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BACKGROUND: The omega-3 index (eicosapentaenoic acid + docosahexaenoic acid) content in red blood cell membranes has been suggested as a novel risk marker for cardiac death. Objective. To assess the ability of the omega-3 index to predict all-cause mortality, cardiac death and sudden cardiac death following hospitalization with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS), and to include arachidonic acid (AA) in risk assessment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The omega-3 index was measured in 572 consecutive patients (median 63 years and 59% males) admitted with chest pain and suspected ACS in an inland Northern Argentinean city with a dietary habit that was essentially based on red meat and a low intake of fish. Clinical endpoints were collected during a 5-year follow-up period, median 3.6 years, range 1 day to 5.5 years. Stepwise Cox regression analysis was employed to compare the rate of new events in the quartiles of the omega-3 index measured at inclusion. Multivariable analysis was performed. RESULTS: No statistical significant differences in baseline characteristics were noted between quartiles of the omega-3 index. The median of the adjusted omega-3 index was 3.6%. During the follow-up period, 100 (17.5%) patients died. Event rates were similar in all quartiles of the omega-3 index, with no statistical significant differences. AA added no prognostic information. CONCLUSION: In a population with a low intake of fish and fish oils, the adjusted omega-3 index did not predict fatal events following hospitalization in patients with acute chest pain and suspected ACS.
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Síndrome Coronariana Aguda/sangue , Dieta , Ácidos Graxos Ômega-3/sangue , Peixes , Síndrome Coronariana Aguda/diagnóstico , Síndrome Coronariana Aguda/mortalidade , Adulto , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Animais , Argentina , Biomarcadores/sangue , Dor no Peito/sangue , Feminino , Seguimentos , Humanos , Pacientes Internados , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Valor Preditivo dos Testes , Prognóstico , Estudos Prospectivos , Medição de Risco , Fatores de Risco , Sensibilidade e Especificidade , Índice de Gravidade de DoençaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Several mechanisms are involved in the pathophysiology of the Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS). We have addressed whether B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) in admission samples may improve risk stratification in chest pain patients with suspected ACS. METHODS: We included 982 patients consecutively admitted with chest pain and suspected ACS at nine hospitals in Salta, Northern Argentina. Total and cardiac mortality were recorded during a 2-year follow up period. Patients were divided into quartiles according to BNP and hsCRP levels, respectively, and inter quartile differences in mortality were statistically evaluated applying univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: 119 patients died, and the BNP and hsCRP levels were significantly higher among these patients than in survivors. In a multivariable Cox regression model for total death and cardiac death in all patients, the hazard ratio (HR) in the highest quartile (Q4) as compared to the lowest quartile (Q1) of BNP was 2.32 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.24-4.35), p = 0.009 and 3.34 (95% CI, 1.26-8.85), p = 0.015, respectively. In the TnT positive patients (TnT > 0.01 ng/mL), the HR for total death and cardiac death in Q4 as compared to Q1 was 2.12 (95% CI, 1.07-4.18), p = 0.031 and 3.42 (95% CI, 1.13-10.32), p = 0.029, respectively.The HR for total death for hsCRP in Q4 as compared to Q1 was 1.97 (95% CI, 1.17-3.32), p = 0.011, but this biomarker did not predict cardiac death (p = 0.21). No prognostic impact of these two biomarkers was found in the TnT negative patients. CONCLUSION: BNP and hsCRP may act as clinically useful biomarkers when obtained at admission in a population with suspected ACS.
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Síndrome Coronariana Aguda/diagnóstico , Síndrome Coronariana Aguda/epidemiologia , Proteína C-Reativa/metabolismo , Peptídeo Natriurético Encefálico/sangue , Troponina/sangue , Síndrome Coronariana Aguda/mortalidade , Síndrome Coronariana Aguda/fisiopatologia , Idoso , Argentina , Dor no Peito , Serviços Médicos de Emergência , Feminino , Seguimentos , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Valor Preditivo dos Testes , Prognóstico , Estudos Prospectivos , Risco Ajustado , Análise de SobrevidaRESUMO
The paper reports results from a research project with the objective of studying patient safety, and relates the finding to safety issues within transfusion medicine. The background is an increased focus on undesired events related to diagnosis, medication, and patient treatment in general in the healthcare sector. The study is designed as a case study within a regional Norwegian hospital conducting specialised health care services. The study includes multiple methods such as interviews, document analysis, analysis of error reports, and a questionnaire survey. Results show that the challenges for improved patient safety, based on employees' perceptions, are hospital management support, reporting of accidents/incidents, and collaboration across hospital units. Several of these generic safety challenges are also found to be of relevance for a hospital's transfusion service. Positive patient safety factors are identified as teamwork within hospital units, a non-punitive response to errors, and unit manager's actions promoting safety.
