Previous research updated the mortality experience of North American synthetic rubber industry workers during the period 1944-1998, determined if leukemia and other cancers were associated with several employment factors and carried out Poisson regression analysis to examine exposure-response associations between estimated exposure to 1,3-butadiene (BD) or other chemicals and cancer. The present study used Cox regression procedures to examine further the exposure-response relationship between several unlagged and lagged, continuous, time-dependent BD exposure indices (BD parts per million (ppm)-years, the total number of exposures to BD concentrations >100 ppm ("peaks") and average intensity of BD) and leukemia, lymphoid neoplasms and myeloid neoplasms. All three BD exposure indices were associated positively with leukemia. Using continuous, untransformed BD ppm-years the regression coefficient (beta) from an analysis that controlled only for age was 2.9 x 10(-4) (p
The aim of the present 5-year follow-up was to clarify the nature of occlusal support status and radiographic changes in condyles of the elderly, and the association between these two variables.
The present study is part of a comprehensive medical survey of a random sample born in 1904, 1909, and 1914. A total of 364 subjects living in Helsinki participated in the dental part of the examination during 1990 to 1991, and after 5 years a total of 103 were reexamined. Comprehensive data on occlusal support status were available for 94 subjects, and radiographic data were available for 88 subjects. Occlusal support status was assessed on the basis of the Eichner index, radiographic changes were assessed from panoramic radiographs, and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders were assessed using Helkimo's anamnestic index.
The most frequent radiographic finding in the mandibular joint was flattening of the articular surface of the condyle associated with osteoarthrosis, found at baseline in 17% and during follow-up in 13% of the subjects. During the 5-year follow-up, Eichner index for natural dentition remained unaltered in 94% of the subjects and in 85% of the subjects when removable dentures were included. There were no radiographic changes in 92% of the cases. No differences based on age or gender were found. A logistic regression model revealed associations between the selected baseline factors. The odds ratio for baseline Helkimo's anamnestic index was 4.1, 5.7 for Eichner index with the support of removable dentures, and 356 for radiographic findings.
Radiographic changes in condyles of elderly people were small during the 5-year follow-up, but baseline radiographic findings, Helkimo's anamnestic index, and Eichner index with removable dentures were risk factors for radiographic findings at the end of the follow-up.
The objective of this follow-up study was to determine the long-term outcome of strictly classified cases of neuroborreliosis treated with antibiotics. A 1-y prospective population-based survey of Lyme borreliosis was conducted in southern Sweden between 1992 and 1993. A total of 349 identified cases with suspected neuroborreliosis were followed up 5 y later. Medical records were reviewed and all participants filled in a questionnaire. Of those patients classified with definite neuroborreliosis, 114/130 completed the follow-up, of whom 111 had completed the initial antibiotic treatment. Of the 114 patients followed up, 86 (75%) had recovered completely and 70 (61%) had recovered within 6 months. Residual neurological symptoms, such as facial palsy, concentration disorder, paresthesia and/or neuropathy, were reported by 28/114 patients. No significant differences between different antibiotic treatments were observed in terms of the occurrence of sequelae. To conclude, we found that 25% (95% confidence interval 17-33%) of the patients suffered from residual neurological symptoms 5 y post-treatment. However, the clinical outcome of treated neuroborreliosis is favorable as only 14/114 (12%) patients had sequelae that influenced their daily activities post-treatment. Early diagnosis and treatment would seem to be of great importance in order to avoid such sequelae.
The properties and performance of a new low-monomer cement were examined in this prospective randomized, controlled RSA study. 5-year data have already been published, showing no statistically significant differences compared to controls. In the present paper we present the 10-year results.
44 patients were originally randomized to receive total hip replacement with a Lubinus SPII titanium-aluminum-vanadium stem cemented either with the new Cemex Rx bone cement or with control bone cement, Palacos R. Patients were examined using RSA, Harris hip score, and conventional radiographs.
At 10 years, 33 hips could be evaluated clinically and 30 hips could be evaluated with RSA (16 Cemex and 14 Palacos). 9 patients had died and 4 patients were too old or infirm to be investigated. Except for 1 hip that was revised for infection after less than 5 years, no further hips were revised before the 10-year follow-up. There were no statistically significant clinical differences between the groups. The Cemex cement had magnitudes of migration similar to or sometimes lower than those of Palacos cement. In both groups, most hips showed extensive radiolucent lines, probably due to the use of titanium alloy stems.
At 10 years, the Cemex bone cement tested performed just as well as the control (Palacos bone cement).
Both influenza and meningococcal disease (MD) show seasonal variation with peak incidence rates during the winter. We examined whether fluctuations in occurrence of influenza were associated with changes in the incidence rate of MD, either simultaneously or with a delay of one or 2 weeks, and whether age had an impact on these associations. This ecological study was based on weekly surveillance data on influenza and a complete registration of MD cases (n = 413) in North Jutland County, Denmark, during 1980-1999. A total of 379 MD cases occurred during weeks with influenza registration. The analysis was done using a Poisson regression model taking into account the seasonal variation and trend over time in incidence rate of MD, and stratified by age: or = 14 years (n = 152). An increase of 100 registered cases of influenza per 100,000 inhabitants was associated with a 7% (95% CI: -1 to 15%) increase in the number of MD cases during the same week. The association was most marked for
The 32-base pair deletion of the chemokine receptor 5 gene (CCR5-Delta32) is not associated with primary sclerosing cholangitis in 363 Scandinavian patients.
