A highly specific algorithm for identifying asthma cases and controls for genome-wide association studies.

Our aim was to identify asthmatic patients as cases, and healthy patients as controls, for genome-wide association studies (GWAS), using readily available data from electronic medical records. For GWAS, high specificity is required to accurately identify genotype-phenotype correlations. We developed two algorithms using a combination of diagnoses, medications, and smoking history. By applying stringent criteria for source and specificity of the data we achieved a 95% positive predictive value and 96% negative predictive value for identification of asthma cases and controls compared against clinician review. We achieved a high specificity but at the loss of approximately 24% of the initial number of potential asthma cases we found. However, by standardizing and applying our algorithm across multiple sites, the high number of cases needed for a GWAS could be achieved.

The effects of spermicides containing nonoxynol-9 on cervical cytology.

BACKGROUND: This analysis was undertaken to compare the effect of the different dosages and formulations of spermicides containing nonoxynol-9 (N-9) on cervical cytology. STUDY DESIGN: A randomized trial was conducted at 14 sites in the United States to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of five spermicides containing N-9. This Papanicolaou smear analysis included the data from all participants who provided two Papanicolaou smear samples: at admission and after discontinuation of the product. The effects of the spermicides were evaluated by comparing the rates of alteration of cervical cytology between five study groups. RESULTS: A total of 640 women were included in this analysis. The majority of the study participants (>85%) had no change of their baseline Papanicolaou smear result. The rates of alteration of cervical cytology were similar among women using the three gels containing the different doses of N-9 and three different formulations containing the same dose of N-9. Our analysis found no association between alteration of cervical cytology and duration or frequency of use of the five study spermicides. CONCLUSIONS: Exposure to different formulations and doses of spermicides containing N-9 is unlikely to influence cervical cytology.