A spatial case-control study on symptomatic and inapparent primary dengue infections in an endemic city in Brazil

ABSTRACT We conducted a spatial case-control study nested in a dengue incidence cohort to explore the role of the spatial and socioeconomic factors in the proportion of symptomatic (cases) and inapparent primary dengue virus infections (controls). Cohort participants were children and adolescents (2 to 16 years of age) at the beginning of the follow-up. Case definitions were, for symptomatic cases, fever plus a positive lab result for acute dengue (NS1, RT-PCR, ELISA IgM/IgG), and for inapparent infection a positive result for dengue IgG (ELISA) in subjects without symptoms and with a previously negative result at baseline. The covariates included sociodemographic factors, residential location, and socioeconomic context variables of the census tracts of residence of cases and controls. We used principal component analysis to reduce the contextual covariates, with the component values assigned to each one based on their residences. The data were modeled in a Bayesian context, considering the spatial dependence. The final sample consisted of 692 children, 274 cases and 418 controls, from the first year of follow-up (2014-2015). Being male, older age, higher educational level of the head of the family and having a larger number of rooms in the household were associated with a greater chance of presenting dengue symptomatic infection at the individual level. The contextual covariates were not associated with the outcome. Inapparent dengue infection has extensive epidemiological consequences. Relying solely on notifications of symptomatic dengue infections underestimates the number of cases, preserves a silent source of the disease, potentially spreading the virus to unaffected areas.

Association of drugs, reproductive and lifestyle factors with carcinoma breast among women in a tertiary care center - a case–control study

Background: Breast Cancer is the most common cancer in the world and a leading cause of cancer deaths. The incidence and mortality vary widely. Multiple factors are found to be associated with the development of breast cancer. Aims and Objectives: To study the role of drugs and other selected factors in the development of carcinoma breast. Materials and Methods: A case–control study was done at Government Medical College Thrissur. Selected 125 cases and 250 controls. Data were collected by interview using a semi-structured proforma. The role of drugs, Body Mass Index (BMI), lifestyle, and reproductive factors were studied. Results: The cases and controls were matching in their sociodemographic characteristics. The mean age of cases was 53 years (SD = 11.5) and that of controls was 51.74 years (SD = 11.5). Hysterectomy was found to be a risk factor of breast cancer, Odds Ratio 2.3 (1.05–5.05). Heavy work, with an Odds Ratio 0.89 (0.12–0.66), and milk consumption with an odds ratio 0.46 (0.27–0.78) were found to be protective factors. contraceptive pill, hormone replacement therapy, prolonged drug intake, BMI, age of menarche, parity, abortion, or infertility were not found to have significant association. Conclusion: The history of drug intake is not having a role in the development of breast cancer. Hysterectomy is a risk factor while heavy work and milk consumption are protective factors in breast cancer development.

Factores de riesgo para infecciones asociadas al cuidado de la salud en recién nacidos sometidos a cirugía en una unidad de cuidados intensivos neonatales / Risk factors for healthcare-associated infections in newborns after surgery in a neonatal intensive care unit

Resumen Antecedentes: Las infecciones asociadas a la atención de la salud (IAAS) son causa frecuente de morbilidad y mortalidad. Objetivo: Identificar los factores de riesgo para el desarrollo de IAAS en recién nacidos (RN) sometidos a cirugía. Material y métodos: Estudio de casos y controles anidado en una cohorte. Los casos fueron RN sometidos a cirugía, con IAAS y los controles, RN sometidos a cirugía sin IAAS. Se registraron datos perinatales, uso de profilaxis antimicrobiana, de catéter venoso central (CVC), ventilación mecánica, nutrición parenteral y sondas; edad y peso al momento de la cirugía, tipo de cirugía, clasificación de la herida quirúrgica, duración de la cirugía, número de procedimientos quirúrgicos y tipo de infección. Se realizó análisis univariado y multivariado. Resultados: Se incluyeron 71 casos y 142 controles. Las IAAS más frecuentes fueron las infecciones sanguíneas (36.6 %); los principales microorganismos aislados en hemocultivos fueron cocos grampositivos. Los factores de riesgo asociados a IAAS en el análisis multivariado fueron duración del CVC > 8 días (RMa = 17.2), ≥ 2 intervenciones quirúrgicas (RMa = 16.5) y cirugía abdominal (RMa = 2.6). Conclusiones: Los RN sometidos a cirugía, principalmente aquellos con factores de riesgo, requieren vigilancia estrecha durante el posoperatorio. El CVC debe ser retirado tan pronto sea posible.

