MedWorm: Epidemiology

In remembrance of Richard Spielman

Genetic Epidemiology — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

No Abstract (Source: Genetic Epidemiology)

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Am J Epidemiol; +17 new citations

Am J Epidemiol — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:12:02 +0100

17 new pubmed citations were retrieved for your search. Click on the search hyperlink below to display the complete search results: Am J Epidemiol These pubmed results were generated on 2009/11/19PubMed, a service of the National Library of Medicine, includes over 15 million citations for biomedical articles back to the 1950's. These citations are from MEDLINE and additional life science journals. PubMed includes links to many sites providing full text articles and other related resources. (Source: Am J Epidemiol)

Positive Deviance: A New Strategy for Improving Hand Hygiene Compliance

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:41:31 +0100

Conclusion. A positive deviance strategy yielded a significant improvement in hand hygiene, which was associated with a decrease in the overall incidence of HAIs. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

Acknowledgments to Referees

Neuroepidemiology — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Neuroepidemiology 2009;33:359-360 (DOI:10.1159/000261806) (Source: Neuroepidemiology)

Individual and collective bodies: using measures of variance and association in contextual epidemiology

Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:04:49 +0100

Conclusions: Both measures of variance and means-centric measures of association need to be included when performing contextual analyses. The variance approach, a new aspect of contextual analysis that cannot be interpreted in means-centric terms, allows perspectives to be expanded. (Source: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health)

Are neighbourhood social fragmentation and suicide associated in New Zealand? A national multilevel cohort study

Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:04:49 +0100

Conclusion: This paper highlights the importance of understanding both the measure and the wider national context when considering neighbourhood effects on suicide. (Source: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health)

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Peer status in school and adult disease risk: a 30-year follow-up study of disease-specific morbidity in a Stockholm cohort

Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:04:49 +0100

Conclusion: The present study underlines the importance of recognising children’s social position, apart from that of their family, for later health. Not only psychologically related diseases but also those related to behavioural risk factors demonstrate some of the largest relative differences by peer status, suggesting that health-related behaviour may be one important mechanism in the association between peer status and morbidity. (Source: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health)

Ethnic inequalities in access to and outcomes of healthcare: analysis of the Health Survey for England

Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:04:48 +0100

Conclusion: Ethnic inequalities in access to healthcare and the outcomes of care for three conditions (hypertension, raised cholesterol and diabetes), for which treatment is largely provided in primary care, appear to be minimal in England. Although inequalities may exist for other conditions and other healthcare settings, particularly internationally, the implication is that ethnic inequalities in healthcare are minimal within NHS primary care. (Source: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health)

Physical activity opportunities in low socioeconomic status neighbourhoods

Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:04:48 +0100

(Source: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health)

Risk of suicide among operated and non-operated patients hospitalised for peptic ulcers

Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:04:48 +0100

Conclusion: Hospitalised patients with gastric ulcer or duodenal ulcer have an increased risk of suicide regardless of surgical treatment. These patients, especially women, are at very high risk during the first year after first hospitalisation/operation. The evaluation and management of suicidal thoughts in patients in medical settings should be further considered. (Source: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health)

Ethnic differences in human papillomavirus awareness and vaccine acceptability

Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:04:48 +0100

Conclusion: These findings suggest some cultural barriers that could be addressed in tailored information aimed at ethnic minority groups. They also highlight the importance of recording ethnicity as part of HPV vaccine uptake data. (Source: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health)

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The role of parents' sense of coherence in irregular meal pattern and food intake pattern of children aged 10-11 in Finland

Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:04:48 +0100

Conclusions: Parents’ weaker SOC was associated with children’s unhealthier eating patterns. More research is needed on the associations between parents’ SOC and other health-related behaviours in their children. (Source: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health)

Examining the relationship between maternal employment and health behaviours in 5-year-old British children

Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:04:48 +0100

Conclusions: For many families the only parent or both parents are working. This may limit parents’ capacity to provide their children with healthy foods and opportunities for physical activity. Policies and programmes are needed to help support parents and create a health-promoting environment. (Source: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health)

Inspired by Darwin

Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:04:48 +0100

(Source: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health)

Marital partner and mortality: the effects of the social positions of both spouses

Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:04:48 +0100

Conclusion: The partner’s social position has a clear independent association with individual mortality, and women’s education and men’s social class seem to be particularly important. Suggested explanations of health inequality are not always compatible with the observed relationship between partners’ social and economic resources and mortality. (Source: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health)

Psychosocial risk factors for coronary heart disease in UK South Asian men and women

Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:04:47 +0100

Conclusion: UK South Asians experience significant psychosocial adversity compared with UK white Europeans. This is consistent with the heightened vulnerability to CHD observed in this population. (Source: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health)

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Correction

Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:04:47 +0100

(Source: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health)

Job strain and symptoms of angina pectoris among British and Finnish middle-aged employees

Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:04:47 +0100

Conclusion: The results yielded partial support for the association between job strain and angina pectoris symptoms across national contexts. (Source: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health)

Patterns in trouble sleeping among women at mid-life: results from a British prospective cohort study

Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:04:47 +0100

Conclusions: This study provides support for association between increased duration of trouble sleeping, in total and per episode, and health risk factors at age 43, suggesting a long-term relationship between risk factors and sleep. (Source: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health)

Darwinism

Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:04:47 +0100

(Source: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health)

Morbidity is related to a green living environment

Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:04:47 +0100

Conclusion: This study indicates that the previously established relation between green space and a number of self-reported general indicators of physical and mental health can also be found for clusters of specific physician-assessed morbidity. The study stresses the importance of green space close to home for children and lower socioeconomic groups. (Source: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health)

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The temporal pattern of mortality responses to ambient ozone in the APHEA project

Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:04:47 +0100

Conclusions: The results indicate that studies on acute health effects of O3 using single-day exposures may have overestimated the effects on total and cardiovascular mortality, but underestimated the effects on respiratory mortality. (Source: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health)

From mother earth to social ecology: Darwin's legacy and the concept of environment in epidemiology

Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:04:47 +0100

(Source: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health)

More than the tip of the iceberg: health policies and research that go below the surface

Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:04:47 +0100

(Source: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health)

Re: "good semen quality and life expectancy: a cohort study of 43,277 men"

American Journal of Epidemiology — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:11:06 +0100

(Source: American Journal of Epidemiology)

International Ethical Guidelines for Epidemiological Studies: By the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS)

American Journal of Epidemiology — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:11:06 +0100

(Source: American Journal of Epidemiology)

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A Dictionary of Epidemiology, Fifth Edition: Edited by Miquel Porta

American Journal of Epidemiology — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:11:06 +0100

(Source: American Journal of Epidemiology)

"Proportion Explained": A Causal Interpretation for Standard Measures of Indirect Effect?

American Journal of Epidemiology — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:11:06 +0100

The assessment of indirect effects is an important tool for epidemiologists interested in exploring the mechanisms of exposure-disease relations. A standard way of expressing an indirect effect is in terms of the "proportion explained"; this is the proportion of the total effect that is explained by a particular mediator (or set of mediators). There are several ways to calculate the proportion explained, based on both additive and multiplicative models. However, these standard methods (particularly those based on multiplicative models) have been criticized for lacking a causal interpretation. To address this issue, the author uses a framework of potential outcomes to define the indirect effects of interest (natural effects) and assess the correspondence between the natural effects and stan...

Newly Reported Respiratory Symptoms and Conditions Among Military Personnel Deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan: A Prospective Population-based Study

American Journal of Epidemiology — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:11:06 +0100

Concerns about respiratory conditions have surfaced among persons deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. Data on 46,077 Millennium Cohort Study participants who completed baseline (July 2001–June 2003) and follow-up (June 2004–February 2006) questionnaires were used to investigate 1) respiratory symptoms (persistent or recurring cough or shortness of breath), 2) chronic bronchitis or emphysema, and 3) asthma. Deployers had a higher rate of newly reported respiratory symptoms than nondeployers (14% vs. 10%), while similar rates of chronic bronchitis or emphysema (1% vs. 1%) and asthma (1% vs. 1%) were observed. Deployment was associated with respiratory symptoms in both Army (adjusted odds ratio = 1.73, 95% confidence interval: 1.57, 1.91) and Marine Corps (adjusted odds ratio = 1.49...

Mammographic Screening and Risk Factors for Breast Cancer

American Journal of Epidemiology — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:11:06 +0100

Screening mammography can distort estimated effects in breast cancer risk models due to associations with other risk factors. Mammography information was available in the Nurses’ Health Study from 1988, and 1,815 incident breast cancers were accrued through 2000 among 55,625 women with risk factor data. Logistic models were fit for screening mammography, and inverse probability weighting was used to adjust parameters in an established breast cancer risk model. Approximately 80% of women in each 2-year follow-up period had screening mammograms, which were positively associated with history of benign breast disease, family history of breast cancer, hormone therapy, alcohol use, physical activity, multivitamins, and calcium supplements, and negatively associated with postmenopause, curr...

Apolipoprotein E Genotype, Plasma Cholesterol, and Cancer: A Mendelian Randomization Study

American Journal of Epidemiology — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:11:06 +0100

Observational studies have shown an association between low plasma cholesterol levels and increased risk of cancer, whereas most randomized clinical trials involving cholesterol-lowering medications have not shown this association. Between 1997 and 2002, the authors assessed the association between plasma cholesterol levels and cancer risk, free from confounding and reverse causality, in a Mendelian randomization study using apolipoprotein E (ApoE) genotype. ApoE genotype, plasma cholesterol levels, and cancer incidence and mortality were measured during a 3-year follow-up period among 2,913 participants in the Prospective Study of Pravastatin in the Elderly at Risk. Subjects within the lowest third of plasma cholesterol level at baseline had increased risks of cancer incidence (hazard rat...

