Engagement in different sport disciplines during university years and risk of locomotive syndrome in older age: J-Fit

BACKGROUND@#Among former Olympic-level athletes, engagement in different sport disciplines has been associated with mortality risk in subsequent years. However, limited evidence is available on whether engagement in different sport disciplines at a young age is associated with locomotive syndrome (LS) risk later in life. This study examined the relationship between engagement in different sport disciplines during university years and LS risk in older age among former university athletes.@*METHODS@#Participants were 274 middle-aged and 294 older men alumni who graduated from a school of physical education in Japan. LS risk was defined as answering "yes" to any of the Loco-check questions. Data on university sports club membership were collected using questionnaires. University clubs were classified into three groups of cardiovascular intensity (low, moderate, high), following the classification system of sport disciplines by the American College of Cardiology. This classification considers the static and dynamic components of an activity, which correspond to the estimated percent of maximal voluntary contraction reached and maximal oxygen uptake achieved, respectively. University clubs were grouped based on the risk of bodily collision (no, yes) and extent of physical contact (low, moderate, high). Relationships between engagement in different sport disciplines and LS risk were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards models, and adjusted for age, height, weight, joint disease, habitual exercise, and smoking and drinking status.@*RESULTS@#Adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals associated with the low, moderate, and high cardiovascular intensity sports were 1.00 (reference), 0.48 (0.22-1.06, P = 0.070), and 0.44 (0.20-0.97, P = 0.042) in older men, respectively; however, there was no significant association between these parameters among middle-aged men. Engagement in sports associated with physical contact and collision did not affect LS risk in either group.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Engagement in sports associated with high cardiovascular intensity during university years may reduce the risk of LS in later life. Encouraging young people to participate in such activities might help reduce LS prevalence among older populations.

Factors associated with the survival duration of elderly individuals aged ≥80 years who had undergone a health check-up / 日本プライマリ・ケア連合学会誌

<b>Objective</b> : To determine the factors associated with the survival duration of elderly individuals aged 80 years and older.<br><b>Methods</b> : Forty three elderly individuals, aged ≥80 years, who had undergone a health check-up in Wara Village (Gujo, Gifu Prefecture) between 1991 and 1995 (baseline evaluation) were followed-up until March 31, 2011. The relationships between survival duration and age, sex, body mass index (BMI), history of hypertension or diabetes, serum total and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol concentrations, and smoking status were analyzed.<br><b>Results</b> : The average age at baseline examination was 81.9 years. On Cox proportional hazards models, there was a significant correlation between survival duration and history of diabetes, but no such association was found for age, sex, BMI, history of hypertension, total and high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol concentrations, or smoking status.<br><b>Conclusion</b> : The present study suggests that a history of diabetes is associated with a shorter survival duration in those aged ≥80 years who had undergone health check-ups.

Risk factors of anti-tuberculosis drugs induced liver injury and its impact on the treatment outcome of patients treated with first line anti-tuberculosis drugs: a historic retrospective cohort study / 中华传染病杂志

