Increased prevalence of acromegaly in a highly polluted area

ObjectiveDespite the contribution of national registries and population-based reports, data concerning the epidemiology of acromegaly is scanty. In addition, the role of the environmental context has not been investigated.DesignEpidemiology of acromegaly was studied in the province of Messina (Sicily, Italy), focusing on the influence of environmental factors.MethodsFour zones, characterized by different degrees of exposition to environmental toxins due to industrial pollution, were identified in the province: area A (76 338 inhabitants), area B (287 328 inhabitants), area C (243 381 inhabitants), and area D (47 554 inhabitants) at low, middle-low, middle, and high industrial density respectively. We identified all acromegalics who were born and resided in the province of Messina, among patients either referred to our endocrine unit or referred elsewhere but recorded in the archives of the provincial healthcare agency.ResultsIn the province of Messina, we found 64 patients (2 in area A, 24 in area B, 28 in area C, and 10 in area D). Macroadenomas were 60%, the male/female ratio was 1, and mean age at diagnosis (±s.e.m.) was 45.4±1.6 years. Overall, prevalence was 97 c.p.m. in the province (26 c.p.m. in area A, 84 c.p.m. in area B, 115 c.p.m. in area C, and 210 c.p.m. in area D). Risk ratio (RR), calculated in every area assuming area A as a reference, showed an increased risk of developing acromegaly in people residing in area D (RR=8.03; P<0.0014).ConclusionThis study confirms the prevalence of acromegaly reported recently. The increased risk of developing this disease in area D suggests that the pathogenetic role of environmental context needs to be better evaluated.

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Migrainous Disorder and its Relation to Migraine Without Aura and Migraine with Aura. A Genetic Epidemiological Study

Cephalalgia ◽

10.1046/j.1468-2982.1996.1606431.x ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 16 (6) ◽

pp. 431-435 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

MB Russell ◽

J Olesen

Keyword(s):

Migraine With Aura ◽

Migraine Without Aura ◽

International Headache Society ◽

Large Population ◽

Population Based ◽

Population Based Study ◽

Female Ratio ◽

First Degree Relatives ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Male Female Ratio

Migrainous disorder was analysed in a large population-based study of 4000 forty-year-old males and females. All interviews were conducted by one physician and the diagnostic criteria of the International Headache Society were used. Of the 48 people with migrainous disorder, 40 had migrainous disorder without aura and 9 had migrainous disorder with aura One person had co-occurrence of migrainous disorder with and without aura. The lifetime prevalence of migrainous disorder was 2.5% with a male: female ratio of 1:1.2. The first-degree relatives of probands with migrainous disorder were blindly interviewed. Compared with the general population, first-degree relatives of probands with migrainous disorder without aura had a slightly but less increased risk of migraine without aura than first-degree relatives of probands with migraine without aura. First-degree relatives of probands with migrainous disorder with aura had no increased risk of migraine with aura. We conclude that migrainous disorder without aura in some people is a type of migraine without aura and in other people not. Migrainous disorder with aura may be unrelated to migraine with aura. œ

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P1818Descending aortic thoracic diameter: a risk marker for major adverse cardiovascular outcomes in women

European Heart Journal ◽

10.1093/eurheartj/ehz748.0570 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 40 (Supplement_1) ◽

Author(s):

O L Rueda Ochoa ◽

L R Bons ◽

S Rohde ◽

K E L Ghoud ◽

R Budde ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Cardiovascular Risk ◽

Cardiovascular Mortality ◽

Total Mortality ◽

Population Based ◽

Cardiovascular Outcomes ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Almost All

Abstract Background Thoracic aortic diameters have been associated with cardiovascular risk factors and atherosclerosis. However, limited evidence regarding the role of thoracic aortic diameters as risk markers for major cardiovascular outcomes among women and men exist. Purpose To evaluate the independent associations between crude and indexed ascending and descending aortic (AA and DA) diameters with major cardiovascular outcomes among women and men and to provide optimal cutoff values associated with increased cardiovascular risk. Methods and results 2178 women and men ≥55 years from the prospective population-based Rotterdam Study underwent multi-detector CT scan of thorax. Crude diameters of the AA and DA were measured and indexed by height, weight, body surface area (BSA) and body mass index (BMI). Incidence of stroke, coronary heart disease (CHD), heart failure (HF), cardiovascular and all-cause mortality were evaluated during 13 years of follow-up. Weight-, BSA-, or BMI-indexed AA diameters showed significant associations with total or cardiovascular mortality in both sexes and height-indexed values showed association with HF in women. Crude AA diameters were associated with stroke in men and HF in women. For DA, crude and almost all indexed diameters showed significant associations with either stroke, HF, cardiovascular or total mortality in women. Only weight-, BSA- and BMI-indexed values were associated with total mortality in men. For crude DA diameter, the risk for stroke increased significantly at the 75th percentile among men while the risks for HF and cardiovascular mortality increased at the 75th and 85th percentiles respectively in women. Conclusions Our study suggests a role for descending thoracic aortic diameter as a marker for increased cardiovascular risk, in particular for stroke, heart failure and cardiovascular mortality among women. The cut points for increased risk for several of cardiovascular outcomes were below the 95th percentile of the distribution of aortic diameters.