Abstract Background: Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) are a common cause of morbidity and mortality. Objective: To identify the risk factors for the development of HAIs in newborns (NBs) undergoing surgery. Material and methods: Nested case-control study. Cases were NBs undergoing surgery with HAIs, while controls were NBs undergoing surgery with no HAIs. Perinatal data, use of antimicrobial prophylaxis, use of central venous catheter (CVC), mechanical ventilation, parenteral nutrition, and other medical devices were recorded, as well as age and weight at the time of surgery, type of surgery, surgical wound classification, duration of surgery, number of surgical procedures, and type of infection. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. Results: Seventy-one cases and 142 controls were included. The most frequent HAI was bloodstream infection (36.6%); the main microorganisms isolated in blood cultures were gram-positive cocci. The risk factors associated with HAIs in the multivariate analysis were CVC duration > 8 days (aOR = 17.2), ≥ 2 surgical interventions (aOR = 16.5) and abdominal surgery (aOR = 2.6). Conclusions: NBs undergoing surgery, mainly those with risk factors, require close monitoring during the postoperative period. CVC should be withdrawn as soon as possible.

Determinants of patients’ delay with disability in the diagnosed leprosy cases in the three major states of India: A case-control study

Background: Skin lesions are the most common early symptoms of leprosy, often ignored by patients at an early stage and misdiagnosed as other dermatological diseases by healthcare personnel, leading to delay in diagnosis and treatment of leprosy precipitating permanent neurological deficit, deformities and serious disabilities. Aims: The objective is to evaluate the duration of delay and factors responsible for the delay in reporting of patients, among the newly detected leprosy cases (Grade 1 and Grade 2 disability patients). Methods: A case-control study was conducted during 2014–2016 in three major states of India (Delhi, Gujarat and West Bengal) in 140 randomly recruited newly registered adult leprosy patients (aged 18 years and above) with Grade 2/1 disabilities (cases) and 140 Grade 0 disability patients (controls) in each of these Indian states. Results: It is established that the major contributors for the delay in the early diagnosis of leprosy have been patient-related factors. The median patient delay in the three states of Delhi, Gujarat and West Bengal were five months (0.7–1.8), 2.8 months (2–14) and 12 months (2–24), respectively. Limitations: The study design is case-control and has an inbuilt reporting bias due to the retrospective nature of data collection but the data collection was carried with caution to reduce the recall bias. As the study is carried out in three states, generalisation of interpretation was cautiously executed. The matching ratio of cases and controls was 1:1 in this study, but we could not increase the controls due to operational feasibility during the conduct of the study. Conclusion: Patient delay is a crucial factor responsible for the disability among new leprosy cases. A higher patient delay in these three states reflects that the community is not aware about the signs and symptoms of leprosy. Reducing patient delay is very important for reducing disabilities in the newly diagnosed cases.

Influence of dietary composition of residents in endemic fluorosis area on the prevalence of skeletal fluorosis / 中华地方病学杂志

Objective:To analyze the relationship between dietary composition of residents in endemic fluorosis areas and skeletal fluorosis.Methods:A case-control study was used to analyze the difference of dietary composition between patients with skeletal fluorosis (case group) and residents without skeletal fluorosis (control group). In August 2019, taking the drinking water-borne endemic fluorosis area in Wenshui County, Lvliang City, Shanxi Province as the survey site, a cluster sampling method was adopted to select local residents aged over 18 years old, and a questionnaire survey was conducted by face-to-face interview. The survey contents included gender, age and consumption frequency of various foods. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between food consumption frequency and skeletal fluorosis. The diagnosis of skeletal fluorosis was made by using portable digital radiography (DR) to take X-ray films of forearm and lower leg, combining with clinical signs, and according to the Diagnostic Standard for Endemic Skeletal Fluorosis (WS/T 192-2008) to determine.Results:A total of 1 061 subjects were included in this study, including 376 in the case group and 685 in the control group. The age composition of patients in the case group (≤60, > 60 years old: 162, 214 cases) was significantly different from that in the control group (≤60, > 60 years old: 423, 261 cases, χ 2 = 34.52, P < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in gender ratio (χ 2 = 1.37, P = 0.251). The proportion of patients in the case group who ate meat and eggs > 1 time/week was lower than that in the control group (χ 2 = 8.06, 5.46, P < 0.05), the proportion of patients who ate milk > 1 time/week was higher than that in the control group (χ 2 = 4.01, P = 0.046), and the proportion of patients who ate seafood ≥1 time/week was lower than that in the control group (χ 2 = 4.16, P = 0.046). The results of binary logistic regression analysis showed that after adjusting for age, sex, and urinary fluoride, the frequency of eating meat, eggs or milk > 1 time/week and the frequency of eating seafood ≥1 time/week were not related to the risk of skeletal fluorosis ( P > 0.05); however, in the group ≤60 years old, the frequency of eating eggs > 1 time/week was associated with the risk of skeletal fluorosis [odds ratio ( OR) = 0.59, 95% confidence interval ( CI): 0.39, 0.88]. Conclusions:The consumption frequency of meat, milk, eggs and seafood is significantly different between the skeletal fluorosis patients and the control people. In the population ≤60 years old, consumption frequency of eggs > 1 time/week may reduce the risk of skeletal fluorosis.

