Hernandez-PerezdelaBlanca M, Rebora-Mariano T, Ramirez-Robles R, Berna-Guisado C, Vides-Batanero MC, Castro-Gomez JA. Predictors of cardiovascular risk in a population of diabetic adults of Gypsy origin, in Granada. Bratisl Lek Listy. 2014;115:579-84.
AIMS: The aim of this work is to identify cardiovascular risk factors in a population of ethnic Gypsy diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and to compare this population with a control group of non-Gypsy patients also diagnosed with T2DM and with a similar sociological background.
DESIGN: Observational descriptive cross-cutting study.
METHODS:Using a systematic random sampling, we selected a sample of 220 Gypsy patients diagnosed with T2DM and another sample of 230 non-Gypsy patients, also diagnosed with T2DM. Both samples were composed of patients registered at the Almanjáyar and Cartuja health centres, in Granada (Spain). The data were collected between October 2010 and October 2011.
RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences between the Gypsy and non-Gypsy patients in the following variables concerning the control of cardiovascular risk: systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides and cardiovascular risk.
CONCLUSIONS: The factors of cardiovascular risk presented by Gypsy patients diagnosed with T2DM were more acute than those of non-Gypsy patients.
Hague AL et al. Evaluation of the safety and efficacy of an automated flossing device: a randomized controlled trial. J Clin Dent. 2007;18:45-8.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a newly developed automatedflossingdevice (AF).
METHODOLOGY: Subjects were recruited from a university campus via announcements, and were randomly assigned to a control (C), manual (M), or automated (A) group. Subjects brushed twice a day and treatment groups used their respective floss daily. The safety assessment (SA), plaque index (PI), and gingival index (GI) were measured at days one, 15, and 30. A pre- and post-intervention PI was measured at days 15 and 30.
RESULTS: The majority of subjects (n=76) were students, mean age +/- SD of 23.3 +/- 5.2 years. Based on one-way analysis of covariance, C had a higher mean PI score than A at days 15 (p = 0.019) and 30 (p < 0.001), and M had a higher mean PI score than A at day 30 (p = 0.022). The C had a higher mean GI score than A at day 30 (p = 0.034). The SA included trauma associated with improper use of the AF for two subjects.
CONCLUSION: At four weeks, the AF removed more interproximal plaque than M, and there was less interdental inflammation compared to brushing alone. The AF is safe and effective when used properly, and demonstrates great promise as an alternative to manual floss.
Large Outbreak Caused by Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius ST71 in a Grönthal T, Moodley A, Nykäsenoja S, Junnila J, Guardabassi L, Thomson K, Rantala M. Finnish Veterinary Teaching Hospital - From Outbreak Control to Outbreak Prevention. PLoS One. 2014;9:e110084.
INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to describe a nosocomial outbreak caused by methicillin resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) ST71 SCCmec II-III in dogs and cats at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of the University of Helsinki in November 2010 - January 2012, and to determine the risk factors for acquiring MRSP. In addition, measures to control the outbreak and current policy for MRSP prevention are presented.
METHODS: Data of patients were collected from the hospital patient record software. MRSP surveillance data were acquired from the laboratory information system. Risk factors for MRSP acquisition were analyzed from 55 cases and 213 controls using multivariable logistic regression in a case-control study design. Forty-seven MRSP isolates were analyzed by pulsed field gel electrophoresis and three were further analyzed with multi-locus sequence and SCCmec typing.
RESULTS: Sixty-three MRSP cases were identified, including 27 infections. MRSPs from the cases shared a specific multi-drug resistant antibiogram and PFGE-pattern indicated clonal spread. Four risk factors were identified; skin lesion (OR = 6.2; CI95% 2.3-17.0, P = 0.0003), antimicrobial treatment (OR = 3.8, CI95% 1.0-13.9, P = 0.0442), cumulative number of days in the intensive care unit (OR = 1.3, CI95% 1.1-1.6, P = 0.0007) or in the surgery ward (OR = 1.1, CI95% 1.0-1.3, P = 0.0401). Tracing and screening of contact patients, enhanced hand hygiene, cohorting and barrier nursing, as well as cleaning and disinfection were used to control the outbreak. To avoid future outbreaks and spread of MRSP a search-and-isolate policy was implemented. Currently nearly all new MRSP findings are detected in screening targeted to risk patients on admission.
CONCLUSION: Multidrug resistant MRSP is capable of causing a large outbreak difficult to control. Skin lesions, antimicrobial treatment and prolonged hospital stay increase the probability of acquiring MRSP. Rigorous control measures were needed to control the outbreak. We recommend the implementation of a search-and-isolate policy to reduce the burden of MRSP.
