Are dietary reports in a case-control study on thyroid cancer biased by risk perception of Chernobyl fallout?

BACKGROUND: In retrospective case-control studies performed following nuclear tests or nuclear accidents, individual thyroid radiation dose reconstructions are based on fallout and meteorological data from the residential area, demographic characteristics, and lifestyle as well as dietary information. Collecting the latter is a controversial step, as dietary declarations may be affected by the subjects' beliefs about their risk behavior. This report analyses the potential for such bias in a case-control study performed in eastern France. METHODS: The study included 765 cases of differentiated thyroid carcinoma matched with 831 controls. Risk perceptions and beliefs of cases and controls were compared using Chi2 tests and differences in dietary reports were analyzed using a two-way ANOVA. RESULTS: In general, atmospheric pollution and living near a nuclear power plant were the two major risks that may influence thyroid cancer occurrence cited by cases and controls. When focusing in particular on the consequences of the Chernobyl accident, cases were more likely to think that the consequences were responsible for thyroid cancer occurrence than controls. Vegetable consumption during the two months after the Chernobyl accident was correlated with the status of subjects, but not to their beliefs. Conversely, consumption of fresh dairy products was not correlated with the status or beliefs of subjects. CONCLUSION: We found no evidence of systematic bias in dietary reports according to the status or beliefs held by subjects about the link between thyroid cancer occurrence and Chernobyl fallout. As such, these dietary reports may be used in further studies involving individual dosimetric reconstructions.

[Rate of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia before HPV vaccination, Alpes-Maritimes 2006]. / Taux observés des CIN en 2006 avant la vaccination anti-HPV parmi les résidentes des Alpes-Maritimes.

OBJECTIVE: The incidence rate of uterix cervical cancer in 2006 in the Alpes-Maritime was 6.2 per 100,000 women. The existence of curable precancerous lesions and an effective vaccine make it a target cancer in public health. The objective of this study was to establish prevalence of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia in 2006 before the campaign of vaccination against HPV. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective study including all histological samples (smears excluded) of the cervix, performed in 2006 with a diagnosis of intraepithelial Neoplasia among residents of the Alpes-Maritimes. Extraction codes' corresponding was carried out by all pathology laboratories located in the Alpes-Maritimes and around. A comparison of codes with pathology reports was performed for 11.4% of random samples. RESULTS: This study included 2066 patients aged 16 to 88 years. The average age was 37.3 years (±12.3). Among these patients, most pejorative intraepithelial neoplasia lesion was CIN 1, CIN 2, CIN 3, respectively for 941, 380 and 375 patients. Prevalence of CIN 2 among women 20 to 25 years old was similar to rates seen in 35 to 39 years old (166.5 per 100,000) and the rate of CIN 3 was similar to that seen in 45 to 49 years (78.1 per 100,000). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Rates of CIN for the entire female population of the Alpes-Maritimes in 2006 has been established. The results observed in women aged less than 25 years old will be useful for comparison after the campaign of vaccination against HPV.

Impact of functional bowel symptoms on quality of life and fatigue in quiescent Crohn disease and irritable bowel syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and Crohn disease (CD) have impaired quality of life (Qol) associated with fatigue. Whether IBS-like symptoms have a similar impact on Qol and fatigue in quiescent CD than in IBS is currently unknown. Our aims were (i) to evaluate the prevalence of IBS-like symptoms in quiescent CD and (ii) to compare the impact of IBS-like symptoms on Qol and fatigue in both diseases. METHODS: A total of 92 quiescent CD, 40 IBS and 20 healthy subjects similar in age were included prospectively in five French academic centers. IBS symptoms were evaluated through the Rome III criteria. The severity of IBS symptoms, Qol, fatigue, depression and anxiety was measured using questionnaires (Francis Score, Likert scales, Fatigue Impact Scale, short-form Beck and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale). KEY RESULTS: Irritable bowel syndrome-like symptoms were found in 42/92 (45.6%) patients with quiescent CD. The presence of IBS-like symptoms was associated with significant more profound alterations of Qol, high scores of fatigue, depression, but similar levels of anxiety. Compared to CD patients with IBS-like symptoms, IBS patients had more severe gastrointestinal symptoms and alterations of Qol, but similar scores of fatigue, depression and anxiety. In quiescent CD patients, fatigue was independently associated with the presence of IBS-like symptoms (OR = 1.018, 95% CI: 1.002-1.034, P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES: The prevalence of IBS-like symptoms is elevated in quiescent CD. The presence of IBS-like symptoms in quiescent CD is probably associated with the range of fatigue/depression disorders. The mechanism underlying the occurrence of IBS-like symptoms in quiescent CD needs to be further explored.