Case-control study on fragility fractures in coal miners: A comparison between surface and underground workers / 环境与职业医学

Background The prevalence of osteoporosis and osteopenia is higher among underground coal miners than surface workers. The special underground work environment and unhealthy habits such as smoking, drinking, and a high-salt diet may lead to changes in bone metabolism, increasing the risk of fragility fractures and placing a heavy economic burden on individuals and society. Objective To identify potential factors influencing fragility fractures among coal miners in different working environments and to provide a basis for targeted preventive measures to reduce the occurrence of fragility fractures. Methods Male participants who attended at least one of the physical examinations in Kailuan Group between June 2006 and December 2020 were included in the study. The participants were divided into two groups based on their working environment: surface or underground. A case-control study was conducted, where patients with new fragility fractures served as the case group and participants without fragility fractures served as the control group. The two groups were matched with a case:control ratio of 1:4 by age (±1 year) and the same year of physical examination. The matching process was repeated twice, once for the surface working population and once for the underground working population. The analysis of risk factors was conducted using conditional logistic regression models. Results Among a total of 113138 employees in Kailuan Group, 82631 surface workers and 30507 underground workers were included, respectively. The number of individuals who suffered fragility fractures was 1375, accounting for 1.22% of the total population. The incidence of fragility fractures in underground workers was significantly higher than that in surface workers (1.63%>1.07%, P<0.001). The results of conditional logistic regression model showed that current smoking (OR=1.26, 95%CI: 1.05, 1.51), manual labor (OR=1.37, 95%CI: 1.06, 1.78), diabetes (OR=1.26, 95%CI: 1.04, 1.54), sinus tachycardia (OR=1.81, 95%CI: 1.23, 2.66), history of stroke (OR=1.51, 95%CI: 1.09, 2.09), education at college and above (OR=0.65, 95%CI: 0.45, 0.95), high income level (OR=0.69, 95%CI: 0.54, 0.90), elevated hemoglobin (OR=0.91, 95%CI: 0.85, 0.98), and elevated total cholesterol (OR=0.90, 95%CI: 0.82, 0.99) were associated with fragility fractures in the surface working population of coal mines; current smoking (OR=1.48, 95%CI: 1.17, 1.87), current drinking (OR=1.26, 95%CI: 1.01, 1.56), manual labor (OR=2.64, 95%CI: 1.41, 4.94), history of dust exposure (OR=1.28, 95%CI: 1.03, 1.58), and obesity (OR=0.72, 95%CI: 0.52, 0.96) were associated with fragility fractures in the underground working population of coal mines. Conclusion In preventing fragility fractures, special attention should be paid to the bone health of underground workers engaged in manual labor or having a history of dust exposure. It is important to correct their unhealthy behaviors in a timely manner, such as smoking and drinking, and to appropriately increase body weight to prevent fragility fractures. For surface workers, particular attention should be given to the high-risk group for fragility fractures, such as low family income per capita, manual labor, and having a history of stroke or diabetes; in addition, close monitoring of their resting heart rate, hemoglobin levels, and total cholesterol levels may help prevent fragility fractures.

Risk factors of sarcopenia among the elderly: a case-control study / 预防医学

Objective@#To investigate the risk factors of sarcopenia among the elderly, so as to provide insights into prevention of sarcopenia among the elderly.@*Methods@#A case-control study was conducted. A total of 371 patients with sarcopenia at ages of 60 years and older admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University were selected as the case group, while 1∶1 matching healthy volunteers by gender, age and ethnicity in the hospital during the study period served as controls. Participants' demographics, disease history and nutrition were collected using questionnaire surveys, and factors affecting the development of sarcopenia were identified using a multivariable conditional logistic regression model. @*Results@#Participants in the case group included 171 men (46.09%), 254 Han ethnic populations (68.46%) and had a mean age of (73.04±7.83) years. Univariable conditional logistic regression analysis showed that participants with smoking, alcohol consumption, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, thyroid dysfunction and malnutrition had higher risk of developing sarcopenia (all P<0.05). Multivariable conditional logistic regression analysis identified hypertension (OR=1.851, 95%CI: 1.344-2.549), diabetes (OR=1.537, 95%CI: 1.068-2.213), dyslipidemia (OR=1.542, 95%CI: 1.112-2.140) and thyroid dysfunction (OR=2.575, 95%CI: 1.838-3.609) as risk factors of sarcopenia among the elderly. @*Conclusion@#Hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia and thyroid dysfunction may be risk factors of sarcopenia among the elderly.

