Maternal age and family history are risk factors for ankylosing spondylitis

OBJECTIVE: To investigate prevalence and gender distribution in parents of children with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). METHODS: Family history of AS (parents, uncles, and aunts), maternal age at delivery, and consecutive pregnancy number were assessed in the relatives of 40 Mexican Mestizo patients with definite AS (New York Criteria). RESULTS: We evaluated the family history of AS in 34 families of 40 AS patients; 12 with none, 4 with a paternal history (4 healthy fathers with a brother with AS) (odds ratio, OR, 1.37, p = 0.75), 15 with a maternal history of AS, (15 healthy mothers with a brother with AS) (OR 1.4, p = 0.55), and 3 with both lines (OR 0.84, p = 0.92). In these families AS was more frequent in males (29%) than in females (10%), OR 3.40 (95% confidence interval, CI: 1.43-8.29, p = 0.003). Juvenile onset was more common in the offspring of mothers with family history (72%) (OR 13.0, 95% CI: 1.68-147.48, p = 0.009). The number of first-born children with AS (18%) was similar to the later-born children (23%) (OR 1.37, 95% CI: 0.38-5.31, p = 0.78). The frequency of AS increased when the maternal age at delivery was < or = 30 years (OR 0.20, 95% CI: 0.04-0.75, p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: In Mexican Mestizo patients, there is no correlation between the risk for AS and the gender of the affected parent. However we found an association between juvenile onset and maternal family history with an increased incidence in patients with younger mothers.     

Effects of age, education, and physician advice on utilization of screening mammography

We investigated the utilization of mammography as a screening test for breast cancer in a middle-income Connecticut suburban community of 30,000 people. The sampling frame was community-dwelling women aged 30 years and over who had telephones. Random digit telephone survey methods were used to identify a sample of 470 eligible subjects. Of those eligible to be included, 350 or 74.4% completed the interview. Analysis of data from the 171 respondents aged 50 years or greater indicated that women aged 65-80 years had a significantly lower rate of screening mammography than did women aged 50-64 years (means 2 = 6.6, P = .01). When further analysis was done to take into account the effects of education and of income on these rates, the association of age with mammography utilization was no longer statistically significant. Among women who recalled their physician advising a mammogram, 88% had had one performed. Among women who could not recall their physician advising a mammogram, 7% had had one. The impact of physician advice was statistically significant (means 2 = 110.3, P less than .001). Physicians recommended screening mammography less for patients with low level of education (means 2 = 21.6, P less than .001), low income (X2 = 7.8, df = 2, P = .02) and greater age (means 2 = 14.2, P = .003). We conclude that utilization of screening mammography in the community studied is related more strongly to education and to income than to age. The bivariate association of mammography utilization with age may be attributable to a cohort effect, rather than an age effect.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The relationship of family history and risk of type 2 diabetes differs by ancestry

AimType 2 diabetes (T2DM) in a first-degree relative is a risk factor for incident diabetes. Americans of African ancestry (AA) have higher rates of T2DM than Americans of European ancestry (EA). Thus, we aimed to determine whether the presence, number and kinship of affected relatives are associated with race-specific T2DM incidence in a prospective study of participants from the Genetic Study of Atherosclerosis Risk (GeneSTAR), who underwent baseline screening including a detailed family history.MethodsNondiabetic healthy siblings (n = 1405) of patients with early-onset coronary artery disease (18–59 years) were enrolled (861 EA and 544 AA) and followed for incident T2DM (mean 14 ± 6 years).ResultsBaseline age was 46.2 ± 7.3 years and 56% were female. T2DM occurred in 12.3% of EA and 19.1% of AA. Among EA, 32.6% had ≥ 1 affected first-degree relatives versus 53.1% in AA, P < 0.0001. In fully adjusted Cox proportional hazard analyses, any family history was related to incident T2DM in EA (HR = 2.53, 95% CI: 1.58–4.06) but not in AA (HR = 1.01, 0.67–1.53). The number of affected relatives conferred incremental risk of T2DM in EA with HR = 1.82 (1.08–3.06), 4.83 (2.15–10.85) and 8.46 (3.09–23.91) for 1, 2, and ≥ 3 affected, respectively. In AA only ≥ 3 affected increased risk (HR = 2.45, 1.44–4.19). Specific kinship patterns were associated with incident T2DM in EA but not in AA.ConclusionsThe presence of any first-degree relative with T2DM does not discriminate risk in AA given the high race-specific prevalence of diabetes. Accounting for the number of affected relatives may more appropriately estimate risk for incident diabetes in both races.     

