摘要:

Mortality rates from multiple sclerosis show a well-known north-south gradient, both within the United States and internationally. Mortality rates from prostate cancer show a similar gradient and are significantly correlated with multiple sclerosis (MS) mortality and MS prevalence. This finding adds prostate cancer to the set of diseases whose geographic distributions are significantly correlated with MS and whose members include colon cancer, dental caries, and Parkinson''s disease. Review of the literature indicates that these clinically dissimilar diseases may share an aberration in vitamin (hormone) D. Recent evidence demonstrating a multi-faceted role for vitamin D in immunoregulation suggests that a vitamin D aberration may also contribute to the etiology of MS. A vitamin D hypothesis can illuminate several unexplained features of the epidemiology of MS and suggests opportunities for epidemiologic, laboratory, and clinical investigation.

ISSN:0251-5350    

DOI:10.1159/000110937

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1992

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Among 301 human meningiomas published in the literature, 69% were progestin receptor (PgR)-positive. Estrogen receptors (ER) were detected in only 13% of the samples. The PgR levels were also elevated (p < 0.001) compared to the ER concentration. No association with sex, age, menstrual status or tumor location was found. Meningiomas with typical histology (75/171), were PgR-positive in significantly greater proportion than the atypical (12/171) or transitional (27/171) tumors. The PgR levels in the typical meningiomas were also increased (p = 0.005) compared to the atypical or transitional meningiomas. The ER levels did not differ by histology. The association of PgR levels with different histologic types is not well documented in the literature. Such an association is important for the understanding of the natural history of this disease as well as in the design and evaluation of therapeutic trials

ISSN:0251-5350    

DOI:10.1159/000110938

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1992

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

In this report we describe the establishment of a Neuro-Oncology Register (NOR) at the University Hospital of Maastricht, The Netherlands. The register includes data on numbers and types of primary central nervous system (CNS) tumours and neurological complications of systemic cancer. One of the objectives of the register is to determine the incidence rate of neuro-oncological complications in systemic tumours and the incidence and prevalence rates of primary CNS tumours in a well-defined population. The catchment area of the NOR was defined with the help of the Dutch Regional Cancer Register. It involves 140,819 inhabitants and will be considered as our catchment population. At present, 1,168 cases have been recorded since the NOR became operational. All neuro-oncological reports in 1988 were chosen for further analysis (n = 276). We diagnosed 79 metastatic complications from systemic cancer. Metastasis of the brain is the most frequent metastatic complication in our population, followed by epidural metastasis. As in other series, the lung and breast are the most frequently encountered tumour sites. The NOR is a clinically based register which, in co-operation with the Dutch Regional Cancer Register, will generate important epidemiological data on CNS complications.

ISSN:0251-5350    

DOI:10.1159/000110939

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1992

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

A cohort study of the mortality experience (1971–1987) of male Canadian prairie farmers has been conducted. This involved linking the records of 156,242 male Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba farmers identified on the 1971 Census of Agriculture and the corresponding Census of Population to mortality records. Exposure indices for individual farm operators were derived from 1971 Census of Agriculture records. Cancer histologies for brain cancer cases were obtained from the Canadian National Cancer Incidence Database and from Provincial Cancer Registries. A statistically significant association was noted between risk of dying of glioblastomas and increasing fuel/oil expenditures (test for trend p = 0.03, top quartile relative risk = 2.11, 95% confidence interval = 0.89–5.01). No significant association was found between brain cancer and either education or mother tongue. However, low income was associated with a significantly reduced risk of brain cancer mortal

ISSN:0251-5350    

DOI:10.1159/000110940

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1992

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

We investigated a report of a perceived cluster of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in Middleborough, Mass; Although an increase in ALS incidence was observed [2.51 deaths/100,000 person-years (p-y)], relative to the statewide rate over the years 1969–1985 (1.26/100,000 p-y), it was not statistically significant at the 95% confidence level. Problems in evaluating possible neurological disease clusters and their association with environmental exposures are presente

ISSN:0251-5350    

DOI:10.1159/000110941

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1992

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) in Western countries and Japan is found more often in early- than in late-measles sufferers. Recent SSPE findings in Karachi, however, present a different picture. Age at measles contraction was obtained and analyzed for 44 SSPE patients identified in Karachi between 1983 and 1988. The ratios of early- ( 2 years of age) measles sufferers among 36 of these patients who had experienced only one attack of measles were 0.33 and 0.67, respectively. This is in striking contrast to the predominance of early measles in the SSPE histories reported in Japan and an number of Western countries.

ISSN:0251-5350    

DOI:10.1159/000110942

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1992

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

We investigated the accuracy of the Hodkinson abbreviated mental test (AMT) as a screening instrument for dementia in an Italian population. The AMT was administered by nonmedical personnel to 124 subjects > 59 years old. Each subject independently underwent a clinical evaluation for dementia (DSM-III criteria), and scores on the AMT were compared to corresponding clinical diagnoses (standard for comparison). Twenty of the 124 subjects were found to be affected by dementia upon clinical investigation. Although a score of 6 on the AMT showed the best combination of sensitivity (90%) and specificity (89%), only a score of 7 yielded 100% sensitivity (71% specificity). Specificity was higher in men, younger, and more educated subjects.

ISSN:0251-5350    

DOI:10.1159/000110943

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1992

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Doctors, nurses, and medical and nursing students administered a questionnaire on memory disturbances, tremor and clumsiness in their first-degree relatives who live or lived near them. We obtained data on 1,479 relatives, of whom 805 were alive and 674 had died. Of those alive and older than 65, 8.69% had severe memory disturbances, 1.11% a parkinsonian syndrome and 5.59% essential tremor. Of those who had died, 10.68% had suffered from severe memory disturbances before they died. The results of both groups are similar and in accordance with the data in the literature. In our opinion this new type of epidemiological study can be very useful in diseases which are easily detected by nonspecialists and in areas with hospitals and medical schools.

ISSN:0251-5350    

DOI:10.1159/000110944

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1992

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Although the etiology of multiple sclerosis is as yet unknown, epidemiological observations strongly point toward one or more infectious agent(s) being involved in the disease. In recent years some studies have indicated involvement of retrovirus in multiple sclerosis (MS). However, an intrafamilial epidemiological study revealed that MS and the known human retroviruses had a divergent epidemiology. Some studies have shown the association of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) with MS and one recent study revealed dual infection by retrovirus and EBV in a cell line established from a patient with an MS-like disease. Our hypothesis for the development of MS and MS-like diseases is that a hitherto uncharacterized retrovirus is the etiological agent, but development of neurologic disease is related to or even dependent on a delayed EBV infection. The dual infection hypothesis is analyzed and found to be consistent with the epidemiological characteristics of MS.

ISSN:0251-5350    

DOI:10.1159/000110945

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1992

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Multiple sclerosis (MS) epidemiology suggests that different factors are involved in the clinical expression of the disease. Alimentary cofactors have already been considered, but mainly theoretically. We have studied the relationship between MS prevalence and dairy product consumption in 27 countries and 29 populations all over the world, with Spearman''s correlation test. A good correlation between liquid cow milk and MS prevalence (ρ = 0.836) was found; this correlation was highly significant (p < 0.001). A low but still significant correlation was obtained with cream or butter consumption (ρ = 0.619 and ρ = 0.504, respectively). No correlation was found for cheese. These results suggest that liquid cow milk could contain factor(s) – no longer present in the processed milk – influencing the clinical appearance of MS. The possible role of some dairy by-products is discussed in the light of a multifactorial etiology

ISSN:0251-5350    

DOI:10.1159/000110946

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1992

数据来源: Karger