Tubal sterilization and use of an IUD and risk of cervical cancer

The relationship of tubal sterilization and use of an intrauterine device (IUD) to the risk of invasive squamous cell cervical cancer was evaluated in a case-control study carried out in Shandong, China, from 1989 to 1991. Patients (cases) were 272 women aged 30-77 years with newly diagnosed invasive squamous cell cervical cancer in Shandong Province Tumor Hospital. Controls were 893 randomly selected screened women matched to the cases by age (within 2 years) and county. A decrease in risk was observed in uses of an IUD, especially in long-term users under age 33. A nonsignificant decrease in risk in women under age 33 who had had a tubal ligation was also observed, especially in the first 10 years since the procedure. Tubal ligation and IUD insertion and removal provide opportunities to screen women for cervical cancer and reduce the risk of invasive disease.     

Cancer risk after sterilization with transcervical quinacrine: updated findings from a Chilean cohort

Background

Dating back to the 1970s, thousands of women worldwide have voluntarily been sterilized with transcervical insertion of quinacrine pellets. The safety and efficacy of the technology are still being assessed today; in particular, better estimates on the incidence of human cancers are now feasible.

Methods

We conducted a cohort study of 1492 women in Santiago and Valdivia, Chile, who received transcervical quinacrine pellets for contraceptive sterilization between l977 and l989. We periodically interviewed women with the last interviews in 2006-2007 and reviewed their medical records. We calculated age and site-specific incidence of invasive cancers and compared the observed cases to the number of expected cases based on data from the Cali, Colombia, cancer registry, gathered by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Results

During 23,894 person-years of follow-up, 41 invasive cancers were identified, including 16 new cases that had occurred since the previous analysis. Ten cases of cervical cancer were observed, compared with 12.1 expected. Since the initial study's confirmation of a single case of leiomyosarcoma, no other uterine cancers have been diagnosed. We would expect 2.0 uterine cancers during this number of observed women-years. One case of ovarian cancer was diagnosed, compared with 3.1 expected.

Conclusion

Rates of cancer among women exposed to intrauterine quinacrine are similar to population-based rates.     

Intrauterine lidocaine infusion for pain management during outpatient transcervical tubal sterilization: a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundThe study was conducted to examine the effects of a 4% intrauterine lidocaine infusion on patient-perceived pain during transcervical sterilization.Study DesignThis was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Subjects received standard premedication with 800 mg ibuprofen, 2 mg lorazepam, a 10-mL 1% lidocaine paracervical block and transcervical instillation of 5 mL of either 4% lidocaine or saline 3 min prior to insertion of the hysteroscope. Subjects completed a series of 100-mm visual analog scales to measure their perceived pain at set time points during and after the procedure. Serum lidocaine levels were obtained in a subset of subjects.ResultsPain scores at all evaluation points did not significantly differ between groups (lidocaine n=29, saline n=29). Mean lidocaine levels did not differ between groups, and no subject demonstrated symptoms of lidocaine toxicity. The highest serum lidocaine level (4022 ng/mL) occurred 20 min after infusion in a lidocaine-treated subject.ConclusionIntrauterine lidocaine prior to outpatient transcervical sterilization does not decrease pain.     

How to assess risk of disease transmission to patients when there is a failure to follow recommended disinfection and sterilization guidelines.

BACKGROUND: Disinfection and sterilization are critical components of infection control. Unfortunately, breaches of disinfection and sterilization guidelines are not uncommon. OBJECTIVE: To describe a method for evaluating a potential breach of guidelines for high-level disinfection and sterilization of medical devices. METHODS: The appropriate scientific literature was reviewed to determine the frequency of failures of compliance. A risk assessment model was constructed. RESULTS: A 14-step protocol was constructed to aid infection control professionals in the evaluation of potential disinfection and sterilization failures. In addition, a model is presented for aiding in determining how patients should be notified of the potential adverse event. Sample statements and letters are provided for communicating with the public and individual patients. CONCLUSION: Use of a protocol can guide an institution in managing potential disinfection and sterilization failures.     