Mast cells and cellularity of the colonic mucosa correlated with fatigue and depression in irritable bowel syndrome.

BACKGROUND: A subset of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have an increased number of mast cells (MCs) in the colonic mucosa. Psychological factors are believed to contribute to the course of IBS. AIMS: To examine associations between fatigue, depression and MCs of the colonic mucosa in IBS. METHODS: Colonic biopsies were taken from 50 Rome II IBS patients, 21 healthy controls and 11 depressed/fatigued patients without IBS. The cellularity of the lamina propria was determined as the number of inflammatory cells per high power field (hpf) through a 400x microscope. The Fatigue Impact Scale (FIS) and the short form Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) evaluated the severity of fatigue and depression. RESULTS: IBS patients had a significant increase in the cellularity of the lamina propria compared with controls or with depressed patients (mean (SD) 94.5 (48-110) vs 68 (58-82) and 78 (87-90) cells per hpf, p = 0.005 and p = 0.05, respectively), in particular of MCs (9.3 (5.6-11.7) vs 4.0 (2.7-6.8) and 4.3 (2.8-7.8) cells per hpf, p = 0.001 and p = 0.005, respectively). Both the FIS and BDI scores were significantly higher in IBS or in depressed patients than in controls (p<0.001). In IBS, the FIS score correlated significantly with the cellularity of the lamina propria (r = 0.51, p<0.0001) and MCs (r = 0.64, p<0.0001). In IBS, the BDI score correlated significantly with MCs (r = 0.29, p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: Elevated MCs counts are a key feature of the low-grade inflammatory infiltrate in the caecal mucosa of IBS. Fatigue and depression are associated with mucosal cell counts, in particular MCs, suggesting that psychological factors are associated with the low-grade inflammatory infiltrate in IBS.

Changing trends in pregnancy outcome among HIV-infected women between 1985 and 1997 in two southern French university hospitals.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze risk factors for pregnancy outcome among HIV-infected women before and after introduction of AZT prophylaxis in 1994. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective, two-center observational study conducted from 1 January 1985 to 31 December 1997. PATIENTS: Pregnant HIV-infected women followed in one of the obstetrics units during the study period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: pregnancy outcome (normal delivery, ectopic pregnancy, spontaneous abortion, voluntary termination of pregnancy (TOP) according to year of pregnancy, age at pregnancy professional status, marital status, ethnic origin, mode of contamination, stage of disease, partner's human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status and prior pregnancy. RESULTS: One thousand one hundred and three pregnancies among 937 HIV-infected women were studied. Mean age of patients was 28.1 +/- 4.9 years. Pregnancy outcomes were distributed as follows: 473 normal deliveries, 589 TOP, 9 ectopic pregnancies and 32 spontaneous abortions. The proportion of TOP decreased from 59.4% before 1994 to 37.5% from 1994 (P < 0.001). In univariate analysis, mode of transmission, marital status, ethnic origin, partner's HIV status and prior pregnancy were also significantly correlated with pregnancy outcome. However, after adjustment by logistic regression for each period (before and after 1994), mode of transmission no longer appeared to influence pregnancy outcome. CONCLUSION: Effective prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV infection appears to have influenced HIV-infected women's decisions on continuing their pregnancy to term. Incidence of voluntary TOP has decreased significantly after introduction of AZT.

[Towards a decrease of myocardial infarction in the Bas-Rhin region? Results of the 6 first years of the Strasbourg MONIC Register]. / Vers une diminution de l'infarctus du myocarde dans le Bas-Rhin? Résultats des six premières années du Registre MONICA Strasbourg.

The Bas-Rhin MONICA Register shows trends in myocardial infarction and other acute ischemic events between 1984 and 1989. Coronary heart disease mortality decreased by 27% in men and 30% in women. Morbidity trends were less favourable. The annual event rate for total acute ischemic events remained stable. However, a decrease of 14% for myocardial infarction was seen in men, particularly in patients with a past history of coronary disease. Another positive point is that the 28-day mortality rate in recent infarctions decreased in men by 33% during the 5 year period.