Prevalence trends for myocardial infarction and conventional risk factors among Greek adults (2002-06).

AIM: To examine trends in the prevalence of myocardial infarction (MI) and conventional risk factors in Greek adults between 2002 and 2006. DESIGN: Repeated cross-sectional study. METHODS: Self-reported data from surveys given in Salamis during two election days in 2002 and 2006 were analysed. The same sampling method and procedures were used on both surveys. The study sample included 2805 and 3478 subjects (> or =20 years) in 2002 and 2006, respectively, with similar age and sex distribution to the target population. RESULTS: The prevalence of MI increased from 4.1% (men, 6.3%; women, 1.9%) in 2002 to 4.8% (men, 7.3%; women, 2.2%) in 2006 (P = 0.18). At the same time, prevalence rates of major risk factors were as follows: diabetes increased from 8.7% to 10.3% (P = 0.037), hypertension from 20.1% to 25.7% (P < 0.001) and hypercholesterolemia (cholesterol >240 mg/dl or the use of cholesterol-lowering medication) increased from 17.5% to 22.3% (P < 0.001). Prevalence of current smokers in 2002 (defined as persons who smoked > or =5 cigarettes/day) was 37.0% and in 2006 (defined as those who smoked > or =1 cigarettes/day) was 40.1%. Logistic regression analysis showed that the aforementioned risk factors were significantly associated with MI in both surveys; the factor that showed the greatest magnitude of association with MI was hypercholesterolemia, followed by diabetes, hypertension and smoking. CONCLUSION: These findings show that, in the Greek population, prevalence of MI continues to rise (at approximately 4% per year). This trend seems to be driven by a persistently high prevalence of smoking and the rapidly increasing burden of diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia.

Correlation of leucocyte count and erythrocyte sedimentation rate with the day of illness in presumed bacterial pneumonia of childhood.

We investigated the effect of the duration of illness on the white blood cell (WBC) and total neutrophil counts and the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in untreated children with clinical and roentgenographic findings compatible with bacterial pneumonia. According to the duration of illness before admission, the patients were divided into: Group I, 48 patients ill for < 24 h; Group II, 39 patients ill for 24-48 h; Group III, 21 patients ill for 48-72 h; and Group IV, eight patients ill for 72-96 h. In children with presumably bacterial pneumonia the number of the WBC was greater during the first 2 days of illness. Thereafter, the leucocyte count declined, reaching the lowest levels on the fourth day. A similar course was followed by the absolute number of total neutrophils. During the second day of illness, 92% and 72% of the patients had leucocyte counts > 10,000 and > 15,000/mm3, respectively, whereas on the fourth day of illness only half of the patients had > 10,000 and one-quarter > 15,000 WBC/mm3. The ESR followed an opposite course to that of the WBC. During the first day of illness it was normal or mildly elevated, increasing steadily thereafter. The validity of the WBC and total neutrophil counts in conjunction with the ESR in the evaluation of bacterial pneumonia is augmented when the day of illness is taken into consideration.