Magnesium in drinking water in relation to morbidity and mortality from acute myocardial infarction.

We investigated the importance of magnesium and calcium in drinking water in relation to morbidity and mortality from acute myocardial infarction. Cases were men and women 50-74 years of age living in 18 Swedish municipalities who had suffered an acute myocardial infarction some time between October 1, 1994, and June 30, 1996. Controls were randomly selected from the same study base. We interviewed the surviving cases (N = 823) and controls (N = 853), focusing on risk factors for acute myocardial infarction. We collected individual data on drinking water levels of magnesium and calcium. We classified subjects by quartile of water magnesium or calcium levels. The total number of cases was similar in the four quartiles. The risk of death was 7.6% (95% confidence interval = 2.1-13.1) lower in the quartile with high magnesium levels (> or = 8.3 mg/liter). The odds ratio for death from acute myocardial infarction in relation to water magnesium was 0.64 (95% confidence interval = 0.42-0.97) for the highest quartile relative to the three lower ones. Multivariate analyses showed that other risk factors were not important confounders. For calcium, this study was inconclusive. The data suggest that magnesium in drinking water is associated with lower mortality from acute myocardial infarction, but not with the total incidence.

[Prevalence of anti-HAV antibodies in selected groups of children]. / Czestosc wystepowania przeciwcial anty-HAV w wybranych grupach dzieci.

Hepatitis A is a significant endemic and epidemic disease of global importance. There are few studies on the epidemiology of hepatitis A in Poland. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of the antibodies to HAV (anti-HAV IgG) in children and adolescents living in urban and rural areas. Sera from 377 children were collected: 195 lived in Warsaw and 182 in rural area (voyevodship opolskie). The prevalence of anti-HAV was very low--9.3% and 3.8% respectively. This finding suggest that epidemiological shift from intermediate to low endemicity is possible in Poland and a new policy of prophylaxis hepatitis A may be necessary.

High prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis C virus in three haemodialysis centres in south-western Poland.

We assessed the prevalence of anti-hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV) antibodies and markers of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in patients of three haemodialysis centres before initiating anti-HBV vaccinations. Of the 94 patients, 39 (41.5%) were anti-HCV positive (+) and 81 (86.2%) were anti-hepatitis B core antigen (HBc) positive. There was a high rate of anti-HBc positivity among anti-HCV (+) patients (92.3%), although the presence of anti-HCV and anti-HBc antibodies were not significantly related to each other. Multiple blood transfusions (> 5 units) was a risk factor for development of HCV infection (P < 0.02), while none of our patients admitted intravenous drug abuse. Although 53.8% of anti-HCV (+) patients have had moderate serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) elevations during the study period, none has had considerable liver disease, nor did the increased ALT correlate with the presence of anti-HCV. Only two of 17 staff members participating in the survey were anti-HCV (+), though almost every one gave a history of accidental needlestick exposure. All the study subjects were human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) negative. Our results, obtained with the second-generation, highly specific enzyme immunoassay and verified by the immunoblot assay for anti-HCV antibodies, support a recent suggestion that earlier reports might have underestimated the true prevalence of anti-HCV antibodies in haemodialysis patients.

[Evaluation of incidence of biological markers for A and B hepatitis]. / Ocena czestosci wystepowania znaczników zakazenia wirusami A i B zapalenia watroby.

Fifty employees of the hospital laboratories were examined for the markers of non-A, non-B hepatitis infection. Immunoenzymatic tests of Abbott Diagnostic Division were used for this purpose. Anti-HAV antibodies were diagnosed in 68% of the examined persons, i.e. with an incidence similar to that in the general population. HBV markers were found in 50% of the examined persons, i.e. a few times more often than in the Polish general population. HBsAg carriers constituted 2% of this group. In the remaining persons with anti-HBV antibodies various combinations were found. Most frequent were anti-HBe+, anti-HBc+ and anti-HBs+.

[Comparative evaluation of active and passive-active immunization of newborn infants born to mothers with HBV infection]. / Porównawcza ocena skutecznosci uodpornienia czynnego i bierno-czynnego noworodków urodzonych przez matki zakazone HBV.

