is advisable to consider imaging studies while balancing the risk-benefit-ratio of radiation exposure, especially in paediatric cases to cinch the diagnosis.

  3. Th17 response and autophagy - main pathways implicated in the development of inflammatory bowel disease by genome-wide association studies: new factors involved in inflammatory bowel disease susceptibility

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roberto Díaz-Peña

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD is an entity that mainly includes ulcerative colitis (UC and Crohn's disease (CD. Improved health care, diet changes, and higher industrialization are associated with an increase in IBD prevalence. This supports the central role of environmental factors in the pathology of this disease. However, IBD also shows a relevant genetic component as shown by high heritability. Classic genetic studies showed relevant associations between IBD susceptibility and genes involved in the immune response. This is consistent with prior theories about IBD development. According to these, contact of the immune system with a high number of harmless antigens from the diet and the bacterial flora should originate tolerance while preserving response against pathogens. Failure to achieve this balance may originate the typical inflammatory response associated with IBD. Recently, genome-wide association studies (GWASs have confirmed the implication of the immune system, particularly the Th17 immune response, previously associated to other autoimmune diseases, and of autophagy. In this paper, the mechanisms involved in these two relevant pathways and their potential role in the pathogenesis of IBD are reviewed.

  4. Patient-centered disease management (PCDM) for heart failure: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bekelman, David B; Plomondon, Mary E; Sullivan, Mark D; Nelson, Karin; Hattler, Brack; McBryde, Connor; Lehmann, Kenneth G; Potfay, Jonathan; Heidenreich, Paul; Rumsfeld, John S

    2013-07-09

    Chronic heart failure (HF) disease management programs have reported inconsistent results and have not included comorbid depression management or specifically focused on improving patient-reported outcomes. The Patient Centered Disease Management (PCDM) trial was designed to test the effectiveness of collaborative care disease management in improving health status (symptoms, functioning, and quality of life) in patients with HF who reported poor HF-specific health status. Patients with a HF diagnosis at four VA Medical Centers were identified through population-based sampling. Patients with a Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ, a measure of HF-specific health status) score of patients were randomized to receive usual care or the PCDM intervention, which included: (1) collaborative care management by VA clinicians including a nurse, cardiologist, internist, and psychiatrist, who worked with patients and their primary care providers to provide guideline-concordant care management, (2) home telemonitoring and guided patient self-management support, and (3) screening and treatment for comorbid depression. The primary study outcome is change in overall KCCQ score. Secondary outcomes include depression, medication adherence, guideline-based care, hospitalizations, and mortality. The PCDM trial builds on previous studies of HF disease management by prioritizing patient health status, implementing a collaborative care model of health care delivery, and addressing depression, a key barrier to optimal disease management. The study has been designed as an 'effectiveness trial' to support broader implementation in the healthcare system if it is successful. Unique identifier: NCT00461513.

  5. Metabolomic study of lipids in serum for biomarker discovery in Alzheimer's disease using direct infusion mass spectrometry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    González-Domínguez, R; García-Barrera, T; Gómez-Ariza, J L

    2014-09-01

    In this study, we demonstrated the potential of direct infusion mass spectrometry for the lipidomic characterization of Alzheimer's disease. Serum samples were extracted for lipids recovery, and directly analyzed using an electrospray source. Metabolomic fingerprints were subjected to multivariate analysis in order to discriminate between groups of patients and healthy controls, and then some key-compounds were identified as possible markers of Alzheimer's disease. Major differences were found in lipids, although some low molecular weight metabolites also showed significant changes. Thus, important metabolic pathways involved in neurodegeneration could be studied on the basis of these perturbations, such as membrane breakdown (phospholipids and diacylglycerols), oxidative stress (prostaglandins, imidazole and histidine), alterations in neurotransmission systems (oleamide and putrescine) and hyperammonaemia (guanidine and arginine). Moreover, it is noteworthy that some of these potential biomarkers have not been previously described for Alzheimer's disease. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Karyotype in secondary hematologic disorders after treatment for Hodgkin's disease. A study of 19 patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iurlo, A.; Mecucci, C.; Van Orshoven, A.; Michaux, J.L.; Boogaerts, M.; Van den Berghe, H.

    1988-01-01

    In 19 cases of secondary hematologic disorders in patients previously treated for Hodgkin's disease, chromosome aberrations were analyzed in relation to the type of previous chemo- and/or radiotherapy, age of the patients, histopathologic features of the Hodgkin's disease at diagnosis, time interval between the treatment and the occurrence of the secondary disorder, and survival. The karyotype was of significant prognostic value when three cytogenetic groups were considered: patients with normal karyotypes; patients with aberrations of chromosome 7 as the sole anomaly; and patients with complex rearrangements and translocations. The last group showed the lowest rate of survival. Bone marrow transplantation was successful in two patients with a normal karyotype

  7. Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire Score Is Associated With Incident Heart Failure Hospitalization in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease Without Previously Diagnosed Heart Failure: Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mishra, Rakesh K; Yang, Wei; Roy, Jason; Anderson, Amanda H; Bansal, Nisha; Chen, Jing; DeFilippi, Christopher; Delafontaine, Patrice; Feldman, Harold I; Kallem, Radhakrishna; Kusek, John W; Lora, Claudia M; Rosas, Sylvia E; Go, Alan S; Shlipak, Michael G

    2015-07-01

    Chronic kidney disease is a risk factor for heart failure (HF). Patients with chronic kidney disease without diagnosed HF have an increased burden of symptoms characteristic of HF. It is not known whether these symptoms are associated with occurrence of new onset HF. We studied the association of a modified Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire with newly identified cases of hospitalized HF among 3093 participants enrolled in the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) Study who did not report HF at baseline. The annually updated Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire score was categorized into quartiles (Q1-4) with the lower scores representing the worse symptoms. Multivariable-adjusted repeated measure logistic regression models were adjusted for demographic characteristics, clinical risk factors for HF, N-terminal probrain natriuretic peptide level and left ventricular hypertrophy, left ventricular systolic and diastolic dysfunction. Over a mean (±SD) follow-up period of 4.3±1.6 years, there were 211 new cases of HF hospitalizations. The risk of HF hospitalization increased with increasing symptom quartiles; 2.62, 1.85, 1.14, and 0.74 events per 100 person-years, respectively. The median number of annual Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire assessments per participant was 5 (interquartile range, 3-6). The annually updated Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire score was independently associated with higher risk of incident HF hospitalization in multivariable-adjusted models (odds ratio, 3.30 [1.66-6.52]; P=0.001 for Q1 compared with Q4). Symptoms characteristic of HF are common in patients with chronic kidney disease and are associated with higher short-term risk for new hospitalization for HF, independent of level of kidney function, and other known HF risk factors. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

  8. Autobiographical memory in Parkinson's disease: a retrieval deficit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Souchay, Celine; Smith, Sarah Jane

    2013-09-01

    This study examined the effects of providing cues to facilitate autobiographical memory retrieval in Parkinson's disease. Previous findings have shown that individuals with Parkinson's disease retrieve fewer specific autobiographical memories than older adult controls. These findings are clinically significant since the quality of autobiographical memory is linked to identity and sense of self. In the current study, 16 older adults with Parkinson's disease without dementia and 16 matched older adult controls were given 3 min in which to recall autobiographical memories associated with five different time periods and to give each memory a short title. Participants were later asked to retrieve the memories in three phases: firstly in a free recall phase; secondly in response to general cues (time periods) and finally in response to specific cues (the short titles previously given). The number of memories and the quality of the memory (general or specific) was recorded in each condition. Compared with matched older adult controls, the Parkinson's disease group was impaired in retrieving the memories that they had previously given in the free recall phase and in response to general cues. The performance of the group with Parkinson's disease was only equivalent to the older adults when they retrieved memories in response to self-generated cues. The findings are discussed in relation to theories of autobiographical memory and the neuropsychology of Parkinson's disease. © 2013 The British Psychological Society.

  9. Reproductive life events and Alzheimer’s disease in Italian women: a retrospective study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bono G

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available Chiara Zucchella,1 Elena Sinforiani,1 Antonietta Citterio,1 Valentina Giarracca,2 Giorgio Bono,2 Marco Mauri21IRCCS National Neurological Institute, C Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy; 2Department of Neurology, Ospedale di Circolo/Università dell’Insubria, Varese, ItalyAbstract: The aim of our study was to understand the complex relationship between the major reproductive life events in women with Alzheimer’s disease. In a retrospective, case-control study, 275 women with Alzheimer’s disease (AD and 276 control patients from a hospital population were enrolled from July 2007 to December 2010. The AD patients presented with later menopause (P < 0.01, lower occurrence of surgical menopause (P < 0.04, reduced hormone-replacement therapy intake (P < 0.0001, and a longer reproductive life span (P < 0.01, compared to controls. No significant differences were found with respect to age at puberty, number of pregnancies, previous abortions, or contraceptive therapy. A higher education level appeared to have a protective role against the risk of developing AD. In women, menopause and hormone-replacement therapy can differentially modulate the clinical manifestations of AD, but these factors do not play a predictive role in its development.Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, gender, menopause, hormone-replacement therapy, surgical menopause, education

  10. Positive deviance study to inform a Chagas disease control program in southern Ecuador.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nieto-Sanchez, Claudia; Baus, Esteban G; Guerrero, Darwin; Grijalva, Mario J

    2015-05-01

    Chagas disease is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, which is mainly transmitted by the faeces of triatomine insects that find favourable environments in poorly constructed houses. Previous studies have documented persistent triatomine infestation in houses in the province of Loja in southern Ecuador despite repeated insecticide and educational interventions. We aim to develop a sustainable strategy for the interruption of Chagas disease transmission by promoting living environments that are designed to prevent colonisation of rural houses by triatomines. This study used positive deviance to inform the design of an anti-triatomine prototype house by identifying knowledge, attitudes and practices used by families that have remained triatomine-free (2010-2012). Positive deviants reported practices that included maintenance of structural elements of the house, fumigation of dwellings and animal shelters, sweeping with "insect repellent" plants and relocation of domestic animals away from the house, among others. Participants favoured construction materials that do not drastically differ from those currently used (adobe walls and tile roofs). They also expressed their belief in a clear connection between a clean house and health. The family's economic dynamics affect space use and must be considered in the prototype's design. Overall, the results indicate a positive climate for the introduction of housing improvements as a protective measure against Chagas disease in this region.

  11. Central Pain Processing in Early-Stage Parkinson's Disease: A Laser Pain fMRI Study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christine Petschow

    Full Text Available Pain is a common non-motor symptom in Parkinson's disease. As dopaminergic dysfunction is suggested to affect intrinsic nociceptive processing, this study was designed to characterize laser-induced pain processing in early-stage Parkinson's disease patients in the dopaminergic OFF state, using a multimodal experimental approach at behavioral, autonomic, imaging levels.13 right-handed early-stage Parkinson's disease patients without cognitive or sensory impairment were investigated OFF medication, along with 13 age-matched healthy control subjects. Measurements included warmth perception thresholds, heat pain thresholds, and central pain processing with event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (erfMRI during laser-induced pain stimulation at lower (E = 440 mJ and higher (E = 640 mJ target energies. Additionally, electrodermal activity was characterized during delivery of 60 randomized pain stimuli ranging from 440 mJ to 640 mJ, along with evaluation of subjective pain ratings on a visual analogue scale.No significant differences in warmth perception thresholds, heat pain thresholds, electrodermal activity and subjective pain ratings were found between Parkinson's disease patients and controls, and erfMRI revealed a generally comparable activation pattern induced by laser-pain stimuli in brain areas belonging to the central pain matrix. However, relatively reduced deactivation was found in Parkinson's disease patients in posterior regions of the default mode network, notably the precuneus and the posterior cingulate cortex.Our data during pain processing extend previous findings suggesting default mode network dysfunction in Parkinson's disease. On the other hand, they argue against a genuine pain-specific processing abnormality in early-stage Parkinson's disease. Future studies are now required using similar multimodal experimental designs to examine pain processing in more advanced stages of Parkinson's disease.

  12. Myocardial perfusion studies in coronary diseases

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mut, Fernando

    1994-01-01

    For detecting in precocious form a coronary disease is necessary to apply a diagnostic techniques. The main considerations to be indicated in the present work are: physiological considerations, myocardial perfusion studies with radiotracers such as Talio 201, 99mTc, MIBI, 99mTc-Teboroxima, 99mTc-Fosfinas, instrumentation for obtain good images,proceedings protocols, studies interpretation, standards, SPECT, anomalies standards, coronary diseases

  13. Prevention of congenital Chagas disease by Benznidazole treatment in reproductive-age women. An observational study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Álvarez, María G; Vigliano, Carlos; Lococo, Bruno; Bertocchi, Graciela; Viotti, Rodolfo

    2017-10-01

    Since the decline in new cases of infection by insect/vector, congenital Chagas disease has become more relevant in the transmission of Chagas disease. Treatment with benznidazole significantly reduces the parasitemia, which constitutes an important factor linked to vertical transmission. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether treatment with benznidazole previously administered to women of childbearing age can prevent or reduce the incidence of new cases of congenital Chagas disease. An historical cohort study that included all women in reproductive age (15-45 years) assisted in our center was designed. We included 67 mothers with chronic Chagas disease; 35 women had not been treated prior to pregnancy, 15 had been treated prior to pregnancy and 17 gave birth prior and after treatment with benznidazole. Eight mothers gave birth to 16 children with congenital Chagas disease (8/67, 12%). The prevalence of congenital Chagas was 16/114 (14%) children born to untreated mothers and 0/42 (0%) children born to benznidazole- treated mothers, p=0.01. No significant differences were observed in clinical, serologic, epidemiological or socioeconomic baseline variables between mothers with and without children born with congenital Chagas. A 32% conversion rate to negative serology was observed in benznidazole-treated women after long-term follow up. Antiparasitic treatment administered to women in reproductive age can prevent the occurrence of congenital Chagas disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. The prevalence of osteoporosis in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a cross sectional study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, N R; Schwarz, Peter; Holme, I

    2007-01-01

    Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex disease, where the initial symptoms are often cough as a result of excessive mucus production and dyspnea. With disease progression several other symptoms may develop, and patients with moderate to severe COPD have often multiorganic disease...... sufficient daily intake of calcium and vitamin D. In 15 patients, X-ray revealed compression fractures previously not diagnosed. Bone density measurements showed osteoporosis in 22 patients and osteopenia in 16. In total, 26 of the COPD patients were osteoporotic as evaluated from both X-ray and bone density...

  15. Prevalence of periodontal disease in children with leukemia disease and thalassemia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hardianti Maulidita

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Various periodontal disease can occur in children and adolescents. Some can take place quickly and periodontal tissue damage. Several previous studies indicate that systemic diseases associated with periodontal disease in children. This study aims to determine the prevalence of periodontal disease in children with leukemia and thalassemia. The design study is a cross-sectional approach. Periodontal pocket depth measurements performed using the WHO standard of measurement. The samples in this study were drawn from the entire population using accidental sampling method. Sampled population was pediatric patients with leukemia and thalassemia. These patients were undergoing treatment in hospital Wahidin Sudirohusodo Hospital Makassar. During the study, children with leukemia as many as 18 patients and children with thalassemia by 8 patients. Distribution of pediatric patients suffering from leukemia by CPITN score; score of 2 as many as 10 patients (55.6%, a score of 1 as 6 patients (33.3%, and  score of 0 as many as 2 patients (11.1%. CPITN score in children with thalassemia; scores 2 in 1 patient (12.5%, a score of 1 as 6 patients (75%, and score of 0 by 1 patient (12.5%. Children who have leukemia and thalassemia, showed the rate of occurrence of different periodontal disease. Children with leukemia shows the level of periodontal disease is higher than in children with thalassemia disease.

  16. Coronary artery disease in patients with cerebrovascular disease: a prospective study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rokey, R.; Rolak, L.A.; Harati, Y.; Kutka, N.; Verani, M.S.

    1984-01-01

    Coronary artery disease is the cause of death in most patients who have transient ischemic attacks or stroke. Evaluation for this condition is not routinely performed in such patients, and no prospective studies have been reported. We prospectively examined 50 consecutive patients with transient ischemic attacks or mild stroke to determine the prevalence and importance of coronary artery disease. All patients were examined by a cardiologist and underwent both exercise thallium-201 scintigraphy and exercise radionuclide ventriculography. Sixteen patients were suspected to have coronary artery disease on the basis of clinical evaluation. In 15 of these the was confirmed by the nuclear scans. The remaining 34 patients had no clinical evidence of heart disease, yet 14 had abnormal cardiac scans. Twenty of 22 patients with abnormal scans who underwent cardiac catheterization had significant coronary artery disease or a cardiomyopathy. The discovery of heart disease altered clinical management in 13 patients. Overall, 29 of 50 patients had significant coronary artery disease, compared with a 7% prevalence of the condition in other patients of similar age at the same institution

  17. CT study in Alzheimer's disease

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Arai, Heii; Kobayashi, Kazunari; Ikeda, Kenji; Nagao, Yoshiko; Ogihara, Ryuji; Kosaka, Kenji [Tokyo Metropolitan Matsuzawa Hospital (Japan)

    1983-01-01

    Cerebral atrophy on CT was studied in 18 patients with clinically diagnosed Alzheimer's disease and in 14 healthy age-matched subjects as the control. The patients with Alzheimer's disease were divided into three groups of Stages I, II and III, according to their clinical symptoms. The study of the measurement method disclosed that the computerized measurement involving calculation of the number of pixels contained within the range of the designated CT numbers is liable to produce errors for the determination of the subarachnoid spaces and the ventricles with calcified colloid plexus. Therefore, for the present study was the method adopted, in which the subarachnoid spaces and the ventricles are measured based on the number of pixels contained in the region of interest by tracing them on the display monitor. Then, both Subarachnoid Space Volume Index (SVI) and Ventricle Volume Index (VVI) were calculated as the indices for cortical atrophy and ventricular dilatation in a slice through the level of the foramen interventriculare Monroi and other three successive ones through upper regions. Cerebral atrophy observed on CT in Alzheimer patients is attributable to Alzheimer's disease processes, rather than to physiological aging of the brain. The degree of the atrophy increases in proportion to the clinical stage, and cortical atrophy is apparent even at Stage I, whereas ventricular dilatation becomes pronounced at later stage. CT is one of effective clinical tests for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.

  18. CT study in Alzheimer's disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arai, Heii; Kobayashi, Kazunari; Ikeda, Kenji; Nagao, Yoshiko; Ogihara, Ryuji; Kosaka, Kenji

    1983-01-01

    Cerebral atrophy on CT was studied in 18 patients with clinically diagnosed Alzheimer's disease and in 14 healthy age-matched subjects as the control. The patients with Alzheimer's disease were divided into three groups of Stages I, Ii and III, according to their clinical symptoms. The study of the measurement method disclosed that the computerized measurement involving calculation of the number of pixels contained within the range of the designated CT numbers is liable to produce errors for the determination of the subarachnoid spaces and the ventricles with calcified colloid plexus. Therefor, for the present study was the method adopted, in which the subarachnoid spaces and the ventricles are measured based on the number of pixels contained in the region of interest by tracing them on the display monitor. Then, both Subarachnoid Space Volume Index (SVI) and Ventricle Volume Index (VVI) were calculated as the indices for cortical atrophy and ventricular dilatation in a slice through the level of the foramen interventriculare Monroi and other three successive ones through upper regions. Cerebral atrophy observed on CT in Alzheimer patients is attributable to Alzheimer's disease processes, rather than to physiological aging of the brain. The degree of the atrophy increases in proportion to the clinical stage, and cortical atrophy is apparent even at Stage I, whereas ventricular dilatation becomes pronounced at later stage. CT is one of effective clinical tests for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. (J.P.N.)

  19. Case-control study for colorectal cancer genetic susceptibility in EPICOLON: previously identified variants and mucins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moreno Victor

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Colorectal cancer (CRC is the second leading cause of cancer death in developed countries. Familial aggregation in CRC is also important outside syndromic forms and, in this case, a polygenic model with several common low-penetrance alleles contributing to CRC genetic predisposition could be hypothesized. Mucins and GALNTs (N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase are interesting candidates for CRC genetic susceptibility and have not been previously evaluated. We present results for ten genetic variants linked to CRC risk in previous studies (previously identified category and 18 selected variants from the mucin gene family in a case-control association study from the Spanish EPICOLON consortium. Methods CRC cases and matched controls were from EPICOLON, a prospective, multicenter, nationwide Spanish initiative, comprised of two independent stages. Stage 1 corresponded to 515 CRC cases and 515 controls, whereas stage 2 consisted of 901 CRC cases and 909 controls. Also, an independent cohort of 549 CRC cases and 599 controls outside EPICOLON was available for additional replication. Genotyping was performed for ten previously identified SNPs in ADH1C, APC, CCDN1, IL6, IL8, IRS1, MTHFR, PPARG, VDR and ARL11, and 18 selected variants in the mucin gene family. Results None of the 28 SNPs analyzed in our study was found to be associated with CRC risk. Although four SNPs were significant with a P-value ADH1C (OR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.06-2.50, P-value = 0.02, recessive, rs1800795 in IL6 (OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.10-2.37, P-value = 0.01, recessive, rs3803185 in ARL11 (OR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.17-2.15, P-value = 0.007, codominant, and rs2102302 in GALNTL2 (OR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.00-1.44, P-value = 0.04, log-additive 0, 1, 2 alleles], only rs3803185 achieved statistical significance in EPICOLON stage 2 (OR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.06-1.69, P-value = 0.01, recessive. In the joint analysis for both stages, results were only significant for rs3803185 (OR = 1

  20. Case-control study for colorectal cancer genetic susceptibility in EPICOLON: previously identified variants and mucins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abulí, Anna; Morillas, Juan D; Rigau, Joaquim; Latorre, Mercedes; Fernández-Bañares, Fernando; Peña, Elena; Riestra, Sabino; Payá, Artemio; Jover, Rodrigo; Xicola, Rosa M; Llor, Xavier; Fernández-Rozadilla, Ceres; Carvajal-Carmona, Luis; Villanueva, Cristina M; Moreno, Victor; Piqué, Josep M; Carracedo, Angel; Castells, Antoni; Andreu, Montserrat; Ruiz-Ponte, Clara; Castellví-Bel, Sergi; Alonso-Espinaco, Virginia; Muñoz, Jenifer; Gonzalo, Victoria; Bessa, Xavier; González, Dolors; Clofent, Joan; Cubiella, Joaquin

    2011-01-01

    Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death in developed countries. Familial aggregation in CRC is also important outside syndromic forms and, in this case, a polygenic model with several common low-penetrance alleles contributing to CRC genetic predisposition could be hypothesized. Mucins and GALNTs (N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase) are interesting candidates for CRC genetic susceptibility and have not been previously evaluated. We present results for ten genetic variants linked to CRC risk in previous studies (previously identified category) and 18 selected variants from the mucin gene family in a case-control association study from the Spanish EPICOLON consortium. CRC cases and matched controls were from EPICOLON, a prospective, multicenter, nationwide Spanish initiative, comprised of two independent stages. Stage 1 corresponded to 515 CRC cases and 515 controls, whereas stage 2 consisted of 901 CRC cases and 909 controls. Also, an independent cohort of 549 CRC cases and 599 controls outside EPICOLON was available for additional replication. Genotyping was performed for ten previously identified SNPs in ADH1C, APC, CCDN1, IL6, IL8, IRS1, MTHFR, PPARG, VDR and ARL11, and 18 selected variants in the mucin gene family. None of the 28 SNPs analyzed in our study was found to be associated with CRC risk. Although four SNPs were significant with a P-value < 0.05 in EPICOLON stage 1 [rs698 in ADH1C (OR = 1.63, 95% CI = 1.06-2.50, P-value = 0.02, recessive), rs1800795 in IL6 (OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.10-2.37, P-value = 0.01, recessive), rs3803185 in ARL11 (OR = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.17-2.15, P-value = 0.007, codominant), and rs2102302 in GALNTL2 (OR = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.00-1.44, P-value = 0.04, log-additive 0, 1, 2 alleles], only rs3803185 achieved statistical significance in EPICOLON stage 2 (OR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.06-1.69, P-value = 0.01, recessive). In the joint analysis for both stages, results were only significant for rs3803185 (OR = 1.12, 95% CI = 1

  1. Chronic disease management in general practice: results from a national study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Darker, C; Martin, C; O'Dowd, T; O'Kelly, F; O'Shea, B

    2012-04-01

    The aim of this study was to provide baseline data on chronic disease management (CDM) provision in Irish general practice (GP). The survey instrument was previously used in a study of primary care physicians in 11 countries, thus allowing international comparisons. The response rate was 72% (380/527).The majority of GPs (240/380; 63%) reported significant changes are needed in our health care system to make CDM work better. Small numbers of routine clinical audits are being performed (95/380; 25%). Irish GPs use evidence based guidelines for treatment of diabetes (267/380; 71%), asthma / COPD (279/380; 74%) and hypertension (297/380; 79%), to the same extent as international counterparts. Barriers to delivering chronic care include increased workload (379/380; 99%), lack of appropriate funding (286/380; 76%), with GPs interested in targeted payments (244/380; 68%). This study provides baseline data to assess future changes in CDM.

  2. Chronic disease management in general practice: results from a national study.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Darker, C

    2012-04-01

    The aim of this study was to provide baseline data on chronic disease management (CDM) provision in Irish general practice (GP). The survey instrument was previously used in a study of primary care physicians in 11 countries, thus allowing international comparisons. The response rate was 72% (380\\/527).The majority of GPs (240\\/380; 63%) reported significant changes are needed in our health care system to make CDM work better. Small numbers of routine clinical audits are being performed (95\\/380; 25%). Irish GPs use evidence based guidelines for treatment of diabetes (267\\/380; 71%), asthma \\/ COPD (279\\/380; 74%) and hypertension (297\\/380; 79%), to the same extent as international counterparts. Barriers to delivering chronic care include increased workload (379\\/380; 99%), lack of appropriate funding (286\\/380; 76%), with GPs interested in targeted payments (244\\/380; 68%). This study provides baseline data to assess future changes in CDM.

  3. Cardiometabolic factors and disease duration in patients with Parkinson's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cassani, Erica; Cereda, Emanuele; Barichella, Michela; Madio, Carmen; Cancello, Raffaella; Caccialanza, Riccardo; Zini, Michela; Cilia, Roberto; Pezzoli, Gianni

    2013-01-01

    Previous studies have reported that patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) have a favorable cardiometabolic risk profile. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between cardiometabolic risk factors and the duration of disease. One hundred and fifty patients with PD (56.7% men) were studied, measuring body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), body fat percentage (BF%) by impedance, fasting glucose, serum lipids, and transaminases. In sex- and age-adjusted correlation models, duration of PD was inversely related to BMI (r = -0.20; P HDL) levels were positively correlated with disease duration (P HDL-cholesterol ratio was also inversely associated with duration of PD (P HDL levels and total HDL-cholesterol ratio were favorably associated with duration of PD. This factor may contribute to cardiometabolic protection in PD. The mechanisms underlying this association deserve further investigation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  4. Diabetes and the risk of developing Parkinson's disease in Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Schernhammer, Eva; Hansen, Johnni; Rugbjerg, Kathrine

    2011-01-01

    Insulin contributes to normal brain function. Previous studies have suggested associations between midlife diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease. Using Danish population registers, we investigated whether a history of diabetes or the use of antidiabetes drugs...... was associated with Parkinson's disease....

  5. Increasing prevalence and high incidence of celiac disease in elderly people: a population-based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vilppula, Anitta; Kaukinen, Katri; Luostarinen, Liisa; Krekelä, Ilkka; Patrikainen, Heikki; Valve, Raisa; Mäki, Markku; Collin, Pekka

    2009-06-29

    Celiac disease may emerge at any age, but little is known of its appearance in elderly people. We evaluated the prevalence of the condition in individuals over 55 years of age, and determined the incidence of biopsy-proven celiac disease (CDb) and celiac disease including seropositive subjects for anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies (CDb+s). The study based on prevalence figures in 2815 randomly selected subjects who had undergone a clinical examination and serologic screening for celiac disease in 2002. A second screening in the same population was carried out in 2005, comprising now 2216 individuals. Positive tissue transglutaminase antibodies were confirmed with small bowel biopsy. Within three years the prevalence of CDb increased from 2.13 to 2.34%, and that of CDb+s from 2.45 to 2.70%. Five new cases were found among patients previously seronegative; two had minor abdominal symptoms and three were asymptomatic. The incidence of celiac disease in 2002-2005 was 0.23%, giving an annual incidence of 0.08% in this population. The prevalence of celiac disease was high in elderly people, but the symptoms were subtle. Repeated screening detected five biopsy-proven cases in three years, indicating that the disorder may develop even in the elderly. Increased alertness to the disorder is therefore warranted.

  6. Link Between Celiac Disease and Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shah, Ayesha; Walker, Marjorie; Burger, Daniel; Martin, Neal; von Wulffen, Moritz; Koloski, Natasha; Jones, Mike; Talley, Nicholas J; Holtmann, Gerald J

    2018-05-14

    The aim of this analysis was to assess in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) the risk of celiac disease and in celiac disease patients the risk of IBD. Previous studies report a possible association between IBD and celiac disease; however, this link is controversial. Using the search terms "inflammatory bowel disease" and "celiac disease," we identified initially 1525 publications. In total 27 studies met inclusion criteria. Proportions and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the prevalence of IBD in celiac disease and vice versa were compared with published prevalence rates for the respective geographic regions. We included 41,482 adult IBD patients (20,357 with Crohn's disease; 19,791 with ulcerative colitis; and 459 patients with celiac disease). Overall, in IBD patients the prevalence of celiac disease was 1110/100,000 (95% CI, 1010-1210/100,000) as compared with a prevalence of 620/100,000 (95% CI, 610-630/100,000) in the respective populations (odds ratio, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.99-2.50). In contrast, in patients with celiac disease, 2130/100,000 had IBD (95% CI, 1590-2670/100,000) as compared with 260/100,000 (95% CI, 250/100,000-270/100,000) in the respective populations (odds ratio, 11.10; 95% CI, 8.55-14.40). This effect was not different for ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Although there was no evidence for publication bias for celiac disease in IBD, the funnel plot suggested that the association between IBD in celiac disease might be influenced by publication bias. The data are consistent with the notion that celiac disease is a risk factor for IBD and to lesser degree patients with IBD have an increased risk of celiac disease.

  7. Short telomere length, lung function and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in 46,396 individuals

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Rode, Line; Bojesen, Stig Egil; Weischer, Maren

    2013-01-01

    A previous case-control study of 100 individuals found that short telomere length was associated with a 28-fold increased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).......A previous case-control study of 100 individuals found that short telomere length was associated with a 28-fold increased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)....

  8. A service development study of the assessment and management of fracture risk in Parkinson's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shribman, Samuel; Torsney, Kelli M; Noyce, Alastair J; Giovannoni, Gavin; Fearnley, Julian; Dobson, Ruth

    2014-06-01

    Parkinson's disease (PD) is associated with an increased risk of fragility fracture. FRAX and Qfracture are risk calculators that estimate the 10-year risk of hip and major fractures and guide definitive investigation for osteoporosis using dual X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) imaging. It is unclear which PD patients should be considered for fracture risk assessment and whether FRAX or Qfracture should be used. Seventy-seven patients with PD were recruited in the movement disorders clinic. Data were collected on PD-related characteristics and fracture risk scores were calculated. Patients with previous osteoporotic fractures had a higher incidence of falls (p = 0.0026) and use of bilateral walking aids (p = 0.0187) in addition to longer disease duration (p = 0.0037). Selecting patients with falls in combination with either disease duration >5 years, bilateral walking aids, or previous osteoporotic fracture distinguished patients with and without previous osteoporotic fracture with specificity 67.7 % (95 % CI 55.0-78.8) and sensitivity 100.0 % (95 % CI 73.5-100.0). Qfracture calculated significantly higher fracture risk scores than FRAX for hip (p < 0.0001) and major (p = 0.0008) fracture in PD patients. Receiver operating characteristic curves demonstrated that FRAX outperformed Qfracture with an area under the curve of 0.84 (95 % CI 0.70-0.97, p = 0.0004) for FRAX and 0.68 (95 % CI 52-86, p = 0.0476) for Qfracture major fracture risk calculators. We suggest that falls in combination with either a disease duration longer than 5 years or bilateral walking aids or previous osteoporotic fracture should be used as red flags in PD patients to prompt clinicians to perform a FRAX fracture risk assessment in the neurology clinic.

  9. Comprehensive genetic study of fatty acids helps explain the role of noncoding inflammatory bowel disease associated SNPs and fatty acid metabolism in disease pathogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jezernik, Gregor; Potočnik, Uroš

    2018-03-01

    Fatty acids and their derivatives play an important role in inflammation. Diet and genetics influence fatty acid profiles. Abnormalities of fatty acid profiles have been observed in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), a group of complex diseases defined by chronic gastrointestinal inflammation. IBD associated fatty acid profile abnormalities were observed independently of nutritional status or disease activity, suggesting a common genetic background. However, no study so far has attempted to look for overlap between IBD loci and fatty acid associated loci or investigate the genetics of fatty acid profiles in IBD. To this end, we conducted a comprehensive genetic study of fatty acid profiles in IBD using iCHIP, a custom microarray platform designed for deep sequencing of immune-mediated disease associated loci. This study identifies 10 loci associated with fatty acid profiles in IBD. The most significant associations were a locus near CBS (p = 7.62 × 10 -8 ) and a locus in LRRK2 (p = 1.4 × 10 -7 ). Of note, this study replicates the FADS gene cluster locus, previously associated with both fatty acid profiles and IBD pathogenesis. Furthermore, we identify 18 carbon chain trans-fatty acids (p = 1.12 × 10 -3 ), total trans-fatty acids (p = 4.49 × 10 -3 ), palmitic acid (p = 5.85 × 10 -3 ) and arachidonic acid (p = 8.58 × 10 -3 ) as significantly associated with IBD pathogenesis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. [Neurological disease and facial recognition].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kawamura, Mitsuru; Sugimoto, Azusa; Kobayakawa, Mutsutaka; Tsuruya, Natsuko

    2012-07-01

    To discuss the neurological basis of facial recognition, we present our case reports of impaired recognition and a review of previous literature. First, we present a case of infarction and discuss prosopagnosia, which has had a large impact on face recognition research. From a study of patient symptoms, we assume that prosopagnosia may be caused by unilateral right occipitotemporal lesion and right cerebral dominance of facial recognition. Further, circumscribed lesion and degenerative disease may also cause progressive prosopagnosia. Apperceptive prosopagnosia is observed in patients with posterior cortical atrophy (PCA), pathologically considered as Alzheimer's disease, and associative prosopagnosia in frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD). Second, we discuss face recognition as part of communication. Patients with Parkinson disease show social cognitive impairments, such as difficulty in facial expression recognition and deficits in theory of mind as detected by the reading the mind in the eyes test. Pathological and functional imaging studies indicate that social cognitive impairment in Parkinson disease is possibly related to damages in the amygdalae and surrounding limbic system. The social cognitive deficits can be observed in the early stages of Parkinson disease, and even in the prodromal stage, for example, patients with rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (RBD) show impairment in facial expression recognition. Further, patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM 1), which is a multisystem disease that mainly affects the muscles, show social cognitive impairment similar to that of Parkinson disease. Our previous study showed that facial expression recognition impairment of DM 1 patients is associated with lesion in the amygdalae and insulae. Our study results indicate that behaviors and personality traits in DM 1 patients, which are revealed by social cognitive impairment, are attributable to dysfunction of the limbic system.

  11. Copy Number Variations in a Population-Based Study of Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Helle Høyer

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Copy number variations (CNVs are important in relation to diversity and evolution but can sometimes cause disease. The most common genetic cause of the inherited peripheral neuropathy Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease is the PMP22 duplication; otherwise, CNVs have been considered rare. We investigated CNVs in a population-based sample of Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT families. The 81 CMT families had previously been screened for the PMP22 duplication and point mutations in 51 peripheral neuropathy genes, and a genetic cause was identified in 37 CMT families (46%. Index patients from the 44 CMT families with an unknown genetic diagnosis were analysed by whole-genome array comparative genomic hybridization to investigate the entire genome for larger CNVs and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification to detect smaller intragenomic CNVs in MFN2 and MPZ. One patient had the pathogenic PMP22 duplication not detected by previous methods. Three patients had potentially pathogenic CNVs in the CNTNAP2, LAMA2, or SEMA5A, that is, genes related to neuromuscular or neurodevelopmental disease. Genotype and phenotype correlation indicated likely pathogenicity for the LAMA2 CNV, whereas the CNTNAP2 and SEMA5A CNVs remained potentially pathogenic. Except the PMP22 duplication, disease causing CNVs are rare but may cause CMT in about 1% (95% CI 0–7% of the Norwegian CMT families.

  12. A New, Noninvasive Method of Measuring Impaired Pulmonary Gas Exchange in Lung Disease: An Outpatient Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    West, John B; Crouch, Daniel R; Fine, Janelle M; Makadia, Dipen; Wang, Daniel L; Prisk, G Kim

    2018-02-13

    It would be valuable to have a noninvasive method of measuring impaired pulmonary gas exchange in patients with lung disease and thus reduce the need for repeated arterial punctures. This study reports the results of using a new test in a group of outpatients attending a pulmonary clinic. Inspired and expired partial pressure of oxygen (PO 2 ) and Pco 2 are continually measured by small, rapidly responding analyzers. The arterial PO 2 is calculated from the oximeter blood oxygen saturation level and the oxygen dissociation curve. The PO 2 difference between the end-tidal gas and the calculated arterial value is called the oxygen deficit. Studies on 17 patients with a variety of pulmonary diseases are reported. The mean ± SE oxygen deficit was 48.7 ± 3.1 mm Hg. This finding can be contrasted with a mean oxygen deficit of 4.0 ± 0.88 mm Hg in a group of 31 normal subjects who were previously studied (P gas in determining ventilation-perfusion ratio inequality. This factor is largely ignored in the classic index of impaired pulmonary gas exchange using the ideal alveolar PO 2 to calculate the alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient. The results previously reported in normal subjects and the present studies suggest that this new noninvasive test will be valuable in assessing abnormal gas exchange in the clinical setting. Copyright © 2018 American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Stressful life events and Graves' disease: Results of a case control study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pintor, A.B.; Barrenechea, E.A.; Laureta, E.G.; Ligon, R.A.

    2003-01-01

    Prolonged worry has generally been acknowledged as one of the main precipitating factors of the onset of Graves' disease. A review of literature reveals that emotional stresses of considerable severity precede the onset of hyperthyroidism in about 90% of cases. However, not everyone subscribes to the Stress/Graves' disease hypothesis. Attempts to resolve this issue have tended to focus on whether a correlation can be shown between the magnitude of antecedent life events and the disease. Hence the main objective of the present study was to identify the possible association between stressful life events and Graves' disease. This paper presents the results of a case-control study, involving patents and subjects from the Veterans Memorial Medical Centre of Manila. A total of 224 patients of Graves' disease, newly or previously diagnosed, representing the 'patient's' arm were interviewed. All patients were questioned regarding various stresses, which greatly affected their life style spanning over a 12-month period prior to the onset of the disease. Simultaneously, 224 control subjects were also interviewed, and their stresses spanning over a similar period preceding the dates of interviews were recorded in quantifiable terms. Different stresses were given different intensity scores based on a social readjustment scale taking into consideration the life situations, emotions and diseases. In cases of multiple stresses, intensity scores were added to obtain the total stress intensity. Results were expressed as mean, standard deviation, median, frequency and percent distribution. Scatter plot was also constructed for intensity of stressful life events. To determine association of different factors with Graves' disease, Students t-test and chi-square tests were applied to the data. Odds ratio (OR) was also computed to determine risk attributed to each factor. Since there was significant difference in gender distribution between the patients and controls, stratified Mantel

  14. The Efficacy and Safety of Icotinib in Patients with Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Previously Treated with Chemotherapy: A Single-Arm, Multi-Center, Prospective Study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xingsheng Hu

    Full Text Available Icotinib is a small molecule targeting epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase, which shows non-inferior efficacy and better safety comparing to gefitinib in previous phase III trial. The present study was designed to further evaluate the efficacy and safety of icotinib in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC previously treated with platinum-based chemotherapy.Patients with NSCLC progressing after one or two lines of chemotherapy were enrolled to receive oral icotinib (125 mg tablet, three times per day. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival. The secondary endpoints included overall survival, objective response rate, time to progression, quality of life and safety.From March 16, 2010 to October 9, 2011, 128 patients from 15 centers nationwide were enrolled, in which 124 patients were available for efficacy evaluation and 127 patients were evaluable for safety. The median progression-free survival and time to progression were 5.0 months (95%CI 2.9-6.6 m and 5.4 months (95%CI 3.1-7.9 m, respectively. The objective response rate and disease control rate were 25.8% and 67.7% respectively. Median overall survival exceeded 17.6 months (95%CI 14.2 m-NA according to censored data. Further follow-up of overall survival is ongoing. The most frequent treatment-related adverse events were rash (26%, 33/127, diarrhea (12.6%, 16/127 and elevation of transaminase (15.7%, 20/127.In general, this study showed similar efficacy and numerically better safety when compared with that in ICOGEN trial, further confirming the efficacy and safety of icotinib in treating patients with advanced NSCLC previously treated with chemotherapy.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02486354.

  15. The Efficacy and Safety of Icotinib in Patients with Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Previously Treated with Chemotherapy: A Single-Arm, Multi-Center, Prospective Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Xingsheng; Zhang, Li; Shi, Yuankai; Zhou, Caicun; Liu, Xiaoqing; Wang, Dong; Song, Yong; Li, Qiang; Feng, Jifeng; Qin, Shukui; Xv, Nong; Zhou, Jianying; Zhang, Li; Hu, Chunhong; Zhang, Shucai; Luo, Rongcheng; Wang, Jie; Tan, Fenlai; Wang, Yinxiang; Ding, Lieming; Sun, Yan

    2015-01-01

    Icotinib is a small molecule targeting epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase, which shows non-inferior efficacy and better safety comparing to gefitinib in previous phase III trial. The present study was designed to further evaluate the efficacy and safety of icotinib in patients with advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) previously treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. Patients with NSCLC progressing after one or two lines of chemotherapy were enrolled to receive oral icotinib (125 mg tablet, three times per day). The primary endpoint was progression-free survival. The secondary endpoints included overall survival, objective response rate, time to progression, quality of life and safety. From March 16, 2010 to October 9, 2011, 128 patients from 15 centers nationwide were enrolled, in which 124 patients were available for efficacy evaluation and 127 patients were evaluable for safety. The median progression-free survival and time to progression were 5.0 months (95%CI 2.9-6.6 m) and 5.4 months (95%CI 3.1-7.9 m), respectively. The objective response rate and disease control rate were 25.8% and 67.7% respectively. Median overall survival exceeded 17.6 months (95%CI 14.2 m-NA) according to censored data. Further follow-up of overall survival is ongoing. The most frequent treatment-related adverse events were rash (26%, 33/127), diarrhea (12.6%, 16/127) and elevation of transaminase (15.7%, 20/127). In general, this study showed similar efficacy and numerically better safety when compared with that in ICOGEN trial, further confirming the efficacy and safety of icotinib in treating patients with advanced NSCLC previously treated with chemotherapy. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02486354.

  16. Increased risk of ischemic heart disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes in women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus, a target group in general practice for preventive interventions: A population-based cohort study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barbara Daly

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM is associated with developing type 2 diabetes, but very few studies have examined its effect on developing cardiovascular disease.We conducted a retrospective cohort study utilizing a large primary care database in the United Kingdom. From 1 February 1990 to 15 May 2016, 9,118 women diagnosed with GDM were identified and randomly matched with 37,281 control women by age and timing of pregnancy (up to 3 months. Adjusted incidence rate ratios (IRRs with 95% confidence intervals (CIs were calculated for cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular disease. Women with GDM were more likely to develop type 2 diabetes (IRR = 21.96; 95% CI 18.31-26.34 and hypertension (IRR = 1.85; 95% CI 1.59-2.16 after adjusting for age, Townsend (deprivation quintile, body mass index, and smoking. For ischemic heart disease (IHD, the IRR was 2.78 (95% CI 1.37-5.66, and for cerebrovascular disease 0.95 (95% CI 0.51-1.77; p-value = 0.87, after adjusting for the above covariates and lipid-lowering medication and hypertension at baseline. Follow-up screening for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular risk factors was poor. Limitations include potential selective documentation of severe GDM for women in primary care, higher surveillance for outcomes in women diagnosed with GDM than control women, and a short median follow-up postpartum period, with a small number of outcomes for IHD and cerebrovascular disease.Women diagnosed with GDM were at very high risk of developing type 2 diabetes and had a significantly increased incidence of hypertension and IHD. Identifying this group of women in general practice and targeting cardiovascular risk factors could improve long-term outcomes.

  17. C-Reactive Protein Predicts Progression of Peripheral Arterial Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A 5-Year Follow-Up Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Popović Ljiljana

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Background: Previous studies have indicated that high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP is a risk factor for the peripheral arterial disease (PAD in diabetes. This study aimed to evaluate the possible predictive significance of hs-CRP for the development and progression of PAD in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D.

  18. Cardiovascular disease risk factors in HIV patients--association with antiretroviral therapy. Results from the DAD study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Friis-Møller, Nina; Weber, Rainer; Reiss, Peter

    2003-01-01

    , a prospective multinational cohort study initiated in 1999. METHODS: Cross-sectional analyses of CVD risk factors at baseline. The data collected includes data on demographic variables, cigarette smoking, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidaemia, body mass index, stage of HIV infection, antiretroviral......OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) among HIV-infected persons, and to investigate any association between such risk factors, stage of HIV disease, and use of antiretroviral therapies. DESIGN: Baseline data from 17,852 subjects enrolled in DAD...... therapy. RESULTS: Almost 25% of the study population were at an age where there is an appreciable risk of CVD, with those receiving a protease inhibitor (PI) and/or non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) tending to be older. 1.4% had a previous history of CVD and 51.5% were cigarette...

  19. Genome-Wide Association Studies Suggest Limited Immune Gene Enrichment in Schizophrenia Compared to 5 Autoimmune Diseases

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pouget, Jennie G; Gonçalves, Vanessa F; Spain, Sarah L

    2016-01-01

    There has been intense debate over the immunological basis of schizophrenia, and the potential utility of adjunct immunotherapies. The major histocompatibility complex is consistently the most powerful region of association in genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of schizophrenia and has been...... in immune genes contributes to schizophrenia. We show that there is no enrichment of immune loci outside of the MHC region in the largest genetic study of schizophrenia conducted to date, in contrast to 5 diseases of known immune origin. Among 108 regions of the genome previously associated...

  20. Generation of a conditional knockout of murine glucocerebrosidase: utility for the study of Gaucher disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sinclair, Graham B; Jevon, Gareth; Colobong, Karen E; Randall, Derrick R; Choy, Francis Y M; Clarke, Lorne A

    2007-02-01

    Gaucher disease is a disorder of sphingolipid metabolism resulting from an inherited deficiency of the lysosomal hydrolase glucocerebrosidase. Affected individuals present with a spectrum of clinical symptoms ranging from hepatosplenomegaly, haematological abnormalities, and bone pain in type 1 disease, to severe neurodegeneration and premature death in types 2 and 3 disease. Although the basic biochemical defect is well characterized, there remains a poor understanding of the underlying pathophysiology of disease. In vitro studies suggest that macrophage glucocerebroside storage leads to tissue dysfunction through complex mechanisms involving altered intracellular calcium homeostasis and apoptosis. In order to study the pathogenic roles of these complex interactions, a viable animal model for Gaucher disease is needed. The complexity of this single gene disorder has been emphasized by the varied results of previous murine Gaucher models, ranging from perinatal lethality to phenotypically and biochemically asymptomatic animals. Recognizing the need to modulate the biochemical phenotype in mice to produce a relevant model, we have created a murine strain with key exons of the glucocerebrosidase gene flanked by loxP sites. We show that expression of Cre-recombinase in cells of hematopoietic and endothelial origin results in deficiency of glucocerebrosidase in the liver, spleen, bone marrow, and peripheral white cells. Glucocerebroside storage in this model leads to progressive splenomegaly with Gaucher cell infiltration and modest storage in the liver by 26 weeks of age. These results indicate the utility of this loxP GBA targeted murine strain for understanding the complex pathophysiology of Gaucher disease.

  1. Vascular anomalies in the mesenteric circulation of patients with Crohn’s disease: a pilot study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matilde Zamboni

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Crohn’s disease (CD is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease and its pathogenesis is still not well understood. Previous studies suggested the possibility of the involvement of vascular system, but, todate, the mesenteric circulation has poor been investigated, especially in complicated CD cases requiring colectomy. We investigated the mesenteric circulation in a case-control pilot study, including 19 controls and 7 patients affected by complicated cases of CD. Cases and controls underwent selective angiography of both superior and inferior mesenteric district. Transit time was found either significantly shortened in 2/7 cases (29%, or prolonged 5/7 (71% (P=0.0034 in the superior mesenteric district; P=0.0079 in the inferior mesenteric district, respectively due to the presence of A-V malformations and of a miscellaneous of venous abnormalities, which included thrombosis, hypoplasia and extra-truncular venous malformations. Our study demonstrates the presence of congenital or acquired vascular anomalies in a small sample of CD patients not responder to current treatment and with severe complications. The present pilot study warrants further investigations.

  2. Update on the epidemiology of the rheumatic diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gabriel, S E

    1996-03-01

    Epidemiologic studies continue to enhance our understanding of the rheumatic diseases. Such studies now indicate that 26 million American women are at risk for osteoporotic fractures. Contrary to previous recommendations, the identification and treatment of patients at risk for osteoporosis may be valuable even among very elderly people. Other epidemiologic studies suggest that the incidence of rheumatoid arthritis is decreasing and that it is a more benign disease than previously recognized. Osteoarthritis remains a leading cause of physical and work disability in North America. The roles of occupational physical activity, obesity, and highly competitive (though not low-impact) exercise as risk factors for osteoarthritis continue to be explored. Pharmacoepidemiologic research has recently demonstrated that a policy of prior authorization for prescription of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may be highly cost effective. Finally, controlled epidemiologic studies have not confirmed an association between silicone breast implants and connective tissue diseases, a conclusion recently endorsed by the American College of Rheumatology.

