The Importance of Metabolic Syndrome Status for the Risk of Non-Viral Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Nationwide Population-Based Study

Abstract The positive association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been suggested. However, no studies have yet looked at how the risk of developing HCC varies with changes in MetS status. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the association between changes in MetS and subsequent HCC development. Data were obtained from the Korean National Health Insurance Service. 5,975,308 individuals who participated in health screenings both in 2009–2010 and 2011–2012 were included. Subjects were divided into four groups according to change in MetS status during the two-year interval screening (from 2009 to 2011): sustained non-MetS, transition to MetS, transition to non-MetS, and sustained MetS. Cox regression analysis was used to examine the hazard ratios of HCC. During a median of 7.3 years follow-up, 25,880 incident HCCs were identified. Compared to the sustained non-MetS group, age, sex, smoking, alcohol, regular exercise, and body mass index-adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) for HCC development were 1.01 (0.97–1.05) for the transition to MetS group; 1.05 (1.003–1.09) for the transition to non-Met group; and 1.07 (1.03–1.10) for the sustained MetS group. Stratified analyses according to age, sex, smoking, alcohol intake, exercise, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and chronic kidney disease showed similar results. A significantly increased HCC risk was observed in the sustained MetS and transition to non-MetS groups. The baseline status of MetS was associated with the risk of HCC development. Strategies to improve MetS, especially targeting insulin resistance might prevent HCC development.

Download Full-text

Association between Lipid Profiles and the Incidence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Nationwide Population-Based Study

Cancers ◽

10.3390/cancers13071599 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (7) ◽

pp. 1599

Author(s):

Yuri Cho ◽

Eun Ju Cho ◽

Jeong-Ju Yoo ◽

Young Chang ◽

Goh Eun Chung ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Total Cholesterol ◽

Ldl Cholesterol ◽

Cox Regression ◽

Population Based ◽

Lipid Profiles ◽

Cox Regression Analysis ◽

Hazard Ratios ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Multiple Covariates

Background and Aims: Altered lipid metabolism has been implicated in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study investigated the relationships between lipid profiles and HCC development. Methods: Data were obtained from the Korean National Health Insurance Service from 2009 to 2017. Cox regression analysis was used to examine the hazard ratios of HCC in 8,528,790 individuals who had undergone health check-ups in 2009. Results: During a median of 7.3 years follow-up, 26,891 incidents of HCCs were identified. The incidence of HCC (per 100,000 person-years) gradually decreased according to the increase in total-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol; the incidence of HCC was 69.2, 44.0, 33.9, and 25.8 in quartile-1 (Q1), Q2, Q3, and Q4 population of total-cholesterol, and 63.6, 44.5, 37.2, and 28.3 in Q1, Q2, Q3, and Q4 population of LDL-cholesterol, respectively. Compared to Q1 of total-cholesterol, subjects in higher total-cholesterol levels were associated with a lower incidence of HCC (multiple covariates-adjusted hazard ratio (aHR): Q2 0.61; Q3 0.46; Q4 0.36). These associations were consistently observed in stratified subgroup analysis by the presence of liver cirrhosis or viral hepatitis. Conclusions: Low serum lipid levels were significantly associated with the increased risk of developing HCC. A low lipid profile might be an independent risk factor and preclinical marker for HCC.

Download Full-text

The Change in Metabolic Syndrome Status and the Risk of Nonviral Liver Cirrhosis

Biomedicines ◽

10.3390/biomedicines9121948 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (12) ◽

pp. 1948

Author(s):

Goh-Eun Chung ◽

Young Chang ◽

Yuri Cho ◽

Eun-Ju Cho ◽

Jeong-Ju Yoo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Metabolic Syndrome ◽

