Yoghurt Intake and Gastric Cancer: A Pooled Analysis of 16 Studies of the StoP Consortium

Background: Yoghurt can modify gastrointestinal disease risk, possibly acting on gut microbiota. Our study aimed at exploring the under-investigated association between yoghurt and gastric cancer (GC). Methods: We pooled data from 16 studies from the Stomach Cancer Pooling (StoP) Project. Total yoghurt intake was derived from food frequency questionnaires. We calculated study-specific odds ratios (ORs) of GC and the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for increasing categories of yoghurt consumption using univariate and multivariable unconditional logistic regression models. A two-stage analysis, with a meta-analysis of the pooled adjusted data, was conducted. Results: The analysis included 6278 GC cases and 14,181 controls, including 1179 cardia and 3463 non-cardia, 1191 diffuse and 1717 intestinal cases. The overall meta-analysis revealed no association between increasing portions of yoghurt intake (continuous) and GC (OR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.94–1.02). When restricting to cohort studies, a borderline inverse relationship was found (OR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.88–0.99). The adjusted and unadjusted OR were 0.92 (95% CI = 0.85–0.99) and 0.78 (95% CI = 0.73–0.84) for any vs. no yoghurt consumption and GC risk. The OR for 1 category of increase in yoghurt intake was 0.96 (95% CI = 0.91–1.02) for cardia, 1.03 (95% CI = 1.00–1.07) for non-cardia, 1.12 (95% CI = 1.07–1.19) for diffuse and 1.02 (95% CI = 0.97–1.06) for intestinal GC. No effect was seen within hospital-based and population-based studies, nor in men or women. Conclusions: We found no association between yoghurt and GC in the main adjusted models, despite sensitivity analyses suggesting a protective effect. Additional studies should further address this association.Fondazione AIRC per la ricerca sul cancro 21378Unidade de Investigacao em Epidemiologia-Instituto de Saude Publica da Universidade do Porto (EPIUnit) UIDB/04750/2020National funds from the Foundation for Science and Technology-FCT (Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education)Project NEON-PC-Neuro-oncological complications of prostate cancer: longitudinal study of cognitive decline' - FEDER through the Operational Program Competitiveness and Internationalisation POCI-01-0145-FEDER-03235 PTDC/SAU-EPI/32358/2017Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT)EPIunit-Junior Research-Prog Financing UIDP/04750/2020Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP) 2014/26897-0European Cancer Prevention OrganizationUnited States Department of Health & Human Services National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA NIH National Cancer Institute (NCI

Vaccination Confidence among Healthcare Workers: Results from Two Anamnestic Questionnaires Adopted in the COVID-19 and Influenza Campaign

Background: Following the announcement of the development of COVID-19 vaccines, hesitancy about the safety of vaccinations and their side effects have spread, despite having the approval of international drug agencies. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that concern about side effects may have led people to fill out the COVID-19 anamnestic vaccine questionnaire with greater attention compared to the similar instrument used for the influenza vaccination. Methods: We analyzed vaccination questionnaires of 218 healthcare workers (HCWs) who underwent both COVID-19 and influenza vaccines in 2020/2021. Outcomes included self-reported allergies, chronic pharmacological treatments, and chronic diseases. We tested the difference in prevalence, analyzed differences using the kappa statistics and concordance correlation, and explored factors associated with differences in reporting. Results: HCWs reported more allergies to substances other than drugs and a higher prevalence of chronic drug intake in the COVID-19 questionnaires than in the influenza ones. Technical staff reported more drug allergies than physicians, and other HCWs reported more outcomes than physicians in the COVID-19 questionnaire. Conclusions: We found that this population of HCWs reported higher conditions during the 2020 COVID-19 vaccination campaign compared to that of the influenza vaccine. The identification of socio-demographic characteristics of the less vaccine-confident HCWs could help in planning targeted interventions to enhance vaccine adherence

Effectiveness of prevention of SARS-CoV-2 transmission among unvaccinated Italian healthcare workers