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Transfusão de Sangue , Hospitais Universitários/estatística & dados numéricos , Erros Médicos/prevenção & controle , Gestão da Segurança/organização & administração , Adulto , Atitude do Pessoal de Saúde , Continuidade da Assistência ao Paciente , Comportamento Cooperativo , Fidelidade a Diretrizes , Hospitais Universitários/organização & administração , Humanos , Comunicação Interdisciplinar , Noruega , Recursos Humanos em Hospital/psicologia , Gestão de Riscos/organização & administração , Gestão de Riscos/estatística & dados numéricos , Reação TransfusionalRESUMO
Up to 30% of cervical intraepithelial grades 2-3 (CIN2-3) lesions regress, but some believe that "regression" is due to "curative" punch biopsies. If this is true, CIN2-3 in the resection margins of the biopsies would be associated with more frequent "persistent" CIN2-3. If, however, immunology-related regression exists, regression would increase with increasing biopsy-cone interval. In 61 punch biopsies diagnosed as CIN3 at careful review by two independent gynaecological pathologists, CIN3 in the resection margins and duration of the biopsy-cone interval was evaluated in relation to CIN2-3-or-not in the cones (again after independent review by expert pathologists). 10 of 61 (16%) patients with CIN3 showed CIN1 or less in the follow-up cones. CIN3-or-not in the resection margins, size of the lesion in the punch biopsy, and presence or absence of CIN2-3 in the cones were not correlated with regression-or-not. However, the number of cones without CIN2-3 increased with longer biopsy-cone interval, 5% in patients with a punch-cone biopsy interval under 9 weeks and 38%> or =9 weeks (p<0.001). These results favour the hypothesis that CIN3 can regress, and do not support the "curative punch biopsy" theory.
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Biópsia , Regressão Neoplásica Espontânea , Displasia do Colo do Útero/patologia , Neoplasias do Colo do Útero/patologia , Biópsia/métodos , Feminino , Humanos , Tempo , Neoplasias do Colo do Útero/cirurgia , Displasia do Colo do Útero/cirurgiaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Climacteric medicine has been in focus during the last 2 decades, and an intensive debate has been ongoing regarding the positive and negative aspects of postmenopausal hormone therapy (HT). Recent randomised controlled studies have been unable to confirm data from observational studies of primary or secondary preventive effects of HT on coronary heart disease, and other studies have indicated an increased risk of breast cancer, stroke and venous thromboembolism among HT users. In 2001, we reported on knowledge, attitudes, management strategies and use of HT among Scandinavian gynaecologists. The aim of the present study was to re-assess the same parameters concerning HT among Scandinavian gynaecologists in 2002-2003, and compare the results with the data collected in 1995-1997. METHODS: All practicing gynaecologists in Denmark, Sweden and Norway were invited by letter to complete and return a questionnaire regarding their knowledge, attitudes and management strategies concerning HT. Female gynaecologists were questioned if they were currently using HT, and the same question was posed concerning spouses of male gynaecologists. RESULTS: The questionnaire was completed and returned by 60, 76 and 72%, respectively of gynaecologists in Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Of the 1,591 physicians who responded, 13% thought that all women should be offered HT provided there were no contraindications, while 86% recommended HT only to selected women after considering the individual advantages and disadvantages of the treatment. Of the gynaecologists, 37% considered HT to be without relevance in the primary prevention of osteoporosis in healthy women. As for duration of the treatment, 40% of the gynaecologists would recommend HT for <5 years for the treatment of climacteric complaints, and only 8% would recommend HT for >10 years. The prevalence of HT use among the menopausal female gynaecologists varied between 71 and 74%. Among the menopausal spouses of male gynaecologists, 68-72% were current users of HT. CONCLUSION: During the last years of ongoing debate, gynaecologists from Denmark, Sweden and Norway have become more modest in their recommendations of postmenopausal HT. Scandinavian specialists are more cautious in prescribing hormones for women with symptomatic CVD or previously treated for breast cancer, however, their personal use of HT has not changed dramatically and still reflects a positive attitude.