A case-control study on the risk of stroke in the elderly in Shanghai community / 上海预防医学

ObjectiveTo explore the risk factors of stroke， and to provide reference for the prevention and health management of stroke. MethodsFrom February 2022 to March 2022， four community residents over 60 years old with stroke in Shanghai were randomly selected as the case group （n=100）， and non-stroke residents were selected as the control group （n=100）. The survey was in the form of questionnaires to record and compare the age， body mass index （BMI）， blood lipids， blood pressure-related indicators， family history of other diseases， living habits， mood and sleep conditions of all subjects. The value of predicting the incidence of stroke among the elderly in Shanghai community was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic （ROC）， and the influencing factors of stroke were analyzed by logistic model. ResultsBMI， hypertension， heart disease， diabetes， transient ischemic attack （TIA）， dyslipidemia， family history of stroke， smoking， lack of exercise or only light physical labor， SBP， DBP， TG levels were significantly higher in the case group （P<0.05）. The level of HDL-C was significantly lower than that in the control group （P<0.05）. BMI， SBP， DBP， TG， HDL-C predicted the incidence of stroke by ROC analysis （P<0.05）. Logistic regression analysis showed that BMI≥23.820 kg·m-2， heart disease， diabetes， TIA， dyslipidemia， family history of stroke， smoking， lack of exercise or only light physical labor， SBP≥139.535 mmHg， DBP≥89.605 mmHg， TG≥1.565 mmol·L-1 and HDL-C≤1.105 mmol·L-1 were risk factors for stroke （P<0.05）. ConclusionPhysical health status including blood lipids and blood pressure， family history of certain diseases， and living habits could be important risk factors for stroke in the elderly in Shanghai community. Preventive intervention measures for the above factors have important clinical significance.

Risk factors for hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus in preterm infants requiring surgical ligation: a nested case-control study / 中华实用儿科临床杂志

Objective:To analyze the risk factors for premature infants with hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (hs-PDA) requiring surgical treatment, and to explore the indications for surgical treatment in premature infants with hs-PDA.Methods:A nested case-control study was conducted.The data of premature infants with gestational age<30 weeks who were diagnosed with hs-PDA in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2007 to May 2020 were analyzed retrospectively.The hs-PDA patients treated surgically were included in the operation group.The hs-PDA patients of the same gestational age and gender who were not treated surgically were taken as the control group.The ratio of the case number between the operation and control groups was 1∶2.The clinical data during pregnancy, at birth and after birth of premature infants were compared between the 2 groups.The measurement data were tested by the independent sample t test or Mann- Whitney U test.The classification and enumeration data were compared by the Fisher′ s exact probability method.The risk factors for premature infants with hs-PDA requiring surgical treatment were analyzed by the conditional Logistic regression method. Results:A total of 182 premature infants with hs-PDA were enrolled in the study, including 10 in the operation group and 20 in the control group.The patients underwent PDA ligation 30.5(22.7, 37.0) d after birth, and the median preo-perative invasive ventilation duration was 9.7(17.5, 27.2) d. Compared with the control group(20 cases), the preterm infants in the operation group had a lower birth weight [(891.5±118.0) g vs.(1 054.4±230.2) g, t=2.091], a wider arterial duct diameter [3.2(2.8, 4.0) mm vs.2.0(2.0, 3.0) mm, Z=-3.300], and longer invasive ventilation duration [25.0(18.7, 38.2) d vs.3.0(1.0, 7.5) d, Z=-3.688]. Besides, the operation group applied the pulmonary surfactant for more times [2(1, 3) times vs.1(1, 2) times, Z=-2.440], and inhaled a higher concentration of oxygen on the 14 th day after birth [29(25, 36)% vs.21(21, 29)%, Z=-2.358] than the control group.Moreover, compared with the control group, the operation group took longer to achieve adequate enteral feeding [48.2(51.5, 63.5) d vs.42.5(23.5, 48.0) d, Z=2.789], and gained a higher maximum vasoactive inotropic score (VIS) [3.0(0, 3.5) points vs.0(0, 0) points, Z=-2.630]. The difference in all the above-mentioned indicators between the 2 groups was statistically significant (all P<0.05). Univariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the arterial duct diameter, application times of the pulmonary surfactant, the maximum VIS score, and the time taken to achieve sufficient enteral feeding were all related to the need for surgical treatment of hs-PDA in the operation group (all P<0.05). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis revealed that the invasive ventilation duration ( OR=0.747, 95% CI: 0.560-0.998, P=0.048) was an independent risk factor for hs-PDA premature infants requiring surgical treatment. Conclusions:The factors related to the need for surgical treatment in preterm infants with hs-PDA include a wide arterial duct diameter, multiple applications of the pulmonary surfactant, a high concentration of inhaled oxygen on the 14 th day, and the long time to achieve sufficient enteral feeding.The independent risk factor for the surgical treatment in hs-PDA children is the long invasive ventilation duration.