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Use of Fertility Drugs and Risk of Uterine Cancer: Results From a Large Danish Population-based Cohort Study

American Journal of Epidemiology — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:11:06 +0100

Some epidemiologic studies have indicated that uterine cancer risk may be increased after use of fertility drugs. To further assess this association, the authors used data from a large cohort of 54,362 women diagnosed with infertility who were referred to Danish fertility clinics between 1965 and 1998. In a case-cohort study, rate ratios and 95% confidence intervals were used to assess the effects of 4 groups of fertility drugs on overall risk of uterine cancer after adjustment for potentially confounding factors. Through mid-2006, 83 uterine cancers were identified. Ever use of any fertility drug was not associated with uterine cancer risk (rate ratio (RR) = 1.10, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.69, 1.76). However, ever use of gonadotropins (follicle-stimulating hormone and human menopaus...

Estimation of the Contribution of Non-Assisted Reproductive Technology Ovulation Stimulation Fertility Treatments to US Singleton and Multiple Births

American Journal of Epidemiology — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:11:06 +0100

Infertility treatments that include ovulation stimulation, both assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) and non-ART ovulation stimulation, are associated with increased risks of multiple birth and concomitant sequelae and adverse outcomes, even among singletons. While a US surveillance system for ART-induced births is ongoing, no population-based tracking system exists for births resulting from non-ART treatments. The authors developed a multistage model to estimate the uncertain proportion of US infants born in 2005 who were conceived by using non-ART ovulation treatments. Using published surveillance data, they estimated proportions of US multiple births conceived naturally and by ART and assumed that the remainder were conceived with non-ART treatments. They used Bayesian meta-analyse...

Timing and Trajectories of Fetal Growth Related to Cognitive Development in Childhood

American Journal of Epidemiology — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:11:06 +0100

The authors investigated timing and trajectories of fetal growth in relation to childhood development in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development–Scandinavian Study of Successive Small-for-Gestational Age Births (1986–1988) (n = 1,059). Fetal size was assessed by ultrasound at 17, 25, and 33 gestational weeks and at birth. Bayley Scales of Infant Development and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Revised tests were conducted at ages 1 and 5 years, respectively, producing mental and psychomotor development indexes and verbal and performance intelligence quotients. Relative fetal size was calculated as a standard deviation score at each data point; growth trajectories were explored with longitudinal mixture models. Fetal size at 17, 25, a...

Svensson et al. Respond to "Maternal Genes and Environment in Preterm Birth"

American Journal of Epidemiology — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:11:06 +0100

(Source: American Journal of Epidemiology)

Invited Commentary: Maternal Effects in Preterm Birth--Effects of Maternal Genotype, Mitochondrial DNA, Imprinting, or Environment?

American Journal of Epidemiology — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:11:06 +0100

Preterm birth is an important public health problem. A wide range of risk factors has been investigated, of which the strongest established is a woman's previous history of preterm birth. In this issue of the Journal, Boyd et al. (Am J Epidemiol. 2009;170(11):1358–1364) and Svensson et al. (Am J Epidemiol. 2009;170(11):1365–1372), using data on singleton livebirths from national birth registers linked with multigeneration databases, found evidence that maternal genetic factors impact on the risk for preterm birth, whereas paternal and probably fetal genetic factors do not. Possible caveats include missing information, the range of maternal risk factors included in the analyses, possible misclassification of these risk factors, and possible vertical transmission of microbial flo...

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The Genetics of Preterm Birth: Using What We Know to Design Better Association Studies

American Journal of Epidemiology — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:11:06 +0100

Women delivering preterm are at greatly increased risk of another preterm birth in subsequent pregnancies, reflecting effects of the environment, genetics, or both. Recent literature tells an increasingly coherent story about genetic susceptibility. Women who change partners after delivering preterm retain their elevated risk, whereas fathers who change partners do not. Women who themselves were preterm are at increased risk, an association not seen in fathers. Women with a half-sister who delivered preterm are at increased risk only if the shared parent was the mother. Concordance for preterm delivery is elevated in monozygotic compared with dizygotic twin mothers but not in monozygotic twin fathers. Several mechanisms could be operating: mitochondrial genes, maternal genes, or fetal gene...

Maternal Effects for Preterm Birth: A Genetic Epidemiologic Study of 630,000 Families

American Journal of Epidemiology — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:11:06 +0100

This study was undertaken to disentangle the maternal genetic from the fetal genetic effects for preterm birth and to study the possibility of these effects being explained by known risk factors. By cross-linking of the population-based Swedish Multigeneration and Medical Birth registers, 989,027 births between 1992 and 2004 were identified. Alternating logistic regression was applied to model the familial clustering with pairwise odds ratios (PORs), and covariates were included to evaluate if the familial aggregation was explained by exposure to shared risk factors. Generalized linear mixed models were used to estimate the contribution of genetic and environmental effects. Sisters of women who had a preterm delivery had themselves an increased odds of having a preterm delivery (POR = 1.8,...

Maternal Contributions to Preterm Delivery

American Journal of Epidemiology — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:11:05 +0100

Preterm delivery (PTD) is a complex trait with a significant familial component. However, no specific inheritance patterns have been established. The authors examined the contribution of PTDs in both the woman's family and her partner's family to her risk of PTD. The authors linked birth information from Danish national registers with pedigree information from the Danish Family Relations Database for 1,107,124 live singleton deliveries occurring from 1978 to 2004. Risk ratios were estimated comparing women with and without various PTD histories. Women with previous PTDs were at greatly increased risk of recurrent PTD (risk ratio = 5.6, 95% confidence interval: 5.5, 5.8); however, their PTD risk was unaffected by a partner's history of preterm children with other women. PTDs to a woman's mo...

Association Between the Ubiquitin Carboxyl-Terminal Esterase L1 Gene (UCHL1) S18Y Variant and Parkinson's Disease: A HuGE Review and Meta-Analysis

American Journal of Epidemiology — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:11:05 +0100

The ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal esterase L1 gene, UCHL1, located on chromosome 4p14, has been studied as a potential candidate gene for Parkinson's disease risk. The authors conducted a Human Genome Epidemiology review and meta-analysis of published case-control studies of the UCHL1 S18Y variant and Parkinson's disease in Asian and Caucasian samples. The meta-analysis of studies in populations of Asian ancestry showed a statistically significant association between the Y allele and reduced risk of Parkinson's disease under a recessive model (odds ratio (OR) for YY vs. SY + SS = 0.79, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.67, 0.94; P = 0.006). For a dominant model, the association was not significant in Asian populations (OR for YY + SY vs. SS = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.68, 1.14; P = 0.33). For population...

The Quality of Meta-Analyses of Genetic Association Studies: A Review With Recommendations

American Journal of Epidemiology — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:11:05 +0100

Although there has been a rapid rise in the publication of meta-analyses of genetic association studies, little is known about their methodological quality. The authors reviewed the quality of 120 randomly selected genetic meta-analyses published between 2005 and 2007. Data extracted included issues of general relevance and other issues specific to genetic epidemiology. Quality was markedly poorer in the 26% of the meta-analyses that accompanied a report on a primary study. Such meta-analyses were predominantly published in specialist journals, and their quality was positively associated with the impact factor of the journal. Among the meta-analyses that did not accompany a primary study, Human Genome Epidemiology reviews tended to score better than the others, although the comparison was ...

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Prediction of Incident Stroke Events Based on Retinal Vessel Caliber: A Systematic Review and Individual-Participant Meta-Analysis

American Journal of Epidemiology — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:11:05 +0100

The caliber of the retinal vessels has been shown to be associated with stroke events. However, the consistency and magnitude of association, and the changes in predicted risk independent of traditional risk factors, are unclear. To determine the association between retinal vessel caliber and the risk of stroke events, the investigators combined individual data from 20,798 people, who were free of stroke at baseline, in 6 cohort studies identified from a search of the Medline (National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland) and EMBASE (Elsevier B.V., Amsterdam, the Netherlands) databases. During follow-up of 5–12 years, 945 (4.5%) incident stroke events were recorded. Wider retinal venular caliber predicted stroke (pooled hazard ratio = 1.15, 95% confidence interval: 1.05, 1.25 per...

American Journal of Epidemiology — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:11:05 +0100

(Source: American Journal of Epidemiology)

Subscriptions

American Journal of Epidemiology — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:11:05 +0100

(Source: American Journal of Epidemiology)

Editorial Board

American Journal of Epidemiology — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:11:05 +0100

(Source: American Journal of Epidemiology)

Cover

American Journal of Epidemiology — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:11:05 +0100

(Source: American Journal of Epidemiology)

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Electronic Algorithmic Prediction of Central Vascular Catheter Use

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:24:05 +0100

Conclusions. Automated calculation of central vascular catheter use is both feasible and accurate, providing estimates statistically similar to those obtained using manual surveillance. Prediction modeling of central vascular catheter use may enable automated surveillance of bloodstream infections and enhance important prevention interventions, such as timely removal of unnecessary central lines. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

Practical considerations for imputation of untyped markers in admixed populations

Genetic Epidemiology — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Imputation of genotypes for markers untyped in a study sample has become a standard approach to increase genome coverage in genome-wide association studies at practically zero cost. Most methods for imputing missing genotypes extend previously described algorithms for inferring haplotype phase. These algorithms generally fall into three classes based on the underlying model for estimating the conditional distribution of haplotype frequencies: a cluster-based model, a multinomial model, or a population genetics-based model. We compared BEAGLE, PLINK, and MACH, representing the three classes of models, respectively, with specific attention to measures of imputation success and selection of the reference panel for an admixed study sample of African Americans. Based on analysis of chromosome 2...

