Search results for "Case-control study"
showing 10 items of 563 documents
Association between +1059G/C CRP polymorphism and acute myocardial infarction in a cohort of patients from Sicily: a pilot study.
2006
Inflammation plays a role in all the phases of atherosclerosis, and increased production of the acute-phase reactant, C-reactive protein (CRP), predicts future cardiovascular events. Furthermore, CRP has been claimed to play a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis; therefore, CRP polymorphisms might be associated with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We have analyzed male patients affected by AMI and healthy age-related male controls from Sicily for +1059G/C CRP single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). There was a significantly higher frequency of +1059C SNP (P = 0.0008; OR 3.86) in patients compared to controls. CRP serum levels were significantly higher in C+ healthy subjects rather …
The P300 event-related potential and smoking--a population-based case-control study.
2009
A better understanding of the factors underlying habitual tobacco smoking may further new strategies to go about this major health problem. The P300 event-related potential (ERP) has emerged as a valuable (endo)phenotype in neuropsychiatric research. Previous studies suggested the P300 ERP to be reduced in smokers. The main purpose of the present study was to provide an in-depth description of smoking-related behavioral, biological and electrophysiological phenotypes with an emphasis on the P300 ERP and its mutual relationship with other smoking-related parameters. In this case-control study N=1318 participants (smokers and never-smoking controls) were investigated at 6 German academic inst…
Auditory hallucinations in first-episode psychosis: A voxel-based morphometry study
2019
Abstract Background Auditory hallucinations (AH) are a core symptom of psychosis. The brain abnormalities responsible for AH remain controversial due to inconsistent and conflicting findings across studies, with substantial confounding factors, such as chronicity. Few studies have examined the pathological changes that occur in the gray matter (GM) of patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP) and AH. The present study aims to validate the presence and characteristics of these structural abnormalities in relation to the intensity of psychotic symptoms and AH in a larger homogeneous sample than those of previous studies. Methods A magnetic resonance voxel-based morphometric analysis was app…
Confirmation that the AKT1 (rs2494732) genotype influences the risk of psychosis in cannabis users.
2012
Background Cannabis use is associated with an increased risk of psychosis. One study has suggested that genetic variation in the AKT1 gene might influence this effect. Methods In a case-control study of 489 first-episode psychosis patients and 278 control subjects, we investigated the interaction between variation at the AKT1 rs2494732 single nucleotide polymorphism and cannabis use in increasing the risk of psychosis. Results The rs2494732 locus was not associated with an increased risk of a psychotic disorder, with lifetime cannabis use, or with frequency of use. We did, however, find that the effect of lifetime cannabis use on risk of psychosis was significantly influenced by the rs24947…
Knee arthroscopy and exercise versus exercise only for chronic patellofemoral pain syndrome: a randomized controlled trial.
2007
Abstract Background Arthroscopy is often used to treat patients with chronic patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). As there is a lack of evidence, we conducted a randomized controlled trial to study the efficacy of arthroscopy in patients with chronic PFPS. Methods A total of 56 patients with chronic PFPS were randomized into two treatment groups: an arthroscopy group (N = 28), treated with knee arthroscopy and an 8-week home exercise program, and a control group (N = 28), treated with the 8-week home exercise program only. The arthroscopy included finding-specific surgical procedures according to current recommendations. The primary outcome was the Kujala score on patellofemoral pain and fu…
Analysis of the upper cervical spine stiffness during axial rotation: A comparative study among patients with tension-type headache or migraine and a…
2017
Abstract Background Many studies reported the implication of the cervical musculoskeletal system in patients with tension type headache and migraine. The objective of this study is to investigate the upper cervical spine stiffness features in axial rotation among headache patients in comparison with a healthy population. Methods 48 subjects including 30 migraine patients with/without aura and 18 patients with tension-type headache, aged between 18 and 60 years (mean 36, SD 11 years) have been evaluated. Stiffness measurements were carried out for passive axial rotation using a torque meter device. The flexion-rotation test was used to emphasize assessment of the upper cervical spine. Findin…
Saliva variations in gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.
2007
Abstract Objectives The protective role of saliva in the case of oesophageal exposition to gastric acid has long been studied but some contradictions still remain. The main end-point of this study was to evaluate if a qualitative and quantitative alteration in salivary secretion exists in patients affected by GERD. Methods One hundred and twenty patients (T group) with clinically and endoscopically diagnosed GERD, and 98 healthy subjects (C group) have been evaluated; salivary tests (i.e. basal flow rate, stimulated flow rate, pH, [Na + ] and [K + ]) were performed, socio-demographical variables and oral GERD-related symptoms were taken into account. SPSS 10.5 software was used for statisti…
Effects of sex on naevus body distribution and melanoma risk in two melanoma case-control studies at different latitudes
2016
Naevus count is the most predictable phenotypic risk factor for melanoma and is mainly influenced by genetic factors1,2,3. Melanoma disparities according to gender have been reported in many studies in term of body distribution, survival and to a lesser extent incidence1,2. It is well established that women are more likely to get melanoma on the lower limbs, whilst men are more prone to melanoma on the trunk. In this study, we explore the effects of gender on the distribution of naevi on the body in melanoma cases and controls from different latitudes and whether the odds ratios for melanoma associated with naevi at different body sites are affected by gender. Two case control studies are c…
Occupational risk factors for mycosis fungoides: a European multicenter case-control study.
2004
Mycosis fungoides (MF) is a rare disease with an unknown etiology. Its distribution suggests that occupational exposures may play a role. In the present study, we searched for occupational factors associated with MF. A European multicenter case-control study on seven rare cancers, including MF, was conducted from 1995 to 1997. Patients between 35 and 69 years of age diagnosed with MF (n = 134) were identified and their diagnoses were checked by a reference pathologist who classified 83 cases as definitive, 35 cases as possible, and 16 cases as not histologically verified. Of the 118 histologically verified cases, 104 were interviewed, of which 76 were definitive cases. As controls, we selec…
Ultrasonic evaluation with second harmonic imaging and SonoVue in the assessment of cerebral perfusion in diabetic patients: a case-control study
2004
The purpose was to compare human brain tissue perfusion in diabetic patients and healthy subjects with second harmonic imaging ultrasound and SonoVue to test the hypothesis that brain tissue perfusion differences are present in these two groups of patients. In a prospective case-control study, second harmonic examinations performed in 20 patients with type II diabetes mellitus and in 20 matched control patients were compared. After administration of 2.5 ml of SonoVue, 60 time-triggered images were recorded. Time-intensity curves, including peak intensity and positive gradient normalized to the middle cerebral artery, were calculated to quantify ultrasound intensity in a region of interest. …