Tubal sterilization and risk of ovarian, endometrial and cervical cancer. A Danish population-based follow-up study of more than 65 000 sterilized women

BACKGROUND: On the basis of a population-based cohort, we assessed the cancer risk, focusing on gynaecological cancers and pre-malignant lesions, among women with a previous tubal sterilization. METHODS: Using the Danish Hospital Discharge Register we identified 65 232 women who had a tubal sterilization (1977-1993). The cohort was followed for cancer occurrence, and compared with the expected number based on the national cancer incidence rates. RESULTS: The overall risk of ovarian cancer was decreased (standardized incidence ratio [SIR] = 0.82; 95% CI: 0.6, 1.0), and it was still decreased > or =10 years after the sterilization (SIR = 0.65; 95% CI: 0.4, 1.0). The rate of endometrial cancer was also decreased (SIR = 0.66; 95% CI: 0.5, 1.0), the risk continued being moderately reduced during follow-up, although it was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: In this nationwide, population-based study we find that women with tubal sterilization have a decreased risk of subsequent development of ovarian cancer. As the protective effect is not decreasing with years of follow-up, our data do not support that 'screening' bias can explain the protective effect, but indicate that the sterilization itself may convey a reduction in risk. The same pattern is found for endometrial cancer, the association being less strong.     

Quinacrine sterilization: experience among women at high risk for surgery

A non-surgical method of female sterilization is needed because many women are at high risk of complications with standard surgical methods, especially in developing countries. Also, some women who desire sterilization refuse it for fear of surgery. To meet these special needs, we initiated a trial of quinacrine sterilization (QS), a non-surgical method involving transcervical insertion of 252 mg quinacrine as pellets by a modified IUD inserter. Diclofenac (50 mg) was inserted with the quinacrine pellets. This insertion was repeated a month later and a 150-mg injection of depo medroxyprogesterone was administered at the time of the first insertion. One hundred and thirty-four women of reproductive age entered the trial. Of these, 92 were considered to be at high risk for surgery, 27 had refused surgery, and 15 had had failed surgical sterilization. Mean follow-up was 3.46 years. No pregnancies or serious complications were experienced. The main side-effect was menstrual irregularity, due probably to the depo medroxyprogesterone injection. QS is a suitable option for women at high risk of surgical complications.     

Genetics and biological markers of risk for alcoholism

Substantial scientific evidence has accumulated that both genetic and environmental factors predispose the development of alcoholism in certain individuals. Evidence has accumulated to indicate that alcoholism is a heterogeneous entity arising from multiple etiologies. The demonstrated role of genetics in increasing the risk of alcoholism has promoted the search for biological markers that could objectively identify individuals who are genetically predisposed to alcoholism. Identifying such markers could allow for early diagnosis, focused prevention, and differential and type-specific treatment of alcoholism. Promising markers have been provided by research in electrophysiology, endocrinology, and biochemistry. Recent advances in molecular genetics are offering prospects for direct analysis of the human genome to determine elements that provide predisposition to, and protection from, alcoholism. Recent advances in research and new knowledge gained by the alcoholism treatment community and the lay public are helping to diminish the societal damage caused by alcohol abuse and alcoholism and to change prevailing attitudes about them.     

Anthropometric indicators as risk markers for metabolic abnormalities

The purpose of this study was to determine which anthropometric indicator has the greatest bearing on the metabolic abnormalities in participants of a Lifestyle Change Program. It consisted of an exploratory, transversal and analytical survey, which assessed the body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), percentage of body fat (%BF) and of muscle mass (%MM) of 273 adults and elderly subjects (over 40 years of age). Blood samples after an 8-hour diet were obtained to assess total cholesterol, high-density cholesterol, low-density cholesterol, triacylglycerol and glucose. Statistical analyses for differentiation between the groups and determination of associations were conducted. The level of significance was set at p<0.05. When the metabolic abnormalities were assessed as a dependent variable and BMI, WC, %BF, %MM as independent variables, it was seen that WC was the anthropometric indicator that showed the closest association with all metabolic abnormalities (P<0,0001), followed by %MM. The conclusion reached was that WC rather than BMI was the main marker of anthropometric risk for metabolic abnormalities frequently related to obesity. Given the same WC value, overweight and obese individuals had comparable health risks to eutrophic individuals.     

硬膜外分娩镇痛转行硬膜外剖宫产麻醉失败的危险因素探讨

目的:探讨硬膜外分娩镇痛转行硬膜外剖宫产麻醉失败的危险因素。方法:选择实施硬膜外分娩镇痛中途转行剖宫产的产妇186例。硬膜外分娩镇痛采用背景输注加病人自控镇痛,镇痛效果不满意的产妇可求助麻醉医师补救镇痛。转行剖宫产时,直接经硬膜外镇痛导管行硬膜外麻醉,若麻醉效果不能完成剖宫产手术,需辅助局麻或全麻则定义为硬膜外麻醉失败。将产妇分为硬膜外麻醉成功组和失败组。结果:硬膜外麻醉失败率为15.6%。两组镇痛前及镇痛30 min后的VAS评分差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);与成功组比较,失败组要求补救镇痛的次数增加、分娩镇痛持续时间延长(P<0.05)。结论:硬膜外分娩镇痛期间产妇要求补救镇痛的次数增加以及分娩镇痛持续时间延长是转行硬膜外剖宫产麻醉失败的危险因素,识别危险因素以便采取安全有效的麻醉方式,对于减少母婴并发症具有重要意义。     