Validating a 3‐Point Prediction Rule for Surgical Site Infection after Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:37:37 +0100

Conclusions. The NNIS risk index predicts the risk of SSI associated with many procedures, but it has limited use in predicting the risk of SSI after CABG surgery. The new Australian Clinical Risk Index stratified patients into discrete groups associated with increased risk of SSI. Data from our study support the use of this new risk index in the US population. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

Cigarette smoking among adults and trends in smoking cessation - United States, 2008.

MMWR Morb Mortal Wkl... — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which indicated that during 1998-2008, the proportion of U.S. adults who were current cigarette smokers declined 3.5% (from 24.1% to 20.6%). However, the proportion did not change significantly from 2007 (19.8%) to 2008 (20.6%). In 2008, adults aged >or=25 years with low educational attainment had the highest prevalence of smoking (41.3% among persons with a General Educational Development certificate [GED] and 27.5% among persons with less than a high school diploma, compared with 5.7% among those with a graduate degree). Adults with education levels at or below the equivalent of a high school diploma, who comprise approximately half of current smokers, had the lowest quit ratios (2008 range: 39.9% to 48.8%). Evidence-based programs ...

State-specific secondhand smoke exposure and current cigarette smoking among adults - United States, 2008.

MMWR Morb Mortal Wkl... — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This report summarizes the results, which showed wide variation among states in exposure to SHS in homes (from 3.2% [Arizona] to 10.6% [West Virginia]) and indoor workplaces (from 6.0% [Tennessee] to 17.3% [USVI]). The majority of persons surveyed in the 11 states and USVI reported having smoke-free home rules (from 68.8% [West Virginia] to 85.7% [USVI]). This report also provides the 2008 results for CDC's annual BRFSS-based state-specific estimates of current smoking in 50 states, the District of Columbia (DC), and three territories (Guam, Puerto Rico, and USVI). As in previous years, the results showed substantial variation in self-reported cigarette smoking prevalence (range: 6.5%--27.4%; median for 50 states and DC = 18.4%). Additional legislation is needed to increase the number of s...

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Update: influenza activity - United States, August 30-October 31, 2009.

MMWR Morb Mortal Wkl... — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This report summarizes U.S. influenza activity from August 30, 2009, defined as the beginning of the 2009-10 influenza season, through October 31, 2009. PMID: 19910911 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] (Source: MMWR Morb Mortal Wkl...)

Effectiveness of 2008-09 trivalent influenza vaccine against 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) - United States, May-June 2009.

MMWR Morb Mortal Wkl... — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Since first reports in April 2009, the 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) virus has spread around the world. The pandemic virus is antigenically distinct from seasonal influenza A (H1N1) viruses targeted by seasonal influenza vaccines. Results from recent serologic studies have suggested that seasonal influenza vaccines are unlikely to provide substantial cross-protection against infection with the pandemic H1N1 virus. However, how serologic results correlate with the complex immune responses that confer clinical protection remains uncertain. To complement the serologic studies and evaluate the effectiveness of 2008-09 trivalent seasonal influenza vaccine against laboratory-confirmed pandemic influenza A (H1N1) illness, CDC used available data to conduct a case-cohort analysis...

Steroid 5-{alpha}-Reductase Type 2 (SRD5a2) Gene Polymorphisms and Risk of Prostate Cancer: A HuGE Review.

Am J Epidemiol — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Li J, Coates RJ, Gwinn M, Khoury MJ Steroid 5-alpha-reductase type 2 (SRD5a2) is a critical enzyme in androgen metabolism. Two polymorphisms in the SRD5a2 gene, V89L (rs523349) and A49T (rs9282858), have been studied for associations with prostate cancer risk, with conflicting results. The authors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis (1997-2007) to examine these associations and compared the results with findings from genome-wide association studies of prostate cancer. The meta-analysis included 24 case-control studies (10,088 cases and 10,120 controls for V89L and 4,998 cases and 5,451 controls for A49T). The authors found that prostate cancer was not associated with V89L (L allele vs. V allele: odds ratio = 0.99, 95% confidence interval: 0.94, 1.05) and was probab...

Fitting ACE structural equation models to case-control family data

Genetic Epidemiology — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

We describe an ACE model for binary family data; this structural equation model, which has been described previously, combines a general-family extension of the classic ACE twin model with a (possibly covariate-specific) liability-threshold model for binary outcomes. We then introduce our contribution, a likelihood-based approach to fitting the model to singly ascertained case-control family data. The approach, which involves conditioning on the proband's disease status and also setting prevalence equal to a prespecified value that can be estimated from the data, makes it possible to obtain valid estimates of the A, C, and E variance components from case-control (rather than only from population-based) family data. In fact, simulation experiments suggest that our approach to fitting yields...

Sibship analysis of associations between SNP haplotypes and a continuous trait with application to mammographic density

Genetic Epidemiology — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

In conclusion, our proposed method retains the benefits of the between- and within-pair analysis for pairs of siblings and can be implemented in standard software. Genet. Epidemiol. 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. (Source: Genetic Epidemiology)

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Comparing apples and oranges: equating the power of case-control and quantitative trait association studies

Genetic Epidemiology — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Genome-wide association studies have achieved unprecedented success in the identification of novel genes and pathways implicated in complex traits. Typically, studies for disease use a case-control (CC) design and studies for quantitative traits (QT) are population based. The question that we address is what is the equivalence between CC and QT association studies in terms of detection power and sample size? We compare the binary and continuous traits by assuming a threshold model for disease and assuming that the effect size on disease liability has similar feature as on QT. We derive the approximate ratio of the non-centrality parameter (NCP) between CC and QT association studies, which is determined by sample size, disease prevalence (K) and the proportion of cases (v) in the CC study. ...

Variance-components methods for linkage and association analysis of ordinal traits in general pedigrees

Genetic Epidemiology — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Many complex human diseases such as alcoholism and cancer are rated on ordinal scales. Well-developed statistical methods for the genetic mapping of quantitative traits may not be appropriate for ordinal traits. We propose a class of variance-component models for the joint linkage and association analysis of ordinal traits. The proposed models accommodate arbitrary pedigrees and allow covariates and gene-environment interactions. We develop efficient likelihood-based inference procedures under the proposed models. The maximum likelihood estimators are approximately unbiased, normally distributed, and statistically efficient. Extensive simulation studies demonstrate that the proposed methods perform well in practical situations. An application to data from the Collaborative Study on the Gen...

[Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infections in young children]

Adv Data — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:04:03 +0100

Authors: Panasik A, Pancer K Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) is a recently discovered respiratory virus. hMPV, the second after respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), is leading cause of upper and lower respiratory tract infections mainly in infants and children. hMPV infections have been reported in many countries in all the world, in patients in every age and gender, but children under 5 years are most likely to be susceptible to infections caused by hMPV. The frequency of hMPV infections require hospitalization in this group is 5-10%. Late winter and early spring is the epidemic peak of hMPV infections in a lot of countries. The similar time of hMPV infections and another respiratory viruses is leading to appear coinfections. Many data reported higher frequency of double coinfections (RSV ...

Re: "Associations of Gestational Weight Gain With Short- and Longer-Term Maternal and Child Health Outcomes"

Am J Epidemiol — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Ruiz JR, Barakat R, Lucia A PMID: 19910375 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Am J Epidemiol)

Determinants of Percentage and Area Measures of Mammographic Density.

Am J Epidemiol — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Stone J, Warren RM, Pinney E, Warwick J, Cuzick J Mammographic density is one of the strongest predictors of breast cancer risk. Typically expressed as a percentage of the breast area occupied by radiologically dense tissue on a mammogram, its full value may not be realized because of its negative association with body mass index. A simpler measure of mammographic density, independent of other breast cancer risk factors and equally predictive of risk, would be preferable for risk prediction models. Percentage and area measures of mammographic density were determined for 815 women at high risk for breast cancer from the baseline assessments in the International Breast Cancer Intervention Study I, a trial of tamoxifen for breast cancer prevention conducted between 1992 and 2001....

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Van Ballegooijen et al. Respond to "Evaluating Vaccination Programs Using Genetic Sequence Data"

Am J Epidemiol — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: van Ballegooijen WM, van Houdt R, Bruisten SM, Boot HJ, Coutinho RA, Wallinga J PMID: 19910377 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Am J Epidemiol)

Risk Factors for Epithelial Ovarian Cancer by Histologic Subtype.

Am J Epidemiol — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Gates MA, Rosner BA, Hecht JL, Tworoger SS Previous epidemiologic studies suggest that the major histologic subtypes of epithelial ovarian cancer may have different risk factor profiles; however, no known prospective study has systematically examined differences in risk by subtype. The authors used Cox proportional hazards regression, stratified by histologic subtype and time period, to examine the association between ovarian cancer risk factors and incidence of serous invasive, endometrioid, and mucinous ovarian cancers in the US Nurses' Health Study (1976-2006) and Nurses' Health Study II (1989-2005). For each exposure, they calculated P-heterogeneity using a likelihood ratio test comparing models with separate estimates for the 3 subtypes versus a single estimate across sub...