Analysis of epidemiology and clinical characteristics of patients with poisons purchase online / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective:To explore the clinical characteristics of poisoned patients with poisons purchase online.Methods:A retrospective case-control study was conducted on poisoned patients purchased poisons online from 1st January 2021 to 31th May 2022 in the Emergency Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. The clinical data including sex, age, way of medical treatment, cause of poisoning, exposure routes, category of toxic drugs, gastric lavage, toxic detection and prognosis of patients were collected and compared with those patients obtained poisons at stores as the control group.Results:Totally 318 poisoned patients were included in this study, of which 44 (13.8%) were obtained poisons online. Compared with the patients obtained poisons at stores, the patients obtained poisons online were younger ( P<0.001), and had higher proportion of suicide intention ( P=0.006), more oral route exposure ( P=0.029), and more proportions of receiving gastric lavage before transfer to the hospital ( P=0.001). Pesticides and fertilizers with organic heterocycles were the main types of poisons in the online group, and there was no statistical difference in the distribution of poisons compared with the control group. Mixed drug poisoning was the leading cause in both online group (27.8%) and control group (38.8%) in drug overdose poisoned types, followed by dextromethorphan (16.7%) and estazolam (15.5%) in the online group. Conclusions:Young people are the main group getting poisons through the Internet. Health education should be strengthened for this group, and online shopping platforms should pay attention to the poisoning risk of potential overdose drugs or poisons transactions.

A Nested Case-Control Study to Explore the Association between Immunoglobulin G N-glycans and Ischemic Stroke / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

OBJECTIVE@#This study prospectively investigates the association between immunoglobulin G (IgG) N-glycan traits and ischemic stroke (IS) risk.@*METHODS@#A nested case-control study was conducted in the China suboptimal health cohort study, which recruited 4,313 individuals in 2013-2014. Cases were identified as patients diagnosed with IS, and controls were 1:1 matched by age and sex with cases. IgG N-glycans in baseline plasma samples were analyzed.@*RESULTS@#A total of 99 IS cases and 99 controls were included, and 24 directly measured glycan peaks (GPs) were separated from IgG N-glycans. In directly measured GPs, GP4, GP9, GP21, GP22, GP23, and GP24 were associated with the risk of IS in men after adjusting for age, waist and hip circumference, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. Derived glycan traits representing decreased galactosylation and sialylation were associated with IS in men (FBG2S2/(FBG2 + FBG2S1 + FBG2S2): odds ratio ( OR) = 0.92, 95% confidence interval ( CI): 0.87-0.97; G1 n: OR = 0.74, 95% CI: 0.63-0.87; G0 n: OR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.03-1.22). However, these associations were not found among women.@*CONCLUSION@#This study validated that altered IgG N-glycan traits were associated with incident IS in men, suggesting that sex discrepancies might exist in these associations.

Risk factors for yersiniosis: a case-control study / 预防医学

Objective@#To investigate the risk factors for yersiniosis, so as to provide insights into prevention of yersiniosis.@*Methods@#The patients with yersiniosis admitted to the clinics in the surveillance site of Chengbei Township of Jin'an District and Chengnan Township of Yu'an District in Lu'an City from 2013 to 2021 were included as the case group, and the healthy family members matched to cases were selected as the family control group, while normal residents with a 1︰2 match in the same village, gender, and age difference within 5 years were included in the community control group. Participants' demographics, hand-washing and eating habits, living environment hygiene, poultry and livestock feeding were collected using questionnaire surveys, and factors affecting yersiniosis were identified using a multivariable conditional logistic regression model.@*Results@#There were 43 cases in the case group, with a median (interquartile range) age of 45 (34) years, 91 cases in the family control group, with a median (interquartile range) age of 36 (36) years and 86 cases in the community control group, with a median (interquartile range) age of 46 (34) years. Multivariable conditional logistic regression analysis showed that compared with the family control group, the habit of drinking unboiled water (OR=6.721, 95%CI: 1.765-25.588), and direct consumption of food stored in the refrigerator (OR=7.089, 95%CI: 1.873-26.829) were risk factors for yersiniosis in the case group; and compared with the community control group, not washing hands after contacting with poultry and livestock (OR=50.592, 95%CI: 2.758-927.997), habit of eating raw vegetables and fruits (OR=5.340, 95%CI: 1.022-27.887), direct consumption of food stored in the refrigerator (OR=19.973, 95%CI: 2.118-188.336), and unclean refrigerator (OR=12.692, 95%CI: 1.992-80.869) were risk factors for yersiniosis in the case group. Compared with the family and community control groups, not washing hands after contacting with poultry and livestock (OR=4.075, 95%CI: 1.427-11.637), habit of drinking unboiled water (OR=4.153, 95%CI: 1.331-12.957), habit of eating raw vegetables and fruits (OR=4.744, 95%CI: 1.609-13.993), and direct consumption of food stored in the refrigerator (OR=5.051, 95%CI: 1.773-14.395) were risk factors for yersiniosis in the control group.@*Conclusion@#Unhealthy habits such as eating raw vegetables and fruits, drinking unboiled water, direct consumption of food stored in the refrigerator, unclean refrigerator, and not washing hands after contacting poultry and livestock may increase the risk of yersiniosis.