  3. Hemoglobin and hematocrit levels in the prediction of complicated Crohn's disease behavior--a cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rieder, Florian; Paul, Gisela; Schnoy, Elisabeth; Schleder, Stephan; Wolf, Alexandra; Kamm, Florian; Dirmeier, Andrea; Strauch, Ulrike; Obermeier, Florian; Lopez, Rocio; Achkar, Jean-Paul; Rogler, Gerhard; Klebl, Frank

    2014-01-01

    Markers that predict the occurrence of a complicated disease behavior in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) can permit a more aggressive therapeutic regimen for patients at risk. The aim of this cohort study was to test the blood levels of hemoglobin (Hgb) and hematocrit (Hct) for the prediction of complicated CD behavior and CD related surgery in an adult patient population. Blood samples of 62 CD patients of the German Inflammatory Bowel Disease-network "Kompetenznetz CED" were tested for the levels of Hgb and Hct prior to the occurrence of complicated disease behavior or CD related surgery. The relation of these markers and clinical events was studied using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and adjusted COX-proportional hazard regression models. The median follow-up time was 55.8 months. Of the 62 CD patients without any previous complication or surgery 34% developed a complication and/or underwent CD related surgery. Low Hgb or Hct levels were independent predictors of a shorter time to occurrence of the first complication or CD related surgery. This was true for early as well as late occurring complications. Stable low Hgb or Hct during serial follow-up measurements had a higher frequency of complications compared to patients with a stable normal Hgb or Hct, respectively. Determination of Hgb or Hct in complication and surgery naïve CD patients might serve as an additional tool for the prediction of complicated disease behavior.

  4. Frequency and clinical predictors of coronary artery disease in chronic renal failure renal transplant candidates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Albuquerque Seixas, Emerson; Carmello, Beatriz Leone; Kojima, Christiane Akemi; Contti, Mariana Moraes; Modeli de Andrade, Luiz Gustavo; Maiello, José Roberto; Almeida, Fernando Antonio; Martin, Luis Cuadrado

    2015-05-01

    Cardiovascular diseases are major causes of mortality in chronic renal failure patients before and after renal transplantation. Among them, coronary disease presents a particular risk; however, risk predictors have been used to diagnose coronary heart disease. This study evaluated the frequency and importance of clinical predictors of coronary artery disease in chronic renal failure patients undergoing dialysis who were renal transplant candidates, and assessed a previously developed scoring system. Coronary angiographies conducted between March 2008 and April 2013 from 99 candidates for renal transplantation from two transplant centers in São Paulo state were analyzed for associations between significant coronary artery diseases (≥70% stenosis in one or more epicardial coronary arteries or ≥50% in the left main coronary artery) and clinical parameters. Univariate logistic regression analysis identified diabetes, angina, and/or previous infarction, clinical peripheral arterial disease and dyslipidemia as predictors of coronary artery disease. Multiple logistic regression analysis identified only diabetes and angina and/or previous infarction as independent predictors. The results corroborate previous studies demonstrating the importance of these factors when selecting patients for coronary angiography in clinical pretransplant evaluation.

  5. Positive deviance study to inform a Chagas disease control program in southern Ecuador

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Claudia Nieto-Sanchez

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Chagas disease is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, which is mainly transmitted by the faeces of triatomine insects that find favourable environments in poorly constructed houses. Previous studies have documented persistent triatomine infestation in houses in the province of Loja in southern Ecuador despite repeated insecticide and educational interventions. We aim to develop a sustainable strategy for the interruption of Chagas disease transmission by promoting living environments that are designed to prevent colonisation of rural houses by triatomines. This study used positive deviance to inform the design of an anti-triatomine prototype house by identifying knowledge, attitudes and practices used by families that have remained triatomine-free (2010-2012. Positive deviants reported practices that included maintenance of structural elements of the house, fumigation of dwellings and animal shelters, sweeping with "insect repellent" plants and relocation of domestic animals away from the house, among others. Participants favoured construction materials that do not drastically differ from those currently used (adobe walls and tile roofs. They also expressed their belief in a clear connection between a clean house and health. The family's economic dynamics affect space use and must be considered in the prototype's design. Overall, the results indicate a positive climate for the introduction of housing improvements as a protective measure against Chagas disease in this region.

  6. Lyme disease in Poland in 2015

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paradowska-Stankiewicz, Iwona; Chrześcijańska, Irena

    2017-01-01

    Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease in Poland. Borrelia burgdorferi spirochete can occur in the whole country, which, according to ECDC, should be considered as an endemic area. Borrelia strains are transmitted to humans and certain other animals by Ixodes (1). Human infection is caused by saliva or tick vomit. Reservoir spirochete are numerous species of animals, mainly rodents. Lyme disease, due to its multifocal character, rich symptomatology and diagnostic problems, is a serious challenge for clinicians and epidemiologists The aim of this study was to assess the epidemiological situation of Lyme disease in Poland in 2015 in comparison to the previous years The descriptive analysis was based on data retrieved from routine mandatory surveillance system and published in the annual bulletin “Infectious diseases and poisonings in Poland in 2015” (2) Despite observed in recent years the tendency to growth of number of cases, in 2015 was marked by growth inhibition incidence of Lyme disease.In 2015, 13 625 cases were registered in Poland, ie by 0.7% less than in the previous year. The overall incidence in the country was 35.4 per 100 000 population - the highest was recorded in the Podlaskie voivodeship - 96.3 per 100 000 inhabitants. In 2015, 1905 (14%) people were hospitalized due to Lyme disease In 2015, for the first time in a few years, the growth rate of Lyme disease has been stopped. Registered 0.7% less cases than in the previous year. There is still a need for bringing awareness of the need for diagnostic laboratory testing according to recommendations, which will improve the accuracy of the diagnosis

  7. Ibrutinib combined with bendamustine and rituximab compared with placebo, bendamustine, and rituximab for previously treated chronic lymphocytic leukaemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma (HELIOS): a randomised, double-blind, phase 3 study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chanan-Khan, Asher; Cramer, Paula; Demirkan, Fatih; Fraser, Graeme; Silva, Rodrigo Santucci; Grosicki, Sebastian; Pristupa, Aleksander; Janssens, Ann; Mayer, Jiri; Bartlett, Nancy L; Dilhuydy, Marie-Sarah; Pylypenko, Halyna; Loscertales, Javier; Avigdor, Abraham; Rule, Simon; Villa, Diego; Samoilova, Olga; Panagiotidis, Panagiots; Goy, Andre; Mato, Anthony; Pavlovsky, Miguel A; Karlsson, Claes; Mahler, Michelle; Salman, Mariya; Sun, Steven; Phelps, Charles; Balasubramanian, Sriram; Howes, Angela; Hallek, Michael

    2016-02-01

    Most patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma relapse after initial therapy. Bendamustine plus rituximab is often used in the relapsed or refractory setting. We assessed the efficacy and safety of adding ibrutinib, an oral covalent inhibitor of Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK), to bendamustine plus rituximab in patients with previously treated chronic lymphocytic leukaemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma. The HELIOS trial was an international, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 study in adult patients (≥18 years of age) who had active chronic lymphocytic leukaemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma with measurable lymph node disease (>1·5 cm) by CT scan, and had relapsed or refractory disease following one or more previous lines of systemic therapy consisting of at least two cycles of a chemotherapy-containing regimen, an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of 0-1, and adequate bone marrow, liver, and kidney function. Patients with del(17p) were excluded because of known poor response to bendamustine plus rituximab. Patients who had received previous treatment with ibrutinib or other BTK inhibitors, refractory disease or relapse within 24 months with a previous bendamustine-containing regimen, or haemopoietic stem-cell transplant were also excluded. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) by a web-based system to receive bendamustine plus rituximab given in cycles of 4 weeks' duration (bendamustine: 70 mg/m(2) intravenously on days 2-3 in cycle 1, and days 1-2 in cycles 2-6; rituximab: 375 mg/m(2) on day 1 of cycle 1, and 500 mg/m(2) on day 1 of cycles 2-6 for a maximum of six cycles) with either ibrutinib (420 mg daily orally) or placebo until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients were stratified according to whether they were refractory to purine analogues and by number of previous lines of therapy. The primary endpoint was independent review committee (IRC)-assessed progression

  8. Cognitive Impairments and Subjective Cognitive Complaints in Fabry Disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Loeb, Josefine; Feldt-Rasmussen, Ulla; Madsen, Christoffer Valdorff

    2018-01-01

    Fabry disease is a rare progressive X-linked lysosomal storage disorder which leads to neuropathic pain, organ dysfunction and cerebral pathology. Few studies have investigated cognitive impairment in Fabry disease and these previous studies are difficult to compare due to heterogeneous methodolo......Fabry disease is a rare progressive X-linked lysosomal storage disorder which leads to neuropathic pain, organ dysfunction and cerebral pathology. Few studies have investigated cognitive impairment in Fabry disease and these previous studies are difficult to compare due to heterogeneous...... methodological designs and small cohorts. The objective was to investigate the frequency of cognitive impairment in the Danish nationwide cohort of Fabry patients. Further, we examined if subjective cognitive complaints were associated with objective cognitive performances in this patient group....... Neuropsychological tests (17 measures) and evaluation of subjective complaints with the Perceived Deficits Questionnaire (PDQ) were applied in 41 of 63 patients. According to an a priori definition, 12 patients (29.3%) were cognitively impaired. Tests tapping psychomotor speed, attention and executive functions had...

  9. Polychlorinated biphenyl exposure, diabetes and endogenous hormones: a cross-sectional study in men previously employed at a capacitor manufacturing plant.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Persky, Victoria; Piorkowski, Julie; Turyk, Mary; Freels, Sally; Chatterton, Robert; Dimos, John; Bradlow, H Leon; Chary, Lin Kaatz; Burse, Virlyn; Unterman, Terry; Sepkovic, Daniel W; McCann, Kenneth

    2012-08-29

    Studies have shown associations of diabetes and endogenous hormones with exposure to a wide variety of organochlorines. We have previously reported positive associations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and inverse associations of selected steroid hormones with diabetes in postmenopausal women previously employed in a capacitor manufacturing plant. This paper examines associations of PCBs with diabetes and endogenous hormones in 63 men previously employed at the same plant who in 1996 underwent surveys of their exposure and medical history and collection of bloods and urine for measurements of PCBs, lipids, liver function, hematologic markers and endogenous hormones. PCB exposure was positively associated with diabetes and age and inversely associated with thyroid stimulating hormone and triiodothyronine-uptake. History of diabetes was significantly related to total PCBs and all PCB functional groupings, but not to quarters worked and job score, after control for potential confounders. None of the exposures were related to insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in non-diabetic men. Associations of PCBs with specific endogenous hormones differ in some respects from previous findings in postmenopausal women employed at the capacitor plant. Results from this study, however, do confirm previous reports relating PCB exposure to diabetes and suggest that these associations are not mediated by measured endogenous hormones.

  10. Underdiagnosis and prognosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease after percutaneous coronary intervention: a prospective study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Almagro, Pere; Lapuente, Anna; Pareja, Julia; Yun, Sergi; Garcia, Maria Estela; Padilla, Ferrán; Heredia, Josep Ll; De la Sierra, Alex; Soriano, Joan B

    2015-01-01

    Background Retrospective studies based on clinical data and without spirometric confirmation suggest a poorer prognosis of patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). The impact of undiagnosed COPD in these patients is unknown. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic impact of COPD – previously or newly diagnosed – in patients with IHD treated with PCI. Methods Patients with IHD confirmed by PCI were consecutively included. After PCI they underwent forced spirometry and evaluation for cardiovascular risk factors. All-cause mortality, new cardiovascular events, and their combined endpoint were analyzed. Results A total of 133 patients (78%) male, with a mean (SD) age of 63 (10.12) years were included. Of these, 33 (24.8%) met the spirometric criteria for COPD, of whom 81.8% were undiagnosed. IHD patients with COPD were older, had more coronary vessels affected, and a greater history of previous myocardial infarction. Median follow-up was 934 days (interquartile range [25%–75%]: 546–1,160). COPD patients had greater mortality (P=0.008; hazard ratio [HR]: 8.85; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.76–44.47) and number of cardiovascular events (P=0.024; HR: 1.87; 95% CI: 1.04–3.33), even those without a previous diagnosis of COPD (P=0.01; HR: 1.78; 95% CI: 1.12–2.83). These differences remained after adjustment for sex, age, number of coronary vessels affected, and previous myocardial infarction (P=0.025; HR: 1.83; 95% CI: 1.08–3.1). Conclusion Prevalence and underdiagnosis of COPD in patients with IHD who undergo PCI are both high. These patients have an independent greater mortality and a higher number of cardiovascular events during follow-up. PMID:26213464

  11. A comparative study of LRRK2, PINK1 and genetically undefined familial Parkinson's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishioka, Kenya; Kefi, Mounir; Jasinska-Myga, Barbara; Wider, Christian; Vilariño-Güell, Carles; Ross, Owen A; Heckman, Michael G; Middleton, Lefkos T; Ishihara-Paul, Lianna; Gibson, Rachel A; Amouri, Rim; Ben Yahmed, Samia; Ben Sassi, Samia; Zouari, Mourad; El Euch, Ghada; Farrer, Matthew J; Hentati, Faycal

    2010-04-01

    Genetic classification of Parkinson's disease (PD) subtypes may become the preferred diagnostic tool for neurologists. Herein we compare clinical features from a large cohort of patients with familial PD of unknown aetiology or attributable to distinct genetic forms. Comprehensive neurological examinations were performed in 231 familial PD patients from Tunisia. Analysis was previously performed to screen for mutations in leucine rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2), PTEN induced kinase 1 (PINK1) and parkin (PRKN). Clinical features were compared between patients with genetically undefined PD (n=107) and those with LRRK2 (n=73) and PINK1 (n=42) mutations using regression analyses adjusted for gender, age of onset and disease duration. PRKN cases (n=9) were too few for meaningful statistical analysis. In comparison with genetically undefined patients, LRRK2 mutation carriers had more severe motor symptoms (median Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale scores approximately 1.6 times higher, pundefined patients. As expected, PINK1 patients had younger ages and ages at disease onset, and a longer disease duration compared with LRRK2 mutation carriers and genetically undefined patients. Clinical differences between LRRK2, PINK1 and genetically undefined familial PD appear more pronounced than previously appreciated, and may prove useful in clinical practice. As future therapies are targeted to specific protein abnormalities, identifying the genetic causes and associated clinical and pathological features will determine diagnosis, preventative medicine and drug intervention strategies.

  12. CT findings of diffuse pleural diseases: differentiation of malignant disease from tuberculosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roh, In Gye; Kook, Shin Ho; Lee, Young Rae; Chin, Seung Bum; Park, Yoon Ok; Park, Hae Won

    1997-01-01

    To evaluate whether or not previously known CT criteria for differentiating malignant and benign pleural diseases are useful in the differentiation of diffuse malignant pleural diseases and tuberculosis. We retrospectively analyzed CT scans of 42 patients comprising 20 cases of malignant pleural diseases and 22 cases of tuberculous pleural diseases, according to previously known CT criteria for differentiating malignant and benign pleural diseases. The most common shape of pleural effusion was crescentic in malignant pleural diseases and loculated in tuberculosis. The aggressive nature of pleural effusion, pleural rind, and pleura thickening was 1.5 times more frequently observed in malignant pleural diseases than in tuberculosis. Smooth thickening or smooth nodular pleural thickening and extrapleural deposition of fat were 1.5 times more frequently found in tuberculous than in malignant pleural diseases. Interruption of pleural thickening was found twice as frequently in malignant pleural diseases as in tuberculosis. Decreased lung volume was found twice as frequently in tuberculous as in malignant pleural diseases. Anatomical mediastinal pleural involvement was three times, and irregular nodular pleural thickening nine times more frequent in malignant pleural diseases than in tuberculosis. The sensitivity and specificity of CT findings above 70%, and thus suggesting malignant pleural diseases, were as follows : 1) aggressive nature of pleural fluid collection extending to the azygoesophageal recess or tongue of the lung (51.5%, 75%); 2) involvement of anatomical mediastinal pleura (69.2%, 73.7%); 3) irregular nodular pleural thickening (87.5%, 69%). Although there in overlap between previously known CT criteria for the differentiation of benign and malignant pleural diseases, the aggressive nature of pleural fluid collection extending to the azygoesophageal recess or tongue of the lung, the involvement of anatomical mediastinal pleura and irregular nodular

  13. Increasing prevalence and high incidence of celiac disease in elderly people: A population-based study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vilppula Anitta

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Celiac disease may emerge at any age, but little is known of its appearance in elderly people. We evaluated the prevalence of the condition in individuals over 55 years of age, and determined the incidence of biopsy-proven celiac disease (CDb and celiac disease including seropositive subjects for anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies (CDb+s. Methods The study based on prevalence figures in 2815 randomly selected subjects who had undergone a clinical examination and serologic screening for celiac disease in 2002. A second screening in the same population was carried out in 2005, comprising now 2216 individuals. Positive tissue transglutaminase antibodies were confirmed with small bowel biopsy. Results Within three years the prevalence of CDb increased from 2.13 to 2.34%, and that of CDb+s from 2.45 to 2.70%. Five new cases were found among patients previously seronegative; two had minor abdominal symptoms and three were asymptomatic. The incidence of celiac disease in 2002–2005 was 0.23%, giving an annual incidence of 0.08% in this population. Conclusion The prevalence of celiac disease was high in elderly people, but the symptoms were subtle. Repeated screening detected five biopsy-proven cases in three years, indicating that the disorder may develop even in the elderly. Increased alertness to the disorder is therefore warranted.

  14. From disease association to risk assessment: an optimistic view from genome-wide association studies on type 1 diabetes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhi Wei

    2009-10-01

    Full Text Available Genome-wide association studies (GWAS have been fruitful in identifying disease susceptibility loci for common and complex diseases. A remaining question is whether we can quantify individual disease risk based on genotype data, in order to facilitate personalized prevention and treatment for complex diseases. Previous studies have typically failed to achieve satisfactory performance, primarily due to the use of only a limited number of confirmed susceptibility loci. Here we propose that sophisticated machine-learning approaches with a large ensemble of markers may improve the performance of disease risk assessment. We applied a Support Vector Machine (SVM algorithm on a GWAS dataset generated on the Affymetrix genotyping platform for type 1 diabetes (T1D and optimized a risk assessment model with hundreds of markers. We subsequently tested this model on an independent Illumina-genotyped dataset with imputed genotypes (1,008 cases and 1,000 controls, as well as a separate Affymetrix-genotyped dataset (1,529 cases and 1,458 controls, resulting in area under ROC curve (AUC of approximately 0.84 in both datasets. In contrast, poor performance was achieved when limited to dozens of known susceptibility loci in the SVM model or logistic regression model. Our study suggests that improved disease risk assessment can be achieved by using algorithms that take into account interactions between a large ensemble of markers. We are optimistic that genotype-based disease risk assessment may be feasible for diseases where a notable proportion of the risk has already been captured by SNP arrays.

  15. Iminosugars and isoiminosugars as pharmacological chaperones for Krabbe disease - a SAR study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Viuff, Agnete

    2015-01-01

    therapeutics. This work focuses on potential therapeutics targeting the lysosomal storage disease; Krabbe disease, arising from defects in the gene coding for galactocerebrosidase. Four nitrogen containing analogues of galactose (iso-galacto-fagomine (41), aza-galacto-fagomine (42), 1,4-dideoxy...... that galactocerebrosidase is selective towards inhibitors with the alkyl substituent in the place of the endocyclic oxygen of the substrate. Based on the previous work in our group, several novel nortropanes have been synthesised. The galacto congener of noeurostegine (122) was synthesised in 21 steps from levoglucosan...... to be only moderate, but highly selective inhibitors. Nojiristegine (153) was found to inhibit alglucosidase alpha, making it a candidate for combination therapy with this enzyme against Pompe disease. Unlike their close structural analogues, the nojirimycins, the nojiristegines did not show any antibiotic...

  16. The Relationship of Lumbar Multifidus Muscle Morphology to Previous, Current, and Future Low Back Pain

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hebert, Jeffrey J; Kjær, Per; Fritz, Julie M

    2014-01-01

    of LBP after five and nine years.Summary of Background Data. Although low back pain (LBP) is a major source of disease burden, the biologic determinants of LBP are poorly understood.Methods. Participants were 40-year-old adults randomly sampled from a Danish population and followed-up at ages 45 and 49....... At each time point, participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging and reported ever having had LBP, LBP in the previous year, non-trivial LBP in the previous year, or a history of pain radiating into the legs. Pixel intensity and frequencies from T1-weighted magnetic resonance images identified...

  17. Comparison of Na{sup +}/I{sup -} symporter expression rate in malignant and benign thyroid diseases: immunohistochemical study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kang, Do Young; Jeong, Young Jin; Lee, Kyung Eun; Park, Heon Soo; Yoo, Young Hyun; Roh, Mee Sook [Donga University College of Medicine, Busan (Korea, Republic of)

    2006-02-15

    Previous studies have not showed consistent results for the level of expression of sodium/iodide symporter (NIS) in thyroid diseases, especially malignant tumor. We undertook this study to evaluate the distribution of NIS expression in malignant thyroid diseases and compare with that in benign thyoid disease. Total patients were 119 cases (Men 15, 48{+-}13 yrs). Total number of samples were 205 pieces. In malignant thyroid disease, there were 153 samples: 90 in papillary carcinoma, 4 in follicular carcinoma, 2 in medullary carcinoma and 57 in metastatic lymph node. In benign thyroid disease, there were 52 samples: 36 in goiter/cyst, 11 in thyroiditis and 5 in follicular adenoma. Using immunohistochemical methods, we probed 205 samples with monoclonal anti-NIS Ab. Grading of staining was scored as 0 (negative or absent), 1 (weakly positive), 2 (moderately positive) or 3 (strongly positive). Expression rate (ER) of NIS positivity in individual disease entity was expressed as percentage of total number divided by number in 2 plus 3 grade. ERs of malignant thyroid diseases were 63% in papillary carcinoma, 81% in metastatic lymph node, 71% in follicular carcinoma and 100% in medullary carcinoma. ERs of benign thyroid disease were 53% in goiter/cyst, 64% in thyroiditis and 40% in follicular adenoma. ER of benign thyroid deceases was higher than benign thyroid diseases (71% vs 54%). Grading of NIS expression in papillary carcinoma or goiter/cyst was heterogeneously distributed in considerable cases. Normal tissue also showed heterogeneous distribution or NIS expression, which was not correlated with that of primary lesion. In papillary thyroid carcinoma, distribution of NIS expression was heterogeneous and increased, and not different compared with that of benign thyroid disease.

  18. Total brain, cortical and white matter volumes in children previously treated with glucocorticoids

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Holm, Sara K; Madsen, Kathrine S; Vestergaard, Martin

    2018-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Perinatal exposure to glucocorticoids and elevated endogenous glucocorticoid-levels during childhood can have detrimental effects on the developing brain. Here, we examined the impact of glucocorticoid-treatment during childhood on brain volumes. METHODS: Thirty children and adolescents...... with rheumatic or nephrotic disease previously treated with glucocorticoids and 30 controls matched on age, sex, and parent education underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain. Total cortical grey and white matter, brain, and intracranial volume, and total cortical thickness and surface area were...... were mainly driven by the children with rheumatic disease. Total cortical thickness and cortical surface area did not significantly differ between groups. We found no significant associations between glucocorticoid-treatment variables and volumetric measures. CONCLUSION: Observed smaller total brain...

  19. Appendectomy and Risk of Subsequent Diverticular Disease Requiring Hospitalization: A Population-Based Case-Control Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sköldberg, Filip; Olén, Ola; Ekbom, Anders; Schmidt, Peter T

    2018-07-01

    Appendicitis and acute diverticulitis share clinical features and are both influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Appendectomy has been positively associated with diverticular disease in hospital-based case-control studies. The aim of the present study was to investigate, in a population-based setting, whether appendectomy, with or without appendicitis, is associated with an altered risk of hospitalization with diverticular disease. This was a population-based case-control study. The study was based on national healthcare and population registers. We studied 41,988 individuals hospitalized between 2000 and 2010 with a first-time diagnosis of colonic diverticular disease and 413,115 matched control subjects. The association between appendectomy with or without appendicitis and diverticular disease was investigated by conditional logistic regression, including a model adjusting for hospital use. A total of 2813 cases (6.7%) and 19,037 controls (4.6%) had a previous record of appendectomy (appendectomy with acute appendicitis: adjusted OR = 1.31 (95% CI, 1.24-1.39); without appendicitis: adjusted OR = 1.30 (95% CI, 1.23-1.38)). Appendectomy was most strongly associated with an increased risk of diverticular disease within 1 year (with appendicitis: adjusted OR = 2.26 (95% CI, 1.61-3.16); without appendicitis: adjusted OR = 3.98 (95% CI, 2.71-5.83)), but the association was still present ≥20 years after appendectomy (with appendicitis: adjusted OR = 1.22 (95% CI, 1.12-1.32); without appendicitis: adjusted OR = 1.19 (95% CI, 1.10-1.28)). Detailed clinical information on the cases was not available. There were unmeasured potential confounders, such as smoking and dietary factors. The findings are consistent with a hypothesis of appendectomy causing an increased risk of diverticular disease, for example, by affecting the mucosal immune system or the gut microbiome. However, several other mechanisms may contribute to, or account for, the positive association

  20. Hypersensitivity pneumonitis in nonhuman primates: studies on the relationship of immunoregulation and disease activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Keller, R.H.; Calvanico, N.J.; Stevens, J.O.

    1982-01-01

    We investigated the relationship of immunoregulation to disease activity in a nonhuman primate model of pigeon breeder's disease. Two Macaca arctoides monkeys developed classical symptoms of hypersensitivity pneumonitis after sensitization and prolonged bronchial challenge, whereas 2 other monkeys remained asymptomatic after in vivo challenge. There were no differences in the percentages of T cells, B cells, monocytes, or FCγ-bearing T cells between symptomatic and asymptomatic animals. Nonetheless, we found a population of concanavalin A-induced, pigeon serum- (PS) induced, and spontaneous T cells that functioned as suppressor cells in autologous in vitro co-cultures in asymptomatic animals that were missing or nonfunctional in symptomatic animals. Monocyte suppressors functioned in both groups. We used low-dose total body irradiation (TBI) to inactivate T suppressor cells. Fifteen radiation units of TBI caused no change in the physical activity, routine chemistries, or blood counts of the 4 animals. After TBI, however, the previously asymptomatic animals developed fever, tachypnea, and signs of pulmonary congestion after in vivo challenge with PS. There was no change in the response to challenge in the symptomatic group. This altered response to in vivo challenge in the previously asymptomatic group persisted for 2 wk after TBI. During this period the difference in in vitro immunoregulatory activity between Con A-induced, PS-induced, and spontaneous T cells in symptomatic and asymptomatic animals disappeared. Monocyte suppressors, however, continued to function in both groups after TBI. these data suggest that the monkey is an appropriate model for studies of human HP and that T cell immunoregulation may be an important element in the pathogenesis and disease activity of HP

  1. Effects of a short duration, high dose contact improvisation dance workshop on Parkinson disease: a pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marchant, David; Sylvester, Jennifer L; Earhart, Gammon M

    2010-10-01

    This study explored the feasibility and possible benefits of contact improvisation (CI) as an exercise intervention for individuals with PD. This was an uncontrolled pilot study. Eleven people with PD (H&Y=2.4 ± 0.4) participated in a workshop of 10 1.5-h CI classes over 2 weeks, dancing with previously trained student CI dancers. Measures of disease severity, balance, functional mobility, and gait were compared 1 week before and after the workshop. Participants demonstrated improvements on the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale-Motor Subsection and Berg balance scores, along with increased swing and decreased stance percentages during walking. Backward step length also increased. Participants expressed a high level of enjoyment and interest in taking future CI classes. This pilot study supports the feasibility of CI as an intervention to address mobility limitations associated with PD. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Micrococcus sedentarius bacteraemia presenting with haemophagocytic syndrome in previously healthy boy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuskonmaz, Baris; Kara, Ates; Ozen, Maide; Cengiz, A Bülent; Ozen, Metehan; Seçmeer, Gülten; Gürgey, Aytemiz

    2006-01-01

    Haemophagocytic syndromes are the clinical manifestation of an increased macrophagic activity with haemophagocytosis. Infection-associated HS was originally described by Risdall in 1979, in viral disease. Since the initial description HS has also been documented in patients with bacterial, parasitic or fungal infections. We describe a case of Micrococcus sedentarius bacteraemia in a previously healthy 10-y-old boy with haemophagocytic syndrome. Species of micrococci are generally considered as non-pathogenic commensals that colonize the skin, mucosae and oropharynx. We report the first case of Microccoccus sedentarius bacteraemia in an immunocompetent host and first case of HS associated with Micrococcus species.

  3. Clinical activity of fulvestrant in metastatic breast cancer previously treated with endocrine therapy and/or chemotherapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heo, Mi Hwa; Kim, Hee Kyung; Lee, Hansang; Kim, Ji-Yeon; Ahn, Jin-Seok; Im, Young-Hyuck; Park, Yeon Hee

    2018-03-16

    We conducted a retrospective analysis of the clinical activity of fulvestrant in postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative metastatic breast cancer (MBC) previously treated with endocrine therapy and/or chemotherapy. We reviewed the medical records of all patients with MBC treated at Samsung Medical Center between January 2009 and August 2016. Patients received fulvestrant 250 mg intramuscularly every 28 days (from January 2009 to November 2010) or 500 mg intramuscularly every 28 days (from December 2010 to August 2016). Tumor responses were assessed every 8 weeks and at the end of treatment, as well as when disease progression was suspected. A total of 84 patients were included in this study. A median of two previous endocrine treatments had been performed; 79% of the patients had received two or more endocrine treatments. Forty-five patients (54%) had been treated with chemotherapy for MBC before the fulvestrant treatment course. Visceral metastasis was found in 49 patients (58%). The estimated median progression-free survival and overall survival were 4.4 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.4 to 5.5) and 32.5 months (95% CI, 17.6 to 47.4), respectively. The disease control rate was 40.5% (95% CI, 30.5 to 51.5); partial response was observed in 16% of the patients and stable disease was observed in 25% of the patients. The most frequently reported adverse reactions were mild-to-moderate grade myalgia (10.5% of the patients), injection site pain (7%), and fatigue (7%). Fulvestrant was generally well tolerated. Fulvestrant showed encouraging clinical activity and favorable feasibility in postmenopausal women with MBC who had been treated with multiple endocrine therapies and/or cytotoxic chemotherapies.

  4. Osteoprotegerin and mortality in hemodialysis patients with cardiovascular disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Winther, Simon; Christensen, Jeppe Hagstrup; Flyvbjerg, Allan

    2013-01-01

    Abstract BACKGROUND: Patients treated with hemodialysis (HD) have an increased mortality, mainly caused by cardiovascular disease (CVD). Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is a glycoprotein involved in the regulation of the vascular calcification process. Previous studies have demonstrated that OPG.......08; in the adjusted analyses, the p-value for trend was 0.03. CONCLUSIONS: In a high-risk population of hemodialysis patients with previously documented cardiovascular disease, a high level of OPG was an independent risk marker of all-cause mortality....... is a prognostic marker of mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate if OPG was a prognostic marker of all-cause mortality in high-risk patients with end-stage renal disease and CVD. METHODS: We prospectively followed 206 HD patients with CVD. OPG was measured at baseline and the patients were followed...

  5. Semifluorinated Alkane Eye Drops for Treatment of Dry Eye Disease Due to Meibomian Gland Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steven, Philipp; Augustin, Albert J; Geerling, Gerd; Kaercher, Thomas; Kretz, Florian; Kunert, Kathleen; Menzel-Severing, Johannes; Schrage, Norbert; Schrems, Wolfgang; Krösser, Sonja; Beckert, Michael; Messmer, Elisabeth M

    2017-11-01

    Meibomian gland disease is generally accepted as the leading cause for evaporative dry eye disease (DED). In a previous study, perfluorohexyloctane, a semifluorinated alkane, has been demonstrated to significantly increase tear film breakup time and to reduce corneal fluorescein staining in patients with evaporative DED, thereby vastly reducing dry eye-related symptoms. This study was set up to evaluate perfluorohexyloctane in a larger population of patients with Meibomian gland dysfunction. Seventy-two patients with Meibomian gland disease and associated dry eye received 1 drop of perfluorohexyloctane 4 times daily during an observational, prospective, multicenter, 6-8-week study. Clinical assessment included best-corrected visual acuity, intraocular pressure, Schirmer test I, tear film breakup time, anterior and posterior blepharitis assessment, number of expressible Meibomian glands, meibum quality and quantity, ocular surface fluorescein staining, lid margin and symptom assessment, and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI © ). From the 72 patients recruited, 61 completed the trial per protocol. Nine patients did not apply the medication as recommended and 2 patients were lost to follow-up. Tear film breakup time, corneal and conjunctival fluorescein staining, number of expressible Meibomian glands, and severity of anterior and posterior blepharitis significantly improved after 6-8 weeks of perfluorohexyloctane application. In addition, symptoms improved as demonstrated by a significant decrease of OSDI-values from 37 (±13) to 26 (±16). In concordance with previous findings, 6-8 weeks of topical application of perfluorohexyloctane significantly improves clinical signs of Meibomian gland disease and associated mild to moderate DED.

  6. Working hours and cardiovascular disease in Korean workers: a case-control study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeong, Inchul; Rhie, Jeongbae; Kim, Inah; Ryu, Innshil; Jung, Pil Kyun; Park, Yoo Seok; Lim, Yong-Su; Kim, Hyoung-Ryoul; Park, Shin-Goo; Im, Hyoung-June; Lee, Mi-Young; Won, Jong-Uk

    2014-01-01

    Long working hours can negatively impact a worker's health. The objective of this study was to examine the association between working hours and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and compare the degree of risk based on CVD subtypes in Korean workers. This study was a case-control study of the patients registered in the Occupational Cardiovascular Diseases Surveillance 2010. The cases included 348 patients diagnosed with a CVD (123 cerebral infarction, 69 intracerebral hemorrhage, 57 subarachnoid hemorrhage, 99 acute myocardial infarction). Controls were 769 participants with no history of CVDs matched for gender, age, type of occupation, and region. Participants' working hours in the previous week and the average working hours over the past three months were assessed to examine short-term and long-term effects. After adjusting for confounding factors, the odds ratios (ORs) for CVDs in the short-term were 2.66 (95% Confidence interval (CI) :1.78-3.99) for working ≤40 hours, 1.85 (95% CI: 1.22-2.81) for working 50.1-60 hours and 4.23 (95% CI: 2.81-6.39) for working >60 hours compared with the 40.1-50-hour working group. The ORs in the long-term were 2.90 (95% CI: 1.86-4.52) for working ≤40 hours, 1.73 (95% CI: 1.03-2.90) for working 48.1-52 hours and 3.46 (95% CI: 2.38-5.03) for working >52 hours compared with the 40.1-48-hour working group. Long working hours are related to an increased risk of CVDs, and the degree of risk differs based on CVD subtype. Short working hours are also related to an increased risk for CVDs. More prospective studies targeting specific disease risks are required.

  7. Dietary Inflammatory Index and Incidence of Cardiovascular Disease in the PREDIMED Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Garcia-Arellano

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Previous studies have reported an association between a more pro-inflammatory diet profile and various chronic metabolic diseases. The Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII was used to assess the inflammatory potential of nutrients and foods in the context of a dietary pattern. We prospectively examined the association between the DII and the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD: myocardial infarction, stroke or cardiovascular death in the PREDIMED (Prevención con Dieta Mediterránea study including 7216 high-risk participants. The DII was computed based on a validated 137-item food frequency questionnaire. Multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios (HR and 95% confidence intervals of CVD risk were computed across  quartiles of the DII where the lowest (most anti-inflammatory quartile is the referent. Risk increased across the quartiles (i.e., with increasing inflammatory potential: HRquartile2 = 1.42 (95%CI = 0.97–2.09;  HRquartile3 = 1.85 (1.27–2.71; and HRquartile4 = 1.73 (1.15–2.60. When fit as continuous the multiple-adjusted hazard ratio for each additional standard deviation of the DII was 1.22 (1.06–1.40. Our results provide direct prospective evidence that a pro-inflammatory diet is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular clinical events.

  8. Medical risk factors for small-bowel adenocarcinoma with focus on Crohn's disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kærlev, Linda; Teglbjaerg, P.S.; Sabroe, Svend

    2001-01-01

    the 3-year period preceding the SBA diagnosis. Previous gallstone surgery, which may be a sign of severe gallstone disease, was not associated with SBA. Liver cirrhosis, hepatitis or medical treatments with radioactive substances or corticosteroid tablets were not associated with this disease. Cases...... with SBA had an increased prevalence of anaemia; OR 15.3 (2.5-92.1). An association between low educational level and SBA was found; OR 1.75 (1.0-3.0). CONCLUSION: This study supports Crohn disease and coeliac disease being strong but rare risk factors for SBA. Previous gallstones were unrelated to SBA...

  9. The incidence of inflammatory bowel disease in Denmark 1980-2013

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lophaven, S. N.; Lynge, E.; Burisch, J.

    2017-01-01

    Background: Globally, the incidence rates of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are increasing; however, data from high-incidence areas are conflicting. Previous studies in Denmark have assessed incidence rates of Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) using short observation periods. Aim...

  10. Predictive Big Data Analytics: A Study of Parkinson?s Disease Using Large, Complex, Heterogeneous, Incongruent, Multi-Source and Incomplete Observations

    OpenAIRE

    Dinov, Ivo D.; Heavner, Ben; Tang, Ming; Glusman, Gustavo; Chard, Kyle; Darcy, Mike; Madduri, Ravi; Pa, Judy; Spino, Cathie; Kesselman, Carl; Foster, Ian; Deutsch, Eric W.; Price, Nathan D.; Van Horn, John D.; Ames, Joseph

    2016-01-01

    Background A unique archive of Big Data on Parkinson?s Disease is collected, managed and disseminated by the Parkinson?s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI). The integration of such complex and heterogeneous Big Data from multiple sources offers unparalleled opportunities to study the early stages of prevalent neurodegenerative processes, track their progression and quickly identify the efficacies of alternative treatments. Many previous human and animal studies have examined the relationsh...

  11. Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE: a DNA finger printing technique to study the genetic diversity of blood disease bacterium of banana

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    HADIWIYONO

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Hadiwiyono, Widada J, Subandiyah S, Fegan F (2011 Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE: a DNA finger printing technique to study the genetic diversity of blood disease bacterium of banana. Biodiversitas 12: 12-16. Blood disease bacterium (BDB is the most important pathogen of bananas in Indonesia. In some field, the disease incidence reaches over 80%. Epidemiologically, the disease is similar to moko disease in South America and bugtok disease in the Philippines caused by Ralstonia solanacearum race 2. However, BDB is different in phenotype and genotype from the two diseases. Previously BDB was limited in South Sulawesi since 1920s – 1980s and recently was reported in 27 of 30 provinces in Indonesia. Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE is a genomic DNA fingerprinting method, which employs rare cutting restriction endonucleases to digest genome prior to electrophoresis using specialized condition to separate of large DNA fragments. The results showed that PFGE analysis was a discriminative tool to study the genetic diversity of BDB. Based on the PFGE analysis, BDB isolates obtained from different localities in Yogyakarta and Central Java were quit diverse.

  12. Risk Factors of Congenital Heart Diseases: A Case-Control Study inNorthwest Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naghavi-Behzad, Mohammad; Alizadeh, Mahasti; Azami, Saber; Foroughifar, Shirin; Ghasempour-Dabbaghi, Khazar; Karzad, Nazila; Ahadi, Hamid-Reza; Naghavi-Behzad, Ali

    2013-01-01

    Congenital heart diseases are of immense importance and also a high prevalence. Contributing factors to developing these defects have not been abundantly studied. Therefore, the current study was conducted aiming at determining the effective factors on Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) in newborn infants of Northwest Iran. A case-control study was carried out in North-West of Iran from 2002 to 2012 and a total of 473 infants entered the study. Required data were obtained through check lists completed by the information of hospital records and interview with mothers of 267 newborn infants with CHD together with medical records of mothers as the case group, and 206 medical records of healthy infants at the same period all together with those of their mothers as the control group. The obtained data were statistically analyzed using descriptive statistical methods, T-test, Spearman's correlation coefficient, and Multi-variable Logistic Regression Model (OR with 95% CI), using SPSS.19. In the present study, P value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Based on the results of univariable analyses, the number of previous cesarean sections, past medical history of diseases, gestational age (GA), fetal weight at birth, diastolic blood pressure, fetal heart rate, pulse rate, fetal hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, and fetal head circumference at birth have significant relationship with incidence of congenital abnormalities (Prelationship with CHD incidence. Based on the results of present study, in order to control and reduce the cases of CHD, it is crucial to make proper decisions and implement policies for reducing cesarean cases, lowering consanguineous marriages, providing proper pre-marriage counseling, prompt treatment of mothers' illnesses, improving pregnancy health care and mothers' health status for the purpose of better well-being of newborn infants.

  13. Risk Factors of Congenital Heart Diseases: A Case-Control Study in Northwest Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naghavi-Behzad Mohammad

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Congenital heart diseases are of immense importance and also a high prevalence. Contributing factors to developing these defects have not been abundantly studied. Therefore, the current study was conducted aiming at determining the effective factors on Congenital Heart Disease (CHD in newborn infants of Northwest Iran. Methods: A case-control study was carried out in North-West of Iran from 2002 to 2012 and a total of 473 infants entered the study. Required data were obtained through check lists completed by the information of hospital records and interview with mothers of 267 newborn infants with CHD together with medical records of mothers as the case group, and 206 medical records of healthy infants at the same period all together with those of their mothers as the control group. The obtained data were statistically analyzed using descriptive statistical methods, T-test, Spearman’s correlation coefficient, and Multi-variable Logistic Regression Model (OR with 95% CI, using SPSS.19. In the present study, P value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Based on the results of univariable analyses, the number of previous cesarean sections, past medical history of diseases, gestational age (GA, fetal weight at birth, diastolic blood pressure, fetal heart rate, pulse rate, fetal hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, and fetal head circumference at birth have significant relationship with incidence of congenital abnormalities (P<0.05. Family history, past cesarean sections history, past medical history and GA had significant relationship with CHD incidence. Conclusion: Based on the results of present study, in order to control and reduce the cases of CHD, it is crucial to make proper decisions and implement policies for reducing cesarean cases, lowering consanguineous marriages, providing proper pre-marriage counseling, prompt treatment of mothers’ illnesses, improving pregnancy health care and mothers

  14. Agent Orange exposure and disease prevalence in Korean Vietnam veterans: the Korean veterans health study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yi, Sang-Wook; Hong, Jae-Seok; Ohrr, Heechoul; Yi, Jee-Jeon

    2014-08-01

    from various diseases, some of which have rarely been explored in previous epidemiologic studies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Celiac Disease and Anorexia Nervosa: A Nationwide Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mårild, Karl; Størdal, Ketil; Bulik, Cynthia M; Rewers, Marian; Ekbom, Anders; Liu, Edwin; Ludvigsson, Jonas F

    2017-05-01

    Previous research suggests an association of celiac disease (CD) with anorexia nervosa (AN), but data are mostly limited to case reports. We aimed to determine whether CD is associated with the diagnosis of AN. Register-based cohort and case-control study including women with CD ( n = 17 959) and sex- and age-matched population-based controls ( n = 89 379). CD (villous atrophy) was identified through the histopathology records of Sweden's 28 pathology departments. Inpatient and hospital-based outpatient records were used to identify AN. Hazard ratios for incident AN diagnosis were estimated by using stratified Cox regression with CD diagnosis as a time-dependent exposure variable. In the secondary analyses, we used conditional logistic regression to estimate odds ratios for being diagnosed with AN before CD. Median age of CD diagnosis was 28 years. During 1 174 401 person-years of follow-up, 54 patients with CD were diagnosed with AN (27/100 000 person-years) compared with 180 matched controls (18/100 000 person-years). The hazard ratio for later AN was 1.46 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08-1.98) and 1.31 beyond the first year after CD diagnosis (95% CI, 0.95-1.81). A previous AN diagnosis was also associated with CD (odds ratio, 2.18; 95% CI, 1.45-3.29). Estimates remained largely unchanged when adjusted for socioeconomic characteristics and type 1 diabetes. The bidirectional association between AN diagnosis and CD warrants attention in the initial assessment and follow-up of these conditions because underdiagnosis and misdiagnosis of these disorders likely cause protracted and unnecessary morbidity. Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  16. The possibility of previous epidemiological data to serve as baseline for future national oral health surveys--a study in Vietnam.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Palenstein Helderman, W.H. van; Truin, G.J.; Can, N.; Khanh, N.D.

    2001-01-01

    AIM: The purpose of this paper is to review the most recent epidemiological data (1985-2000) on dental caries and periodontal diseases in Vietnam in an attempt to obtain a 'baseline' for future national oral health surveys. METHODS: Studies on periodontal diseases and caries were included when CPITN

  17. The Study on the Thyroid Disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Mun Ho

    1982-01-01

    Several recent advances in our knowledge of thyroid physiology have broad application to the diagnosis and management of thyroid disorders. For in the thyroid, more than other end-ocrine organs, pathophysiology can be translated directly into the diagnosis and management of thyroid disease. Graves' disease is a syndrome including goiter with hyperthyroidism, exophthalmos and dermatopathy. The pathogenesis of Graves' disease is not yet clearly identified, but various autoantibodies to the thyroid gland and immunapathalogic studied indicate that autoimmune processes are involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. The diagnosis and management of Graves' disease are largely dependent on radionuclide technique as radioimmunoassay, radioactive iodine therapy and so on. Several laboratory tests are also developed to determine the remission of this disease including TRH stimulation test, T 3 , suppression test and detection of thyroid stimulating immunoglobulins. Autoimmune thyroiditis is almost certainly a primary immunologic disease and the incidence tends to increase recently, mainly due to the application of biopsy technique is thyroid diseases. Thyroid nodules have been a great challenge to physicians because of the possibility of malignancy. But recently, cytologic examination of thyroid aspirate provides a very simple and also reliable diagnostic method in patients with thyroid nodules. In 163 patients with thyroid nodules, only 19.3% was revealed to be malignant. Therefore cytologic examination of thyroid aspirate and thyroid biopsy should be included in the diagnosis of nodular patients prior to surgical intervention. In this paper, a comprehensive review is presented on the pathogenesis, clinical features, laboratory findings and therapeutic modalities of various thyroid diseases on the basis of over 80 researches performed during the past 20 years at radioisotope clinic, Seoul National University Hospital.

  18. Subsequent pregnancy outcome after previous foetal death

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Nijkamp, J. W.; Korteweg, F. J.; Holm, J. P.; Timmer, A.; Erwich, J. J. H. M.; van Pampus, M. G.

    Objective: A history of foetal death is a risk factor for complications and foetal death in subsequent pregnancies as most previous risk factors remain present and an underlying cause of death may recur. The purpose of this study was to evaluate subsequent pregnancy outcome after foetal death and to

  19. Abnormal ankle brachial indices may predict cardiovascular disease among diabetic patients without known heart disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fine, Jeffrey J; Hopkins, Christie B; Hall, Patrick Ax

    2005-07-01

    Cardiovascular disease remains the primary cause of diabetes-associated morbidity and mortality. Previous studies have failed to provide accurate, inexpensive, screening techniques to detect cardiovascular disease in diabetics. Ankle brachial indices (ABI) testing may be an effective screening technique for diabetics. The aim of this 100-subject clinical study was to determine cardiovascular disease prevalence, via perfusion stress testing, in diabetic patients having abnormal ABI (<0.90) and without known heart disease who were referred to the South Carolina Heart Center, Columbia, SC for nuclear perfusion stress testing. Study data were analyzed using frequency and descriptive statistics and 2-sample T-testing. Mean subject age was 62+/-11 years, ABI 0.76+/-13, and ejection fraction 60+/-12%. Perfusion stress testing detected 49 abnormal electrocardiograms, 36 subjects with coronary ischemia, 20 with diminished left ventricular function, and 26 subjects having significant thinning of the myocardium. There were 71 subjects who tested positive for at least one form of cardiovascular disease. The sole predictive variable reaching significance for the presence of cardiovascular disease was an ABI score <0.90 (p< or =0.0001). Cardiovascular disease may be predicted among diabetic patients via ABI scores and confirmed by nuclear perfusion testing.

  20. Peripheral vascular disease in patients with coronary artery disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bashir, E. A.; Aslam, N.

    2001-01-01

    Objective: The prevalence of peripheral vascular disease (PVD) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) has been investigated in many different ways. It depends on the diagnostic methods used and definition of atherosclerotic manifestations in the different vascular beds. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of PVD in the lower limbs in group of patients with CAD. Design: This is a prospective observational study. Place and duration of study: The study was conducted at Combined Military Hospital/Armed Forces institute of Cardiology, Rawalpindi, over a period of one year (January 1998 to January 1999). Subjects and methods: A total number of 200 patient (171 male and 29 females) aged 55-77 years with CAD. Diagnosed by coronary angiography were included in the study. In all patients blood pressure was recorded in both arms by sphygmomanometer and ankle systolic pressure by Doppler ultrasound. Ankle branchial index was calculated. Demographic data were obtained from the patient's hospital files. Results: The prevalence of PVD was 22.5% in patients with CAD in agreement with the results of most previous investigation. There was tendency towards increasing prevalence of PVD with more advanced CAD. Thirty patients (27%) showed evidence of triple vessel disease as compared to 13 patient (18%) with double vessel and 2 patients (1%) with single vessel disease. Conclusion: A non-invasive investigation of peripheral arterial circulation should be included early in the clinical consideration of patients with chest pain or similar symptoms suggesting coronary artery disease. Ankle systolic pressure appears to be simple and cheap technique for evaluation of results. (author)

  1. Psycho-Physiological Associates of Dyspnea in Hospitalized Patients with Interstitial Lung Diseases: A Cross-Sectional Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Yan Hua; Mak, Yim Wah

    2017-10-24

    Dyspnea has been found to be an independent predictor of mortality among patients with respiratory diseases and is often regarded as a difficult symptom to control in patients with interstitial lung diseases (ILDs). Previous studies have found an association of psychological and physiological factors with dyspnea among patients with chronic obstructive airway diseases. However, symptom management of hospitalized patients with ILDs has been hampered by difficulty in priority, since they are often admitted with multiple psycho-physiological needs. This study examined the prevalence of dyspnea and the psycho-physiological factors associated with it among hospitalized Chinese patients with ILDs. We studied 165 hospitalized patients with ILDs recruited consecutively over three months in a public hospital in Guangzhou, China. Dyspnea and common psycho-physiological factors, including cough symptoms, activity capacity, lung function, physical and mental health status, and anxiety and depression symptoms, were measured. By ordered logistic regression, level of dyspnea statistically significantly affected performance in a six-minute walk test and physical functioning in work or other regular daily activities in hospitalized patients with ILDs. Respiratory rehabilitation with an appropriate intensity of exercise training or other strategies for enhancing the physical functioning of this population with moderate and severe levels of dyspnea should be prioritized.