Molecular Sequence Data of Hepatitis B Virus and Genetic Diversity After Vaccination.

Am J Epidemiol — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: van Ballegooijen WM, van Houdt R, Bruisten SM, Boot HJ, Coutinho RA, Wallinga J The effect of vaccination programs on transmission of infectious disease is usually assessed by monitoring programs that rely on notifications of symptomatic illness. For monitoring of infectious diseases with a high proportion of asymptomatic cases or a low reporting rate, molecular sequence data combined with modern coalescent-based techniques offer a complementary tool to assess transmission. Here, the authors investigate the added value of using viral sequence data to monitor a vaccination program that was started in 1998 and was targeted against hepatitis B virus in men who have sex with men in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The incidence in this target group, as estimated from the notifications ...

A Family Longevity Selection Score: Ranking Sibships by Their Longevity, Size, and Availability for Study.

Am J Epidemiol — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Sebastiani P, Hadley EC, Province M, Christensen K, Rossi W, Perls TT, Ash AS Family studies of exceptional longevity can potentially identify genetic and other factors contributing to long life and healthy aging. Although such studies seek families that are exceptionally long lived, they also need living members who can provide DNA and phenotype information. On the basis of these considerations, the authors developed a metric to rank families for selection into a family study of longevity. Their measure, the family longevity selection score (FLoSS), is the sum of 2 components: 1) an estimated family longevity score built from birth-, gender-, and nation-specific cohort survival probabilities and 2) a bonus for older living siblings. The authors examined properties of FLoSS-ba...

Invited Commentary: Evaluating Vaccination Programs Using Genetic Sequence Data.

Am J Epidemiol — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Halloran ME, Holmes EC Genomic data will become an increasingly important component of epidemiologic studies in coming years. The authors of the accompanying Journal article, van Ballegooijen et al. (Am J Epidemiol. 2009;XXX(XX):000-000), are to be commended for attempting to use the coalescent analysis of viral sequence data to evaluate a hepatitis B vaccination program. Coalescent theory attempts to link the phylogenetic history of populations with rates of population growth and decline. In particular, under certain assumptions, a reduction in genetic diversity can be interpreted as a reduction in disease incidence. However, the authors of this commentary contend that van Ballegooijen et al.'s interpretation of changes in viral genetic diversity as a measure of hepatitis B v...

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Sporadic Gastroenteritis and Recreational Swimming in a Longitudinal Community Cohort Study in Melbourne, Australia.

Am J Epidemiol — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This study showed that although the incremental risk of recreational swimming is significant, it is relatively small. PMID: 19906739 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Am J Epidemiol)

The APOE e 4 Allele Is Associated with Incident Mild Cognitive Impairment among Community-Dwelling Older Persons

Neuroepidemiology — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Neuroepidemiology 2010;34:43-49 (DOI:10.1159/000256662) (Source: Neuroepidemiology)

Is Segregation Bad for Your Health?

Epidemiologic Reviews — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:23:37 +0100

For decades, racial residential segregation has been observed to vary with health outcomes for African Americans, although only recently has interest increased in the public health literature. Utilizing a systematic review of the health and social science literature, the authors consider the segregation-health association through the lens of 4 questions of interest to epidemiologists: How is segregation best measured? Is the segregation-health association socially or biologically plausible? What evidence is there of segregation-health associations? Is segregation a modifiable risk factor? Thirty-nine identified studies test an association between segregation and health outcomes. The health effects of segregation are relatively consistent, but complex. Isolation segregation is associated wi...

Epi + demos + cracy: Linking Political Systems and Priorities to the Magnitude of Health Inequities--Evidence, Gaps, and a Research Agenda

Epidemiologic Reviews — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:23:37 +0100

A new focus within both social epidemiology and political sociology investigates how political systems and priorities shape health inequities. To advance—and better integrate—research on political determinants of health inequities, the authors conducted a systematic search of the ISI Web of Knowledge and PubMed databases and identified 45 studies, commencing in 1992, that explicitly and empirically tested, in relation to an a priori political hypothesis, for either 1) changes in the magnitude of health inequities or 2) significant cross-national differences in the magnitude of health inequities. Overall, 84% of the studies focused on the global North, and all clustered around 4 political factors: 1) the transition to a capitalist economy; 2) neoliberal restructuring; 3) welfare...

Racial Discrimination and Health Among Asian Americans: Evidence, Assessment, and Directions for Future Research

Epidemiologic Reviews — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:23:37 +0100

Research shows that racial discrimination is related to illness among diverse racial and ethnic populations. Studies of racial discrimination and health among Asian Americans, however, remain underdeveloped. In this paper, the authors review evidence on racial discrimination and health among Asian Americans, identify gaps in the literature, and provide suggestions for future research. They identified 62 empirical articles assessing the relation between discrimination and health among Asian Americans. The majority of articles focused on mental health problems, followed by physical and behavioral problems. Most studies find that discrimination was associated with poorer health, although the most consistent findings were for mental health problems. This review suggests that future studies sho...

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Cardiometabolic Health Disparities in Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders

Epidemiologic Reviews — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:23:37 +0100

Elimination of health disparities in the United States is a national health priority. Cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and obesity are key features of what is now referred to as the "cardiometabolic syndrome," which disproportionately affects racial/ethnic minority populations, including Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders (NHOPI). Few studies have adequately characterized the cardiometabolic syndrome in high-risk populations such as NHOPI. The authors systematically assessed the existing literature on cardiometabolic disorders among NHOPI to understand the best approaches to eliminating cardiometabolic health disparities in this population. Articles were identified from database searches performed in PubMed and MEDLINE from January 1998 to December 2008; 43 studies were included...

Health Disparities in the Latino Population

Epidemiologic Reviews — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:23:37 +0100

In this review, the authors provide an approach to the study of health disparities in the US Latino population and evaluate the evidence, using mortality rates for discrete medical conditions and the total US population as a standard for comparison. They examine the demographic structure of the Latino population and how nativity, age, income, and education are related to observed patterns of health and mortality. A key issue discussed is how to interpret the superior mortality indices of Latino immigrants and the subsequent declining health status of later generations. Explanations for differences in mortality include selection, reverse selection, death record inconsistencies, inequalities in health status, transnational migration, social marginality, and adaptation to environmental condit...

What Causes Racial Disparities in Very Preterm Birth? A Biosocial Perspective

Epidemiologic Reviews — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:23:37 +0100

Very preterm birth (<32 weeks’ gestation) occurs in approximately 2% of livebirths but is a leading cause of infant mortality and morbidity in the United States. African-American women have a 2-fold to 3-fold elevated risk compared with non-Hispanic white women for reasons that are incompletely understood. This paper reviews the evidence for the biologic and social patterning of very preterm birth, with attention to leading hypotheses regarding the etiology of the racial disparity. A systematic review of the literature in the MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycInfo, and EMBASE indices was conducted. The literature to date suggests a complex, multifactorial causal framework for understanding racial disparities in very preterm birth, with maternal inflammatory, vascular, or neuroendocrine dysfunc...

Environmental Contributions to Disparities in Pregnancy Outcomes

Epidemiologic Reviews — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:23:37 +0100

One of the most persistent disparities in American health status is the pronounced difference in birth outcomes between non-Hispanic black and non-Hispanic white women. Poor pregnancy outcomes have a substantial impact on mortality, morbidity, and health care costs. Increasing evidence indicates that environmental exposures are associated with poor birth outcomes. This paper reviews the latest research on how environmental exposures affect pregnancy outcomes and then discusses how these exposures may be embedded within a context of significant social and host factor stress. The analysis suggests that environmental, social, and host factors are cumulatively stressing non-Hispanic black women and that this cumulative stress may be a cause of the persistent disparities in pregnancy outcomes. ...

Do Lifestyle or Social Factors Explain Ethnic/Racial Inequalities in Breast Cancer Survival?

Epidemiologic Reviews — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:23:37 +0100

Despite numerous studies documenting ethnic inequalities in breast cancer survival between minority and majority ethnic groups worldwide, reasons for these inequalities remain unclear. The authors performed a systematic review of published literature to identify studies that investigated the explanatory power of smoking, alcohol consumption, body mass index (BMI), and socioeconomic position (SEP) on ethnic inequalities in breast cancer survival. Sixteen studies were included in the review. From 5 studies, the authors found that differences in breast cancer survival between ethnic groups may be in part explained by BMI, but there was little evidence to implicate smoking or alcohol consumption as explanatory factors of this inequality. From 12 studies, the authors found that SEP explains par...

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Associations Between Childhood Socioeconomic Position and Adulthood Obesity

Epidemiologic Reviews — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:23:37 +0100

Childhood socioeconomic position (SEP) is inversely associated with cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. Obesity in adulthood may be a biologic mechanism. Objectives were to systematically review literature published between 1998 and 2008 that examined associations of childhood SEP with adulthood obesity. Five databases (Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Web of Science) were searched for studies from any country, in any language. Forty-eight publications based on 30 studies were identified. In age-adjusted analyses, inverse associations were found between childhood SEP and adulthood obesity in 70% (14 of 20) of studies in females and 27% (4 of 15) in males. In studies of females showing inverse associations between childhood SEP and adulthood obesity, typical effect s...

