The ability of the SCORE high-risk model to predict 10-year cardiovascular disease mortality in Norway.

AIMS: To evaluate the predictive accuracy of the Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) project high-risk function in Norway. METHODS AND RESULTS: We included 57 229 individuals screened in 1985-1992 from two population-based surveys in Norway (age groups 40-49, 50-59, and 60-69 years). The data have been linked to the Norwegian Cause of Death Registry. The SCORE high-risk algorithm for the prediction of 10-year cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality was applied, and the risk factors entered into the model were age, sex, total cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, and smoking (yes/no). The number of expected events estimated by the SCORE model (E) was compared with the observed numbers (O). The SCORE low-risk algorithm was studied for comparison. In men, the observed number of CVD deaths was 718, compared with 1464 estimated by the SCORE high-risk function (O/E ratios 0.53, 0.53 and 0.45, for age groups 40-49, 50-59 and 60-69, respectively). In women, the observed and expected numbers were 226 and 547. The O/E ratios decreased with age (ratios 0.60, 0.45 and 0.37, respectively), i.e. the overestimation increased with age. The low-risk function predicted reasonably well for men (ratios 0.85, 0.92 and 0.79, respectively), whereas an overestimation was found for women aged 50-59 and 60-69 years (ratios 0.69 and 0.56, respectively). CONCLUSION: The SCORE high-risk model overestimated the number of CVD deaths in Norway. Before implementation in clinical practice, proper adjustments to national levels are required.     

Association of a common polymorphism in the cyclooxygenase 2 gene with risk of non-small cell lung cancer

Carcinogenesis, 25, 229–235, 2004 We reported the association of     

Effects of ouabain,age and K-depletion on K-uptake in rat soleus muscle

The relationship between the number of³H-ouabain binding sites and the Na, K-pump mediated K-uptake has been characterized in rat soleus muscle. By brief exposure to³H-ouabain (1×10^–6–1×10^–5mol/l) in vitro, it could be measured that 19–94% of the ouabain binding sites had been occupied. This was associated with a proportionate decrease in the ouabain suppressible K-uptake indicating that under strictly standardized conditions, measurements of³H-ouabain binding sites quantify functional Na,K-pumps.When 3 week old rats were K-depleted for a further week followed by K-repletion 2 h before measurements, the³H-ouabain binding site concentration was 61% lower than in age-matched control soleus muscles. However, the ouabain suppressible K-uptake was only reduced by 35% partly because intracellular Na remained higher in the muscles obtained from K-depleted rats.From the 1st to the 4th week of life, the³H-ouabain binding site concentration increased 2.9-fold. In contrast, the ouabain suppressible K-uptake decreased by a factor 3.5. Accordingly, in muscles from 1 week old rats, the ouabain suppressible K-uptake per³H-ouabain binding site was 10-fold higher than in muscles from 4 week old rats. This difference could not be accounted for by changes in intracellular Na, total or extracellular water. It may be related to differentiation and change in structure.On the basis of the present results and those reported in the literature for mouse and frog skeletal muscle it was calculated that under resting conditions at 30°C in vitro, isolated skeletal muscles only utilize between 3 and 25% of their total capacity for active Na, K-transport. Therefore, variations in the total Na, K-pump capacity may not readily be detected in measurements of the ouabain suppressible rate of K-uptake.     

Incidence of cancer among male waiters and cooks: two Norwegian cohorts

Previous occupational survey studies have identified waiter and cook as possible high risk occupations for cancer. However, few cohort studies have been performed among persons in the restaurant business, and we therefore have analyzed cancer incidence in two cohorts of Norwegian waiters and cooks. The cohorts consisted of skilled male workers, 1,463 waiters and 2,582 cooks, who received their craft certificate between 1958 and 1983. The cohorts were followed from 1959 through 1991. The standardized incidence ratio (SIR) for all causes of cancer was 1.4 (95 percent confidence interval [CI]=1.2–1.7] for waiters, and 1.1 (CI=0.9–1.4) for cooks. Cancers of the tongue, mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, and liver were grouped together as alcohol-associated cancers. SIR for these cancers combined was 5.1 (CI=3.4–-7.4) for waiters and 4.2 (CI=2.2–7.2) for cooks. For lung cancer, SIR was 2.0 (CI=1.3–2.9) for waiters and 0.7 (CI=0.2–1.7) for cooks. For alcohol-associated cancers, the analysis carried out according to number of years since first employment showed a larger number of cases than expected for both occupations in all time-periods. The excess of lung cancer cases among waiters appeared after 30 years or more of employment. The study shows that waiters and cooks are at high risk of cancers associated with alcohol consumption, and that waiters, in addition, show high rates for lung cancer. The hypothesis of an occupational lung-cancer risk in cooks was not supported by this study.Dr Kjerheim and Mr Andersen are with The Cancer Registry of Norway. Address crrespondence to Dr Kjerheim, The Cancer Registry of Norway, Institute for Epidemiological Cancer Research, Montebello, 0310 Oslo, Norway. This project was supported by grants from the Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry.     