  2. Marginalisation and cardiovascular disease among rural Sami in Northern Norway: a population-based cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eliassen, Bent-Martin; Melhus, Marita; Hansen, Ketil Lenert; Broderstad, Ann Ragnhild

    2013-05-29

    Like other indigenous peoples, the Sami have been exposed to the huge pressures of colonisation, rapid modernisation and subsequent marginalisation. Previous studies among indigenous peoples show that colonialism, rapid modernisation and marginalisation is accompanied by increased stress, an unhealthy cardiovascular risk factor profile and disease burden. Updated data on the general burden of cardiovascular disease among the Sami is lacking. The primary objective of this study was to assess the relationship between marginalisation and self-reported lifetime cardiovascular disease (CVD) by minority/majority status in the rural Sami population of Norway. A cross-sectional population-based study (the SAMINOR study) was carried out in 2003-2004. The overall participation rate was 60.9% and a total of 4027 Sami individuals aged 36-79 years were included in the analyses. Data was collected by self-administrated questionnaires and a clinical examination. The logistic regression showed that marginalised Sami living in Norwegian dominated areas were more than twice as likely to report CVD as non-marginalised Sami living in Sami majority areas (OR 2.10, 95% CI: 1.40-3.14). No sex difference was found in the effects of marginalisation on self-reported life-time cardiovascular disease. Moderate to no intermediate effects were seen after including established CVD risk factors. This study showed that marginalised Sami living in Norwegian dominated areas were more than twice as likely as non-marginalised Sami from Sami majority areas to report lifetime cardiovascular disease (CVD). Moderate to no intermediate effects were seen after including established CVD risk factors, which suggest little difference in lifestyle related factors. Chronic stress exposure following marginalisation may however be a plausible explanation for some of the observed excess of CVD.

  3. The biomechanics of running in athletes with previous hamstring injury: A case-control study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daly, C; Persson, U McCarthy; Twycross-Lewis, R; Woledge, R C; Morrissey, D

    2016-04-01

    Hamstring injury is prevalent with persistently high reinjury rates. We aim to inform hamstring rehabilitation by exploring the electromyographic and kinematic characteristics of running in athletes with previous hamstring injury. Nine elite male Gaelic games athletes who had returned to sport after hamstring injury and eight closely matched controls sprinted while lower limb kinematics and muscle activity of the previously injured biceps femoris, bilateral gluteus maximus, lumbar erector spinae, rectus femoris, and external oblique were recorded. Intergroup comparisons of muscle activation ratios and kinematics were performed. Previously injured athletes demonstrated significantly reduced biceps femoris muscle activation ratios with respect to ipsilateral gluteus maximus (maximum difference -12.5%, P = 0.03), ipsilateral erector spinae (maximum difference -12.5%, P = 0.01), ipsilateral external oblique (maximum difference -23%, P = 0.01), and contralateral rectus femoris (maximum difference -22%, P = 0.02) in the late swing phase. We also detected sagittal asymmetry in hip flexion (maximum 8°, P = 0.01), pelvic tilt (maximum 4°, P = 0.02), and medial rotation of the knee (maximum 6°, P = 0.03) effectively putting the hamstrings in a lengthened position just before heel strike. Previous hamstring injury is associated with altered biceps femoris associated muscle activity and potentially injurious kinematics. These deficits should be considered and addressed during rehabilitation. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Physical activity behaviour in men with inflammatory joint disease: a cross-sectional register-based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hammer, Nanna Maria; Midtgaard, Julie; Hetland, Merete Lund; Krogh, Niels Steen; Esbensen, Bente Appel

    2018-05-01

    Physical activity is recommended as an essential part of the non-pharmacological management of inflammatory joint disease, but previous research in this area has predominantly included women. The aim of this study was to examine physical activity behaviour in men with inflammatory joint disease. The study was conducted as a cross-sectional register-based study. Data on physical activity behaviour in men with RA, PsA and AS were matched with sociodemographic and clinical variables extracted from the DANBIO registry. Logistic regression analyses using multiple imputations were performed to investigate demographic and clinical variables associated with regular engagement in physical activity (moderate-vigorous ⩾2 h/week). Descriptive statistics were applied to explore motivation, barriers and preferences for physical activity. A total of 325 men were included of whom 129 (40%) engaged in regular physical activity. In univariate analyses, higher age, visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain, VAS fatigue, VAS patient's global, CRP level, disease activity, functional disability and current smoking were negatively associated with regular engagement in physical activity. In the final multivariable regression model only a high VAS fatigue score (⩾61 mm) (OR = 0.228; CI: 0.119, 0.436) remained significantly independently associated with regular physical activity. A majority of men with inflammatory joint disease do not meet the recommendations of regular physical activity. Both sociodemographic and clinical parameters were associated with engagement in physical activity, and fatigue especially seems to play a pivotal role in explaining suboptimal physical activity behaviour in this patient group.

  5. Estimating the total number of susceptibility variants underlying complex diseases from genome-wide association studies.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hon-Cheong So

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Recently genome-wide association studies (GWAS have identified numerous susceptibility variants for complex diseases. In this study we proposed several approaches to estimate the total number of variants underlying these diseases. We assume that the variance explained by genetic markers (Vg follow an exponential distribution, which is justified by previous studies on theories of adaptation. Our aim is to fit the observed distribution of Vg from GWAS to its theoretical distribution. The number of variants is obtained by the heritability divided by the estimated mean of the exponential distribution. In practice, due to limited sample sizes, there is insufficient power to detect variants with small effects. Therefore the power was taken into account in fitting. Besides considering the most significant variants, we also tried to relax the significance threshold, allowing more markers to be fitted. The effects of false positive variants were removed by considering the local false discovery rates. In addition, we developed an alternative approach by directly fitting the z-statistics from GWAS to its theoretical distribution. In all cases, the "winner's curse" effect was corrected analytically. Confidence intervals were also derived. Simulations were performed to compare and verify the performance of different estimators (which incorporates various means of winner's curse correction and the coverage of the proposed analytic confidence intervals. Our methodology only requires summary statistics and is able to handle both binary and continuous traits. Finally we applied the methods to a few real disease examples (lipid traits, type 2 diabetes and Crohn's disease and estimated that hundreds to nearly a thousand variants underlie these traits.

  6. Intestinal microbiology in Crohn's disease: a study of Escherichia coli as a potential etiologic agent

    OpenAIRE

    Martínez Medina, Margarita

    2009-01-01

    Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disorder of unknown aetiology. Genetic and immunologic features that confer susceptibility on the host, together with external or environmental factors such as microorganisms and lifestyle, are thought to be involved. The main purpose of this work was to describe the bacterial populations particularly related with Crohn's disease patients in order to identify putative etiologic agents. The results are in agreement with previous research on the ...

  7. Beyond disease susceptibility-Leveraging genome-wide association studies for new insights into complex disease biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, J C

    2017-12-01

    Genetic studies in complex diseases have been highly successful, but have also been largely one-dimensional: predominantly focusing on the genetic contribution to disease susceptibility. While this is undoubtedly important-indeed it is a pre-requisite for understanding the mechanisms underlying disease development-there are many other important aspects of disease biology that have received comparatively little attention. In this review, I will discuss how existing genetic data can be leveraged to provide new insights into other aspects of disease biology, why such insights could change the way we think about complex disease, and how this could provide opportunities for better therapies and/or facilitate personalised medicine. To do this, I will use the example of Crohn's disease-a chronic form of inflammatory bowel disease that has been one of the main success stories in complex disease genetics. Indeed, thanks to genetic studies, we now have a much more detailed understanding of the processes involved in Crohn's disease development, but still know relatively little about what determines the subsequent disease course (prognosis) and why this differs so considerably between individuals. I will discuss how we came to realise that genetic variation plays an important role in determining disease prognosis and how this has changed the way we think about Crohn's disease genetics. This will illustrate how phenotypic data can be used to leverage new insights from genetic data and will provide a broadly applicable framework that could yield new insights into the biology of multiple diseases. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Dexamethasone intravitreal implant in previously treated patients with diabetic macular edema : Subgroup analysis of the MEAD study

    OpenAIRE

    Augustin, A.J.; Kuppermann, B.D.; Lanzetta, P.; Loewenstein, A.; Li, X.; Cui, H.; Hashad, Y.; Whitcup, S.M.; Abujamra, S.; Acton, J.; Ali, F.; Antoszyk, A.; Awh, C.C.; Barak, A.; Bartz-Schmidt, K.U.

    2015-01-01

    Background Dexamethasone intravitreal implant 0.7?mg (DEX 0.7) was approved for treatment of diabetic macular edema (DME) after demonstration of its efficacy and safety in the MEAD registration trials. We performed subgroup analysis of MEAD study results to evaluate the efficacy and safety of DEX 0.7 treatment in patients with previously treated DME. Methods Three-year, randomized, sham-controlled phase 3 study in patients with DME, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 34?68 Early Treatment...

  9. Subsequent childbirth after a previous traumatic birth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beck, Cheryl Tatano; Watson, Sue

    2010-01-01

    Nine percent of new mothers in the United States who participated in the Listening to Mothers II Postpartum Survey screened positive for meeting the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder after childbirth. Women who have had a traumatic birth experience report fewer subsequent children and a longer length of time before their second baby. Childbirth-related posttraumatic stress disorder impacts couples' physical relationship, communication, conflict, emotions, and bonding with their children. The purpose of this study was to describe the meaning of women's experiences of a subsequent childbirth after a previous traumatic birth. Phenomenology was the research design used. An international sample of 35 women participated in this Internet study. Women were asked, "Please describe in as much detail as you can remember your subsequent pregnancy, labor, and delivery following your previous traumatic birth." Colaizzi's phenomenological data analysis approach was used to analyze the stories of the 35 women. Data analysis yielded four themes: (a) riding the turbulent wave of panic during pregnancy; (b) strategizing: attempts to reclaim their body and complete the journey to motherhood; (c) bringing reverence to the birthing process and empowering women; and (d) still elusive: the longed-for healing birth experience. Subsequent childbirth after a previous birth trauma has the potential to either heal or retraumatize women. During pregnancy, women need permission and encouragement to grieve their prior traumatic births to help remove the burden of their invisible pain.

  10. QualiCOP: real-world effectiveness, tolerability, and quality of life in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis treated with glatiramer acetate, treatment-naïve patients, and previously treated patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ziemssen, Tjalf; Calabrese, Pasquale; Penner, Iris-Katharina; Apfel, Rainer

    2016-04-01

    Treatment of symptoms and signs beyond the expanded disability status scale remains a major target in multiple sclerosis. QualiCOP was an observational, non-interventional, open-label study conducted at 170 sites in Germany. Of the 754 enrolled patients, 96 % had relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS) and were either disease-modifying therapy naïve (de novo, n = 481) or previously treated (n = 237) with once-daily, subcutaneous 20-mg/mL glatiramer acetate (GA). Assessments of relapse rate, disease progression, overall functioning, quality of life (QoL), cognition, fatigue, and depression were performed over 24 months. GA treatment over 24 months was associated with reduced annual relapse rate for previously treated (from 0.98 to 0.54 relapses) and de novo (from 0.81 to 0.48 relapses) patients. Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite scores showed slight improvement in both cohorts (all p Multiple Sclerosis Inventory Cognition scale scores showed robust improvement in cognition among previously treated and de novo cohorts (all p treatment in important QoL parameters beyond standard measures of relapse and disease severity.

  11. Age at death of major cardiovascular diseases in 13 cohorts. The seven countries study of cardiovascular diseases 45-year follow-up.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Menotti, Alessandro; Puddu, Paolo Emilio; Tolonen, Hanna; Adachi, Hisashi; Kafatos, Anthony; Kromhout, Daan

    2018-03-23

    To explore age at death (AD) for major cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and their risk factors in originally middle-aged men followed nearly to extinction in the Seven Countries Study. Thirteen cohorts of men aged 40-59 years (N = 10,628) in seven countries (USA, Finland, the Netherlands, Italy, Serbia, Greece, Japan) were enrolled in late 1950s and early 1960s and were followed 45 years for mortality. AD was computed for coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke (STR), heart disease of uncertain aetiology (HDUE) and for all-causes. AD was compared across CHD-HDUE-STR. Cox models were computed for each end-point using baseline age, cigarettes smoking, systolic blood pressure and serum cholesterol. After 45 years 92.9% of men had died. The most common CVD death was CHD in most cohorts except some Mediterranean and Japanese cohorts where STR or HDUE were most prevalent. In 13 cohorts mean AD was 74.5, 73.5, 75.7 and 79.1 years, respectively, for all-cause, CHD, STR and HDUE mortality (all possible differences were significant). The difference, across cohorts, between the highest and the lowest mean AD was 12.9, 9.0 and 4.7 years for CHD, HDUE and STR mortality, respectively. Risk factors explored were significant predictors of all three CVD end-points, except serum cholesterol, specific to CHD mortality. AD is a useful indicator of previous health and aging populations. STR and HDUE are diseases appearing later in life, thus being associated with a higher AD compared with CHD mortality.

  12. Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: A Population Based Study

    OpenAIRE

    Nwokediuko, Sylvester

    2009-01-01

    Background The prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease varies in different parts of the world. There are no population based studies in Nigeria. The main objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence and risk factors for gastroesophageal reflux disease in a population of Nigerian medical students. Methods The Carlsson-Dent questionnaire was administered to medical students in the clinical phase of their training at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus. Some putative risk ...

  13. Periodontal disease and anemias associated with Crohn's disease. A case report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nagpal, Swati; Acharya, Anirudh B; Thakur, Srinath L

    2012-03-01

    Crohn's disease (CD) is an inflammatory bowel disease with oral findings, including periodontal manifestations. Anemias, such as iron deficiency and anemia of chronic disease (ACD), are the most common hematologic complications of CD. Periodontitis has systemic effects, and may tend toward anemia, which can be explained by depressed erythropoiesis. In the report presented here, the authors review a case of Crohn's disease diagnosed 10 years previous to the patient presenting with a changing anemic profile and periodontal disease. A discussion of patient and disease management is included.

  14. The elusive baseline of marine disease: are diseases in ocean ecosystems increasing?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jessica R Ward

    2004-04-01

    Full Text Available Disease outbreaks alter the structure and function of marine ecosystems, directly affecting vertebrates (mammals, turtles, fish, invertebrates (corals, crustaceans, echinoderms, and plants (seagrasses. Previous studies suggest a recent increase in marine disease. However, lack of baseline data in most communities prevents a direct test of this hypothesis. We developed a proxy to evaluate a prediction of the increasing disease hypothesis: the proportion of scientific publications reporting disease increased in recent decades. This represents, to our knowledge, the first quantitative use of normalized trends in the literature to investigate an ecological hypothesis. We searched a literature database for reports of parasites and disease (hereafter "disease" in nine marine taxonomic groups from 1970 to 2001. Reports, normalized for research effort, increased in turtles, corals, mammals, urchins, and molluscs. No significant trends were detected for seagrasses, decapods, or sharks/rays (though disease occurred in these groups. Counter to the prediction, disease reports decreased in fishes. Formulating effective resource management policy requires understanding the basis and timing of marine disease events. Why disease outbreaks increased in some groups but not in others should be a priority for future investigation. The increase in several groups lends urgency to understanding disease dynamics, particularly since few viable options currently exist to mitigate disease in the oceans.

  15. Underdiagnosis and prognosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease after percutaneous coronary intervention: a prospective study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Almagro P

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Pere Almagro,1 Anna Lapuente,2 Julia Pareja,1 Sergi Yun,1 Maria Estela Garcia,3 Ferrán Padilla,4 Josep Ll Heredia,2 Alex De la Sierra,1 Joan B Soriano5 1Department of Internal Medicine, 2Pneumology Service, Mutua de Terrassa University Hospital, Terrassa, Spain; 3Medical Department, Menarini Pharmaceutical, Barcelona, Spain; 4Cardiology Service, Mutua de Terrassa University Hospital, Terrassa, Spain; 5Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Princesa (IP, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain Background: Retrospective studies based on clinical data and without spirometric confirmation suggest a poorer prognosis of patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI. The impact of undiagnosed COPD in these patients is unknown. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic impact of COPD – previously or newly diagnosed – in patients with IHD treated with PCI.Methods: Patients with IHD confirmed by PCI were consecutively included. After PCI they underwent forced spirometry and evaluation for cardiovascular risk factors. All-cause mortality, new cardiovascular events, and their combined endpoint were analyzed.Results: A total of 133 patients (78% male, with a mean (SD age of 63 (10.12 years were included. Of these, 33 (24.8% met the spirometric criteria for COPD, of whom 81.8% were undiagnosed. IHD patients with COPD were older, had more coronary vessels affected, and a greater history of previous myocardial infarction. Median follow-up was 934 days (interquartile range [25%–75%]: 546–1,160. COPD patients had greater mortality (P=0.008; hazard ratio [HR]: 8.85; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.76–44.47 and number of cardiovascular events (P=0.024; HR: 1.87; 95% CI: 1.04–3.33, even those without a previous diagnosis of COPD (P=0.01; HR: 1.78; 95% CI: 1.12–2.83. These differences remained after adjustment for sex, age, number of coronary vessels affected

  16. Study on clinical symptoms in canine cardiac diseases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. Karlette Anne

    Full Text Available Cardiac diseases in canines are an extensively studied phenomenon all over the world but meagre information has been reported in India. Certain problems, including historical, physical, and laboratory abnormalities, are associated with cardiovascular or pulmonary disease. In India however, the recognition of canine cardiac diseases has been delayed, and ignored on account of lack of awareness and knowledge by the owner and inadequate diagnostic facility to a field veterinarian. Considering the above facts, the present study was undertaken in Gujarat to survey the prevalence of common cardiac diseases in hospital population of dogs along with the clinical symptoms which often goes undetected due to lack of proper diagnostic techniques to be implied and the most forms of heart disease may be present for many years before any evidence of failure develops. In the present study most of the clinical cases of cardiac diseases were presented with a history of nocturnal coughing (seven cases; 2.55%, exercise intolerance (five cases; 1.82%, partial or complete anorexia (five cases; 1.82%, swelling in abdominal area (four cases; 1.45%, dullness and depression (two cases; 0.72%, cachexia and hepatojugular pulsation (one case each; 0.36% each at times. [Vet World 2009; 2(8.000: 307-309

  17. New population-based exome data question the pathogenicity of some genetic variants previously associated with Marfan syndrome

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Yang, Ren-Qiang; Jabbari, Javad; Cheng, Xiao-Shu

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Marfan syndrome (MFS) is a rare autosomal dominantly inherited connective tissue disorder with an estimated prevalence of 1:5,000. More than 1000 variants have been previously reported to be associated with MFS. However, the disease-causing effect of these variants may be questionable...

  18. Challenging previous conceptions of vegetarianism and eating disorders.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fisak, B; Peterson, R D; Tantleff-Dunn, S; Molnar, J M

    2006-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to replicate and expand upon previous research that has examined the potential association between vegetarianism and disordered eating. Limitations of previous research studies are addressed, including possible low reliability of measures of eating pathology within vegetarian samples, use of only a few dietary restraint measures, and a paucity of research examining potential differences in body image and food choice motives of vegetarians versus nonvegetarians. Two hundred and fifty-six college students completed a number of measures of eating pathology and body image, and a food choice motives questionnaire. Interestingly, no significant differences were found between vegetarians and nonvegetarians in measures of eating pathology or body image. However, significant differences in food choice motives were found. Implications for both researchers and clinicians are discussed.

  19. Studies of trace element imbalances in Alzheimer's disease using sequential NAA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ehmann, W.D.; Markesbery, W.R.; Thompson, C.M.; Vance, D.E.; Mao, Y.

    1986-01-01

    Evidence has accumulated in the literature that trace elements may be implicated in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other age-related neurological diseases. Even if elemental imbalances do not prove to be causative factors, observed perturbations may be markers that could aid in diagnosis, or help elucidate pathological processes. In this paper the authors present new data for trace element levels in three areas of the human brain most severely affected by AD (hippocampus, amygdala, and nucleus basalis) and in AD hair and nail samples. In some cases the specific imbalances seen previously in the bulk brain analyses are amplified in these regions. Elevated bromine levels seen in AD brain are also observed in AD hair and nail. Significant alkali metal and mercury imbalances with respect to controls occur in AD nail samples. The role of these trace element alterations in the etiology of AD has still not been determined. However, some possible physiological effects include: membrane dysfunction (alkali metals), enzyme inhibition (mercury and bromine), and interference with neurotransmitter functions (mercury, bromine, and alkali metals). The simultaneous multielement capability of this sequential NAA procedure also permits interelement correlation studies. Elemental associations may help identify potential environmental factors that could contribute to the observed trace element imbalances

  20. Screening Fabry's disease in chronic kidney disease patients not on dialysis: a multicenter study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yeniçerioğlu, Yavuz; Akdam, Hakan; Dursun, Belda; Alp, Alper; Sağlam Eyiler, Funda; Akın, Davut; Gün, Yelda; Hüddam, Bülent; Batmazoğlu, Mehmet; Gibyeli Genek, Dilek; Pirinççi, Serhat; Ersoy, İsmail Rıfkı; Üzüm, Atilla; Soypaçacı, Zeki; Tanrısev, Mehmet; Çolak, Hülya; Demiral Sezer, Sibel; Bozkurt, Gökay; Akyıldız, Utku Oğan; Akyüz Ünsal, Ayşe İpek; Ünübol, Mustafa; Uslu, Meltem; Eryılmaz, Ufuk; Günel, Ceren; Meteoğlu, İbrahim; Yavaşoğlu, İrfan; Ünsal, Alparslan; Akar, Harun; Okyay, Pınar

    2017-11-01

    Fabry's disease is an X-linked inherited, rare, progressive, lysosomal storage disorder, affecting multiple organs due to the deficient activity of α-galactosidase A (α-Gal A) enzyme. The prevalence has been reported to be 0.15-1% in hemodialysis patients; however, the information on the prevalence in chronic kidney disease not on dialysis is lacking. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Fabry's disease in chronic kidney disease. The patients older than 18 years, enclosing KDIGO 2012 chronic kidney disease definitions, not on dialysis, were enrolled. Dried blood spots on Guthrie papers were used to analyze α-Gal A enzyme and genetic analysis was performed in individuals with enzyme activity ≤1.2 μmol/L/h. A total of 1453 chronic kidney disease patients not on dialysis from seven clinics in Turkey were screened. The mean age of the study population was 59.3 ± 15.9 years. 45.6% of patients were female. The creatinine clearance of 77.3% of patients was below 60 mL/min/1.73 m 2 , 8.4% had proteinuria, and 2.5% had isolated microscopic hematuria. The mean value of patients' α-Gal A enzyme was detected as 2.93 ± 1.92 μmol/L/h. 152 patients had low levels of α-Gal A enzyme activity (≤1.2 μmol/L/h). In mutation analysis, A143T and D313Y variants were disclosed in three male patients. The prevalence of Fabry's disease in chronic kidney disease not on dialysis was found to be 0.2% (0.4% in male, 0.0% in female). Fabry's disease should be considered in the differential diagnosis of chronic kidney disease with unknown etiology even in the absence of symptoms and signs suggestive of Fabry's disease.

  1. Adalimumab for maintenance therapy for one year in Crohn's disease: results of a Latin American single-center observational study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kotze, Paulo Gustavo; Abou-Rejaile, Vinícius Rezende; Uiema, Luciana Aparecida; Olandoski, Marcia; Sartor, Maria Cristina; Miranda, Eron Fábio; Kotze, Lorete Maria da Silva; Saad-Hossne, Rogério

    2014-01-01

    Adalimumab is a fully-human antibody that inhibits TNF alpha, with a significant efficacy for long-term maintenance of remission. Studies with this agent in Latin American Crohn's disease patients are scarce. The objective of this study was to outline clinical remission rates after 12 months of adalimumab therapy for Crohn's disease patients. Retrospective, single-center, observational study of a Brazilian case series of Crohn's disease patients under adalimumab therapy. Variables analyzed: demographic data, Montreal classification, concomitant medication, remission rates after 1, 4, 6 and 12 months. Remission was defined as Harvey-Bradshaw Index ≤ 4, and non-responder-imputation and last-observation-carried-forward analysis were used. The influence of infliximab on remission rates was analyzed by Fischer and Chi-square tests (Panalysis. After 12 months, remission on patients with previous infliximab occurred in 69.23% as compared to 94.59% in infliximab-naïve patients (P = 0.033). Adalimumab was effective in maintaining clinical remission after 12 months of therapy, with an adequate safety profile, and was also more effective in infliximab naïve patients.

  2. Characterization of annual disease progression of multiple sclerosis patients: A population-based study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Freilich, Jonatan; Manouchehrinia, Ali; Trusheim, Mark

    2017-01-01

    Previous research characterizing factors influencing multiple sclerosis (MS) disease progression has typically been based on time to disease milestones (Kaplan-Meier, Cox hazard regression, etc.). A limitation of these methods is the handling of the often large groups of patients not reaching...... the milestone. To characterize clinical factors influencing MS disease progression as annual transitions from each Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). The annual progression of 11,964 patients from the Swedish MS Registry was analysed with 10 multinomial logistic regressions, that is, one for transition...... from each full EDSS with explanatory variables age, sex, age at onset, time in current EDSS, highest prior EDSS, MS course and treatment. All factors (except sex) investigated had statistically significant impacts on transitions from at least one EDSS. However, significance and size of the effect...

  3. Retrospective Study of Epidermal Parasitic Skin Diseases amongst ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ADOWIE PERE

    ABSTRACT: A ten year retrospective study (1997-2006) was undertaken to determine the prevalence of. Epidermal Parasitic Skin Diseases (EPSD) among out-patients from the skin diseases hospital in Maiduguri, Borno state. Out of 10,000 out-patients examined during the study period, 3527(35.27%) where infected with ...

  4. A previous hamstring injury affects kicking mechanics in soccer players.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Navandar, Archit; Veiga, Santiago; Torres, Gonzalo; Chorro, David; Navarro, Enrique

    2018-01-10

    Although the kicking skill is influenced by limb dominance and sex, how a previous hamstring injury affects kicking has not been studied in detail. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of sex and limb dominance on kicking in limbs with and without a previous hamstring injury. 45 professional players (males: n=19, previously injured players=4, age=21.16 ± 2.00 years; females: n=19, previously injured players=10, age=22.15 ± 4.50 years) performed 5 kicks each with their preferred and non-preferred limb at a target 7m away, which were recorded with a three-dimensional motion capture system. Kinematic and kinetic variables were extracted for the backswing, leg cocking, leg acceleration and follow through phases. A shorter backswing (20.20 ± 3.49% vs 25.64 ± 4.57%), and differences in knee flexion angle (58 ± 10o vs 72 ± 14o) and hip flexion velocity (8 ± 0rad/s vs 10 ± 2rad/s) were observed in previously injured, non-preferred limb kicks for females. A lower peak hip linear velocity (3.50 ± 0.84m/s vs 4.10 ± 0.45m/s) was observed in previously injured, preferred limb kicks of females. These differences occurred in the backswing and leg-cocking phases where the hamstring muscles were the most active. A variation in the functioning of the hamstring muscles and that of the gluteus maximus and iliopsoas in the case of a previous injury could account for the differences observed in the kicking pattern. Therefore, the effects of a previous hamstring injury must be considered while designing rehabilitation programs to re-educate kicking movement.

  5. Metallothionein-I and -III expression in animal models of Alzheimer disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Carrasco, J; Adlard, P; Cotman, C

    2006-01-01

    Previous studies have described altered expression of metallothioneins (MTs) in neurodegenerative diseases like multiple sclerosis (MS), Down syndrome, and Alzheimer's disease (AD). In order to gain insight into the possible role of MTs in neurodegenerative processes and especially in human...

  6. Clinical significance of stress-induced ST segment changes in patients with previous myocardial infarction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Futagami, Yasuo; Hamada, Masayuki; Makino, Katsutoshi; Ichikawa, Takehiko; Konishi, Tokuji

    1984-01-01

    To explain the clinical significance of stress(st)-induced ST-segment (ST) changes postinfarction, 93 patients with previous myocardial infarction (MI) were performed st- 201 Tl myocardial single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and compared ST changes with SPECT, coronary arteriographic and left ventriculographic findings. 30 out of 93 cases (32%) had ST depression, 20 (21.5%) had ST elevation, 9 (10%) had both ST depression and elevation and remaining 34 (36.5 %) had no significant ST changes. In single vessel disease, ST depression were noted in 29% (12/42), while in multivessel disease, 53% (27/51). 35 out of 39 cases (90%) with ST depression had transient perfusion defect but no apparent relation was noted between location of ST depression on ECG and region of transient perfusion defect in SPECT. All of 28 cases with ST elevation were noted in anterior MI cases, and 26 out of these showed severe LV wall motion abnormality in contrast left ventriculography and broad anterior permanent defect in SPECT. Only 15 cases (54%) showed slight redistribution. Thus, we conclude that in patients with previous MI, st-induced ST depression seems to reflect myocardial ischemia and ST elevation possibly related abnormal LV wall motion. (author)

  7. Retrospective study on cattle and poultry diseases in Uganda

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joseph Byaruhanga

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Cattle and poultry enterprises are among the major contributors to food security and socioeconomic empowerment of households in Uganda. However, various diseases constrain their productivity. A two-year retrospective study between April 2012 and March 2014 was conducted using records for cattle and poultry diseases diagnosed at the Central Diagnostic Laboratory (CDL to determine prevalent diseases in Uganda. The laboratory received 836 samples from poultry (36.3% and cattle (63.7%. Of the 836 samples, 47.5% had a definitive diagnosis of disease causation. Most of the cattle and poultry diseases diagnosed were protozoan diseases (39.3% followed by bacterial (21.4%, viral (17.1%, helminthiasis (11.1%, nutritional diseases (4% and others (7.1%. For poultry, viral diseases (29.5% and protozoan diseases (27.1% especially newcastle disease (44.3% and coccidiosis (100% respectively, were the most diagnosed. While for cattle, hemo-protozoan parasites (52.1% were the most prevalent, of which 92.9% were east coast fever infection. Bacterial infection (20.5% in cattle were the second most diagnosed diseases and mastitis was the most diagnosed (46.2%. In summary, coccidioisis, collibacillosis, newcastle disease, gumboro disease, and avian helminthiasis were the most prevalent poultry diseases while in cattle, east coast fever, helminthiasis, mastitis, brucellosis and rabies were the most frequently diagnosed diseases. This study has identified the major diseases that hinder poultry and cattle production in Uganda. The data generated by CDL could be used for surveillance, monitoring and designing strategic interventions for control of poultry and cattle diseases in Uganda. Keywords: Coccidiosis, Collibacillosis, East coast fever, Mastitis, Newcastle disease, Rabies

  8. Association of Helicobacter pylori infection with peptic ulcer disease ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Background: Helicobacter pylori infection has been identified as an important risk factor for the development of peptic ulcer disease and is probably the most important cause of relapse in those previously treated for peptic ulcer disease. The aim of this study was to determine the association of Helicobacter pylori infection as ...

  9. Combining complexity measures of EEG data: multiplying measures reveal previously hidden information.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burns, Thomas; Rajan, Ramesh

    2015-01-01

    Many studies have noted significant differences among human electroencephalograph (EEG) results when participants or patients are exposed to different stimuli, undertaking different tasks, or being affected by conditions such as epilepsy or Alzheimer's disease. Such studies often use only one or two measures of complexity and do not regularly justify their choice of measure beyond the fact that it has been used in previous studies. If more measures were added to such studies, however, more complete information might be found about these reported differences. Such information might be useful in confirming the existence or extent of such differences, or in understanding their physiological bases. In this study we analysed publically-available EEG data using a range of complexity measures to determine how well the measures correlated with one another. The complexity measures did not all significantly correlate, suggesting that different measures were measuring unique features of the EEG signals and thus revealing information which other measures were unable to detect. Therefore, the results from this analysis suggests that combinations of complexity measures reveal unique information which is in addition to the information captured by other measures of complexity in EEG data. For this reason, researchers using individual complexity measures for EEG data should consider using combinations of measures to more completely account for any differences they observe and to ensure the robustness of any relationships identified.

  10. Social media methods for studying rare diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schumacher, Kurt R; Stringer, Kathleen A; Donohue, Janet E; Yu, Sunkyung; Shaver, Ashley; Caruthers, Regine L; Zikmund-Fisher, Brian J; Fifer, Carlen; Goldberg, Caren; Russell, Mark W

    2014-05-01

    For pediatric rare diseases, the number of patients available to support traditional research methods is often inadequate. However, patients who have similar diseases cluster "virtually" online via social media. This study aimed to (1) determine whether patients who have the rare diseases Fontan-associated protein losing enteropathy (PLE) and plastic bronchitis (PB) would participate in online research, and (2) explore response patterns to examine social media's role in participation compared with other referral modalities. A novel, internet-based survey querying details of potential pathogenesis, course, and treatment of PLE and PB was created. The study was available online via web and Facebook portals for 1 year. Apart from 2 study-initiated posts on patient-run Facebook pages at the study initiation, all recruitment was driven by study respondents only. Response patterns and referral sources were tracked. A total of 671 respondents with a Fontan palliation completed a valid survey, including 76 who had PLE and 46 who had PB. Responses over time demonstrated periodic, marked increases as new online populations of Fontan patients were reached. Of the responses, 574 (86%) were from the United States and 97 (14%) were international. The leading referral sources were Facebook, internet forums, and traditional websites. Overall, social media outlets referred 84% of all responses, making it the dominant modality for recruiting the largest reported contemporary cohort of Fontan patients and patients who have PLE and PB. The methodology and response patterns from this study can be used to design research applications for other rare diseases. Copyright © 2014 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  11. The hTH-GFP reporter rat model for the study of Parkinson's disease.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lorraine Iacovitti

    Full Text Available Parkinson disease (PD is the second leading neurodegenerative disease in the US. As there is no known cause or cure for PD, researchers continue to investigate disease mechanisms and potential new therapies in cell culture and in animal models of PD. In PD, one of the most profoundly affected neuronal populations is the tyrosine hydroxylase (TH-expressing dopaminergic (DA neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc. These DA-producing neurons undergo degeneration while neighboring DA-producing cells of the ventral tegmental area (VTA are largely spared. To aid in these studies, The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF partnered with Thomas Jefferson University and Taconic Inc. to generate new transgenic rat lines carrying the human TH gene promoter driving EGFP using a 11 kb construct used previously to create a hTH-GFP mouse reporter line. Of the five rat founder lines that were generated, three exhibited high level specific GFP fluorescence in DA brain structures (ie. SN, VTA, striatum, olfactory bulb, hypothalamus. As with the hTH-GFP mouse, none of the rat lines exhibit reporter expression in adrenergic structures like the adrenal gland. Line 12141, with its high levels of GFP in adult DA brain structures and minimal ectopic GFP expression in non-DA structures, was characterized in detail. We show here that this line allows for anatomical visualization and microdissection of the rat midbrain into SNpc and/or VTA, enabling detailed analysis of midbrain DA neurons and axonal projections after toxin treatment in vivo. Moreover, we further show that embryonic SNpc and/or VTA neurons, enriched by microdissection or FACS, can be used in culture or transplant studies of PD. Thus, the hTH-GFP reporter rat should be a valuable tool for Parkinson's disease research.

  12. [Carotenoids: 2. Diseases and supplementation studies].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Faure, H; Fayol, V; Galabert, C; Grolier, P; Moël, G L; Stephens, J; Nabet, F

    1999-05-01

    Inverse correlations have been found in most studies on the relationship between dietary intake and plasma concentrations of carotenoids on one side and degenerative diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases on the other side. Protective effects of carotenoids have been found for pathologies of the retina and the skin. Concentrations of these molecules in blood are lower in digestive pathologies and HIV. Short- and long-term toxicity of carotenoids was found to be low. In combination with the beneficial effects found for diets rich in carotenoids, this has initiated trials with relatively high doses of carotenoid supplements. In the study in Linxian (China) in a rural population with poor nutritional status, supplementation with beta-carotene, zinc, selenium and vitamin E lowered total mortality and mortality from stomach cancer. Other studies (ATBC, Caret.) on well-fed subjects did not show beneficial effects on mortality from cancer and cardiovascular diseases. On the contrary, higher mortality and lung cancer incidence was found in supplemented subjects that were also exposed to asbestos and cigarette smoke. In these studies, doses of supplemental beta-carotene were high and varied from 20 to 50 mg/day. One still ongoing study, called Suvimax, doses subjects for eight years with a cocktail of vitamins and minerals including 6 mg per day of beta-carotene. This supplementation with physiologically seen more "normal" doses might give clarity on the question if beta-carotene is the protective factor in fruits and vegetables.

  13. Pragmatic communication is impaired in Parkinson disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hall, Deborah; Ouyang, Bichun; Lonnquist, Eryn; Newcombe, Jill

    2011-05-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine whether severity of disease, cognitive function, age, gender, or amount of social interaction were associated with pragmatic dysfunction in Parkinson disease. No studies have previously been done to investigate variables that may be associated with pragmatic dysfunction in Parkinson disease. A case-control study was conducted with 17 Parkinson disease patients and 17 convenience controls. Each Parkinson disease patient and a control were interviewed, and their pragmatic skills were evaluated using a scale of pragmatic communication skills. Correlation analysis was used to determine what factors were associated with pragmatic dysfunction in the Parkinson disease patients. Cases scored lower on the pragmatic scale with a mean of 29.7 compared with 38.9 in the controls (p communication skills had moderate to strong correlations with the MMSE (r = .81, p = .002), Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale score (r = -.71, p = .002), and duration of disease (r = -.53, p = .03). These results show that Parkinson disease patients have impaired pragmatic function compared with controls on both verbal and nonverbal sections, and this impairment correlates with mental state, duration, and severity of disease.

  14. Analysis of over 10,000 Cases finds no association between previously reported candidate polymorphisms and ovarian cancer outcome

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    White, Kristin L; Vierkant, Robert A; Fogarty, Zachary C

    2013-01-01

    Ovarian cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death among women. In an effort to understand contributors to disease outcome, we evaluated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) previously associated with ovarian cancer recurrence or survival, specifically in angiogenesis, inflammation, mitosis...

  15. Impacts of previous crops on Fusarium foot and root rot, and on yields of durum wheat in North West Tunisia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Samia CHEKALI

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available The impacts of ten previous crop rotations (cereals, legumes and fallow on Fusarium foot and root rot of durum wheat were investigated for three cropping seasons in a trial established in 2004 in Northwest Tunisia. Fungi isolated from the roots and stem bases were identified using morphological and molecular methods, and were primarily Fusarium culmorum and F. pseudograminearum. Under low rainfall conditions, the previous crop affected F. pseudograminearum incidence on durum wheat roots but not F. culmorum. Compared to continuous cropping of durum wheat, barley as a previous crop increased disease incidence more than fivefold, while legumes and fallow tended to reduce incidence.  Barley as a previous crop increased wheat disease severity by 47%, compared to other rotations. Grain yield was negatively correlated with the incidence of F. culmorum infection, both in roots and stem bases, and fitted an exponential model (R2 = -0.61 for roots and -0.77 for stem bases, P<0.0001. Fusarium pseudograminearum was also negatively correlated with yield and fitted an exponential model (R2 = -0.53 on roots and -0.71 on stem bases, P < 0.0001 but was not correlated with severity.

  16. The impact of unrecognized autoimmune rheumatic diseases on the incidence of preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction: a longitudinal cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spinillo, Arsenio; Beneventi, Fausta; Locatelli, Elena; Ramoni, Vèronique; Caporali, Roberto; Alpini, Claudia; Albonico, Giulia; Cavagnoli, Chiara; Montecucco, Carlomaurizio

    2016-10-18

    The burden of pregnancy complications associated with well defined, already established systemic rheumatic diseases preexisting pregnancy such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus or scleroderma is well known. Systemic rheumatic diseases are characterized by a long natural history with few symptoms, an undifferentiated picture or a remitting course making difficult a timely diagnosis. It has been suggested that screening measures for these diseases could be useful but the impact of unrecognized systemic rheumatic disorders on pregnancy outcome is unknown. The objective of the study was to evaluate the impact of previously unrecognized systemic autoimmune rheumatic on the incidence of preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction (FGR). A longitudinal cohort-study with enrolment during the first trimester of pregnancy of women attending routine antenatal care using a two-step approach with a self-reported questionnaire, autoantibody detection and clinical evaluation of antibody-positive subjects. The incidence of FGR and preeclampsia in subjects with newly diagnosed rheumatic diseases was compared to that of selected negative controls adjusting for potential confounders by logistic regression analysis. The prevalence of previously unrecognized systemic rheumatic diseases was 0.4 % for rheumatoid arthritis (19/5232), 0.25 % (13/5232) for systemic lupus erythematosus, 0.31 % (16/5232) for Sjögren's syndrome, 0.3 % for primary antiphospholipid syndrome (14/5232) and 0.11 % (6/5232) for other miscellaneous diseases. Undifferentiated connective tissue disease was diagnosed in an additional 131 subjects (2.5 %). The incidence of either FGR or preeclampsia was 6.1 % (36/594) among controls and 25.3 % (50/198) in subjects with unrecognized rheumatic diseases (excess incidence = 3.9 % (95 % CI = 2.6-9.6) or 34 % (95 % CI = 22-44) of all cases of FGR/preeclampsia). The incidence of small for gestational age infant (SGA) was higher among

  17. Community perceptions of health and chronic disease in South Indian rural transitional communities: a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hayter, Arabella K M; Jeffery, Roger; Sharma, Chitra; Prost, Audrey; Kinra, Sanjay

    2015-01-01

    Chronic diseases are now the leading cause of death and disability worldwide; this epidemic has been linked to rapid economic growth and urbanisation in developing countries. Understanding how characteristics of the physical, social, and economic environment affect behaviour in the light of these changes is key to identifying successful interventions to mitigate chronic disease risk. We undertook a qualitative study consisting of nine focus group discussions (FGDs) (n=57) in five villages in rural Andhra Pradesh, South India, to understand people's perceptions of community development and urbanisation in relation to chronic disease in rural transitional communities. Specifically, we sought to understand perceptions of change linked to diet, physical activity, and pollution (because these exposures are most relevant to chronic diseases), with the aim of defining future interventions. The transcripts were analysed thematically. Participants believed their communities were currently less healthy, more polluted, less physically active, and had poorer access to nutritious food and shorter life expectancies than previously. There were contradictory perceptions of the effects of urbanisation on health within and between individuals; several of the participants felt their quality of life had been reduced. In the present study, residents viewed change and development within their villages as an inevitable and largely positive process but with some negative health consequences. Understanding how these changes are affecting populations in transitional rural areas and how people relate to their environment may be useful to guide community planning for health. Measures to educate and empower people to make healthy choices within their community may help reduce the spread of chronic disease risk factors in future years.

  18. Innovative research methods for studying treatments for rare diseases: methodological review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gagne, Joshua J; Thompson, Lauren; O'Keefe, Kelly; Kesselheim, Aaron S

    2014-11-24

    To examine methods for generating evidence on health outcomes in patients with rare diseases. Methodological review of existing literature. PubMed, Embase, and Academic Search Premier searched for articles describing innovative approaches to randomized trial design and analysis methods and methods for conducting observational research in patients with rare diseases. We assessed information related to the proposed methods, the specific rare disease being studied, and outcomes from the application of the methods. We summarize methods with respect to their advantages in studying health outcomes in rare diseases and provide examples of their application. We identified 46 articles that proposed or described methods for studying patient health outcomes in rare diseases. Articles covered a wide range of rare diseases and most (72%) were published in 2008 or later. We identified 16 research strategies for studying rare disease. Innovative clinical trial methods minimize sample size requirements (n=4) and maximize the proportion of patients who receive active treatment (n=2), strategies crucial to studying small populations of patients with limited treatment choices. No studies describing unique methods for conducting observational studies in patients with rare diseases were identified. Though numerous studies apply unique clinical trial designs and considerations to assess patient health outcomes in rare diseases, less attention has been paid to innovative methods for studying rare diseases using observational data. © Gagne et al 2014.

  19. No discrimination against previous mates in a sexually cannibalistic spider

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fromhage, Lutz; Schneider, Jutta M.

    2005-09-01

    In several animal species, females discriminate against previous mates in subsequent mating decisions, increasing the potential for multiple paternity. In spiders, female choice may take the form of selective sexual cannibalism, which has been shown to bias paternity in favor of particular males. If cannibalistic attacks function to restrict a male's paternity, females may have little interest to remate with males having survived such an attack. We therefore studied the possibility of female discrimination against previous mates in sexually cannibalistic Argiope bruennichi, where females almost always attack their mate at the onset of copulation. We compared mating latency and copulation duration of males having experienced a previous copulation either with the same or with a different female, but found no evidence for discrimination against previous mates. However, males copulated significantly shorter when inserting into a used, compared to a previously unused, genital pore of the female.

  20. Abiraterone in metastatic prostate cancer without previous chemotherapy

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ryan, Charles J.; Smith, Matthew R.; de Bono, Johann S.; Molina, Arturo; Logothetis, Christopher J.; de Souza, Paul; Fizazi, Karim; Mainwaring, Paul; Piulats, Josep M.; Ng, Siobhan; Carles, Joan; Mulders, Peter F. A.; Basch, Ethan; Small, Eric J.; Saad, Fred; Schrijvers, Dirk; van Poppel, Hendrik; Mukherjee, Som D.; Suttmann, Henrik; Gerritsen, Winald R.; Flaig, Thomas W.; George, Daniel J.; Yu, Evan Y.; Efstathiou, Eleni; Pantuck, Allan; Winquist, Eric; Higano, Celestia S.; Taplin, Mary-Ellen; Park, Youn; Kheoh, Thian; Griffin, Thomas; Scher, Howard I.; Rathkopf, Dana E.; Boyce, A.; Costello, A.; Davis, I.; Ganju, V.; Horvath, L.; Lynch, R.; Marx, G.; Parnis, F.; Shapiro, J.; Singhal, N.; Slancar, M.; van Hazel, G.; Wong, S.; Yip, D.; Carpentier, P.; Luyten, D.; de Reijke, T.

    2013-01-01

    Abiraterone acetate, an androgen biosynthesis inhibitor, improves overall survival in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer after chemotherapy. We evaluated this agent in patients who had not received previous chemotherapy. In this double-blind study, we randomly assigned

  1. Secondary recurrent miscarriage is associated with previous male birth.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Ooi, Poh Veh

    2012-01-31

    Secondary recurrent miscarriage (RM) is defined as three or more consecutive pregnancy losses after delivery of a viable infant. Previous reports suggest that a firstborn male child is associated with less favourable subsequent reproductive potential, possibly due to maternal immunisation against male-specific minor histocompatibility antigens. In a retrospective cohort study of 85 cases of secondary RM we aimed to determine if secondary RM was associated with (i) gender of previous child, maternal age, or duration of miscarriage history, and (ii) increased risk of pregnancy complications. Fifty-three women (62.0%; 53\\/85) gave birth to a male child prior to RM compared to 32 (38.0%; 32\\/85) who gave birth to a female child (p=0.002). The majority (91.7%; 78\\/85) had uncomplicated, term deliveries and normal birth weight neonates, with one quarter of the women previously delivered by Caesarean section. All had routine RM investigations and 19.0% (16\\/85) had an abnormal result. Fifty-seven women conceived again and 33.3% (19\\/57) miscarried, but there was no significant difference in failure rates between those with a previous male or female child (13\\/32 vs. 6\\/25, p=0.2). When patients with abnormal results were excluded, or when women with only one previous child were considered, there was still no difference in these rates. A previous male birth may be associated with an increased risk of secondary RM but numbers preclude concluding whether this increases recurrence risk. The suggested association with previous male birth provides a basis for further investigations at a molecular level.

  2. Secondary recurrent miscarriage is associated with previous male birth.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Ooi, Poh Veh

    2011-01-01

    Secondary recurrent miscarriage (RM) is defined as three or more consecutive pregnancy losses after delivery of a viable infant. Previous reports suggest that a firstborn male child is associated with less favourable subsequent reproductive potential, possibly due to maternal immunisation against male-specific minor histocompatibility antigens. In a retrospective cohort study of 85 cases of secondary RM we aimed to determine if secondary RM was associated with (i) gender of previous child, maternal age, or duration of miscarriage history, and (ii) increased risk of pregnancy complications. Fifty-three women (62.0%; 53\\/85) gave birth to a male child prior to RM compared to 32 (38.0%; 32\\/85) who gave birth to a female child (p=0.002). The majority (91.7%; 78\\/85) had uncomplicated, term deliveries and normal birth weight neonates, with one quarter of the women previously delivered by Caesarean section. All had routine RM investigations and 19.0% (16\\/85) had an abnormal result. Fifty-seven women conceived again and 33.3% (19\\/57) miscarried, but there was no significant difference in failure rates between those with a previous male or female child (13\\/32 vs. 6\\/25, p=0.2). When patients with abnormal results were excluded, or when women with only one previous child were considered, there was still no difference in these rates. A previous male birth may be associated with an increased risk of secondary RM but numbers preclude concluding whether this increases recurrence risk. The suggested association with previous male birth provides a basis for further investigations at a molecular level.

  3. Diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mokdad, Ali H

    2017-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: We used findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2015 study to update our previous publication on the burden of diabetes and chronic kidney disease due to diabetes (CKD-DM) during 1990-2015. METHODS: We extracted GBD 2015 estimates for prevalence, mortality, and disability-adjusted ......OBJECTIVES: We used findings from the Global Burden of Disease 2015 study to update our previous publication on the burden of diabetes and chronic kidney disease due to diabetes (CKD-DM) during 1990-2015. METHODS: We extracted GBD 2015 estimates for prevalence, mortality, and disability......-adjusted life years (DALYs) of diabetes (including burden of low vision due to diabetes, neuropathy, and amputations and CKD-DM for 22 countries of the EMR from the GBD visualization tools. RESULTS: In 2015, 135,230 (95% UI 123,034-148,184) individuals died from diabetes and 16,470 (95% UI 13,977-18,961) from...