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Laryngopharyngeal Reflux: Is It the Real Culprit in Patients with Laryngeal Complaints?

International Journal of Phonosurgery & Laryngology ◽

10.5005/jp-journals-10023-1132 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 6-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Rajesh Vishwakarma ◽

Ruta V Shah

Keyword(s):

Laryngopharyngeal Reflux ◽

Reflux Symptom Index ◽

Symptom Index ◽

Female Ratio ◽

The Real ◽

Body Sensation ◽

Male Female Ratio ◽

The Mean ◽

Nose And Throat

ABSTRACT Aim The aim of this study is to evaluate the role of laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) in patients with laryngeal complaints and study the correlation between reflux symptom index (RSI) and reflux finding score (RFS). Materials and methods This is a study of 104 patients, who presented in the ear, nose, and throat outpatient department at the Civil Hospital, Ahmedabad, India, from April 2015 to April 2016, with complaints like change of voice, chronic cough, foreign body sensation, throat clearing, difficulty swallowing, and regurgitation. All the patients were examined with 90° endoscope by a single examiner, and an RSI ≥13 was considered as indicative of reflux. Observation and discussion The mean age of the 104 patients was 47.2 years. The male-female ratio was 1:1.8. The RSI ranged from 5 to 44, with a mean of 22.99 and standard deviation (SD) of 7.43. The RFS ranged from 4 to 22, with a mean of 11.04 and SD of 3.07. Both the parameters showed high correlation (correlation coefficient 0.98). Conclusion The LPR plays an important contributory role in patients with laryngeal complaints. The RFS and RSI can be used as routine parameters in establishing the diagnosis of reflux. How to cite this article Shah RV, Vishwakarma R. Laryngopharyngeal Reflux: Is It the Real Culprit in Patients with Laryngeal Complaints? Int J Phonosurg Laryngol 2017; 7(1):6-9.

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The Role of Stroke as a Trigger for Incident Venous Thromboembolism: Results from a Population-based Case-Crossover Study

TH Open ◽

10.1055/s-0039-1681020 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 03 (01) ◽

pp. e50-e57

Author(s):

Vânia Morelli ◽

Joakim Sejrup ◽

Birgit Småbrekke ◽

Ludvig Rinde ◽

Gro Grimnes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Venous Thromboembolism ◽

Acute Stroke ◽

Crossover Study ◽

Conditional Logistic Regression ◽

Population Based ◽

Red Blood Cell Transfusion ◽

Odds Ratios ◽

Case Crossover ◽

Increased Risk

AbstractStroke is associated with a short-term increased risk of subsequent venous thromboembolism (VTE). It is unclear to what extent this association is mediated by stroke-related complications that are potential triggers for VTE, such as immobilization and infection. We aimed to investigate the role of acute stroke as a trigger for incident VTE while taking other concomitant VTE triggers into account. We conducted a population-based case-crossover study with 707 VTE patients. Triggers were registered during the 90 days before a VTE event (hazard period) and in four preceding 90-day control periods. Conditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for VTE according to triggers. Stroke was registered in 30 of the 707 (4.2%) hazard periods and in 6 of the 2,828 (0.2%) control periods, resulting in a high risk of VTE, with odds ratios of 20.0 (95% CI: 8.3–48.1). After adjustments for immobilization and infection, odds ratios for VTE conferred by stroke were attenuated to 6.0 (95% CI: 1.6–22.1), and further to 4.0 (95% CI: 1.1–14.2) when other triggers (major surgery, red blood cell transfusion, trauma, and central venous catheter) were added to the regression model. A mediation analysis revealed that 67.8% of the total effect of stroke on VTE risk could be mediated through immobilization and infection. Analyses restricted to ischemic stroke yielded similar results. In conclusion, acute stroke was a trigger for VTE, and the association between stroke and VTE risk appeared to be largely mediated by immobilization and infection.