Objective To explore the incidence and risk factors of anti-tuberculosis (TB) drugs induced liver injury (ATDILI) and to discuss its impact on the treatment outcome of patients treated with first line anti-TB drugs.Methods Among the patients who received anti-TB treatment with directly-observed treatment strategy (DOTS),121 patients with ATDILI and 817 patients without ATDILI were included in this retrospective cohort study.Binary Logistic regression model was used to analyze the risk factors of ATDILI in univariate and multivariate analysis.The x2 test was used to compare the treatment success rates and drug resistant rates.Kaplan-Meier analysis and Log-rank test were used to compare the sputum smear/culture conversion rates and cavity closure rates.Results The incidence of ATDILI was 12.9％ (121/938) in this cohort.Multivariate Logistic regression showed that hepatitis B virus carrier with both hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) positive (OR=4.29,95％CI:2.15-8.58,P＜0.01),complicated with systemic lupus erythematosus (OR=3.34,95％CI:1.46-7.63,P=0.004),serum albumin ≤25 g/L (OR=3.14,95％CI:1.50-6.58,P=0.002) and alcoholism (OR=1.79,95％CI:1.14-2.82,P=0.012) were independent risk factors of ATDILI.The treatment failure rate in patients with ATDILI was significantly higher than that in patients without ATDILI (19.1％[24/121] vs8.0％[65/817],OR=2.86,95％CI:1.71-4.78,P＜0.01).The drug resistant rates of two groups were not significant different (4.1％[5/121] vs 1.7％[14/817],P＞0.05).The sputum smear/culture conversion rate (85.4％[41/48] vs 94.0％ [298/317],x2 =38.912,P＜0.01) and cavity closure rate (84.6％[22/26] vs 93.0％[198/213],x2 =20.709,P＜0.01) in patients with ATDILI were both significantly lower than those in patients without ATDILI.Conclusions The incidence of ATDILI is relatively high in hospitalized patients treated with first line anti-TB drugs.ATDILI has negative effects on treatment outcome of TB patient.Hepatitis B carrier with positive HBsAg and HBeAg,systemic lupus erythematosus,albumin ≤25 g/L and alcoholism may increase the risk of developing ATDILI.

An outbreak of gastroenteritis caused by contaminated well water in a village, Henan province / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective To identify the cause and mode of transmission of a gastroenteritis outbreak in a village, Henan province. Methods Gastroenteritis patients were identified through family visits, interviewing the village doctors and reviewing diagnosis and prescription records at the village health clinic. Cases were defined as onset of one of the four symptoms from the village resident during July 20 to August 12,2010. The symptoms would include diarrhea ( ≥ 3 times/day), abdominal pain, nausea or vomiting. A retrospective cohort study was conducted to assess the association between drinking raw well water or eating noodles rinsed by raw well water and gastroenteritis. Stools or vomits of the ease-patients and the well water samples were tested for bacterial pathogens. Results Data for 60 case-patients were collected. All cases occurred in the northern part of the village. Persons who used water from a public well in the northern part of the village had an attack rate of 55%, which was 3.5 times of those who did not use the well water (16%) (RR=3.5,95%CI: 1.2-10). Results from the retrospective cohort study showed that drinking un-boiled water from the well was a risk factor (RR=1.7,95%CI: 1.3-2.3). Laboratory testing showed that total coliform and E. coli both greatly exceeded the limit considered safe for drinking, indicating there was fecal contamination in the well water. No bacterial pathogens were detected in the patients' stools or vomits. Conclusion The outbreak was mainly caused by drinking contaminated water from the public well in the northern part of the village.

Illness associated with contamination of drinking water supplies with phenol

An accidental spill of phenol (100%) into the Nakdong river with subsequent contamination of the tap water for about two million consumers in Teagu city of Korea occurred in March 1991. A historical cohort study of 6,913 individuals was undertaken to determine association with illness. Population subjects were divided into two groups of exposed and unexposed. Exposed subjects were reported to have significantly more phenol associated symptoms than those in a nearby unexposed area (39.6% vs. 9.4%, p < 0.01). Especially, in the related symptoms, highly significant differences were noted in the number of subjects reporting gastrointestinal illness such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal pain. During the accident, study subjects who experienced peculiar taste or odor in the tap water were significantly more in the exposed areas (92% vs. 34.3%).

Illness Associated With Contamination Of Drinking Water Supplies With Phenol / 예방의학회지

A accidental spills of phenol(100%) to the river Nakdong with subsequent contamination of the tap water for about two million consumers in Taegu city of Korea were occurred in March 1991. A historical cohort study of 6,913 individuals was undertaken to determine the associated with illness. Population subjects were divided into two groups of exposed and unexposed. Exposed subjects were reported to be phenol associated symptoms significantly higher than those in a nearby unexposed area(39.6% vs 9.4%, p<0.01). Especially, in the related symptoms, highly significant differences were noted in the number of subjects reporting gastrointestinal illness such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal pain. During the accident, study subjects who experienced peculiar taste or odor in the tap water were significantly higher in the exposed areas(92% vs 34.3%). Chlorophenols formed from chlorination of water may have aggravated the problem.