Search results for "POPULATION"
showing 10 items of 9945 documents
Sensitization to Horse Allergens in Italy: A Multicentre Study in Urban Atopic Subjects without Occupational Exposure.
2010
<i>Background:</i> Horses play a significant role in people’s leisure time in Italy and other countries, but few data are available on IgE-mediated sensitization to horse allergens in patients without occupational exposure. We assessed, in a multicentric survey, the prevalence of horse sensitization in atopic subjects and its clinical characteristics. <i>Methods:</i> Allergists from the whole Italian territory were required to collect the results of skin prick tests from at least 100 consecutive subjects. Those patients with a positive skin test to horse dander underwent a detailed interview concerning clinical history, pet ownership and possible exposure. <i>R…
Heterogeneity of obesity-asthma association disentangled by latent class analysis, the SAPALDIA cohort
2017
Although evidence for the heterogeneity of asthma accumulated, consensus for definitions of asthma phenotypes is still lacking. Obesity may have heterogeneous effects on various asthma phenotypes. We aimed to distinguish asthma phenotypes by latent class analysis and to investigate their associations with different obesity parameters in adults using a population-based Swiss cohort (SAPALDIA). We applied latent class analysis to 959 self-reported asthmatics using information on disease activity, atopy, and age of onset. Associations with obesity were examined by multinomial logistic regression, after adjustments for age, sex, smoking status, educational level, and study centre. Body mass ind…
Intra‐ and interreader reproducibility of PI‐RADSv2: A multireader study
2018
Background The Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System version 2 (PI-RADSv2) has been in use since 2015; while interreader reproducibility has been studied, there has been a paucity of studies investigating the intrareader reproducibility of PI-RADSv2. Purpose To evaluate both intra- and interreader reproducibility of PI-RADSv2 in the assessment of intraprostatic lesions using multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI). Study type Retrospective. Population/subjects In all, 102 consecutive biopsy-naive patients who underwent prostate MRI and subsequent MR/transrectal ultrasonography (MR/TRUS)-guided biopsy. Field strength/sequences Prostate mpMRI at 3T using endorectal with phased…
Human herpesvirus type 8 DNA sequences in biological samples of HIV-positive and negative individuals in Sicily.
1997
Objective: To evaluate the circulation of a new human herpesvirus (HHV), HHV-8 or Kaposi's sarcoma (KS)-associated herpesvirus in a geographical area where a high incidence rate of classical KS was already present before the appearance of the AIDS epidemic. Design and methods: The study was carried out by analysing: (i) bioptic samples from classic, AIDS-associated KS, and controls; (ii) peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from classic KS, HIV-positive subjects with and without KS and healthy HIV-negative individuals; (iii) semen samples from heterosexual HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals affected or not by KS; and (iv) cervical swabs from HIV-negative healthy heterosexual fem…
Distributions and determinants of urinary biomarkers of organophosphate pesticide exposure in a prospective Spanish birth cohort study
2017
Background: Prenatal exposure to organophosphate pesticides (OPs) has been associated with impaired child development. Pesticide exposure determinants need to be studied in order to identify sources and pathways of pesticide exposure. The aim of this paper is to describe prenatal exposure to OPs and evaluate the associated factors in pregnant women. Methods: The study population consisted of pregnant women ( n = 573) who participated in the INMA birth cohort study in Valencia (Spain, 2003 – 2006). OP metabolites were analyzed in maternal urine at the 32nd week of gestation using a liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry method. The analysis included non-specific (diethyl pho…
LPS-mediated production of pro/anti-inflammatory cytokines and eicosanoids in whole blood samples: Biological effects of +896A/G TLR4 polymorphism in…
2011
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are the principal mediators of rapid microbial recognition: the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) receptor TLR4 seems to have a paradigmatic role. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the TLR4 gene, such as +896A/G, known to attenuate receptor signaling, have been described. The +896A/G SNP is significantly less frequent in patients with myocardial infarction, Alzheimer's disease or prostate cancer, whereas it is overrepresented in centenarians. To clarify and confirm the biological effects of +896A/G SNP and its role in the pathophysiology of age-related diseases and longevity, we assessed the levels of IL-6, TNF-α, IL-10 and eicosanoids (LTB4 and PGE2) in LPS-stimul…
Proton pump inhibitors increase risk of bone fractures in men with cirrhosis: a population-based study
2020
Bone fractures are a frequent complication in patients with cirrhosis. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are among the most frequently prescribed medications and may impair bone quality and quantity.To investigate whether PPI use predisposes patients with cirrhosis to bone fractures.We performed a population-based case-control study exploring a sample of patients with cirrhosis derived from the Disease Analyzer database. In total, 1795 cirrhotic patients with fractures were compared to 10 235 cirrhotic patients without fractures. PPI use overall and the cumulative PPI dose 5 years prior to the index date were analysed. To estimate the association between PPI use and fractures, logistic regressi…
Survival of patients with HCV cirrhosis and sustained virologic response is similar to the general population.
2016
Background & Aims: Life expectancy of patients with compensated hepatitis C virus (HCV) cirrhosis achieving sustained virologic response (SVR) is limited by liver events as compared to the general population. Thus, survival benefit of SVR remains to be measured. Methods: The study includes prospective surveillance data from three cohorts of Italian patients with compensated HCV cirrhosis who achieved SVR on an interferon-based (IFN) regimen, compared to simultaneously observed non-SVR, untreated and decompensated patients. Overall survival was calculated from the date of start of IFN to death. The number of deaths expected during the at-risk period was determined by applying age- and se…
Factors That Contribute or Impede the Physical Health Recovery of Women Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence: A Longitudinal Study
2012
Abstract Background Several cross-sectional studies have demonstrated the negative impact that intimate partner violence (IPV) has on the physical health of women. However, longitudinal studies are needed to establish the time course of this effect. This study assessed the physical health course of female IPV victims and established the factors that enhance or impede their recovery. Methods Women ( n = 91) who participated in a previous cross-sectional study (T-1) and were either victims of physical/psychological IPV ( n = 33) or psychological IPV ( n = 23) were evaluated 3 years later (T-2). A control group of women ( n = 35) was included for comparison. Structured interviews provided …
Haplotypes of the caspase-1 gene, plasma caspase-1 levels, and cardiovascular risk.
2006
Caspase-1 processes the interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-18 inactive precursors to the biologically active cytokines that are known to have proatherogenic effects. The present study investigated the genetic variability of the CASP1 gene and plasma levels of caspase-1 in relation to cardiovascular risk. In Europeans, 3 tag SNPs captured 4 common haplotypes of the CASP1 gene. Among these, the A in6 allele of the G+7/in6A polymorphism was less frequent in 246 cases with myocardial infarction and a parental history of disease than in 253 controls free of familial history of disease (0.13±0.02 versus 0.20±0.02; P =0.005). However, in a larger case/control study (n=1774), these effects are borderline …