  4. Utilization of gene mapping and candidate gene mutation screening for diagnosing clinically equivocal conditions: a Norrie disease case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chini, Vasiliki; Stambouli, Danai; Nedelea, Florina Mihaela; Filipescu, George Alexandru; Mina, Diana; Kambouris, Marios; El-Shantil, Hatem

    2014-06-01

    Prenatal diagnosis was requested for an undiagnosed eye disease showing X-linked inheritance in a family. No medical records existed for the affected family members. Mapping of the X chromosome and candidate gene mutation screening identified a c.C267A[p.F89L] mutation in NPD previously described as possibly causing Norrie disease. The detection of the c.C267A[p.F89L] variant in another unrelated family confirms the pathogenic nature of the mutation for the Norrie disease phenotype. Gene mapping, haplotype analysis, and candidate gene screening have been previously utilized in research applications but were applied here in a diagnostic setting due to the scarcity of available clinical information. The clinical diagnosis and mutation identification were critical for providing proper genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis for this family.

  5. Investigations into the myocardial metabolism of 123-I-ω-HDA in patients showing the clinical signs and symptoms of mitral valve prolapse and previously proven to have no coronary heart disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Voth, E.

    1987-01-01

    In 53 patients showing the clinical signs and symptoms of mitral valve prolapse (MVP) where coronary heart disease (CHD) had previously been excluded by angiography the myocardial metabolism of fatty acids was examined at rest using metabolic myocardial scintigraphy (MMS) and 123-I-ω-HDA as tracer substance. The results were correlated with those obtained by other methods of investigation (findings at rest and during exercise from ECG recordings, tests using a flow-guided catheter and radionuclide ventriculography, further from echocardiography as well as myocardial Tl redistribution scintiscanning during exercise). For purposes of reference, MMS was additionally carried out in twelve normal individuals subjected to coronary angiography to exclude both MVP and CHD. The results of this study would appear to suggest that the pathological findings revealed by myocardial Tl scintigraphy in patients showing symptoms of MVP cannot invariably be classified as 'false' but are at least to some extent attributable to impaired myocardial perfusion, vitality or metabolism. (orig./MG) [de

  6. Treatment of Crohn's disease with cannabis: an observational study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naftali, Timna; Lev, Lihi Bar; Yablecovitch, Doron; Yablekovitz, Doron; Half, Elisabeth; Konikoff, Fred M

    2011-08-01

    The marijuana plant cannabis is known to have therapeutic effects, including improvement of inflammatory processes. However, no report of patients using cannabis for Crohn's disease (CD) was ever published. To describe the effects of cannabis use in patients suffering from CD. In this retrospective observational study we examined disease activity, use of medication, need for surgery, and hospitalization before and after cannabis use in 30 patients (26 males) with CD. Disease activity was assessed by the Harvey Bradshaw index for Crohn's disease. Of the 30 patients 21 improved significantly after treatment with cannabis. The average Harvey Bradshaw index improved from 14 +/- 6.7 to 7 +/- 4.7 (P disease in humans. The results indicate that cannabis may have a positive effect on disease activity, as reflected by reduction in disease activity index and in the need for other drugs and surgery. Prospective placebo-controlled studies are warranted to fully evaluate the efficacy and side effects of cannabis in CD.

  7. A disease state fingerprint for evaluation of Alzheimer's disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mattila, Jussi; Koikkalainen, Juha; Virkki, Arho

    2011-01-01

    Diagnostic processes of Alzheimer's disease (AD) are evolving. Knowledge about disease-specific biomarkers is constantly increasing and larger volumes of data are being measured from patients. To gain additional benefits from the collected data, a novel statistical modeling and data visualization...... interpretation of the information. To model the AD state from complex and heterogeneous patient data, a statistical Disease State Index (DSI) method underlying the DSF has been developed. Using baseline data from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), the ability of the DSI to model disease......'s degree of similarity to previously diagnosed disease population. A summary of patient data and results of the computation are displayed in a succinct Disease State Fingerprint (DSF) visualization. The visualization clearly discloses how patient data contributes to the AD state, facilitating rapid...

  8. Public Opinions Toward Diseases: Infodemiological Study on News Media Data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Ming; ElTayeby, Omar; Zolnoori, Maryam; Yao, Lixia

    2018-05-08

    Society always has limited resources to expend on health care, or anything else. What are the unmet medical needs? How do we allocate limited resources to maximize the health and welfare of the people? These challenging questions might be re-examined systematically within an infodemiological frame on a much larger scale, leveraging the latest advancement in information technology and data science. We expanded our previous work by investigating news media data to reveal the coverage of different diseases and medical conditions, together with their sentiments and topics in news articles over three decades. We were motivated to do so since news media plays a significant role in politics and affects the public policy making. We analyzed over 3.5 million archive news articles from Reuters media during the periods of 1996/1997, 2008 and 2016, using summary statistics, sentiment analysis, and topic modeling. Summary statistics illustrated the coverage of various diseases and medical conditions during the last 3 decades. Sentiment analysis and topic modeling helped us automatically detect the sentiments of news articles (ie, positive versus negative) and topics (ie, a series of keywords) associated with each disease over time. The percentages of news articles mentioning diseases and medical conditions were 0.44%, 0.57% and 0.81% in the three time periods, suggesting that news media or the public has gradually increased its interests in medicine since 1996. Certain diseases such as other malignant neoplasm (34%), other infectious diseases (20%), and influenza (11%) represented the most covered diseases. Two hundred and twenty-six diseases and medical conditions (97.8%) were found to have neutral or negative sentiments in the news articles. Using topic modeling, we identified meaningful topics on these diseases and medical conditions. For instance, the smoking theme appeared in the news articles on other malignant neoplasm only during 1996/1997. The topic phrases HIV and

  9. Child health in arid areas of Ethiopia: longitudinal study of the morbidity in infectious diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lindtjørn, B; Alemu, T; Bjorvatn, B

    1992-01-01

    We describe the incidence of some childhood infections in drought prone areas of southern Ethiopia. Our results are based on 24 months' biweekly observations of 828 children aged 0-5 years in the pastoralist community of Dubluk and the agricultural community of Elka. An average of 23% of the children in Dubluk and 13% in Elka were sick during any 2-week period. Diarrhoeal diseases represented the main cause of morbidity, but the yearly number of diarrhoeal episodes were lower than previously reported from Ethiopia. Respiratory tract infections and to a lesser extent diarrhoeal diseases, showed highest incidence rates during the main dry season. The highest incidence of lower respiratory tract infections coincided with an outbreak of measles. In Dubluk, children who lived near to the wells had higher incidence rates than those who lived further away, probably reflecting the importance of crowding on transmission rates. In Elka, literacy of mothers was associated with reduced incidence of both diarrhoeal and respiratory tract infections, whereas the use of open pit latrines was associated with increased diarrhoeal incidence. The decline in disease incidence in this region during the last months of our study may reflect an improvement of nutritional status.

  10. Serological studies on the infection of dogs in Ontario with Borrelia burgdorferi, the etiological agent of Lyme disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Artsob, Harvey; Barker, Ian K.; Fister, Richard; Sephton, Gregory; Dick, Daryl; Lynch, John A.; Key, Doug

    1993-01-01

    A serological study was undertaken to determine whether dogs in Ontario are being exposed to Borrelia burgdorferi, the etiological agent of Lyme disease. This study consisted of a survey of randomly selected dogs and testing of diagnostic submissions from candidate Lyme disease cases. The survey of 1,095 dogs, bled between January 1988 and August 1989, revealed a total of 65 (5.9%) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) reactors, of which 22 had immuno-fluorescent antibody assay (IFA) titers ≥1:32. All but one of the IFA-positive and 10 of the ELISA-positive, IFA-negative sera were further tested by western blot. Eight western blot positive and three equivocal reactors were obtained. Three of the eight confirmed reactors had visited areas known to be endemic for Lyme disease, leaving five reactors that might have been infected in previously undocumented areas for B. burgdorferi activity in Ontario. Diagnostic submissions of sera from 223 dogs were received between August 1987 and February 1992. Test results revealed 21 (9.4%) IFA reactors, of which only six had significant titers (≥1:256) and were reactive by an immunodot Borrelia test. All six dogs had travelled to known Lyme endemic areas. Based on results obtained from this study, it seems likely that the agent of Lyme disease is not widespread in Ontario. PMID:17424284

  11. A longitudinal study of plasma insulin and glucagon in women with previous gestational diabetes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Damm, P; Kühl, C; Hornnes, P

    1995-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether plasma insulin or glucagon predicts later development of diabetes in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: The subjects studied were 91 women with diet-treated GDM and 33 healthy women. Plasma insulin and glucagon during a 50...... at follow-up (2 had insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, 13 had non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, and 12 had impaired glucose tolerance). Compared with the control subjects, women with previous GDM had relatively impaired insulin secretion (decreased insulinogenic index and delayed peak insulin...... for subsequent development of overt diabetes (logistic regression analysis). CONCLUSIONS: Women who develop GDM have a relative insulin secretion deficiency, the severity of which is predictive for later development of diabetes. Furthermore, our data indicate that their relatively reduced beta-cell function may...

  12. Thyroid abnormalities in patients previously treated with irradiation for acne vulgaris

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thomson, D.B.; Grammes, C.F.; Starkey, R.H.; Monsaert, R.P.; Sunderlin, F.S.

    1984-01-01

    Of 1203 patients who received radiation treatment for acne vulgaris between 1940 and 1968, 302 were recalled and examined, 121 at Geisinger Medical Center and the remainder by their local physicians. Radiation records were reviewed on all patients. Lead-rubber and cones had been used as shielding. Mean age at the time of exposure was 21 years and mean total exposure was 692 R. Palpable nodular thyroid disease was found in eight patients (2.6%). Of these, thyroid carcinoma was detected in two patients (0.66%). Although the number of patients examined was small, the incidence of carcinomas was unexpectedly high. The authors conclude that follow-up examination is worthwhile for patients previously treated by irradiation for acne vulgaris

  13. Emphysema and bronchiectasis in COPD patients with previous pulmonary tuberculosis: computed tomography features and clinical implications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jin J

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Jianmin Jin,1 Shuling Li,2 Wenling Yu,2 Xiaofang Liu,1 Yongchang Sun1,3 1Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 2Department of Radiology, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 3Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, China Background: Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB is a risk factor for COPD, but the clinical characteristics and the chest imaging features (emphysema and bronchiectasis of COPD with previous PTB have not been studied well.Methods: The presence, distribution, and severity of emphysema and bronchiectasis in COPD patients with and without previous PTB were evaluated by high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT and compared. Demographic data, respiratory symptoms, lung function, and sputum culture of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were also compared between patients with and without previous PTB.Results: A total of 231 COPD patients (82.2% ex- or current smokers, 67.5% male were consecutively enrolled. Patients with previous PTB (45.0% had more severe (p=0.045 and longer history (p=0.008 of dyspnea, more exacerbations in the previous year (p=0.011, and more positive culture of P. aeruginosa (p=0.001, compared with those without PTB. Patients with previous PTB showed a higher prevalence of bronchiectasis (p<0.001, which was more significant in lungs with tuberculosis (TB lesions, and a higher percentage of more severe bronchiectasis (Bhalla score ≥2, p=0.031, compared with those without previous PTB. The overall prevalence of emphysema was not different between patients with and without previous PTB, but in those with previous PTB, a higher number of subjects with middle (p=0.001 and lower (p=0.019 lobe emphysema, higher severity score (p=0.028, higher prevalence of panlobular emphysema (p=0.013, and more extensive centrilobular emphysema (p=0.039 were observed. Notably, in patients with

  14. Electromagnetic fields and health effects-epidemiologic studies of cancer, diseases of the central nervous system and arrhythmia-related heart disease

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Johansen, C.

    2004-07-01

    This epidemiologic investigation comprised separate studies of the risk of cancer, cause-specific mortality rates, risks for neurodegenerative diseases, and the risk of arrhythmia-related heart disease among employees exposed to extremely low- frequency (50-Hz) electromagnetic fields (EMF) in the Danish utility industry. All the employees in this industry were followed-up in several registers. The risk of disease was analyzed in relation to occupational exposure to EMF, latency, and duration of employment. A specific job-exposure matrix was developed and validated by comparison with direct measurements of EMF during a workday. Linkage with the Danish Cancer Register did not identify increased risks for the cancers suggested a priori to be associated with exposure to EMF, including leukemia, brain tumors, and breast cancer. Significantly increased risks for lung cancer and mesothelioma were identified for workers highly exposed to asbestos. Linkage with the National Mortality Register revealed a significantly increased overall mortality rate from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), with an increasing trend with duration of employment and EMF exposure. In addition, a significantly increased mortality rate from electric accidents was observed. It was hypothesized that the observation of increased mortality from ALS was associated with exposure to EMF or electric shocks. No increased mortality rate from cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease was observed. Linkage with the National Hospital Register also revealed an increased risk of ALS and, thereby confirmed the finding of an increased mortality rate for this disease in the previous study. Linkage of the cohort with the Multiple Sclerosis Register revealed an increased risk of multiple sclerosis, which was not, however, significant Linkage with the Pacemaker Register showed no increased risk of severe arrhythmia-related heart disease. The second part of the study included the establishment of a large, nationwide

  15. Analyses of more than 60,000 exomes questions the role of numerous genes previously associated with dilated cardiomyopathy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nouhravesh, Nina; Ahlberg, Gustav; Ghouse, Jonas

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Hundreds of genetic variants have been described as disease causing in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Some of these associations are now being questioned. We aimed to identify the prevalence of previously DCM associated variants in the Exome Aggregation Consortium (ExAC), in order...... to identify potentially false-positive DCM variants. METHODS: Variants listed as DCM disease-causing variants in the Human Gene Mutation Database were extracted from ExAC. Pathogenicity predictions for these variants were mined from dbNSFP v 2.9 database. RESULTS: Of the 473 DCM variants listed in HGMD, 148...... (31%) were found in ExAC. The expected number of individuals with DCM in ExAC is 25 based on the prevalence in the general population. Yet, 35 variants were found in more than 25 individuals. In 13 genes, we identified all variants previously associated with DCM; four genes contained variants above...

  16. Association between colonic polyps and diverticular disease

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Tetsuo Hirata; Yuko Kawakami; Nagisa Kinjo; Susumu Arakald; Tetsu Arakaki; Akira Hokama; Fukunori Kinjo; Jim Fujita

    2008-01-01

    AIM: TO evaluate the association between colonic polyps and diverticular disease in Japan.METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 672 consecutive patients who underwent total colonoscopy between August 2006 and April 2007 at Nishinjo Hospital, Okinawa, Japan. Patients with ahistory of any of the following were excluded from the study: previous polypectomy, colonic resection, and inflammatory bowel diseases. The association between colonic polyps and diverticular disease was analyzed by logistic regression analysis, adjusted for age and sex.RESULTS: Prevalence of colonic polyps in all patients with diverticular disease was significantly higher than that in those without diverticular disease (adjusted odds ratio 1.7).CONCLUSION: Our data showed that patients with diverticular disease have a higher risk of colonic polyps compared to those without.

  17. Small mammal populations in zoonotic disease and toxicological studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Muul, I.

    1978-01-01

    Examples of zoonotic diseases are discussed in relation to their distribution in mammalian hosts. Various ecological factors influence disease distribution patterns so that only a certain portion of the mammalian populations are subject to infections. Emphasis was placed on some of these ecological factors in studying the mainstream of infections in endemic hosts and vectors. This approach might be called medical ecology and would be supplemental to epidemiological studies which characteristically emphasize human involvement in zoonotic disease transmission. For example, occurrence in certain habitats and vertical distribution within forest habitats predisposed various mammalian species to infections. Arboreal species did not have scrub typhus infections while terrestrial species had high infection rates. Malaria parasites were common in arboreal mammals but uncommon in terrestrial species. Additionally, disease surveys in the absence of population data pertaining to potential host species sometimes yield misleading results, especially if age structure within populations changes through time. In field studies use of sentinel animals of known immunological history provide valuable supplemental information to surveys of free living animals which may have been infected at some unknown time in the past. As many different species should be studied as is practical since some species may not be susceptible to certain diseases under study. In laboratory studies, inclusion of non-standard mammals may provide opportunities to culture disease organisms which do not proliferate in standard laboratory species, or to replace diminishing resources of such species as primates

  18. A study about the interest and previous contact of high school students with Astronomy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carvalho, C. L.; Zanitti, M. H. R.; Felicidade, B. L.; Gomes, A. D. T.; Dias, E. W.; Coelho, F. O.

    2016-04-01

    The currently problems in Astronomy teaching in Brazilian Basic Education contrast with the space, and the popularity that astronomical themes have in various media in the country. In this work, we present the results of a study about the interest, and previous contact of high school students from a public school in the city of "São João del-Rei"/MG with topics related to Astronomy. The study and the pedagogical intervention were carried out by students of the PIBID/CAPES/UFSJ. The intervention was performed through an oral exposition with the students' participation, followed by the use of the Stellarium program. The results suggest the majority of students surveyed are interested in Astronomy, and have had some contact with the area. However, some inconsistencies in their responses were identified and examined. The implications for research and for Astronomy Education are discussed. We also make some considerations about relationship between the lack of specific knowledge and the misinformation as one possible reason for the little interest of students in various areas of Science.

  19. Chronic kidney disease and obesity in Ireland: comparison of self-reported coronary artery disease in population study with clinic attendees.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Lannin, U

    2015-02-01

    Obesity is a growing issue in Ireland. The link between obesity, CKD and CAD has not previously been described in the Irish population. The prevalence of obesity and CKD was compared across 3 groups: population based estimates with self-reported CAD, population based estimates without self-reported CAD (SLAN-07) and a random selection of cardiology outpatients with CAD. The SLAN-07 is a representative survey of 1207 randomly selected participants ≥ 45 years. Validated methods measured parameters including waist circumference, blood pressure and markers of renal function specifically glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and albumin: creatinine ratio. The Cardiology clinic surveyed a random selection of 126 participants ≥ 45 years with CAD. Similar parameters were measured using the validated methods utilised in SLAN-07 study. Prevalence of obesity and renal disease was significantly higher in both CAD groups. At population level, risk factors were modelled using logistic regression to compare odds of participants with self-reported CAD with those without. Age, hypertension, obesity, elevated waist circumference, renal disease and diabetes are significantly associated with existing CAD. Obesity and CKD are more frequent in patients with CAD. Routine evaluation is essential to facilitate more intensive management of these risk factors.

  20. Corneal permeability changes in dry eye disease: an observational study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fujitani, Kenji; Gadaria, Neha; Lee, Kyu-In; Barry, Brendan; Asbell, Penny

    2016-05-13

    Diagnostic tests for dry eye disease (DED), including ocular surface disease index (OSDI), tear breakup time (TBUT), corneal fluorescein staining, and lissamine staining, have great deal of variability. We investigated whether fluorophotometry correlated with previously established DED diagnostic tests and whether it could serve as a novel objective metric to evaluate DED. Dry eye patients who have had established signs or symptoms for at least 6 months were included in this observational study. Normal subjects with no symptoms of dry eyes served as controls. Each eye had a baseline fluorescein scan prior to any fluorescein dye. Fluorescein dye was then placed into both eyes, rinsed with saline solution, and scanned at 5, 10, 15, and 30 min. Patients were administered the following diagnostic tests to correlate with fluorophotometry: OSDI, TBUT, fluorescein, and lissamine. Standard protocols were used. P eyes from 25 patients (DED = 22 eyes, 11 patients; Normal = 28 eyes, 14 patients) were included. Baseline scans of the dry eye and control groups did not show any statistical difference (p = 0.84). Fluorescein concentration of DED and normal patients showed statistical significance at all time intervals (p eyes up to 30 min after fluorescein dye instillation. There may be an aspect of DED that is missed in the current regimen of DED tests and only captured with fluorophotometry. Adding fluorophotometry may be useful in screening, diagnosing, and monitoring patients with DED.

  1. Pulsed and Color Doppler Sonographic Findings of Penile Mondor' Disease

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Han, Hye Yeon; Chung, Dong Jin; Kim, Kum Won; Hwang, Cheol Mog [University of Konyang School of Medicine, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

    2008-04-15

    Penile Mondor's disease is a rare disease that's characterized by thrombosis in the dorsal vein of the penis. Doppler ultrasonography (US) clearly visualizes dorsal vein thrombosis and the associated hemodynamic alterations. Previous studies have demonstrated the typical color Doppler US findings of superficial dorsal vein thrombosis without the flow signals in this area, yet this is insufficient to understand the hemodynamics in penile Mondor's disease. We report here for the first time a cavernosal artery flow signal pattern in a penile Mondor's disease patient, in addition to its previously reported classic US findings. In conclusion, the Doppler US findings of thrombus without blood flow in the superficial dorsal vein and the low-flow, high resistance in the cavernosal artery may be suggestive of penile Mondor's disease.

  2. ZIP13: A Study of Drosophila Offers an Alternative Explanation for the Corresponding Human Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guiran Xiao

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has become an important model organism to investigate metal homeostasis and human diseases. Previously we identified dZIP13 (CG7816, a member of the ZIP transporter family (SLC39A and presumably a zinc importer, is in fact physiologically primarily responsible to move iron from the cytosol into the secretory compartments in the fly. This review will discuss the implication of this finding for the etiology of Spondylocheirodysplasia-Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (SCD–EDS, a human disease defective in ZIP13. We propose an entirely different model in that lack of iron in the secretory compartment may underlie SCD-EDS. Altogether three different working models are discussed, supported by relevant findings made in different studies, with uncertainties, and questions remained to be solved. We speculate that the distinct ZIP13 sequence features, different from those of all other ZIP family members, may confer it special transport properties.

  3. Lyme disease and post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome: the neglected disease in our own backyard.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crowder, L A; Yedlin, V A; Weinstein, E R; Kortte, K B; Aucott, J N

    2014-09-01

    A survey was developed to assess experience and opinions about Lyme disease and post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS) among faculties in public health. No previous surveys of public health faculties have been found in the literature. This is a cross sectional study of public health school faculty members designed to measure knowledge and experience with Lyme disease and PTLDS using an internet survey instrument. Participants were recruited using all the publicly available e-mail addresses of faculty members in all the 50 accredited Schools of Public Health in the United States. A 15% response rate was seen for the survey. 50% of respondents were from Lyme endemic states. Less than 5% of faculty members consider themselves expert in Lyme or PTLDS. Many faculty members had known someone with Lyme disease or PTLDS, but few had been diagnosed themselves. Most believe that PTLDS can be severe and chronic, is not easy to treat, and does not resolve on its own, but were uncertain about its aetiology. Most respondents also felt that the incidence of Lyme disease will increase and that more education is needed. The need for further understanding and communication presents an opportunity for public health research and education in Lyme disease and the sequelae of PTLDS. Copyright © 2014 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Fundamental paradox of survival determinism: the ur-etiology disease paradigm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krsmanovic, Pavle

    2013-06-01

    Following a common practice in medicine, biomedical researches tend to view various disease conditions as direct results of preceding, disease-causing events. Such events are commonly those that could have been previously detected and which have given the history of studies of particular diseases, been previously recognized as playing an important role in an onset and/or progression of the disease in question. Although such practice is justified from the very principles of experimental investigation and scientific observation, it comes short of finding the fundamental causes behind these disease conditions. This manuscript proposes a different view to the origin of some types of diseases as well as some other biological phenomena. Namely, the focus of the concept relates to a notion of survival determinism, proposed to have been in the very core of evolution of primordial organisms. Thereby, as various disease models are discussed in the light of the proposed mechanisms for adaptation, they could be seen as relicts of the early evolutionary history of life on Earth.

  5. Association between maternal periodontal disease and preterm delivery and low birth weight

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yen-Li Wang

    2013-03-01

    Conclusion: After appropriately controlling for confounding variables, our results do not support the hypothesis of an association that was observed in previous studies of maternal periodontal disease and infant PB, but the association between periodontal disease and LBW is significant.

  6. Stevens-Johnson Syndrome Induced by Carbamazepine Treatment in a Patient Who Previously Had Carbamazepine Induced Pruritus - A Case Report -

    OpenAIRE

    Bae, Hyun Min; Park, Yoo Jung; Kim, Young Hoon; Moon, Dong Eon

    2013-01-01

    Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) is a rare but life-threatening skin reaction disease and carbamazepine is one of its most common causes. We report a case of SJS secondary to carbamazepine in a patient with previous pruritus due to carbamazepine which was given for treatment of trigeminal neuralgia. We would like to caution all providers that carbamazepine readministration should be avoided in the patient with a previous history of SJS or adverse skin reaction. In addition, we strongly recommen...

  7. Ifosfamide in previously untreated disseminated neuroblastoma. Results of Study 3A of the European Neuroblastoma Study Group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kellie, S J; De Kraker, J; Lilleyman, J S; Bowman, A; Pritchard, J

    1988-05-01

    A prospective study of the effectiveness of ifosfamide as a single agent in the management of previously untreated patients with Evans stage IV neuroblastoma was undertaken. Eighteen children aged more than 1 year were treated with ifosfamide (IFX) 3 g/m2 daily for 2 days immediately after diagnosis and 3 weeks later. Treatment was continued with combination chemotherapy using vincristine, cyclophosphamide, cisplatinum and etoposide (OPEC) or a variant. Mesna (2-mercaptoethane sulphonate) was given to all patients during IFX treatment to prevent urotoxicity. Eight of the 18 patients (44%) responded to IFX. Nine had greater than 66% reduction in baseline tumor volume. Of 15 evaluable patients with raised pre-treatment urinary catecholamine excretion, six (40%) achieved greater than 50% reduction in pretreatment levels. Two of 10 patients evaluable for bone marrow response had complete clearance. Toxicity was mild in all patients. Upon completing 'first line' therapy, only four patients (22%) achieved a good partial remission (GPR) or complete response (CR). Median survival was 11 months. There was a lower rate of attaining GPR and shortened median survival in patients receiving phase II IFX before OPEC or variant, compared to patients with similar pre-treatment characteristics treated with OPEC from diagnosis in an earlier study.

  8. Computed tomography study of Alzheimer's disease

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Arai, H; Kobayashi, K; Ikeda, Y; Nagao, Y; Ogihara, R; Kosaka, K

    1983-01-01

    Computed tomography (CT) was used to study cerebral atrophy in 18 patients with clinically diagnosed Alzheimer's disease of presenile type and in 14 healthy age-matched subjects as controls. Using the computerized planimetric method, Subarachnoid Space Volume Index and Ventricle Volume Index were calculated as the measure of cortical atrophy and ventricular dilatation respectively. From the results the following conclusions were drawn: 1. The cerebral atrophy in Alzheimer patients could be attributable to the disease processes rather than to physiological aging of the brain. 2. The degree of atrophy increases in parallel with the progress of the clinical stage, and the cortical atrophy is already apparent at an early stage, whereas the ventricular dilatation becomes pronounced at later stages. 3. CT could be one of the most useful clinical tests available for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.

  9. Rheumatic heart disease in pregnancy: How can health services adapt to the needs of Indigenous women? A qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belton, Suzanne; Kruske, Sue; Jackson Pulver, Lisa; Sherwood, Juanita; Tune, Kylie; Carapetis, Jonathan; Vaughan, Geraldine; Peek, Michael; McLintock, Claire; Sullivan, Elizabeth

    2017-11-06

    To study rheumatic heart disease health literacy and its impact on pregnancy, and to identify how health services could more effectively meet the needs of pregnant women with rheumatic heart disease. Researchers observed and interviewed a small number of Aboriginal women and their families during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum as they interacted with the health system. An Aboriginal Yarning method of relationship building over time, participant observations and interviews with Aboriginal women were used in the study. The settings were urban, island and remote communities across the Northern Territory. Women were followed interstate if they were transferred during pregnancy. The participants were pregnant women and their families. We relied on participants' abilities to tell their own experiences so that researchers could interpret their understanding and perspective of rheumatic heart disease. Aboriginal women and their families rarely had rheumatic heart disease explained appropriately by health staff and therefore lacked understanding of the severity of their illness and its implications for childbearing. Health directives in written and spoken English with assumed biomedical knowledge were confusing and of limited use when delivered without interpreters or culturally appropriate health supports. Despite previous studies documenting poor communication and culturally inadequate care, health systems did not meet the needs of pregnant Aboriginal women with rheumatic heart disease. Language-appropriate health education that promotes a shared understanding should be relevant to the gender, life-stage and social context of women with rheumatic heart disease. © 2017 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

  10. The oral-systemic disease connection: a retrospective study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Joseph, Bobby K; Kullman, Leif; Sharma, Prem N

    2016-11-01

    The study aimed at determining the association between oral disease and systemic health based on panoramic radiographs and general health of patients treated at Kuwait University Dental Center. The objective was to determine whether individuals exhibiting good oral health have lower propensity to systemic diseases. A total of 1000 adult patients treated at Kuwait University Dental Center were randomly selected from the patient's records. The general health of patients was assessed from the medical history of each patient recorded during their visit to the clinic. The number of reported diseases and serious symptoms were used to develop a medical index. The oral health of these patients was assessed from panoramic radiographs to create an oral index by evaluating such parameters as caries, periodontitis, periapical lesions, pericoronitis, and tooth loss. In a total of 887 patients, 43.8 % had an oral index between 3 and 8, of which significantly higher (62.1 %) patients were with medical conditions compared to those without (33.2 %; p relationship when the diagnosis of oral disease was based primarily on radiographic findings. Future research needs to include prospective clinical and interventional studies. The significance of the oral-systemic disease connection highlights the importance of preventing and treating oral disease which have profound medical implications on general health.

  11. Chronic kidney disease of unknown aetiology and ground-water ionicity: study based on Sri Lanka.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dharma-Wardana, M W C; Amarasiri, Sarath L; Dharmawardene, Nande; Panabokke, C R

    2015-04-01

    High incidence of chronic kidney disease of unknown aetiology (CKDU) in Sri Lanka is shown to correlate with the presence of irrigation works and rivers that bring-in 'nonpoint source' fertilizer runoff from intensely agricultural regions. We review previous attempts to link CKDU with As, Cd and other standard toxins. Those studies (e.g. the WHO-sponsored study), while providing a wealth of data, are inconclusive in regard to aetiology. Here, we present new proposals based on increased ionicity of drinking water due to fertilizer runoff into the river system, redox processes in the soil and features of 'tank'-cascades and aquifers. The consequent chronic exposure to high ionicity in drinking water is proposed to debilitate the kidney via a Hofmeister-type (i.e. protein-denaturing) mechanism.

  12. Epidemiological Study of Huntington's Disease in the Province of Ferrara, Italy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carrassi, Erika; Pugliatti, Maura; Govoni, Vittorio; Sensi, Mariachiara; Casetta, Ilaria; Granieri, Enrico

    2017-01-01

    Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by the abnormal expansion of CAG triplet repeat. We aimed to reappraise HD epidemiology in a northern Italian population, in relation to introduction of genetic testing. Through ICD-9M code 333.4 and medical fare exemption code RF0080, HD cases were identified from administrative health data and medical records from the Units of Neurology and Genetics, Ferrara University Hospital, and from other provincial neurological structures. HD mean annual incidence rate in 1990-2009 was 0.3 per 100,000 (95% CI 0.2-0.5). All incident cases were found to have symptoms of the disease's classic form, and neither juvenile nor the rigid Westphal variant was detected. The mean (SD) age at onset was 50.2 (12.7 years; range 32-82 years), 54.9 (14.6) for men and 45.8 (9.4) for women. On prevalence day, December 31, 2014, HD prevalence was 4.2 per 100,000 (95% CI 2.4-7.0), with a male:female ratio of 1:2. The prevalence and incidence of HD in our population were lower than the prevalence and incidence reported for other European and Italian populations, but higher compared to those of Asia, Africa, and Eastern Europe. Compared to previous studies, HD incidence and prevalence did not change significantly. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  13. Proteomics Analysis Reveals Previously Uncharacterized Virulence Factors in Vibrio proteolyticus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ann Ray

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Members of the genus Vibrio include many pathogens of humans and marine animals that share genetic information via horizontal gene transfer. Hence, the Vibrio pan-genome carries the potential to establish new pathogenic strains by sharing virulence determinants, many of which have yet to be characterized. Here, we investigated the virulence properties of Vibrio proteolyticus, a Gram-negative marine bacterium previously identified as part of the Vibrio consortium isolated from diseased corals. We found that V. proteolyticus causes actin cytoskeleton rearrangements followed by cell lysis in HeLa cells in a contact-independent manner. In search of the responsible virulence factor involved, we determined the V. proteolyticus secretome. This proteomics approach revealed various putative virulence factors, including active type VI secretion systems and effectors with virulence toxin domains; however, these type VI secretion systems were not responsible for the observed cytotoxic effects. Further examination of the V. proteolyticus secretome led us to hypothesize and subsequently demonstrate that a secreted hemolysin, belonging to a previously uncharacterized clan of the leukocidin superfamily, was the toxin responsible for the V. proteolyticus-mediated cytotoxicity in both HeLa cells and macrophages. Clearly, there remains an armory of yet-to-be-discovered virulence factors in the Vibrio pan-genome that will undoubtedly provide a wealth of knowledge on how a pathogen can manipulate host cells.

  14. Benefits of awake uniportal pulmonary resection in a patient with a previous contralateral lobectomy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Galvez, Carlos; Navarro-Martinez, Jose; Bolufer, Sergio; Lirio, Francisco; Mafe, Juan Jose; Rivera, Maria Jesus; Roca, Joaquin; Baschwitz, Benno

    2014-09-01

    Surgical resection of a contralateral recurrence of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is indicated in patients without evidence of disseminated disease and considered functionally operable. General anesthesia and double-lumen intubation involves one lobe ventilation in a patient treated with a previous lobectomy, thus increasing the risks of ventilator-induced injuries and the morbidity. Awake procedures facilitate the surgery decreasing the anesthetic and surgical times, keeping the diaphragm motion and diminishing the ventilator-induced injuries into the remaining contralateral lobe. We present a 43-year-old woman with a previous left-lower lobectomy for a 3.1-cm mucinous adenocarcinoma 15 months before without nodal involvement, who presents a right-lower lobe 8-mm cavitated nodule, with evident radiological growth and fine-needle aspiration concordant with mucinous adenocarcinoma. We suggest an awake procedure with locoregional epidural anesthesia.

  15. Impaired Wnt Signaling in the Prefrontal Cortex of Alzheimer's Disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Folke, Jonas; Pakkenberg, Bente; Brudek, Tomasz

    2018-01-01

    Wnt pathway is involved in synaptic plasticity and neuronal survival, and alterations in Wnt signaling have previously been reported both in aging and neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study sought to evaluate Wnt signaling pathway interplay integrity across......, in addition to downstream effects associated with disease progression and cognitive decline. This study is the first that comprehensively evaluates Wnt signaling pathway in the prefrontal cortical lobe structures of AD brains, in relation to age-related coordinated Wnt signaling changes. Our findings further...

  16. Clinic-cytologic study of conjunctivochalasis and its relation to thyroid autoimmune diseases: prospective cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Almeida, Sandra Flavia Fiorentini; de Sousa, Luciene B; Vieira, Luis A; Chiamollera, Maria I; Barros, Jeison de N

    2006-08-01

    To determine the prevalence of conjunctivochalasis in patients with immune thyroid diseases, to determine whether there is any association between the 2 diseases, and to determine cytologic study of conjunctivochalasis through the cytology impression test. A clinical prospective cohort study carried out by the External Diseases Department in the Ophthalmology Sector and the Thyroid Department in the Endocrinology Sector at Federal University of Sao Paulo (UNIFESP). The patients included were divided into 2 groups following these inclusion criteria: a control group of 25 patients without thyroid diseases, confirmed after clinical and laboratory examinations (thyroid hormones), or any other ocular diseases. The study group consisted of 31 patients with thyroid diseases, the diagnosis of which was confirmed by the Endocrinology Sector. The thyroidopathies included were autoimmune diseases but excluded nonautoimmune diseases. A protocol endorsed by the UNIFESP was followed, using clinical and ophthalmological history, biomicroscopy, and impression cytology. Fifty-two percent of patients without thyroid diseases and 88% of patients with thyroid diseases presented with conjunctivochalasis. The risk ratio was 1.705 (Pr > chi(2) = 0.0038), indicating that there is an association between them. For the impression cytology in inferior bulbar conjunctiva, there was an association between the result of the impression cytology and conjunctivochalasis (Pearson chi(2) = 10.1190 Pr = 0.006). The prevalence of conjunctivochalasis in patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases was 88%. Patients with autoimmune thyroidopathy presented higher percentages of conjunctivochalasis than the control group, confirming the association between them. The cytologic study showed the highest prevalence of abnormal surface features in eyes with conjunctivochalasis.

  17. Lyme disease in children in southeastern Connecticut. Pediatric Lyme Disease Study Group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gerber, M A; Shapiro, E D; Burke, G S; Parcells, V J; Bell, G L

    1996-10-24

    Although the incidence of Lyme disease is highest in children, there are few prospective data on the clinical manifestations and outcomes in children. We conducted a prospective, longitudinal, community-based cohort study of children with newly diagnosed Lyme disease in an area of Connecticut in which the disease is highly endemic. We obtained clinical and demographic information and performed serial antibody tests and follow-up evaluations. Over a period of 20 months, 201 consecutive patients were enrolled; their median age was 7 years (range, 1 to 21). The initial clinical manifestations of Lyme disease were a single erythema migrans lesion in 66 percent, multiple erythema migrans lesions in 23 percent, arthritis in 6 percent, facial-nerve palsy in 3 percent, aseptic meningitis in 2 percent, and carditis in 0.5 percent. At presentation, 37 percent of the patients with a single erythema migrans lesion and 89 percent of those with multiple erythema migrans lesions had antibodies against Borrelia burgdorferi. All but 3 of the 201 patients were treated for two to four weeks with conventional antimicrobial therapy, which was administered orally in 96 percent. All had prompt clinical responses. After four weeks, 94 percent were completely asymptomatic (including the two patients whose parents had refused to allow antimicrobial treatment). At follow-up a mean of 25.4 months later, none of the patients had evidence of either chronic or recurrent Lyme disease. Six patients subsequently had a new episode of erythema migrans. About 90 percent of children with Lyme disease present with erythema migrans, which is an early stage of the disease. The prognosis is excellent for those with early Lyme disease who are treated promptly with conventional courses of antimicrobial agents.

  18. Youth suicide: an insight into previous hospitalisation for injury and sociodemographic conditions from a nationwide cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zambon, Francesco; Laflamme, Lucie; Spolaore, Paolo; Visentin, Cristiana; Hasselberg, Marie

    2011-06-01

    This study investigates the degree to which a previous hospitalisation for injury of any intent is a risk of subsequent youth suicide and whether this association is influenced by family socioeconomic status or economic stress. A nationwide register-based cohort study was conducted covering all Swedish subjects born between January 1977 and December 1991 (N=1,616,342, male/female ratio=1.05). The cohort subjects were followed-up from January 1998 to December 2003, when aged 7-26 years. Poisson regression and the likelihood ratio test (95% CI) were used to assess the age-adjusted effect of hospitalisation for injuries of various intent on youth suicide and its effect once adjusted for family sociodemographic and social circumstances. Each set of exposures was associated independently and significantly with suicide mortality. Being hospitalised for self-inflicted injuries or injuries of undetermined intent was associated with a risk of suicide 36 to 47 times, respectively, that of subjects never hospitalised in the period under study (95% CI 28.36 to 45.58 and 26.67 to 83.87 for self-inflicted injuries and for events of undetermined intent, respectively; overall psuicide (RR 3.08; 95% CI 2.26 to 4.19). These effects were solid and not substantially altered after adjustment for family demographic and socioeconomic circumstances. A strong association exists between previous hospitalisation for injury of any intent and youth suicide. The association is robust and unaltered by family socioeconomic circumstances.

  19. A two-stage meta-analysis identifies several new loci for Parkinson's disease.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Plagnol, V.; Nalls, M.A.; Bras, J.M.; Hernandez, D.; Sharma, M.; Sheerin, U.M.; Saad, M.; Simon-Sanchez, J.; Schulte, C.; Lesage, S.; Sveinbjornsdottir, S.; Amouyel, P.; Arepalli, S.; Band, G.; Barker, R.A.; Bellinguez, C.; Ben-Shlomo, Y.; Berendse, H.W.; Berg, D; Bhatia, K.P.; Bie, R.M. de; Biffi, A.; Bloem, B.R.; Bochdanovits, Z.; Bonin, M.; Brockmann, K.; Brooks, J.; Burn, D.J.; Charlesworth, G.; Chen, H.; Chinnery, P.F.; Chong, S.; Clarke, C.E.; Cookson, M.R.; Cooper, J.M.; Corvol, J.C.; Counsell, J.; Damier, P.; Dartigues, J.F.; Deloukas, P.; Deuschl, G.; Dexter, D.T.; Dijk, K.D. van; Dillman, A.; Durif, F.; Durr, A.; Edkins, S.; Evans, J.R.; Foltynie, T.; Freeman, C.; Gao, J.; Gardner, M.; Gibbs, J.R.; Goate, A.; Gray, E.; Guerreiro, R.; Gustafsson, O.; Harris, C.; Hellenthal, G.; Hilten, J.J. van; Hofman, A.; Hollenbeck, A.; Holton, J.L.; Hu, M.; Huang, X.; Huber, H; Hudson, G.; Hunt, S.E.; Huttenlocher, J.; Illig, T.; Jonsson, P.V.; Langford, C.; Lees, A.J.; Lichtner, P.; Limousin, P.; Lopez, G.; McNeill, A.; Moorby, C.; Moore, M.; Morris, H.A.; Morrison, K.E.; Mudanohwo, E.; O'Sullivan, S.S; Pearson, J.; Pearson, R.; Perlmutter, J.; Petursson, H.; Pirinen, M.; Polnak, P.; Post, B.; Potter, S.C.; Ravina, B.; Revesz, T.; Riess, O.; Rivadeneira, F.; Rizzu, P.; Ryten, M.; Sawcer, S.J.; Schapira, A.; Scheffer, H.; Shaw, K.; Shoulson, I.; Sidransky, E.; Silva, R. de; Smith, C.; Spencer, C.C.; Stefansson, H.; Steinberg, S.; Stockton, J.D.; Strange, A.; Su, Z.; Talbot, K.; Tanner, C.M.; Tashakkori-Ghanbaria, A.; Tison, F.; Trabzuni, D.; Traynor, B.J.; Uitterlinden, A.G.; Vandrovcova, J.; Velseboer, D.; Vidailhet, M.; Vukcevic, D.; Walker, R.; Warrenburg, B.P.C. van de; Weale, M.E.; Wickremaratchi, M.; Williams, N.; Williams-Gray, C.H.; Winder-Rhodes, S.; Stefansson, K.; Martinez, M.; Donnelly, P.; Singleton, A.B.; Hardy, J.; Heutink, P.; Brice, A.; Gasser, T.; Wood, N.W.

    2011-01-01

    A previous genome-wide association (GWA) meta-analysis of 12,386 PD cases and 21,026 controls conducted by the International Parkinson's Disease Genomics Consortium (IPDGC) discovered or confirmed 11 Parkinson's disease (PD) loci. This first analysis of the two-stage IPDGC study

  20. Disease-Concordant Twins Empower Genetic Association Studies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tan, Qihua; Li, Weilong; Vandin, Fabio

    2017-01-01

    and ordinary healthy samples as controls. We examined the power gain of the twin-based design for various scenarios (i.e., cases from monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs concordant for a disease) and compared the power with the ordinary case-control design with cases collected from the unrelated patient...... concordant for a disease, should confer increased power in genetic association analysis because of their genetic relatedness. We conducted a computer simulation study to explore the power advantage of the disease-concordant twin design, which uses singletons from disease-concordant twin pairs as cases...... population. Simulation was done by assigning various allele frequencies and allelic relative risks for different mode of genetic inheritance. In general, for achieving a power estimate of 80%, the sample sizes needed for dizygotic and monozygotic twin cases were one half and one fourth of the sample size...

  1. Awareness of deficits in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vogel, Asmus; Stokholm, Jette; Gade, Anders

    2004-01-01

    In this study we investigated impaired awareness of cognitive deficits in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Very few studies have addressed this topic, and methodological inconsistencies make the comparison of previous studies difficult. From a prospective...

  2. Lyme Disease in West Virginia: An Assessment of Distribution and Clinicians' Knowledge of Disease and Surveillance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Sarah; Parker, David; Mark-Carew, Miguella; White, Robert; Fisher, Melanie

    2016-01-01

    Lyme disease case misclassification, a top public health concern, may be attributed to the current disconnect between clinical diagnosis and surveillance. This study examines Lyme disease distribution in West Virginia (WV) and determines clinicians' knowledge of both disease and surveillance. Lyme disease surveillance data for 2013 were obtained from the WV Bureau for Public Health. A validated survey, distributed to clinicians at an academic medical center, assessed clinicians' knowledge of disease diagnosis and surveillance. There were 297 adult Lyme disease cases of which 83 were confirmed. Clinician survey responses resulted in a correct response rate of 70% for Lyme disease knowledge questions. Fewer than half of all clinicians were aware of the surveillance criteria for confirming Lyme disease cases. Neither medical specialty nor previous treatment of patients with Lyme disease were significantly associated with clinicians' knowledge of the disease. Clinicians in WV are familiar with symptoms and clinical management of Lyme disease. However, they are less knowledgeable about diagnosis and public health surveillance comprising reporting and confirming cases of the disease. Clinicians and public health authorities should collaborate more closely to promote education and awareness as a key step to successfully reducing the burden of Lymne disease.

  3. Outcome of trial of scar in patients with previous caesarean section

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khan, B.; Bashir, R.; Khan, W.

    2016-01-01

    Medical evidence indicates that 60-80% of women can achieve vaginal delivery after a previous lower segment caesarean section. Proper selection of patients for trial of scar and vigilant monitoring during labour will achieve successful maternal and perinatal outcome. The objective of our study is to establish the fact that vaginal delivery after one caesarean section has a high success rate in patients with previous one caesarean section for non-recurrent cause. Methods: The study was conducted in Ayub Teaching Abbottabad, Gynae-B Unit. All labouring patients, during the study period of five years, with previous one caesarean section and between 37 weeks to 41 weeks of gestation for a non-recurrent cause were included in the study. Data was recorded on special proforma designed for the purpose. Patients who had previous classical caesarean section, more than one caesarean section, and previous caesarean section with severe wound infection, transverse lie and placenta previa in present pregnancy were excluded. Foetal macrosomia (wt>4 kg) and severe IUGR with compromised blood flow on Doppler in present pregnancy were also not considered suitable for the study. Patients who had any absolute contraindication for vaginal delivery were also excluded. Results: There were 12505 deliveries during the study period. Total vaginal deliveries were 8790 and total caesarean sections were 3715. Caesarean section rate was 29.7%. Out of these 8790 patients, 764 patients were given a trial of scar and 535 patients delivered successfully vaginally (70%). Women who presented with spontaneous onset of labour were more likely to deliver vaginally (74.8%) as compared to induction group (27.1%). Conclusion: Trial of vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC) in selected cases has great importance in the present era of the rising rate of primary caesarean section. (author)

  4. The association between Darier disease, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia revisited: a population-based family study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cederlöf, Martin; Bergen, Sarah E; Långström, Niklas; Larsson, Henrik; Boman, Marcus; Craddock, Nick; Östberg, Per; Lundström, Sebastian; Sjölander, Arvid; Nordlind, Klas; Landén, Mikael; Lichtenstein, Paul

    2015-05-01

    Darier disease is an autosomal dominant skin disorder caused by mutations in the ATPase, Ca++ transporting, cardiac muscle, slow twitch 2 (ATP2A2) gene and previously reported to cosegregate with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia in occasional pedigrees. It is, however, unknown whether these associations exist also in the general population, and the objective of this study was to examine this question. We compared a national sample of individuals with Darier disease and their first-degree relatives with matched unexposed individuals from the general population and their first-degree relatives, respectively. To examine risks for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using conditional logistic regressions. Individuals with Darier disease had a 4.3 times higher risk of being diagnosed with bipolar disorder (95% CI: 2.6-7.3) and a 2.3 times higher risk of being diagnosed with schizophrenia (95% CI: 1.1-5.2) than matched individuals from the general population. Relatives of individuals with Darier disease had a 1.6 times higher risk of having bipolar disorder (95% CI: 1.1-2.5) than relatives of matched individuals from the general population, but no increased risk of schizophrenia (risk ratio = 0.8, 95% CI: 0.4-1.8). The association between Darier disease and bipolar disorder is manifest also in the population, and our data suggest that genetic variability within the ATP2A2 gene that causes Darier disease also confers susceptibility for bipolar disorder. The Darier-causing mutations merit additional attention in molecular genetic research on bipolar disorder. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  5. Disease activity in pregnant women with Crohn's disease and birth outcomes: a regional Danish cohort study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nørgård, Bente; Hundborg, Heidi H; Jacobsen, Bent Ascanius

    2007-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: CD is associated with increased risk of adverse birth outcomes, but existing studies have not assessed the impact of disease activity during pregnancy. We examined the impact of disease activity on birth outcomes: LBW, preterm birth, LBW at term, and CAs. METHODS: All births by CD wom...... disease activity). Further research is needed to assess the critical impact of disease activity in larger cohorts of CD women....

  6. Electroacupuncture to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Gajin; Leem, Jungtae; Lee, Hojung; Lee, Junhee

    2016-05-17

    Gastroesophageal reflux disease lowers the quality of life and increases medical costs. Electroacupuncture has been used to ease symptoms and improve gastrointestinal motility in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease. The main purposes of this study are to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this procedure. This is a protocol for a randomized, patient-blinded, assessor-blinded, sham-controlled trial. Sixty participants with symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease, who have previously undergone standard treatment, will be recruited from August 2015 at Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital. The participants will be allocated to either the electroacupuncture (n = 30) or the sham electroacupuncture group (n = 30); the allocation will be concealed from both the participants and the assessors. The EA group will undergo penetrating acupuncture at 18 fixed points and two optional points chosen using the pattern identification for gastroesophageal reflux disease. Electrical stimulation will be applied at some of the acupoints. The sham electroacupuncture group will undergo nonpenetrating acupuncture without electrical stimulation at 18 nonspecific points, each of which will be only 2 cm away from the true acupoints used in the electroacupuncture group. In both groups, the procedure will be performed using the Park device. The treatment will last for 6 weeks (with two sessions each week), and the outcome will be evaluated at baseline, 3 weeks, and 6 weeks. The primary outcome will be the proportion of responders with adequate symptom relief, whereas the secondary outcomes will comprise the results of the Nepean dyspepsia index; the Korean gastrointestinal symptom rating scale; the EQ-5D™; levels of gastrin, motilin, and inflammatory cytokines; the perceived stress scale; the qi-stagnation questionnaire; the patient global impression of change; and the spleen qi deficiency questionnaire. The results of this trial will provide information

  7. Predicting disease risk using bootstrap ranking and classification algorithms.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ohad Manor

    Full Text Available Genome-wide association studies (GWAS are widely used to search for genetic loci that underlie human disease. Another goal is to predict disease risk for different individuals given their genetic sequence. Such predictions could either be used as a "black box" in order to promote changes in life-style and screening for early diagnosis, or as a model that can be studied to better understand the mechanism of the disease. Current methods for risk prediction typically rank single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs by the p-value of their association with the disease, and use the top-associated SNPs as input to a classification algorithm. However, the predictive power of such methods is relatively poor. To improve the predictive power, we devised BootRank, which uses bootstrapping in order to obtain a robust prioritization of SNPs for use in predictive models. We show that BootRank improves the ability to predict disease risk of unseen individuals in the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium (WTCCC data and results in a more robust set of SNPs and a larger number of enriched pathways being associated with the different diseases. Finally, we show that combining BootRank with seven different classification algorithms improves performance compared to previous studies that used the WTCCC data. Notably, diseases for which BootRank results in the largest improvements were recently shown to have more heritability than previously thought, likely due to contributions from variants with low minimum allele frequency (MAF, suggesting that BootRank can be beneficial in cases where SNPs affecting the disease are poorly tagged or have low MAF. Overall, our results show that improving disease risk prediction from genotypic information may be a tangible goal, with potential implications for personalized disease screening and treatment.