Seroprevalence of hepatitis A markers in subjects exposed to biological risk

Objectives: The seroprevalence of hepatitis A virus antibodies was investigated in a population of 1051 subjects, of whom 376 were controls and 675 were exposed to different degrees of biological risk. Methods: The exposed group was subdivided into subjects at low (242), intermediate (265), and high (168) biological hazard; all subjects were employed in the biomedical field. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were also determined. Results: The seroprevalence of positive hepatitis A antibodies was 44.9% in all subjects but was significantly higher in males (50.6%) than in females (34.2%) and increased according to age (25.9% in subjects aged ≤40 years and 62.2% in subjects aged >40 years). No difference related to exposure to the biological risk was observed. The prevalence of transaminases at levels above normal values (χ²= 4.079, P < 0.05 for AST and χ²= 4.806, P < 0.05 for ALT) and mean values (AST P < 0.05; ALT P < 0.001) appeared significant in hepatitis A virus-positive subjects. On the other hand, excluding individuals with positive hepatitis C virus antibodies (16) and positive hepatitis B virus surface antigen (12), a prevalence of transaminase alterations was not observed, but mean levels of ALT lasted significantly longer in subjects with positive hepatitis A virus antibodies (P < 0.01). Conclusions: The results confirm that hepatitis A virus is not a risk for employees in the biomedical field, but the presence of hepatitis A virus antibodies suggests a possible, though not clinically evident, liver involvement. Received: 15 June 1998 / Accepted: 23 October 1998     

Diet and serum markers in relation to primary brain tumor risk in China

Associations between primary brain tumor mortality and dietary habits, certain serum biochemical markers, and life-style factors were evaluated in a county-based correlation study utilizing data collected from an ecological survey in 49 Chinese rural counties. Univariate correlation and multivariate regression analyses showed that high consumption of salt-preserved vegetables was linked to increased primary brain tumor mortality rates, although the association was significant only among men. In addition, high intake of green vegetables among men was associated with decreased rates. No clear association was seen between primary brain tumor mortality rates and tobacco use, body mass index, and serum biochemical markers. Limitations of these ecological data preclude causal inferences, but the findings provide etiologic clues to primary brain tumor mortality in rural China.     

Predictive accuracy of markers or risk scores for interval censored survival data

Methods for the evaluation of the predictive accuracy of biomarkers with respect to survival outcomes subject to right censoring have been discussed extensively in the literature. In cancer and other diseases, survival outcomes are commonly subject to interval censoring by design or due to the follow up schema. In this article, we present an estimator for the area under the time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve for interval censored data based on a nonparametric sieve maximum likelihood approach. We establish the asymptotic properties of the proposed estimator and illustrate its finite-sample properties using a simulation study. The application of our method is illustrated using data from a cancer clinical study. An open-source R package to implement the proposed method is available on Comprehensive R Archive Network.     

JCAHO's 'Agenda for Change' to place new demands on systems

The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations hasn't told hospitals enough about the new demands that its "Agenda for Change" will place on hospitals' information systems. Hospitals will have to be able to abstract medical records electronically and analyze their data to fully benefit from the program, executives at one test site say.     

老年住院患者医院感染影响因素与预警指标研究

目的研究老年住院患者医院感染现况,分析可能的影响因素并探讨血液实验室检查指标在细菌感染中的预警价值。方法选择医院2015-2016年年龄≥60岁老年住院患者4 795例为研究对象,发生医院感染79例,按照1∶1配对法分为病例组及对照组,各79例,分析其感染因素及预警指标。结果共79例发生医院感染,96例次感染,感染率为1.65%,例次感染率为2.00%;感染部位以呼吸道为主,共33例次,占34.38%;检出72株病原菌,以革兰阴性菌为主,共43株占59.72%;GLU和NLR是发生医院感染的独立危险因素(P<0.05);NLR用于老年住院患者医院感染预警的界值为4.39,对应的灵敏度为79.75%,特异度为74.68%。结论老年医院感染病例需要关注高龄人群,积极监测并防控感染相关因素,NLR对于老年住院患者医院感染具有较好的预警意义。