CCR5 is a chemokine receptor expressed on T-cells and macrophages. A 32-base pair deletion in the chemokine receptor 5 gene (CCR5-Delta32) leads to a non-functional receptor. Conflicting evidence exists whether this deletion is associated with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). We genotyped the CCR5-Delta32 variant in 363 PSC patients and 366 controls. No significant increase in the Delta32 allele frequency was detected in the PSC patients compared to controls (12.7% vs 10.7% OR = 1.22, 95% CI [0.88, 1.68], P = 0.23). Survival analysis did not reveal any significant effects from CCR5-Delta32 genotypes on disease progression. Thus, in this study (power > 90%, given OR = 2, alpha = 0.05), we were unable to replicate previous findings and our results do not support an involvement of CCR5-Delta32 in either PSC susceptibility or progression.
To collect national baseline information on asthma management practices by physicians, and to compare these practices with the recommendations of the Canadian Asthma Consensus Conference ('the guidelines').
Cross-sectional survey of representative samples of physicians in Canada in late 1996 and early 1997.
Five specialty types of physicians who manage asthma patients: respirology, pediatrics, internal medicine, allergy and clinical immunology, and general practice and family medicine. Stratified sampling by province and specialty was used to select physicians for the study. Weighting was used in the analysis to generalize the results to the national level for the five specialty groups of physicians.
Mailed questionnaire, self-administered by the respondent; three mailings of the questionnaires were used to increase the response rate.
The frequency with which each of the five specialty types chose specific asthma management choices was determined, using weighted percentages representative of the specialty groups on a national basis. ANOVA determined the statistically significant differences among the five specialties in choosing particular asthma management actions. Then, logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratios showing an association between the characteristics of the physician respondents and specific asthma management choices that they made in the survey.
The data analysis demonstrated significant variations among physicians in asthma management practices, according to specialty type and other characteristics. The initial report was released in April 1998, and manuscripts for journal submissions are being prepared.
AIMS: To evaluate the 10-year incidence of later infarction and subsequent mortality, as well as predictors of later infarction, in patients with suspected myocardial infarction and alive on day 15 after admission. METHODS AND RESULTS: 5993 patients admitted with suspected myocardial infarction and alive on day 15 after admission were registered in The First Danish Verapamil Infarction Trial database in 1979-81. 2586 had definite infarction, 402 probable infarction and 3005 no infarction as they fulfilled 3, 2 and 1 criteria for infarction. They were followed for 10 years with respect to later infarction and death, i.e., including death after later infarction. The 10 year infarction rate after index admission was 48.8% in definite, 47.3% in probable and 24.6% in no infarction patients (P 65 years with definite or probable infarction. CONCLUSION: The 10-year infarction rate in patients with suspected myocardial infarction in whom the diagnosis is ruled out is lower than in those with definite or probable infarction, but the mortality after a later infarction is similar in all three groups.
Notes
Comment In: Eur Heart J. 1998 Apr;19(4):534-59597397
To clarify whether echocardiographic detection of a vegetation 10 mm or larger in size in patients with left-sided infective endocarditis poses an increased risk for complications, we performed a meta-analysis of English-language publications identified by a computerized search of the key words infective endocarditis and echocardiography. A pooled odds ratio was calculated by using the Robins, Greenland, and Breslow estimate of variance. The pooled odds ratio for increased risk of systemic embolization in the presence of a vegetation >10 mm (10 studies, 738 patients) was 2.80 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.95 to 4.02; p 10 mm pose a significantly increased risk of (1) systemic embolization and (2) a need for valve-replacement surgery than cases where either no or smaller vegetations are detected.
To assess fatal coronary artery disease (CAD) by gender and glucose regulation status.
47,951 people were followed up according to fatal CAD identified in the National Cause of Death Registry. Gender-effects of fatal CAD in people with impaired glucose regulation (IGR), newly diagnosed diabetes (NDM) or known diabetes (KDM) compared with people with normal glucose regulation (NGR) were calculated using Cox regression.
Using NGR as reference, the hazard ratios (HR, 95% confidence intervals) associated with IGR was 1.2 (0.8-1.9) for women and 1.2 (0.9-1.6) for men. The corresponding HRs were 1.6 (1.2-2.2) and 1.4 (1.1.-1.9) for NDM, and 2.5 (2.1-2.8) and 1.8 (1.6-2.1) for KDM. The gender-difference in mortality varied by category (P(interaction) = 0.003). Using women as the reference, the HRs for men were 2.1 (2.0-2.3) for NGR, 1.8 (1.0-3.3) for IGR, 1.6 (1.0-2.5) for NDM, and 1.2 (1.0-1.5) for KDM.
Diabetes mellitus, but not IGR, was associated with fatal CAD in both genders. The known gender-difference in CAD mortality was attenuated in people with abnormal glucose regulation, evident already in people with IGR.