  8. Heart diseases and long-term risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease: a population-based CAIDE study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rusanen, Minna; Kivipelto, Miia; Levälahti, Esko; Laatikainen, Tiina; Tuomilehto, Jaakko; Soininen, Hilkka; Ngandu, Tiia

    2014-01-01

    Many cardiovascular risk factors are shown to increase the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the impact of heart disease on later development of dementia is still unclear. The aim of the study was to investigate the long-term risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease (AD) related to midlife and late-life atrial fibrillation (AF), heart failure (HF), and coronary artery disease (CAD) in a population-based study with a follow-up of over 25 years. Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Aging and Dementia (CAIDE) study includes 2000 participants who were randomly selected from four separate, population-based samples originally studied in midlife (1972, 1977, 1982, or 1987). Re-examinations were carried out in 1998 and 2005-2008. Altogether 1,510 (75.5%) persons participated in at least one re-examination, and 127 (8.4%) persons were diagnosed with dementia (of which 102 had AD). AF in late-life was an independent risk factor for dementia (HR 2.61, 95% CI 1.05-6.47; p = 0.039) and AD (HR 2.54, 95% CI 1.04-6.16; p = 0.040) in the fully adjusted analyses. The association was even stronger among the apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 non-carriers. Late-life HF, but not CAD, tended to increase the risks as well. Heart diseases diagnosed at midlife did not increase the risk of later dementia and AD. Late-life heart diseases increase the subsequent risk of dementia and AD. Prevention and effective treatment of heart diseases may be important also from the perspective of brain health and cognitive functioning.

  9. New determinants for gallstone disease?


    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Shabanzadeh, Daniel Mønsted

    2018-01-01

    screened for gallstone disease with multiple ultrasound examinations, it was possible to both confirm previously identified determinants and to identify new determinants for gallstone disease. Temporal associations for incident gallstone disease and female sex, BMI, non-HDL cholesterol, and inverse...... is the self-reported exposures which may cause misclassification bias. If explored in future studies, assessment of lifestyle habits should include objective measures in order to contribute any further to existing evidence on determinants for gallstone disease.
Associations for biomarkers of insulin...... formation have a long history and the most established include bile cholesterol saturation, gallbladder motor function, and the enterohepatic circulation of secondary bile salts produced by fecal microbiota. A small number of determinants that are believed to affect these mechanisms have been identified...

  10. Thyroid abnormalities in patients previously treated with irradiation for acne vulgaris

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thomson, D.B.; Grammes, C.F.; Starkey, R.H.; Monsaert, R.P.; Sunderlin, F.S.

    1984-01-01

    Of 1,203 patients who received radiation treatment for acne vulgaris between 1940 and 1968, 302 patients were recalled and examined, 121 at Geisinger Medical Center and the remainder by their local physicians. Radiation records were reviewed on all patients. Lead-rubber and cones had been used as shielding. Mean age at the time of exposure was 21 years and mean total exposure was 692 R. Palpable nodular thyroid disease was found in eight patients (2.6%). Of these, thyroid carcinoma was detected in two patients (0.66%). Although the number of patients examined was small, the incidence of carcinomas was unexpectedly high. We conclude that follow-up examination is worthwhile for patients previously treated by irradiation for acne vulgaris

  11. Association between colonic polyps and diverticular disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirata, Tetsuo; Kawakami, Yuko; Kinjo, Nagisa; Arakaki, Susumu; Arakaki, Tetsu; Hokama, Akira; Kinjo, Fukunori; Fujita, Jiro

    2008-01-01

    AIM: To evaluate the association between colonic polyps and diverticular disease in Japan. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 672 consecutive patients who underwent total colonoscopy between August 2006 and April 2007 at Nishinjo Hospital, Okinawa, Japan. Patients with a history of any of the following were excluded from the study: previous polypectomy, colonic resection, and inflammatory bowel diseases. The association between colonic polyps and diverticular disease was analyzed by logistic regression analysis, adjusted for age and sex. RESULTS: Prevalence of colonic polyps in all patients with diverticular disease was significantly higher than that in those without diverticular disease (adjusted odds ratio 1.7). CONCLUSION: Our data showed that patients with diverticular disease have a higher risk of colonic polyps compared to those without. PMID:18416471

  12. Stressors of School-age Children With Allergic Diseases: A Qualitative Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iio, Misa; Hamaguchi, Mana; Nagata, Mayumi; Yoshida, Koichi

    2018-05-08

    Most studies of stress in children with chronic diseases have been geared toward parents and caregivers have not considered allergic diseases together. This study aimed to identify the stressors associated with allergic diseases in Japanese school-age children. Stressors associated with allergic diseases of 11 school-age children (seven boys and four girls; age range: 9-12 years) were investigated using semi-structured interviews. In the qualitative thematic analysis of stressors about allergic diseases, two themes: allergic disease-specific stressors and common stressors in chronic diseases, and 12 categories were identified. A thematic map was applied to four domains of stressor: physiological factors, psychological factors, social factors, and environmental factors. The results showed that school-age children with allergic diseases have a variety of stressors. Future studies should aim to develop an allergic disease-specific stress management program with school-age children. In children with allergic diseases, not only is stress management in daily life important, but also stress management for disease-specific matters to control the symptoms and maintain mental health. Stress management should be supported for school-age children with allergic diseases. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Novel therapies for the treatment of pertussis disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scanlon, Karen M.; Skerry, Ciaran; Carbonetti, Nicholas. H.

    2015-01-01

    Whooping cough, or pertussis, incidence has reached levels not seen since the 1950s. Previous studies have shown that antibiotics fail to improve the course of disease unless diagnosed early. Early diagnosis is complicated by the non-diagnostic presentation of disease early in infection. This review focuses on previous attempts at developing novel host-directed therapies for the treatment of pertussis. In addition, two novel approaches from our group are discussed. Manipulation of the signaling pathway of sphingosine-1-phosphate, a lipid involved in many immune processes, has shown great promise, but is in its infancy. Pendrin, a host epithelial anion exchanger upregulated in the airways with B. pertussis infection, appears to drive mucus production and dysregulation of airway surface liquid pH and salinity. In addition to detailing these potential new therapeutic targets, the need for greater focus on the neonatal model of disease is highlighted. PMID:26394802

  14. [Lessons from abroad. Current and previous crisis in other countries. SESPAS report 2014].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rivadeneyra-Sicilia, Ana; Minué Lorenzo, Sergio; Artundo Purroy, Carlos; Márquez Calderón, Soledad

    2014-06-01

    The evidence available on the impact of previous crises on health reveals different patterns attributable to study designs, the characteristics of each crisis, and other factors related to the socioeconomic and political context. There is greater consensus on the mediating role of government policy responses to financial crises. These responses may magnify or mitigate the adverse effects of crises on population health. Some studies have shown a significant deterioration in some health indicators in the context of the current crisis, mainly in relation to mental health and communicable diseases. Alcohol and tobacco use have also declined in some European countries. In addition, this crisis is being used by some governments to push reforms aimed at privatizing health services, thereby restricting the right to health and healthcare. Specifically, action is being taken on the three axes that determine health system financing: the population covered, the scope of services, and the share of the costs covered. These measures are often arbitrarily implemented based on ideological decisions rather than on the available evidence and therefore adverse consequences are to be expected in terms of financial protection, efficiency, and equity. Copyright © 2013 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

  15. Patients with colorectal lung oligometastases (L-OMD) treated by dose adapted SABR at diagnosis of oligometastatic disease have better outcomes than patients previously treated for their metastatic disease.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Mihai, Alina

    2017-01-01

    To evaluate the clinical outcomes of patients with OMD from a CRC primary, who underwent SABR either as first treatment at diagnosis of metachronous oligometastatic disease to lung or at progression in lung after prior treatments for metastatic disease.

  16. The costs of preventive activities for exotic contagious diseases - A Danish case study of foot and mouth disease and swine fever

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Denver, Sigrid; Alban, Lis; Boklund, Anette

    2016-01-01

    The present paper provides an overview of the costs of preventive activities, currently undertaken in Denmark, related to foot and mouth disease (FMD) and classical and African swine fever (SF). Only costs held between outbreaks were included. Costs were divided into public costs and costs paid...... in a group of experts from universities, industry, and public authorities. The costs of each preventive activity were related to the type of activity, the number of times the activity was carried out and the share of costs that could be associated with FMD or SF. Uncertainty about parameters was incorporated...... by the pig and cattle industries, respectively. Data were retrieved from multiple sources such as databases, legal documents, official statistics, yearly reports and expert opinions. As no previous studies have assessed such costs, data collection and estimation procedures were discussed and decided upon...

  17. Clinical studies on thyroid diseases

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Eskes, S.A.

    2014-01-01

    This thesis focuses on some aspects of thyroid disease: prevention of autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), diagnosis of related conditions as autoimmune hypophysitis in autoimmune hypothyroidism (Hashimoto’s disease), and treatment of amiodarone-induced thyrotoxicosis (AIT).

  18. Imprinting diseases and IVF: Danish National IVF cohort study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lidegaard, Ojvind; Pinborg, Anja; Andersen, Anders Nyboe

    2005-01-01

    The aim of this study was to compare the frequency of imprinting diseases in children born after IVF with the incidence in naturally conceived children.......The aim of this study was to compare the frequency of imprinting diseases in children born after IVF with the incidence in naturally conceived children....

  19. What Is the Risk of Anastomotic Leak After Repeat Intestinal Resection in Patients With Crohn's Disease?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnston, W Forrest; Stafford, Caitlin; Francone, Todd D; Read, Thomas E; Marcello, Peter W; Roberts, Patricia L; Ricciardi, Rocco

    2017-12-01

    Approximately half of Crohn's patients require intestinal resection, and many need repeat resections. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the increased risk of clinical anastomotic leak in patients with a history of previous intestinal resection undergoing repeat resection with anastomosis for Crohn's disease. This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected departmental data with 100% capture. The study was conducted at the department of colorectal surgery in a tertiary care teaching hospital between July 2007 and March 2016. A cohort of consecutive patients with Crohn's disease who were treated with intestinal resection and anastomosis, excluding patients with proximal fecal diversion, were included. The cohort was divided into 2 groups, those with no previous resection compared with those with previous resection. Clinical anastomotic leak within 30 days of surgery was measured. Of the 206 patients who met criteria, 83 patients had previous intestinal resection (40%). The 2 groups were similar in terms of patient factors, immune-suppressing medication use, and procedural factors. Overall, 20 clinical anastomotic leaks were identified (10% leak rate). There were 6 leaks (5%) detected in patients with no previous intestinal resection and 14 leaks (17%) detected in patients with a history of previous intestinal resection (p leak in patients with Crohn's disease with previous resection compared with no previous resection was 3.5 (95% CI, 1.3-9.4). Patients with 1 previous resection (n = 53) had a leak rate of 13%, whereas patients with ≥2 previous resections (n = 30) had a leak rate of 23%. The number of previous resections correlated with increasing risk for clinical anastomotic leak (correlation coefficient = 0.998). This was a retrospective study with limited data to perform a multivariate analysis. Repeat intestinal resection in patients with Crohn's disease is associated with an increased rate of anastomotic leakage when compared with initial

  20. Zebra: searching for rare diseases

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dragusin, Radu; Petcu, Paula; Lioma, Christina

    2012-01-01

    disease diagnostic hypotheses in the domain of medical IR. In this work, we build upon an existing vertical medical search engine, Zebra, that is focused on rare disease diagnosis. In previous work, Zebra has been evaluated using real-life medical cases of rare and difficult diseases, and has been found...

  1. The Emerging Risk Factors Collaboration: analysis of individual data on lipid, inflammatory and other markers in over 1.1 million participants in 104 prospective studies of cardiovascular diseases

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Danesh, J; Erqou, S; Walker, M

    2007-01-01

    Many long-term prospective studies have reported on associations of cardiovascular diseases with circulating lipid markers and/or inflammatory markers. Studies have not, however, generally been designed to provide reliable estimates under different circumstances and to correct for within-person v......Many long-term prospective studies have reported on associations of cardiovascular diseases with circulating lipid markers and/or inflammatory markers. Studies have not, however, generally been designed to provide reliable estimates under different circumstances and to correct for within....... This initiative will characterize more precisely and in greater detail than has previously been possible the shape and strength of the age- and sex-specific associations of several lipid and inflammatory markers with incident coronary heart disease outcomes (and, secondarily, with other incident cardiovascular...

  2. Response to health insurance by previously uninsured rural children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tilford, J M; Robbins, J M; Shema, S J; Farmer, F L

    1999-08-01

    To examine the healthcare utilization and costs of previously uninsured rural children. Four years of claims data from a school-based health insurance program located in the Mississippi Delta. All children who were not Medicaid-eligible or were uninsured, were eligible for limited benefits under the program. The 1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey (NMES) was used to compare utilization of services. The study represents a natural experiment in the provision of insurance benefits to a previously uninsured population. Premiums for the claims cost were set with little or no information on expected use of services. Claims from the insurer were used to form a panel data set. Mixed model logistic and linear regressions were estimated to determine the response to insurance for several categories of health services. The use of services increased over time and approached the level of utilization in the NMES. Conditional medical expenditures also increased over time. Actuarial estimates of claims cost greatly exceeded actual claims cost. The provision of a limited medical, dental, and optical benefit package cost approximately $20-$24 per member per month in claims paid. An important uncertainty in providing health insurance to previously uninsured populations is whether a pent-up demand exists for health services. Evidence of a pent-up demand for medical services was not supported in this study of rural school-age children. States considering partnerships with private insurers to implement the State Children's Health Insurance Program could lower premium costs by assembling basic data on previously uninsured children.

  3. Molecular Genetic Studies of Some Eye Diseases Affecting the ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    First page Back Continue Last page Overview Graphics. Molecular Genetic Studies of Some Eye Diseases Affecting the Indian Population. Single gene disorders. Complex eye diseases. Genotype-phenotype correlation. Molecular diagnostics.

  4. Ibrutinib for previously untreated and relapsed or refractory chronic lymphocytic leukaemia with TP53 aberrations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Farooqui, Mohammed Z H; Valdez, Janet; Martyr, Sabrina

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) with TP53 aberrations respond poorly to first-line chemoimmunotherapy, resulting in early relapse and short survival. We investigated the safety and activity of ibrutinib in previously untreated and relapsed or refractory CLL with TP53...... aberrations. METHODS: In this investigator-initiated, single-arm phase 2 study, we enrolled eligible adult patients with active CLL with TP53 aberrations at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (Bethesda, MD, USA). Patients received 28-day cycles of ibrutinib 420 mg orally once daily until...... in one (2%) patient. INTERPRETATION: The activity and safety profile of single-agent ibrutinib in CLL with TP53 aberrations is encouraging and supports its consideration as a novel treatment option for patients with this high-risk disease in both first-line and second-line settings. FUNDING: Intramural...

  5. Chronic diseases, lack of medications, and depression among Syrian refugees in Jordan, 2013-2014.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gammouh, Omar Salem; Al-Smadi, Ahmed Mohammad; Tawalbeh, Loai Issa; Khoury, Laurice Sami

    2015-01-29

    Studying mental and physical health problems in refugees facilitates providing suitable health care, thus improving their quality of life. We studied depression tendency in Syrian refugees in Jordan in the light of chronic diseases and medication availability. Also, depression prevalence and depression comorbidity with chronic diseases were identified. In this multicenter cross-sectional survey, data from Syrian refugees attending Caritas centers in 6 Jordanian cities from November 2013 through June 2014 were analyzed. Participants' demographics, depression, previously diagnosed chronic diseases, and newly diagnosed chronic diseases and the availability of medications were studied. Logistic regression was used to examine predictors for depression. Of 765 refugees who participated, about one-third demonstrated significant depression as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory. Descriptive analyses showed that depression was comorbid in 35% of participants with previously diagnosed chronic diseases and in 40% of participants with newly diagnosed chronic diseases. Newly diagnosed chronic diseases and lack of medications significantly contributed to depression, but the regression model as a whole explained less than 5% of the variance. Because the regression model showed low effect size, we concluded that newly diagnosed chronic diseases and medication shortages could not predict depression in Syrian refugees residing in Jordan. Therefore, further studies of additional factors are recommended. Prompt measures have to be taken to prevent the spread of chronic diseases and improve mental health in this fragile population.

  6. A Two-Stage Meta-Analysis Identifies Several New Loci for Parkinson's Disease

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Plagnol, Vincent; Nalls, Michael A.; Bras, Jose M.; Hernandez, Dena G.; Sharma, Manu; Sheerin, Una-Marie; Saad, Mohamad; Simon-Sanchez, Javier; Schulte, Claudia; Lesage, Suzanne; Sveinbjornsdottir, Sigurlaug; Amouyel, Philippe; Arepalli, Sampath; Band, Gavin; Barker, Roger A.; Bellinguez, Celine; Ben-Shlomo, Yoav; Berendse, Henk W.; Berg, Daniela; Bhatia, Kailash; de Bie, Rob M. A.; Biffi, Alessandro; Bloem, Bas; Bochdanovits, Zoltan; Bonin, Michael; Brockmann, Kathrin; Brooks, Janet; Burn, David J.; Charlesworth, Gavin; Chen, Honglei; Chinnery, Patrick F.; Chong, Sean; Clarke, Carl E.; Cookson, Mark R.; Cooper, J. Mark; Corvol, Jean Christophe; Counsell, Carl; Damier, Philippe; Dartigues, Jean-Francois; Deloukas, Panos; Deuschl, Guenther; Dexter, David T.; van Dijk, Karin D.; Dillman, Allissa; Durif, Frank; Duerr, Alexandra; Edkins, Sarah; Evans, Jonathan R.; Foltynie, Thomas; Freeman, Colin; Gao, Jianjun; Gardner, Michelle; Gibbs, J. Raphael; Goate, Alison; Gray, Emma; Guerreiro, Rita; Gustafsson, Omar; Harris, Clare; Hellenthal, Garrett; van Hilten, Jacobus J.; Hofman, Albert; Hollenbeck, Albert; Holton, Janice; Hu, Michele; Huang, Xuemei; Huber, Heiko; Hudson, Gavin; Hunt, Sarah E.; Huttenlocher, Johanna; Illig, Thomas; Jonsson, Palmi V.; Langford, Cordelia; Lees, Andrew; Lichtner, Peter; Limousin, Patricia; Lopez, Grisel; Lorenz, Delia; McNeill, Alisdair; Moorby, Catriona; Moore, Matthew; Morris, Huw; Morrison, Karen E.; Mudanohwo, Ese; O'Sullivan, Sean S.; Pearson, Justin; Pearson, Richard; Perlmutter, Joel S.; Petursson, Hjoervar; Pirinen, Matti; Pollak, Pierre; Post, Bart; Potter, Simon; Ravina, Bernard; Revesz, Tamas; Riess, Olaf; Rivadeneira, Fernando; Rizzu, Patrizia; Ryten, Mina; Sawcer, Stephen; Schapira, Anthony; Scheffer, Hans; Shaw, Karen; Shoulson, Ira; Sidransky, Ellen; de Silva, Rohan; Smith, Colin; Spencer, Chris C. A.; Stefansson, Hreinn; Steinberg, Stacy; Stockton, Joanna D.; Strange, Amy; Su, Zhan; Talbot, Kevin; Tanner, Carlie M.; Tashakkori-Ghanbaria, Avazeh; Tison, Francois; Trabzuni, Daniah; Traynor, Bryan J.; Uitterlinden, Andre G.; Vandrovcova, Jana; Velseboer, Daan; Vidailhet, Marie; Vukcevic, Damjan; Walker, Robert; van de Warrenburg, Bart; Weale, Michael E.; Wickremaratchi, Mirdhu; Williams, Nigel; Williams-Gray, Caroline H.; Winder-Rhodes, Sophie; Stefansson, Kari; Martinez, Maria; Donnelly, Peter; Singleton, Andrew B.; Hardy, John; Heutink, Peter; Brice, Alexis; Gasser, Thomas; Wood, Nicholas W.

    2011-01-01

    A previous genome-wide association (GWA) meta-analysis of 12,386 PD cases and 21,026 controls conducted by the International Parkinson's Disease Genomics Consortium (IPDGC) discovered or confirmed 11 Parkinson's disease (PD) loci. This first analysis of the two-stage IPDGC study focused on the set

  7. The Unculturables: targeted isolation of bacterial species associated with canine periodontal health or disease from dental plaque.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davis, Ian J; Bull, Christopher; Horsfall, Alexander; Morley, Ian; Harris, Stephen

    2014-08-01

    The current inability to culture the entirety of observed bacteria is well known and with the advent of ever more powerful molecular tools, that can survey bacterial communities at previously unattainable depth, the gap in our capacity to culture and define all of these species increases exponentially. This gap has essentially become the rate limiting step in determining how the knowledge of which species are present in a sample can be applied to understand the role of these species in an ecosystem or disease process. A case in point is periodontal disease, which is the most widespread oral disease in dogs. If untreated the disease results in significant pain, eventual loss of the dentition and potentially an increased risk of systemic diseases. Previous molecular based studies have identified the bacterial species associated with periodontal disease in dogs; however without cultured strains from many of these species it has not been possible to study whether they play a role in the disease process. Using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) directed approach a range of microbiological media were screened and optimized to enrich for previously uncultivated target species. A systematic screening methodology was then employed to isolate the species of interest. In cases where the target species were not cultivable in isolation, helper strains grown underneath a nitrocellulose membrane were used to provide the necessary growth factors. This guided media optimization approach enabled the purification of 14 species, 8 of which we had previously been unable to cultivate in isolation. It is also applicable to the targeted isolation of isolates from species that have previously been cultured (for example to study intra-species variation) as demonstrated by the successful isolation of 6 targeted isolates of already cultured species. To our knowledge this is the first time this combination of qPCR guided media optimization, strategic screening and helper strain

  8. Neuroelectrophysiological studies on neurological autoimmune diseases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yin-hong LIU

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The neuroelectrophysiological manifestations of four clinical typical neurological autoimmune diseases including multiple sclerosis (MS, Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS, myasthenia gravis (MG, and polymyositis and dermatomyositis were reviewed in this paper. The diagnostic value of evoked potentials for multiple sclerosis, nerve conduction studies (NCS for Guillain-Barré syndrome, repetitive nerve stimulation (RNS and single-fiber electromyography (SFEMG for myasthenia gravis, and needle electromyography for polymyositis and dermatomyositis were respectively discussed. This review will help to have comprehensive understanding on electrophysiological examinations and their clinical significance in the diagnosis of neurological autoimmune diseases. doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-6731.2014.09.004

  9. Zoonotic and infectious disease surveillance in Central America: Honduran feral cats positive for toxoplasma, trypanosoma, leishmania, rickettsia, and Lyme disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCown, Michael; Grzeszak, Benjamin

    2010-01-01

    A recent zoonotic and infectious disease field surveillance study in Honduras resulted in the discovery of Toxoplasma, Trypanosoma, Leishmania, Rickettsia, and Lyme disease with statistically high prevalence rates in a group of feral cats. All five diseases--Toxoplasmosis, Trypanosomiasis, Leishmaniasis, Rickettsiosis, and Lyme disease--were confirmed in this group of cats having close contact to local civilians and U.S. personnel. These diseases are infectious to other animals and are known to infect humans as well. In the austere Central and South American sites that Special Operations Forces (SOF) medics are deployed, the living conditions and close quarters are prime environments for the potential spread of infectious and zoonotic disease. This study?s findings, as with previous veterinary disease surveillance studies, emphasize the critical need for continual and aggressive surveillance for zoonotic and infectious disease present within animals in specific areas of operation (AO). The importance to SOF is that a variety of animals may be sentinels, hosts, or direct transmitters of disease to civilians and service members. These studies are value-added tools to the U.S. military, specifically to a deploying or already deployed unit. The SOF medic must ensure that this value-added asset is utilized and that the findings are applied to assure Operational Detachment-Alpha (SFOD-A) health and, on a bigger scale, U.S. military force health protection and local civilian health. © 2010.

  10. Erectile Dysfunction ia a common problem in Interstitial Lung Disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fløe, Andreas; Hilberg, Ole; Wijsenbeek, Marlies

    Rationale : The relationship between erectile dysfunction (ED) and chronic diseases, most notably diabetes and atherosclerosis, is well established. Previous studies have shown a relationship between COPD and ED. The pathogenesis is not clearly established, but studies have shown a correlation be...

  11. Diabetes and the Risk of Developing Parkinson’s Disease in Denmark

    OpenAIRE

    Schernhammer, Eva S; Hansen, Johnni; Rugbjerg, Kathrine; Wermuth, Lene; Ritz, Beate

    2011-01-01

    Objective: Insulin contributes to normal brain function. Previous studies have suggested associations between midlife diabetes and neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease. Using Danish population registers, we investigated whether a history of diabetes or the use of antidiabetes drugs was associated with Parkinson’s disease. Research Design and Methods: From the nationwide Danish Hospital Register hospital records, we identified 1,931 patients with a first-time diagnosis of ...

  12. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder may be a highly inflammation and immune-associated disease (Review).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Rong-Yi; Wang, Jiao-Jiao; Sun, Ji-Chao; You, Yue; Ying, Jing-Nang; Han, Xin-Min

    2017-10-01

    Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common behavioral disorder. Previous research has indicated that genetic factors, family education, environment and dietary habits are associated with ADHD. It has been determined that in China many children with ADHD also have allergic rhinitis or asthma. These children are more susceptible to the common cold or upper respiratory infections compared with normal healthy children. Additionally, the common cold or an upper respiratory infection may lead to disease recurrence or worsen the symptoms in these children. Previous studies have determined that ADHD may have a close association with allergic disease. Based on the clinically observed phenomenon and previous studies, it was hypothesized that ADHD is a high inflammation and immune‑associated disease. Therefore, the authors designed clinical and animal experiments to test this hypothesis in the future. Immune system disorders may be a novel part of the etiology of ADHD. The current report may have implications for future clinical practice.

  13. Perforated Duodenum – An Unusual Etiology of Fournier's Disease: A Case Report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yung-Chin Lee

    2003-12-01

    Full Text Available Fournier's disease, a form of necrotizing fasciitis, is a rapidly progressing subcutaneous infection of the male genitalia. We report a case of Fournier's disease with the unusual etiology of a perforated duodenum. This patient suffered from progressive right scrotal swelling after percutaneous transhepatic cholangeal drainage. Scrotal exploration revealed a large abscess with muscle necrosis that had spread up to the right retroperitoneal space. Radiologic studies and second abdominal exploration documented the origin as a perforated duodenum. The pus distribution in this case suggested that the infection process differed from that in previous reports. In future cases of Fournier's disease involving previous abdominal events, we recommend that abdominal origins be carefully surveyed before scrotal exploration.

  14. Satisfaction with care: a study of parents of children with congenital heart disease and parents of children with other diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lawoko, Stephen; Soares, Joaquim J F

    2004-03-01

    We compared parents of children with congenital heart disease (PCCHD, n=1092) with parents of children with other diseases (PCOD, n=112) regarding satisfaction with their children's care (SCC). We also examined the association between parental/patient characteristics and SCC. The parents completed a questionnaire about such areas as satisfaction with care, children's health status, and financial situation. The design was cross-sectional and data were gathered over 20 consecutive days. The univariate and multivariate analyses showed that PCCHD were more satisfied with their children's medical care and waiting period for treatment of their ill children than PCOD, although the difference was only modest. Furthermore, mothers were less satisfied with staff attitudes than fathers, with the lowest satisfaction among mothers of children with CHD. However, the multivariate analysis indicated that less satisfaction with care was more associated with decreasing child age, unemployment, financial burden of disease, social isolation and psychological distress than with children's diseases, their severity and parental gender. We corroborated some previous findings and may have provided new insights regarding determinants of SCC among parents. Interventions to improve SCC may need to address issues of parental psychological distress, socialization, and financial burden of illness. Possible ways of achieving this are discussed. Finally, research in a longitudinal format is needed to further scrutinize determinants of parental SCC.

  15. Brain and heart disease studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Budinger, T.F.; Sargent, T.W. III; Yen, C.K.; Friedland, R.F.; Moyer, B.R.

    1981-01-01

    Highlights of important studies completed during the past year using the Donner 280-crystal positron ring tomograph are summarized in this article. Using rubidium-82, images of a brain tumor and an arteriovenous malformation are described. An image demonstrating methionine uptake in a patient with schizophrenia and an image reflecting sugar metabolism in the brain of a man with Alzheimer's disease are also included. Uptake of rubidium-82 in subjects before and after exercise is being investigated. The synthesis of new radiopharmaceuticals and the development of a new synthesis for C-taurine for use in the study of metabolism in the human heart are also being studied

  16. Multiple independent variants in 6q21-22 associated with susceptibility to celiac disease in the Dutch, Finnish and Hungarian populations

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Einarsdottir, Elisabet; Bevova, Marianna R.; Zhernakova, Alexandra; Monsuur, Alienke; Koskinen, Lotta L. E.; van't Slot, Ruben; Mulder, Chris; Mearin, M. Luisa; Korponay-Szabo, Ilma R.; Kaukinen, Katri; Kurppa, Kalle; Kere, Juha; Maki, Markku; Wijmenga, Cisca; Saavalainen, Paivi

    Celiac disease is an inflammatory enteropathy caused by intolerance to gluten. Previous linkage studies in the Dutch, Finnish and Hungarian populations have revealed a locus on chromosome 6q21-22 conferring susceptibility to celiac disease. This locus has previously been implicated in susceptibility

  17. Occupational exposure to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields and risk for central nervous system disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Camilla; Poulsen, Aslak Harbo; Rod, Naja Hulvej

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: Evidence of whether exposure to extremely low-frequency magnetic fields (ELF-MF) is related to central nervous system diseases is inconsistent. This study updates a previous study of the incidence of such diseases in a large cohort of Danish utility workers by almost doubling the period...

  18. Pituitary gland levels of mercury, selenium, iron, and zinc in an Alzheimer`s disease study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cornett, C.R.; Markesbery, W.R.; Wekstein, D.R.; Ehmann, W.D. [Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington, KY (United States)

    1996-12-31

    Mercury, iron, selenium, and zinc imbalances have been observed in comparisons between Alzheimer`s disease (AD) and control subject brains. Analyses of the pituitary gland have demonstrated that this organ retains relatively high concentrations of trace elements, including mercury, iron, and zinc. Our previous work has shown that the pituitary glands of AD and control subjects are typically higher in these trace elements than brain samples from the same subject. Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was used to compare the pituitary trace element levels of AD and control subjects. This study also describes the intrasubject relationships of brain trace element levels to those in the pituitary gland of AD and control subjects.

  19. Consensus on the Definition of Advanced Parkinson’s Disease: A Neurologists-Based Delphi Study (CEPA Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria-Rosario Luquin

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available To date, no consensus exists on the key factors for diagnosing advanced Parkinson disease (APD. To obtain consensus on the definition of APD, we performed a prospective, multicenter, Spanish nationwide, 3-round Delphi study (CEPA study. An ad hoc questionnaire was designed with 33 questions concerning the relevance of several clinical features for APD diagnosis. In the first-round, 240 neurologists of the Spanish Movement Disorders Group participated in the study. The results obtained were incorporated into the questionnaire and both, results and questionnaire, were sent out to and fulfilled by 26 experts in Movement Disorders. Review of results from the second-round led to a classification of symptoms as indicative of “definitive,” “probable,” and “possible” APD. This classification was confirmed by 149 previous participating neurologists in a third-round, where 92% completely or very much agreed with the classification. Definitive symptoms of APD included disability requiring help for the activities of daily living, presence of motor fluctuations with limitations to perform basic activities of daily living without help, severe dysphagia, recurrent falls, and dementia. These results will help neurologists to identify some key factors in APD diagnosis, thus allowing users to categorize the patients for a homogeneous recognition of this condition.

  20. Prospective surveillance of multivariate spatial disease data

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corberán-Vallet, A

    2012-01-01

    Surveillance systems are often focused on more than one disease within a predefined area. On those occasions when outbreaks of disease are likely to be correlated, the use of multivariate surveillance techniques integrating information from multiple diseases allows us to improve the sensitivity and timeliness of outbreak detection. In this article, we present an extension of the surveillance conditional predictive ordinate to monitor multivariate spatial disease data. The proposed surveillance technique, which is defined for each small area and time period as the conditional predictive distribution of those counts of disease higher than expected given the data observed up to the previous time period, alerts us to both small areas of increased disease incidence and the diseases causing the alarm within each area. We investigate its performance within the framework of Bayesian hierarchical Poisson models using a simulation study. An application to diseases of the respiratory system in South Carolina is finally presented. PMID:22534429

  1. Association Between Coronary Artery Disease Genetic Variants and Subclinical Atherosclerosis: An Association Study and Meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zabalza, Michel; Subirana, Isaac; Lluis-Ganella, Carla; Sayols-Baixeras, Sergi; de Groot, Eric; Arnold, Roman; Cenarro, Ana; Ramos, Rafel; Marrugat, Jaume; Elosua, Roberto

    2015-10-01

    Recent studies have identified several genetic variants associated with coronary artery disease. Some of these genetic variants are not associated with classical cardiovascular risk factors and the mechanism of such associations is unclear. The aim of the study was to determine whether these genetic variants are related to subclinical atherosclerosis measured by carotid intima media thickness, carotid stiffness, and ankle brachial index. A cross-sectional study nested in the follow-up of the REGICOR cohort was undertaken. The study included 2667 individuals. Subclinical atherosclerosis measurements were performed with standardized methods. Nine genetic variants were genotyped to assess associations with subclinical atherosclerosis, individually and in a weighted genetic risk score. A systematic review and meta-analysis of previous studies that analyzed these associations was undertaken. Neither the selected genetic variants nor the genetic risk score were significantly associated with subclinical atherosclerosis. In the meta-analysis, the rs1746048 (CXCL12; n = 10581) risk allele was directly associated with carotid intima-media thickness (β = 0.008; 95% confidence interval, 0.001-0.015), whereas the rs6725887 (WDR12; n = 7801) risk allele was inversely associated with this thickness (β = -0.013; 95% confidence interval, -0.024 to -0.003). The analyzed genetic variants seem to mediate their association with coronary artery disease through different mechanisms. Our results generate the hypothesis that the CXCL12 variant appears to influence coronary artery disease risk through arterial remodeling and thickening, whereas the WDR12 risk variant could be related to higher plaque vulnerability. Copyright © 2014 Sociedad Española de Cardiología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  2. Studies on possibility for alleviation of lifestyle diseases by low-dose irradiation or radon inhalation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kataoka, T.; Sakoda, A.; Yoshimoto, M.; Nakagawa, S.; Toyota, T.; Nishiyama, Y.; Yamato, K.; Ishimori, Y.; Kawabe, A.; Hanamoto, K.; Taguchi, T.; Yamaoka, K.

    2011-01-01

    Our previous studies showed the possibility that activation of the anti-oxidative function alleviates various oxidative damages, which are related to lifestyle diseases. Results showed that, low-dose X-ray irradiation activated superoxide dismutase and inhibits oedema following ischaemia-reperfusion. To alleviate ischaemia-reperfusion injury with transplantation, the changes of the anti-oxidative function in liver graft using low-dose X-ray irradiation immediately after exenteration were examined. Results showed that liver grafts activate the anti-oxidative function as a result of irradiation. In addition, radon inhalation enhances the anti-oxidative function in some organs, and alleviates alcohol-induced oxidative damage of mouse liver. Moreover, in order to determine the most effective condition of radon inhalation, mice inhaled radon before or after carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 ) administration. Results showed that radon inhalation alleviates CCl 4 -induced hepatopathy, especially prior inhalation. It is highly possible that adequate activation of anti-oxidative functions induced by low-dose irradiation can contribute to preventing or reducing oxidative damages, which are related to lifestyle diseases. (authors)

  3. Validity of information on atopic disease and other illness in young children reported by parents in a prospective birth cohort study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vissing, Nadja Hawwa; Jensen, Signe Marie; Bisgaard, Hans

    2012-01-01

    ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: The longitudinal birth cohort study is the preferred design for studies of childhood health, particularly atopic disease. Still, prospective data collection depends on recollection of the medical history since the previous visit representing a potential recall-bias. We aimed...... reference. RESULTS: A total of 6134 medical events were reported at the COPSAC interviews. Additional 586 medical events were recorded by family practitioners but not reported at the interview. There were no missed events related to asthma, eczema or allergy. Respiratory, infectious and skin related...

  4. A novel approach to delayed-start analyses for demonstrating disease-modifying effects in Alzheimer's disease.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hong Liu-Seifert

    Full Text Available One method for demonstrating disease modification is a delayed-start design, consisting of a placebo-controlled period followed by a delayed-start period wherein all patients receive active treatment. To address methodological issues in previous delayed-start approaches, we propose a new method that is robust across conditions of drug effect, discontinuation rates, and missing data mechanisms. We propose a modeling approach and test procedure to test the hypothesis of noninferiority, comparing the treatment difference at the end of the delayed-start period with that at the end of the placebo-controlled period. We conducted simulations to identify the optimal noninferiority testing procedure to ensure the method was robust across scenarios and assumptions, and to evaluate the appropriate modeling approach for analyzing the delayed-start period. We then applied this methodology to Phase 3 solanezumab clinical trial data for mild Alzheimer's disease patients. Simulation results showed a testing procedure using a proportional noninferiority margin was robust for detecting disease-modifying effects; conditions of high and moderate discontinuations; and with various missing data mechanisms. Using all data from all randomized patients in a single model over both the placebo-controlled and delayed-start study periods demonstrated good statistical performance. In analysis of solanezumab data using this methodology, the noninferiority criterion was met, indicating the treatment difference at the end of the placebo-controlled studies was preserved at the end of the delayed-start period within a pre-defined margin. The proposed noninferiority method for delayed-start analysis controls Type I error rate well and addresses many challenges posed by previous approaches. Delayed-start studies employing the proposed analysis approach could be used to provide evidence of a disease-modifying effect. This method has been communicated with FDA and has been

  5. Graves disease with ophthalmopathy following radiotherapy for Hodgkin's disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jacobson, D.R.; Fleming, B.J.

    1984-01-01

    The number of patients achieving long-term survival following neck irradiation for Hodgkin's disease and other malignancies is increasing. Paralleling this increase in survivors is the development of late complications of the therapy itself. Eleven patients have previously been reported who developed Graves ophthalmopathy 18 months to seven years after receiving neck radiotherapy for nonthyroidal malignancies. The seven patients who had HLA typing were all HLA-B8 negative, despite the reported association of the HLA-B8 antigen with Graves disease. A patient who is HLA-B8 positive who developed Graves ophthalmopathy and hyperthyroidism nine years after receiving mantle radiotherapy for Hodgkin's disease is reported. It is recommended that Graves disease be included among the thyroid diseases that receive consideration during follow-up of patients who have received mantle radiotherapy

  6. Reduced sympathetic activity in idiopathic rapid-eye-movement sleep behavior disorder and Parkinson's disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Sorensen, Gertrud Laura; Mehlsen, Jesper; Jennum, Poul

    2013-01-01

    More than 50% of patients with idiopathic REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) will develop Parkinson's disease or Lewy body dementia. In a previous study, we found attenuated heart rate responses in iRBD and Parkinson's disease patients during sleep. The current study aimed to evaluate heart rate...... variability further in order to identify possible changes in these components during wakefulness and sleep in patients with iRBD and Parkinson's disease....

  7. Molecular analysis of clinical isolates previously diagnosed as Mycobacterium intracellulare reveals incidental findings of "Mycobacterium indicus pranii" genotypes in human lung infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Su-Young; Park, Hye Yun; Jeong, Byeong-Ho; Jeon, Kyeongman; Huh, Hee Jae; Ki, Chang-Seok; Lee, Nam Yong; Han, Seung-Jung; Shin, Sung Jae; Koh, Won-Jung

    2015-09-30

    Mycobacterium intracellulare is a major cause of Mycobacterium avium complex lung disease in many countries. Molecular studies have revealed several new Mycobacteria species that are closely related to M. intracellulare. The aim of this study was to re-identify and characterize clinical isolates from patients previously diagnosed with M. intracellulare lung disease at the molecular level. Mycobacterial isolates from 77 patients, initially diagnosed with M. intracellulare lung disease were re-analyzed by multi-locus sequencing and pattern of insertion sequences. Among the 77 isolates, 74 (96 %) isolates were designated as M. intracellulare based on multigene sequence-based analysis. Interestingly, the three remaining strains (4 %) were re-identified as "Mycobacterium indicus pranii" according to distinct molecular phylogenetic positions in rpoB and hsp65 sequence-based typing. In hsp65 sequevar analysis, code 13 was found in the majority of cases and three unreported codes were identified. In 16S-23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequevar analysis, all isolates of both species were classified within the Min-A ITS sequevar. Interestingly, four of the M. intracellulare isolates harbored IS1311, a M. avium-specific element. Two of three patients infected with "M. indicus pranii" had persistent positive sputum cultures after antibiotic therapy, indicating the clinical relevance of this study. This analysis highlights the importance of precise identification of clinical isolates genetically close to Mycobacterium species, and suggests that greater attention should be paid to nontuberculous mycobacteria lung disease caused by "M. indicus pranii".

  8. Thiazolidinediones and Parkinson Disease: A Cohort Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Connolly, John G; Bykov, Katsiaryna; Gagne, Joshua J

    2015-12-01

    Thiazolidinediones, a class of medications indicated for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, reduce inflammation and have been shown to provide a therapeutic benefit in animal models of Parkinson disease. We examined the association between treatment with thiazolidinediones and the onset of Parkinson disease in older individuals. We performed a cohort study of 29,397 Medicare patients enrolled in state pharmaceutical benefits programs who initiated treatment with thiazolidinediones or sulfonylureas during the years 1997 through 2005 and had no prior diagnosis of Parkinson disease. New users of thiazolidinediones were propensity score matched to new users of sulfonylureas and followed to determine whether they were diagnosed with Parkinson disease. We used Cox proportional hazards models to compare time to diagnosis of Parkinson disease in the propensity score-matched populations. To assess the association with duration of use, we performed several analyses that required longer continuous use of medications. In the primary analysis, thiazolidinedione users had a hazard ratio for a diagnosis of Parkinson disease of 1.09 (95% confidence interval: 0.71, 1.66) when compared with sulfonylurea users. Increasing the duration-of-use requirements to 10 months did not substantially change the association; the hazard ratios ranged from 1.00 (95% confidence interval: 0.49, 2.05) to 1.17 (95% confidence interval: 0.60, 2.25). Thiazolidinedione use was not associated with a longer time to diagnosis of Parkinson disease than was sulfonylurea use, regardless of duration of exposure. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  9. Disease burden of infectious diseases in Europe: a pilot study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lier EA van; Havelaar AH; LZO

    2007-01-01

    Consequences of different infectious diseases cannot be adequately compared with each other on the basis of the number of patients or mortality data only. It is better to combine all health effects and express the total impact as disease burden, which also takes duration and severity of diseases

  10. Host-microbe interactions have shaped the genetic architecture of inflammatory bowel disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jostins, Luke; Ripke, Stephan; Weersma, Rinse K

    2012-01-01

    Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, the two common forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), affect over 2.5 million people of European ancestry, with rising prevalence in other populations. Genome-wide association studies and subsequent meta-analyses of these two diseases as separate...... phenotypes have implicated previously unsuspected mechanisms, such as autophagy, in their pathogenesis and showed that some IBD loci are shared with other inflammatory diseases. Here we expand on the knowledge of relevant pathways by undertaking a meta-analysis of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis...

  11. Predictive factors for the development of diabetes in women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Damm, P.; Kühl, C.; Bertelsen, Aksel

    1992-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of diabetes in women with previous dietary-treated gestational diabetes mellitus and to identify predictive factors for development of diabetes. STUDY DESIGN: Two to 11 years post partum, glucose tolerance was investigated in 241...... women with previous dietary-treated gestational diabetes mellitus and 57 women without previous gestational diabetes mellitus (control group). RESULTS: Diabetes developed in 42 (17.4%) women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus (3.7% insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and 13.7% non...... of previous patients with gestational diabetes mellitus in whom plasma insulin was measured during an oral glucose tolerance test in late pregnancy a low insulin response at diagnosis was found to be an independent predictive factor for diabetes development. CONCLUSIONS: Women with previous dietary...

  12. Innovative measures to combat rare diseases in China: The national rare diseases registry system, larger-scale clinical cohort studies, and studies in combination with precision medicine research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Peipei; He, Jiangjiang; Li, Fen; Jin, Chunlin

    2017-02-01

    China is facing the great challenge of treating the world's largest rare disease population, an estimated 16 million patients with rare diseases. One effort offering promise has been a pilot national project that was launched in 2013 and that focused on 20 representative rare diseases. Another government-supported special research program on rare diseases - the "Rare Diseases Clinical Cohort Study" - was launched in December 2016. According to the plan for this research project, the unified National Rare Diseases Registry System of China will be established as of 2020, and a large-scale cohort study will be conducted from 2016 to 2020. The project plans to develop 109 technical standards, to establish and improve 2 national databases of rare diseases - a multi-center clinical database and a biological sample library, and to conduct studies on more than 50,000 registered cases of 50 different rare diseases. More importantly, this study will be combined with the concept of precision medicine. Chinese population-specific basic information on rare diseases, clinical information, and genomic information will be integrated to create a comprehensive predictive model with a follow-up database system and a model to evaluate prognosis. This will provide the evidence for accurate classification, diagnosis, treatment, and estimation of prognosis for rare diseases in China. Numerous challenges including data standardization, protecting patient privacy, big data processing, and interpretation of genetic information still need to be overcome, but research prospects offer great promise.

  13. Seven newly identified loci for autoimmune thyroid disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooper, Jason D; Simmonds, Matthew J; Walker, Neil M; Burren, Oliver; Brand, Oliver J; Guo, Hui; Wallace, Chris; Stevens, Helen; Coleman, Gillian; Franklyn, Jayne A; Todd, John A; Gough, Stephen C L

    2012-12-01

    Autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), including Graves' disease (GD) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), is one of the most common of the immune-mediated diseases. To further investigate the genetic determinants of AITD, we conducted an association study using a custom-made single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array, the ImmunoChip. The SNP array contains all known and genotype-able SNPs across 186 distinct susceptibility loci associated with one or more immune-mediated diseases. After stringent quality control, we analysed 103 875 common SNPs (minor allele frequency >0.05) in 2285 GD and 462 HT patients and 9364 controls. We found evidence for seven new AITD risk loci (P test derived significance threshold), five at locations previously associated and two at locations awaiting confirmation, with other immune-mediated diseases.

  14. Climate-Agriculture-Modeling and Decision Tool for Disease (CAMDT-Disease) for seasonal climate forecast-based crop disease risk management in agriculture

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, K. H.; Lee, S.; Han, E.; Ines, A. V. M.

    2017-12-01

    Climate-Agriculture-Modeling and Decision Tool (CAMDT) is a decision support system (DSS) tool that aims to facilitate translations of probabilistic seasonal climate forecasts (SCF) to crop responses such as yield and water stress. Since CAMDT is a software framework connecting different models and algorithms with SCF information, it can be easily customized for different types of agriculture models. In this study, we replaced the DSSAT-CSM-Rice model originally incorporated in CAMDT with a generic epidemiological model, EPIRICE, to generate a seasonal pest outlook. The resulting CAMDT-Disease generates potential risks for selected fungal, viral, and bacterial diseases of rice over the next months by translating SCFs into agriculturally-relevant risk information. The integrated modeling procedure of CAMDT-Disease first disaggregates a given SCF using temporal downscaling methods (predictWTD or FResampler1), runs EPIRICE with the downscaled weather inputs, and finally visualizes the EPIRICE outputs as disease risk compared to that of the previous year and the 30-year-climatological average. In addition, the easy-to-use graphical user interface adopted from CAMDT allows users to simulate "what-if" scenarios of disease risks over different planting dates with given SCFs. Our future work includes the simulation of the effect of crop disease on yields through the disease simulation models with the DSSAT-CSM-Rice model, as disease remains one of the most critical yield-reducing factors in the field.

  15. Disease susceptibility genes shared by primary biliary cirrhosis and Crohn's disease in the Japanese population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aiba, Yoshihiro; Yamazaki, Keiko; Nishida, Nao; Kawashima, Minae; Hitomi, Yuki; Nakamura, Hitomi; Komori, Atsumasa; Fuyuno, Yuta; Takahashi, Atsushi; Kawaguchi, Takaaki; Takazoe, Masakazu; Suzuki, Yasuo; Motoya, Satoshi; Matsui, Toshiyuki; Esaki, Motohiro; Matsumoto, Takayuki; Kubo, Michiaki; Tokunaga, Katsushi; Nakamura, Minoru

    2015-09-01

    We previously identified TNFSF15 as the most significant susceptibility gene at non-HLA loci for both primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and Crohn's diseases (CD) in the Japanese population. The aim of this study is to identify further disease susceptibility genes shared by PBC and CD. We selected 15 and 33 genetic variants that were significantly associated with PBC and CD, respectively, based on previously reported genome-wide association studies of the Japanese population. Next, an association study was independently performed for these genetic variants in CD (1312 CD patients and 3331 healthy controls) and PBC (1279 PBC patients and 1015 healthy controls) cohorts. Two CD susceptibility genes, ICOSLG rs2838519 and IL12B rs6556412, were also nominally associated with susceptibility to PBC (P=3.85 × 10(-2) and P=8.40 × 10(-3), respectively). Three PBC susceptibility genes, CXCR5 rs6421571, STAT4 rs7574865 and NFKB1 rs230534, were nominally associated with susceptibility to CD (P=2.82 × 10(-2), P=3.88 × 10(-2) and P=2.04 × 10(-2), respectively). The effect of ICOSLG and CXCR5 variants were concordant but the effect of STAT4, NFKB1 and IL12B variants were discordant for PBC and CD. TNFSF15 and ICOSLG-CXCR5 might constitute a shared pathogenic pathway in the development of PBC and CD in the Japanese population, whereas IL12B-STAT4-NFKB1 might constitute an opposite pathogenic pathway, reflecting the different balance between Th1 and Th17 in the two diseases.