Microvascular decompression of the cochlear nerve in patients with severe tinnitus. Preoperative findings and operative outcome in 22 patients

Abstract

We evaluated the operative outcome in 22 consecutive patients who underwent microvascular decompression (MVO) of the intracranial portion of the cochlear nerve to relieve incapacitating tinnitus and related it to preoperative findings. The patients were selected for operation from the following criteria: severe tinnitus with sensorineural hearing loss and/or changes in brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs). Fifty percent had unilateral tinnitus. Before operation, 77 patients (77%) had sensorineural hearing loss in their affected ear. BAEPs were abnormal in 27 patients (95%) and acoustic middle ear reflex response was abnormal in six patients (27%). Vascular compression of the cochlear nerve was found in all patients during the operation. After the operation, 33% had relief of their tinnitus (two patients were totally free of tinnitus and five were markedly improved). Eight patients were slightly improved (38%), and the tinnitus did not change in four patients; two patients (70%) became worse. Of the patients with unilateral tinnitus, 63% had relief oftheir tinnitus. In one patient hearing was noticeably improved after the operation. Five patients (23%) had mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss due to the operation. No other complications were detected. [Neural Res 1998; 20: 242-248]     

Preclinical evaluation of potential infection‐imaging probe [68Ga]Ga‐DOTA‐K‐A9 in sterile and infectious inflammation

The development of bacteria‐specific infection radiotracers is of considerable interest to improve diagnostic accuracy and enabling therapy monitoring. The aim of this study was to determine if the previously reported radiolabelled 1,4,7,10‐tetraazacyclododecane‐N,N′,N″,N?‐tetraacetic acid (DOTA) conjugated peptide [⁶⁸Ga]Ga‐DOTA‐K‐A9 could detect a staphylococcal infection in vivo and distinguish it from aseptic inflammation. An optimized [⁶⁸Ga]Ga‐DOTA‐K‐A9 synthesis omitting the use of acetone was developed, yielding 93 ± 0.9% radiochemical purity. The in vivo infection binding specificity of [⁶⁸Ga]Ga‐DOTA‐K‐A9 was evaluated by micro positron emission tomography/magnetic resonance imaging of 15 mice with either subcutaneous Staphylococcus aureus infection or turpentine‐induced inflammation and compared with 2‐deoxy‐2‐[¹⁸F]fluoro‐D‐glucose ([¹⁸F]FDG). The scans showed that [⁶⁸Ga]Ga‐DOTA‐K‐A9 accumulated in all the infected mice at injected doses ≥3.6 MBq. However, the tracer was not found to be selective towards infection, since the [⁶⁸Ga]Ga‐DOTA‐K‐A9 also accumulated in mice with inflammation. In a concurrent in vitro binding evaluation performed with a 5‐carboxytetramethylrhodamine (TAMRA) fluorescence analogue of the peptide, TAMRA‐K‐A9, the microscopy results suggested that TAMRA‐K‐A9 bound to an intracellular epitope and therefore preferentially targeted dead bacteria. Thus, the [⁶⁸Ga]Ga‐DOTA‐K‐A9 uptake observed in vivo is presumably a combination of local hyperemia, vascular leakiness and/or binding to an epitope present in dead bacteria.     

Cancer in offspring of parents engaged in agricultural activities in Norway: Incidence and risk factors in the farm environment

In this study of cancer in offspring we demonstrate that factors linked to horticulture and use of pesticides are associated with cancer at an early age, whereas factors in animal husbandry, in particular poultry farming, are associated with cancers in later childhood and young adulthood. Incident cancer was investigated in offspring born in 1952–1991, to parents identified as farm holders in agricultural censuses in Norway in 1969–1989. In the follow-up of 323,292 offspring for 5.7 million person-years, 1,275 incident cancers were identified in the Cancer Registry for 1965–1991. The standardized incidence for all cancers was equal to the total rural population of Norway, but cohort subjects had an excess incidence of nervous-system tumours and testicular cancers in certain regions and strata of time that could imply that specific risk factors were of importance. Classification of exposure indicators was based on information given at the agricultural censuses. Risk factors were found for brain tumours, in particular non-astrocytic neuroepithelial tumours: for all ages, pig farming tripled the risk [rate ratio (RR), 3.11; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.89–5.13]; indicators of pesticide use had an independent effect of the same magnitude in a dose-response fashion, strongest in children aged 0 to 14 years (RR, 3.37; 95% CI, 1.63–6.94). Horticulture and pesticide indicators were associated with all cancers at ages 0 to 4 years, Wilms' tumour, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, eye cancer and neuroblastoma. Chicken farming was associated with some common cancers of adolescence, and was strongest for osteosarcoma and mixed cellular type of Hodgkin's disease. The main problem in this large cohort study is the crude exposure indicators available; the resulting misclassification is likely to bias any true association towards unity. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.