Background: We aimed to investigate the association between personal protective equipment (PPE) use and SARS-CoV-2 infection among healthcare workers (HCWs). Methods: We analyzed occupational surveillance contact forms followed by a PCR test notified between March and September 2020 by Italian HCWs. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs) for positive PCR based on HCWs and contacts characteristics were calculated through multivariable logistic regression models. When multiple contacts were potentially effective for a PCR test, they were weighted by the inverse of their number. Results: Overall, 4,883 contacts reported by 2,952 HCWs were analyzed, and 224 contacts among 144 HCWs had positive PCR. No difference was found according to sex, age, employment, or job title, except for an OR of 0.30 (95%CI 0.11-0.78) for resident physicians, compared to administrative staff. The ORs for use of surgical mask were 0.59 (95%CI=0.40-0.86) for use only by HCW, 0.49 (95%CI=0.22-1.07) only by the infected person, and 0.40 (95%CI=0.27-0.60) by both, compared to use by neither. Use of other PPEs was not associated with infection, while the OR for hand sanitation was 0.61 (95%CI=0.40-0.93). HCWs reporting fever, cough, and asthenia had a higher risk of infection. Conclusions: Use of surgical masks was associated with a 40-60% lower risk of infection, especially when both HCWs and infected individuals used them. Our results quantify the role played by mask use and hand sanitation in preventing SARS-CoV-2 transmission in high-risk circumstances

Dietary Ruminant and Industrial Trans-Fatty Acids Intake and Colorectal Cancer Risk

As colorectal cancer (CRC) is largely due to modifiable lifestyle habits, the awareness on its risk factors is highly important. Dietary fatty acids have been linked to CRC risk. We explored the association between dietary trans fatty acids (TFAs) intake and CRC risk. We analyzed 865 CRC cases (434 in colon and 404 in rectum) and 3206 controls of the IROPICAN study, with data collected by trained interviewers using validated questionnaires. TFAs intake (industrial and ruminant types) was categorized into quartiles. Multivariate logistic regression models were built to calculate the odds ratios (OR) for the association between CRC and TFAs. We observed a positive association between industrial TFAs and colon cancer (OR for highest vs lowest quartile [ORQ4vsQ1] = 1.28, 95% confidence interval 1.07–1.54). A higher association was observed between industrial TFAs and CRC, occurring after 50 years of age. In addition, elaidic acid was associated with an increased risk of colon (ORQ4vsQ1 = 1.58, 1.24–2.02) and specifically of proximal colon cancer (OR Q4vsQ1 = 2.12, 1.40–3.20), as well as of rectum cancer (ORQ4vsQ1 = 1.40, 1.07–1.83). An inverse association was observed between ruminant TFAs intake and colon cancer risk (ORQ4vsQ1 = 0.80, 0.67–0.97). Industrial TFAs, such as semisolid/solid hydrogenated oils, may increase the risk of CRC, especially colon and proximal colon cancer. In contrast, ruminant TFAs do not appear to be associated with CRC. Awareness programs and regulatory actions regarding hydrogenated oils are warranted, given their high consumption through ultra-processed foods in more developed and less developed countries.publishedVersionPeer reviewe

Association between dietary fat intake and colorectal cancer : A multicenter case-control study in Iran

The evolving trends in colorectal cancer (CRC) as one of the most common malignancies worldwide, have likely been influenced by the implementation of screening programs and changes in lifestyle habits. Changing lifestyle, including the shift in diet composition with higher fat, sugar, and animal-source foods intake, led to an increasing burden of CRC in countries undergoing rapid socioeconomic improvement. Results for the link between specific fatty acids (FAs) and CRC are generally inconclusive and more limited in developing countries than elsewhere. This study aims to investigate the association between FA intakes and CRC and its anatomical subsites in a large Iranian case-control study. A food frequency questionnaire was used to collect information on dietary intake in 865 cases and 3206 controls. We conducted multivariate logistic regression models to calculate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). We found positive association between CRC and high intake of dietary total fat (OR highest quartile Q4 = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.32–2.38), cholesterol (ORQ4 = 1.58, 95% CI = 1.22–2.05), and palmitoleic acid (ORQ4 = 2.16, 95% CI = 1.19, 3.91), and an inverse association with high intake of dietary heptanoic acid (ORQ4 = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.14, 0.79) and low intake of palmitic acid (OR lowest quartile Q2 = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.31–0.88). None of the fat variables were associated with rectal cancer. Our study suggests that the recommendation of limited consumption of fats may decrease the risk of CRC among the Iranian population.publishedVersionPeer reviewe

