Search results for "Case-Control Studies"
showing 10 items of 1567 documents
Haploinsufficiency of ATP1A2 encoding the Na+/K+ pump alpha2 subunit associated with familial hemiplegic migraine type 2.
2003
Headache attacks and autonomic dysfunctions characterize migraine, a very common, disabling disorder with a prevalence of 12% in the general population of Western countries(1,2). About 20% of individuals affected with migraine experience aura, a visual or sensory-motor neurological dysfunction that usually precedes or accompanies the headache(3). Although the mode of transmission is controversial(4), population-based and twin studies have implicated genetic factors, especially in migraine with aura(5,6). Familial hemiplegic migraine is a hereditary form of migraine characterized by aura and some hemiparesis. Here we show that mutations in the gene ATP1A2 that encodes the alpha2 subunit of t…
Achilles tendon length changes during walking in long-term diabetes patients
2010
Diabetes leads to numerous side effects, including an increased density of collagen fibrils and thickening of the Achilles tendon. This may increase tissue stiffness and could affect stretch distribution between muscle and tendinous tissues during walking. The primary aim of this study was to examine stretch distribution between muscle and tendinous tissues in the medial gastrocnemius muscle-tendon unit in long-term diabetes patients and control subjects during walking.Achilles tendon length changes were investigated in 13 non-neuropathic diabetes patients and 12 controls, whilst walking at a self selected speed across a 10 m force platform. Electromyographic activity was recorded in the me…
Screening for bipolar disorders in Spanish-speaking populations: sensitivity and specificity of the Bipolar Spectrum Diagnostic Scale-Spanish Version.
2010
Background: Bipolar disorder is commonly misdiagnosed, perhaps more so in Latin American and Spanish-speaking populations than in the United States. The Bipolar Spectrum Diagnostic Scale (BSDS) is a 19-item screening instrument designed to assist in screening for all types of bipolar disorder. Methods: The authors investigated the sensitivity of a Spanish-language version of the BSDS in a cohort of 65 outpatients with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, based on a semi-structured interview and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision criteria. To determine specificity, we assessed a control group of 36 outpatients with diagnosis of unipolar major dep…
Prenatal and neonatal risk factors for the development of enamel defects in low birth weight children
2009
Oral Diseases (2010) 16, 257–262 Objective: To analyse the influence of several prenatal and neonatal risk factors in the development of enamel defects in low birth weight children. Subjects and methods: Children between 4 and 5 years of age (n = 102) were classified into: Group 1) 52 low birth weight (<2500 g); Group 2) 50 normal birth weight (≥2500 g). Medical history, prenatal and neonatal variables were collected. Enamel defects were evaluated with the modified Developmental Defects of Enamel Index. Results: The prevalence of hypoplasia and average number of affected teeth were significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2 (59.6%vs 16% and 1.6 vs 0.3 respectively). Low gestational …
Heat shock protein 70 in patients with chronic heart failure: relation to disease severity and survival
2004
Heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) is essential for cellular recovery, survival and maintenance of cellular function. Research into the possible use of Hsp70 as a cytoprotective therapeutic agent is ongoing. Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a state associated with systemic inflammation, particularly in patients with cardiac cachexia. We hypothesised that circulating Hsp70 levels are elevated in patients with CHF, more so in cachechtic patients, and that Hsp70 levels would relate to mortality.We studied 107 patients (28 female, age 67+/-1 years, NYHA class 2.6+/-0.6 and LVEF 29+/-1%, mean+/-SEM) and 21 controls. Cardiac cachexia was present in 32 patients. Hsp70 was detectable in 41% of CHF patient…
Chemoembolization for primary liver cancer
2002
Abstract Aims: For most patients with primary liver cancer surgical treatment is not feasible and prognosis without treatment is poor. We aimed to assess the morbidity and efficacy of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) with lipiodol and mitomycin C in these patients in a prospective case-control study. Methods: From August 1996 to May 2000 22 patients with non-resectable hepatocellular carcinoma were treated with TACE. In case of radiological or tumour-marker response, treatment was repeated after 4–6 weeks, up to seven times per patient. Results: Morbidity was 23% and usually minor, no patient died within 30 days of treatment. A decrease in size of the reference tumour or constant tumo…
Climatic variables in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy: role of temperature
2017
Background Recent studies documented a seasonal (summer) and circadian (morning) temporal distribution of takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC). Aim The aim of our study was to investigate whether there is a relationship among season, temperature and the occurrence of TTC. A second aim of our study was the comparison of climatic variables in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy versus acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods We enrolled consecutive patients with TTC in three Italian centres and, for comparison consecutive patients with AMI. The frequency of TTC and AMI patients according to month, season and quartiles of temperature (I quartile: 9.8–15-, II quartile: 15–19-, III quartile: 19–25- and IV quar…
Persistent psychogenic déjà vu: a case report.
2014
Introduction: Déjà vu is typically a transient mental state in which a novel experience feels highly familiar. Although extensively studied in relation to temporal lobe epilepsy as part of simple partial seizures, déjà vu has been less studied in other clinical populations. A recent review of temporal lobe epilepsy suggested a possible link between clinical levels of anxiety and debilitating déjà vu, indicating further research is required. Here, for the first time in the literature, we present a case study of a young man with anxiety and depersonalisation who reported experiencing persistent and debilitating déjà vu. This report therefore adds to the limited literature on the relationship …
Is Autophagy Altered in the Leukocytes of Type 2 Diabetic Patients?
2015
It is unknown whether autophagy is altered in the leukocytes of type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients and whether oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stresses regulate this mechanism. We studied anthropometric and metabolic parameters and evaluated oxidative stress, chromatin condensation, ER stress, and autophagy parameters in leukocytes of 103 T2D patients versus 109 sex- and age-matched controls. Patients showed increases in glucose, insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) compared with controls (p < 0.001). Leukocytes displayed enhanced total and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS), reduced mitochondrial mass, and increased chro…
Choline Metabolism and Risk of Atrial Fibrillation and Heart Failure in the PREDIMED Study
2020
Abstract Background Few studies have examined the associations of trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO) and its precursors (choline, betaine, dimethylglycine, and L-carnitine) with the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF). This study sought to investigate these associations. Methods Prospective associations of these metabolites with incident AF and HF were examined among participants at high cardiovascular risk in the PREDIMED study (PREvención con DIeta MEDiterránea) after follow-up for about 10 years. Two nested case-control studies were conducted, including 509 AF incident cases matched to 618 controls and 326 HF incident cases matched to 426 controls. Plasma levels of TMAO an…