Built Environments and Obesity in Disadvantaged Populations

Epidemiologic Reviews — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:23:36 +0100

In the United States, health disparities in obesity and obesity-related illnesses have been the subject of growing concern. To better understand how obesity-related health disparities might relate to obesogenic built environments, the authors conducted a systematic review of the published scientific literature, screening for studies with relevance to disadvantaged individuals or areas, identified by low socioeconomic status, black race, or Hispanic ethnicity. A search for related terms in publication databases and topically related resources yielded 45 studies published between January 1995 and January 2009 with at least 100 participants or area residents that provided information on 1) the built environment correlates of obesity or related health behaviors within one or more disadvantaged...

Epidemiologic Research on Health Disparities: Some Thoughts on History and Current Developments

Epidemiologic Reviews — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:23:36 +0100

In this introduction to volume 31 of Epidemiologic Reviews, the author traces the history of health disparities research in epidemiology and situates the 10 review articles comprising this edition within this history. With the aid of a conceptual model describing the key determinants of health disparities, he offers several suggestions for improving future epidemiologic research on health disparities. (Source: Epidemiologic Reviews)

Cover

Epidemiologic Reviews — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:23:36 +0100

(Source: Epidemiologic Reviews)

Editorial Board

Epidemiologic Reviews — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:23:36 +0100

(Source: Epidemiologic Reviews)

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Epidemiologic Reviews — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:23:36 +0100

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Epidemiologic Reviews — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:23:36 +0100

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Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in the Spanish EPIC Cohort Study.

Am J Epidemiol — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This study examined the relation between Mediterranean diet adherence and risk of incident CHD events in the 5 Spanish centers of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. Analysis included 41,078 participants aged 29-69 years, recruited in 1992-1996 and followed up until December 2004 (mean follow-up:10.4 years). Confirmed incident fatal and nonfatal CHD events were analyzed according to Mediterranean diet adherence, measured by using an 18-unit relative Mediterranean diet score. A total of 609 participants (79% male) had a fatal or nonfatal confirmed acute myocardial infarction (n = 468) or unstable angina requiring revascularization (n = 141). After stratification by center and age and adjustment for recognized CHD risk factors, high compared with low relative Me...

Importance of Routine Public Health Influenza Surveillance: Detection of an Unusual W-Shaped Influenza Morbidity Curve.

Am J Epidemiol — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Georgantopoulos P, Bergquist EP, Knaup RC, Anthony JR, Bailey TC, Williams MP, Lawrence SJ Seasonal influenza causes excess morbidity and mortality at the extremes of age: It disproportionately affects the very young and the very old, typically resulting in "U"-shaped age-distributed curves. By means of a well-established public health department surveillance system using positive influenza tests submitted from sentinel sites, the authors generated annual influenza-specific morbidity curves over a 10-year period (1998-2008) for St. Louis County, Missouri. The authors detected an unusually high incidence of cases of medically attended test-positive influenza, particularly in young adults, during the 2007-2008 season, resulting in an unexpected "W"-shaped age-distributed morbidi...

How Soon Should Patients with Smear‐Positive Tuberculosis Be Released from Inpatient Isolation?

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 22:58:39 +0100

Conclusions. Initial smear grade was the strongest predictor of time to sputum smear and culture conversion in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and may be a useful predictor for programmatic planning and patient counseling. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

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The Quality of Meta-Analyses of Genetic Association Studies: A Review With Recommendations.

Am J Epidemiol — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Minelli C, Thompson JR, Abrams KR, Thakkinstian A, Attia J Although there has been a rapid rise in the publication of meta-analyses of genetic association studies, little is known about their methodological quality. The authors reviewed the quality of 120 randomly selected genetic meta-analyses published between 2005 and 2007. Data extracted included issues of general relevance and other issues specific to genetic epidemiology. Quality was markedly poorer in the 26% of the meta-analyses that accompanied a report on a primary study. Such meta-analyses were predominantly published in specialist journals, and their quality was positively associated with the impact factor of the journal. Among the meta-analyses that did not accompany a primary study, Human Genome Epidemiology revi...

Dengue fever, Cape Verde.

Weekly Epidemiological Record — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: PMID: 19899226 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Weekly Epidemiological Record)

Validation of neonatal tetanus elimination in the Congo by a lot quality-assurance cluster sample survey.

Weekly Epidemiological Record — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: PMID: 19899227 [PubMed - in process] (Source: Weekly Epidemiological Record)

Am J Epidemiol; +21 new citations

Am J Epidemiol — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:04:02 +0100

21 new pubmed citations were retrieved for your search. Click on the search hyperlink below to display the complete search results: Am J Epidemiol These pubmed results were generated on 2009/11/06PubMed, a service of the National Library of Medicine, includes over 15 million citations for biomedical articles back to the 1950's. These citations are from MEDLINE and additional life science journals. PubMed includes links to many sites providing full text articles and other related resources. (Source: Am J Epidemiol)

State Medicaid coverage for tobacco-dependence treatments - United States, 2007.

MMWR Morb Mortal Wkl... — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This report summarizes the results of that survey, which found that 43 (84%) programs offered coverage for some form of tobacco-dependence treatment to Medicaid enrollees in traditional fee-for-service (FFS) Medicaid, with four Medicaid programs adding coverage since 2006 and 20 programs adding coverage in the past decade. Only two states (New Mexico and New Jersey) reported access to tobacco-dependence treatments without any limitations or restrictions. Of the 25 states covering pharmacotherapy for Medicaid enrollees in both FFS and managed-care organizations (MCOs), only 13 covered the same tobacco-dependence treatments for enrollees in both populations. Research demonstrates that providing access to comprehensive tobacco-dependence treatments increases quit rates. Providing Medicaid cov...

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Human vaccinia infection after contact with a raccoon rabies vaccine bait - Pennsylvania, 2009.

MMWR Morb Mortal Wkl... — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This report describes this case, which was the second case of human vaccinia infection related to the ORV program. Public health agencies should educate the public, and particularly pet owners, regarding potential hazards associated with handling wildlife rabies vaccine baits and should provide guidance for persons exposed to this vaccine. PMID: 19893480 [PubMed - in process] (Source: MMWR Morb Mortal Wkl...)

Human rabies - Missouri, 2008.

MMWR Morb Mortal Wkl... — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This report summarizes the patient's treatment and clinical course. The report highlights the importance of raising public awareness of rabies, particularly the risk for rabies after bat and other wildlife exposures. Health-care providers should maintain a high clinical suspicion for rabies in patients with a recent animal bite history and unexplained encephalitis. PMID: 19893481 [PubMed - in process] (Source: MMWR Morb Mortal Wkl...)

Paul Coverdell National Acute Stroke Registry Surveillance - four states, 2005-2007.

MMWR Surveill Summ — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

This report summarizes PCNASR data collected during 2005-2007 from Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, and North Carolina, the first states to have PCNASRs implemented in and led by state health departments. DESCRIPTION OF SYSTEM: PCNASR was established by CDC in 2001 to track and improve the quality of hospital-based acute stroke care. The prototype phase (2001-2004) registries were led by CDC-funded clinical investigators in academic and medical institutions, whereas the full implementation of the 2005-2007 statewide registries was led by CDC-funded state health departments. Health departments in each state recruit hospitals to collect data. To be included in PCNASR, patients must be aged >or=18 years and have a clinical diagnosis of acute ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, suba...

Orthostatic Hypotension and Cognitive Function: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study

Neuroepidemiology — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Neuroepidemiology 2010;34:1-7 (DOI:10.1159/000255459) (Source: Neuroepidemiology)

Which Is More Valid for Stroke Patients: Generic or Stroke-Specific Quality of Life Measures?

Neuroepidemiology — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Neuroepidemiology 2010;34:8-12 (DOI:10.1159/000255460) (Source: Neuroepidemiology)

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Prevalence of Symptomatic Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease in Iceland: A Study of a Well-Defined Population

Neuroepidemiology — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Neuroepidemiology 2010;34:13-17 (DOI:10.1159/000255461) (Source: Neuroepidemiology)

Relationship between Blood Levels of Heavy Metals and Parkinson's Disease in China

Neuroepidemiology — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Neuroepidemiology 2010;34:18-24 (DOI:10.1159/000255462) (Source: Neuroepidemiology)

Diurnal Variation in Onset of Hemorrhagic Stroke Is Independent of Risk Factor Status: Takashima Stroke Registry

Neuroepidemiology — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Neuroepidemiology 2010;34:25-33 (DOI:10.1159/000255463) (Source: Neuroepidemiology)

Validation of the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status-modified in Subjects with Normal Cognition, Mild Cognitive Impairment, or Dementia

Neuroepidemiology — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:00:00 +0100

Neuroepidemiology 2010;34:34-42 (DOI:10.1159/000255464) (Source: Neuroepidemiology)

Richard Alfred Garibaldi, MD (1942–2009) •

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:04:52 +0100

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, Volume 30, Issue 12, Page 1135-1136, December 2009. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

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Survey Study of the Knowledge, Attitudes, and Expected Behaviors of Critical Care Clinicians Regarding an Influenza Pandemic •

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:03:46 +0100

Conclusions. ICU HCWs reported having minimal knowledge concerning the risk of and response to an influenza pandemic, even though more that one‐half of HCWs expect that a pandemic will occur in the near future. This finding in a high‐risk setting is of concern, given that lack of knowledge among HCWs may result in increased nosocomial transmission to HCWs and patients. Interventions to improve knowledge of pandemics and understanding of risks among ICU HCWs are essential. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

Measurement of Influenza Vaccination Coverage among Healthcare Personnel in US Hospitals •

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:01:22 +0100

Conclusions. Hospitals vary in terms of the groups of individuals included in influenza vaccination coverage measurements. Standardized measures may improve comparability of hospital‐reported vaccination rates. Measuring coverage in a manner that facilitates identification of occupational groups with low vaccination rates may inform development of targeted interventions. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