Early prenatal exposure to air pollutants and congenital heart disease: a nested case-control study

BACKGROUND@#Congenital heart disease (CHD) is one of the most common congenital malformations in humans. Inconsistent results emerged in the existed studies on associations between air pollution and congenital heart disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of gestational exposure to air pollutants with congenital heart disease, and to explore the critical exposure windows for congenital heart disease.@*METHODS@#The nested case-control study collected birth records and the following health data in Tianjin Women and Children's Health Center, China. All of the cases of congenital heart disease from 2013 to 2015 were selected matching five healthy controls for each case. Inverse distance weighting was used to estimate individual exposure based on daily air pollution data. Furthermore, the conditional logistic regression with distributed lag non-linear model was performed to identify the association between gestational exposure to air pollution and congenital heart disease.@*RESULTS@#A total of 8,748 mother-infant pairs were entered into the analysis, of which 1,458 infants suffered from congenital heart disease. For each 10 µg/m3 increase of gestational exposure to PM2.5, the ORs (95% confidence interval, 95%CI) ranged from 1.008 (1.001-1.016) to 1.013 (1.001-1.024) during the 1st-2nd gestation weeks. Similar weak but increased risks of congenital heart disease were associated with O3 exposure during the 1st week and SO2 exposure during 6th-7th weeks in the first trimester, while no significant findings for other air pollutants.@*CONCLUSIONS@#This study highlighted that gestational exposure to PM2.5, O3, and SO2 had lag effects on congenital heart disease. Our results support potential benefits for pregnancy women to the mitigation of air pollution exposure in the early stage, especially when a critical exposure time window of air pollutants may precede heart development.

Association between oral health behavior during pregnancy and premature birth based on case-control study / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

【Objective】 To investigate the relationship between maternal oral health behavior during pregnancy and premature birth. 【Methods】 A total of 248 preterm and 700 non-preterm pregnant women who delivered in Northwest Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Shaanxi Province from January to December 2022 were included in case group and control group, respectively. General demographic characteristics and oral health behavior during pregnancy were collected by questionnaires, and the oral health impact profile-14 (OHIP-14) was used to assess the oral health related life quality of pregnant women. Logistic regression model was used to analyze the relationship between maternal oral health behavior during pregnancy and premature birth. 【Results】 During pregnancy, maternal frequent eating after brushing teeth (OR=1.62, 95% CI: 1.03-2.57), unused fluoride toothpaste (OR=2.03, 95%CI: 1.25-3.05), late visit to the doctor for oral discomfort (OR=1.41, 95%CI: 1.02-1.96), brushing teeth less than twice one day (OR=1.77, 95%CI: 1.13-2.78) or less than 3 minutes each time (OR=1.52, 95%CI: 1.09-2.11), and elevated OHIP-14 score (OR=1.07, 95%CI: 1.04-1.10) increased the risk of premature birth. 【Conclusion】 Poor oral health behavior during pregnancy may increase the risk of premature birth. Therefore, more efforts should be made to publicize oral health knowledge and guide pregnant women to establish good oral health habits so as to improve oral health and promote maternal and child health.