Hashemi H, Yekta A, Jafarzadehpur E, Nirouzad F, Ostadimoghaddam H, Eshrati B, Mohazzab-Torabi S, Khabazkhoob M. The Prevalence of Amblyopia in 7-year-old Schoolchildren in Iran. Strabismus. 2014:1-6. [Epub ahead of print]
Purpose: To determine the prevalence of amblyopia in schoolchildren aged 7 years in Iran, its relation with refractive errors, and its determinants. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, cluster sampling was done from elementary school students in 7 cities in Iran. In all schools, an optometrist conducted all tests, including measurement of uncorrected and corrected visual acuity, cycloplegic refraction, and cover test. In this study, amblyopia was defined as best corrected visual acuity 20/30 or less or a 2-line interocular optotype acuity difference with no pathology. Results: Of the 4157 students selected for the study, 3675 participated and final analyses were done with data from 3547 children. The prevalence of amblyopia was 1.88% (95% CI: 1.24-2.52) (n = 63). The prevalence was 1.91% (95% CI: 0.85-2.97) in boys and 1.85% (95% CI: 1.12-2.58) in girls (p = 0.92). Among these cases, 60.30% (n = 38) were unilateral. Also, 61.9% were strabismic, 27.0% were anisometropic, 9.5% were isometropic, and one case (1.6%) was due to congenital cataracts. Amblyopic individuals were more hypermetropic and the mean cylinder error was significantly higher. Conclusion: Necessary attention should be paid to amblyopia, although its prevalence in Iran is mid-range when compared with other countries. Amblyopia is more common in hyperopic and astigmatic individuals and therefore it is important to pay more attention to this refractive error during childhood. Since strabismus is the most common cause of amblyopia in Iran, children need to be checked for strabismus before the age of 5 years.
Fišter K, Kolcić I, Milanović SM, Kern J. The prevalence of overweight, obesity and central obesity in six regions of Croatia: results from the Croatian Adult Health Survey. Coll Antropol. 2009;33 Suppl 1:25-9.
The data for this study was obtained from the Croatian Adult Health Survey in 2003 (CAHS). CAHS was a nationally representative population-based survey of cardiovascular risk factors in Croatian adults, aged 18 years or older. The first wave of the survey was performed in 2003 and yielded 9,070 responses with an overall response rate of 84%. The sampling approach was based on six regions in Croatia: Eastern, Central, Northern, Mountainous, Coastal region and the City of Zagreb. After stratification according to the region, random household sampling scheme was applied and, finally, one random adult from each household was selected. Specially trained visiting nurses carried out the survey in respondents’ homes. A complex seven-step weighting scheme was applied to the collected data, in order to increase the sample’s representativeness. Further details on the CAHS are provided elsewhere. We defined overweight as body mass index (BMI) 25.0–29.99 kg/m2 and obesity as BMI >30.0 kg/m2. Waist circumference was used as a surrogate marker for measuring central obesity. Central obesity was defined as waist circumference of 102 cm or longer for men and 88 cm or longer for women.
Kolcić I, Polasek O. Do public health surveys provide representative data? Comparison of three different sampling approaches in the adult population of Croatia. Coll Antropol. 2009;33 Suppl 1:153-8.
We investigated the sample representativeness in three different types of population-based public health surveys in Croatia. Responses from the household sampling based Croatian Adult Health Survey (CAHS), health insurance register based Croatian Health Survey (CHS) and a telephone survey (TPS) were analysed and compared to gender, age and education composition of the Croatian adult population, based on the 2001 Census. The raw (unweighted) survey data were used and analysed with Spearman's rank test and distance analysis. The results indicated that TPS had the most similar gender composition compared to the Census data. TPS also had the most similar age composition in men, while CHS had the most similar age composition in women. Finally, CAHS had the most similar education composition to the Census data. Three population subgroups were substantially under-sampled in all three surveys: men, younger people, and elderly from the lowest educational classes. For these sub-groups, advanced sampling methods should be employed in order to obtain more precise estimates from public health surveys.
Polasek O, Kolcić I, Vorko-Jović A, Kern J, Rudan I. Seasonality of births in Croatia. Coll Antropol. 2005;29:249-55.
The aim of this paper was to investigate seasonal fluctuations of the number of births in Croatia. Vital registration data from the years 1970-2002 was used for analysis of the quarterly data (from the years 1970-1997), and monthly data (from the years 1998-2002). Both data sets were smoothed, using seasonal variation removal for quarterly data, and T4253H smoothing for monthly data. Edwards test and Ratchet circular scan tests were used in analysis. The results showed an increase in the summer birth proportion and decrease in the spring birth proportion, distorted during the wartime period (1991-1995). Monthly analysis reveals highest birth proportion in Croatia during July-September period, with peak date moving towards the end of summer, and reaching stability in the beginning of September during the years 2000-2002. This presumes highest conception rate during the beginning of the Christmas holiday season. Secondary peak in January was found in some years, which presumably sets second period of increased conception rate into the Easter holiday season, supporting the observation of the holiday-related birth peaks. Both quarterly and monthly data indicate a birth pattern that does not resemble either "European", or "American" seasonal pattern. Regional analysis showed lack of seasonality in the capital city of Zagreb and either intermittent or stable seasonality pattern in the rest of the country.
Speliotes EK et al. Association analyses of 249,796 individuals reveal 18 new loci associated with body mass index. Nat Genet. 2010;42:937-48.
Obesity is globally prevalent and highly heritable, but its underlying genetic factors remain largely elusive. To identify genetic loci for obesity susceptibility, we examined associations between body mass index and around 2.8 million SNPs in up to 123,865 individuals with targeted follow up of 42 SNPs in up to 125,931 additional individuals. We confirmed 14 known obesity susceptibility loci and identified 18 new loci associated with body mass index (P < 5 × 10-8), one of which includes a copy number variant near GPRC5B. Some loci (at MC4R, POMC, SH2B1 and BDNF) map near key hypothalamic regulators of energy balance, and one of these loci is near GIPR, an incretin receptor. Furthermore, genes in other newly associated loci may provide new insights into human body weight regulation.