Search results for "Population"

Wastewater-based epidemiology, a tool to bridge biomarkers of exposure, contaminants, and human health

2021

The concept of wastewater-based epidemiology also known as sewage epidemiology was proposed by Daughton in 2001. Wastewater-based epidemiology has become now a reality that makes it possible to determine consumption or exposure to chemical substances or pathogens in a population by measuring certain compounds (drugs of abuse, metabolites, or biomarkers) or microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, and parasites) in wastewater. The first and most developed application is the estimation of illicit drug consumption in communities or populations, but it can be used to measure both consumption and exposure to a wide range of substances and pathogens. Its recent application to measure the severe acute r…

Covid-19 and Congenital Heart Disease: results from a nationwide survey

2020

Background. The pandemic of Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is challenging, given the large number of hospitalized patients. Cardiovascular co-morbidities are linked to a higher mortality risk. Thus, patients with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) might represent a high-risk population. Nevertheless, no data about them are available, yet. Hence, we conducted a nationwide survey to assess clinical characteristics and outcomes in patients with congenital heart disease affected by COVID-19. Methods and Results. This is a multi-centre, observational, nationwide survey, involving high-volume Italian CHD centres. COVID-19 diagnosis was defined as either &ldquo

Direct-acting antiviral-based therapy for chronic hepatitis C virus in HIV-infected patients

2015

The aim of this review was to detail the current therapies and treatments for chronic hepatitis C virus in coinfected patients, focusing on HCV antiviral agents currently used in practice today or scheduled to enter the open market soon. Several direct-acting antiviral (DAA) combinations show high sustained virologic response (SVR) rates in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients, which are often close to those observed in HCV-monoinfected patients. Most recommendations regarding treatment stem from trials with coinfected patients. However, data are lacking for some aspects of HCV-treatment in coinfection, so extrapolations must be made from data obtained predominately from monoinfected patients. HIV/H…

Peginterferon-Α_2B plus ribavirin is more effective than peginterferon-Α_2A plus ribavirin in menopausal women with chronic hepatitis C

2012

Summary.  Under-enrolment of women to randomized clinical trials, including chronic hepatitis C, has long been recognized. The aim of this study was to identify factors predictive of sustained virological response (SVR) to PEG IFN/Ribavirin antiviral therapy in relation to gender and reproductive status of female patients involved. Seven hundred and forty-six treatment-naive patients (431 men, 315 women) treated with Peg-IFNα-2a (180 μg/week) or Peg-IFNα-2b (1.5 μg/kg/week) plus ribavirin (800–1400  mg/day) for 24 or 48 weeks were studied between 2006 and 2010. Differences in SVR rate, overall and by gender were assessed after adjustment and propensity score matching. SVR was obtained in 44…

Hepatocellular cancer: optimal strategies for screening and surveillance.

2009

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a challenging malignancy of global importance and is associated with a high rate of mortality. Individuals with chronic viral hepatitis and other forms of liver disease are at risk for developing HCC. The stage of cancer dictates the therapeutic choice, making early detection a primary objective. Many observational studies have reported that HCC is diagnosed at an earlier stage in patients who received surveillance. The guidelines of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases suggest that surveillance should be performed using ultrasonography at an interval of every 6–12 months. This interval is based upon mainly observational data and the exp…

Retrospective, observational, multicentre study on the Italian population affected by chronic hepatitis C who failed to clear HCV-RNA after the combi…

2009

The population-based prevalence of osteoporotic vertebral fracture and densitometric osteoporosis in postmenopausal women over 50 in Valencia, Spain …

2010

Purpose: To estimate the prevalence of vertebral fracture and densitometric osteoporosis in postmenopausal women over the age of 50 in Valencia, Spain. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2006-2007. An age-stratified population-based random sample of 824 postmenopausal women over the age of 50 answered a questionnaire and received a densitometric examination of the lumbar spine and hip with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and a lateral X-ray of the thoracic spine and lumbar regions. Osteoporosis was defined as a T-score less than or equal to -2.5 compared to a population of young women, and the presence of vertebral fractures was classified according to Genant's semiquanti…

Childhood Adversities and Later Attitudes towards Harmful Parenting Behaviour including Shaking in a German Population‐based Sample

2020

Lipoprotein apheresis in Germany - Still more commonly indicated than implemented. How can patients in need access therapy?

2019

Abstract Background Although lipid-lowering drugs, especially statins, and recently also PCSK9 inhibitors can reduce LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) and decrease the risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) including coronary artery disease (CAD) events most efficiently, only 5–10% of high-risk cardiovascular patients reach the target values recommended by international guidelines. In patients who cannot be treated adequately by drugs it is possible to reduce increased LDL-C and/or lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) values by the use of lipoprotein apheresis (LA) with the potential to decrease severe CVD events in the range of 70%->80%. Even in Germany, a country with well-established reimbursement guidelines for…

Prospective external validation of a predictive score for postoperative pulmonary complications.

2015

Abstract Background: No externally validated risk score for postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) is currently available. The authors tested the generalizability of the Assess Respiratory Risk in Surgical Patients in Catalonia risk score for PPCs in a large European cohort (Prospective Evaluation of a RIsk Score for postoperative pulmonary COmPlications in Europe). Methods: Sixty-three centers recruited 5,859 surgical patients receiving general, neuraxial, or plexus block anesthesia. The Assess Respiratory Risk in Surgical Patients in Catalonia factors (age, preoperative arterial oxygen saturation in air, acute respiratory infection during the previous month, preoperative anemia, upp…