Epidemiology and Outcomes of Hospitalizations with Complicated Skin and Skin‐Structure Infections: Implications of Healthcare‐Associated Infection Risk Factors •

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:55:29 +0100

Conclusions. Healthcare‐associated cSSSIs are common and are likely to be caused by gram‐negative organisms. Mixed infections carry a >2‐fold greater risk of inappropriate treatment. Healthcare‐associated cSSSIs are associated with increased mortality and prolonged length of hospital stay, compared with community‐acquired cSSSIs. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

A Successful Mandatory Influenza Vaccination Campaign Using an Innovative Electronic Tracking System •

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:54:33 +0100

Conclusions. Implementation of a novel vaccination tracking process and a hospital policy requiring influenza vaccination or declination yielded dramatic improvement in healthcare worker vaccination rates and likely will result in increased patient safety in our hospital. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

Annual Incidence of Latent Tuberculosis Infection among Newly Employed Nurses at a Tertiary Care University Hospital •

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:54:17 +0100

Conclusions. The poor overall agreement between TST and QFT‐G results may have been caused by the confounding effect of bacille Calmette‐Guérin vaccination. The annual risk of TB infection among newly employed nurses was at least 3% on the basis of results of both the TST and QFT‐G test. Stricter preventive strategies against TB spread should be implemented in our hospital. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

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Identification of a Pseudo‐Outbreak of Clostridium difficile Infection (CDI) and the Effect of Repeated Testing, Sensitivity, and Specificity on Perceived Prevalence of CDI •

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:52:21 +0100

Conclusion. Specificity is as important as sensitivity when testing for CDI. False‐positive CDI cases can drain hospital resources and adversely affect patients. Repeated testing for C. difficile should be performed with caution. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

Should Vascular Surgery Patients Be Screened Preoperatively for Methicillin‐Resistant Staphylococcus aureus? •

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:52:09 +0100

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, Volume 30, Issue 12, Page 1158-1165, December 2009. Background. Methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) can cause severe infection in patients who are undergoing vascular surgical operations. Testing all vascular surgery patients preoperatively for MRSA and attempting to decolonize those who have positive results may be a strategy to prevent MRSA infection. The economic value of such a strategy has not yet been determined. Methods. We developed a decision‐analytic computer simulation model to determine the economic value of using such a strategy before all vascular surgical procedures from the societal and third‐party payer perspectives at different MRSA prevalence and decolonization success rates. Results. The mo...

Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs in Pediatrics •

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:47:58 +0100

Conclusions. The prevalence of ASPs in pediatrics is limited, and opportunities exist to improve current programs. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

Reviewers for 2009

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:47:52 +0100

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, Volume 30, Issue 12, Page 1243-1244, December 2009. The editors of the journal thank the reviewers for their time and effort. The reviewers listed here have contributed at least one review in the past two years, and many have contributed considerably more. The quality of the journal depends in large part on their expertise, and their dedication and hard work are sincerely appreciated. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

Erratum: Barbosa et al (2009; 30:912‐914) •

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:47:43 +0100

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, Volume 30, Issue 12, Page 1242, December 2009. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

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Healthcare Worker Knowledge of Measurement and Documentation of Tuberculin Skin Test Reaction •

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:47:39 +0100

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, Volume 30, Issue 12, Page 1230-1232, December 2009. A cross‐sectional survey of 210 healthcare workers at a pediatric teaching hospital was performed to assess knowledge of published guidelines for proper measurement and documentation of tuberculin skin test results. We conclude that many healthcare workers have inadequate knowledge for optimal measurement and documentation of tuberculin skin test results. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

Risk Factors for Mortality in Patients with Nosocomial Stenotrophomonas maltophilia Pneumonia •

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:47:20 +0100

Conclusions. S. maltophilia pneumonia is associated with a high mortality rate and is commonly associated with concomitant polymicrobial colonization or infection. Underlying comorbidities and inadequate initial empirical antibiotic therapy substantially account for increased mortality rates. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

Molecular Epidemiology of Invasive Aspergillosis: Lessons Learned from an Outbreak Investigation in an Australian Hematology Unit •

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:47:12 +0100

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, Volume 30, Issue 12, Page 1223-1226, December 2009. Suspected nosocomial Aspergillus fumigatus infections in an Australian hematology unit were investigated by molecular typing of clinical and environmental isolates using polymerase chain reaction fingerprinting, CSP typing, and multilocus microsatellite typing. Only multilocus microsatellite typing revealed that all isolates were genetically distinct. The selection of an appropriate typing method is essential for effective outbreak investigations. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

Multidrug‐Resistant Gram‐Negative Bacteria at a Long‐Term Care Facility: Assessment of Residents, Healthcare Workers, and Inanimate Surfaces •

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:45:32 +0100

Conclusions. The prevalence of MDR gram‐negative bacteria is high among LTCF residents and exceeds that of vancomycin‐resistant enterococci and methicillin‐resistant S. aureus. Common areas in LTCFs may provide a unique opportunity for person‐to‐person transmission of MDR gram‐negative bacteria. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

Epidemiology and Impact of Imipenem Resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii •

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:43:26 +0100

Conclusions. Many A. baumannii isolates exhibit imipenem resistance, which is strongly associated with prior use of carbapenems. Given the high mortality rate associated with A. baumannii infection or colonization, interventions to curb further emergence of cases of IRAB infection and strategies to optimize therapy are needed. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

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Risk Factors and Clinical Impact of Klebsiella pneumoniae Carbapenemase–Producing K. pneumoniae •

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:41:37 +0100

Conclusions. KPC‐producing K. pneumoniae is an emerging pathogen associated with significant mortality. Our findings highlight the urgent need to develop strategies for prevention and infection control. Limiting use of certain antimicrobials, specifically fluoroquinolones and cephalosporins, use may be effective strategies. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

Surveillance for Influenza A 2009 H1N1 among Thai Healthcare Workers •

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:41:28 +0100

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, Volume 30, Issue 12, Page 1236-1237, December 2009. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

Limitations in Using Aspiration Pneumonia as a Quality Measure •

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:41:12 +0100

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, Volume 30, Issue 12, Page 1233-1235, December 2009. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

Simple Interventions Fail to Produce Sustained Reduction in Unnecessary Intravascular Device Dwell Time •

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:41:05 +0100

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, Volume 30, Issue 12, Page 1238-1239, December 2009. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

A Tertiary Care Cancer Center Experience of the 2007 Outbreak of Serratia marcescens Bloodstream Infection Due to Prefilled Syringes •

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:40:55 +0100

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, Volume 30, Issue 12, Page 1237-1238, December 2009. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

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Bloodstream Infections Due to Micrococcus spp and Intravenous Epoprostenol •

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:40:44 +0100

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, Volume 30, Issue 12, Page 1237, December 2009. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

Comparison of Clinical Features of Pediatric Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Human Metapneumovirus Infections •

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:40:05 +0100

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, Volume 30, Issue 12, Page 1240-1241, December 2009. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

Erratum: Fagernes and Lingaas (2009; 30:427‐432) •

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:40:00 +0100

Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, Volume 30, Issue 12, Page 1242, December 2009. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

Rationale against Preoperative Screening for HIV in Polish Hospitals: A Prevalence Study of Anti‐HIV in Contrast to Anti–Hepatitis C Virus and Hepatitis B Surface Antigen •

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:39:56 +0100

We describe the prevalence of anti–human immunodeficiency virus (anti‐HIV) among a sample of 1,652 surgical and gynecologic patients in Polish hospitals, contrasting it with the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and anti–hepatitis C virus (anti‐HCV) to assess the rationale for preoperative testing. No anti‐HIV–positive samples were found; the prevalence of anti‐HCV was 0.9%, slightly higher than the prevalence of HBsAg of 0.6%. Universal preoperative screening of hospital patients for HIV is currently not warranted according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. However, the seroprevalence of HIV should be reassessed periodically. (Source: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol Latest Issue)

Genetic Polymorphisms in Genes Related to Oxidative Stress (GSTP1, GSTM1, GSTT1, CAT, MnSOD, MPO, eNOS) and Survival of Rectal Cancer Patients after Radiotherapy

Journal of Cancer Epidemiology — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:11:40 +0100

Radiotherapy exerts part of its antineoplastic effect by generating oxidative stress, therefore genetic variation in oxidative stress-related enzymes may influence survival of rectal cancer patients. We hypothesized that genetic polymorphisms associated with higher amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that exaggerate cytotoxic activity could improve survival after radiotherapy. We followed 114 rectal cancer patients who received radiotherapy for an average of 42.5 months. Associations between genotypes (GSTP1, GSTM1, GSTT1, CAT, MnSOD, MPO and eNOS) and overall survival were assessed using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazards regression. As hypothesized, patients carrying low ROS producing eNOS Glu298Asp asparagine allele showed an increased hazard of death compared to homo...

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Prediction of Incident Stroke Events Based on Retinal Vessel Caliber: A Systematic Review and Individual-Participant Meta-Analysis.

Am J Epidemiol — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: McGeechan K, Liew G, Macaskill P, Irwig L, Klein R, Klein BE, Wang JJ, Mitchell P, Vingerling JR, de Jong PT, Witteman JC, Breteler MM, Shaw J, Zimmet P, Wong TY The caliber of the retinal vessels has been shown to be associated with stroke events. However, the consistency and magnitude of association, and the changes in predicted risk independent of traditional risk factors, are unclear. To determine the association between retinal vessel caliber and the risk of stroke events, the investigators combined individual data from 20,798 people, who were free of stroke at baseline, in 6 cohort studies identified from a search of the Medline (National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland) and EMBASE (Elsevier B.V., Amsterdam, the Netherlands) databases. During follow-up of 5-12 ye...