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Atitude do Pessoal de Saúde , Terapia de Reposição de Estrogênios , Ginecologia/tendências , Menopausa/fisiologia , Doenças Cardiovasculares/prevenção & controle , Feminino , Ginecologia/métodos , Conhecimentos, Atitudes e Prática em Saúde , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Osteoporose/prevenção & controle , Médicos , Países Escandinavos e NórdicosRESUMO
The EMASAR study is the first study to describe the body burden of OCs in Argentinian women after delivery. In total, 698 maternal serum samples from Salta (n = 498) and Ushuaia (n = 200) were collected in 2011-2012 and analyzed for a total of 7 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and 12 pesticide-related compounds. Only 11 of the compounds had detection rates above 60% in one or both places. Compared with Ushuaian women, those from Salta exhibited higher lipid-adjusted concentrations of p,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDT, ß-HCH, and PCB 118 (p ≤ 0.003), with no differences in concentrations of PCB 153 and 138. After controlling for age, parity and heritage (born in the province or migrated there from other regions of Argentina), concentrations of p,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDT, ß-HCH and all PCBs were significantly higher in Salta natives compared with Ushuaia natives or migrants (p ≤ 0.010). No variations between native and migrated Ushuaian women were observed other than for PCB 153 (6.1 versus 8.6 µg kg-1 lipid, p = 0.022). Age was generally associated positively with the body burden of nearly all OCs and parity negatively so, with p,p'-DDD, o,p'-DDT, and o,p'-DDD residues and α-HCH in Ushuaia being the exceptions. The regional differences in OC concentrations are explained by contrasting domestic sources, historical and current uses, industrial emissions, dietary patterns and lifestyle factors, as well as long-range-transport. The relatively high PCB 118/PCB 180 ratio observed for both Argentinian communities likely reflects the use of technical mixtures with congener-specific composition. In a comprehensive comparison with other countries, the Argentinian OC concentrations were mostly in the lower range. It is concluded that a latitude effect equivalent to that operative in the Arctic region seems unlikely.
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Monitoramento Ambiental/métodos , Poluentes Ambientais/sangue , Hidrocarbonetos Clorados/sangue , Exposição Materna , Praguicidas/sangue , Adulto , Regiões Árticas , Argentina , Carga Corporal (Radioterapia) , Feminino , Humanos , GravidezRESUMO
BACKGROUND: The "breakthrough series" on caesarean section was organised in Norway in 1998/99 in response to professional concerns about rising caesarean section rates and the public debate about the topic. The aim was to gain more information and to reduce the inter-hospital variation of caesarean section rates. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Detailed information about 3000 caesarean sections (70% of all caesarean sections in Norway during the study period of 7 months) was collected. Twenty-four departments participated and were involved in a quality-improvement process. RESULTS: In 1998 the caesarean section rate among the participating departments was 13.5% (inter-hospital variation 8.6% to 20.4%). In 2002 the rate was 15.7% (inter-hospital variation 11.0%-24.5%). The most frequent indications were fetal stress, prolonged labour, previous caesarean section, breech presentation and maternal request. Of the women with a previous caesarean section, 45.5% had a new caesarean section in their next pregnancy. Complications occurred in 21% of all procedures; risk factors were general anaesthesia, low gestational age, fetal macrosomia and degree of cervical dilation. INTERPRETATION: The project highlighted quality improvement work and interdisciplinary working processes and led to more knowledge about caesarean section. The inter-hospital variation was unchanged four years after the project.