The evidence to support mammography screening

A recent Cochrane review claimed that mammography screening did not save lives and could actually be harmful. In an advisory report to the Dutch government, a committee of the Health Council of The Netherlands concludes that the Cochrane review does not nullify the evidence supporting breast cancer screening programmes for women aged 50 or over. Except for one flawed trial, the committee found no convincing arguments to exclude four out of the six other eligible trials entirely or partially from the analysis. The committee considers the reviewers' conclusions that breast cancer mortality as an outcome is unreliable (biased in favour of screening) and must be replaced by overall mortality to be too extreme. In the committee's view, breast cancer mortality is an important outcome. However, this outcome should be considered in conjunction with all-cancer mortality and all-cause mortality when interpreting the results of screening trials (or observational studies).     

The impact of family history of diabetes on risk factors for gestational diabetes

OBJECTIVE: Familial history of type 2 diabetes (FHD) represents a pathophysiologically unique risk factor for gestational diabetes (GDM), insofar as it encompasses both inherited and lifestyle elements. We thus hypothesized that the risk factors for gestational hyperglycaemia in women with FHD may differ from those in women without FHD. DESIGN/PATIENTS/MEASUREMENTS: GDM risk factors were evaluated in 90 women with FHD and in 83 women without FHD, at the time of oral glucose tolerance testing in late pregnancy. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups in ethnicity, prepregnancy BMI, the insulin-sensitizing protein adiponectin, glucose tolerance status and area-under-the-glucose-curve (AUC(gluc)). In women with FHD, a multiple linear regression model of established GDM risk factors reconciled 35% of the variance in AUC(gluc), with (i) previous GDM (t = 3.74, P = 0.0003) identified as a positive independent determinant and (ii) log adiponectin (t = -3.48, P = 0.0008) and, unexpectedly, parity (t = -3.19, P = 0.0021) emerging as negative independent covariates of AUC(gluc). In contrast, in women without FHD, the same multivariate model reconciled only 15% of the variance in AUC(gluc), with no significant variables identified. Interestingly, in the entire population (n = 173), parity significantly modified the relationship between FHD and AUC(gluc) (FHD-parity interaction: t = -2.29, P = 0.0235). Indeed, FHD was an independent determinant of AUC(gluc) in nulliparous women (n = 91), but not in parous women (n = 82). CONCLUSION: Established risk factors for GDM are relevant in women with FHD but may not be the principal determinants of gestational hyperglycaemia in women without FHD. Moreover, FHD may be more relevant to risk of GDM in nulliparous women than in parous subjects. These findings highlight the complex relationship between FHD and gestational hyperglycaemia, and may hold implications for selective screening for GDM.     

Parameters of childhood obesity and their relationship to cardiovascular risk factors in healthy prepubescent children.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate which of the currently applied parameters to assess childhood overweight best predict cardiovascular risk factors. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study comparing five different methods to define overweight with respect to their power to predict cardiovascular risk factors. SUBJECTS: A total of 838 healthy children from the Prevention-Education-Program (Nuremberg, Germany; age 4-9 y, 405 boys, 433 girls). MEASUREMENTS: Obesity parameters-body mass index (BMI), ponderal index (PI), the sum of triceps and subscapular skinfold thickness (SFT), percentage body fat (%BF) using SFT and two different regression formulas (Slaughter, %BF-SL; Dezenberg, %BF-DZ). Overweight defined by the 90th age- and sex-specific percentile of each obesity parameter. Comparison of LDL- and HDL-cholesterol, apolipoprotein-B (apo-B), triglycerides (TG), fibrinogen and blood pressure values (SBP/DBP) between normal-weight and overweight children. RESULTS: When overweight is defined by BMI or PI, all cardiovascular risk factors are significantly (P<0.01) different between overweight and normal-weight children (BMI: TG+20.5%, HDL-chol.-8.6%, LDL-chol.+9.6%, apo-B+6.8%, SBP+7.4%, DBP+8.6%, fibrinogen+13.2%; PI: TG+24.3%, HDL-chol.-6.1%, LDL-chol.+9.0%, apo-B+7.4%, SBP+5.9%, DBP+6.7%, fibrinogen+13.9%), while SFT, %BF-SL and %BF-DZ did not predict all cardiovascular risk factors. A sex-specific analysis showed that in girls BMI and PI both predict cardiovascular risk factors, while in boys this is only valid for BMI. CONCLUSION: In prepubescent children, height-to-weight indices such as BMI or PI better predict cardiovascular risk factors than obesity parameters using skinfold measurement. The BMI may be superior to the PI as the association between BMI and cardiovascular risk factors is less affected by gender.     