Liver Cirrhosis ◽

Cox Regression ◽

Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver ◽

Cox Regression Analysis ◽

Hazard Ratios ◽

Korean National Health Insurance ◽

Independent Risk Factors ◽

Development Methods

Background: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is considered to be the hepatic component of metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, the association between changes in MetS status and the risk of liver cirrhosis (LC) has not been investigated to date. This study assessed the association between changes in MetS and subsequent nonviral LC development. Methods: Data were obtained from the Korean National Health Insurance Service. Individuals who participated in health screenings from both 2009 to 2010 and 2011 to 2012 were included. The primary outcome was LC development according to the static and dynamic MetS status. Subjects were stratified into four groups according to the change in MetS status observed from the two-year interval screening (2009–2011). Cox regression analysis was used to examine the hazard ratios of LC. Results: During a median of 7.3 years of follow-up, 24,923 incident LC cases developed among 5,975,308 individuals. After adjusting for age, sex, smoking, alcohol, regular exercise, and body mass index, the adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for LC development were 1.39 (1.33–1.44) for the MetS-Developed group, 1.32 (1.26–1.37) for the MetS-Recovered group, and 1.51 (1.45–1.56) for the MetS-Sustained group, relative to the MetS-Free group. Stratified analyses according to age, sex, smoking, alcohol intake, exercise, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and chronic kidney disease showed similar results. Conclusions: Both static and dynamic MetS status are independent risk factors for LC development. The risk of LC was the highest in people with sustained MetS and was lower in the MetS-Recovered group than in the MetS-Sustained group. These results suggest that improving a person’s MetS status may be helpful in preventing LC.

Download Full-text

Headache as a risk factor for dementia: A prospective population-based study

Cephalalgia ◽

10.1177/0333102413513181 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 34 (5) ◽

pp. 327-335 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Knut Hagen ◽

Eystein Stordal ◽

Mattias Linde ◽

Timothy J Steiner ◽

John-Anker Zwart ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factor ◽

Cohort Study ◽

Cox Regression ◽

Subsequent Development ◽

Population Based ◽

Health Study ◽

Cox Regression Analysis ◽

Hazard Ratios ◽

Increased Risk

Background Headache has not been established as a risk factor for dementia. The aim of this study was to determine whether any headache was associated with subsequent development of vascular dementia (VaD), Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or other types of dementia. Methods This prospective population-based cohort study used baseline data from the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT 2) performed during 1995–1997 and, from the same Norwegian county, a register of cases diagnosed with dementia during 1997–2010. Participants aged ≥20 years who responded to headache questions in HUNT 2 were categorized (headache free; with any headache; with migraine; with nonmigrainous headache). Hazard ratios (HRs) for later inclusion in the dementia register were estimated using Cox regression analysis. Results Of 51,383 participants providing headache data in HUNT 2, 378 appeared in the dementia register during the follow-up period. Compared to those who were headache free, participants with any headache had increased risk of VaD ( n = 63) (multivariate-adjusted HR = 2.3, 95% CI 1.4–3.8, p = 0.002) and of mixed dementia (VaD and AD ( n = 52)) (adjusted HR = 2.0, 95% CI 1.1–3.5, p = 0.018). There was no association between any headache and later development of AD ( n = 180). Conclusion In this prospective population-based cohort study, any headache was a risk factor for development of VaD.

Download Full-text

Clinical Efficacy of Ruxolitinib in Patients with Myelofibrosis: A Nationwide Population-Based Study in Korea

Journal of Clinical Medicine ◽

10.3390/jcm10204774 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (20) ◽

pp. 4774

Author(s):

Byung-Hyun Lee ◽

Hyemi Moon ◽

Jae-Eun Chae ◽

Ka-Won Kang ◽

Byung-Soo Kim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Propensity Scores ◽