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Stroke prevalence among the Turkish population in a rural area of Istanbul: A community-based study

SAGE Open Medicine ◽

10.1177/2050312118797565 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. 205031211879756 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Ülkü Türk Börü ◽

Ahmet Şükrü Kulualp ◽

Ömer Faruk Tarhan ◽

Cem Bölük ◽

Arda Duman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rural Area ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Turkish Population ◽

Population Based ◽

World Health ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Female Ratio ◽

Middle East Countries ◽

Stroke Prevalence ◽

Male Female Ratio

Background: The population-based information on the prevalence of stroke from rural areas of Middle East countries including Turkey is unknown. Our aim is to evaluate the prevalence of stroke in those ⩾18 years in the Turkish population in a rural area of Istanbul. Methods: A cross-sectional door-to-door study was conducted in a rural area of Istanbul between 1 March and 30 March 2013. A research protocol recommended by World Health Organization for developing countries was used. Each screening teams consisted of one neurologist, one local nurse, and five surveyors. Teams were trained about the survey and questionnaire. The patients, who claimed to have suffered a stroke, were examined, and the diagnosis was confirmed by a neurologist on site. The findings and medical records were documented. Results: In total, 2906 people ⩾18 years were screened. 50 stroke cases were detected. 80% of those were found to have had an ischemic stroke, 14% of those were hemorrhagic cases, and 6% of those had an unclassified stroke type. The overall prevalence rate in those ⩾ 18 years was 1.7%. The male/female ratio was 0.92. Young (<45) stroke prevalence was found to be 0.6%. Conclusion: This study was the first of its kind to show the stroke prevalence among Turkish population ⩾ 18 years in a rural area of Istanbul. When compared to other studies which investigate people ⩾45 years from Turkey, the result (in the same age group) was moderate high. The male/female ratio was low compared to many other studies.

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Role of Multidetector Computerised Tomography in Evaluation of Proptosis

Nepalese Journal of Radiology ◽

10.3126/njr.v9i2.27421 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 24-31

Author(s):

Elina Shrestha ◽

Narayan Bikram Thapa ◽

Shankar Bahadur Singh Rajbhandari

Keyword(s):

Predictive Value ◽

Clinical Information ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Computerised Tomography ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Female Ratio ◽

Male Female Ratio ◽

One Year ◽

Female Male Female

Introduction: Proptosis is defined as bulging of eye anteriorly out of the orbit. Our main objective was to analyze the pattern of computerised tomographic findings in evaluation of proptosis. Computerised tomography (CT) is noninvasive, easily accessible, affordable and reliable imaging which helps in early diagnosis and prompt treatment. Methods: A descriptive cross sectional study of total 58 patients presenting with proptosis referred to our department of radiology for computerised tomography evaluation during one year period were undertaken into study. The clinical information provided by ophthalmologist also helped our study to derive into conclusion. SPSS version 20 software was used for statistical data analysis. Results: Out of 58 patients, the most common cause of proptosis was neoplasm constituting of 25 cases (43.1%). Retinoblastoma was the commonest orbital tumor. Out of remaining cases, 15 (25.8%) were infective, 14 (24.1%) were inflammatory, two (3.44%) were traumatic and remaining two cases (3.44%) had no definitive cause for proptosis. Bilateral proptosis was commonly associated with thyroid ophthalmopathy. Among the subjects 32 were male, 26 were female. Male: Female ratio was 1:1.23. Age group was ranging from 1 month to 73 years.Mean age was 26.4 ± 22 years. Conclusions: Computerised tomography has an important role in distinguishing the different types of lesions based on their characteristics, location and extension prior to undertaking definitive surgical and medical treatment. Overall accuracy of CT in our study was 81%, sensitivity of 82.6%, specificity of 80.6%, positive predictive value of 76% and negative predictive value of 86.2%.

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Autoantibodies and the Risk of Cardiovascular Events

The Journal of Rheumatology ◽

10.3899/jrheum.090188 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 36 (11) ◽

pp. 2462-2469 ◽

Cited By ~ 89

Author(s):

KIMBERLY P. LIANG ◽

HILAL MARADIT-KREMERS ◽

CYNTHIA S. CROWSON ◽

MELISSA R. SNYDER ◽

TERRY M. THERNEAU ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rheumatic Diseases ◽

Population Based ◽

Cox Models ◽

Diagnostic Indices ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Peptide Antibody ◽