Use of Fertility Drugs and Risk of Uterine Cancer: Results From a Large Danish Population-based Cohort Study.

Am J Epidemiol — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Authors: Jensen A, Sharif H, Kjaer SK Some epidemiologic studies have indicated that uterine cancer risk may be increased after use of fertility drugs. To further assess this association, the authors used data from a large cohort of 54,362 women diagnosed with infertility who were referred to Danish fertility clinics between 1965 and 1998. In a case-cohort study, rate ratios and 95% confidence intervals were used to assess the effects of 4 groups of fertility drugs on overall risk of uterine cancer after adjustment for potentially confounding factors. Through mid-2006, 83 uterine cancers were identified. Ever use of any fertility drug was not associated with uterine cancer risk (rate ratio (RR) = 1.10, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.69, 1.76). However, ever use of gonadotropins (folli...

Re: "are americans feeling less healthy? the puzzle of trends in self-rated health"

Am J Epidemiol — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100

RE: "ARE AMERICANS FEELING LESS HEALTHY? THE PUZZLE OF TRENDS IN SELF-RATED HEALTH" Am J Epidemiol. 2009 Nov 1; Authors: Avendano M, Huijts T, Subramanian SV PMID: 19884128 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Am J Epidemiol)

Three of the Authors Reply

American Journal of Epidemiology — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:14:57 +0100

(Source: American Journal of Epidemiology)

Re: "Methods of Covariate Selection: Directed Acyclic Graphs and the Change-in-Estimate Procedure"

American Journal of Epidemiology — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:14:57 +0100

(Source: American Journal of Epidemiology)

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Three Authors Reply

American Journal of Epidemiology — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:14:57 +0100

(Source: American Journal of Epidemiology)

Re: "Determinants of Quality of Interview and Impact on Risk Estimates in a Case-Control Study of Bladder Cancer"

American Journal of Epidemiology — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:14:57 +0100

(Source: American Journal of Epidemiology)

Statistical Modeling for Biomedical Researchers: A Simple Introduction to the Analysis of Complex Data, 2nd Edition: By William D. Dupont

American Journal of Epidemiology — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:14:57 +0100

(Source: American Journal of Epidemiology)

Applying Quantitative Bias Analysis to Epidemiologic Data: By Timothy L. Lash, Matthew P. Fox, and Aliza K. Fink

American Journal of Epidemiology — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:14:57 +0100

(Source: American Journal of Epidemiology)

Analyses of Injury Count Data: Some Do's and Don'ts

American Journal of Epidemiology — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:14:57 +0100

The analysis of injury data requires different considerations from the analysis of other types of outcomes because an individual can experience the outcome many times. When describing injury patterns using numerator-only data (e.g., proportion of upper-extremity injuries vs. lower-extremity injuries), simple comparisons of proportions are inappropriate because 1) individuals are compared with themselves and 2) multiple testing increases the potential for incorrect inference. Bootstrapping (resampling) techniques can be used to determine confidence intervals and whether the frequencies significantly differ across categories. When describing injury rates, the authors suggest plotting the observed injury rate against the number of exposures to obtain a visual representation of the heterogenei...

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Optimizing Influenza Sentinel Surveillance at the State Level

American Journal of Epidemiology — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:14:57 +0100

Influenza-like illness data are collected via an Influenza Sentinel Provider Surveillance Network at the state level. Because participation is voluntary, locations of the sentinel providers may not reflect optimal geographic placement. The purpose of this study was to determine the "best" locations for sentinel providers in Iowa by using a maximal coverage model (MCM) and to compare the population coverage obtained with that of the current sentinel network. The authors used an MCM to maximize the Iowa population located within 20 miles (32.2 km) of 1–143 candidate sites and calculated the coverage provided by each additional site. The first MCM location covered 15% of the population; adding a second increased coverage to 25%. Additional locations provided more coverage but with dimin...

The Aftermath of Hip Fracture: Discharge Placement, Functional Status Change, and Mortality

American Journal of Epidemiology — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:14:57 +0100

The authors prospectively explored the consequences of hip fracture with regard to discharge placement, functional status, and mortality using the Survey on Assets and Health Dynamics Among the Oldest Old (AHEAD). Data from baseline (1993) AHEAD interviews and biennial follow-up interviews were linked to Medicare claims data from 1993–2005. There were 495 postbaseline hip fractures among 5,511 respondents aged ≥69 years. Mean age at hip fracture was 85 years; 73% of fracture patients were white women, 45% had pertrochanteric fractures, and 55% underwent surgical pinning. Most patients (58%) were discharged to a nursing facility, with 14% being discharged to their homes. In-hospital, 6-month, and 1-year mortality were 2.7%, 19%, and 26%, respectively. Declines in functional-status-...

Correlates of Multiple Chronic Disease Behavioral Risk Factors in Canadian Children and Adolescents

American Journal of Epidemiology — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:14:57 +0100

The authors assessed individual, social, and school correlates of multiple chronic disease behavioral risk factors (physical inactivity, sedentary behavior, tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking, and high body mass index) in a representative sample of Canadian youth aged 10–15 years (mean = 12.5 years) attending public schools. Cross-sectional data (n = 1,747) from cycle 4 (2000–2001) of the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth were used. Ordinal regression models were constructed to investigate associations between selected covariates and multiple behavioral risk-factor levels (0/1, 2, 3, or 4/5 risk factors). Older age (odds ratio (OR) = 1.95, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.21, 3.13), caregiver smoking (OR = 1.49, 95% CI: 1.09, 2.03), reporting that most/all of one...

Association of Perfluorooctanoic Acid and Perfluorooctane Sulfonate With Serum Lipids Among Adults Living Near a Chemical Plant

American Journal of Epidemiology — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:14:57 +0100

Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) are compounds that do not occur in nature but have been widely used since World War II and persist indefinitely in the environment. They are present in the serum of Americans with median levels of 4 ng/mL and 21 ng/mL, respectively. PFOA has been positively associated with cholesterol in several studies of workers. A cross-sectional study of lipids and PFOA and PFOS was conducted among 46,294 community residents aged 18 years or above, who drank water contaminated with PFOA from a chemical plant in West Virginia. The mean levels of serum PFOA and PFOS in 2005–2006 were 80 ng/mL (median, 27 ng/mL) and 22 ng/mL (median, 20 ng/mL), respectively. All lipid outcomes except high density lipoprotein cholesterol showed signif...

Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Risk and Dietary Patterns in the E3N-EPIC Prospective Cohort Study

American Journal of Epidemiology — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:14:57 +0100

Since evidence relating diet to breast cancer risk is not sufficiently consistent to elaborate preventive proposals, the authors examined the association between dietary patterns and breast cancer risk in a large French cohort study. The analyses included 2,381 postmenopausal invasive breast cancer cases diagnosed during a median 9.7-year follow-up period (1993–2005) among 65,374 women from the E3N-EPIC cohort. Scores for dietary patterns were obtained by factor analysis, and breast cancer hazard ratios were estimated by Cox proportional hazards regression for the highest quartile of dietary pattern score versus the lowest. Two dietary patterns were identified: "alcohol/Western" (essentially meat products, French fries, appetizers, rice/pasta, potatoes, pulses, pizza/pies, canned fis...

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Physical Activity's Impact on the Association of Fat and Fiber Intake With Survival After Breast Cancer

American Journal of Epidemiology — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:14:57 +0100

This study examined whether, after a breast cancer diagnosis, high intake of animal fat was associated with increased breast cancer mortality and high intake of fiber was associated with decreased breast cancer mortality. Participants were 3,846 US female nurses diagnosed with stages I–III breast cancer between 1976 and 2001 and followed until death or May 2006. Breast cancer mortality was calculated according to dietary intake quintiles first assessed at least 12 months after diagnosis and was cumulatively averaged and updated. There were 446 breast cancer deaths. In simple models adjusted for time since diagnosis, age, and energy intake, animal fat intake was associated with increased breast cancer death, and cereal fiber intake was associated with reduced breast cancer death. Howe...

Genetic Variation in the Progesterone Receptor and Metabolism Pathways and Hormone Therapy in Relation to Breast Cancer Risk

American Journal of Epidemiology — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:14:57 +0100

The relevance of progesterone to breast carcinogenesis is highlighted by evidence indicating that use of combined estrogen-progesterone therapy (EPT) is more strongly related to breast cancer risk than is use of unopposed estrogen therapy. However, few investigators have assessed how genetic variation in progesterone-related genes modifies the effect of EPT on risk. In an analysis combining data from 2 population-based case-control studies of postmenopausal breast cancer (1,296 cases and 1,055 controls) conducted in Washington State in 1997–1999 and 2000–2004, the authors evaluated how 51 single nucleotide polymorphisms in 7 progesterone-related genes (AKR1C1, AKR1C2, AKR1C3, CYP3A4, SRD5A1, SRD5A2, and PGR) influenced breast cancer risk. There was no appreciable association wi...