Cox Regression ◽

Multivariable Analysis ◽

Previous History ◽

Population Based ◽

Population Based Study ◽

Cox Regression Analysis ◽

History Of ◽

Korean National Health Insurance ◽

Insurance Database

Previous studies have reported the survival benefit after ruxolitinib treatment in patients with myelofibrosis (MF). However, population-based data of its efficacy are limited. We analyzed the effects of ruxolitinib in MF patients with data from the Korean National Health Insurance Database. In total, 1199 patients diagnosed with MF from January 2011 to December 2017 were identified, of which 731 were included in this study. Patients who received ruxolitinib (n = 224) were matched with those who did not receive the drug (n = 507) using the 1:1 greedy algorithm. Propensity scores were formulated using five variables: age, sex, previous history of arterial/venous thrombosis, and red blood cell (RBC) or platelet (PLT) transfusion dependence at the time of diagnosis. Cox regression analysis for overall survival (OS) revealed that ruxolitinib treatment (hazard ratio (HR), 0.67; p = 0.017) was significantly related to superior survival. In the multivariable analysis for OS, older age (HR, 1.07; p < 0.001), male sex (HR, 1.94; p = 0.021), and RBC (HR, 3.72; p < 0.001) or PLT (HR, 9.58; p = 0.001) transfusion dependence were significantly associated with poor survival, although type of MF did not significantly affect survival. Considering evidence supporting these results remains weak, further studies on the efficacy of ruxolitinib in other populations are needed.

Download Full-text

Preoperative prealbumin-to-fibrinogen ratio predict Survival Outcomes in hepatocellular carcinoma patients after hepatic resection

Journal of Medical Biochemistry ◽

10.5937/jomb0-32980 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yan Haixi ◽

Chen Shuaishuai ◽

Yang Qiong ◽

Cai Linling

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽

Cox Regression ◽

Laboratory Data ◽

Disease Free Survival ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Cox Regression Analysis ◽

Hazard Ratios ◽

Clinicopathologic Factors ◽

Independent Risk Factors

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the clinical application of preoperative prealbumin-to-fibrinogen ratio (PFR) in the clinical diagnosis and prognostic value of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Methods: The clinical and laboratory data of 269 HCC patients undergoing surgical treatment from January 2012 to January 2017 in Taizhou Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. The Cox regression model was used to analyze the correlation between PFR and other clinicopathologic factors in overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Results: Cox regression analysis showed that PFR (hazard ratios [HR] = 2.123; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.271–3.547; P = 0.004)was independent risk factors affecting the OS of HCC patients. Furthermore, a nomogram was built based on these risk factors. The C indices statistics for the OS nomogram was 0.715. Conclusion: Nomograms based on PFR can be recommended as the correct and actual model to evaluate prognosis for patients with HCC.

Download Full-text

Comparison of risk factors for ischemic stroke and coronary events in a population-based cohort

BMC Cardiovascular Disorders ◽

10.1186/s12872-021-02344-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Iram Faqir Muhammad ◽

Yan Borné ◽

Suneela Zaigham ◽

Martin Söderholm ◽

Linda Johnson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Ischemic Stroke ◽

Inflammatory Markers ◽

Cox Regression ◽

Population Based ◽

Cox Regression Analysis ◽

Hazard Ratios ◽

The Difference ◽

Coronary Events ◽

Traditional Risk Factors

Abstract Background Although coronary events (CE) and ischemic stroke share many risk factors, there are also some important differences. The aim of this paper was to assess the association of risk factors in relation to incident CE and ischemic stroke and to evaluate the heterogeneity in patterns of risk factors between the two outcomes. Method Traditional risk factors and inflammatory markers associated with coronary events and ischemic stroke were measured in the Malmö Diet and Cancer Cohort (MDCS, n = 26 519), where a total of 2270 incident ischemic stroke and 3087 incident CE occurred during a mean follow up time 19 ± 6 years, and in relation to inflammatory markers in the cardiovascular sub-cohort (MDC-CV, n = 4795). Cox regression analysis was used to obtain hazard ratios. A modified Lunn-McNeil competing risk analysis was conducted to assess the significance of any differences in risk profiles of these outcomes. Results Most cardiovascular risk factors were associated both with incident CE and ischemic stroke. However, current smoking, ApoB, low ApoA1, male sex and education level of ≤ 9 years of schooling were preferentially associated with CE compared to ischemic stroke. Conversely, age showed a stronger association with ischemic stroke than with CE. Conclusion CE and ischemic stroke have broadly similar risk factors profiles. However, there are some important differential associations, as well as substantial differences in the magnitude of the association. These could reflect the distinct biology of atherogenesis in different vascular beds. The difference in the determinants highlights the importance of looking at CE and ischemic stroke, two manifestations of cardiovascular disease, separately.