  16. A generalized model to estimate the statistical power in mitochondrial disease studies involving 2×k tables.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jacobo Pardo-Seco

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA variation (i.e. haplogroups has been analyzed in regards to a number of multifactorial diseases. The statistical power of a case-control study determines the a priori probability to reject the null hypothesis of homogeneity between cases and controls. METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We critically review previous approaches to the estimation of the statistical power based on the restricted scenario where the number of cases equals the number of controls, and propose a methodology that broadens procedures to more general situations. We developed statistical procedures that consider different disease scenarios, variable sample sizes in cases and controls, and variable number of haplogroups and effect sizes. The results indicate that the statistical power of a particular study can improve substantially by increasing the number of controls with respect to cases. In the opposite direction, the power decreases substantially when testing a growing number of haplogroups. We developed mitPower (http://bioinformatics.cesga.es/mitpower/, a web-based interface that implements the new statistical procedures and allows for the computation of the a priori statistical power in variable scenarios of case-control study designs, or e.g. the number of controls needed to reach fixed effect sizes. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The present study provides with statistical procedures for the computation of statistical power in common as well as complex case-control study designs involving 2×k tables, with special application (but not exclusive to mtDNA studies. In order to reach a wide range of researchers, we also provide a friendly web-based tool--mitPower--that can be used in both retrospective and prospective case-control disease studies.

  17. Life-event stress induced by the Great East Japan Earthquake was associated with relapse in ulcerative colitis but not Crohn's disease: a retrospective cohort study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shiga, Hisashi; Miyazawa, Teruko; Kinouchi, Yoshitaka; Takahashi, Seiichi; Tominaga, Gen; Takahashi, Hiroki; Takagi, Sho; Obana, Nobuya; Kikuchi, Tatsuya; Oomori, Shinya; Nomura, Eiki; Shiraki, Manabu; Sato, Yuichirou; Takahashi, Shuichiro; Umemura, Ken; Yokoyama, Hiroshi; Endo, Katsuya; Kakuta, Yoichi; Aizawa, Hiroki; Matsuura, Masaki; Kimura, Tomoya; Kuroha, Masatake; Shimosegawa, Tooru

    2013-01-01

    Objective Stress is thought to be one of the triggers of relapses in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We examined the rate of relapse in IBD patients before and after the Great East Japan Earthquake. Design A retrospective cohort study. Settings 13 hospitals in Japan. Participants 546 ulcerative colitis (UC) and 357 Crohn's disease (CD) patients who received outpatient and inpatient care at 13 hospitals located in the area that were seriously damaged by the earthquake. Data on patient's clinical characteristics, disease activity and deleterious effects of the earthquake were obtained from questionnaires and hospital records. Primary outcome We evaluated the relapse rate (from inactive to active) across two consecutive months before and two consecutive months after the earthquake. In this study, we defined ‘active’ as conditions with a partial Mayo score=2 or more (UC) or a Harvey-Bradshaw index=6 or more (CD). Results Among the UC patients, disease was active in 167 patients and inactive in 379 patients before the earthquake. After the earthquake, the activity scores increased significantly (p<0.0001). A total of 86 patients relapsed (relapse rate=15.8%). The relapse rate was about twice that of the corresponding period in the previous year. Among the CD patients, 86 patients had active disease and 271 had inactive disease before the earthquake. After the earthquake, the activity indices changed little. A total of 25 patients experienced a relapse (relapse rate=7%). The relapse rate did not differ from that of the corresponding period in the previous year. Multivariate analyses revealed that UC, changes in dietary oral intake and anxiety about family finances were associated with the relapse. Conclusions Life-event stress induced by the Great East Japan Earthquake was associated with relapse in UC but not CD. PMID:23396562

  18. Serum folate and the severity of atrophy of the neocortex in Alzheimer disease: findings from the Nun study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snowdon, D A; Tully, C L; Smith, C D; Riley, K P; Markesbery, W R

    2000-04-01

    Previous studies suggested that low concentrations of folate in the blood are related to poor cognitive function, dementia, and Alzheimer disease-related neurodegeneration of the brain. Our aim was to determine whether serum folate is inversely associated with the severity of atrophy of the neocortex. Nutrients, lipoproteins, and nutritional markers were measured in the blood of 30 participants in the Nun Study from one convent who later died when they were 78-101 y old (mean: 91 y). At autopsy, several neuropathologic indicators of Alzheimer disease were determined, including the degree of atrophy of 3 lobes of the neocortex (frontal, temporal, and parietal) and the number of neocortical Alzheimer disease lesions (ie, senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles) as assessed by a neuropathologist. The correlation between serum folate and the severity of atrophy of the neocortex was -0.40 (P = 0.03). Among a subset of 15 participants with significant numbers of Alzheimer disease lesions in the neocortex, the correlation between folate and atrophy was -0.80 (P = 0.0006). Atrophy may be specific to low folate because none of the 18 other nutrients, lipoproteins, or nutritional markers measured in the blood had significant negative correlations with atrophy. Among elderly Catholic sisters who lived in one convent, ate from the same kitchen, and were highly comparable for a wide range of environmental and lifestyle factors, low serum folate was strongly associated with atrophy of the cerebral cortex. Definitive evidence for this relation and its temporal sequence awaits the findings of other studies.

  19. Intraoperative irradiation for locally recurrent colorectal cancer in previously irradiated patients

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Haddock, M G; Gunderson, L L; Nelson, H; Cha, S; Devine, R M; Dozois, R R; Wolff, B G

    1995-07-01

    Purpose/Objective: Little information exists in the literature on salvage treatment for patients with pelvic recurrences of colorectal cancer who have previously received high dose radiation therapy (RT). A retrospective review of such patients treated aggressively with surgical resection and intraoperative electrons (IOERT) was undertaken. Material and Methods: From 1981 through 1994, 52 previously irradiated patients with recurrent locally advanced colorectal cancer without evidence of distant metastatic disease were treated with surgical resection and intraoperative electrons (IOERT) {+-} additional external beam RT. Every attempt was made to achieve a gross total resection prior to IOERT if it could be safely accomplished. IOERT doses ranged from 1000-3000 cGy with a median of 2000 cGy. 37 patients received additional external beam radiotherapy either pre- or post-operatively with doses ranging from 500-5040 cGy (median 2520 cGy). 20 patients received 5FU {+-} leukovorin during external beam RT. Three patients received 5FU+leukovorin after completion of RT. Results: 31 males and 21 females with a median age of 55 years (range 31-73 years) were treated. 71% of patients have been followed until death or for > 2 years. The median, 2-year and 5-year actuarial overall survival is 23 months, 48% and 13%, respectively. Actuarial central disease control (IOERT field) at 2 and 4 years is 72 and 57%; pelvic control at 2 and 4 years is 60 and 34%. Pelvic control rates are better in patients who received {>=} 3000 cGy external beam RT in addition to IOERT as compared to patients who received no external beam RT or < 3000 cGy, with 2 year pelvic control rates of 81% vs. 54%. 25 patients have developed distant metastases. The actuarial rate of appearance of distant metastatic disease at 2 and 4 years is 60 and 80%. Late complications attributable to IOERT include neuropathies in 13 patients (5 mild, 5 moderate, 3 severe) and narrowing or obstruction of the ureter in four

  20. Intraoperative irradiation for locally recurrent colorectal cancer in previously irradiated patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haddock, M.G.; Gunderson, L.L.; Nelson, H.; Cha, S.; Devine, R.M.; Dozois, R.R.; Wolff, B.G.

    1995-01-01

    Purpose/Objective: Little information exists in the literature on salvage treatment for patients with pelvic recurrences of colorectal cancer who have previously received high dose radiation therapy (RT). A retrospective review of such patients treated aggressively with surgical resection and intraoperative electrons (IOERT) was undertaken. Material and Methods: From 1981 through 1994, 52 previously irradiated patients with recurrent locally advanced colorectal cancer without evidence of distant metastatic disease were treated with surgical resection and intraoperative electrons (IOERT) ± additional external beam RT. Every attempt was made to achieve a gross total resection prior to IOERT if it could be safely accomplished. IOERT doses ranged from 1000-3000 cGy with a median of 2000 cGy. 37 patients received additional external beam radiotherapy either pre- or post-operatively with doses ranging from 500-5040 cGy (median 2520 cGy). 20 patients received 5FU ± leukovorin during external beam RT. Three patients received 5FU+leukovorin after completion of RT. Results: 31 males and 21 females with a median age of 55 years (range 31-73 years) were treated. 71% of patients have been followed until death or for > 2 years. The median, 2-year and 5-year actuarial overall survival is 23 months, 48% and 13%, respectively. Actuarial central disease control (IOERT field) at 2 and 4 years is 72 and 57%; pelvic control at 2 and 4 years is 60 and 34%. Pelvic control rates are better in patients who received ≥ 3000 cGy external beam RT in addition to IOERT as compared to patients who received no external beam RT or < 3000 cGy, with 2 year pelvic control rates of 81% vs. 54%. 25 patients have developed distant metastases. The actuarial rate of appearance of distant metastatic disease at 2 and 4 years is 60 and 80%. Late complications attributable to IOERT include neuropathies in 13 patients (5 mild, 5 moderate, 3 severe) and narrowing or obstruction of the ureter in four patients

  1. Intraoperative irradiation for locally recurrent colorectal cancer in previously irradiated patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haddock, Michael G.; Gunderson, Leonard L.; Nelson, Heidi; Cha, Stephen S.; Devine, Richard M.; Dozois, Roger R.; Wolff, Bruce G.

    2001-01-01

    Purpose: Information in the literature regarding salvage treatment for patients with locally recurrent colorectal cancer who have previously been treated with high or moderate dose external beam irradiation (EBRT) is scarce. A retrospective review was therefore performed in our institution to determine disease control, survival, and tolerance in patients treated aggressively with surgical resection and intraoperative electron irradiation (IOERT) ± additional EBRT and chemotherapy. Methods and Materials: From 1981 through 1994, 51 previously irradiated patients with recurrent locally advanced colorectal cancer without evidence of distant metastatic disease were treated at Mayo Clinic Rochester with surgical resection and IOERT ± additional EBRT. An attempt was made to achieve a gross total resection before IOERT if it could be safely accomplished. The median IOERT dose was 20 Gy (range, 10-30 Gy). Thirty-seven patients received additional EBRT either pre- or postoperatively with doses ranging from 5 to 50.4 Gy (median 25.2 Gy). Twenty patients received 5-fluorouracil ± leucovorin during EBRT. Three patients received additional cycles of 5-fluorouracil ± leucovorin as maintenance chemotherapy. Results: Thirty males and 21 females with a median age of 55 years (range 31-73 years) were treated. Thirty-four patients have died; the median follow-up in surviving patients is 21 months. The median, 2-yr, and 5-yr actuarial overall survivals are 23 months, 48% and 12%, respectively. The 2-yr actuarial central control (within IOERT field) is 72%. Local control at 2 years has been maintained in 60% of patients. There is a trend toward improved local control in patients who received ≥30 Gy EBRT in addition to IOERT as compared to those who received no EBRT or <30 Gy with 2-yr local control rates of 81% vs. 54%. Distant metastatic disease has developed in 25 patients, and the actuarial rate of distant progression at 2 and 4 years is 56% and 76%, respectively. Peripheral

  2. Association between Urine Creatinine Excretion and Arterial Stiffness in Chronic Kidney Disease: Data from the KNOW-CKD Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Young Youl Hyun

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Background/Aims: Previous studies have shown that low muscle mass is associated with arterial stiffness, as measured by pulse wave velocity (PWV, in a population without chronic kidney disease (CKD. This link between low muscle mass and arterial stiffness may explain why patients with CKD have poor cardiovascular outcomes. However, the association between muscle mass and arterial stiffness in CKD patients is not well known. Methods: Between 2011 and 2013, 1,529 CKD patients were enrolled in the prospective Korean Cohort Study for Outcome in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease (KNOW-CKD. We analyzed 888 participants from this cohort who underwent measurements of 24-hr urinary creatinine excretion (UCr and brachial-ankle PWV (baPWV at baseline examination. The mean of the right and left baPWV (mPWV was used as a marker of arterial stiffness. Results: The baPWV values varied according to the UCr quartile (1,630±412, 1,544±387, 1,527±282 and 1,406±246 for the 1st to 4th quartiles of UCr, respectively, PConclusion: Low muscle mass estimated by low UCr was associated high baPWV in pre-dialysis CKD patients in Korea. Further studies are needed to confirm the causal relationship between UCR and baPWV, and the role of muscle mass in the development of cardiovascular disease in CKD.

  3. CARD15 in inflammatory bowel disease and Crohn's disease phenotypes : An association study and pooled analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Oostenbrug, L. E.; Nolte, I. M.; Oosterom, E.; van der Steege, G.; Meerman, G. J. te; van Dullemen, H. M.; Drenth, J. P. H.; de Jong, D. J.; van der Linde, K.; Jansen, P. L. M.; Kleibeuker, J. H.

    2006-01-01

    Background. Three major polymorphisms of the Caspase-Activation Recruitment Domain containing protein 15 gene have been described to be associated with Crohn's disease. Genotype-phenotype studies reported in literature provide conflicting data on disease localisation and behaviour. We investigated

  4. Hirschsprung's disease prevalence in Europe. A register based study

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Best, Kate E; Addor, Marie-Claude; Arriola, Larraitz

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Hirschsprung's disease is a congenital gut motility disorder, characterised by the absence of the enteric ganglion cells along the distal gut. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiology of Hirschsprung's disease, including additional congenital anomalies, total prevalence,...

  5. Hirschsprung's Disease Prevalence in Europe : A Register Based Study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Best, Kate E.; Addor, Marie-Claude; Arriola, Larraitz; Balku, Eszter; Barisic, Ingeborg; Bianchi, Fabrizio; Calzolari, Elisa; Curran, Rhonda; Doray, Berenice; Draper, Elizabeth; Garne, Ester; Gatt, Miriam; Haeusler, Martin; Bergman, Jorieke; Khoshnood, Babak; Klungsoyr, Kari; Martos, Carmen; Materna-Kiryluk, Anna; Dias, Carlos Matias; McDonnell, Bob; Mullaney, Carmel; Nelen, Vera; O'Mahony, Mary; Queisser-Luft, Annette; Randrianaivo, Hanitra; Rissmann, Anke; Rounding, Catherine; Sipek, Antonin; Thompson, Rosie; Tucker, David; Wellesley, Diana; Zymak-Zakutnia, Natalya; Rankin, Judith

    Background: Hirschsprung's disease is a congenital gut motility disorder, characterised by the absence of the enteric ganglion cells along the distal gut. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiology of Hirschsprung's disease, including additional congenital anomalies, total prevalence,

  6. Identification of genetic variants associated with Huntington's disease progression

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hensman Moss, Davina J; Pardiñas, Antonio F; Langbehn, Douglas

    2017-01-01

    indivduals in the TRACK-HD cohort of Huntington's disease gene mutation carriers (data collected 2008-11). We generated a parallel progression score using data from 1773 previously genotyped participants from the European Huntington's Disease Network REGISTRY study of Huntington's disease mutation carriers...... in TRACK-HD participants, justifying use of a single, cross-domain measure of disease progression in both studies. The TRACK-HD and REGISTRY progression measures were correlated with each other (r=0·674), and with age at onset (TRACK-HD, r=0·315; REGISTRY, r=0·234). The meta-analysis of progression......BACKGROUND: Huntington's disease is caused by a CAG repeat expansion in the huntingtin gene, HTT. Age at onset has been used as a quantitative phenotype in genetic analysis looking for Huntington's disease modifiers, but is hard to define and not always available. Therefore, we aimed to generate...

  7. Prevalence of Rheumatic Heart Disease in a Public School of Belo Horizonte

    OpenAIRE

    Miranda, Lavinia Pimentel; Camargos, Paulo Augusto Moreira; Torres, Rosália Morais; Meira, Zilda Maria Alves

    2014-01-01

    Background: Previous studies indicate that compared with physical examination, Doppler echocardiography identifies a larger number of cases of rheumatic heart disease in apparently healthy individuals. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of rheumatic heart disease among students in a public school of Belo Horizonte by clinical evaluation and Doppler echocardiography. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted with 267 randomly selected school students aged between 6 and ...

  8. Frequency distribution of gastro esophageal reflux disease in inhalation injury: A historical cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karbasi, Ashraf; Aliannejad, Rasoul; Ghanei, Mostafa; Sanamy, Mehran Noory; Alaeddini, Farshid; Harandi, Ali Amini

    2015-07-01

    There is no data on the prevalence and the association of gastro esophageal reflux disease (GERD) with toxic fume inhalation. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the frequency distribution of GERD symptoms among the individuals with mild respiratory disorder due to the past history of toxic fume exposure to sulfur mustard (SM). In a historical cohort study, subjects were randomly selected from 7000 patients in a database of all those who had a history of previous exposure to a single high dose of SM gas during war. The control group was randomly selected from adjacent neighbors of the patients, and two healthy male subjects were chosen per patient. In this study, we used the validated Persian translation of Mayo Gastroesophageal Reflux Questionnaire to assess the frequency distribution of reflux disease. Relative frequency of GERD symptoms, was found to be significantly higher in the inhalation injury patients with an odds ratio of 8.30 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.73-14.55), and after adjustment for cigarette smoking, tea consumption, age, and body mass index, aspirin and chronic cough the odds ratio was found to be 4.41 (95% CI: 1.61-12.07). The most important finding of our study was the major GERD symptoms (heartburn and/or acid regurgitation once or more per week) among the individuals with the past history of exposure to SM toxic gas is substantially higher (4.4-fold) than normal populations.

  9. Motor, emotional and cognitive deficits in adult BACHD mice : A model for Huntington's disease

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Abada, Yah-se K.; Schreiber, Rudy; Ellenbroek, Bart

    2013-01-01

    Rationale: Huntington's disease (HD) is characterized by progressive motor dysfunction, emotional disturbances and cognitive deficits. It is a genetic disease caused by an elongation of the polyglutamine repeats in the huntingtin gene. Whereas HD is a complex disorder, previous studies in mice

  10. 49 CFR 173.23 - Previously authorized packaging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Previously authorized packaging. 173.23 Section... REQUIREMENTS FOR SHIPMENTS AND PACKAGINGS Preparation of Hazardous Materials for Transportation § 173.23 Previously authorized packaging. (a) When the regulations specify a packaging with a specification marking...

  11. Heel ulcers - Pressure ulcers or symptoms of peripheral arterial disease? An exploratory matched case control study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Twilley, Heidi; Jones, Sarahjane

    2016-05-01

    To investigate the relationship between pressure ulcers of the heel and peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and determine the feasibility of conducting a statistically powered matched case control study. Evidence indicates a relationship between chronic leg ulcers and vascular disease. The relationship between pressure ulcers of the heel and vascular disease is less well established. A matched case control study. Data were collected between March 2014 and January 2015. 15 patients identified as having a grade 2, 3 or 4 pressure ulcer of the heel were compared with 15 matched controls without pressure ulcers of the heel. The primary clinical outcome measure was the ankle brachial pressure index (ABPI), where an ABPI 1.3 was considered clinically indicative of PAD. The primary feasibility outcome measure was the rate of recruitment. Eighty seven patients were reported as having foot and heel ulcers; 36 of whom were identified as having pressure ulcers of the heel, 15 (42%) of whom were recruited to the study. Patients presenting with pressure ulcers of the heel were significantly more likely to simultaneously have previously undiagnosed PAD compared with age, gender and ethnicity matched controls without pressure ulcers of the heel (odds ratio: 11, 95% confidence interval 1.99-60.57). The formation of pressure ulcers of the heel could, in some patients, be related to the presence of PAD rather than a consequence of poor quality care. Healthcare professionals should assess the patient to exclude or confirm PAD. Copyright © 2016 Tissue Viability Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Study of lifestyle diseases among workers of an ammunition factory

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arun Gupta

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Lifestyle diseases which include hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, obesity, and stroke are caused by influences on the human body by the way people live their lives. This study is an effort to describe the prevalence of various lifestyle diseases; factors associated with their causation and suggest measures for improvement of the health status among the industrial workers. Materials and Methods: A total of 351 workers were included in this study. The prevalence and pattern of lifestyle diseases among industrial workers were studied. The survey had two principal components, namely, the pretested standardized questionnaire and clinical examination. Blood sugar levels were assessed by a glucometer. Results: Hypertension was the most common lifestyle disease, seen among 43.0% of workers. It was significantly related to age, socioeconomic status type 2, body mass index (BMI, and habit of tobacco chewing. Only one-fourth were aware of their blood pressure status. Other diseases brought out were diabetes type 2 mellitus (7.7% and obesity (4%. In this study, among those with type 2 diabetes mellitus, 29.63% were not aware of their blood sugar status. Diabetes was significantly related to BMI and increased significantly with increase in age. Also, one-third of the study population was overweight. Conclusion: Lifestyle diseases were found to be the major causes of morbidity among the study participants. Hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and overweight/obesity were the common morbidities. These conditions were associated with factors such as age, socioeconomic status, BMI, and history of tobacco chewing.

  13. Pituitary diseases and sleep disorders

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Romijn, Johannes A.

    2016-01-01

    Patients with pituitary diseases have decreased quality of life. Sleep disorders are prevalent among patients with pituitary diseases and contribute to decreased quality of life. Patients previously treated for compression of the optic chiasm by surgery, and in some cases postoperative radiotherapy,

  14. Histopathological retrospective study of canine renal disease in Korea, 2003~2008

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yhee, Ji-Young; Yu, Chi-Ho; Kim, Jong-Hyuk; Im, Keum-Soon; Chon, Seung-Ki

    2010-01-01

    Renal disease includes conditions affecting the glomeruli, tubules, interstitium, pelvis, and vasculature. Diseases of the kidney include glomerular diseases, diseases of the tubules and interstitium, diseases of renal pelvis, and developmental abnormalities. Renal tissue samples (n = 70) submitted to the Department of Veterinary Pathology of Konkuk University from 2003 to 2008 were included in this study. Tissue histopathology was performed using light microscopy with hematoxylin and eosin stains. Masson's trichrome, Congo Red, and Warthin starry silver staining were applied in several individual cases. Glomerular diseases (22.9%), tubulointerstitial diseases (8.6%), neoplastic diseases (8.6%), conditions secondary to urinary obstruction (24.3%), and other diseases (35.7%) were identified. Glomerulonephritis (GN) cases were classified as acute proliferative GN (5.7%), membranous GN (4.3%), membranoproliferative GN (4.3%), focal segmental GN (2.9%), and other GN (4.2%). The proportion of canine GN cases presently identified was not as high as the proportions identified in human studies. Conversely, urinary obstruction and end-stage renal disease cases were relatively higher in dogs than in human populations. PMID:21113095

  15. The job satisfaction of principals of previously disadvantaged schools

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The aim of this study was to identify influences on the job satisfaction of previously disadvantaged ..... I am still riding the cloud … I hope it lasts. .... as a way of creating a climate and culture in schools where individuals are willing to explore.

  16. Cerebral Metastasis from a Previously Undiagnosed Appendiceal Adenocarcinoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonio Biroli

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Brain metastases arise in 10%–40% of all cancer patients. Up to one third of the patients do not have previous cancer history. We report a case of a 67-years-old male patient who presented with confusion, tremor, and apraxia. A brain MRI revealed an isolated right temporal lobe lesion. A thorax-abdomen-pelvis CT scan showed no primary lesion. The patient underwent a craniotomy with gross-total resection. Histopathology revealed an intestinal-type adenocarcinoma. A colonoscopy found no primary lesion, but a PET-CT scan showed elevated FDG uptake in the appendiceal nodule. A right hemicolectomy was performed, and the specimen showed a moderately differentiated mucinous appendiceal adenocarcinoma. Whole brain radiotherapy was administrated. A subsequent thorax-abdomen CT scan revealed multiple lung and hepatic metastasis. Seven months later, the patient died of disease progression. In cases of undiagnosed primary lesions, patients present in better general condition, but overall survival does not change. Eventual identification of the primary tumor does not affect survival. PET/CT might be a helpful tool in detecting lesions of the appendiceal region. To the best of our knowledge, such a case was never reported in the literature, and an appendiceal malignancy should be suspected in patients with brain metastasis from an undiagnosed primary tumor.

  17. 22 CFR 40.91 - Certain aliens previously removed.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Certain aliens previously removed. 40.91... IMMIGRANTS UNDER THE IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT, AS AMENDED Aliens Previously Removed § 40.91 Certain aliens previously removed. (a) 5-year bar. An alien who has been found inadmissible, whether as a result...

  18. A Clinico-Pathological Study on Benign Breast Diseases

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sangma, Mima B. Maychet; Panda, Kishori; Dasiah, Simon

    2013-01-01

    Background: To study the patterns of clinically benign breast disease in females and to co-relate them with the pathological findings. Methods: One hundred females who attended the Surgery Outpatients Department in Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Pondicherry, with various forms of benign breast diseases during the period from October 2011 to September 2012, were studied. Early diagnoses by doing a triple assessment like a clinical examination, FNAC or a core needle biopsy and imaging methods like ultrasonography or mammography, were made within 72 hrs from the first consultation. The clinical diagnoses were compared with the cytological or histological findings wherever possible and their accuracies were evaluated. Results: Out of the 100 female patients who were studied, 87 patients who presented with breast lumps and fibroadenoma, accounted for 48% of the cases, which was the highest number of patients. Fibrocystic changes and breast abscesses came next with 18% and 12% cases respectively. We detected 3 cases of proliferative disease with atypia and one case with florid hyperplasia, which had high and low risk factors respectively, for developing invasive carcinoma. The oldest lady of the group who was clinically diagnosed to have benign disease, was detected to have invasive ductal carcinoma. They were treated in our hospital and were advised follow up. Conclusion: Benign breast diseases are common in female patients and fibroadenoma is the commonest of them all. Triple assessment provided a quick diagnosis and it alleviated unnecessary anxiety from the patients about breast cancer. The clinical diagnosis of a breast lump, as confirmed by cytology and histology, was accurate in 91.95 % of the cases. PMID:23634406

  19. Is email a reliable means of contacting authors of previously published papers? A study of the Emergency Medicine Journal for 2001.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Leary, F

    2003-07-01

    To determine whether it is possible to contact authors of previously published papers via email. A cross sectional study of the Emergency Medicine Journal for 2001. 118 articles were included in the study. The response rate from those with valid email addresses was 73%. There was no statistical difference between the type of email address used and the address being invalid (p=0.392) or between the type of article and the likelihood of a reply (p=0.197). More responses were obtained from work addresses when compared with Hotmail addresses (86% v 57%, p=0.02). Email is a valid means of contacting authors of previously published articles, particularly within the emergency medicine specialty. A work based email address may be a more valid means of contact than a Hotmail address.

  20. Does the patients′ educational level and previous counseling affect their medication knowledge?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdulmalik M Alkatheri

    2013-01-01

    Conclusions: The education level of the patient and previous counseling are positively linked to medication knowledge. Knowledge of the medications′ side effects proved to be the most difficult task for the participants in this study, requiring the highest level of education, and was improved by previous counseling.

  1. The impact of strain-specific immunity on Lyme disease incidence is spatially heterogeneous.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khatchikian, Camilo E; Nadelman, Robert B; Nowakowski, John; Schwartz, Ira; Wormser, Gary P; Brisson, Dustin

    2017-12-01

    Lyme disease, caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, is the most common tick-borne infection in the US. Recent studies have demonstrated that the incidence of human Lyme disease would have been even greater were it not for the presence of strain-specific immunity, which protects previously infected patients against subsequent infections by the same B. burgdorferi strain. Here, spatial heterogeneity is incorporated into epidemiological models to accurately estimate the impact of strain-specific immunity on human Lyme disease incidence. The estimated reduction in the number of Lyme disease cases is greater in epidemiologic models that explicitly include the spatial distribution of Lyme disease cases reported at the county level than those that utilize nationwide data. strain-specific immunity has the greatest epidemiologic impact in geographic areas with the highest Lyme disease incidence due to the greater proportion of people that have been previously infected and have developed strain-specific immunity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. An Examination of the Demographic and Environmental Variables Correlated with Lyme Disease Emergence in Virginia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Seukep, Sara E; Kolivras, Korine N; Hong, Yili; Li, Jie; Prisley, Stephen P; Campbell, James B; Gaines, David N; Dymond, Randel L

    2015-12-01

    Lyme disease is the United States' most significant vector-borne illness. Virginia, on the southern edge of the disease's currently expanding range, has experienced an increase in Lyme disease both spatially and temporally, with steadily increasing rates over the past decade and disease spread from the northern to the southwestern part of the state. This study used a Geographic Information System and a spatial Poisson regression model to examine correlations between demographic and land cover variables, and human Lyme disease from 2006 to 2010 in Virginia. Analysis indicated that herbaceous land cover is positively correlated with Lyme disease incidence rates. Areas with greater interspersion between herbaceous and forested land were also positively correlated with incidence rates. In addition, income and age were positively correlated with incidence rates. Levels of development, interspersion of herbaceous and developed land, and population density were negatively correlated with incidence rates. Abundance of forest fragments less than 2 hectares in area was not significantly correlated. Our results support some findings of previous studies on ecological variables and Lyme disease in endemic areas, but other results have not been found in previous studies, highlighting the potential contribution of new variables as Lyme disease continues to emerge southward.

  3. Chronic liver disease and 90-day mortality in 21,359 patients following peptic ulcer bleeding--a Nationwide Cohort Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Holland-Bill, L; Christiansen, C F; Gammelager, H; Mortensen, R N; Pedersen, L; Sørensen, H T

    2015-03-01

    Bleeding is a serious and frequent complication of peptic ulcer disease. Hepatic dysfunction can cause coagulopathy and increases the risk of peptic ulcer bleeding. However, whether chronic liver disease increases mortality after peptic ulcer bleeding remains unclear. To examine the prognostic impact of chronic liver disease on mortality after peptic ulcer bleeding. We used population-based medical registries to conduct a cohort study of all Danish residents hospitalised with incident peptic ulcer bleeding from 2004 through 2011. We identified patients diagnosed with liver cirrhosis or non-cirrhotic chronic liver disease before their admission for peptic ulcer bleeding. We then computed 90-day mortality after peptic ulcer bleeding based on the Kaplan-Meier method (1 - survival function) and used a Cox regression model to estimate mortality rate ratios (MRRs), controlling for potential confounders. We identified 21,359 patients hospitalised with peptic ulcer bleeding. Among these, 653 (3.1%) had a previous diagnosis of liver cirrhosis and 474 (2.2%) had a history of non-cirrhotic chronic liver disease. Patients with liver cirrhosis and non-cirrhotic chronic liver disease had a cumulative 90-day mortality of 25.3% and 20.7%, respectively, compared to 18.3% among patients without chronic liver disease. Liver cirrhosis was associated with an adjusted 90-day MRR of 2.38 (95% CI: 2.02-2.80), compared to 1.49 (95% CI: 1.22-1.83) among patients with non-cirrhotic chronic liver disease. Patients with chronic liver disease, particularly liver cirrhosis, are at increased risk of death within 90 days after hospitalisation for peptic ulcer bleeding compared to patients without chronic liver disease. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Complete Heart Block with Diastolic Heart Failure and Pulmonary Edema Secondary to Enlarging Previously Diagnosed Thrombosed Aneurysm of Sinus of Valsalva in a Patient with History of Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sherif Ali Eltawansy

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD is associated with vascular aneurysms that can affect any part of the vascular tree, like ascending aorta or coronary arteries. Sinus of Valsalva is known as an anatomical dilation at the root of aorta above the aortic valve and very few cases show aneurysm at that site in patients with ADPKD. Sinus of Valsalva aneurysm (SVA can present with rupture and acute heart failure and infective endocarditis or could be asymptomatic accidentally discovered during cardiac catheterization. We report a case of a 76-year-old male with a unique constellation of cardiovascular anomalies associated with ADPKD. Patient was previously diagnosed with aneurysms affecting ascending aorta, sinus of Valsalva, and coronary arteries. Several years later, he came with complete heart block which was discovered later to be secondary to enlargement of his previously diagnosed thrombosed SVA. His case was complicated with acute heart failure and pulmonary edema. Conclusion. Patients with ADPKD can present with extrarenal manifestations. In our case, aneurysm at sinus of Valsalva was progressively enlarging and presented with complete heart block.

  5. A Systematic Review of Longitudinal Studies Which Measure Alzheimer's Disease Biomarkers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lawrence, Emma; Vegvari, Carolin; Ower, Alison; Hadjichrysanthou, Christoforos; De Wolf, Frank; Anderson, Roy M

    2017-01-01

    Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disease, with no effective treatment or cure. A gold standard therapy would be treatment to slow or halt disease progression; however, knowledge of causation in the early stages of AD is very limited. In order to determine effective endpoints for possible therapies, a number of quantitative surrogate markers of disease progression have been suggested, including biochemical and imaging biomarkers. The dynamics of these various surrogate markers over time, particularly in relation to disease development, are, however, not well characterized. We reviewed the literature for studies that measured cerebrospinal fluid or plasma amyloid-β and tau, or took magnetic resonance image or fluorodeoxyglucose/Pittsburgh compound B-positron electron tomography scans, in longitudinal cohort studies. We summarized the properties of the major cohort studies in various countries, commonly used diagnosis methods and study designs. We have concluded that additional studies with repeat measures over time in a representative population cohort are needed to address the gap in knowledge of AD progression. Based on our analysis, we suggest directions in which research could move in order to advance our understanding of this complex disease, including repeat biomarker measurements, standardization and increased sample sizes.

  6. SONOGRAPHIC PREDICTION OF SCAR DEHISCENCE IN WOMEN WITH PREVIOUS CAESAREAN SECTION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shubhada Suhas Jajoo

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND Caesarean section (Sectio Caesarea is a surgical method for the completion of delivery. After various historical modifications of operative techniques, modern approach consists in the transverse dissection of the anterior wall of the uterus. The rate of vaginal birth after caesarean section was significantly reduced from year to year and the rate of repeated caesarean section is increased during the past 10 years. Evaluation of scar thickness is done by ultrasound, but it is still debatable size of thick scar that would be guiding “cut-off value” for the completion of the delivery method. To better assess the risk of uterine rupture, some authors have proposed sonographic measurement of lower uterine segment thickness near term assuming that there is an inverse correlation between LUS thickness and the risk of uterine scar defect. Therefore, this assessment for the management of women with prior CS may increase safety during labour by selecting women with the lowest risk of uterine rupture. The aim of the study is to study the diagnostic accuracy of sonographic measurements of the Lower Uterine Segment (LUS thickness near term in predicting uterine scar defects in women with prior Caesarean Section (CS. We aim to ascertain the best cut-off values for predicting uterine rupture. MATERIALS AND METHODS 100 antenatal women with history of previous one LSCS who come to attend antenatal clinic will be assessed for scar thickness by transabdominal ultrasonography and its correlation with intraoperative findings. This prospective longitudinal study was conducted for 1 year after IEC approval with inclusion criteria previous one LSCS. Exclusion criteria- 1 Previous myomectomy scar; 2 Previous 2 LSCS; 3 Previous hysterotomy scar. RESULTS Our findings indicate that there is a strong association between degree of LUS thinning measured near term and the risk of uterine scar defect at birth. In our study, optimal cut-off value for predicting

  7. Meta-analysis of 74,046 individuals identifies 11 new susceptibility loci for Alzheimer’s disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lambert, Jean-Charles; Ibrahim-Verbaas, Carla A; Harold, Denise; Naj, Adam C; Sims, Rebecca; Bellenguez, Céline; Jun, Gyungah; DeStefano, Anita L; Bis, Joshua C; Beecham, Gary W; Grenier-Boley, Benjamin; Russo, Giancarlo; Thornton-Wells, Tricia A; Jones, Nicola; Smith, Albert V; Chouraki, Vincent; Thomas, Charlene; Ikram, M Arfan; Zelenika, Diana; Vardarajan, Badri N; Kamatani, Yoichiro; Lin, Chiao-Feng; Gerrish, Amy; Schmidt, Helena; Kunkle, Brian; Dunstan, Melanie L; Ruiz, Agustin; Bihoreau, Marie-Thérèse; Choi, Seung-Hoan; Reitz, Christiane; Pasquier, Florence; Hollingworth, Paul; Ramirez, Alfredo; Hanon, Olivier; Fitzpatrick, Annette L; Buxbaum, Joseph D; Campion, Dominique; Crane, Paul K; Baldwin, Clinton; Becker, Tim; Gudnason, Vilmundur; Cruchaga, Carlos; Craig, David; Amin, Najaf; Berr, Claudine; Lopez, Oscar L; De Jager, Philip L; Deramecourt, Vincent; Johnston, Janet A; Evans, Denis; Lovestone, Simon; Letenneur, Luc; Morón, Francisco J; Rubinsztein, David C; Eiriksdottir, Gudny; Sleegers, Kristel; Goate, Alison M; Fiévet, Nathalie; Huentelman, Matthew J; Gill, Michael; Brown, Kristelle; Kamboh, M Ilyas; Keller, Lina; Barberger-Gateau, Pascale; McGuinness, Bernadette; Larson, Eric B; Green, Robert; Myers, Amanda J; Dufouil, Carole; Todd, Stephen; Wallon, David; Love, Seth; Rogaeva, Ekaterina; Gallacher, John; St George-Hyslop, Peter; Clarimon, Jordi; Lleo, Alberto; Bayer, Anthony; Tsuang, Debby W; Yu, Lei; Tsolaki, Magda; Bossù, Paola; Spalletta, Gianfranco; Proitsi, Petroula; Collinge, John; Sorbi, Sandro; Sanchez-Garcia, Florentino; Fox, Nick C; Hardy, John; Deniz Naranjo, Maria Candida; Bosco, Paolo; Clarke, Robert; Brayne, Carol; Galimberti, Daniela; Mancuso, Michelangelo; Matthews, Fiona; Moebus, Susanne; Mecocci, Patrizia; Zompo, Maria Del; Maier, Wolfgang; Hampel, Harald; Pilotto, Alberto; Bullido, Maria; Panza, Francesco; Caffarra, Paolo; Nacmias, Benedetta; Gilbert, John R; Mayhaus, Manuel; Lannfelt, Lars; Hakonarson, Hakon; Pichler, Sabrina; Carrasquillo, Minerva M; Ingelsson, Martin; Beekly, Duane; Alvarez, Victoria; Zou, Fanggeng; Valladares, Otto; Younkin, Steven G; Coto, Eliecer; Hamilton-Nelson, Kara L; Gu, Wei; Razquin, Cristina; Pastor, Pau; Mateo, Ignacio; Owen, Michael J; Faber, Kelley M; Jonsson, Palmi V; Combarros, Onofre; O’Donovan, Michael C; Cantwell, Laura B; Soininen, Hilkka; Blacker, Deborah; Mead, Simon; Mosley, Thomas H; Bennett, David A; Harris, Tamara B; Fratiglioni, Laura; Holmes, Clive; de Bruijn, Renee F A G; Passmore, Peter; Montine, Thomas J; Bettens, Karolien; Rotter, Jerome I; Brice, Alexis; Morgan, Kevin; Foroud, Tatiana M; Kukull, Walter A; Hannequin, Didier; Powell, John F; Nalls, Michael A; Ritchie, Karen; Lunetta, Kathryn L; Kauwe, John S K; Boerwinkle, Eric; Riemenschneider, Matthias; Boada, Mercè; Hiltunen, Mikko; Martin, Eden R; Schmidt, Reinhold; Rujescu, Dan; Wang, Li-san; Dartigues, Jean-François; Mayeux, Richard; Tzourio, Christophe; Hofman, Albert; Nöthen, Markus M; Graff, Caroline; Psaty, Bruce M; Jones, Lesley; Haines, Jonathan L; Holmans, Peter A; Lathrop, Mark; Pericak-Vance, Margaret A; Launer, Lenore J; Farrer, Lindsay A; van Duijn, Cornelia M; Van Broeckhoven, Christine; Moskvina, Valentina; Seshadri, Sudha; Williams, Julie; Schellenberg, Gerard D; Amouyel, Philippe

    2013-01-01

    Eleven susceptibility loci for late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (LOAD) were identified by previous studies; however, a large portion of the genetic risk for this disease remains unexplained. We conducted a large, two-stage meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in individuals of European ancestry. In stage 1, we used genotyped and imputed data (7,055,881 SNPs) to perform meta-analysis on 4 previously published GWAS data sets consisting of 17,008 Alzheimer’s disease cases and 37,154 controls. In stage 2,11,632 SNPs were genotyped and tested for association in an independent set of 8,572 Alzheimer’s disease cases and 11,312 controls. In addition to the APOE locus (encoding apolipoprotein E), 19 loci reached genome-wide significance (P < 5 × 10−8) in the combined stage 1 and stage 2 analysis, of which 11 are newly associated with Alzheimer’s disease. PMID:24162737

  8. Shapes related to longitudinal studies of disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Erleben, Lene Lillemark

    investigated four different proximity markers which lead to significantly improved marker values between NC and AD after correction for whole brain and hippocampus volume. Based on the different proximity markers we have chosen the surface connectivity marker that gave the best separation to investigate......This dissertation investigates novel markers for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Both CVD and AD are among the large diseases counted in morbidity and mortality in the western world, which makes them huge and increasing problems. By investigating and learning....... The first part of this dissertation studies the growth patterns of atherosclerotic calcified deposits in the lumbar aorta based on x-ray images over an 8-year time period. We have been able to find simple growth patterns that explain how the calcifications evolve. The calcifications grew on average 41 % (p...

  9. A computed tomography study of Alzheimer's disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arai, H.; Kobayashi, K.; Juntendo Univ. School of Medicine, Tokyo; Ikeda, Y.; Nagao, Y.; Ogihara, R.; Kosaka, K.; Psychiatric Research Inst. of Tokyo

    1983-01-01

    Computed tomography (CT) was used to study cerebral atrophy in 18 patients with clinically diagnosed Alzheimer's disease of presenile type and in 14 healthy age-matched subjects as controls. Using the computerized planimetric method, Subarachnoid Space Volume Index and Ventricle Volume Index were calculated as the measure of cortical atrophy and ventricular dilatation respectively. From the results the following conclusions were drawn: 1. The cerebral atrophy in Alzheimer patients could be attributable to the disease processes rather than to physiological aging of the brain. 2. The degree of atrophy increases in parallel with the progress of the clinical stage, and the cortical atrophy is already apparent at an early stage, whereas the ventricular dilatation becomes pronounced at later stages. 3. CT could be one of the most useful clinical tests available for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. (orig.) [de

  10. Disability weights for the Global Burden of Disease 2013 study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Salomon, Joshua A.; Haagsma, Juanita A.; Davis, Adrian; de Noordhout, Charline Maertens; Polinder, Suzanne; Havelaar, Arie H.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/072306122; Cassini, Alessandro; Devleesschauwer, Brecht; Kretzschmar, Mirjam; Speybroeck, Niko; Murray, Christopher J L; Vos, Theo

    2015-01-01

    Background: The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study assesses health losses from diseases, injuries, and risk factors using disability-adjusted life-years, which need a set of disability weights to quantify health levels associated with non-fatal outcomes. The objective of this study was to estimate

  11. Disability weights for the Global Burden of Disease 2013 study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Salomon, Joshua A; Haagsma, Juanita A; Davis, Adrian; de Noordhout, Charline Maertens; Polinder, Suzanne; Havelaar, Arie H; Cassini, Alessandro; Devleesschauwer, Brecht; Kretzschmar, MEE; Speybroeck, Niko; Murray, Christopher J L; Vos, Theo

    2015-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study assesses health losses from diseases, injuries, and risk factors using disability-adjusted life-years, which need a set of disability weights to quantify health levels associated with non-fatal outcomes. The objective of this study was to estimate

  12. Depression and Chronic Liver Diseases: Are There Shared Underlying Mechanisms?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaoqin Huang

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available The occurrence of depression is higher in patients with chronic liver disease (CLD than that in the general population. The mechanism described in previous studies mainly focused on inflammation and stress, which not only exists in CLD, but also emerges in common chronic diseases, leaving the specific mechanism unknown. This review was to summarize the prevalence and risk factors of depression in CLD including chronic hepatitis B, chronic hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and to point out the possible underlying mechanism of this potential link. Clarifying the origins of this common comorbidity (depression and CLD may provide more information to understand both diseases.

  13. Lung cancer development in patients with connective tissue disease-related interstitial lung disease: A retrospective observational study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Enomoto, Yasunori; Inui, Naoki; Yoshimura, Katsuhiro; Nishimoto, Koji; Mori, Kazutaka; Kono, Masato; Fujisawa, Tomoyuki; Enomoto, Noriyuki; Nakamura, Yutaro; Iwashita, Toshihide; Suda, Takafumi

    2016-12-01

    Previous studies have reported that patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis occasionally develop lung cancer (LC). However, in connective tissue disease (CTD)-related interstitial lung disease (ILD), there are few data regarding the LC development. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical significance of LC development in patients with CTD-ILD. A retrospective review of our database of 562 patients with ILD between 2000 and 2014 identified 127 patients diagnosed with CTD-ILD. The overall and cumulative incidences of LC were calculated. In addition, the risk factors and prognostic impact of LC development were evaluated. The median age at the ILD diagnosis was 63 years (range 37-84 years), and 73 patients (57.5%) were female. The median follow-up period from the ILD diagnosis was 67.4 months (range 10.4-322.1 months). During the period, 7 out of the 127 patients developed LC (overall incidence 5.5%). The cumulative incidences at 1, 3, and 5 years were 0.0%, 1.8%, and 2.9%, respectively. The risk of LC development was significantly higher in patients with higher smoking pack-year (odds ratio [OR] 1.028; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.008-1.049; P = 0.007) and emphysema on chest high-resolution computed tomography (OR 14.667; 95% CI 2.871-74.926; P = 0.001). The median overall survival time after developing LC was 7.0 months (95% CI 4.9-9.1 months), and the most common cause of death was LC, not ILD. According to the Cox proportional hazard model analysis with time-dependent covariates, patients who developed LC showed significantly poorer prognosis than those who did not (hazard ratio 87.86; 95% CI 19.56-394.67; P < 0.001). In CTD-ILD, clinicians should be careful with the risk of LC development in patients with a heavy smoking history and subsequent emphysema. Although not so frequent, the complication could be a poor prognostic determinant.

  14. Risk of developing major depression and bipolar disorder among adolescents with atopic diseases: A nationwide longitudinal study in Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wei, Han-Ting; Lan, Wen-Hsuan; Hsu, Ju-Wei; Huang, Kai-Lin; Su, Tung-Ping; Li, Cheng-Ta; Lin, Wei-Chen; Chen, Tzeng-Ji; Bai, Ya-Mei; Chen, Mu-Hong

    2016-10-01

    Previous studies have found an increased prevalence of atopic diseases among patients with major depression and bipolar disorder. But the temporal association between atopic diseases in adolescence and the subsequent risk of developing mood disorders has been rarely investigated. Using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Databases, 5075 adolescents with atopic diseases (atopic cohort) and 44,729 without (non-atopic cohort) aged between 10 and 17 in 2000 were enrolled into our study and followed to the end of 2010. Subjects who developed major depression or bipolar disorder during the follow-up were identified. The atopic cohort had an increased risk of developing major depression (HR: 2.45, 95% CI: 1.93~3.11) and bipolar disorder (HR: 2.51, 95% CI: 1.71~3.67) compared to the non-atopic cohort, with a dose-dependent relationship between having a greater number of atopic comorbidities and a greater likelihood of major depression (1 atopic disease: HR: 1.80, 95% CI: 1.29~2.50; 2 atopic comorbidities: HR: 2.42, 95% CI: 1.93~3.04;≥3 atopic comorbidities: HR: 3.79, 95% CI: 3.05~4.72) and bipolar disorder (HR: 1.40, 95% CI: 0.57~3.44; HR: 2.81, 95% CI: 1.68~4.68; HR: 3.02, 95% CI: 1.69~5.38). Having atopic diseases in adolescence increased the risk of developing major depression and bipolar disorder in later life. Further studies may be required to clarify the underlying mechanism between atopy and mood disorders, and to investigate whether prompt intervention may decrease the risk of subsequent mood disorders. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Long-Term Adult Feline Liver Organoid Cultures for Disease Modeling of Hepatic Steatosis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kruitwagen, Hedwig S.; Oosterhoff, Loes A.; Vernooij, Ingrid G.W.H.; Schrall, Ingrid M.; van Wolferen, Monique E.; Bannink, Farah; Roesch, Camille; van Uden, Lisa; Molenaar, Martijn R.; Helms, J. Bernd; Grinwis, Guy C.M.; Verstegen, Monique M.A.; van der Laan, Luc J.W.; Huch, Meritxell; Geijsen, Niels; Vries, Robert G.; Clevers, Hans; Rothuizen, Jan; Schotanus, Baukje A.; Penning, Louis C.; Spee, Bart

    2017-01-01

    Hepatic steatosis is a highly prevalent liver disease, yet research is hampered by the lack of tractable cellular and animal models. Steatosis also occurs in cats, where it can cause severe hepatic failure. Previous studies demonstrate the potential of liver organoids for modeling genetic diseases.

