Regional differences in consumption of 103 fat products in Belgium: a supermarket-chain sales approach.

OBJECTIVE: In Belgium, important regional differences in mortality exist which have been linked to differences in dietary consumption patterns. METHODS: To study regional food consumption in Belgium, sales data of 103 spreading and cooking fat products in 110 branch stores of a major supermarket chain (Colruyt) for 12 months (1991-92) were analyzed. RESULTS: Sale of more ordinary and polyunsaturated spreading margarine and of more polyunsaturated low-fat spread in the north in combination with a greater sale of butter and dairy low-fat spread in the south resulted in a P/S-ratio of 0.99 in the north vs. 0.40 in the south (p < 0.001) and a U/S-ratio of 1.93 vs. 1.10 (p < 0.001) for spreading fats. The P/S- and U/S-ratios of cooking fats were lower in the north (ns). Mortality data correlated positively with the sale of butter and dairy low-fat spread and negatively with sales data of spreading margarine, polyunsaturated spreading margarine, and polyunsaturated low-fat spread (all p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Sales data from supermarket chains provide useful information on regional fat consumption and offer interesting perspectives of trends over time.

Tomographic and planar quantitation of perfusion defects on technetium 99m-labeled sestamibi scans: evaluation in patients treated with thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Our segmentation algorithm for single-photon emission computed tomographic perfusion studies was tested in 244 patients treated by thrombolysis within 5 hours after onset of symptoms. This algorithm uses radial slices to approximate true three-dimensional gradients, determines the apex and basal plane, and creates a perfusion and volume polar map. METHODS AND RESULTS: Perfusion defect size was compared with enzymatic infarct size and global and regional function. All patients underwent rest planar and tomographic 99mTc-labeled sestamibi scanning, contrast coronary angiography, and ventriculography 10 to 14 days after the start of treatment. Manual correction had to be performed in only 10% of the cases and presented no problems. The correlation coefficients (r) between planar and relative tomographic perfusion defects versus enzymatic infarct size were 0.71 and 0.73. A negative correlation was found with left ventricular ejection fraction: r = -0.65 and r = -0.60. A comparable correlation was also found between regional wall motion and perfusion defect size. Most correlations were higher in the case of anterior infarction. An excellent correlation was found between planar and tomographic defect size (r = 0.83). CONCLUSIONS: In most cases, our segmentation algorithm delineates myocardial edges and basal plane automatically. A good correlation was found between perfusion defect size, enzymatic infarct size, and global and regional ventricular function.