Body Size, Recreational Physical Activity, and B-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Risk Among Women in the California Teachers Study

American Journal of Epidemiology — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:14:57 +0100

Nutritional status and physical activity are known to alter immune function, which may be relevant to lymphomagenesis. The authors examined body size measurements and recreational physical activity in relation to risk of B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in the prospective California Teachers Study. Between 1995 and 2007, 574 women were diagnosed with incident B-cell NHL among 121,216 eligible women aged 22–84 years at cohort entry. Multivariable-adjusted relative risks and 95% confidence intervals were estimated by fitting Cox proportional hazards models for all B-cell NHL combined and for the 3 most common subtypes: diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, and B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma. Height was positively associated with risk of al...

Genetic Variations in Xenobiotic Metabolic Pathway Genes, Personal Hair Dye Use, and Risk of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

American Journal of Epidemiology — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:14:57 +0100

From 1996 to 2000, the authors conducted a population-based case-control study among Connecticut women to test the hypothesis that genetic variation in xenobiotic metabolic pathway genes modifies the relation between hair dye use and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. No effect modifications were found for women who started using hair dyes in 1980 or afterward. For women who started using hair dye before 1980 as compared with never users, a statistically significantly increased risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma was found for carriers of CYP2C9 Ex3-52C>T TT/CT genotypes (odds ratio (OR) = 2.9, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.4, 6.1), CYP2E1 -332T>A AT/AA genotypes (OR = 2.0, 95% CI: 1.2, 3.4), a homozygous or heterozygous 3-base-pair deletion in intron 6 of GSTM3 (OR = 2.3, 95% CI: 1.3, 4.1), G...

Meta- and Pooled Analyses of the Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (MTHFR) C677T Polymorphism and Colorectal Cancer: A HuGE-GSEC Review

American Journal of Epidemiology — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:14:57 +0100

Worldwide, over 1 million cases of colorectal cancer (CRC) were reported in 2002, with a 50% mortality rate, making CRC the second most common cancer in adults. Certain racial/ethnic populations continue to experience a disproportionate burden of CRC. A common polymorphism in the 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene has been associated with a lower risk of CRC. The authors performed both a meta-analysis (29 studies; 11,936 cases, 18,714 controls) and a pooled analysis (14 studies; 5,068 cases, 7,876 controls) of the C677T MTHFR polymorphism and CRC, with stratification by racial/ethnic population and behavioral risk factors. There were few studies on different racial/ethnic populations. The overall meta-analysis odds ratio for CRC for persons with the TT genotype was 0.83 ...

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Discovery Properties of Genome-wide Association Signals From Cumulatively Combined Data Sets

American Journal of Epidemiology — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:14:57 +0100

Genetic effects for common variants affecting complex disease risk are subtle. Single genome-wide association (GWA) studies are typically underpowered to detect these effects, and combination of several GWA data sets is needed to enhance discovery. The authors investigated the properties of the discovery process in simulated cumulative meta-analyses of GWA study-derived signals allowing for potential genetic model misspecification and between-study heterogeneity. Variants with null effects on average (but also between-data set heterogeneity) could yield false-positive associations with seemingly homogeneous effects. Random effects had higher than appropriate false-positive rates when there were few data sets. The log-additive model had the lowest false-positive rate. Under heterogeneity, r...

Towards Reducing Disparities in Disparities Research

American Journal of Epidemiology — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:14:57 +0100

(Source: American Journal of Epidemiology)

Cover

American Journal of Epidemiology — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:14:56 +0100

(Source: American Journal of Epidemiology)

Editorial Board

American Journal of Epidemiology — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:14:56 +0100

(Source: American Journal of Epidemiology)

MedWorm: Epidemiology

In remembrance of Richard Spielman

Am J Epidemiol; +17 new citations

Positive Deviance: A New Strategy for Improving Hand Hygiene Compliance

Acknowledgments to Referees

Individual and collective bodies: using measures of variance and association in contextual epidemiology

Are neighbourhood social fragmentation and suicide associated in New Zealand? A national multilevel cohort study

Peer status in school and adult disease risk: a 30-year follow-up study of disease-specific morbidity in a Stockholm cohort

Ethnic inequalities in access to and outcomes of healthcare: analysis of the Health Survey for England

Physical activity opportunities in low socioeconomic status neighbourhoods

Risk of suicide among operated and non-operated patients hospitalised for peptic ulcers

Ethnic differences in human papillomavirus awareness and vaccine acceptability

The role of parents' sense of coherence in irregular meal pattern and food intake pattern of children aged 10-11 in Finland

Examining the relationship between maternal employment and health behaviours in 5-year-old British children

Inspired by Darwin

Marital partner and mortality: the effects of the social positions of both spouses

Psychosocial risk factors for coronary heart disease in UK South Asian men and women

Correction

Job strain and symptoms of angina pectoris among British and Finnish middle-aged employees

Patterns in trouble sleeping among women at mid-life: results from a British prospective cohort study

Darwinism

Morbidity is related to a green living environment

The temporal pattern of mortality responses to ambient ozone in the APHEA project

From mother earth to social ecology: Darwin's legacy and the concept of environment in epidemiology

More than the tip of the iceberg: health policies and research that go below the surface

Re: "good semen quality and life expectancy: a cohort study of 43,277 men"

International Ethical Guidelines for Epidemiological Studies: By the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (CIOMS)

A Dictionary of Epidemiology, Fifth Edition: Edited by Miquel Porta

"Proportion Explained": A Causal Interpretation for Standard Measures of Indirect Effect?

Newly Reported Respiratory Symptoms and Conditions Among Military Personnel Deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan: A Prospective Population-based Study

Mammographic Screening and Risk Factors for Breast Cancer

Apolipoprotein E Genotype, Plasma Cholesterol, and Cancer: A Mendelian Randomization Study

Use of Fertility Drugs and Risk of Uterine Cancer: Results From a Large Danish Population-based Cohort Study

Estimation of the Contribution of Non-Assisted Reproductive Technology Ovulation Stimulation Fertility Treatments to US Singleton and Multiple Births

Timing and Trajectories of Fetal Growth Related to Cognitive Development in Childhood

Svensson et al. Respond to "Maternal Genes and Environment in Preterm Birth"

Invited Commentary: Maternal Effects in Preterm Birth--Effects of Maternal Genotype, Mitochondrial DNA, Imprinting, or Environment?

The Genetics of Preterm Birth: Using What We Know to Design Better Association Studies

Maternal Effects for Preterm Birth: A Genetic Epidemiologic Study of 630,000 Families

Maternal Contributions to Preterm Delivery

Association Between the Ubiquitin Carboxyl-Terminal Esterase L1 Gene (UCHL1) S18Y Variant and Parkinson's Disease: A HuGE Review and Meta-Analysis

The Quality of Meta-Analyses of Genetic Association Studies: A Review With Recommendations

Prediction of Incident Stroke Events Based on Retinal Vessel Caliber: A Systematic Review and Individual-Participant Meta-Analysis

Table of contents

Subscriptions

Editorial Board

Cover

Electronic Algorithmic Prediction of Central Vascular Catheter Use

Practical considerations for imputation of untyped markers in admixed populations

Validating a 3‐Point Prediction Rule for Surgical Site Infection after Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

Cigarette smoking among adults and trends in smoking cessation - United States, 2008.

State-specific secondhand smoke exposure and current cigarette smoking among adults - United States, 2008.

Update: influenza activity - United States, August 30-October 31, 2009.

Effectiveness of 2008-09 trivalent influenza vaccine against 2009 pandemic influenza A (H1N1) - United States, May-June 2009.

Steroid 5-{alpha}-Reductase Type 2 (SRD5a2) Gene Polymorphisms and Risk of Prostate Cancer: A HuGE Review.

Fitting ACE structural equation models to case-control family data

Sibship analysis of associations between SNP haplotypes and a continuous trait with application to mammographic density

Comparing apples and oranges: equating the power of case-control and quantitative trait association studies

Variance-components methods for linkage and association analysis of ordinal traits in general pedigrees

[Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) infections in young children]

Re: "Associations of Gestational Weight Gain With Short- and Longer-Term Maternal and Child Health Outcomes"

Determinants of Percentage and Area Measures of Mammographic Density.

Van Ballegooijen et al. Respond to "Evaluating Vaccination Programs Using Genetic Sequence Data"

Risk Factors for Epithelial Ovarian Cancer by Histologic Subtype.

Molecular Sequence Data of Hepatitis B Virus and Genetic Diversity After Vaccination.

A Family Longevity Selection Score: Ranking Sibships by Their Longevity, Size, and Availability for Study.

Invited Commentary: Evaluating Vaccination Programs Using Genetic Sequence Data.

Sporadic Gastroenteritis and Recreational Swimming in a Longitudinal Community Cohort Study in Melbourne, Australia.

The APOE e 4 Allele Is Associated with Incident Mild Cognitive Impairment among Community-Dwelling Older Persons

Is Segregation Bad for Your Health?

Epi + demos + cracy: Linking Political Systems and Priorities to the Magnitude of Health Inequities--Evidence, Gaps, and a Research Agenda

Racial Discrimination and Health Among Asian Americans: Evidence, Assessment, and Directions for Future Research

Cardiometabolic Health Disparities in Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders

Health Disparities in the Latino Population

What Causes Racial Disparities in Very Preterm Birth? A Biosocial Perspective

Environmental Contributions to Disparities in Pregnancy Outcomes

Do Lifestyle or Social Factors Explain Ethnic/Racial Inequalities in Breast Cancer Survival?

Associations Between Childhood Socioeconomic Position and Adulthood Obesity

Built Environments and Obesity in Disadvantaged Populations

Epidemiologic Research on Health Disparities: Some Thoughts on History and Current Developments