Search results for "Population surveillance"
showing 10 items of 167 documents
Development and validation of the mastocytosis quality of life questionnaire: MC-QoL
2016
Background Mastocytosis is a heterogeneous disease characterized by a clonal expansion of mast cells in various organs. The vast majority of patients affected suffer from signs and symptoms caused by mediator release from mast cells. Although the disease burden is high, there is currently no specific instrument to measure health-related quality of life (HRQoL) impairment in patients with mastocytosis. Objective The aim of this study was to develop and validate a disease-specific tool to assess HRQoL impairment in patients with cutaneous and indolent systemic mastocytosis, the Mastocytosis Quality of Life Questionnaire (MC-QoL). Methods Sixty-two potential MC-QoL items were developed in a co…
How increased pertussis vaccination coverage is changing the epidemiology of pertussis in Italy.
2005
Abstract The epidemiology of pertussis in Italy is described by using data from the statutory notification system and from seroepidemiology studies. Starting from the 1990s, the incidence of pertussis in Italy has shown a sharp decline and is now at the lowest level ever reached. During this time period vaccination coverage has increased from 88% in 1998 to 95% in 2003. In 1996–97, the prevalence of subjects with levels of IgG antibodies against PT greater than 2 EU/ml was 77.6%. The increase in vaccination coverage will probably change the pattern of disease transmission and increase the number of susceptible adults, unless administration of booster doses to adolescents and adults is consi…
ADMA, subclinical changes and atrial fibrillation in the general population.
2015
Abstract Background Pathways of oxidative stress, nitric oxide bioavailability and l-arginine derivatives are hypothesized to be related to atrial fibrillation (AF). Circulating methylated l-arginine metabolites can be assessed in the general population and may show an association with AF. Methods We determined l-arginine and its metabolites asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), l-N ω -monomethylarginine (NMMA) and symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) in the population-based Gutenberg Health Study (n=5000), mean age 55±11years, 51% men, in association with clinical variables of AF such as electrocardiographic and echocardiographic measures and manifest AF. Results Individuals with AF (N=161), 71…
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…
Subtype-specific incidence of testicular cancer in Germany: a pooled analysis of nine population-based cancer registries.
2009
Summary Comparisons of incidence estimates of testicular cancer subtypes beyond seminoma and non-seminoma are virtually missing in the epidemiologic literature. We analysed incidence data from population-based German cancer registries to provide subtype-specific incidences of testicular cancer. We pooled data from nine cancer registries from 1998 to 2003. We estimated incidence and mortality time trends of West and East Germany. Incidence and mortality were standardized by the European standard population. The annual percentage incidence change from 1961 through 1989 was 4.9% in East Germany and 3.0% from 1970 through 2004 in Saarland. Incidence increases were the most pronounced among adol…
Defining a reference population to determine the 99th percentile of a contemporary sensitive cardiac troponin I assay
2013
Abstract Background Diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) according to the universal definition is based on ischemic symptoms, imaging findings and elevated myocardial necrosis markers, preferably cardiac troponin I/T with diagnostic threshold representing the 99th percentile of a reference population. It is not clearly defined if this should be an unselected population-based or a healthy cohort with respect to cardiac diseases. Aim of the current study was to describe the distribution of troponin I using a sensitive assay and to evaluate the impact of cardiac diseases and cardiovascular risk factors in apparently healthy individuals. Methods Troponin I was determined using a conte…
Primary HBB gene mutation severity and long-term outcomes in a global cohort of β-thalassaemia
2021
In β-thalassaemia, the severity of inherited β-globin gene mutations determines the severity of the clinical phenotype at presentation and subsequent transfusion requirements. However, data on associated long-term outcomes remain limited. We analysed data from 2109 β-thalassaemia patients with available genotypes in a global database. Genotype severity was grouped as β0 /β0 , β0 /β+ , β+ /β+ , β0 /β++ , β+ /β++ , and β++ /β++ . Patients were followed from birth until death or loss to follow-up. The median follow-up time was 34·1 years. Mortality and multiple morbidity outcomes were analyzed through five different stratification models of genotype severity groups. Interestingly, β0 and β+ mu…
A study protocol for applying the co-creating knowledge translation framework to a population health study
2013
Background: Population health research can generate significant outcomes for communities, while Knowledge Translation (KT) aims to expressly maximize the outcomes of knowledge producing activity. Yet the two approaches are seldom explicitly combined as part of the research process. A population health study in Port Lincoln, South Australia offered the opportunity to develop and apply the co-KT Framework to the entire research process. This is a new framework to facilitate knowledge formation collaboratively between researchers and communities throughout a research to intervention implementation process. Design: This study employs a five step framework (the co-KT Framework) that is formulate…
Maternal and Neonatal Characteristics for Late Foetal Death in Latvia between 2001 and 2014: Population-Based Study
2018
Introduction. Stillbirth is one of the most common adverse pregnancy outcomes worldwide. Late foetal death (LFD) rates are mostly used for international comparisons because of the large variations in stillbirth rates between countries. Objective. To examine trends in LFD (including antepartum and intrapartum) by multiple births, birth weight, and maternal age in two time periods. Methods. A retrospective cohort study was used to analyse data from the Medical Birth Register (2001–2014), divided into 2 periods of 7 years each. In total, data on 1,340 singletons were analysed. This study calculated LFD rates and rate ratios (RR). Results. The overall LFD rate showed a slight statistically sign…
Validation of the TEMPS-A Buenos Aires: Spanish psychometric validation of affective temperaments in a population study of Argentina.
2007
Abstract Background The TEMPS-A (Temperament Evaluation of Memphis, Pisa, Paris and San Diego) is a 110-item questionnaire in five scales which has been translated into over 25 language versions: American, Italian (only for Interview version or TEMPS-I), French, Lebanese, Hungarian, Japanese and Turkish versions have already been validated. There are two Spanish versions, one from Barcelona, and the present one from Buenos Aires. This study represents the first attempt at validating the TEMPS-A in Spanish. Methods 932 clinically well subjects were studied, of both sexes (62% female) with mean ± SD age of 35.4 ± 18.1. Standard psychometric tests of reliability and validation were performed. …