Inverse Association between Dietary Iron Intake and Gastric Cancer: A Pooled Analysis of Case-Control Studies of the Stop Consortium

Background: Inconsistent findings have been reported regarding the relationship between dietary iron intake and the risk of gastric cancer (GC). Methods: We pooled data from 11 case-control studies from the Stomach Cancer Pooling (StoP) Project. Total dietary iron intake was derived from food frequency questionnaires combined with national nutritional tables. We derived the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for quartiles of dietary iron through multivariable unconditional logistic regression models. Secondary analyses stratified by sex, smoking status, caloric intake, anatomical subsite and histological type were performed. Results: Among 4658 cases and 12247 controls, dietary iron intake was inversely associated with GC (per quartile OR 0.88; 95% CI: 0.83-0.93). Results were similar between cardia (OR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.77-0.94) and non-cardia GC (OR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.81-0.94), and for diffuse (OR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.69-0.89) and intestinal type (OR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.79-0.98). Iron intake exerted an independent effect from that of smoking and salt intake. Additional adjustment by meat and fruit/vegetable intake did not alter the results. Conclusions: Dietary iron is inversely related to GC, with no difference by subsite or histological type. While the results should be interpreted with caution, they provide evidence against a direct effect of iron in gastric carcinogenesis

Temporal trends of COVID-19 antibodies in vaccinated healthcare workers undergoing repeated serological sampling: An individual-level analysis within 13 months in the ORCHESTRA cohort

Short summaryWe investigated changes in serologic measurements after COVID-19 vaccination in 19,422 subjects. An individual-level analysis was performed on standardized measurements. Age, infection, vaccine doses, time between doses and serologies, and vaccine type were associated with changes in serologic levels within 13 months.BackgroundPersistence of vaccine immunization is key for COVID-19 prevention.MethodsWe investigated the difference between two serologic measurements of anti-COVID-19 S1 antibodies in an individual-level analysis on 19,422 vaccinated healthcare workers (HCW) from Italy, Spain, Romania, and Slovakia, tested within 13 months from first dose. Differences in serologic levels were divided by the standard error of the cohort-specific distribution, obtaining standardized measurements. We fitted multivariate linear regression models to identify predictors of difference between two measurements.ResultsWe observed a progressively decreasing difference in serologic levels from <30 days to 210–240 days. Age was associated with an increased difference in serologic levels. There was a greater difference between the two serologic measurements in infected HCW than in HCW who had never been infected; before the first measurement, infected HCW had a relative risk (RR) of 0.81 for one standard deviation in the difference [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.78–0.85]. The RRs for a 30-day increase in time between first dose and first serology, and between the two serologies, were 1.08 (95% CI 1.07–1.10) and 1.04 (95% CI 1.03–1.05), respectively. The first measurement was a strong predictor of subsequent antibody decrease (RR 1.60; 95% CI 1.56–1.64). Compared with Comirnaty, Spikevax (RR 0.83, 95% CI 0.75–0.92) and mixed vaccines (RR 0.61, 95% CI 0.51–0.74) were smaller decrease in serological level (RR 0.46; 95% CI 0.40–0.54).ConclusionsAge, COVID-19 infection, number of doses, time between first dose and first serology, time between serologies, and type of vaccine were associated with differences between the two serologic measurements within a 13-month period

Corrigendum: Temporal trends of COVID-19 antibodies in vaccinated healthcare workers undergoing repeated serological sampling: an individual-level analysis within 13 months in the ORCHESTRA cohort

: [This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1079884.]