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Cesárea/normas , Garantia da Qualidade dos Cuidados de Saúde , Cesárea/efeitos adversos , Cesárea/estatística & dados numéricos , Tomada de Decisões , Procedimentos Cirúrgicos Eletivos/normas , Procedimentos Cirúrgicos Eletivos/estatística & dados numéricos , Emergências , Feminino , Humanos , Comunicação Interdisciplinar , Noruega/epidemiologia , Padrões de Prática Médica , GravidezRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Several studies have demonstrated an association between low vitamin D levels and cardiovascular risk. Vitamin D cut-off levels are still under debate. OBJECTIVES: To assess two cut-off levels, 40 and 70 nmol/L, respectively, for vitamin D measured as 25-hydroxyvitamin D in chest pain patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome. METHODS: We investigated 1853 patients from coastal-Norway and inland Northern-Argentina. A similar database was used for pooling of data. Two-year follow-up data including all-cause mortality, cardiac death, and sudden cardiac death in the total patient population were analyzed, applying univariate and multivariable analysis. RESULTS: Two hundred fifty-five patients with known vitamin D concentrations died. In the multivariable analysis, there was a decrease in total mortality above a cut-off level of 40 nmol/L and a decrease in cardiac death above a cut-off level of 70 nmol/L [HRs of 0.66 (95% CI, 0.50-0.88), p = 0.004 and 0.46 (95% CI, 0.22-0.94), p = 0.034, respectively]. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D cut-off levels of 40 and 70 nmol/L were related to total mortality and cardiac death, respectively.
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Most cervical high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs) persist, but approximately one third regress (ie, no HSIL in follow-up biopsies). To identify factors related to histologic proven persistence or regression. Twenty-eight small histologic (marker) biopsies with adequate follow-up were analyzed for human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes and different immunoquantitative proliferation, cell cycle regulation, and differentiation markers. All cases had a biopsy-interval between the marker and first follow-up biopsy of at least 100 days (median, 8.2 months; range, 3.4-22.5 months). Follow-up was classified as regression or persistence. All lesions were high-risk (hr) HPV and p16 positive, 63% for HPV-16 or HPV-16 mixed with other hr genotypes, while 37% had other hrHPV types. The marker biopsies of the persistent HSILs had lower p53 and retinoblastoma protein (pRb) detected in the deep half of the epithelium (P = 0.001 and 0.02, respectively) than nonpersistent HSILs. The degree of positivity of p16, Ki-67, cyclin D1, lesion extent, positivity of the resection margins, and patient age were all unrelated to persistence or regression. Lesions with HPV-16 or mixed-16 genotypes had a significantly lower percentage of pRb (P = 0.02), p53 (P = 0.02), and cyclin D (P = 0.04) positive nuclei in the deep epithelial layers. In agreement with this, type-16 positive HSILs had a lower regression percentage than those with other HPV types, but the difference was not significant. HSILs with combined negativity/low positivity for p53 and pRb protein in small histologic biopsies are highly likely to persist, contrasting those in which one of these cell cycle regulators is strongly positive (p53 > 15%; pRb > 40%).
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Biomarcadores Tumorais/análise , Carcinoma in Situ/química , Proteína do Retinoblastoma/análise , Proteína Supressora de Tumor p53/análise , Neoplasias do Colo do Útero/química , Adulto , Biópsia , Carcinoma in Situ/patologia , Ciclina D1/análise , Inibidor p16 de Quinase Dependente de Ciclina/análise , Epitélio/química , Epitélio/patologia , Feminino , Seguimentos , Humanos , Antígeno Ki-67/análise , Papillomaviridae/genética , Neoplasias do Colo do Útero/patologiaRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: Long-term intellectual performance in breech-presented infants may be negatively affected by vaginal delivery. We evaluated the effect of presentation at birth and delivery mode on intellectual performance at age 18 years in a nationwide population study. METHODS: We studied 8,738 male infants in breech and 384,832 males in cephalic presentation registered in the Medical Birth Registry of Norway, 1967-1979, and linked to data registered at the National Conscript Service, 1984-1999. Test scores of intelligence testing at conscription were presented as standard nine ("stanine") scores. Mean stanine scores and odds ratios of low score were computed and adjusted for birth order, maternal age, and education. RESULTS: Mean stanine score was slightly higher among breech-presented males than among cephalic-presented males (5.26 versus 5.22, P = .05), whereas after adjustment the difference disappeared (P = .3). Breech-presented infants had lower mean scores if delivered by cesarean compared with vaginal breech delivery (P = .03), and cephalic-presented males scored lower if their mothers had a cesarean delivery instead of a vaginal delivery (P < .001). Comparing cesarean and vaginal delivery in breech births, the odds ratio of having a stanine score less than or equal to 3 was 1.12 (95% confidence interval 0.92,1.36), after adjustment for confounding factors. CONCLUSION: Presentation at birth did not affect adult intellectual performance. Cesarean delivery of breech-presented infants did not improve adult intellectual performance when compared with a vaginal delivery. The excess perinatal hazards of breech-presented infants with a vaginal delivery were not reflected in adult intellectual performance.
