Design and conduct of occupational epidemiology studies: III. Design aspects of case-control studies

Currently available approaches for the design of occupational case-control studies are reviewed. An accompanying paper reviews methods of analysis. We commence by drawing a distinction between cohort-based and registry-based studies. Methods for selecting cases and controls are then reviewed, including cumulative incidence and incidence density sampling, matching, sources of controls, and issues in control selection. Finally, the advantages and disadvantages of the case-control approach are summarized.     

CT导向下经皮射频消融术治疗肾上腺恶性肿瘤

目的对29例肾上腺肿瘤患者行射频消融（RFA）治疗，研究其近期局部治疗效果、不良反应和副作用。方法肾上腺肿瘤患者共29例，病灶总数31个，其中直径≤2．0cm的病灶共5个，2．1-4．0cm者18个，4．1-6．0cm者5个，≥6．1cm者3个，经RFA治疗1个月后行螺旋CT双期增强扫描评价肿瘤治疗效果。结果上述病灶经消融治疗后达到完全坏死者分别为5个、18个、3个、2个。患者无严重并发症出现。结论RFA治疗安全可靠，副作用小，是治疗肾上腺恶性肿瘤的有效方法之一。     

MR频谱检测乳酸的脉冲序列优化研究

目的通过改变一系列脉冲序列参数，以利于乳酸的最佳检测与定量分析。方法制作含乳酸玻璃模型。改变一系列的MR脉冲序列参数，应用点解析频谱序列(point resolved spectroscopy，PRESS)和激励回波序列(stimulated echo acquisition，STEAM)获得乳酸模型的相应频谱。另外，对12例脑病变患者和2例健康志愿者进行磁共振频谱检查，测量出每个波峰的峰高，并绘出序列变化曲线图。结果STEAM各波峰的峰向与PRESS序列一致，但STEAM各峰高均低于同等条件的PRESS峰。随着TE时间的延长，用乳酸模型测出的乳酸峰的峰高一序列曲线图呈波浪状变化，正向双峰在TE=26、270ms时共振波幅达到最大绝对值，负向双峰在TE=135～160ms之间达到最大绝对值。脑病变患者和健康志愿者的扫描结果表明，乳酸峰在优化的序列高于非优化的序列。结论优化的脉冲序列更有利于乳酸的检测与定量分析。     

自杀行为及其干预的研究进展

自杀已经成为一个世界范围内的重大公共卫生问题。中国的自杀特征具有独特性。自杀行为的发生往往是内在因素与外部因素相互作用的结果，它与社会学、心理学、伦理学、生物学、精神病学等各方面密切相关。自杀原因虽然错综复杂，但我们要提高意识，认识到自杀是一种可以预防的公共卫生问题。     

How many subjects are needed in a longitudinal birth cohort study?

One of the first decisions that needs to be taken when planning a birth cohort concerns the size of the study. This in turn will depend on the research questions to be answered and thence whether environmental exposures and outcomes are measured on a continuum or as dichotomous variables. Here we describe ways in which different birth cohorts have addressed this issue and explore the advantages of smaller detailed studies over larger less-detailed studies.     

Travel distance, age, and sex as factors in follow-up visit compliance in the post-gastric bypass population

BACKGROUND: There is no consensus regarding the optimal rate of follow-up in the post-bariatric surgery patient population. METHODS: The records of all patients who underwent laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass from 2001 to 2003 were reviewed. Using patient zip codes, travel distances were calculated between the patients' places of residence and our clinic. Patients were then assigned to 1 of 3 cohorts according to the following distances: (1) < 50 miles, (2) 50 to 100 miles, and (3) > 100 miles. Patient compliance with follow-up appointments at 3 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 12 months was analyzed. Linear trends were identified using the Mantel-Haenszel test. Age and sex were analyzed as possible predictors of compliance using the chi(2) test. P values < .05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The study group comprised 150 patients (127 females and 23 males). The 3 cohorts contained 115, 21, and 14 patients, respectively. All patients in each cohort were compliant with the 3-week follow-up appointment. Although there were differences in compliance between cohorts at each of the remaining appointments, only the 9-month (70.3% vs 61.9% vs 35.7%) visit showed statistical significance (P = .035). The 6-month visit trended toward significance (85.2% vs 76.2% vs 64.3%; P = .088). Males were more likely to be compliant with the 12-month follow-up (P = .040). When controlling for sex, travel distance was also a predictor of compliance at this follow-up visit (P = .024). Age was not predictive of compliance (P = .827). CONCLUSION: Based on our findings, we conclude that travel distance from the clinic does not significantly affect compliance at the initial follow-up, 3-month, and 12-month appointments. However, distance does tend to affect compliance at the 6-month appointment and significantly affects compliance at the 9-month appointment. Males are more likely to be compliant at the 12 month follow-up visit. We must continue to strive for 100% follow-up in our post-bariatric surgery patients.     

