Search results for "Case-control study"
showing 10 items of 563 documents
Retroespalhamento luminoso das córneas de pacientes com diabete melito dependente e não dependente de insulina: estudo piloto
2017
ABSTRACT Purpose: To compare central corneal backscatter obtained from Scheimpflug images between patients with insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM and NIDDM, respectively) and healthy controls. Methods: Seven patients with IDDM (7 eyes), eleven patients with NIDDM (11 eyes), and sixteen healthy subjects (16 eyes) were included in this pilot study. Scheimpflug imaging system (Pentacam, Oculus Inc., Germany) was used to obtain optical sections of the cornea. Seven meridians were analyzed for each eye, oriented from 70° to 110°. Optical density values for the central 3-mm and 5-mm zones of the cornea were obtained by image analysis using external software. Resu…
Premorbid Adjustment and IQ in Patients With First-Episode Psychosis: A Multisite Case-Control Study of Their Relationship With Cannabis Use
2020
Abstract Psychotic patients with a lifetime history of cannabis use generally show better cognitive functioning than other psychotic patients. Some authors suggest that cannabis-using patients may have been less cognitively impaired and less socially withdrawn in their premorbid life. Using a dataset comprising 948 patients with first-episode psychosis (FEP) and 1313 population controls across 6 countries, we examined the extent to which IQ and both early academic (Academic Factor [AF]) and social adjustment (Social Factor [SF]) are related to the lifetime frequency of cannabis use in both patients and controls. We expected a higher IQ and a better premorbid social adjustment in psychotic p…
Mercury exposure and risk of cardiovascular disease: a nested case-control study in the PREDIMED (PREvention with MEDiterranean Diet) study
2017
Background: Substantial evidence suggests that consuming 1-2 servings of fish per week, particularly oily fish (e.g., salmon, herring, sardines) is beneficial for cardiovascular health due to its high n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid content. However, there is some concern that the mercury content in fish may increase cardiovascular disease risk, but this relationship remains unclear. Methods: The PREDIMED trial included 7477 participants who were at high risk for cardiovascular disease at baseline. In this study, we evaluated associations between mercury exposure, fish consumption and cardiovascular disease. We randomly selected 147 of the 288 cases diagnosed with cardiovascular disease duri…
Effect of mesalazine on epithelial cell proliferation in colonic diverticular disease
2007
Background and aims: increased epithelial cell proliferation may be detected in diverticular disease, but antibiotics have failed in reducing it. We assess therefore the effect of mesalazine on epithelial cell proliferation in diverticular disease. Methods: a prospective study was conducted on 20 consecutive patients with a new endoscopic diagnosis of symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease. The patients were treated with mesalazine 1.6 mg/day for 1 year. The Ki-67 antigen index of the whole crypt and in the upper third was separately evaluated before and after starting the treatment. Results: cell proliferation index was higher in diverticular disease patients than healthy controls …
Activity of Thigh Muscles During Static and Dynamic Stances in Stroke Patients: A Pilot Case-Control Study
2014
Impaired postural control is a key characteristic of mobility problems in stroke patients and has great impact on the incidence of falls and on the level of independence in activities of daily living. The role played by the thigh muscles in balance impairment in stroke patients has not been sufficiently investigated. This study investigated the activities of the thigh muscles in stroke patients during standing balance manipulations.Ten stroke patients and 15 healthy subjects performed 5 upright standing tasks on a force platform: normal standing with eyes open, normal standing with eyes closed, feet together, semi-tandem standing, and a dynamic measurement along a predefined route. The post…
Upper and Lower Limb Strength and Body Posture in Children with Congenital Hypothyroidism: An Observational Case-Control Study
2020
Background: Congenital hypothyroidism (CH) is an endocrine disease with a precocious significant impairment of growth and neuromotor development. Thyroid hormones are essential for central nervous system development, maturation, and myelination. Furthermore, thyroid hormone deficiency affects the function of several systems, including the musculoskeletal system. The disease has a significant incidence in the general population (1:3000–1:2000 newborns in Italy). The aim of the present study was to evaluate any differences in upper and lower limb strength, body sway, and plantar loading distribution in children with CH compared to healthy children. Methods: In this study, the case group was c…
Homocysteine and MTHFR C677T polymorphism in children and adolescents with psychotic and mood disorders
2013
High level of homocysteine (Hcy) is risk factor of schizophrenia and mood disorders.The aim was to detect a serum level of Hcy, examine the associations between the level of Hcy, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene C677T polymorphism and clinical properties for patients with schizophrenia, mood disorders and in a control group.There were 88 patients with schizophrenia, 28 with affective disorders and 94 from the control group. The Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A) was performed to study anxiety, the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D) to study depression and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) to study severity of schizophrenia. The level of Hcy was stated by isocratic high-pe…
Influence of Stress in the Onset of Eating Disorders: Data From a Two-Stage Epidemiologic Controlled Study
2006
Background We explore the role of stress in the onset of eating disorders (EDs) in a community sample of adolescents, the mediating role of psychiatric comorbidity and the quantitative evolution of stress in the year preceding the onset of an ED. Methods The Life Events and Difficulties Schedule interview was applied to a sample with 32 cases and 32 controls selected from a two-phase epidemiologic study among a representative population of adolescents, followed by a decay model to assess acute and chronic stress in the year preceding the onset of ED. Psychiatric comorbidity was assessed using the SCAN interview. Results Cases (46.9%) and 9.4% of controls were found to have associated psychi…
Cortisol awakening response and cognitive performance in hypertensive and normotensive older people.
2016
Healthy older people with a cortisol awakening response (CAR) of decreased magnitude show worse frontal cortex-related cognitive performance. Systemic hypertension has been related to a CAR of decreased magnitude. Additionally, worse executive function and processing speed have been observed in older people with systemic hypertension. This is the first study to examine the relationship between the CAR (measured with six saliva samples at home on two consecutive weekdays) and cognitive performance, in both hypertensive (n=26) and normotensive (n=28) older people (from 56 to 78years old). Hypertensive participants showed lower morning cortisol secretion, and they also woke up earlier. No diff…
Human milk enhances antioxidant defenses against hydroxyl radical aggression in preterm infants
2008
Background: Preterm infants endowed with an immature antioxidant defense system are prone to oxidative stress. Hydroxyl radicals are very aggressive reactive oxygen species that lack specific antioxidants. These radicals cannot be measured directly, but oxidation byproducts of DNA or phenylalanine in urine are reliable markers of their activity. Human milk has a higher antioxidant capacity than formula. Objective: We hypothesized that oxidative stress associated with prematurity could be diminished by feeding human milk. Design: We recruited a cohort of stable preterm infants who lacked perinatal conditions associated with oxidative stress; were not receiving prooxidant or antioxidant drugs…