Establishment of the data capture and management platform for case-control study on precocious puberty based on REDCap system / 西安交通大学学报(医学版)

【Objective】 To conduct a case-control study on precocious puberty as an example to introduce the establishment and design of the electronic Data capture and management platform using Research Electronic data Capture (REDCap) system and support the development of clinical research. 【Methods】 Based on the clinical REDCap system, the case-control research project of precocious puberty was created, the case report forms were designed, the user rights were set, and the data quality control rules were formulated. 【Results】 We established the electronic data capture and management platform for our research, which had 15 case report forms, to collect the data of the participants, including sociodemographic information, time for rest and activities, diet, exposure to environmental internal-secretion interfering-substances, physical examination and biochemical indicators. We conducted project management by setting up features such as user permissions and workgroups, and added data quality verification rules to control data quality. The data could be exported in various file formats for analysis and sharing. 【Conclusion】 The application of REDCap to establish the data capture and management platform of precocious puberty case-control study has promoted the efficient implementation of clinical research, which can be further popularized and applied to clinical researches in other fields.

Association between lesion location and depressive symptoms in acute ischemic stroke patients using voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping / 中华内科杂志

Objective:The study aimed to investigate the association between lesion location and post-stroke depression (PSD) in acute ischemic stroke patients.Methods:In this case-control study, acute ischemic stroke patients were recruited from the Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital of the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), between September 2020 and June 2021. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) criteria, the patients were divided into the PSD and non-PSD groups. The 24-item Hamilton Rating Scale (HAMD) was used to evaluate the severity of depression. The Student′s t-test, Mann-Whitney test, and Chi-square test were used to compare the clinical baseline characteristics of PSD and non-PSD groups. Voxel-based lesion-symptom mapping (VLSM) was applied to investigate the association between lesion location and depression occurrence and severity. Results:A total of 70 and 173 patients were admitted to the PSD and non-PSD groups, respectively. The mean age of patients was 59 years (23-86). There were 153 males and 90 females. Univariate analysis showed a significant difference only in Hamilton Anxiety ( P=0.025) and Depression ( P<0.001) scores between the PSD and non-PSD groups. VLSM analysis identified clusters within the anterior cingulate gyrus ( Z=-3.05, P<0.001), left hippocampus ( Z=-3.15, P<0.001), and left lingual lobe ( Z=-3.08, P<0.001) where lesions were significantly associated with PSD. Additionally, the severity of PSD was associated with damage in the anterior cingulate gyrus ( Z=-3.64, P<0.001), left hippocampus ( Z=-3.51, P<0.001), left lingual lobe ( Z=-4.18, P<0.001), and pericalcarine cortex ( Z=-3.65, P<0.001). Conclusion:VLSM demonstrated that lesion location could be used to predict the occurrence of PSD in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Influencing factors of tuberculosis in the elderly in Urumqi / 公共卫生与预防医学

Objective To identify factors that affect the occurrence of tuberculosis (TB) in the elderly over 60 years old in Urumqi, and to provide a basis for the prevention and treatment of tuberculosis in the elderly. Methods A 1:2 matched case-control study was conducted using a self-designed questionnaire from April 2016 to April 2017 in Urumqi, China. A conditional logistic regression analysis was carried out to identify the influencing factors for the occurrence of TB in the elderly. Results A total of 575 valid questionnaires were collected in the present study, and the age range was 60-89 years old. There were 302 males, accounting for 52.5% of the total. Multivariate logistic regression model analysis showed that an increase of one person per 100 square meters in a home elevated the risk of the development of TB by 67% (odds ratio (OR) 1.67; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.36-2.06; P<0.001). Family income level was also important, and the risk of TB development was 4.72 times higher in families with less than 5,000 CNY a month than those with monthly incomes over 10 000 CNY (OR 4.72; 95%CI 2.29-9.75; P<0.001). The risk was significantly higher among people going out more than 3 to 7 days a week compared to those going out 0 to 2 days a week (OR 4.53; 95%CI 2.72-7.53; P<0.001). Compared with people who were not in contact with TB patients, the risk increased among those who had TB contacts (OR 3.72; 95%CI 1.45-9.70; P=0.006). In addition, the risk of TB onset in hypertension patients was significantly decreased (OR 0.57; 95%CI 0.35-0.91; P=0.018). Conclusion In the present study five factors are found to be associated with the occurrence of TB among the elderly in Urumqi, China. The future TB control program should pay special attention to the elderly population with the above risk factors.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms in risk genes of restless legs syndrome: a Meta-analysis / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective:To investigate the correlation between single nucleic acid polymorphisms (SNPs) of MEIS1, BTBD9, MAP2K5, PTPRD and restless leg syndrome (RLS).Methods:By searching the literatures published before March 1, 2021 at home and abroad, case-control studies on risk genes associated with RLS were collected, and the Review Manager 5.3 and Stata 15.1 softwares were used for statistical analysis.Results:A total of 8 studies were included, with a total of 7 824 cases and 14 645 controls.Meta analysis results showed that the SNPs locus of the risk gene associated with RLS was MEIS1 rs2300478( OR=1.68, 95% CI: 1.59-1.78), BTBD9 rs9296249( OR=1.62, 95% CI: 1.47-1.77), BTBD9 rs9357271( OR=1.49, 95% CI: 1.44-1.55), MAP2K5 rs12593813( OR=1.44, 95% CI: 1.36-1.53), MAP2K5 rs11635424( OR=1.47, 95% CI: 1.34-1.60)and PTPRD rs1975197( OR=1.34, 95% CI: 1.21-1.49). Conclusion:MEIS1 rs2300478, BTBD9 rs9296249, BTBD9 rs9357271, MAP2K5 rs12593813, MAP2K5 rs11635424 and PTPRD rs1975197 are the risk loci of RLS.

