Mortality by causes in HIV-infected adults: comparison with the general population

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We compared mortality by cause of death in HIV-infected adults in the era of combined antiretroviral therapy with mortality in the general population in the same age and sex groups.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Mortality by cause of death was analyzed for the period 1999-2006 in the cohort of persons aged 20-59 years diagnosed with HIV infection and residing in Navarre (Spain). This was compared with mortality from the same causes in the general population of the same age and sex using standardized mortality ratios (SMR).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>There were 210 deaths among 1145 persons diagnosed with HIV (29.5 per 1000 person-years). About 50% of these deaths were from AIDS. Persons diagnosed with HIV infection had exceeded all-cause mortality (SMR 14.0, 95% CI 12.2 to 16.1) and non-AIDS mortality (SMR 6.9, 5.7 to 8.5). The analysis showed excess mortality from hepatic disease (SMR 69.0, 48.1 to 78.6), drug overdose or addiction (SMR 46.0, 29.2 to 69.0), suicide (SMR 9.6, 3.8 to 19.7), cancer (SMR 3.2, 1.8 to 5.1) and cardiovascular disease (SMR 3.1, 1.3 to 6.1). Mortality in HIV-infected intravenous drug users did not change significantly between the periods 1999-2002 and 2003-2006, but it declined by 56% in non-injecting drug users (<it>P </it>= 0.007).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Persons with HIV infection continue to have considerable excess mortality despite the availability of effective antiretroviral treatments. However, excess mortality in the HIV patients has declined since these treatments were introduced, especially in persons without a history of intravenous drug use.</p

Genetic analysis of the vitamin D receptor gene in two epithelial cancers: melanoma and breast cancer case-control studies

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Vitamin D serum levels have been found to be related to sun exposure and diet, together with cell differentiation, growth control and consequently, cancer risk. Vitamin D receptor (<it>VDR</it>) genotypes may influence cancer risk; however, no epidemiological studies in sporadic breast cancer (BC) or malignant melanoma (MM) have been performed in a southern European population. In this study, the <it>VDR </it>gene has been evaluated in two epithelial cancers BC and MM.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We have conducted an analysis in 549 consecutive and non-related sporadic BC cases and 556 controls, all from the Spanish population, and 283 MM cases and 245 controls. Genotyping analyses were carried out on four putatively functional SNPs within the <it>VDR </it>gene.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>An association with the minor allele A of the non-synonymous SNP rs2228570 (rs10735810, <it>Fok</it>I, Met1Thr) was observed for BC, with an estimated odds ratio (OR) of 1.26 (95% CI = 1.02–1.57; p = 0.036). The synonymous variant rs731236 (<it>Taq</it>I) appeared to be associated with protection from BC (OR = 0.80, 95%CI = 0.64–0.99; p = 0.047). No statistically significant associations with MM were observed for any SNP. Nevertheless, sub-group analyses revealed an association between rs2228570 (<it>FokI</it>) and absence of childhood sunburns (OR = 0.65, p = 0.003), between the 3'utr SNP rs739837 (<it>Bgl</it>I) and fair skin (OR = 1.31, p = 0.048), and between the promoter SNP rs4516035 and the more aggressive tumour location in head-neck and trunk (OR = 1.54, p = 0.020).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In summary, we observed associations between SNPs in the <it>VDR </it>gene and BC risk, and a comprehensive analysis using clinical and tumour characteristics as outcome variables has revealed potential associations with MM. These associations required confirmation in independent studies.</p

Incidencia y mortalidad por cáncer en Navarra, 1998-2002. Evolución en los últimos 30 años

Entre 1998-2002 se registraron 16.952 nuevos casos de cáncer en Navarra. En los hombres, los cánceres más frecuentemente diagnosticados fueron, por este orden próstata, pulmón, colon y recto, vejiga y estómago, que sumaron el 63,2% de todos los casos de cáncer. En mujeres las localizaciones de mama, colon y recto, cuerpo de útero, estómago y ovario sumaron el 57,6 % del total de los casos. En el mismo periodo, 1998-2002, fallecieron por cáncer 4.127 hombres y 2.470 mujeres. El 60 % de todas las muertes producidas por tumores malignos en hombres se debieron a las localizaciones de pulmón, próstata, colón y recto, estómago y vejiga. En las mujeres las localizaciones de colon y recto, mama, estómago, páncreas y pulmón, sumaron el 49% de las defunciones por cáncer. En los hombres de Navarra han aumentado las tasas de incidencia del cáncer de próstata, riñón y linfoma no Hodgkin. Cánceres evitables, como los relacionados con el hábito de fumar (pulmón, cavidad oral y faringe o páncreas), continúan en ascenso, y representan mayor riesgo global de morir por cáncer en el último periodo estudiado que en las décadas de los años 1970 y 1980. A partir de 1995 y hasta la actualidad, la mortalidad por cáncer pasó de ocupar el segundo lugar a ser la primera causa de muerte entre los hombres de Navarra. El riesgo global de muerte por cáncer en hombres se ha igualado al primer periodo estudiado 1975-77. Entre las mujeres el riesgo global de muerte por cáncer descendió un 25% entre 1975 y 2002, a costa fundamentalmente del cáncer de mama y de estómago. Los tumores relacionados con el hábito de fumar muestran incrementos tanto en la mortalidad como en la incidencia y emerge como un problema importante de salud entre las mujeres de Navarra. Ha aumentado la incidencia de cáncer de mama, en cambio en la mortalidad se sitúa en cifras inferiores a las del primer periodo 1975-77. El cáncer invasivo de cérvix se mantiene en tasas muy bajas respecto a muchos países europeos, incluida España. En ambos sexos han aumentado el cáncer colorrectal y el melanoma mientras que continúa el descenso de la incidencia y mortalidad por cáncer de estómago.Between 1998-2002, 16,952 new cases of cancer were registered in Navarre. In men, the most frequently diagnosed cancers were in the following order: prostate, lung, colon and rectum, bladder and stomach, which accounted for 63.2%. In women, the sites were breast, colon and rectum, corpus uteri, stomach and ovary, which accounted for 57.6% of the cases. In the same period, 1998-2002, 4,127 men and 2,470 women died from cancer. Sixty percent of all deaths due to malign tumours in men were due to cancer of the lung, prostate, colon and rectum, stomach and bladder. In women this was due to cancers of colon and rectum, breast, stomach, pancreas and lung, which accounted for 49% of the cases. In men in Navarre there has been an increase in the incidence rates of cancer of the prostate, kidney and nonHodgkin lymphoma. Avoidable cancers such as those related to smoking (lung, oral cavity and pharynx or pancreas) continue to rise, and represent a greater global risk of dying from cancer in the latest period studied than in the decades of the 1970s and 1980s. From 1995 up to the present, mortality due to cancer has moved from occupying the second place to become the first cause of death among men in Navarre. The global risk of death due to cancer in men is now equal to the first period studied, 1975-1977. Amongst women the global risk of death due to cancer fell by 25% between 1975 and 2002, basically at the cost of breast and stomach cancer. Tumours related to smoking increased both in mortality and in incidence and appear as a significant health problem amongst women in Navarre. Breast cancer has increased in incidence, with lower mortality figures than those of the first period 1975-1977. Invasive cancer of the cervix remains at very low rates in comparison with many European countries, including Spain. In both sexes colorectal and skin cancer has increased, while the incidence and mortality of stomach cancer continues to fall