Download Full-text

Being Underweight Increases the Risk of Non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis in the Young Population: A Nationwide Population-Based Study

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13093206 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (9) ◽

pp. 3206

Author(s):

Bumhee Yang ◽

Kyungdo Han ◽

Sang Hyuk Kim ◽

Dong-Hwa Lee ◽

Sang Hyun Park ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

Risk Factor ◽

Subgroup Analysis ◽

Cox Regression ◽

Population Based ◽

Normal Weight ◽

Dependent Manner ◽

Older Individuals ◽

Cox Regression Analysis ◽

Korean National Health Insurance

Although body mass index (BMI) is a potential risk factor for bronchiectasis in young adults, the association between BMI and incident bronchiectasis has not been well elucidated. This study included 6,329,838 individuals aged 20–40 years from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database 2009–2012 who were followed up until the date of the diagnosis of bronchiectasis, death, or 31 December 2018. We evaluated the incidence and risk of bronchiectasis according to the BMI category. The incidence rate of bronchiectasis increased as BMI decreased in a dose-dependent manner (p for trend <0.01). In multivariable Cox regression analysis, being underweight was an independent risk factor for the development of bronchiectasis, with a hazard ratio of 1.24 (95% confidence interval, 1.19–1.30) compared to being normal weight. In subgroup analysis, the effect of being underweight on the development of bronchiectasis was more evident in males and older individuals (30–40 years) than females and younger individuals (20–29 years), respectively (p for interaction <0.01 for both). These results remained significant in subgroup analysis in which subjects with comorbidities related to being underweight were excluded. Being underweight may be a novel risk factor for the development of bronchiectasis in young adults.

Download Full-text

Does Hospitalization Predict the Disease Course in Ulcerative Colitis? Prevalence and Predictors of Hospitalization and Re- Hospitalization in Ulcerative Colitis in a Population-based Inception Cohort (2000-2012)

Journal of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases ◽

10.15403/jgld.2014.1121.243.pag ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 24 (3) ◽

pp. 287-292 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Petra A. Golovics ◽

Laszlo Lakatos ◽

Michael D. Mandel ◽

Barbara D. Lovasz ◽

Zsuzsanna Vegh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ulcerative Colitis ◽

Cox Regression ◽

Diagnostic Procedures ◽

Population Based ◽

Disease Course ◽

Inception Cohort ◽

Disease Extent ◽

Cox Regression Analysis ◽

Hospitalization Rates

Background & Aims: Limited data are available on the hospitalization rates in population-based studies. Since this is a very important outcome measure, the aim of this study was to analyze prospectively if early hospitalization is associated with the later disease course as well as to determine the prevalence and predictors of hospitalization and re-hospitalization in the population-based ulcerative colitis (UC) inception cohort in the Veszprem province database between 2000 and 2012. Methods: Data of 347 incident UC patients diagnosed between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2010 were analyzed (M/F: 200/147, median age at diagnosis: 36, IQR: 26-50 years, follow-up duration: 7, IQR 4-10 years). Both in- and outpatient records were collected and comprehensively reviewed. Results: Probabilities of first UC-related hospitalization were 28.6%, 53.7% and 66.2% and of first re-hospitalization were 23.7%, 55.8% and 74.6% after 1-, 5- and 10- years of follow-up, respectively. Main UC-related causes for first hospitalization were diagnostic procedures (26.7%), disease activity (22.4%) or UC-related surgery (4.8%), but a significant percentage was unrelated to IBD (44.8%). In Kaplan-Meier and Cox-regression analysis disease extent at diagnosis (HR extensive: 1.79, p=0.02) or at last follow-up (HR: 1.56, p=0.001), need for steroids (HR: 1.98, p<0.001), azathioprine (HR: 1.55, p=0.038) and anti-TNF (HR: 2.28, p<0.001) were associated with the risk of UC-related hospitalization. Early hospitalization was not associated with a specific disease phenotype or outcome; however, 46.2% of all colectomies were performed in the year of diagnosis. Conclusion: Hospitalization and re-hospitalization rates were relatively high in this population-based UC cohort. Early hospitalization was not predictive for the later disease course.