Fifteen percent of myocardial infarctions and coronary revascularizations explained by family history unrelated to conventional risk factors. The Reykjavik Cohort Study.

Aims To examine the relationship between history of myocardial infarction in first-degree relatives and the risk of developing coronary heart disease (myocardial infarction or coronary revascularization).Methods and Results A total of 9328 males and 10062 females, randomly selected residents of the Reykjavik area, aged 33-81 years, were examined in the period from 1967 to 1996 in a prospective cohort study. Cardiovascular risk assessment was based on characteristics at baseline. Information on history of myocardial infarction in first-degree relatives was obtained from a health questionnaire. Mean follow-up was 18 and 19 years for men and women, respectively. During follow-up 2700 men and 1070 women developed coronary heart disease. Compared with subjects without a family history, the hazard ratio of coronary heart disease was 1.75 (95% confidence interval, CI, 1.59-1.92) for men and 1.83 (95% CI, 1.60-2.11) for women, with one or more first-degree relatives with myocardial infarction. The risk factor profile was significantly worse in individuals with a positive family history. After allowance for these risk factors, the hazard ratio was still highly significant, 1.66 (CI, 1.51-1.82) and 1.64 (CI, 1.43-1.89) for men and women, respectively. Family history of myocardial infarction was attributed to 15.1% of all cases of coronary heart disease in men and 16.6% in women, independent of other known risk factors.Conclusion Family history of myocardial infarction increases the risk of developing coronary heart disease in both men and women and is largely independent of other classic risk factors. Approximately 15% of all myocardial infarctions can be attributed to familial factors that have not been measured in the study or remain to be elucidated.     

Improving the utilization of screening mammography in primary care practices

Screening mammography is underutilized in many primary care practices. We designed a prospective, controlled trial to evaluate two strategies for improving the utilization of mammography in an academic general medicine clinic. We assigned teams of house officers to (1) physician audit with periodic feedback, (2) a visit-based strategy directed at both patient and physician, or (3) a no intervention concurrent control arm. After 6 months, the percentage of 50- to 74-year-old women meeting the standard of an annual mammogram was 36% for patients in the control arm, 62% for patients of feedback residents, and 54% for patients of the arm receiving the visit-based strategy. Patients of female providers were slightly more likely to meet the standard, but no effects were detected for patient race, new as opposed to follow-up patient, or higher frequency of clinic visits. We conclude that audit with feedback and a new visit-based strategy of a patient cue associated with a simplification of the ordering process each greatly improved the rate of utilization of screening mammography. Practitioners could reasonably choose the strategy most suited to their own situation.     

