PURPOSE: To examine the age- and gender-specific 5-year incidence of age-related maculopathy (ARM) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in citizens of Reykjavik. DESIGN: Population-based, prospective cohort study. PARTICIPANTS: The cohort was a population-based random sample of citizens 50 years and older. Of 1379 eligible subjects, 1045 had a baseline examination in 1996; 846 of the 958 survivors (88.2%) had a 5-year follow-up examination in 2001. METHODS: The incidence of various characteristics of drusen and pigmentary changes that are typical of ARM were determined using the international classification and grading system for ARM and AMD. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Early ARM and AMD were assessed by masked grading of stereo fundus photographs. RESULTS: Hypopigmentation developed at 5 years in 10.7% of people 50 to 59 years of age (95% confidence interval [CI], 6.9-14.4) and in 25.7% those 70 to 79 years of age (95% CI, 18.4-33.0) at baseline. Age-related macular degeneration developed in no one who was 50 to 59 years of age at baseline. Geographic atrophy (GA) developed in 4.6% (95% CI, 1.2-7.9) and exudative AMD in none of those who were 70 years and older at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: Geographic atrophy is the predominant type of AMD in Iceland, and the ratio of GA to neovascular AMD is higher than in racially similar populations.
To investigate attrition of subjects in a longitudinal study of caries.
A radiographic study of caries and caries-associated factors was carried out in subjects, initially aged 14 years, and followed-up for six years. Attrition of subjects occurred at the last stage of the study.
A nationwide survey of subjects living in fishing, rural farming, and urban communities in Iceland.
A sub-sample of the nationwide random sample comprising 150 subjects was investigated using bitewing radiographs and a structured questionnaire to determine caries-risk factors. Subjects were re-examined at 16 years and 20 years using the same methods.
Mean caries increment from 14-16 years was 3.0 lesions (1.5 lesions/subject/year) but reduced to 2.6 lesions (0.7 lesions/subject/ year) by 20y. The proportion of subjects found to be caries-free at 14 years, 16 years and 20 years, was 29%, 17% and 10%, respectively. "Dropouts" from this study occurred mostly after 16 years. Analysis of subjects dropping out showed that they were least likely to be from the rural farming community but most likely from the fishing community. Those dropping out attended their dentist less frequently, had a higher consumption of carbonated drinks and a higher prevalence and incidence of caries by 16 years.
Subjects with high-risk behaviours, or residents in a fishing community were more likely to drop out of the study. Recognised advantages of conducting longitudinal studies of caries may, therefore, be lost.
Several copy number variants have been associated with neuropsychiatric disorders and these variants have been shown to also influence cognitive abilities in carriers unaffected by psychiatric disorders. Previously, we associated the 15q11.2(BP1-BP2) deletion with specific learning disabilities and a larger corpus callosum. Here we investigate, in a much larger sample, the effect of the 15q11.2(BP1-BP2) deletion on cognitive, structural and functional correlates of dyslexia and dyscalculia. We report that the deletion confers greatest risk of the combined phenotype of dyslexia and dyscalculia. We also show that the deletion associates with a smaller left fusiform gyrus. Moreover, tailored functional magnetic resonance imaging experiments using phonological lexical decision and multiplication verification tasks demonstrate altered activation in the left fusiform and the left angular gyri in carriers. Thus, by using convergent evidence from neuropsychological testing, and structural and functional neuroimaging, we show that the 15q11.2(BP1-BP2) deletion affects cognitive, structural and functional correlates of both dyslexia and dyscalculia.
Abnormally invasive placenta-prevalence, risk factors and antenatal suspicion: results from a large population-based pregnancy cohort study in the Nordic countries.
The objective was to investigate prevalence, estimate risk factors, and antenatal suspicion of abnormally invasive placenta (AIP) associated with laparotomy in women in the Nordic countries.
Population-based cohort study.
A 3-year Nordic collaboration among obstetricians to identify and report on uterine rupture, peripartum hysterectomy, excessive blood loss, and AIP from 2009 to 2012 The Nordic Obstetric Surveillance Study (NOSS).
In the NOSS study, clinicians reported AIP cases from maternity wards and the data were validated against National health registries.
Prevalence, risk factors, antenatal suspicion, birth complications, and risk estimations using aggregated national data.
