Monitoring disease in England and Wales: methods applicable to routine data-collecting systems.

This paper reviews routine data-collecting systems and methods for disease surveillance in England and Wales. It discusses population-based correlation studies, which seek to explain disease trends by relating routine health statistics to possible causative agents on a secular, geographical, or occupational basis. It describes recent developments in linking information collected by routine general purpose systems as a means of identifying and following individuals exposed to potential hazards.     

Randomised trial of high doses of stilboestrol and ethisterone therapy in pregnancy: long-term follow-up of the children.

The 27-year follow-up is reported of 136 children whose mothers were involved in a randomised trial of high doses of stilboestrol and ethisterone therapy during pregnancy. The children were not contacted directly. Information about them was obtained from hospitals, general practitioners, and other official sources; and the persons who responded to our inquiries were unaware of who had been exposed to hormones in utero and whose mothers had received an inactive tablet. All children were traced. Urogenital anomalies were reported more frequently in the hormone-exposed than the unexposed children (14% and 9% respectively). The earlier in pregnancy the therapy began, the higher the prevalence rate of abnormalities (X2 for trend, p less than 0.02). No malignant tumours were reported. For males, the proportion reported to be married or living as married was lower in the exposed than in the unexposed group (32% and 62% respectively). The proportion was lower the earlier in pregnancy hormonal exposure occurred and the higher the total hormone dose to which they were exposed (X2 for trend, p less than 0.02). These findings suggest that some interference with sexual function may not be uncommon in males exposed to high doses of stilboestrol and ethisterone while in utero.     

Antibodies against six human herpesviruses in relation to seven cancers in black South Africans: A case control study

Background  

Infections with certain human herpesviruses have been established as risk factors for some cancer types. For example, Epstein-Barr Virus is considered a cause of Burkitt's lymphoma and other immunosuppression related lymphomas, Hodgkin lymphoma, and nasopharyngeal cancer. Several other human herpesviruses have been linked to cancers but the totality of evidence is inconclusive.     

Comparison of BALP,CTX-I,and IL-4 levels around miniscrew implants during orthodontic tooth movement between two different amounts of force

Objectives:To evaluate the Interleukin-4 (IL-4), bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP), and C-telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX-I) levels in peri-miniscrew crevicular fluid (PMCF) during orthodontic tooth movement between 75 and 150 g of distalization force.Materials and Methods:Thirty miniscrews were placed bilaterally between the maxillary second premolars and first molars. The right and the left maxillary canines were moved distally using either 75 or 150 g of force. PMCF samples were collected before loading (T0); at 2 hours (T1) and 24 hours (T2) later; and on days 7 (T3), 14 (T4), 21 (T5), 30 (T6), and 90 (T7) after force application. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits were used to determine BALP, CTX-I, and IL-4 levels.Results:There was no significant difference between the force groups at all time points with respect to BALP, CTX-I, and IL-4 levels (P > .05). There was no significant difference among time points for the two force groups in terms of BALP and IL-4 levels (P > .05). The CTX-I level at T3 was significantly higher than at T0 for both force groups (P < .05).Conclusions:Both 75 g and 150 g of orthodontic force are within optimal force limits, and there is no difference in biochemical markers of bone turnover.     

Risk factors for ovarian cancer: a case-control study

A hospital-based case-control study of ovarian cancer was conducted in London and Oxford between October 1978 and February 1983. Menstrual characteristics, reproductive and contraceptive history and history of exposure to various environmental factors were compared between 235 women with histologically diagnosed epithelial ovarian cancer and 451 controls. High gravidity, hysterectomy, female sterilisation and oral contraceptive use were associated with a reduced risk of ovarian cancer. Infertility and late age at menopause were associated with an increase in risk. While these factors were related, they were each found to be independently associated with ovarian cancer risk after adjusting for the effect of the other factors.     

Paraplegia and squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder in young women: findings from a case-control study.

A death certificate-based case-control study was conducted on 207 women aged 25-44 who died of bladder cancer in England and Wales in the period 1971-89 and 411 controls matched on sex, year of death and age at death. An odds ratio of 12.0 (95% CI 1.5-99.7) was found for women with a history of paraplegia. Four of the six paraplegic women were reported to have had squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder compared with only 19 of the 201 non-paraplegic women. These findings suggest that squamous cell carcinomas of the bladder, especially in paraplegics, may be the result of chronic urinary tract infection.