Colonoscopic screening of persons with suspected risk factors for colon cancer. I. Family history

A family history of colorectal cancer is believed to place persons at increased risk for development of the disease. It is unclear, however, how "strong" a family history must be to increase this risk or to make colonoscopic screening appropriate. We performed initial colonoscopy in 154 asymptomatic subjects whose only suspected risk factor was one or two first-degree relatives with colorectal cancer; 48 of these subjects also had affected second- and third-degree relatives. We found 45 adenomas in 28 subjects (18%). One subject had a 3-cm villous adenoma. In 6 subjects, the most advanced findings were tubular adenomas 5-9 mm in diameter; in 21 subjects, we found only tubular adenomas that were 2-4 mm in diameter. The prevalence of adenomas increased significantly with age of subjects (p less than 0.01). Although the overall prevalence of colorectal neoplasms in our group was no greater than might be expected in the general population, subjects with two first-degree relatives tended to have more diminutive adenomas than those with one such relative. Our findings suggest that colonoscopy is not an appropriate first step in screening persons with one affected first-degree relative. For those with more complex family histories, more data are needed--particularly on the prevalence of advanced neoplasms--to determine whether a screening technique that is less costly and less invasive than colonoscopy may be adequate.     

Effects of age on the relationship between drinking and atherosclerotic risk factors

BACKGROUND: Drinking modulates the progress of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases by affecting atherosclerotic risk factors. However, age-dependent effects of drinking on atherosclerotic risk factors have not been clarified in detail. OBJECTIVE: In this cross-sectional study, we investigated whether the relationship between drinking and atherosclerotic risk factors is influenced by age in male workers (12,386 men aged from 20 to 69 years) in Yamagata, a district of Japan. METHODS: The subjects were divided into five age groups, and each group was further divided into three subgroups according to ethanol consumption. The mean levels of each atherosclerotic risk factor were compared among the groups. RESULTS: Neither body mass index nor fasting blood glucose levels were significantly affected by drinking at any age. In the heavy drinkers (ethanol consumption of 30 g per day or more) in all age groups, blood pressure, serum triglyceride and HDL cholesterol levels were significantly higher and serum LDL cholesterol level and the atherogenic index were significantly lower than in the nondrinkers. In the light drinkers (ethanol consumption of less than 30 g per day) in all age groups, serum HDL cholesterol level and the atherogenic index were also higher and lower, respectively, than in the nondrinkers. However, light drinking significantly increased blood pressure only in the middle aged and relatively elderly groups (40-49, 50-59, 60-69 years of age) and significantly decreased the serum LDL cholesterol level only in relatively young and middle aged groups (30-39, 40-49, 50-59 years of age). Thus, the effects of light drinking on blood pressure and serum LDL cholesterol are dependent on age. The serum triglyceride level was not significantly affected by light drinking in any age group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that light drinking increases blood pressure in the middle-aged and the elderly but not in the young, while its beneficial effects on serum HDL cholesterol and atherogenic index are not changed with age.     

How family history and risk factors for hypertension relate to ambulatory blood pressure in healthy adults

BACKGROUND: Although family history is a major predictor of hypertension, other risk factors have been linked to elevated blood pressure (BP). This study explored the relationship of norepinephrine (NE), insulin resistance and lipids to family history of hypertension, and attempted to determine the combined effects of family history and these factors on BP. METHODS: A total of 220 healthy men and women, aged 22-50 years, completed two 24 h ambulatory BP sessions. Based on family history information obtained from parents, three groups were formed: subjects with two hypertensive parents, one hypertensive parent or normotensive parents. Plasma samples were obtained to derive fasting catecholamine levels, insulin, glucose and lipids. RESULTS: Individuals with two hypertensive parents had high insulin, insulin resistance and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Although NE was not directly linked to family history, high NE levels were associated with increased BP, after controlling for family history and body mass index. Women with two hypertensive parents and elevated NE levels had higher systolic BP and diastolic BP during waking and sleep periods. In men the combination of two hypertensive parents and high NE was related only to diastolic BP during waking. CONCLUSIONS: NE results provide evidence of sympathetic activation in the identification of individuals at risk for hypertension. Studying family history of hypertension and other risk factors in healthy individuals provides a unique opportunity to explore factors leading to elevated BP long before a diagnosis of hypertension is made.     

Strong family history and cigarette smoking as risk factors of coronary artery disease in young adults.