The results of the observation of humoral response in newborns from HBsAg-positive mothers after passive-active or active anti-HBV immunization was presented. Efficacy and safety of this prophylaxis was evaluated. We found similar percentage of anti-HBs response in the all groups of vaccinated children (about 85%).

[The interferon system in chronic brucellosis]. / Uklad interferonowy w przewleklej brucelozie.

The purpose of the paper was to evaluate activity of interferon system in a group of patients with chronic brucellosis. Trial was performed in 21 persons: 10-with active and 11-with non active disease. "Whole blood test" was used to induce interferon by peripheral blood leucocytes after stimulation with antigens: non specific (NDV, LPS, PHA + PMA) and specific (Brucella). There was no difference between examined and control groups in interferon induction by non specific factors. This indicates correct functions by interferon system in chronic brucellosis. Relatively, after stimulation by specific antigens 4-fold increase of endogenic interferon (alfa and gamma) was observed. These results suggest that chronic brucellosis (active and non active) in still immunologically active and pathological changes depend on delayed hypersensitivity. We conclude, that this method seems to be deciding diagnostic test in latent brucellosis.

[Clinical characteristics of patients with AIDS treated at the Infectious Disease Clinic, Medical Academy, in Wroclaw during the years 1989-1990]. / Charakterystyka kliniczna chorych na AIDS leczonych w Katedrze i Klinice Chorób Zakaznych AM we Wroclawiu w latach 1989-1990.

In the period 1989-1990 15 patients with various stages of HIV infection were treated. Among them were: 8 (53.3%) i.v. drug users, 6 (40%) homo- and bisexual men, and 1 (6.1%) woman with post-transfusion infection. The undertaken medical and laboratory examination, on the basis of CDC/WHO criteria, revealed: 6 patients with PGL, 6-with IV A stage, 1-IVB, 1-IVd and 1-IVE. The group of homo and bisexual men had lover CD4 lymphocyte counts than other patients. From our group only 7 patients were treated unsuccessfully with Retrovir (600 mg daily/6 months) but without side effects. Three patients died to this day.

Outcome of pregnancy in relation to irregular and inconvenient work schedules.

The relation between irregular and inconvenient working hours and the outcome of pregnancy was studied among women employed at a hospital in Sweden some time between 1980 and 1984. A questionnaire was distributed to 807 women; 81% replied. The pregnancies were divided into six groups with respect to work schedules during pregnancy. A slightly, but not significantly, increased risk of miscarriage was found in women who worked irregular hours or rotating shifts compared with women who worked only during the day (RR = 1.44, 95% confidence interval 0.83-2.51). Infants of non-smoking mothers who worked irregular hours had significantly lower birth weights than infants of non-smoking women working day time only. This difference was largest at birth order 2+. Similar results were found for infants of this birth order whose non-smoking mothers worked evenings or rotating shift.

Outcome of pregnancy among women living near petrochemical industries in Sweden.

The association between exposure to emissions from petrochemical industries and outcome of pregnancy was examined in a small area of Sweden. The study was based largely, but not entirely, on questionnaire data and evaluated the pregnancies which occurred between the end of 1963 and 30 June 1981 for a sample of 1400 women born between 1935 and 1960. In addition to the questionnaire study, information on all infants born between 1973 and 1981 in this area was obtained from central registers. The miscarriage rate was slightly elevated in the exposed area (OR = 1.15, 0.75-1.76, 95% confidence interval). While a statistically significant increase in miscarriages was found for a small subset of women who worked for one of the petrochemical companies during pregnancy (OR = 6.6, 2.3-19.2), the overall results did not support the hypothesis that ambient community exposures were associated with an increased risk of unfavourable pregnancy outcome.

[Tissue autoantibodies during therapy with levamisole for rheumatoid arthritis]. / Gli autoanticorpi antitissutali durante la terapia con levamisolo nell' artrite reumatoide.

In 20 patients affected with rheumatoid arthritis, tissue autoantibodies were studied during a year of treatment with levamisole. Before therapy, antinuclear antibodies were present in 11 cases, anti-thyroid microsomes in 1 and anti-smooth muscle in 6. During therapy, autoantibodies remained almost unchanged in all patients, thus indicating that levamisole does not influence this aspect of humoral immunity in rheumatoid arthritis. Furthermore, no correlation was found between autoantibody pattern before treatment and effects of levamisole on clinical course of disease.