  16. Prediction of presence of kidney disease in patients undergoing intravenous iodinated contrast enhanced computed tomography: a validation study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schreuder, Sanne M.; Stoker, Jaap; Bipat, Shandra [University of Amsterdam, Department of Radiology, Academic Medical Centre, G1-212, Amsterdam (Netherlands)

    2017-04-15

    To validate two previously presented models containing risk factors to identify patients with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 ml/min/1.73 m{sup 2} or eGFR <45 ml/min/1.73 m{sup 2}. In random patients undergoing intravenous contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) the following risk factors were assessed: history of urological/nephrological disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, anaemia, congestive heart failure, other cardiovascular disease or multiple myeloma or Waldenstroem disease. Data on kidney function, age, gender and type and indication of CECT were also registered. We studied two models: model A - diabetes mellitus, history of urological/nephrological disease, cardiovascular disease, hypertension; model B - diabetes mellitus, history of urological/nephrological disease, age >75 years and congestive heart failure. For each model, associations with eGFR <60 ml/min/1.73 m{sup 2} or eGFR <45 ml/min/1.73 m{sup 2} was studied. A total of 1,001 patients, mean age 60.36 years were included. In total, 92 (9.2 %) patients had an eGFR <60 ml/min/1.73 m{sup 2} and 11 (1.1 %) patients an eGFR <45 ml/min/1.73 m{sup 2}. Model A detected 543 patients: 81 with eGFR <60 ml/min/1.73 m{sup 2} (missing 11) and all 11 with eGFR <45 ml/min/1.73 m{sup 2}. Model B detected 420 patients: 70 (missing 22) with eGFR <60 ml/min/1.73 m{sup 2} and all 11 with eGFR <45 ml/min/1.73 m{sup 2}. Associations were significant (p < 0.05). Model B resulted in the lowest superfluous eGFR measurements while detecting all patients with eGFR <45 ml/min/1.73 m{sup 2} and nearly all with eGFR <60 ml/min/1.73 m{sup 2}. (orig.)

  17. Orofacial function and oral health in patients with Parkinson's disease

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bakke, Merete; Larsen, Stine L; Lautrup, Caroline

    2011-01-01

    No comprehensive study has previously been published on orofacial function in patients with well-defined Parkinson's disease (PD). Therefore, the aim of this study was to perform an overall assessment of orofacial function and oral health in patients, and to compare the findings with matched cont...

  18. A clinical study in elderly patients with Parkinson's disease using MRI and SPECT; Parkinson's disease and the lacunar state

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Umahara, Takahiko; Iwamoto, Toshihiko; Takasaki, Masaru; Katsunuma, Hideyo [Tokyo Medical Coll. (Japan)

    1991-11-01

    Parkinson's disease (PD) is often associated with dementia in elderly patients, and sometimes PD coexists with senile dementia of the Alzheimer type (SDAT) or cerebrovascular disease (CVD) in the elderly. However, since there are few previous clinical studies on the coincidence of, or relationship between PD and CVD, the authors evaluated these aspects in 34 elderly patients with PD using MRI and SPECT. All the patients were over 70 years old. The diagnosis of PD was based on the presence of three symptons (resting tremor, cogwheel rigidity and bradikinesia) which are characteristic of PD, and the effectiveness of L-DOPA therapy. We therefore believe that patients with vascular Parkinsonism were excluded from our study. In 34 cases, 24 (71%) had MRI evidence of CVD (mainly the lacunar state). In the 10 cases who had no CVD, 2 (20%) had severe dementia and the decrease of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in the temporal and parietal lobes bilaterally correlated with the SPECT findings commonly found in SDAT. A comparison of the rCBF and the results of Hasegawa's dementia score (HDS) (verbal intelligence score) was made between the patients with PD associated with CVD and the patients with PD who had no CVD and no SPECT findings which correlated with SDAT. The rCBF in the frontal lobes and the results of the HDS of the former group were significantly lower than those of the latter. As mentioned above, elderly patients with PD often had CVD, leading to dementia. We also pointed out the difficulty in making a differential diagnosis between PD with CVD and vascular Parkinsonism, and the necessity of whether or not the concept of 'mixed type Parkinsonism' should be considered. (author).

  19. Herniated disk disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ross, J.S.; Masaryk, T.J.; Modic, M.T.; Bohlman, H.; Wilber, G.; Carter, J.

    1988-01-01

    Thirty patients with symptoms of disk herniation and no previous surgery were examined with Gd-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging. Studies obtained before and after administration of Gd-DTPA included the following sequences: sagittal and axial spin echo (SE) 500/17 (repetition time, msec/echo time, msec), sagittal SE 2,000/60, sagittal FLASH 200/13/60. Studies were interpreted separately for presence of extradural disease (EDD) characterized by morphology, mass effect, and enhancement. Post Gd-DTPA diagnoses were: normal, n = 1; herniation, n = 28; neoplasm, n = 1. Tissue diagnosis was obtained in 13. The Gd-DTPA examination correctly changed the diagnosis in one case, provided increased confidence in the diagnosis in four, and was equivalent to the precontrast study in eight. Increased conspicuity of EDD with Gd-DTPA was related to the enhancement of epidural space analogous to IV CT and enhancement of scar surrounding disk herniation. Histologically, this scar was identical to that seen in postoperative spines, Gd-DTPA appears to be a useful adjunct in cervical and thoracic degenerative disk disease

  20. A study of psychiatric morbidity in patients of peptic ulcer diseases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jagpal Singh Klair

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Aims and Objectives: To study the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity among patients of peptic ulcer disease and to study the patients of peptic ulcer disease with psychiatric morbidity in comparison to patients of peptic ulcer disease without psychiatric morbidity on following variables: sociodemographic variables and attributes/risk factors of peptic ulcer disease. Materials and Methods: Fifty cases of clinically proven acid peptic diseases and 30 cases of the control group were screened in department of General Medicine, outdoor as well as indoor patients. Instruments applied for the purpose of the study were Personal Bio-data Performa (Appendix-I, (SCL- 80 (Appendix-II, Hamilton rating scale for anxiety and depression, (P.S.L.E.; clinical diagnosis of psychiatric disorders was made as per ICD- 10 criteria. Data collected shall be subjected to statistical analysis. Results and Findings: The psychiatric morbidity was significantly (P10 years, compared to 23.80% in patients without psychiatric morbidity. Lastly, 48.27% of patients with psychiatric morbidity had significantly (P<0.01 stronger family history of acid peptic disease compared to 9.52% in patients without psychiatric morbidity. Conclusions: There is a significant relationship between the peptic ulcer disease and the various psychiatric morbidity factors as illustrated from the findings of this study.

  1. Study of vitamin D status of rheumatoid arthritis patients Rationale and design of a cross-sectional study by the osteoporosis and metabolic bone diseases study group of the Italian Society of Rheumatology (SIR

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Antonelli

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available The fundamental role of Vitamin D has been long known in regulating calcium homeostasis and bone metabolism. An increased contribution of Vitamin D was recently described in association with a lower incidence of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA. This must not be surprising, as the immunomodulating effects of Vitamin D are clear, which have been attributed protective effects in autoimmune disorders such as some chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, multiple sclerosis and type I diabetes. An interaction was suggested between Vitamin D metabolism and inflammation indexes through mediation of TNF-a which is also especially involved in osteoclastic resorption and therefore in bone loss processes. Some preliminary data would indicate an association between seasonal changes of Vitamin D serum levels, latitude and disease activity (DAS28 in RA patients. Consequently, the Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Diseases Study Group of SIR believes that there are grounded reasons for assessing the Vitamin D status of RA patients in order to investigate whether this is to be related to physiopathological and clinical aspects of disease other than those of bone involvement. Primary end point of the study will be to assess the levels of 25 OH Vitamin D in RA patients. Secondary endpoints will include correlation with disease activity, densitometry values and bone turnover. The cross-sectional study will enrol patients of both sex genders, age ranging between 30 and 75 years according to the 1988 ACR criteria, onset of symptoms at least 2 years prior to study enrollment. Patients will be excluded suffering from osteometabolic diseases, liver and kidney insufficiency and those administered Vitamin D boli in the previous 12 months. Disease activity will be evaluated with the HAQ. Haematochemical tests and femoral and lumbar bone densitometry will be performed, unless recently undergone by patients. Blood levels of 25 OH C Vitamin D and PHT and of the two bone remodeling markers

  2. Phase III Study of Cabozantinib in Previously Treated Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: COMET-1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Matthew; De Bono, Johann; Sternberg, Cora; Le Moulec, Sylvestre; Oudard, Stéphane; De Giorgi, Ugo; Krainer, Michael; Bergman, Andries; Hoelzer, Wolfgang; De Wit, Ronald; Bögemann, Martin; Saad, Fred; Cruciani, Giorgio; Thiery-Vuillemin, Antoine; Feyerabend, Susan; Miller, Kurt; Houédé, Nadine; Hussain, Syed; Lam, Elaine; Polikoff, Jonathan; Stenzl, Arnulf; Mainwaring, Paul; Ramies, David; Hessel, Colin; Weitzman, Aaron; Fizazi, Karim

    2016-09-01

    Cabozantinib is an inhibitor of kinases, including MET and vascular endothelial growth factor receptors, and has shown activity in men with previously treated metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). This blinded phase III trial compared cabozantinib with prednisone in patients with mCRPC. Men with progressive mCRPC after docetaxel and abiraterone and/or enzalutamide were randomly assigned at a two-to-one ratio to cabozantinib 60 mg once per day or prednisone 5 mg twice per day. The primary end point was overall survival (OS). Bone scan response (BSR) at week 12 as assessed by independent review committee was the secondary end point; radiographic progression-free survival (rPFS) and effects on circulating tumor cells (CTCs), bone biomarkers, serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA), and symptomatic skeletal events (SSEs) were exploratory assessments. A total of 1,028 patients were randomly assigned to cabozantinib (n = 682) or prednisone (n = 346). Median OS was 11.0 months with cabozantinib and 9.8 months with prednisone (hazard ratio, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.76 to 1.06; stratified log-rank P = .213). BSR at week 12 favored cabozantinib (42% v 3%; stratified Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel P < .001). rPFS was improved in the cabozantinib group (median, 5.6 v 2.8 months; hazard ratio, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.40 to 0.57; stratified log-rank P < .001). Cabozantinib was associated with improvements in CTC conversion, bone biomarkers, and post-random assignment incidence of SSEs but not PSA outcomes. Grade 3 to 4 adverse events and discontinuations because of adverse events were higher with cabozantinib than with prednisone (71% v 56% and 33% v 12%, respectively). Cabozantinib did not significantly improve OS compared with prednisone in heavily treated patients with mCRPC and progressive disease after docetaxel and abiraterone and/or enzalutamide. Cabozantinib had some activity in improving BSR, rPFS, SSEs, CTC conversions, and bone biomarkers but not PSA outcomes. © 2016 by

  3. Prevalence and severity of ocular involvement in Graves' disease according to sex and age: A clinical study from Babol, Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gharib, Sara; Moazezi, Zoleika; Bayani, Mohammad Ali

    2018-01-01

    Thyroid-associated eye disease (TED), previously known as Graves' ophthalmopathy is a cosmetically and functionally debilitating disease that is seen worldwide. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and clinical severity of ocular manifestations of Graves' disease according to sex, age and duration in northern Iran. Between April 2011 and March 2012, 105 patients with Graves' disease, underwent ophthalmic examination, including ocular motility, exophthalmometry, intraocular pressure (IOP), slit lamp and fundoscopy. Patients received scores according to modified Werner's NO SPECS classification. Ocular involvement was found in 70 patients with established Graves's disease. The mean age was 35.0 years, (SD 13.0, range 15 to 69). The most common ocular findings were exophthalmometric proptosis of more than 20 mm (63.8%), lid lag (55.7%), lid retraction (52.8%) and tearing (38.6%). Almost 70% of patients had bilateral involvement. Elevated IOP was seen in 15 (25.4%) patients, and was significantly related to proptosis (P=0.007). More than half of the patients (n=36, 52.2%) had a modified Werner's NO SPECS score of 3.00. Clinical severity as shown by the increasing number of signs and symptoms per patient was correlated to increasing age (r=0.31, P=0.01) but not to gender (P=0.17). Both functional (ocular motility disorders, increased IOP) and cosmetic (proptosis, periorbital edema) sequels are common ocular presentations in patients with Graves' disease. Proptosis was the most common finding in this study and was associated with elevated IOP. Clinical severity was found to correlate to increasing age.

  4. Urinary Bladder Detrusor Dysfunction Symptoms in Lyme Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Basant K. Puri

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Purpose Symptoms of urinary bladder detrusor dysfunction have been rarely reported in Lyme disease. The aim was to carry out the first systematic study to compare the prevalence of such symptoms in a group of Lyme disease patients and a group of matched controls. Methods A questionnaire relating to detrusor function was administered to 17 serologically positive Lyme disease patients and to 18 control subjects. Results The two groups were matched in respect of age, sex, body mass, and mean arterial blood pressure. None of the 35 subjects was taking medication which might affect urinary function and none had undergone a previous operative procedure on the lower urinary tract. Six of the Lyme patients (35% and none of the controls (0% had symptoms of detrusor dysfunction (P<0.01. Conclusions This first systematic controlled study confirms that Lyme disease is associated with urinary bladder detrusor dysfunction. Further evaluation of detrusor function is warranted in this disease.

  5. Predictive risk factors for chronic low back pain in Parkinson's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ozturk, Erhan Arif; Kocer, Bilge Gonenli

    2018-01-01

    Although previous studies have reported that the prevalence of low back pain in Parkinson's disease was over 50% and low back pain was often classified as chronic, risk factors of chronic low back pain have not been previously investigated. The aim of this study was to determine the predictive risk factors of chronic low back pain in Parkinson's disease. One hundred and sixty-eight patients with Parkinson's disease and 179 controls were consecutively included in the study. Demographic data of the two groups and disease characteristics of Parkinson's disease patient group were recorded. Low back pain lasting for ≥3 months was evaluated as chronic. Firstly, the bivariate correlations were calculated between chronic low back pain and all possible risk factors. Then, a multivariate regression was used to evaluate the impact of the predictors of chronic low back pain. The frequency of chronic low back pain in Parkinson's disease patients and controls were 48.2% and 26.7%, respectively (p chronic low back pain in Parkinson's disease were general factors including age (odds ratio = 1.053, p = 0.032) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale - Depression subscore (odds ratio = 1.218, p = 0.001), and Parkinson's disease-related factors including rigidity (odds ratio = 5.109, p = 0.002) and posture item scores (odds ratio = 5.019, p = 0.0001). The chronic low back pain affects approximately half of the patients with Parkinson's disease. Prevention of depression or treatment recommendations for managing depression, close monitoring of anti- parkinsonian medication to keep motor symptoms under control, and attempts to prevent, correct or reduce abnormal posture may help reduce the frequency of chronic low back pain in Parkinson's disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Mutation update and genotype-phenotype correlations of novel and previously described mutations in TPM2 and TPM3 causing congenital myopathies

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Marttila, Minttu; Lehtokari, Vilma-Lotta; Marston, Steven; Nyman, Tuula A.; Barnerias, Christine; Beggs, Alan H.; Bertini, Enrico; Ceyhan-Birsoy, Ozge; Cintas, Pascal; Gerard, Marion; Gilbert-Dussardier, Brigitte; Hogue, Jacob S.; Longman, Cheryl; Eymard, Bruno; Frydman, Moshe; Kang, Peter B.; Klinge, Lars; Kolski, Hanna; Lochmüller, Hans; Magy, Laurent; Manel, Véronique; Mayer, Michèle; Mercuri, Eugenio; North, Kathryn N.; Peudenier-Robert, Sylviane; Pihko, Helena; Probst, Frank J.; Reisin, Ricardo; Stewart, Willie; Taratuto, Ana Lia; de Visser, Marianne; Wilichowski, Ekkehard; Winer, John; Nowak, Kristen; Laing, Nigel G.; Winder, Tom L.; Monnier, Nicole; Clarke, Nigel F.; Pelin, Katarina; Grönholm, Mikaela; Wallgren-Pettersson, Carina

    2014-01-01

    Mutations affecting skeletal muscle isoforms of the tropomyosin genes may cause nemaline myopathy, cap myopathy, core-rod myopathy, congenital fiber-type disproportion, distal arthrogryposes, and Escobar syndrome. We correlate the clinical picture of these diseases with novel (19) and previously

  7. Is diverticular disease associated with colonic malignancy?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ekbom, Anders

    2012-01-01

    Colon cancer and diverticular disease have common characteristics; there are increases in the incidences in both disease entities and these diseases are more common in the westernized world. There is also an increase in the age-specific incidence with advancing age. Similar dietary features have been implicated for both diseases and already during the 1960s it was postulated by Burkitt that there is an association. Observational studies initially were able to demonstrate that patients with a history of diverticular disease of the colon had an increased risk of colon cancer, especially in the left side. However, the results from these studies have not been consistent, and problems like selection bias and confounding by indication have been major drawbacks in order to interpret the results and infer causality. Recent studies, which have had a better assessment of diverticular disease by new diagnostic methods, do not support such an association to the same extent as previously. Moreover, surveillance bias has become an increasing problem as patients with diverticular disease of the colon are subjected to a higher diagnostic intensity than other individuals in a population-based setting. A critical evaluation of the studies published so far therefore clearly indicates that the proposed association between diverticular disease and colonic malignancy is not evidence based, which should have an impact on clinical practice as well as on how to deal with these patient groups within the realms of a screening program. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  8. The effect of a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist on glucose tolerance in women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Foghsgaard, Signe; Vedtofte, Louise; Mathiesen, Elisabeth R

    2013-01-01

    INTRODUCTION: Pregnancy is associated with decreased insulin sensitivity, which is usually overcome by a compensatory increase in insulin secretion. Some pregnant women are not able to increase their insulin secretion sufficiently, and consequently develop gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM......). The disease normally disappears after delivery. Nevertheless, women with previous GDM have a high risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) later in life. We aim to investigate the early development of T2D in women with previous GDM and to evaluate whether treatment with the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor...

  9. The job satisfaction of principals of previously disadvantaged schools

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The aim of this study was to identify influences on the job satisfaction of previously disadvantaged school principals in North-West Province. Evans's theory of job satisfaction, morale and motivation was useful as a conceptual framework. A mixedmethods explanatory research design was important in discovering issues with ...

  10. Screening for late-onset Pompe disease in western Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Julie Schjødtz; Pedersen, E G; Gaist, D

    2018-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: Late-onset Pompe disease (LOPD) is a rare autosomal recessively inherited metabolic myopathy caused by reduced activity of the lysosomal enzyme alpha-glucosidase. In a previous screening study at two large neuromuscular university clinics in Denmark, three patients with LOPD were...

  11. Doxorubicin and ifosfamide combination chemotherapy in previously treated acute leukemia in adults: a Southwest Oncology Group pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryan, D H; Bickers, J N; Vial, R H; Hussein, K; Bottomley, R; Hewlett, J S; Wilson, H E; Stuckey, W J

    1980-01-01

    The Southwest Oncology Group did a limited institutional pilot study of the combination of doxorubicin and ifosfamide in the treatment of previously treated adult patients with acute leukemia. Thirty-four patients received one or two courses of the combination. All patients had received prior chemotherapy and 32 had received prior anthracycline chemotherapy. Three patients died before their responses could be fully evaluated. Fourteen patients achieved complete remission (41%) and one patient achieved partial remission. The complete remission rate was 27% for patients with acute myeloblastic leukemia (myelomonoblastic leukemia, monoblastic leukemia, and erythroleukemia) and 89% for patients with acute lymphocytic and undifferentiated leukemia (ALL). Toxic effects included severe hematologic reactions in 33 of 34 patients, hematuria in six patients, altered sensorium in one patient, and congestive heart failure in one patient. The safety of the combination was established and toxic side effects of this therapy were tolerable. The 89% complete remission rate for previously treated patients with ALL suggests that the combination of doxorubicin and ifosfamide may be particularly effective in ALL.

  12. Periodontal disease and adverse birth outcomes: a study from Pakistan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mobeen, N; Jehan, I; Banday, N; Moore, J; McClure, E M; Pasha, O; Wright, L L; Goldenberg, R L

    2008-05-01

    Periodontal disease may increase the risk of adverse birth outcomes; however, results have been mixed. Few studies have examined periodontal disease in developing countries. We describe the relationship between periodontal disease and birth outcomes in a community setting in Pakistan. This was a prospective cohort study. Enrollment occurred at 20-26 weeks of gestation. A study dentist performed the periodontal examination to assess probing depth, clinical attachment level, gingival index, and plaque index. Outcomes included stillbirth, neonatal death, perinatal death, increasing periodontal disease severity by quartiles. Dental examinations and outcome data were completed for 1152 women: 81% of the women were multiparous, with a mean age of 27 years; 33% of the women had no education. Forty-seven percent of the women had dental caries; 27% of the women had missing teeth, and 91% of the women had had no dental care in the last year. Periodontal disease was common: 76% of the women had > or = 3 teeth with a probing depth of > or = 3 mm; 87% of the women had > or = 4 teeth with a clinical attachment level of > or = 3 mm; 56% of the women had > or = 4 teeth with a plaque index of 3; and 60% of the women had > or = 4 teeth with a gingival index of 3. As the measures of periodontal disease increased from the 1st to 4th quartile, stillbirth and neonatal and perinatal death also increased, with relative risks of approximately 1.3. Early preterm birth increased, but the results were not significant. Late preterm birth and low birthweight were not related to measures of periodontal disease. Pregnant Pakistani women have high levels of moderate-to-severe dental disease. Stillbirth and neonatal and perinatal deaths increased with the severity of periodontal disease.

  13. Particulate matter and heart disease: Evidence from epidemiological studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Peters, Annette

    2005-01-01

    The association between particulate matter and heart disease was noted in the mid-nineties of last century when the epidemiological evidence for an association between air pollution and hospital admissions due to cardiovascular disease accumulated and first hypotheses regarding the pathomechanism were formulated. Nowadays, epidemiological studies have demonstrated coherent associations between daily changes in concentrations of ambient particles and cardiovascular disease mortality, hospital admission, disease exacerbation in patients with cardiovascular disease and early physiological responses in healthy individuals consistent with a risk factor profile deterioration. In addition, evidence was found that annual average PM 2.5 exposures are associated with increased risks for mortality caused by ischemic heart disease and dysrhythmia. Thereby, evidence is suggesting not only a short-term exacerbation of cardiovascular disease by ambient particle concentrations but also a potential role of particles in defining patients' vulnerability to acute coronary events. While this concept is consistent with the current understanding of the factors defining patients' vulnerability, the mechanisms and the time-scales on which the particle-induced vulnerability might operate are unknown

  14. Zilver PTX Post-Market Surveillance Study of Paclitaxel-Eluting Stents for Treating Femoropopliteal Artery Disease in Japan: 12-Month Results.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yokoi, Hiroyoshi; Ohki, Takao; Kichikawa, Kimihiko; Nakamura, Masato; Komori, Kimihiro; Nanto, Shinsuke; O'Leary, Erin E; Lottes, Aaron E; Snyder, Scott A; Dake, Michael D

    2016-02-08

    This multicenter, prospective, post-market surveillance study in Japan evaluates the paclitaxel-coated Zilver PTX stent in real-world patients with complex lesions. The Zilver PTX stent is the first drug-eluting stent (DES) approved for the superficial femoral artery. Previously, results from a large randomized study and a complementary, large single-arm study supported the safety and effectiveness of the DES. There were no exclusion criteria, and consecutive patients with symptomatic peripheral artery disease (PAD) treated with the DES were enrolled in the study. Clinically driven target lesion revascularization (TLR) was defined as reintervention performed for ≥50% diameter stenosis after recurrent clinical symptoms of PAD. Clinical benefit was defined as freedom from persistent or worsening symptoms of ischemia. Patency was evaluated by duplex ultrasound where physicians considered this standard of care. In this study, 907 patients were enrolled at 95 institutions in Japan. There were numerous comorbidities including high incidences of diabetes (58.8%), chronic kidney disease (43.8%), and critical limb ischemia (21.5%). Lesions were also complex, with an average length of 14.7 cm, 41.6% total occlusions, and 18.6% in-stent restenosis. In total, 1,861 DES were placed in 1,075 lesions. Twelve-month follow-up was obtained for >95% of eligible patients. Freedom from TLR was 91.0%, and clinical benefit was 87.7% through 12 months. The 12-month primary patency rate was 86.4%. Despite more challenging lesions, results from the current study are similar to outcomes from the previous Zilver PTX studies, confirming the benefit of the Zilver PTX DES in a real-world patient population. (Zilver PTX Post-Market Study in Japan; NCT02254837). Copyright © 2016 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Study on the correlation between the trace elements with cerebrovascular diseases

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dazhong, Zhang; Mingsong, Tai; Suqing, Chen [Sichuan Univ., Chengdu, SC (China). Inst. of Nuclear Science and Technology; and others

    1990-11-01

    In the paper, the correlation between the cerebroscular diseases, as haemorrhage, cerebral atherosclerosis, cerebral embolism, with trace element contents in hair and tissues of controls and diseases has been studied by PIXE. Biochemistry test for diseased cerebral atheroselerosis patientes were done. The distinction between the controls and diseases were revealed.

  16. Annotating Diseases Using Human Phenotype Ontology Improves Prediction of Disease-Associated Long Non-coding RNAs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Le, Duc-Hau; Dao, Lan T M

    2018-05-23

    Recently, many long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified and their biological function has been characterized; however, our understanding of their underlying molecular mechanisms related to disease is still limited. To overcome the limitation in experimentally identifying disease-lncRNA associations, computational methods have been proposed as a powerful tool to predict such associations. These methods are usually based on the similarities between diseases or lncRNAs since it was reported that similar diseases are associated with functionally similar lncRNAs. Therefore, prediction performance is highly dependent on how well the similarities can be captured. Previous studies have calculated the similarity between two diseases by mapping exactly each disease to a single Disease Ontology (DO) term, and then use a semantic similarity measure to calculate the similarity between them. However, the problem of this approach is that a disease can be described by more than one DO terms. Until now, there is no annotation database of DO terms for diseases except for genes. In contrast, Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) is designed to fully annotate human disease phenotypes. Therefore, in this study, we constructed disease similarity networks/matrices using HPO instead of DO. Then, we used these networks/matrices as inputs of two representative machine learning-based and network-based ranking algorithms, that is, regularized least square and heterogeneous graph-based inference, respectively. The results showed that the prediction performance of the two algorithms on HPO-based is better than that on DO-based networks/matrices. In addition, our method can predict 11 novel cancer-associated lncRNAs, which are supported by literature evidence. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Relation of Aortic Valve and Coronary Artery Calcium in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease to the Stage and Etiology of the Renal Disease

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Piers, Lieuwe H.; Touw, Hugo R. W.; Gansevoort, Ron; Franssen, Casper F. M.; Oudkerk, Matthijs; Zijlstra, Felix; Tio, Rene A.

    2009-01-01

    Patients with chronic renal failure have increased cardiac calcium loads. Previous studies have investigated the prevalence and quantitative extent of aortic valve calcium (AVC) and coronary artery calcium (CAC) in patients with various stages of chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the impact of

  18. Applications of acoustic radiation force impulse quantification in chronic kidney disease: A review

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wang, Liang [Dept. of Ultrasound, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing (China)

    2016-08-15

    Acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging is an emerging technique with great promise in the field of elastography. Previous studies have validated ARFI quantification as a method of estimating fibrosis in chronic liver disease. Similarly, fibrosis is the principal process underlying the progression of chronic kidney disease, which is the major cause of renal failure. However, the quantification of tissue stiffness using ARFI imaging is more complex in the kidney than in the liver. Moreover, not all previous studies are comparable because they employed different procedures. Therefore, subsequent studies are warranted, both in animal models and in clinical patients, in order to better understand the histopathological mechanisms associated with renal elasticity and to further improve this imaging method by developing a standardized guidelines for its implementation.

  19. Applications of acoustic radiation force impulse quantification in chronic kidney disease: A review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Liang

    2016-01-01

    Acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging is an emerging technique with great promise in the field of elastography. Previous studies have validated ARFI quantification as a method of estimating fibrosis in chronic liver disease. Similarly, fibrosis is the principal process underlying the progression of chronic kidney disease, which is the major cause of renal failure. However, the quantification of tissue stiffness using ARFI imaging is more complex in the kidney than in the liver. Moreover, not all previous studies are comparable because they employed different procedures. Therefore, subsequent studies are warranted, both in animal models and in clinical patients, in order to better understand the histopathological mechanisms associated with renal elasticity and to further improve this imaging method by developing a standardized guidelines for its implementation

  20. ATLANTIC DIP: simplifying the follow-up of women with previous gestational diabetes.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Noctor, E

    2013-11-01

    Previous gestational diabetes (GDM) is associated with a significant lifetime risk of type 2 diabetes. In this study, we assessed the performance of HbA1c and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) measurements against that of 75 g oral glucose tolerance testing (OGTT) for the follow-up screening of women with previous GDM.

  1. Polycystic kidney disease in a patient with achondroplasia ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease is a multisystem disease involving many organs. An association with other diseases such as tuberous sclerosis, von Hippel-Lindau disease and Marfan syndrome have been previously described. We describe a 35 year old female with achondroplasia who developed ...

  2. Influence of magnetic field strength and image registration strategy on voxel-based morphometry in a study of Alzheimer's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marchewka, Artur; Kherif, Ferath; Krueger, Gunnar; Grabowska, Anna; Frackowiak, Richard; Draganski, Bogdan

    2014-05-01

    Multi-centre data repositories like the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) offer a unique research platform, but pose questions concerning comparability of results when using a range of imaging protocols and data processing algorithms. The variability is mainly due to the non-quantitative character of the widely used structural T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images. Although the stability of the main effect of Alzheimer's disease (AD) on brain structure across platforms and field strength has been addressed in previous studies using multi-site MR images, there are only sparse empirically-based recommendations for processing and analysis of pooled multi-centre structural MR data acquired at different magnetic field strengths (MFS). Aiming to minimise potential systematic bias when using ADNI data we investigate the specific contributions of spatial registration strategies and the impact of MFS on voxel-based morphometry in AD. We perform a whole-brain analysis within the framework of Statistical Parametric Mapping, testing for main effects of various diffeomorphic spatial registration strategies, of MFS and their interaction with disease status. Beyond the confirmation of medial temporal lobe volume loss in AD, we detect a significant impact of spatial registration strategy on estimation of AD related atrophy. Additionally, we report a significant effect of MFS on the assessment of brain anatomy (i) in the cerebellum, (ii) the precentral gyrus and (iii) the thalamus bilaterally, showing no interaction with the disease status. We provide empirical evidence in support of pooling data in multi-centre VBM studies irrespective of disease status or MFS. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. Brave New Worlds: The Expanding Universe of Lyme Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stone, Brandee L; Tourand, Yvonne; Brissette, Catherine A

    2017-09-01

    Projections around the globe suggest an increase in tick-vectored disease incidence and distribution, and the potential for emergence of novel tick-borne pathogens. Lyme disease is the most common reported tick-borne illness in the Unites States and is prevalent throughout much of central Europe. In recent years, the worldwide burden of Lyme disease has increased and extended into regions and countries where the disease was not previously reported. In this review, we discuss the trends for increasing Lyme disease, and examine the factors driving Lyme disease expansion, including the effect of climate change on the spread of vector Ixodid ticks and reservoir hosts; and the impacts of increased awareness on disease reporting and diagnosis. To understand the growing threat of Lyme disease, we need to study the interplay between vector, reservoir, and pathogen. In addition, we need to understand the contributions of climate conditions to changes in disease risk.

  4. Computer templates in chronic disease management: ethnographic case study in general practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Swinglehurst, Deborah; Greenhalgh, Trisha; Roberts, Celia

    2012-01-01

    To investigate how electronic templates shape, enable and constrain consultations about chronic diseases. Ethnographic case study, combining field notes, video-recording, screen capture with a microanalysis of talk, body language and data entry-an approach called linguistic ethnography. Two general practices in England. Ethnographic observation of administrative areas and 36 nurse-led consultations was done. Twenty-four consultations were directly observed and 12 consultations were video-recorded alongside computer screen capture. Consultations were transcribed using conversation analysis conventions, with notes on body language and the electronic record. The analysis involved repeated rounds of viewing video, annotating field notes, transcription and microanalysis to identify themes. The data was interpreted using discourse analysis, with attention to the sociotechnical theory. Consultations centred explicitly or implicitly on evidence-based protocols inscribed in templates. Templates did not simply identify tasks for completion, but contributed to defining what chronic diseases were, how care was being delivered and what it meant to be a patient or professional in this context. Patients' stories morphed into data bytes; the particular became generalised; the complex was made discrete, simple and manageable; and uncertainty became categorised and contained. Many consultations resembled bureaucratic encounters, primarily oriented to completing data fields. We identified a tension, sharpened by the template, between different framings of the patient-as 'individual' or as 'one of a population'. Some clinicians overcame this tension, responding creatively to prompts within a dialogue constructed around the patient's narrative. Despite their widespread implementation, little previous research has examined how templates are actually used in practice. Templates do not simply document the tasks of chronic disease management but profoundly change the nature of this work

  5. Chronic Diseases, Lack of Medications, and Depression Among Syrian Refugees in Jordan, 2013–2014

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Smadi, Ahmed Mohammad; Tawalbeh, Loai Issa; Khoury, Laurice Sami

    2015-01-01

    Introduction Studying mental and physical health problems in refugees facilitates providing suitable health care, thus improving their quality of life. We studied depression tendency in Syrian refugees in Jordan in the light of chronic diseases and medication availability. Also, depression prevalence and depression comorbidity with chronic diseases were identified. Methods In this multicenter cross-sectional survey, data from Syrian refugees attending Caritas centers in 6 Jordanian cities from November 2013 through June 2014 were analyzed. Participants’ demographics, depression, previously diagnosed chronic diseases, and newly diagnosed chronic diseases and the availability of medications were studied. Logistic regression was used to examine predictors for depression. Results Of 765 refugees who participated, about one-third demonstrated significant depression as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory. Descriptive analyses showed that depression was comorbid in 35% of participants with previously diagnosed chronic diseases and in 40% of participants with newly diagnosed chronic diseases. Newly diagnosed chronic diseases and lack of medications significantly contributed to depression, but the regression model as a whole explained less than 5% of the variance. Conclusion Because the regression model showed low effect size, we concluded that newly diagnosed chronic diseases and medication shortages could not predict depression in Syrian refugees residing in Jordan. Therefore, further studies of additional factors are recommended. Prompt measures have to be taken to prevent the spread of chronic diseases and improve mental health in this fragile population. PMID:25633485

  6. Odor recognition memory is not idepentently impaired in Parkinson's disease

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boesveldt, S.; Muinck Keizer, de R.J.O.; Wolters, E.C.H.; Berendse, H.W.

    2009-01-01

    The results of previous studies in small groups of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients are inconclusive with regard to the presence of an odor recognition memory impairment in PD. The aim of the present study was to investigate odor recognition memory in PD in a larger group of patients. Odor

  7. Prevalence of chronic kidney disease and progression of disease over time among patients enrolled in the Houston West Nile virus cohort.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melissa S Nolan

    Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: In experimental models of West Nile virus (WNV infection, animals develop chronic kidney infection with histopathological changes in the kidney up to 8-months post-infection. However, the long term pathologic effects of acute infection in humans are largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to assess renal outcomes following WNV infection, specifically the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD. METHODS: In a cohort of 139 study participants with a previous diagnosis of WNV infection, we investigated the prevalence of CKD using the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI criteria based on the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD formula and urinary abnormalities, and assessed various risk factors and biomarkers. RESULTS: Study participants were primarily male (60% and non-Hispanic white (86% with a mean age of 57 years. Most (83% were four to nine years post-infection at the time of this study. Based on the KDOQI definition, 40% of participants had evidence of CKD, with 10% having Stage III or greater and 30% having Stage I-II. By urinary dipstick testing, 26% of patients had proteinuria and 23% had hematuria. Plasma NGAL levels were elevated in 14% of participants while MCP-1 levels were increased in 12%. Over 1.5 years, the average change in eGFR was -3.71 mL/min/1.73 m(2. Only a history of Neuroinvasive WNV disease was independently associated with CKD following multivariate analysis. DISCUSSION: We found a high prevalence of CKD after long term follow-up in a cohort of participants previously infected with WNV. The majority of those with CKD are in Stage I-II indicating early stages of renal disease. Traditional risk factors were not associated with the presence of CKD in this population. Therefore, clinicians should regularly evaluate all patients with a history of WNV for evidence of CKD.

  8. Surgery for diverticular disease results in a higher hernia rate compared to colorectal cancer: a population-based study from Ontario, Canada.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, E S; Robertson, D I; Whitehead, M; Xu, J; Hall, S F

    2017-11-16

    Incisional hernias are a well described complication of abdominal surgery. Previous studies identified malignancy and diverticular disease as risk factors. We compared incisional hernia rates between colon resection for colorectal cancer (CRC) and diverticular disease (DD). We performed a retrospective, population-based, matched cohort study. Provincial databases were linked through the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences. These databases include all patients registered under the universal Ontario Health Insurance Plan. Patients aged 18-105 undergoing open colon resection, without ostomy formation between April 1, 2002 and March 31, 2009, were included. We excluded those with previous surgery, hernia, obstruction, and perforation. The primary outcomes were surgery for hernia repair, or diagnosis of hernia in clinic. We identified 4660 cases of DD. These were matched 2:1 by age and gender to 8933 patients with CRC for a total of 13,593. At 5 years, incisional hernias occurred in 8.3% of patients in the CRC cohort, versus 13.1% of those undergoing surgery for DD. After adjusting for important confounders (comorbidity score, wound infection, age, diabetes, prednisone and chemotherapy), hernias were still more likely in patients with DD [HR 1.58, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.43-1.76, P < 0.001]. The only significant covariate was wound infection (HR 1.63, 95% CI 1.43-1.87, P < 0.001). Our study found that incisional hernias occur more commonly in patients with DD than CRC.

  9. A Patient with Autoimmune Pancreatitis Type 1 with Previously Known Lymphadenopathy, Both in the Context of IgG4-related Disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alidjan, Fazil M; Karim, Faiz; Verdijk, Rob M; van Esser, Joost W; van Heerde, Marianne J

    2015-11-05

    Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is an important clinical pathologic concept of IgG-4-related disease. AIP is a rare cause of chronic pancreatitis, characterized by a fibroinflammatory process by lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates, storiform fibrosis, obliterative phlebitis, and increased IgG4+ plasma cells, leading to dysfunction of the pancreas. Affected patients with AIP frequently have disease affecting other organs or sites with similar histologic changes, elevated IgG4+ plasma cell infiltrate, and good response to corticosteroid therapy. These diseases often are not limited to the pancreas and the pancreas may not be involved at all. We report a 62-year-old man with obstructive jaundice with pre-existent submandibular lymphadenopathy. Diagnosis of AIP was based on diagnostic criteria by the HISORT-criteria in combination with elevated IgG-4 serum levels. CT revealed a focal enlargement of the head of the pancreas, as well as mesenteric peripancreatic and mediastinal lymphadenopathy. He was treated with high-dose steroid in combination with azathioprine and showed good clinical response. We report a case with pre-existent submandibular lymphadenopathy and obstructive jaundice based on AIP type 1, both in the context of IgG4-related disease.

  10. A comparison of morbidity associated with placenta previa with and without previous caesarean sections

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baqai, S.; Siraj, A.; Noor, N.

    2018-01-01

    To compare the morbidity associated with placenta previa with and without previous caesarean sections. Study Design: Retrospective comparative study. Place and Duration of Study: From March 2014 till March 2016 in the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at PNS Shifa hospital Karachi. Material and Methods: After the approval from hospital ethical committee, antenatal patients with singleton pregnancy of gestational age >32 weeks, in the age group of 20-40 years diagnosed to have placenta previa included in the study. All patients with twin pregnancy less than 20 years and more than 40 years of age were excluded. The records of all patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were reviewed. Data had been collected for demographic and maternal variables, placenta previa, history of previous lower segment caesarean section (LSCS), complications associated with placenta previa and techniques used to control blood loss were recorded. Results: During the study period, 6879 patients were delivered in PNS Shifa, out of these, 2060 (29.9%) had caesarean section out of these, 47.3% patients had previous history of LSCS. Thirty three (1.6%) patients were diagnosed to have placenta previa and frequency of placenta previa was significantly higher in patients with previous history of LSCS than previous normal delivery of LSCS i.e. 22 vs. 11 (p=0.023). It was observed that the frequency of morbidly adherent placenta (MAP) and Intensive care unit (ICU) stay were significantly higher in patients with previous history of LSCS than previous history of normal delivery. Conclusion: Frequency of placenta previa was significantly higher in patients with history of LSCS. Also placenta previa remains a major risk factor for various maternal complications. (author)

  11. Peripheral Arterial Disease Study (PERART: Prevalence and predictive values of asymptomatic peripheral arterial occlusive disease related to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bundó Magda

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The early diagnosis of atherosclerotic disease is essential for developing preventive strategies in populations at high risk and acting when the disease is still asymptomatic. A low ankle-arm index (AAI is a good marker of vascular events and may be diminished without presenting symptomatology (silent peripheral arterial disease. The aim of the PERART study (PERipheral ARTerial disease is to determine the prevalence of peripheral arterial disease (both silent and symptomatic in a general population of both sexes and determine its predictive value related to morbimortality (cohort study. Methods/Design This cross-over, cohort study consists of 2 phases: firstly a descriptive, transversal cross-over study to determine the prevalence of peripheral arterial disease, and secondly, a cohort study to evaluate the predictive value of AAI in relation to cardiovascular morbimortality. From September 2006 to June 2007, a total of 3,010 patients over the age of 50 years will be randomly selected from a population adscribed to 24 healthcare centres in the province of Barcelona (Spain. The diagnostic criteria of peripheral arterial disease will be considered as an AAI Discussion In this study we hope to determine the prevalence of peripheral arterial disease, especially the silent forms, in the general population and establish its relationship with cardiovascular morbimortality. A low AAI may be a better marker of arterial disease than the classical cardiovascular risk factors and may, therefore, contribute to improving the predictive value of the equations of cardiovascular risk and thereby allowing optimisation of multifactorial treatment of atherosclerotic disease.

  12. Individualistic values are related to an increase in the outbreaks of infectious diseases and zoonotic diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morand, Serge; Walther, Bruno A

    2018-03-01

    Collectivist versus individualistic values are important attributes of intercultural variation. Collectivist values favour in-group members over out-group members and may have evolved to protect in-group members against pathogen transmission. As predicted by the pathogen stress theory of cultural values, more collectivist countries are associated with a higher historical pathogen burden. However, if lifestyles of collectivist countries indeed function as a social defence which decreases pathogen transmission, then these countries should also have experienced fewer disease outbreaks in recent times. We tested this novel hypothesis by correlating the values of collectivism-individualism for 66 countries against their historical pathogen burden, recent number of infectious disease outbreaks and zoonotic disease outbreaks and emerging infectious disease events, and four potentially confounding variables. We confirmed the previously established negative relationship between individualism and historical pathogen burden with new data. While we did not find a correlation for emerging infectious disease events, we found significant positive correlations between individualism and the number of infectious disease outbreaks and zoonotic disease outbreaks. Therefore, one possible cost for individualistic cultures may be their higher susceptibility to disease outbreaks. We support further studies into the exact protective behaviours and mechanisms of collectivist societies which may inhibit disease outbreaks.

  13. New determinants for gallstone disease?
.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shabanzadeh, Daniel Mønsted

    2018-02-01

    Gallstone disease is highly prevalent in Denmark and other countries of northern Europe, and cholecystectomy for the treatment of clinical gallstone disease is one the most frequently performed surgical procedures. Research efforts for the identification of mechanisms involved in gallstone formation have a long history and the most established include bile cholesterol saturation, gallbladder motor function, and the enterohepatic circulation of secondary bile salts produced by fecal microbiota. A small number of determinants that are believed to affect these mechanisms have been identified until now. However, much of this research on determinants for gallstone disease has been hampered by insufficient study designs and by insufficient assessment of gallstone disease by only assessing the selected minority of people with clinical gallstone disease. 
In a Danish general-population cohort screened for gallstone disease with multiple ultrasound examinations, it was possible to both confirm previously identified determinants and to identify new determinants for gallstone disease. Temporal associations for incident gallstone disease and female sex, BMI, non-HDL cholesterol, and inverse associations for increasing alcohol consumption and cessation of hormone replacement therapy in females were confirmed. New determinants included testosterone and increase in SHBG in males which had directly and inverse associations with incident gallstone disease, respectively. All of the identified determinants for incident gallstone disease found in this thesis can be linked to the three biological mechanisms of gallstone formation.
Other modifiable factors such as tobacco smoking, coffee consumption, dietary habits, physical activity, and blood pressure were not identified as determinants of incident gallstone disease in this thesis. Previous findings from other studies may be hampered by study design without exploration of temporal associations or due to selective assessment of

  14. PHACES syndrome: a review of eight previously unreported cases with late arterial occlusions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bhattacharya, J.J.; Luo, C.B.; Alvarez, H.; Rodesch, G.; Lasjaunias, P.L.; Pongpech, S.

    2004-01-01

    PHACE and PHACES are acronyms for a syndrome of variable expression comprising posterior cranial fossa malformations, facial haemangiomas, arterial anomalies, aortic coarctation and other cardiac disorders, ocular abnormalities and stenotic arterial disease. We review five girls and three boys aged 1 month-14 years with disorders from this spectrum. Six had large facial haemangiomas but recent reports suggest that small haemangiomas may occur; hence our inclusion of two possible cases. We also focus on the recently recognised feature of progressive intracranial arterial occlusions, present in four of our patients, later than previously recognised, from 4 to 14 years of age. We suggest that many elements of this disorder could reflect an abnormality of cell proliferation and apoptosis. (orig.)

  15. Technology-Aided Verbal Instructions to Help Persons with Mild or Moderate Alzheimer's Disease Perform Daily Activities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lancioni, Giulio E.; Singh, Nirbhay N.; O'Reilly, Mark F.; Sigafoos, Jeff; Tatulli, Emanuela; Rigante, Valeria; Zonno, Nadia; Perilli, Viviana; Pinto, Katia; Minervini, Mauro G.

    2010-01-01

    These two studies extended previous research on the use of verbal instructions and support technology for helping persons with mild or moderate Alzheimer's disease perform daily activities. Study I included seven participants who were to carry out one of two previously targeted activities (i.e., either coffee preparation or table setting). Study…

  16. Intake of key chronic disease-related nutrients among baby boomers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    King, Dana E; Xiang, Jun; Brown, Alexander

    2014-06-01

    The dietary habits of baby boomers (people born between 1946 and 1964) undoubtedly will have a substantial impact on their future health; however, dietary information regarding the intake of key chronic disease-related nutrients is lacking for this generation. The objective of this study was to compare the dietary intake of key chronic disease-related nutrients of the baby boomer generation with the previous generation of middle-aged adults. National cross-sectional study comparison analyzing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) including NHANES III (1988-1994) and the NHANES for 2007-2010, focused on adult respondents ages 46 to 64 years who were not institutionalized at the time of each survey. The two cohorts were compared with regard to dietary intake of key nutritional components. The main outcome measures were intake of total calories, sodium, cholesterol, fat, fruits, vegetables, vitamin C, water, and fiber. The baby boomers' average daily intake of nutrients exceeded that of the previous generation of middle-aged adults for total calories (2118/1999), total fat (82/76 g), sodium (3513/3291 mg), and cholesterol (294/262 g; all P generation (P baby boomers compared with the previous generation of middle-aged adults. These findings are indicative of a diet that may contribute to increased rates of chronic disease among individuals in this age group.

  17. Sunburn and sun-protective behaviors among adults with and without previous nonmelanoma skin cancer: a population-based study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fischer, Alexander H.; Wang, Timothy S.; Yenokyan, Gayane; Kang, Sewon; Chien, Anna L.

    2016-01-01

    Background Individuals with previous nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) are at increased risk for subsequent skin cancer, and should therefore limit UV exposure. Objective To determine whether individuals with previous NMSC engage in better sun protection than those with no skin cancer history. Methods We pooled self-reported data (2005 and 2010 National Health Interview Surveys) from US non-Hispanic white adults (758 with and 34,161 without previous NMSC). We calculated adjusted prevalence odds ratios (aPOR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI), taking into account the complex survey design. Results Individuals with previous NMSC versus no history of NMSC had higher rates of frequent use of shade (44.3% versus 27.0%; aPOR=1.41; 1.16–1.71), long sleeves (20.5% versus 7.7%; aPOR=1.55; 1.21–1.98), a wide-brimmed hat (26.1% versus 10.5%; aPOR=1.52; 1.24–1.87), and sunscreen (53.7% versus 33.1%; aPOR=2.11; 95% CI=1.73–2.59), but did not have significantly lower odds of recent sunburn (29.7% versus 40.7%; aPOR=0.95; 0.77–1.17). Among subjects with previous NMSC, recent sunburn was inversely associated with age, sun avoidance, and shade but not sunscreen. Limitations Self-reported cross-sectional data and unavailable information quantifying regular sun exposure. Conclusion Physicians should emphasize sunburn prevention when counseling patients with previous NMSC, especially younger adults, focusing on shade and sun avoidance over sunscreen. PMID:27198078

  18. Drosophila tools and assays for the study of human diseases

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Berrak Ugur

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Many of the internal organ systems of Drosophila melanogaster are functionally analogous to those in vertebrates, including humans. Although humans and flies differ greatly in terms of their gross morphological and cellular features, many of the molecular mechanisms that govern development and drive cellular and physiological processes are conserved between both organisms. The morphological differences are deceiving and have led researchers to undervalue the study of invertebrate organs in unraveling pathogenic mechanisms of diseases. In this review and accompanying poster, we highlight the physiological and molecular parallels between fly and human organs that validate the use of Drosophila to study the molecular pathogenesis underlying human diseases. We discuss assays that have been developed in flies to study the function of specific genes in the central nervous system, heart, liver and kidney, and provide examples of the use of these assays to address questions related to human diseases. These assays provide us with simple yet powerful tools to study the pathogenic mechanisms associated with human disease-causing genes.

  19. Hemodynamic comparison of stent configurations used for aortoiliac occlusive disease

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Groot Jebbink, Erik; Mathai, Varghese; Boersen, Johannes Thomas; Sun, Chao; Slump, Cornelis H.; Goverde, Peter C.J.M.; Versluis, Michel; Reijnen, Michel M.P.J.