Improved estimates of discordance ratios in twin studies

In the study of monozygotic twins relative to disease and risk factors, particular interest focuses on the subset who are discordant for some suspected risk factor (for example, smoking), since such twins constitute a natural case-control pair. In such studies, questionnaires designed to identify the status of all twin pairs are sometimes error prone and can yield misleading estimates of the concordance-discordance ratios. Greater efforts to verify the characteristics of apparently discordant pairs than to verify those of apparently concordant pairs can result in the 'unequal ascertainment' fallacy. Using the results of a questionnaire with known error rates and the 'apparent' frequencies yielded, we present unbiased, maximum likelihood estimates of the 'true' proportions of concordant and discordant pairs. concordant and discordant pairs. We also present approximate covariances among these estimates.     

老年腹主动脉瘤非手术治疗的长期超声随访研究

目的超声随访观察经非手术治疗的老年腹主动脉瘤的发展变化规律。方法超声随访诊断明确、病历及影像学资料完整的老年腹主动脉瘤非手术治疗患者37例，按首次发现时瘤体大小分3组，定期测量并记录各组腹主动脉扩张最明显处横切面直径，计算年增长量。结果37例腹主动脉瘤首次发现时瘤径大小平均为4．68cm，随访年限0．5～11年，平均6．1年，瘤径平均每年增长0．47cm。14例瘤径小于4．0cm，平均年增长0．23cm，15例瘤径小于6．0cm，平均年增长0．37cm，8例瘤径大于6．0cm，平均年增长0．67cm。随访期间死亡5例，其中因动脉瘤破裂死亡2例，破裂前瘤径大小分别为8．35cm、8．91cm。7例随访期间因瘤径短期内明显增大而行腹主动脉瘤腔内支架隔绝术。结论老年腹主动脉瘤瘤径小于6．0cm者随增龄增长缓慢，大于6．0cm者随增龄增长快，应进行积极的外科干预。     

MRI在心脏瓣膜病中的诊断价值

目的 探讨多序列MR扫描在心脏瓣膜病中的诊断价值。方法 回顾性分析56例心脏瓣膜病患者的影像学资料，患者分别采用超声心动图（UCG）、二维（2D）黑血及亮血序列、K-空间节段真实稳态进动快速扫描序列（True FISP）对瓣膜病进行定性评价，15例患者还进行小角度快速激发（FLASH）电影序列和流速编码电影（VEC）定量分析，并将MR结果与UCG进行对比。结果 UCG和MRI诊断二尖瓣狭窄（MS）2例，二尖瓣关闭不全（MI）23例；主动脉瓣狭窄（AS）7例，其中二瓣畸形5例；主动脉瓣关闭不全（AI）13例；三尖瓣关闭不全（TI）2例；复合或联合瓣膜病9例。受累心腔的增大和升主动脉的扩张是其主要形态学改变，异常的血液湍流信号是受累瓣膜的直接征象。VEC-MR定量分析与多普勒超声一致性好：6例AS，MR和UCG检查结果相关性分析，相关系数和校正相关系数分别为：R=0，975、Rsq=0．951（P〈0．01），AI9例，分别为R=0．965、Rsq=0．932（P〈0．01）。结论 MR多序列综合扫描可对心脏瓣膜病特别是主动脉瓣疾病进行准确的定性及定量评价。     

氟西汀与阿米替林治疗105例抑郁障碍病人的双盲对照试验

目的：评价国产氟西汀的抗抑郁作用及安全性。方法：采用随机、双盲对照、多中心研究，分为国产氟西汀组５７例（男性２２例，女性３５例；年龄４０±ｓ１３ａ），口服氟西汀２０ｍｇ，ｑｄ，阿米替林５７例（男性２７例，女性３０例；年龄４０±１４ａ），口服阿米替林７５ｍｇ，ｂｉｄ，疗程６ｗｋ。结果：氟西汀治疗抑郁障碍的疗效与阿米替林相当，总有效率分别为８５％及９２％（Ｐ＞０．０５）；氟西汀组的主要副作用有口干、便秘、恶心、心动过速等，但较之阿米替林程度轻且发生率低。结论：氟西汀的抗抑郁作用与阿米替林相当，副作用少，服用方便。