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Apresentação Pélvica , Inteligência , Adolescente , Adulto , Ordem de Nascimento , Peso ao Nascer , Cesárea , Parto Obstétrico , Escolaridade , Extração Obstétrica , Feminino , Humanos , Recém-Nascido , Testes de Inteligência , Masculino , Estado Civil , Idade Materna , Razão de Chances , GravidezRESUMO
Cord blood insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) concentrations are lower in preeclamptic (PE) than normotensive (NT) pregnancies. PE offspring have increased risk of cardiovascular disease and decreased risk of some cancers including breast. We examined the effects of PE exposure in utero, infant feeding and childhood diet at 3-5 years on IGF-1 and breast development in 194 female offspring who were followed from birth until follow-ups at 10.8 and 12.9 years. Diet was not associated with serum IGF-1 levels at 10.8 years. PE exposure was associated with reduced odds of thelarche at 10.8 years only among exclusively breastfed girls. Milk, butter and ice cream consumption at 3-5 years was inversely related to the OR of breast development at 10.8 years. Child's weight and maternal overweight were positively associated with breast development at 10.8 years; child's height and weight were positively associated with breast development at 12.9 years.
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Desenvolvimento Infantil , Fenômenos Fisiológicos da Nutrição Infantil , Glândulas Mamárias Humanas/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Leite , Pré-Eclâmpsia/fisiopatologia , Efeitos Tardios da Exposição Pré-Natal , Puberdade , Adolescente , Fatores Etários , Animais , Biomarcadores/sangue , Estatura , Peso Corporal , Aleitamento Materno , Manteiga , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Distribuição de Qui-Quadrado , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Dieta , Gorduras na Dieta/administração & dosagem , Proteínas Alimentares/administração & dosagem , Comportamento Alimentar , Feminino , Humanos , Sorvetes , Lactente , Recém-Nascido , Fator de Crescimento Insulin-Like I/metabolismo , Modelos Lineares , Modelos Logísticos , Estado Nutricional , Razão de Chances , Pré-Eclâmpsia/sangue , Gravidez , Estudos Prospectivos , Fatores de RiscoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Troponin-T (TnT), high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP), and Brain Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) have been shown to be independent prognostic indicators of total and cardiac death during short- and long-term follow-up. METHODS: We investigated prospectively the prognostic value of admission samples of TnT, hsCRP, and BNP in 871 chest-pain patients from South-Western Norway and 982 patients from Northern Argentina, based on a similar protocol and database setup. Follow-up was 2 years for the pooled population. The prognostic value of the selected biomarkers was investigated in quartiles of 239 patients with TnT values greater than 0.01 and up to and including 0.1 ng/mL, with continuous TnT as a potential confounder. RESULTS: After 24 months, 69 patients had died, of whom 38 died from cardiac causes. In the selected range of TnT, this biomarker was not significantly different between patients who died and survived (mean 0.0452 and 0.0457, p = 0.887). The BNP levels were significantly higher among patients dying than in long-term survivors [340 (142-656) versus 157 (58-367) pg/mL (median, 25 and 75% percentiles), p < 0.001]. In a multivariable Cox regression model for death within 2 years, the hazard ratio (HR) for BNP in the highest quartile (Q4) as compared to the lowest (Q1) was significantly related to total mortality [HR 2.84 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.13-7.17)], p = 0.027, in addition to age (p ≤ 0.001) and hypercholesterolemia (p = 0.043). For cardiac death, the HR for BNP was 5.18 (95% CI, 1.06-25.3), p = 0.042. Several other variables (age, congestive heart failure, ST elevation myocardial infarction, and study country) were also significantly related to cardiac death. In a multivariable Cox regression model, hsCRP rendered no significant prognostic information for all-cause mortality (p = 0.089) or for cardiac mortality (p = 0.524). CONCLUSION: In patients with borderline TnT values (greater than 0.01 and up to and including 0.1 ng/mL), this biomarker as well as hsCRP did not render prognostic information, whereas BNP was found to be a strong prognostic indicator of 2-year total and cardiac mortality.