A case-control analysis of perineal hematoma and its risk factors in pregnant women undergoing vaginal delivery / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective:To provide data support for preventing its occurrence and developing scientific and effective nursing intervention by investigating the situation and risk factors of perineal hematoma in pregnant women undergoing vaginal delivery through retrospective case-control study.Methods:A total of 102 parturients who had perineal hematoma during vaginal delivery in Shanghai Maternity and Infant Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University were selected as the hematoma group, from October 2018 to March 2020, and case control study ( n=204) was performed in the ratio of 1∶2. 24 possible influencing factors were determined by literature review and expert consultation and the data were collected retrospectively by clinicopathology. Single factor analysis, t test, Chi-square test and Multivariate binary Logistic regression analysis were used to identify factors related to perineal hematoma, and to explore potential risk factors of perineal hematoma. Results:From October 2018 to March 2020, there were 18 292 cases of vaginal delivery, including 102 cases of perineal hematoma, with an incidence of 0.56%. Single factor analysis showed 10 risk factors pertinent to perineal hematoma were selected ( t/ χ2 values were -4.51 to 31.79, all P<0.05); and multiple Logistic regression analysis showed the risk factors of perineal hematoma in vaginal delivery were old puerperal ( OR=7.53, P<0.05) and perineal edema ( OR=3.10, P<0.05), and the protective factors were free position delivery ( OR=0.35, P<0.05) and concomitant delivery ( OR=0.31, P<0.05). Conclusions:The incidence of perineal hematoma is relatively high in pregnant women undergoing vaginal delivery, usually occurrs on the right side of the perineal vagina and within 2 hours after delivery. Clinically, it is necessary to actively promote quality nursing services at midwifery to reduce the incidence of perineal hematoma.

Association of periconceptional folate supplements and FOLR1 and FOLR2 gene polymorphisms with risk of congenital heart disease in offspring: A hospital-based case-control study / 中南大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVES@#Maternal periconceptional folic acid supplement is by far the most effective primary prevention strategy to reduce the incidence of congenital heart disease (CHD) in offspring. It was revealed that the underlying mechanisms are complex, including a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between periconceptional folic acid supplement, the genetic polymorphisms of maternal folic acid receptor 1 gene (FOLR1) and folic acid receptor 2 gene (FOLR2) and the impact of their interaction on the risk of CHD in offspring, and to provide epidemiological evidence for individualized folic acid dosing in hygienic counseling.@*METHODS@#A case-control study on 569 mothers of CHD infants and 652 mothers of health controls was performed. The interesting points were periconceptional folate supplements, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of maternal FOLR1 gene and FOLR2 gene.@*RESULTS@#Mothers who took folate in the periconceptional period were observed a decreased risk of CHD [adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=0.58, 95% CI 0.35 to 0.95]. Our study also found that polymorphisms of maternal FOLR1 gene at rs2071010 (G/A vs G/G: aOR=0.67, 95% CI 0.47 to 0.96) and FOLR2 gene at rs514933 (T/C vs T/T: aOR=0.60, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.84; C/C vs T/T: aOR=0.55, 95% CI 0.33 to 0.90; the dominant model: T/C+ C/C vs T/T: aOR=0.59, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.81; and the addictive model: C/C vs T/C vs T/T: aOR=0.70, 95% CI 0.56 to 0.88) were significantly associated with lower risk of CHD [all P<0.05, false discovery rate P value (FDR_P)<0.1]. Besides, significant interaction between periconceptional folate supplements and rs2071010 G→A (aOR=0.59, 95% CI 0.41-0.86) and rs514933 T→C (aOR=0.52, 95% CI 0.37 to 0.74) on CHD risk were observed (all P<0.05, FDR_P<0.1).@*CONCLUSIONS@#Periconceptional folate supplements, polymorphisms of FOLR1 gene and FOLR2 gene and their interactions are significantly associated with risk of CHD. However, more studies in different ethnic populations with a larger sample and prospective designs are required to confirm our findings.