Cv Disease ◽

Citrullinated Peptide ◽

Overall Mortality

Objective.Inflammation and autoimmunity are associated with increased cardiovascular (CV) risk in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. This association may also be present in those without rheumatic diseases. Our purpose was to determine whether rheumatoid factor (RF), antinuclear antibody (ANA), and cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (CCP) positivity are associated with increased risk of CV events and overall mortality in those with and without rheumatic diseases.Methods.We performed a population-based cohort study of all subjects who had a RF and/or ANA test performed between January 1, 1990, and January 1, 2000, and/or CCP test performed between September 1, 2003, and January 1, 2005, with followup until April 1, 2007. Outcomes were ascertained using diagnostic indices from complete medical records, including CV events [myocardial infarction (MI), heart failure (HF), and peripheral vascular disease (PVD)] and mortality. Cox models were used to analyze the data.Results.There were 6783 subjects with RF, 7852 with ANA, and 299 with CCP testing. Of these, 10.4%, 23.9%, and 14.7% were positive for RF, ANA, and CCP, respectively. Adjusting for age, sex, calendar year, comorbidity, and rheumatic disease, RF and ANA positivity were significant predictors of CV events [hazard ratio (HR) 1.24 and 1.26] and death (HR 1.43 and 1.18). Adjusting for age, CCP positivity was associated with CV events, but this association was not statistically significant (HR 3.1; 95% CI 0.8, 12.3).Conclusion.RF and ANA positivity are significant predictors of CV events and mortality in both those with and those without rheumatic diseases. These results support the role of immune dysregulation in the etiology of CV disease.

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Conjugal multiple sclerosis in Isfahan, Iran: a population-based study

Multiple Sclerosis Journal ◽

10.1177/1352458506072092 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 13 (5) ◽

pp. 673-675 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

A.H. Maghzi ◽

M. Etemadifar ◽

V. Shaygannejad ◽

M. Saadatnia ◽

M. Salehi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

General Population ◽

Environmental Factors ◽

Adult Life ◽

Marital Relationship ◽

Population Based ◽

Rare Form ◽

Population Based Study ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Estimated Risk

Conjugal multiple sclerosis (MS) is a rare form of MS in which both spouses are affected, and at least one is affected after marriage. Among 1606 definite MS patients, 1076 were in marital relationship, among whom we identified six conjugal pairs, giving the conjugal rate of 0.5%. This rate is 12.5 times higher than the estimated risk of MS for the general population (0.04%). The observed conjugal rate suggests an increased risk of developing MS for MS patients' spouses, this could be due to transmission or, more likely, to the same environmental factors shared in adult life. Multiple Sclerosis 2007; 13: 673-675. http://msj.sagepub.com

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Association between paediatric intraoperative anaesthesia handover and adverse postoperative outcomes

BMJ Quality & Safety ◽

10.1136/bmjqs-2020-012298 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. bmjqs-2020-012298

Author(s):

Thomas Kannampallil ◽

Daphne Lew ◽

Ethan E Pfeifer ◽

Anshuman Sharma ◽

Joanna Abraham

Keyword(s):

Primary Outcome ◽

Propensity Scores ◽

Population Based ◽

Postoperative Outcomes ◽

Academic Medical Centre ◽

Academic Medical ◽

Increased Risk ◽

All Cause Mortality ◽

Anaesthesia Care

ObjectiveTo determine whether intraoperative handover of patient care from one anaesthesia clinician to another was associated with an increased risk of adverse postoperative outcomes during paediatric surgeries.Design, setting and participantsA retrospective, population-based cohort study (1 April 2013–1 June 2018) at an academic medical centre.ExposureIntraoperative handover of care between pairs of anaesthesia clinicians from one care provider to another compared with no handover of anaesthesia care.Main outcomes and measuresThe primary outcome was a composite of all-cause mortality and major postoperative morbidity within 30 days after surgery. Secondary outcomes included individual components of the primary outcome and 30-day hospital readmission. Inverse probability of exposure weighting using propensity scores for intraoperative handovers was calculated. Weighted logistic regression was used to determine the association between intraoperative anaesthesia handovers and outcomes.Results78 321 paediatric surgical cases (n=5411 with handovers) were included for analysis. Patients were predominantly male (56.5%) with a median age of 6.56 (IQR: 2.65–12.53) years and a median anaesthesia duration of 76 (IQR: 55–126) min. In the weighted sample, the odds of the primary outcome (OR: 0.92; 95% CI 0.75 to 1.13; p=0.43), any morbidity (OR: 0.93; 95% CI 0.75 to 1.16; p=0.515), all-cause mortality (OR: 0.8; 95% CI 0.37 to 1.73; p=0.565) or 30-day readmission following surgery (OR: 0.99; 95% CI 0.84 to 1.18; p=0.95) did not significantly differ among surgeries with and without handovers.ConclusionsAmong paediatric patients undergoing surgery, intraoperative anaesthesia handovers were not associated with adverse postoperative outcomes, after accounting for relevant covariates. These findings provide a preliminary perspective on the role of intraoperative handovers as a care-neutral event, with implications for improving safety.

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