    Background Endovascular treatment of aortoiliac occlusive disease entails the use of multiple stents to reconstruct the aortic bifurcation. Different configurations have been applied and geometric variations exist, as quantified in previous work. Other studies concluded that specific stent geometry

  20. Gefitinib plus cisplatin and radiotherapy in previously untreated head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: A phase II, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gregoire, Vincent; Hamoir, Marc; Chen Changhu; Kane, Madeleine; Kawecki, Andrzej; Julka, Pramod K.; Wang, Hung-Ming; Prasad, Srihari; D'Cruz, Anil K.; Radosevic-Jelic, Ljiljana; Kumar, Rejnish R.; Korzeniowski, Stanislaw; Fijuth, Jacek; Machiels, Jean-Pascal; Sellers, Mark V.; Tchakov, Ilian; Raben, David

    2011-01-01

    Background and purpose: To assess the efficacy and safety of gefitinib given concomitantly and/or as maintenance therapy to standard cisplatin/radiotherapy for previously untreated, unresected, stage III/IV non-metastatic SCCHN. Materials and methods: In this phase II, double-blind, study, 226 patients were randomized to gefitinib 250 mg/day, 500 mg/day or placebo in two phases: a concomitant phase (gefitinib or placebo with chemoradiotherapy), followed by a maintenance phase (gefitinib or placebo alone). Primary endpoint was local disease control rate (LDCR) at 2 years; secondary endpoints were LDCR at 1 year, objective response rate, progression-free survival, overall survival, and safety and tolerability. Results: Gefitinib (250 and 500 mg/day) did not improve 2-year LDCR compared with placebo either when given concomitantly with chemoradiotherapy (32.7% vs. 33.6%, respectively; OR 0.921, 95% CI 0.508, 1.670 [1-sided p = 0.607]) or as maintenance therapy (28.8% vs. 37.4%, respectively; OR 0.684, 95% CI 0.377, 1.241 [1-sided p = 0.894]). Secondary efficacy outcomes were broadly consistent with the 2-year LDCR results. In both doses, gefitinib was well-tolerated and did not adversely affect the safety and tolerability of concomitant chemoradiotherapy. Conclusion: Gefitinib was well-tolerated, but did not improve efficacy compared with placebo when given concomitantly with chemoradiotherapy, or as maintenance therapy alone.

  1. Previous experiences and emotional baggage as barriers to lifestyle change - a qualitative study of Norwegian Healthy Life Centre participants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Følling, Ingrid S; Solbjør, Marit; Helvik, Anne-S

    2015-06-23

    Changing lifestyle is challenging and difficult. The Norwegian Directorate of Health recommends that all municipalities establish Healthy Life Centres targeted to people with lifestyle issues. Little is known about the background, experiences and reflections of participants. More information is needed about participants to shape effective lifestyle interventions with lasting effect. This study explores how participants in a lifestyle intervention programme describe previous life experiences in relation to changing lifestyle. Semi-structured qualitative in-depth interviews were performed with 23 participants (16 women and 7 men) aged 18 - 70 years. The data were analysed using systematic text condensation searching for issues describing participants' responses, and looking for the essence, aiming to share the basis of life-world experiences as valid knowledge. Participants identified two main themes: being stuck in old habits, and being burdened with emotional baggage from their previous negative experiences. Participants expressed a wish to change their lifestyles, but were unable to act in accordance with the health knowledge they possessed. Previous experiences with lifestyle change kept them from initiating attempts without professional assistance. Participants also described being burdened by an emotional baggage with problems from childhood and/or with family, work and social life issues. Respondents said that they felt that emotional baggage was an important explanation for why they were stuck in old habits and that conversely, being stuck in old habits added load to their already emotional baggage and made it heavier. Behavioural change can be hard to perform as psychological distress from life baggage can influence the ability to change. The study participants' experience of being stuck in old habits and having substantial emotional baggage raises questions as to whether or not Healthy Life Centres are able to help participants who need to make a lifestyle

  2. Previous Fractures at Multiple Sites Increase the Risk for Subsequent Fractures: The Global Longitudinal Study of Osteoporosis in Women

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gehlbach, Stephen; Saag, Kenneth G.; Adachi, Jonathan D.; Hooven, Fred H.; Flahive, Julie; Boonen, Steven; Chapurlat, Roland D.; Compston, Juliet E.; Cooper, Cyrus; Díez-Perez, Adolfo; Greenspan, Susan L.; LaCroix, Andrea Z.; Netelenbos, J. Coen; Pfeilschifter, Johannes; Rossini, Maurizio; Roux, Christian; Sambrook, Philip N.; Silverman, Stuart; Siris, Ethel S.; Watts, Nelson B.; Lindsay, Robert

    2016-01-01

    Previous fractures of the hip, spine, or wrist are well-recognized predictors of future fracture, but the role of other fracture sites is less clear. We sought to assess the relationship between prior fracture at 10 skeletal locations and incident fracture. The Global Longitudinal Study of Osteoporosis in Women (GLOW) is an observational cohort study being conducted in 17 physician practices in 10 countries. Women ≥ 55 years answered questionnaires at baseline and at 1 and/or 2 years (fractures in previous year). Of 60,393 women enrolled, follow-up data were available for 51,762. Of these, 17.6%, 4.0%, and 1.6% had suffered 1, 2, or ≥3 fractures since age 45. During the first 2 years of follow-up, 3149 women suffered 3683 incident fractures. Compared with women with no prior fractures, women with 1, 2, or ≥ 3 prior fractures were 1.8-, 3.0-, and 4.8-fold more likely to have any incident fracture; those with ≥3 prior fractures were 9.1-fold more likely to sustain a new vertebral fracture. Nine of 10 prior fracture locations were associated with an incident fracture. The strongest predictors of incident spine and hip fractures were prior spine fracture (hazard ratio 7.3) and hip (hazard ratio 3.5). Prior rib fractures were associated with a 2.3-fold risk of subsequent vertebral fracture, previous upper leg fracture predicted a 2.2-fold increased risk of hip fracture; women with a history of ankle fracture were at 1.8-fold risk of future fracture of a weight-bearing bone. Our findings suggest that a broad range of prior fracture sites are associated with an increased risk of incident fractures, with important implications for clinical assessments and risk model development. PMID:22113888

  3. Epidemiology of rheumatic diseases in Mixtec and Chontal indigenous communities in Mexico: a cross-sectional community-based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Julián-Santiago, Flor; García-García, Conrado; García-Olivera, Imelda; Goycochea-Robles, María Victoria; Pelaez-Ballestas, Ingris

    2016-07-01

    This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders and rheumatic diseases in the Chontal and Mixtec indigenous communities in the state of Oaxaca, Mexico, using the Community-Oriented Program for the Control of Rheumatic Diseases (COPCORD) methodology. After cross-culturally validating the COPCORD questionnaire for these communities, we conducted a cross-sectional, analytical, community-based census study using a house-to-house method. Positive cases of MSK disorders were assessed by primary care physicians and rheumatologists. The study population included participants aged ≥18 years from the indigenous communities of San Antonio Huitepec and San Carlos Yautepec. A total of 1061 persons participated in the study. Mean age was 46.9 years (standard deviation 19.9; age range 18-97 years); 642 (60.5 %) were women; 483 participants (45.5; 42.4-48.5 %) had MSK pain in the previous 7 days. Diagnoses were back pain 170 (16.0 %; 95 % confidence interval [CI] 13.8-18.3); osteoarthritis 157 (14.7 %; 95 % CI 12.7-17.0); rheumatic regional pain syndrome 53 (4.9 %; 95 % CI 3.7-6.4); rheumatoid arthritis 4 (0.3 %; 95 % CI 0.1-0.9); dermatomyositis 1 (0.09 %; 95 % CI 0.0-0.5); ankylosing spondylitis 1 (0.09 %; 95 % CI 0.0-0.5); systemic lupus erythematosus 1 (0.09 %; 95 % CI 0.02-0.5); and gout 1 (0.09 %; 95 % CI 0.0-0.5). 53.2 % had not received medical treatment for their disease. The prevalence of MSK disorders in indigenous communities in the Mixtec and Chontal regions is very high. The most common rheumatic diseases found were back pain and osteoarthritis. A high percentage of participants had not received medical care.

  4. Structural changes of central white matter tracts in Kennedy's disease - a diffusion tensor imaging and voxel-based morphometry study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pieper, C C; Konrad, C; Sommer, J; Teismann, I; Schiffbauer, H

    2013-05-01

    Spinobulbar muscular atrophy [Kennedy's disease (KD)] is a rare X-linked neurodegenerative disorder of mainly spinal and bulbar motoneurons. Recent studies suggest a multisystem character of this disease. The aim of this study was to identify and characterize structural changes of gray (GM) and white matter (WM) in the central nervous system. Whole-brain-based voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) analyses were applied to MRI data of eight genetically proven patients with KD and compared with 16 healthy age-matched controls. Diffusion tensor imaging analysis showed not only decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) values in the brainstem, but also widespread changes in central WM tracts, whereas VBM analysis of the WM showed alterations primarily in the brainstem and cerebellum. There were no changes in GM volume. The FA value decrease in the brainstem correlated with the disease duration. Diffusion tensor imaging analysis revealed subtle changes of central WM tract integrity, while GM and WM volume remained unaffected. In our patient sample, KD had more extended effects than previously reported. These changes could either be attributed primarily to neurodegeneration or reflect secondary plastic changes due to atrophy of lower motor neurons and reorganization of cortical structures. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

  5. What do patients with urothelial cancer know about the association of their tumor disease with smoking habits? Results of a German survey study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthias May

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: Smoking represents a primary risk factor for the development of urothelial carcinoma (UC and a relevant factor impacting UC-specific prognosis. Data on the accordant knowledge of UC-patients in this regard and the significance of physicians in the education of UC-patients is limited. Materials and Methods: Eighty-eight UC-patients were enrolled in a 23-items-survey-study aimed to analyse patient knowledge and awareness of their tumor disease with smoking along with physician smoking cessation counselling. Results: The median age of the study patients was 69 years; 26.1% (n=23, 46.6% (n=41, and 27.3% (n=24, respectively, were non-smokers, previous, and active smokers. Exactly 50% of active smokers reported a previous communication with a physician about the association of smoking and their tumor disease; however, only 25.0% were aware of smoking as main risk factor for UC development. Merely 33% of the active smokers had been prompted directly by their physicians to quit smoking. About 42% of active smokers had received the information that maintaining smoking could result in a tumor-specific impairment of their prognosis. Closely 29% of active and about 5% of previous smokers (during the time-period of active smoking had been offered support from physicians for smoking cessation. No association was found between smoking anamnesis (p=0.574 and pack-years (p=0.912, respectively, and tumor stage of UC. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that the medical conversation of physicians with UC-patients about the adverse significance of smoking is limited. Implementation of structured educational programs for smoking cessation may be an opportunity to further enhance comprehensive cancer care.

  6. Celiac disease in patients with Williams-Beuren syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mıhçı, Ercan; Nur, Banu Güzel; Berker-Karaüzüm, Sibel; Yılmaz, Aygen; Artan, Reha

    2015-01-01

    Celiac disease is an autoimmune, gastrointestinal disorder characterized by intolerance to the dietary grain protein gluten. An increased prevalence of celiac disease has been reported in Down syndrome and Turner syndrome, but there has been only few previous reports with respect to the association of celiac disease in Williams-Beuren syndrome. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of celiac disease in our 24 Williams-Beuren syndrome patients. Gastrointestinal problems and celiac disease symptoms of patients were noted. All patients were analyzed by the titer of tissue transglutaminases IgA and IgG. HLA genotyping and intestinal biopsy was performed to the patients with positive serology. We also performed gluten free diet in the presence of compatible symptoms, serology, HLA genotyping and intestinal biopsy. In our study, two patients had positive tTG antibodies, but only one had positive biopsy finding for celiac disease. The frequency of celiac disease in patients with Williams-Beuren syndrome was estimated as 1/24 (4.1%). Though the number of participants in this study was limited, the results show that the frequency of celiac disease is higher in Williams-Beuren syndrome compared to the general population. We suggest that a high suspicion and testing for celiac disease should be recommended at certain intervals in all cases with Williams-Beuren syndrome to detect the cause of growth retardation and gastrointestinal problems.

  7. Modeling of cognitive impairment by disease duration in multiple sclerosis: a cross-sectional study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anat Achiron

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND/AIMS: Large-scale population studies measuring rates and dynamics of cognitive decline in multiple sclerosis (MS are lacking. In the current cross-sectional study we evaluated the patterns of cognitive impairment in MS patients with disease duration of up to 30 years. METHODS: 1,500 patients with MS were assessed by a computerized cognitive battery measuring verbal and non-verbal memory, executive function, visual spatial perception, verbal function, attention, information processing speed and motor skills. Cognitive impairment was defined as below one standard deviation (SD and severe cognitive impairment as below 2SD for age and education matched healthy population norms. RESULTS: Cognitive performance in our cohort was poorer than healthy population norms. The most frequently impaired domains were information processing speed and executive function. MS patients with secondary-progressive disease course performed poorly compared with clinically isolated syndrome, relapsing-remitting and primary progressive MS patients. By the fifth year from disease onset, 20.9% of patients performed below the 1SD cutoff for impairment, p=0.005, and 6.0% performed below the 2SD cutoff for severe cognitive impairment, p=0.002. By 10 years from onset 29.3% and 9.0% of patients performed below the 1SD and 2SD cutoffs, respectively, p=0.0001. Regression modeling suggested that cognitive impairment may precede MS onset by 1.2 years. CONCLUSIONS: The rates of cognitive impairment in this large sample of MS patients were lower than previously reported and severe cognitive impairment was evident only in a relatively small group of patients. Cognitive impairment differed significantly from expected normal distribution only at five years from onset, suggesting the existence of a therapeutic window during which patients may benefit from interventions to maintain cognitive health.

  8. Association of Sleep Disorders with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD): A Population-based Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mir, Heshaam M; Stepanova, Maria; Afendy, Hena; Cable, Rebecca; Younossi, Zobair M

    2013-09-01

    Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major cause of chronic liver disease. In smaller studies, sleep apnea has been previously associated with NAFLD. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and independent associations of sleep disorders in patients with NAFLD using recent population-based data. Three cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted between 2005 and 2010 were used. The diagnosis of NAFLD was established as elevated liver enzymes in the absence of all other causes of chronic liver disease. Sleep disorders were diagnosed using sleep disorder questionnaires completed by NHANES participants, and included self-reported history of sleep apnea, insomnia, and restless leg syndrome. The prevalence of sleep disorders was compared between those with and without NAFLD. A total of 10,541 adult NHANES participants with complete demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were included. Of those, 15.0% had NAFLD and 7.2% reported having sleep disorders. Of those with sleep disorders, 64.7% reported history of sleep apnea, 16.0% had history of insomnia, and 4.0% had restless leg syndrome. Individuals with NAFLD were more likely to be male (53.8% vs. 45.7%, P < 0.0001), obese (50.1% vs. 33.4%, P < 0.0001) and had higher prevalence of sleep disorders (9.1% vs. 6.9%, P = 0.0118). In multivariate analysis, having any sleep disorder, sleep apnea and insomnia were all independently associated with NAFLD [OR (95% CI) = 1.40 (1.11-1.76), OR = 1.39 (0.98-1.97), and OR = 2.17 (1.19-3.95); respectively)]. This large population-based data suggests that NAFLD is associated with sleep disorders. Although the exact mechanism is unknown, this association is most likely through metabolic conditions associated with NAFLD.

  9. In silico studies in drug research against neurodegenerative diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Makhouri, Farahnaz Rezaei; Ghasemi, Jahan B

    2017-08-22

    Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), progressive neurodegenerative forms of Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, spinal cerebellar ataxias, and spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy are described by slow and selective dysfunction and degeneration of neurons and axons in the central nervous system (CNS). Computer-aided or in silico design methods have matured into powerful tools for reducing the number of ligands that should be screened in experimental assays. In the present review, the authors provide a basic background about neurodegenerative diseases and in silico techniques in the drug research. Furthermore, they review the various in silico studies reported against various targets in neurodegenerative diseases, including homology modeling, molecular docking, virtual high-throughput screening, quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR), hologram quantitative structure activity relationship (HQSAR), 3D pharmacophore mapping, proteochemometrics modeling (PCM), fingerprints, fragment-based drug discovery, Monte Carlo simulation, molecular dynamic (MD) simulation, quantum-mechanical methods for drug design, support vector machines, and machine learning approaches. Neurodegenerative diseases have a multifactorial pathoetiological origin, so scientists have become persuaded that a multi-target therapeutic strategy aimed at the simultaneous targeting of multiple proteins (and therefore etiologies) involved in the development of a disease is recommended in future. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

  10. Prevalence and management of patients using medication targeting obstructive lung disease: A cross-sectional study in primary healthcare in Greenland

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    Dorte Ejg Jarbøl

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available Objective. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalent use of drugs targeting obstructive lung diseases among adults aged 50 or above in Greenland and to assess the use of spirometry testing among these medication users. Study design. Observational cross-sectional study based on reviews of electronic medical records. Methods. The study was performed in the 6 largest primary healthcare clinics in Greenland, representing approximately 67.0% of the population in Greenland. Adults aged 50 years or above, who had at least one electronically prescribed drug targeting obstructive lung diseases within a 15-month time interval, were identified. We assessed whether a spirometry test was registered in their medical records within previous 2- and 4-year periods. Results. A total of 565 persons were identified. This corresponds to a prevalent medication use of 6.1% (565/9,023 among adults aged 50 years or above. Among these medication users, 14.1% (80/565 had a spirometry test performed within 2 years. Within the 4-year period this increased to 17.9% (101/565. Conclusion. The use of medication targeting obstructive lung diseases in Greenland among adults aged 50 years or above is common. However, spirometry testing among medication users is low and interventions aiming to increase focus on spirometry testing should be integrated in the primary healthcare system.

  11. Possible health effects of caffeinated coffee consumption on Alzheimer's disease and cardiovascular disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    You, Dong-Chul; Kim, Young-Soon; Ha, Ae-Wha; Lee, Yu-Na; Kim, Soo-Min; Kim, Chun-Heum; Lee, Seung-Ha; Choi, Dalwoong; Lee, Jae-Min

    2011-03-01

    Coffee has been known to have both beneficial and harmful effects upon health. Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages, worldwide. Dementia/Alzheimer's disease (AD) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are public health problems that are rapidly increasing in the aging population. Due to the high consumption of coffee, even small effects on an individual's health could have a large effect on public health.The aim of this review article is to provide an overview of previously published studies of coffee consumption on health. Herein, we focus on epidemiological and experimental findings to investigate whether coffee-drinking habits, and/or the quantity of coffee consumption, have any relationship to CVD, dementia/AD, and other chronic diseases. Although the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood, when comparing coffee drinkers with non-drinkers, moderate doses of caffeine showed protective effects against CVD and AD. We hypothesized that caffeine may be a novel therapy to treat CVD and dementia/AD.

  12. Comparative assessment of the prevalence of periodontal disease in subjects with and without systemic autoimmune diseases: A case-control study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramesh Kumar, S G; Aswath Narayanan, M B; Jayanthi, D

    2016-01-01

    Immune mechanism shares a common pathway both for systemic autoimmune diseases and periodontal diseases. Scientific exploration of literature revealed limited studies on the association between systemic autoimmune diseases and periodontal diseases in India. The aim of the study is to find whether the presence of systemic autoimmune diseases in an individual is a risk factor for the development of periodontal disease. This was a hospital-based case-control study. A sample of 253 patients with systemic autoimmune diseases, attending the Rheumatology Department of Government General Hospital, Chennai-3, and 262 patients without systemic autoimmune diseases, attending the outpatient department of the Tamil Nadu Government Dental College and Hospital, Chennai-3, constituted the case and control groups, respectively. Age, gender, and oral hygiene status matching was done. Oral hygiene status was assessed using oral hygiene index (OHI) and periodontal status was assessed using community periodontal index (CPI) and loss of attachment (LOA) index. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 15 (SPSS Inc, 2006, Chicago). Results showed 99.2% and 73.9% prevalence of gingivitis and periodontitis, respectively, in the case group as compared to 85.5% and 14.9%, respectively, in the control group. There is no linear relationship between OHI scores and prevalence of periodontitis (CPI and LOA scores) in the case group. Patients suffering from systemic autoimmune diseases showed more prevalence of periodontal diseases irrespective of oral hygiene scores. It is postulated that the presence of systemic autoimmune diseases may pose a risk for the development of periodontal diseases.

  13. Influenza and Pneumonia Vaccination Rates and Factors Affecting Vaccination among Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

    OpenAIRE

    Aka Akt?rk, ?lk?; G?rek Dilekta?l?, Asl?; ?eng?l, Aysun; Musaffa Salep?i, Banu; Oktay, Nuray; D?ger, Mustafa; Ar?k Ta?y?kan, Hale; Durmu? Ko?ak, Nagihan

    2017-01-01

    Background: Influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations are recommended in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients to decrease associated risks at all stages. Although the prevalence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is high in our country, as previously reported, vaccination rates are low. Aims: To assess the vaccination rates of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients and factors that may affect these. Study Design: Multi-centre cross-sectional study. Methods: Patients admi...

  14. Paradoxical reaction to the treatment of tuberculosis uncovering previously silent meningeal disease Reação paradoxal ao tratamento da tuberculose revelando doença meníngea previamente silenciosa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Walter A. Eyer-Silva

    2002-02-01

    Full Text Available The development of paradoxical clinical worsening following initiation of tuberculosis treatment may complicate the clinical course of both HIV-infected and uninfected patients. We report a severe manifestation of the so called paradoxical reaction to the treatment of tuberculosis that unmasked previously silent meningeal disease in a 34-year-old HIV-infected male patient.O desenvolvimento de piora clínica paradoxal como resposta ao início do tratamento da tuberculose pode complicar a evolução de pacientes com e sem infecção pelo HIV. Apresentamos uma grave manifestação da chamada reação paradoxal ao tratamento da tuberculose, que revelou doença meníngea previamente silenciosa em um paciente HIV-positivo de 34 anos.

  15. Previous dropout from diabetic care as a predictor of patients' willingness to use mobile applications for self-management: A cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamaguchi, Satoko; Waki, Kayo; Tomizawa, Nobuko; Waki, Hironori; Nannya, Yasuhito; Nangaku, Masaomi; Kadowaki, Takashi; Ohe, Kazuhiko

    2017-07-01

    Preventing dropout is crucial in managing diabetes. Accordingly, we investigated whether patients who had dropped out of diabetic care are suitable candidates for the use of mobile technologies - such as smartphone applications - to support self-management (mHealth), which might help prevent dropout. We carried out a cross-sectional study in Tokyo, Japan. Patients aged 20 years or older who were clinically diagnosed as diabetic and who regularly visited the outpatient unit at the University of Tokyo Hospital were recruited between August 2014 and March 2015. Data were collected through face-to-face structured interviews, physical measurements and medical records. Participants were asked whether they were willing to use mHealth after being shown DialBetics - an mHealth application for diabetics - as an example, and about their history of dropout and previous mHealth experience. Data were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression models. Of 307 patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, 34 (11.1%) had previously dropped out from diabetic care. Multivariate analysis identified previous mHealth experience as a negative predictor of dropout (odds ratio 0.211, P = 0.023). Of those 34 patients, 27 (79.4%) expressed willingness to use mHealth, a significantly higher percentage than for those who had never dropped out (51.5%, P = 0.002). After adjusting for confounders, history of dropout remained a strong predictor of willingness (odds ratio 3.870, P = 0.004). Patients who previously dropped out of diabetic care are suitable candidates for mHealth. Future studies must evaluate whether mHealth is effective for preventing repeated dropout and improving glycemic control among this population. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Diabetes Investigation published by Asian Association for the Study of Diabetes (AASD) and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  16. Aging and Alzheimer's Disease: Lessons from the Nun Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Snowdon, David A.

    1997-01-01

    Describes a woman who maintained high cognitive test scores until her death at 101 years of age despite anatomical evidence of Alzheimer's disease. The woman was part of a larger "Nun Study" in which 678 sisters donated their brains to teach others about the etiology of aging and Alzheimer's disease. Findings are discussed. (RJM)

  17. A happy valve in a happy patient? Serotonergic antidepressants and the risk of valvular heart disease (SERVAL). A case-control study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Backer, Tine; Petrovic, Mirko; Audenaert, Kurt; Coeman, Mathieu; De Bacquer, Dirk

    2016-02-01

    The objective was to investigate the risk of valvular heart disease in humans in relation to the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors. A case-control study. We conducted a case-control study within this cohort in which patients with newly diagnosed cardiac valve regurgitation were age-matched to controls. Patient demographics, their cardiovascular risk factors and medication use were extracted in both series. Use of SSRIs, serotonin and noradreline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) and other pro-serotonergic agents, their dose and treatment duration were recorded. Logistic regression analysis was used to establish the strength of the association between SSRI/SNRI use and valvular heart disease. Outpatient clinic of the cardiology department at the Ghent University Hospital, East-Flanders in Belgium. Total of 2911 persons 21-58 years of age who had undergone an echocardiogram in the period 2006-2010 and had no known cardiovascular disease or previous cardiac intervention. Two hundred and six echocardiographically proven cases of valvular regurgitation and 195 matched controls. Odd ratio of valvular disease associated with intake of serotonergic drugs. Of the 206 patients with newly diagnosed cardiac valve regurgitation, 11.6% were exposed to serotonergic agents compared to 4.1% in the 195 control patients, leading to an odds ratio of 3.08 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.35-7.04). The analysis of doses and treatment durations revealed a dose-relationship pattern between SSRI/SNRI use and prevalent valvular heart disease. In this study, use of serotonergic antidepressants was associated with an increased rate of valvular regurgitation in humans.

  18. PET studies in Alzheimer disease and other degenerative dementias

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jeong, Yong; Na, Duk L.

    2003-01-01

    Neurodegenerative disorders cause a variety of dementia including Alzheimer disease, frontotemporal dementia, dementia with Lewy bodies, corticobasal degeneration, progressive supranuclear palsy, and Huntington's disease. PET scan is useful for early detection and differential diagnosis of theses dementing disorders. Also, it provides valuable information about clinico-anatomical correlation, allowing better understanding of function of brain. Here we discuss recent achievements PET studies regarding these dementing disorders. Future progress in PET technology, new tracers, and image analysis will play an important role in further clarifying the disease pathophysiology and brain functions

  19. The Association between Residence Floor Level and Cardiovascular Disease: The Health and Environment in Oslo Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rohde, Mads K; Aamodt, Geir

    2016-01-01

    Background. Increasingly more people live in tall buildings and on higher floor levels. Factors relating to floor level may protect against or cause cardiovascular disease (CVD). Only one previous study has investigated the association between floor level and CVD. Methods. We studied associations between floor of bedroom and self-reported history of stroke, venous thromboembolism (VTE), and intermittent claudication (IC) among 12.525 inhabitants in Oslo, Norway. We fitted multivariate logistic regression models and adjusted for sociodemographic variables, socioeconomic status (SES), and health behaviors. Additionally, we investigated block apartment residents ( N = 5.374) separately. Results. Trend analyses showed that disease prevalence increased by floor level, for all three outcomes. When we investigated block apartment residents alone, the trends disappeared, but one association remained: higher odds of VTE history on 6th floor or higher, compared to basement and 1st floor (OR: 1.504; 95% CI: 1.007-2.247). Conclusion. Floor level is positively associated with CVD, in Oslo. The best-supported explanation may be residual confounding by building height and SES. Another explanation, about the impact of atmospheric electricity, is also presented. The results underline a need to better understand the associations between residence floor level and CVD and multistory housing and CVD.

  20. [Comparison of the present and previously used protocol of risk stratification in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glodkowska, Eliza; Bialas, Agnieszka; Jackowska, Teresa

    2007-01-01

    Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is one of the most common cancers in children. In Poland, since November 2002 a new protocol of risk stratification has been recommended for assessment of risk factors and for choosing therapy regimens. assessment of accuracy of protocol ALL-IC 2002 in comparison to previously used risk stratification protocols. ALL was diagnosed in 100 children (44 girls, 56 boys; 1-18 years of age) in the Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Warsaw Medical University, over the period from November 2002 to November 2006. According to the ALL-IC 2002 protocol the patients were divided into three risk groups: SR-standard, IR-intermediate and HR-high. The stratification was by age, leukocyte count, cytogenetic changes, early response to prednisone therapy and bone marrow remission. In the previously used risk stratification protocols-BFM-90, only hepatosplenomegaly and the number of blasts in peripheral blood (PB) were considered, and the patients were divided into three risk groups: low (LRG1.2). out of the 100 patients qualified for treatment regimens according to the ALL-IC 2002 protocol, 97 entered remission, 11 died and 3 had a relapse. Under the ALL-IC 2002 protocol these children were stratified into the following groups: SR-31%, IR-44% and HR-25%. In the previously used stratification, there would be 26% children in low, 46% in the medium and 28% in the high risk group. According to the BFM-90 protocol 18/31 (58%) and 16/44 (36%) patients from the SR and IR groups respectively would be given more intensive treatment. On the other hand 11/44 (25%) and 14/25 (56%) patients from the IR and HR groups respectively would be given less intensive treatment. 1. ALL-IC 2002 protocol in comparison with the previously used protocol BFM-90, changes the qualification of children with ALL for the SR, IR and HR risk groups. This is linked to basic change of treatment protocol, adequate to severity of disease. 2. Children with ALL qualified

  1. Meta-Analysis of Genome-Wide Association Studies for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Identifies Four New Disease-Specific Risk Loci

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Jones, G.T.; Tromp, G.; Kuivaniemi, H.; Gretarsdottir, S.; Baas, A.F.; Giusti, B.; Strauss, E.; Hof, F.N. van 't; Webb, T.R.; Erdman, R.; Ritchie, M.D.; Elmore, J.R.; Verma, A.; Pendergrass, S.; Kullo, I.J.; Ye, Z.; Peissig, P.L.; Gottesman, O.; Verma, S.S.; Malinowski, J.; Rasmussen-Torvik, L.J.; Borthwick, K.M.; Smelser, D.T.; Crosslin, D.R.; Andrade, M. de; Ryer, E.J.; McCarty, C.A.; Bottinger, E.P.; Pacheco, J.A.; Crawford, D.C.; Carrell, D.S.; Gerhard, G.S.; Franklin, D.P.; Carey, D.J.; Phillips, V.L.; Williams, M.J.; Wei, W.; Blair, R.; Hill, A.A.; Vasudevan, T.M.; Lewis, D.R.; Thomson, I.A.; Krysa, J.; Hill, G.B.; Roake, J.; Merriman, T.R.; Oszkinis, G.; Galora, S.; Saracini, C.; Abbate, R.; Pulli, R.; Pratesi, C.; Saratzis, A.; Verissimo, A.R.; Bumpstead, S.; Badger, S.A.; Clough, R.E.; Cockerill, G.; Hafez, H.; Scott, D.J.; Futers, T.S.; Romaine, S.P.; Bridge, K.; Griffin, K.J.; Bailey, M.A.; Smith, A.; Thompson, M.M.; Bockxmeer, F.M. van; Matthiasson, S.E.; Thorleifsson, G.; Thorsteinsdottir, U.; Blankensteijn, J.D.; Teijink, J.A.; Wijmenga, C.; Graaf, J. de; Kiemeney, L.A.L.M.; Lindholt, J.S.; Hughes, A.; Bradley, D.T.; Stirrups, K.; Golledge, J.; Norman, P.E.; Powell, J.T.; Humphries, S.E.; Hamby, S.E.; Goodall, A.H.; Nelson, C.P.; Sakalihasan, N.; Courtois, A.; Ferrell, R.E.; Eriksson, P.; Folkersen, L.; Franco-Cereceda, A.; Eicher, J.D.; Johnson, A.D.; Betsholtz, C.; Ruusalepp, A.; Franzen, O.; Schadt, E.E.; Bjorkegren, J.L.; et al.,

    2017-01-01

    RATIONALE: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a complex disease with both genetic and environmental risk factors. Together, 6 previously identified risk loci only explain a small proportion of the heritability of AAA. OBJECTIVE: To identify additional AAA risk loci using data from all available

  2. Addison's disease symptoms--a cross sectional study in urban South Africa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ross, Ian Louis; Levitt, Naomi S

    2013-01-01

    Addison's disease is a potentially life-threatening disorder, and prompt diagnosis, and introduction of steroid replacement has resulted in near normal life-expectancy. There are limited data describing the clinical presentation of Addison's disease in South Africa. It is hypothesised that patients may present in advanced state of ill-health, compared to Western countries. A national database of patients was compiled from primary care, referral centres and private practices. 148 patients were enrolled (97 white, 34 mixed ancestry, 5 Asian and 12 black). Demographic and clinical data were elicited using questionnaires. Biochemical data were obtained from folder reviews and laboratory archived results. The majority of the cohort was women (62%). The median and inter-quartile age range (IQR) of patients at enrolment was 46.0 (32.0-61.0) years, with a wide range from 2.8-88.0 years. The median and IQR age at initial diagnosis was 34.0 (20.0-45.0) years (range 0.02-77.0) years, indicating that at the time of enrolment, the patients, on average, were diagnosed with Addison's disease 12 years previously. Hyperpigmentation was observed in 76%, nausea and vomiting occurred in more than 40%, and weight loss was noted in 25%. Loss of consciousness as a presenting feature was recorded in 20%. with a 95% confidence interval [CI] of (14-28%) and shock occurred in 5% CI (1.5-8.5%). Case-finding was recorded at 3.1 per million. The usual constellation of hyperpigmentation, nausea, vomiting and weight loss suggests Addison's disease, but a significant proportion present with an advanced state of ill-health and Addisonian crises. A lower prevalence rate, compared to Western countries is suggested.

  3. The study on risk factor of metabolic diseases in pancreatic steatosis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cho, Jin Young; Ye, Soo Young; Kim, Dong Hyun [Dept. of Radiological Science, College of Health Sciences, Catholic University of Pusan, Busan (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-03-15

    The body of the fat tissue increased in obese represented by risk factors such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, metabolic disease and dyslipidemia. Such metabolic diseases and the like of the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, hypertension, dyslipidemia, increase in the adipose tissue of the pancreas is known to be a risk factor of these diseases. Study on the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer was conducted actively, case studies on pancreatic steatosis is not much. In this study, divided into a control group diagnosed with pancreatic steatosis as a result of ultrasonography to evaluation the physical characteristics and serologic tests and blood pressure and arterial stiffness. The control group and the test pancreas steatosis age and waist circumference, body mass index, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, arterial elasticity is higher in pancreatic steatosis. And the lower ankle brachial stenosis and HDLcholesterol were lower than the normal control group, so the pancreatic steatosis harmful to blood vessels.(P <0.05). The difference between the control group and it was confirmed that the pancreatic jibanggun statistically significant. In conclusion, pancreatic steatosis at abdominal ultrasound can predict the risk of metabolic diseases, and there was a correlation with cardiovascular disease.

  4. The study on risk factor of metabolic diseases in pancreatic steatosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cho, Jin Young; Ye, Soo Young; Kim, Dong Hyun

    2016-01-01

    The body of the fat tissue increased in obese represented by risk factors such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, metabolic disease and dyslipidemia. Such metabolic diseases and the like of the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, hypertension, dyslipidemia, increase in the adipose tissue of the pancreas is known to be a risk factor of these diseases. Study on the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer was conducted actively, case studies on pancreatic steatosis is not much. In this study, divided into a control group diagnosed with pancreatic steatosis as a result of ultrasonography to evaluation the physical characteristics and serologic tests and blood pressure and arterial stiffness. The control group and the test pancreas steatosis age and waist circumference, body mass index, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, arterial elasticity is higher in pancreatic steatosis. And the lower ankle brachial stenosis and HDLcholesterol were lower than the normal control group, so the pancreatic steatosis harmful to blood vessels.(P <0.05). The difference between the control group and it was confirmed that the pancreatic jibanggun statistically significant. In conclusion, pancreatic steatosis at abdominal ultrasound can predict the risk of metabolic diseases, and there was a correlation with cardiovascular disease

  5. Effects of periodontal treatment on carotid intima-media thickness in patients with lifestyle-related diseases: Japanese prospective multicentre observational study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kudo, Chieko; Shin, Wee Soo; Sasaki, Nobuhiro; Harai, Kazuo; Kato, Kai; Seino, Hiroaki; Goke, Eiji; Fujino, Takemasa; Kuribayashi, Nobuichi; Pearce, Youko Onuki; Taira, Masato; Matsushima, Ryoji; Minabe, Masato; Takashiba, Shogo

    2018-01-12

    Atherosclerosis, a chronic inflammatory disease in arterial blood vessels, is one of the major causes of death in worldwide. Meanwhile, periodontal disease is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by infection with periodontal pathogens such as P. gingivalis (Porphyromonas gingivalis). Several studies have reported association between periodontal infection and atherosclerosis, but direct investigation about the effects of periodontal treatment on atherosclerosis has not been reported. We have planned Japanese local clinics to determine the relationship between periodontal disease and atherosclerosis under collaborative with medical and dental care. A prospective, multicentre, observational study was conducted including 38 medical patients with lifestyle-related diseases in the stable period under consultation at participating medical clinics and 92 periodontal patients not undergoing medical treatment but who were consulting at participating dental clinics. Systemic and periodontal examinations were performed before and after periodontal treatment. At baseline, LDL-C (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) levels and percentage (%) of mobile teeth were positively related to plasma IgG (immunoglobulin) antibody titer against P. gingivalis with multivariate analysis. Corresponding to improvements in periodontal clinical parameters after treatment, right and left max IMT (maximum intima-media thickness) levels were decreased significantly after treatment (SPT-S: start of supportive periodontal therapy, SPT-1y: at 1 year under SPT, and SPT-3y: at 3 years under SPT). The present study has clarified our previous univariate analysis results, wherein P. gingivalis infection was positively associated with progression of atherosclerosis. Thus, routine screening using plasma IgG antibody titer against P. gingivalis and periodontal treatment under collaborative with medical and dental care may prevent cardiovascular accidents caused by atherosclerosis.

  6. Dynamic isotope studies in liver disease

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Weits, J

    1978-01-01

    Much information in the field of liver research has been gained by dynamic isotope studies. Clinically, these studies can help to settle selection criteria for different types of surgical shunt, which relieve the complications of portal hypertension. By performing splenoportoscintigraphy, splenic and portal vein thrombosis can be easily and safely excluded. So-called hypoxaemia of cirrhosis can most easily be diagnosed. Suprahepatic caval vein obstruction in a patient with cryptogenic liver disease is easily excluded by a radionuclide cavogram after injection of pertechnetate into a foot vein.

  7. The impact of previous knee injury on force plate and field-based measures of balance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baltich, Jennifer; Whittaker, Jackie; Von Tscharner, Vinzenz; Nettel-Aguirre, Alberto; Nigg, Benno M; Emery, Carolyn

    2015-10-01

    Individuals with post-traumatic osteoarthritis demonstrate increased sway during quiet stance. The prospective association between balance and disease onset is unknown. Improved understanding of balance in the period between joint injury and disease onset could inform secondary prevention strategies to prevent or delay the disease. This study examines the association between youth sport-related knee injury and balance, 3-10years post-injury. Participants included 50 individuals (ages 15-26years) with a sport-related intra-articular knee injury sustained 3-10years previously and 50 uninjured age-, sex- and sport-matched controls. Force-plate measures during single-limb stance (center-of-pressure 95% ellipse-area, path length, excursion, entropic half-life) and field-based balance scores (triple single-leg hop, star-excursion, unipedal dynamic balance) were collected. Descriptive statistics (mean within-pair difference; 95% confidence intervals) were used to compare groups. Linear regression (adjusted for injury history) was used to assess the relationship between ellipse-area and field-based scores. Injured participants on average demonstrated greater medio-lateral excursion [mean within-pair difference (95% confidence interval); 2.8mm (1.0, 4.5)], more regular medio-lateral position [10ms (2, 18)], and shorter triple single-leg hop distances [-30.9% (-8.1, -53.7)] than controls, while no between group differences existed for the remaining outcomes. After taking into consideration injury history, triple single leg hop scores demonstrated a linear association with ellipse area (β=0.52, 95% confidence interval 0.01, 1.01). On average the injured participants adjusted their position less frequently and demonstrated a larger magnitude of movement during single-limb stance compared to controls. These findings support the evaluation of balance outcomes in the period between knee injury and post-traumatic osteoarthritis onset. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights

  8. [Rasagiline is not for all Parkinson disease patients: the ADAGIO study].

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Laar, T. van; Boon, A.J.; Bloem, B.R.

    2010-01-01

    Rasagiline is a MAO-B inhibitor that is currently registered for the symptomatic treatment of Parkinson disease. The ADAGIO trial studied the potential disease-modifying properties of rasagiline in 1100 patients with Parkinson disease, using an innovative 'delayed start' design. Patients were

  9. A cross sectional study of Infectious Bursal Disease and Newcastle Disease in poultry in Narsingdi district of Bangladesh

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shariful Islam

    2016-12-01

    Conclusion: IBD and ND are highly prevalent in the study area. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct effective control measures to reduce the prevalence of these diseases. This study can help in designing appropriate control measures considering risk factors of these diseases. [J Adv Vet Anim Res 2016; 3(4.000: 406-412

  10. Leptospira Exposure and Patients with Liver Diseases: A Case-Control Seroprevalence Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alvarado-Esquivel, Cosme; Sánchez-Anguiano, Luis Francisco; Hernández-Tinoco, Jesús; Ramos-Nevárez, Agar; Margarita Cerrillo-Soto, Sandra; Alberto Guido-Arreola, Carlos

    2016-01-01

    The seroepidemiology of Leptospira infection in patients suffering from liver disease has been poorly studied. Information about risk factors associated with infection in liver disease patients may help in the optimal planning of preventive measures. We sought to determine the association of Leptospira IgG seroprevalence and patients with liver diseases, and to determine the characteristics of the patients with Leptospira exposure. We performed a case-control study of 75 patients suffering from liver diseases and 150 age- and gender-matched control subjects. Diagnoses of liver disease included liver cirrhosis, steatosis, chronic hepatitis, acute hepatitis, and amoebic liver abscess. Sera of participants were analyzed for the presence of anti- Leptospira IgG antibodies using a commercially available enzyme immunoassay. Anti-Leptospira IgG antibodies were found in 17 (22.7%) of 75 patients and in 15 (10.0%) of 150 control subjects (OR = 2.32; 95% CI: 1.09-4.94; P=0.03). This is the first age- and gender-matched case control study about Leptospira seroprevalence in patients with liver diseases. Results indicate that Leptospira infection is associated with chronic and acute liver diseases. Results warrants for additional studies on the role of Leptospira exposure in chronic liver disease. PMID:27493589

  11. Previous utilization of service does not improve timely booking in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Previous utilization of service does not improve timely booking in antenatal care: Cross sectional study ... Journal Home > Vol 24, No 3 (2010) > ... Results: Past experience on antenatal care service utilization did not come out as a predictor for ...

  12. Trends in population-based studies of human genetics in infectious diseases.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rowell, Jessica L; Dowling, Nicole F; Yu, Wei; Yesupriya, Ajay; Zhang, Lyna; Gwinn, Marta

    2012-01-01

    Pathogen genetics is already a mainstay of public health investigation and control efforts; now advances in technology make it possible to investigate the role of human genetic variation in the epidemiology of infectious diseases. To describe trends in this field, we analyzed articles that were published from 2001 through 2010 and indexed by the HuGE Navigator, a curated online database of PubMed abstracts in human genome epidemiology. We extracted the principal findings from all meta-analyses and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) with an infectious disease-related outcome. Finally, we compared the representation of diseases in HuGE Navigator with their contributions to morbidity worldwide. We identified 3,730 articles on infectious diseases, including 27 meta-analyses and 23 GWAS. The number published each year increased from 148 in 2001 to 543 in 2010 but remained a small fraction (about 7%) of all studies in human genome epidemiology. Most articles were by authors from developed countries, but the percentage by authors from resource-limited countries increased from 9% to 25% during the period studied. The most commonly studied diseases were HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, hepatitis B infection, hepatitis C infection, sepsis, and malaria. As genomic research methods become more affordable and accessible, population-based research on infectious diseases will be able to examine the role of variation in human as well as pathogen genomes. This approach offers new opportunities for understanding infectious disease susceptibility, severity, treatment, control, and prevention.

  13. Impact of previously disadvantaged land-users on sustainable ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Impact of previously disadvantaged land-users on sustainable agricultural ... about previously disadvantaged land users involved in communal farming systems ... of input, capital, marketing, information and land use planning, with effect on ...

  14. Gene expression profiling in autoimmune diseases

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bovin, Lone Frier; Brynskov, Jørn; Hegedüs, Laszlo

    2007-01-01

    A central issue in autoimmune disease is whether the underlying inflammation is a repeated stereotypical process or whether disease specific gene expression is involved. To shed light on this, we analysed whether genes previously found to be differentially regulated in rheumatoid arthritis (RA...

  15. Response to deep TMS in depressive patients with previous electroconvulsive treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosenberg, Oded; Zangen, Abraham; Stryjer, Rafael; Kotler, Moshe; Dannon, Pinhas N

    2010-10-01

    The efficacy of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in the treatment of major depression has already been shown. Novel TMS coils allowing stimulation of deeper brain regions have recently been developed and studied. Our study is aimed at exploring the possible efficacy of deep TMS in patients with resistant depression, who previously underwent electroconvalsive therapy (ECT). Using Brainsway's deep TMS H1 coil, six patients who previously underwent ECT, were treated with 120% power of the motor threshold at a frequency of 20 Hz. Patients underwent five sessions per week, up to 4 weeks. Before the study, patients were evaluated using the Hamilton depression rating scale (HDRS, 24 items), the Hamilton anxiety scale, and the Beck depression inventory and were again evaluated after 5, 10, 15, and 20 daily treatments. Response to treatment was considered a reduction in the HDRS of at least 50%, and remission was considered a reduction of the HDRS-24 below 10 points. Two of six patients responded to the treatment with deep TMS, including one who achieved full remission. Our results suggest the possibility of a subpopulation of depressed patients who may benefit from deep TMS treatment, including patients who did not respond to ECT previously. However, the power of the study is small and similar larger samples are needed. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Influence of previous knowledge in Torrance tests of creative thinking

    OpenAIRE

    Aranguren, María; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas CONICET

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this work is to analyze the influence of study field, expertise and recreational activities participation in Torrance Tests of Creative Thinking (TTCT, 1974) performance. Several hypotheses were postulated to explore the possible effects of previous knowledge in TTCT verbal and TTCT figural university students’ outcomes. Participants in this study included 418 students from five study fields: Psychology;Philosophy and Literature, Music; Engineering; and Journalism and Advertisin...

  17. Opsonic Phagocytosis in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is Enhanced by Nrf2 Agonists.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bewley, Martin A; Budd, Richard C; Ryan, Eilise; Cole, Joby; Collini, Paul; Marshall, Jennifer; Kolsum, Umme; Beech, Gussie; Emes, Richard D; Tcherniaeva, Irina; Berbers, Guy A M; Walmsley, Sarah R; Donaldson, Gavin; Wedzicha, Jadwiga A; Kilty, Iain; Rumsey, William; Sanchez, Yolanda; Brightling, Christopher E; Donnelly, Louise E; Barnes, Peter J; Singh, Dave; Whyte, Moira K B; Dockrell, David H

    2018-01-01

    Previous studies have identified defects in bacterial phagocytosis by alveolar macrophages (AM) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) but the mechanisms and clinical consequences remain incompletely defined.

  18. Prevalence and demographic determinants of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) in the Turkish general population: a population-based cross-sectional study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mungan, Zeynel

    2012-08-01

    We aimed to establish the prevalence and demographic determinants of gastroesophageal reflux disease in the Turkish general population using the Turkish version of the gastroesophageal reflux disease questionnaire. A total of 8143 volunteers (mean age: 38.5 (13.3) years; 52.3% males) were included in this cross-sectional questionnaire study conducted via face-to-face administration of the questionnaire forms including items on sociodemographic features, past history of gastric disorders, gastroesophageal reflux disease, the influence of reflux symptoms on patients' lives, physician visits, diagnostic tests, and reflux medications. A past history of gastric symptoms was reported in half of the population. More female participants (p<0.001) had a past history of gastric symptoms that yielded a previous diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease in 19.1% of the population. The likelihood of gastroesophageal reflux disease was low in the majority (75.3%) of the subjects evaluated. Gastroesophageal reflux disease with an inconveniencing or disrupting impact on the patient's life was present in 17.9% and 6.8% of the population. Total gastroesophageal reflux disease-questionnaire scores and reflux prevalence were higher in older age groups (p<0.001). Females were more likely to have gastroesophageal reflux disease prevalence based on reflux symptoms. The impact of gastroesophageal reflux disease on sleep and psychological/emotional well-being was more pronounced in older and female patients, whereas the impact on eating/drinking behaviors and physical-social activities was more marked among females independent of their age (p<0.001). Reflux prevalence was higher in subjects from East Anatolia, Central Anatolia, Mediterranean, and Black Sea regions of Turkey (p<0.001 for each). Prevalence and demographic determinants of gastroesophageal reflux disease are compatible with the profile of the disease in the other Western populations, with a predilection for females and

  19. The association between periodontal disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a case control study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Öztekin, Görkem; Baser, Ulku; Kucukcoskun, Meric; Tanrikulu-Kucuk, Sevda; Ademoglu, Evin; Isik, Gulden; Ozkan, Gulcihan; Yalcin, Funda; Kiyan, Esen

    2014-08-01

    Although there are studies evaluating the effects of periodontal health on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the effects of COPD - a systemic disease, on periodontal tissue is unknown. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of COPD on periodontal tissues by comparing COPD patients and controls. Fifty-two COPD patients and 38 non-COPD controls were included in this case-control study. Number of teeth, plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), bleeding on probing, clinical attachment level and probing depth were included in the periodontal examination. In addition to clinical evaluations, gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) levels of high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-1 beta (IL-lb) and prostaglandin-E2 (PGE2), and serum hs-CRP levels were measured in COPD patients and the controls. The number of teeth was significantly lower while PI and GI were significantly higher in COPD patients when compared to the controls. As well as serum hs-CRP levels, the GCF levels of hs-CRP, IL-1b and PGE2 were significantly higher in COPD patients than the controls. Our results demonstrated that COPD may be associated with periodontal disease as manifested by lower number of teeth and higher levels of inflammatory mediators especially CRP in GCF. This finding may be a reflection of systemic effects of COPD on periodontal tissues. Poor oral health behavior of COPD patients have to be considered in larger size group studies in the future.

  20. Determining root correspondence between previously and newly detected objects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paglieroni, David W.; Beer, N Reginald

    2014-06-17

    A system that applies attribute and topology based change detection to networks of objects that were detected on previous scans of a structure, roadway, or area of interest. The attributes capture properties or characteristics of the previously detected objects, such as location, time of detection, size, elongation, orientation, etc. The topology of the network of previously detected objects is maintained in a constellation database that stores attributes of previously detected objects and implicitly captures the geometrical structure of the network. A change detection system detects change by comparing the attributes and topology of new objects detected on the latest scan to the constellation database of previously detected objects.