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OBJECTIVE: To determine whether preeclampsia influences insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1), and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), independent of its effect on birth weight. METHODS: Cord blood was collected in 12,804 consecutive deliveries. We identified 258 preeclamptic pregnancies that were subclassified as mild or severe and early or late. For comparison, 609 control pregnancies were selected. Fetal growth was expressed as the ratio between observed and expected birth weight, with adjustment for gestational age at birth. IGF-I, IGFBP-1, and IGFBP-3 were measured in umbilical plasma. The contribution of preeclampsia and birth weight to each measured factor was assessed by multiple linear regression analyses. RESULTS: Between mild preeclampsia and controls, there were no differences in IGF-I, IGFBP-1, and IGFBP-3. In severe and early onset preeclampsia, umbilical cord plasma IGF-I was approximately 50% lower, and IGFBP-1 was more than twice as high as in controls (both P <.01). At each birth weight level, IGF-I was lower and IGFBP-1 was higher in severe or early preeclampsia than among controls of similar weight. Birth weight and preeclampsia were, independent of each other, associated with IGF-I, whereas birth weight, but not preeclampsia, was associated with IGFBP-1, after adjustment for gestational age. CONCLUSION: Fetal growth restriction caused by severe or early preeclampsia is associated with lower umbilical levels of IGF-I than low birth weight caused by other conditions. Preeclampsia may contribute to the observed IGF-I reduction, either as part of the underlying causes of preeclampsia, or as a consequence of the disease.
Assuntos
Sangue Fetal/química , Proteína 1 de Ligação a Fator de Crescimento Semelhante à Insulina/sangue , Proteína 3 de Ligação a Fator de Crescimento Semelhante à Insulina/sangue , Fator de Crescimento Insulin-Like I/análise , Pré-Eclâmpsia/diagnóstico , Resultado da Gravidez , Adulto , Biomarcadores/análise , Peso ao Nascer , Feminino , Humanos , Recém-Nascido , Pré-Eclâmpsia/sangue , Gravidez , Estudos Prospectivos , Valores de Referência , Sensibilidade e Especificidade , Índice de Gravidade de Doença , Estatísticas não ParamétricasRESUMO
Vitamin D may not only reflect disease but may also serve as a prognostic indicator. Our aim was to assess the gender-specific utility of vitamin D measured as 25-hydroxy-vitamin D [25(OH)D] to predict all-cause and cardiac death in patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and to compare its prognostic utility to brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP). Blood samples were harvested on admission in 982 patients. Forty percent were women (65.9 ± 12.6 years). Mortality was evaluated in quartiles of 25(OH)D, BNP, and hsCRP, respectively, during a 5-year follow-up, applying univariate and multivariate analyses. One hundred and seventy-three patients died; 78 were women. In 92 patients (37 women), death was defined as cardiac. In women, the univariate hazard ratio (HR) for total death of 25(OH)D in Quartile (Q) 2 versus Q1, Q3 versus Q1, and Q4 versus Q1 was 0.55 (95% CI 0.33-0.93), 0.29 (95% CI 0.15-0.55), and 0.13 (95% CI 0.06-0.32), respectively. In females, it was an independent predictor of total and cardiac death, whereas BNP and hsCRP were less gender-specific. No gender differences in 25(OH)D were noted in a reference material. Accordingly, vitamin D independently predicts mortality in females with suspected ACS.
