RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is a precursor of active tuberculosis diseases and an important issue in the United States and worldwide. The association between vitamin D deficiency and LTBI is poorly understood. METHODS: From 2011 to 2012, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) assessed LTBI (according to tuberculin skin testing and QuantiFERON®-TB Gold In-Tube) and measured serum levels of vitamin D. We evaluated the association between LTBI and vitamin D using multivariate logistic regression models adjusted for known confounders. RESULTS: The LTBI group had a lower 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] level than the non-LTBI group (p=0.0012). The adjusted risk of LTBI was significantly higher among participants with serum 25(OH)D levels <12 ng/ml (adjusted OR [aOR], 2.27; 95% CI, 1.40-3.66) and 12-19 ng/ml (aOR, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.25-2.46) compared to those with a level ≥30 ng/ml. The higher risk of LTBI among the participants with serum 25(OH)D levels <12 ng/ml and 12-19 ng/ml remained unchanged in both male and summer season subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: A low serum 25(OH)D level was significantly associated with the risk of LTBI in this US cohort.
RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Infective endocarditis (IE) is uncommon in childhood. Its associated epidemiological characteristics in patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) remain unclear. METHODS: The study population included children born in Taiwan during the years 1997 to 2005 who were diagnosed as having CHD before 3years of age. All children were followed up until the end year of 2010, the diagnosis of infective endocarditis, or death. The demographic characteristics of patients with and without IE, the invasive procedures performed during 6months before the index date, the prophylactic antibiotics related to dental procedures, and in-hospital mortality were collected. RESULTS: Information of 24,729 children with CHD were retrieved for our analysis and 237 patients with newly diagnosed IE were identified. The incidence rate of IE in all CHD lesions was 11.13 per 10,000person-years. Taking ASD for reference, the following CHD lesions were at risk for IE: cyanotic CHD (adjusted OR, 9.58; 95% confidence interval, 5.38-17.05), endocardial cushion defect (ECD) (8.01; 2.73-23.50), Left-sided lesions (4.36; 1.90-10.01) and VSD (2.93; 1.64-5.23). Patients who underwent procedures have a higher risk of acquiring IE which include central venous catheter (CVC) insertion (3.17; 2.36-4.27), cardiac catheterization (3.74; 2.67-5.22), open-heart surgery (2.47; 1.61-3.77), valve surgery (3.20; 1.70-6.02), and shunt surgery (7.43; 2.36-23.41). However, dental procedures did not increase the risk of IE, irrespective of antibiotic usage. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of IE varies markedly among CHD lesions in our study. Invasive heart procedures but not dental procedures, are more significantly associated with IE among children with CHD.