Correlation between incidence of dengue and climatic factors in the Philippines: An ecological study / The Health Sciences Journal

INTRODUCTION@#Dengue continues to be a major health concern in the Philippines. This study aimed to establish trends and correlations between the incidence of dengue and rainfall, humidity and temperature, respectively, in the different regions.@*METHODS@#Using 2018 records obtained from DOH and PAGASA, correlations were made between monthly measurements of climatic factors and the incidence of dengue using Pearson’s r, while maps and interpolations were generated using quantum geographical information system software.@*RESULTS@#There was a significant positive but weak correlation between the incidence of dengue and rainfall (r = 0.379, 95% CI 0.255, 0.491; p < 0.001) and humidity (r = 0.215, 95% CI 0.080, 0.342; p = 0.002). There was a significant negative but weak correlation between the incidence of dengue and temperature (r = -0.145, 95% CI -0.277, -0.008; p = 0.039). A strong positive correlation was noted between the incidence of dengue, and rainfall and humidity, respectively, in several regions. Multiple regression indicates that rainfall, humidity and temperature are poor predictors of the incidence of dengue (R2 = 0.1436, 0.0461 and 0.0209, respectively).@*CONCLUSION@#This study showed overall a significant but weak correlation between an increased incidence of dengue and heavy rainfalls and high relative humidity, and a weak negative correlation for temperature. A high positive correlation of an increased incidence of dengue and heavy rainfalls and high relative humidity was observed in several regions.

Estimation on the incidence and mortality of kidney cancer in China, in 2014 / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective: To estimate the incidence and mortality of kidney cancer in China in 2014, based on the cancer registration data. Data was collected through the National Central Cancer Registry (NCCR). Methods: All together, 449 cancer registries submitted required data on incidence and deaths of kidney cancer occurred in 2014, to the NCCR. After evaluation on the quality of data,339 registries were accepted for analysis and stratified by areas (urban/rural) and age groups. Combined with data from the National population in 2014, the nationwide incidence and mortality of kidney cancer were estimated. Data from the 2000 National census was used, and with Segi's population used for the rates of age-standardized incidence/mortality. Results: The qualified 339 cancer registries covered a total population of 288 243 347, with 144 061 915 in urban and 144 181 432 in rural areas. The percentage of morphologically verified cases and cases with only available death certificates were 72.70% and 1.27%, respectively. The mortality to incidence ratio was 0.37. The estimates of new cases were around 68 300 in whole China, in 2014, with a crude incidence rate as 4.99/100 000 (95%CI: 4.95/100 000-5.03/100 000). The age-standardized incidence rates of kidney cancer, estimated by China standard population (ASR China) and world standard population (ASR world) were 3.43/100 000 (95%CI: 3.40/100 000-3.46/100 000) and 3.40/100 000 (95%CI: 3.37/100 000- 3.43/100 000), respectively. The cumulative incidence rate of kidney cancer was 0.40% in China. The crude and ASR China incidence rates for males appeared as 6.09/100 000 (6.03/100 000-6.15/100 000) and 4.32/100 000 (4.28/100 000-4.36/100 000), respectively, whereas those were 3.84/100 000 (3.79/100 000-3.89/100 000) and 2.54/100 000 (2.50/100 000-2.58/100 000) for females. The crude and ASR China incidence rates in urban areas appeared as 6.60/100 000 (95%CI: 6.54/100 000-6.66/100 000) and 4.25/100 000 (95%CI: 4.21/100 000-4.29/100 000), respectively, whereas those were 3.05/100 000 (95%CI: 3.01/100 000-3.09/100 000) and 2.29/100 000 (95%CI: 2.25/100 000-2.33/100 000) in rural areas. The estimates of kidney cancer deaths were around 25 600 in the country, in 2014, with a crude mortality rate of 1.87/100 000 (95%CI: 1.85/100 000-1.89/100 000). The ASR China and ASR world mortality rates appeared as 1.16/100 000 (95%CI: 1.14/100 000-1.18/100 000) and 1.16/100 000(95%CI: 1.14/100 000-1.18/100 000), respectively, with a cumulative mortality rate (0-74 years old) of 0.12%. The crude and ASR China mortality rates were 2.31/100 000 (95%CI: 2.27/100 000- 2.35/100 000) and 1.52/100 000 (95%CI: 1.50/100 000-1.54/100 000) for males, respectively, whereas those were 1.41/100 000 (95%CI: 1.38/100 000-1.44/100 000) and 0.81/100 000 (95%CI: 0.79/100 000- 0.83/100 000) for females. The crude and ASR China mortality rates were 2.49/100 000 (95%CI: 2.45/100 000-2.53/100 000) and 1.42/100 000 (95%CI: 1.40/100 000-1.44/100 000) in urban areas, respectively, whereas those were 1.12/100 000 (95%CI: 1.09/100 000-1.15/100 000) and 0.78/100 000 (95%CI: 0.76/100 000-0.80/100 000) in the rural areas. Conclusions: Both the incidence and mortality of kidney cancer seemed low, in China. However, the incidence of kidney cancer had greatly increased. Our findings suggested that prevention and control strategies for kidney cancer should be focused on males in the urban areas.

Recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis and hypocalcemia in superior to inferior compared to inferior to superior dissection approaches in thyroidectomy

@#<p><strong>OBJECTIVE</strong>: To compare the incidence of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury and hypocalcemia in patients who underwent thyroidectomy using superior-inferior versus an inferior to superior approach in identifying the recurrent laryngeal nerve in a tertiary government hospital between January 2012 to December 2016.</p><p><strong>DESIGN</strong>: Retrospective Cohort Study</p><p><strong>SETTING</strong>: Tertiary Government Hospital</p><p><strong>PATIENTS</strong>: Records of 241 adult patients who underwent surgery for thyroid diseases in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery between January 2012 to December 2016 were evaluated. Records of patients with postoperative hoarseness after total thyroidectomy or lobectomy with isthmusectomy and hypocalcemia after total thyroidectomy were reviewed, and operative techniques analyzed for the approaches to recurrent laryngeal nerve identification.</p><p><strong>RESULTS</strong>: Records of 119 patients (aged 20-73; median 41 years old) meeting inclusion and exclusion criteria were analyzed. 57 of thyroidectomies using a superior-inferior approach, 40 were bilateral, totaling 102. There was a higher incidence of post-operative complications among those who underwent superior-inferior dissection. Chi square test showed the former approach (versus the latter) HAD 4.86 times the relative risk (RR) of permanent injury (1.9%, 0.3971 TO 6.5889, P = .5021), 1.92 times the RR of permanent hypocalcemia (1.9%), 0.1806 to 21.2838, p = 0.5910), and 2.06 times the RR of transient hypocalcemia (17%, 0.9055 to 4.4333, p = 0.0738). However, there was no significant difference between the two approaches with regard to hoarseness (independent t test, t value 0.90; p=.367) or hypocalcemia (t=0.428; p=.796).</p><p><strong>CONCLUSION</strong>: There is no significant difference in the incidence of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury and hypocalcemia in patients who underwent thyroidectomy using a superior-inferior versus and inferior to superior approach in identifying the recurrent laryngeal nerve. Intraoperatively, surgeons may shift from one approach to the other as needed, and we recommend thatthey be well versed in both approaches and fully knowledgeable of the various anatomical courses of the recurrent laryngeal nerve and locations of parathyroid gland.</p><p> </p>