A total of 205 cases of AIP in association with laparotomy were identified, representing 3.4 per 10 000 deliveries. The single most important risk factor, which was reported in 49% of all cases of AIP, was placenta praevia. The risk of AIP increased seven-fold after one prior caesarean section (CS) to 56-fold after three or more CS. Prior postpartum haemorrhage was associated with six-fold increased risk of AIP (95% confidence interval 3.7-10.9). Approximately 70% of all cases were not diagnosed antepartum. Of these, 39% had prior CS and 33% had placenta praevia.
Our findings indicate that a lower CS rate in the population may be the most effective way to lower the incidence of AIP. Focused ultrasound assessment of women at high risk will likely strengthen antenatal suspicion. Prior PPH is a novel risk factor associated with an increased prevalence of AIP.
An ultrasound assessment in women with placenta praevia or prior CS may double the awareness for AIP.
BACKGROUND: To do a gender comparison of absolute risk of recurrent myocardial infarction (MI). DESIGN: Registration of all first and second MI amongst Icelandic males and females 1981-1999. METHODS: The whole of Icelandic population, 40-74 years of age. RESULTS: The mean recurrence rate (second attack) for men was 45.7/1000 MI survivors/year and for women 39.0/1000 per year. The male/female (M/F) ratio was 1.17, 95% confidence interval 1.00-1.37, P = 0.05 and did not change significantly with age. The M/F ratio for first MI in comparison was two to seven, lowest in the oldest group. The recurrence rate decreased significantly and similarly in both sexes during the observation period. CONCLUSION: The absolute risk of MI is closely similar amongst both sexes and has decreased similarly suggesting that the same kind of secondary intervention is effective amongst both sexes in a general population.
Acoustic neuroma (AN) is a tumor of the 8th cranial nerve. The goal of this study was to find the incidence of AN in Iceland from 1979 - 2009 as well as investigate other epidemiological factors.
The group of patients with the AN diagnosis was gathered retrospectively through medical records. We looked at several epidemiological factors including age and symptoms at diagnosis, and the treatment chosen for each individual.
The incidence rate of AN in Iceland is 1.24/100,000. About 10% of diagnosed tumors were found incidentally. Most of those were found in the last 10 years of the investigation and in that period fewer large and giant tumors at diagnosis. Present complaints of patients at diagnosis were hearing loss (69%), dysequilibrium/dizziness (47%) and tinnitus (43%). Treatments were surgery (n=47), observation (n=30) and gamma knife radiosurgery (n=16). We had information concerning postoperative hearing loss and facial paralysis in 39 patients who underwent surgery. Loss of hearing postoperatively occurred in 69% (n=27) and 44% (n=17) had facial paralysis. For an average of 3.5 years, 17% of tumors followed by imaging grew.
The incidence of AN is similar to that in Europe and is increasing. More tumors are found incidentally. Small tumors can be followed by regular imaging, at least for the short term. Larger tumors are treated by surgery or gamma knife radiosurgery. A high percentage of patients receiving surgery lost their hearing postoperatively.
After identifying an association between maternal Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) reactivation and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the authors analyzed a nested case-control study within Finnish and Icelandic maternity cohorts with 7 million years of follow-up to confirm EBV's role in ALL. Offspring of 550,000 mothers were followed up to age 15 years during 1975-1997 by national cancer registries to identify leukemia cases. Mothers of cases and three quarters of matched mothers of controls were identified by national population registers. First-trimester sera from mothers of 304 ALL cases and 39 non-ALL cases and from 943 mothers of controls were analyzed for antibodies to viral capsid antigen, early antigen, and EBV transactivator protein ZEBRA. Relative risk, estimated as odds ratio (95% confidence interval), was adjusted for birth order and sibship size. Combining early antigen and/or ZEBRA immunoglobulin G antibodies with the presence of viral capsid antigen immunoglobulin M antibodies did not increase the estimate for ALL risk for viral capsid antigen immunoglobulin M alone (odds ratio = 1.9, 95% confidence interval: 1.2, 3.0). Both ZEBRA immunoglobulin G antibodies and viral capsid antigen immunoglobulin M antibodies were associated with an increased risk of non-ALL in the offspring (odds ratio = 4.5, 95% confidence interval: 1.3, 16; odds ratio = 5.6, 95% confidence interval: 1.1, 29, respectively), suggesting EBV reactivation in the mothers of non-ALL cases. EBV reactivation may be associated with a proportion of childhood leukemia.
