ISSN:0251-5350    

DOI:10.1159/000109890

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1996

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Elevated blood lead concentrations are known to have detrimental effects on neuropsychological function in both children and occupational cohorts of men and women. Although it is generally accepted that lead exposure at low levels is more dangerous for infants and children than for adults, the issue of the lowest level of exposure at which lead causes deleterious health effects in adults is yet to be solved. There is no available data on the role of lead exposure in cognitive dysfunction in nonoccupational cohorts of older persons. In the current study, we examined the cross-sectional relationship between blood lead levels and a variety of measures of neuropsychological function in a large cohort of elderly women recruited at both urban and rural sites. This study of elderly women demonstrates that blood lead levels as low as 8 µg/dl were significantly associated with poorer cognitive function as measured by certain neuropsychological tests. Even a slight decrement in cognition would have a large public health impact due to the large number of elderly at risk

ISSN:0251-5350    

DOI:10.1159/000109891

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1996

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

A pilot study was set up to ascertain incident neurological disorders occurring in 25,000 people attending two general-practice surgeries for a period of 1 year. To achieve completeness of ascertainment and diagnostic validity poses considerable logistical and theoretical difficulties, and these are discussed. The commonest disorders (incidence in parentheses) were headaches (210/100,000), back syndromes (319/100,000), acute cerebrovascular disease (128/100,000), and migraine (64/100,000), with non-specific symptoms the most common problem overall (514/100,000). The incidence of Parkinson''s disease was 26/100,000 and that of epilepsy 23/100,000. The pilot study will form the basis for a more comprehensive linkage scheme between the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London and surrounding general practices with a total base population of 100,000.

ISSN:0251-5350    

DOI:10.1159/000109892

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1996

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

Two northwestern districts of Bangladesh with a population of 629,752 were surveyed from June 1991 to March 1993 to detect and follow up lathyrism patients. Out of 2,567 neurological patients, 882 were diagnosed as having lathyrism, giving a prevalence rate of 14.0/10,000. This prevalence was higher among young males: only 12.9% of the patients were female, and only 19.3% of the patients were over 30 years of age at onset of the disease. The average family size was 4.6 members. In the surveyed area, 730 families were evaluated: 622 families had only 1 affected member, and 108 families had 2–8 affected members. Most of the patients were working, while only 4% were not. The majority of the patients had a very low intake of animal protein. A few cases of human T-lymphotropic virus infection and osteolathyrism were found during this stud

ISSN:0251-5350    

DOI:10.1159/000109893

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1996

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

As part of a door-to-door survey, we screened for stroke among the inhabitants of three Sicilian municipalities (n = 24,496 as of November 1, 1987). Neurologists then investigated those subjects suspected to have had a stroke. Diagnoses of first-ever strokes were based on specified criteria and were reviewed by an adjudication panel. We found 189 subjects who had experienced at least one completed stroke (180 definite, 9 possible); 15 strokes were hemorrhagic, 71 ischemic, and 103 uncertain. The prevalence (cases/100,000) was 771.6 in the total population and 1,893.6 in those aged 40 years or over. The prevalence increased steeply with age, was higher in men between 60 and 79 years, but was higher in women thereafter. Age-specific figures were similar in the three study municipalities. Although all first-ever strokes had been previously diagnosed, 40% of the subjects had not been hospitalized for this condition.

ISSN:0251-5350    

DOI:10.1159/000109894

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1996

数据来源: Karger

摘要:

There has been controversy in the last decade over whether the reported increase in brain tumors reflects a real increase in incidence rates. Incidence data on the full spectrum of brain tumors is lacking in the discussion since current cancer reports in the United States are restricted to malignant tumors. Data on tumors from four population-based cancer registries in the United States were compiled to provide incidence rates of benign and malignant brain tumors and to assess the feasibility of providing these data on a larger scale. A total of 8,070 primary tumors diagnosed from 1985 to 1989 in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Missouri and Utah were obtained. Brain tumors were defined using the International Classification of Diseases for Oncology codes 191.0–191.9, 192.0–192.3, 192.8–192.9 and 194.3–194.4. Stratum-specific incidence rates by location and histology were estimated by sex, age and region. Age-adjusted rates were standardized to the 1970 United States population. An age-adjusted incidence rate of 9.4/105 was observed, which reflects a 36% increase in males and a 68% increase in females over the rate based on malignant tumors alone from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results cancer reporting system. Incorporating benign tumors into cancer registry data would increase the reported incidence rates primarily in females and for meningiomas and nerve sheath tumors. This expanded incidence rate represents a substantial improvement in the ability to describe the occurrence of these complex tumors by subtype with a modest increase in overall case registrations for cancer registries. Centralization of data on all brain tumors appears feasible. Variations in histology-specific rates across regions raises questions that need to be addressed about the ascertainment and accuracy of tumor classification. Use of the cancer registration system to improve the reporting of brain tumors in the United States is important to our understanding of the occurrence of these complex tumors and to our ability to conduct large-scale epidemiologic investi

ISSN:0251-5350    

DOI:10.1159/000109895

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1996

数据来源: Karger

ISSN:0251-5350    

DOI:10.1159/000109896

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1996

数据来源: Karger

ISSN:0251-5350    

DOI:10.1159/000109897

出版商:S. Karger AG    

年代:1996

数据来源: Karger