Download Full-text

Fracture Risk in Patients with Myasthenia Gravis: A Population-Based Cohort Study

Journal of Neuromuscular Diseases ◽

10.3233/jnd-200612 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Charles Kassardjian ◽

Jessica Widdifield ◽

J. Michael Paterson ◽

Alexander Kopp ◽

Chenthila Nagamuthu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Myasthenia Gravis ◽

Lower Risk ◽

Cox Regression ◽

Large Population ◽

Population Based ◽

Osteoporosis Prevention ◽

Inception Cohort ◽

Hazard Ratios ◽

Multiple Covariates ◽

Region Of Residence

Background: Prednisone is a common treatment for myasthenia gravis (MG), and osteoporosis is a known potential risk of chronic prednisone therapy. Objective: Our aim was to evaluate the risk of serious fractures in a population-based cohort of MG patients. Methods: An inception cohort of patients with MG was identified from administrative health data in Ontario, Canada between April 1, 2002 and December 31, 2015. For each MG patient, we matched 4 general population comparators based on age, sex, and region of residence. Fractures were identified through emergency department and hospitalization data. Crude overall rates and sex-specific rates of fractures were calculated for the MG and comparator groups, as well as rates of specific fractures. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox regression. Results: Among 3,823 incident MG patients (followed for a mean of 5 years), 188 (4.9%) experienced a fracture compared with 741 (4.8%) fractures amongst 15,292 matched comparators. Crude fracture rates were not different between the MG cohort and matched comparators (8.71 vs. 7.98 per 1000 patient years), overall and in men and women separately. After controlling for multiple covariates, MG patients had a significantly lower risk of fracture than comparators (HR 0.74, 95% CI 0.63–0.88). Conclusions: In this large, population-based cohort of incident MG patients, MG patients were at lower risk of a major fracture than comparators. The reasons for this finding are unclear but may highlight the importance osteoporosis prevention.

Download Full-text

Effects of marital status on overall and cancer-specific survival in laryngeal cancer patients: a population-based study

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-80698-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Zhao Ding ◽

Deshun Yu ◽

Hefeng Li ◽

Yueming Ding

Keyword(s):

Marital Status ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Laryngeal Cancer ◽

Cox Regression ◽

Group Analysis ◽

Population Based ◽

Cancer Specific Survival ◽

Cox Regression Analysis ◽

Prognostic Effect ◽

The Difference

AbstractMarital status has long been recognized as an important prognostic factor for many cancers, however its’ prognostic effect for patients with laryngeal cancer has not been fully examined. We retrospectively analyzed 8834 laryngeal cancer patients in the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database from 2004 to 2010. Patients were divided into four groups: married, widowed, single, and divorced/separated. The difference in overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) of the various marital subgroups were calculated using the Kaplan–Meier curve. Multivariate Cox regression analysis screened for independent prognostic factors. Propensity score matching (PSM) was also conducted to minimize selection bias. We included 8834 eligible patients (4817 married, 894 widowed, 1732 single and 1391 divorced/separated) with laryngeal cancer. The 5-year OS and CSS of married, widowed, single, and separated/divorced patients were examined. Univariate and multivariate analyses found marital status to be an independent predictor of survival. Subgroup survival analysis showed that the OS and CSS rates in widowed patients were always the lowest in the various American Joint Committee on Cancer stages, irrespective of sex. Widowed patients demonstrated worse OS and CSS in the 1:1 matched group analysis. Among patients with laryngeal cancer, widowed patients represented the highest-risk group, with the lowest OS and CSS.

Download Full-text