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Low socioeconomic status is associated with increased mortality from coronary heart disease. We assessed total mortality, cardiac death, and sudden cardiac death (SCD) in relation to socioeconomic class and social security in 982 patients consecutively admitted with suspected coronary chest pain, living in the city of Salta, northern Argentina. Patients were divided into three socioeconomic classes based on monthly income, residential area, and insurance coverage. Five-year follow-up data were analyzed accordingly, applying univariate and multivariate analyses. At follow-up, 173 patients (17.6%) had died. In 92 patients (9.4%) death was defined as cardiac, of whom 59 patients (6.0%) were characterized as SCD. In the multivariate analysis, the hazard ratios (HRs) for all-cause and cardiac mortality in the highest as compared to the lowest socioeconomic class were 0.42 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.22-0.80), P = 0.008, and 0.39 (95% CI, 0.15-0.99), P = 0.047, respectively. Comparing patients in the upper socioeconomic class to patients without healthcare coverage, HRs were 0.46 (95% CI, 0.23-0.94), P = 0.032, and 0.37 (95% CI, 0.14-1.01), P = 0.054, respectively. In conclusion, survival was mainly tied to socioeconomic inequalities in this population, and the impact of a social security program needs further attention.
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BACKGROUND: Several studies have shown an association between vitamin D deficiency and cardiovascular risk. Vitamin D status is assessed by determination of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] in serum. METHODS: We assessed the prognostic utility of 25(OH)D in 982 chest-pain patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS) from Salta, Northern Argentina. 2-year follow-up data including all-cause mortality, cardiac death and sudden cardiac death were analyzed in quartiles of 25(OH)D, applying univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: There were statistically significant changes in seasonal 25(OH)D levels. At follow-up, 119 patients had died. The mean 25(OH)D levels were significantly lower among patients dying than in long-term survivors, both in the total population and in patients with a troponin T (TnT) release (n = 388). When comparing 25(OH)D in the highest quartile to the lowest quartile in a multivariable Cox regression model for all-cause mortality, the hazard ratio (HR) for cardiac death and sudden cardiac death in the total population was 0.37 (95% CI, 0.19-0.73), p = 0.004, 0.23 (95% CI, 0.08-0.67), p = 0.007, and 0.32 (95% CI, 0.11-0.94), p = 0.038, respectively. In patients with TnT release, the respective HR was 0.24 (95% CI, 0.10-0.54), p = 0.001, 0.18 (95% CI, 0.05-0.60), p = 0.006 and 0.25 (95% CI, 0.07-0.89), p = 0.033. 25(OH)D had no prognostic value in patients with no TnT release. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D was shown to be a useful biomarker for prediction of mortality when obtained at admission in chest pain patients with suspected ACS. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01377402.
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Dor no Peito/sangue , Dor no Peito/mortalidade , Morte Súbita Cardíaca/epidemiologia , Vitamina D/análogos & derivados , Síndrome Coronariana Aguda/sangue , Síndrome Coronariana Aguda/mortalidade , Idoso , Argentina/epidemiologia , Índice de Massa Corporal , Proteína C-Reativa/metabolismo , Causas de Morte , Análise Discriminante , Feminino , Humanos , Estimativa de Kaplan-Meier , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Peptídeo Natriurético Encefálico/sangue , Modelos de Riscos Proporcionais , Curva ROC , Medição de Risco , Troponina T/sangue , Vitamina D/sangueAssuntos
Parto Obstétrico , Serviços de Saúde Materna , Obstetrícia/organização & administração , Parto Obstétrico/métodos , Parto Obstétrico/enfermagem , Parto Obstétrico/normas , Feminino , Humanos , Serviços de Saúde Materna/organização & administração , Serviços de Saúde Materna/normas , Tocologia/organização & administração , Tocologia/normas , Noruega , Obstetrícia/normas , GravidezRESUMO
AIMS: To compare cord blood concentrations of total adiponectin in the offspring of pregnancies with and without preeclampsia. METHODS: Using a Luminex analyzer, cord blood adiponectin was measured in 182 singleton pregnancies with preeclampsia and compared to adiponectin measured in 511 singleton pregnancies without preeclampsia. RESULTS: Adiponectin levels in cord blood increased with increasing gestational age, but overall, crude levels were similar in pregnancies with and without preeclampsia. However, in pregnancies with early delivery (weeks 32-36), and in pregnancies with delivery after spontaneous contractions, adiponectin levels were higher in the preeclampsia group. CONCLUSION: In preterm pregnancies and in pregnancies with spontaneous contractions, adiponectin levels in cord blood were higher in the preeclampsia group than in pregnancies without preeclampsia, maybe reflecting the need to optimize energy in preeclampsia.