Ten years after the foundation of a national diabetic eye screening program in 1980, we have established a low prevalence of blindness and partial sight in type 1 and type 2 diabetics in Iceland. We ask whether the screening program is also associated with a low incidence of blindness in diabetics. We now report the results of a prospective study on the 4-year incidence of diabetic retinopathy and visual impairment in type 1 diabetics with age at onset less than 30 years. Out of 205 patients participating at baseline, 175 patients (85.4%) participated over the full 4-year period. Patients were examined annually and received laser treatment according to Diabetic- and Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study criteria. The 4-year incidence of any retinopathy was 38.1%, of proliferative retinopathy 6.6%, and of macular edema 3.4%. Out of 174 patients, 7.4% showed improvement in visual acuity of 2 Snellen lines while 2.5% experienced worsening of visual acuity of 2 Snellen lines during the 4-year period. No diabetic suffered more than 2 lines deterioration of vision and none became legally blind. The incidence of retinopathy in Icelandic type 1 diabetics participating in our annual eye screening program is low and the visual acuity stable. Our results suggest that visual impairment in diabetics can be prevented with active regular screening and standard laser therapy.
BACKGROUND: Most clinical overviews of acute bacterial meningitis have either focused on children or all age groups combined, although the disease poses serious problems in the adult population. OBJECTIVE: To study the clinical and microbiological features of adult bacterial meningitis in Iceland, as a representative of the average European or North American community. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data on a total of 132 cases in 127 patients (age, > or = 16 years) who were diagnosed as having acute bacterial meningitis in Iceland during the years 1975 to 1994 were collected from patient and laboratory records. Complete hospital records were found for 119 of the 132 cases identified. RESULTS: The annual incidence was 1.7/100,000 to 7.2/ 100,000 inhabitants (mean, 3.8/100,000). The most common causative organisms were Neisseria meningitidis (56%), Streptococcus pneumoniae (20%), Listeria monocytogenes (6%), and Haemophilus influenzae (5%). Neisseria meningitidis caused 93% of the infections in the 16- to 20-year-old age group, but it caused only 25% of the infections in patients aged 45 years or older. Listeria monocytogenes caused 14% of these cases. Cases of nosocomial and recurrent meningitis were rare. A significant underlying illness or condition was present in 39% of the patients. The mean mortality was 19.7%, and it did not change during the study period. CONCLUSIONS: In a study that involved all adult patients with bacterial meningitis in a single country for 2 decades, meningococci and pneumococci were the most frequent causative agents. However, meningococci were responsible for only one fourth of the cases among adult patients aged 45 years or older, most of these cases were caused by pneumococci and Listeria. Despite modern medical developments, approximately 20% of adult patients with bacterial meningitis died.
The purpose of the study was to calculate the incidence of the acute flank pain syndrome in Iceland and to describe the case series.
The hospital records of those who fulfilled the following criteria were studied: age 18-41 years, acute renal failure, and a visit to Landspitali University Hospital in 1998-2007. The acute flank pain syndrome was defined as severe flank pain in combination with acute renal failure, unexplained except for the possible consumption of NSAIDs, ethanol or both. Information was collected about the sales of NSAIDs.
One hundred and six patients had acute renal failure. Of those, 21 had the acute flank pain syndrome (20%). The annual incidence of the acute flank pain syndrome increased threefold during the study period. The average incidence was 3.2/100.000/year (relative to the population of the Reykjavik area) and 2.0/100.000/year (relative to the population of Iceland). 18 patients were male and the median age was 26 (19-35) years. The symptoms regressed spontaneously during a few days or weeks. There was history of NSAID intake in 15, ethanol consumption in 15, either in 20, and both in nine patients. The sales figures of NSAIDs were high and they increased during the study period, especially those of the over-the-counter sales of ibuprofen.
The incidence of the acute flank pain syndrome was high. The paper describes the largest case series that has been published since the withdrawal of suprofen in 1987. Young people should be warned about consuming NSAIDs during or directly after binge drinking.