This study is based on 435 consecutive patients age 50 or less who had coronary arteriography. There were 335 patients with coronary artery disease and 100 with normal coronary arteries. Risk factors reviewed were "packet-years" of cigarette smoking, family history of coronary disease in first-degree relatives 50 years of age or less, age- and sex-corrected serum cholesterol and triglycerides, hypertension, and diabetes. By univariate analysis, each risk factor except hypertension and diabetes was significantly more frequent in patients with coronary disease than in those without. By multivariate analysis of all risk factors in patients with and without coronary disease, the male or female patient with coronary disease could best be identified by the strong family history, cigarette smoking history, and age- and sex-corrected serum cholesterol. The percentage of patients with coronary disease when the three risk factors were present was 95%, two factors present 88%, one factor present 67%, none of the three 25%, strong family history alone 90%, smoking alone 66%, and serum cholesterol greater than 80th centile alone 52%.     

Comprehensive risk profiles of family history and lifestyle and metabolic risk factors in relation to diabetes: A prospective cohort study

BackgroundFamily history of diabetes, unhealthy lifestyles, and metabolic disorders are individually associated with higher risk of diabetes, but how different combinations of the three risk categories are associated with incident diabetes remains unclear. We aimed to estimate the associations of comprehensive risk profiles of family history and lifestyle and metabolic risk factors with diabetes risk.MethodsThis study included 5290 participants without diabetes at baseline with a mean follow‐up of 4.4 years. Five unhealthy lifestyles and five metabolic disorders were each allocated a score, resulting in an aggregated lifestyle and metabolic risk score ranging from 0 to 5. Eight risk profiles were constructed from combinations of three risk categories: family history of diabetes (yes, no), lifestyle risk (high, low), and metabolic risk (high, low).ResultsCompared with the profile without any risk category, other profiles exhibited incrementally higher risks of diabetes with increasing numbers of categories: the hazard ratio (HR, 95% confidence interval [CI]) for diabetes ranged from 1.34 (1.01–1.79) to 2.33 (1.60–3.39) for profiles with one risk category, ranged from 2.42 (1.45–4.04) to 4.18 (2.42–7.21) for profiles with two risk categories, and was 4.59 (2.85–7.39) for the profile with three risk categories. The associations between the numbers of risk categories and diabetes risk were more prominent in women (p _interaction = .025) and slightly more prominent in adults <55 years (p _interaction = .052).ConclusionsThis study delineated associations between comprehensive risk profiles with diabetes risk, with stronger associations observed in women and slightly stronger associations in adults younger than 55 years.     

高血压家族史与糖尿病发病的关系

探讨高血压家族史（ＨＰＨＩＳ）阳性人群与糖尿病患病的关系。方法对我国１９个省市２５岁以上的２５万人糖尿病普查中１５２２４人按有地ＨＰＨＩＳ分成阳性和阴性组,按１９９７年美国ＡＤＡ标准分为正常人（ＮＧＴ）、糖耐量低减（ＩＧＴ）、糖尿病、进行组间比较及多因素回归分析。结果（１）ＨＰＨＩＳ阳性组与阴性组比较年龄、ＢＭＩ、ＷＨＲ、血糖、血压显著增高（Ｐ〈０．０００１）,ＷＪＧ ＧＭＷＷＸＥＧ ＯＹＶＫＮＩ     

The screening sexual history. Getting to the problem

"Getting to the problem" is a critical hurdle that doctor and patient must overcome to allow effective therapeutic intervention. When "the problem" has anything to do with the topic of sexual functioning, that hurdle becomes even greater for a number of reasons. The reticence among elderly patients and their providers regarding this topic frequently constitutes an actual barrier to open and effective communication. If, however, a good screening sexual history is routinely elicited, much useful clinical data will be obtained. Furthermore, the patient may be sensitized to a number of issues of which he or she might not have been aware. Perhaps most importantly, the door has been opened so that if concerns or problems about sexual functioning arise in the future, the patient will feel more comfortable discussing them with the clinician. In sum, the benefits for both patient and clinician far exceed the costs in time and effort when a screening sexual history is obtained from a geriatric patient.     

A family history of type 2 diabetes increases risk factors associated with overfeeding

Aims/hypothesis  

The purpose of the study was to test prospectively whether healthy individuals with a family history of type 2 diabetes are more susceptible to adverse metabolic effects during experimental overfeeding.