Assuntos
Adiponectina/sangue , Sangue Fetal/metabolismo , Pré-Eclâmpsia/sangue , Adulto , Peso ao Nascer , Estudos de Casos e Controles , Distribuição de Qui-Quadrado , Feminino , Idade Gestacional , Humanos , Recém-Nascido , Masculino , Noruega , Paridade , GravidezRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Both birth length and birth weight are associated with height in adulthood and may have independent contributions to adult body size, but the effects of gestational age on these associations have not been fully evaluated. Our objective was to examine the independent contributions of gestational age, and of length and weight at birth, on adult (age 18 years) height and weight, with a special focus on the effects of being born preterm. METHODS: In this nationwide cohort study, records of 348,706 male infants included in the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (1967-1979) were linked to the Norwegian Conscripts Service (1984-1999). Complete follow-up information, including deaths, emigration, and disability pension, was obtained for 94%. We analyzed length and weight at birth using standardized (z-scores) values and stratified by gestational age. RESULTS: The positive association between birth length and adult height was stronger than between birth weight and adult weight (R = 7-9% compared with <0.1%, respectively). The strongest associations were seen among those born at gestational age 39 to 41 weeks. The effects of birth length on adult height, and of birth weight on adult weight, were considerably less among preterm births than among term births. Length and weight at birth each contributed independently to adult stature and body weight. The increase in adult weight per relative birth weight category was greatest for infants who were both heavy and long at birth. CONCLUSIONS: Birth length is perhaps a better predictor of adult height and weight than birth weight, and should be considered as a possible risk factor for adult morbidity and mortality.
Assuntos
Peso ao Nascer , Estatura , Peso Corporal , Idade Gestacional , Sistema de Registros/estatística & dados numéricos , Adolescente , Estudos de Coortes , Feminino , Previsões , Humanos , Recém-Nascido , Recém-Nascido Prematuro , Masculino , Noruega/epidemiologia , Fatores de RiscoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: A woman's thrombophilic genes may increase her risk of preeclampsia in pregnancy. Vascular conditions of the placenta related to thrombophilic genes of the fetus could also be relevant for preeclampsia. The case-parent triad study design provides separate estimation of maternal and fetal genes. METHODS: We recruited 92 mother-father-child triads of preeclamptic pregnancies from a birth clinic in Stavanger, Norway. All parents were of Norwegian origin. Maternal, paternal, and fetal DNA were genotyped for the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T and Factor V Leiden (FVL) G1691A SNPs. Estimation of the relative risk (RR) associated with fetal and maternal genetic variants was performed by log-linear models. RESULTS: There was no indication of an effect of the child's FVL alleles on preeclampsia risk. For case babies with 2 copies of the variant allele, the association with the MTHFR variant was inconclusive (RR = 1.6; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.6-4.3). Case mothers who were homozygous for the MTHFR variant had a relative risk of 2.0 (CI = 1.0-4.1) assuming a recessive gene effect. A 2.5-fold risk (CI = 1.1-5.7) of preeclampsia was estimated when the mother carried one copy of the FVL. Among mothers homozygous for the MTHFR variant, the relative risk of the FVL variant was 4.6-fold (CI = 1.0-21). CONCLUSIONS: We found little evidence of an effect of the child's MTHFR or FVL alleles on the risk of preeclampsia. Our estimates of effects of maternal MTHFR and FVL alleles were consistent with estimates from case-control studies. The case-parent triad design may be a useful tool for studies of pregnancy complications such as preeclampsia.