Peripheral arterial disease, prevalence and cumulative risk factor profile analysis.

BACKGROUND: The primary aim of the present study was to determine the cumulative effect of a set of peripheral artery disease (PAD) risk factors among age, gender and race/ethnicity groups in the United States. METHODS: We examined data from a nationally representative sample of the US population (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey [NHANES], 1999-2004). A total of 7058 subjects 40 years or older that completed the interview, medical examination and had ankle-brachial index (ABI) measurements were included in this study. RESULTS: The age- and sex-standardized prevalence of PAD was 4.6 % (standard error [SE] 0.3%).The highest prevalence of PAD was observed among elderly, non-Hispanic Blacks and women. In a multivariable age-, gender- and race/ethnicity-adjusted model hypertension, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, and smoking were retained as PAD risk factors (p ≤ 0.05 for each). The odds of PAD increased with each additional risk factor present from a non-significant 1.5-fold increase (O.R 1.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.9-2.6) in the presence of one risk factor, to more than ten-fold (OR 10.2, 95% CI 6.4-16.3) in the presence of three or more risk factors. In stratified analysis, non-Hispanic Blacks (OR 14.7, 95% CI 2.1-104.1) and women (OR 18.6, 95% CI 7.1-48.7) were particularly sensitive to this cumulative effect. CONCLUSION: In a large nationally representative sample, an aggregate set of risk factors that included diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, hypertension and smoking significantly increase the likelihood of prevalent PAD. A cumulative risk factor analysis highlights important susceptibility differences among different population groups and provides additional evidence to redefine screening strategies in PAD

子どもたちの生活の向上 : 1997年から2011年の政策と施行

The incoming ‘New Labour’ government in Britain in 1997 promoted educational attainment as its top policy priority. But by 2003 this priority had a wider focus on improving outcomes for all children – in terms of their health, safety and general well-being, as well as education and training for work. The lecture will describe the wide programme of policy initiatives introduced by the Labour government to improve children’s lives, and the changes made by the Coalition Government from May 2010. It will examine how these have impacted on local authorities, schools and other services for children. The session will also encourage students to relate the above to social policy in Japan. How do policies shape the way that services are provided to children and families? The session will be arranged in three sections: 1. Integrating children’s services - national policy - role and experience of Local Authorities (LAs) - influencing practice of professionals working with children 2. Childcare, parenting and provision - expansion of childcare through legislation - children’s centres - extended schools 3. Child protection and vulnerable children - child abuse - vulnerable groups - children in poverty - children in care - disabled children - children in trouble with the la

Bioimpedance and New-Onset Heart Failure : A Longitudinal Study of >500 000 Individuals From the General Population.

BACKGROUND: Heart failure constitutes a high burden on patients and society, but although lifetime risk is high, it is difficult to predict without costly or invasive testing. We aimed to establish new risk factors of heart failure, which potentially could enable early diagnosis and preemptive treatment. METHODS AND RESULTS: We applied machine learning in the UK Biobank in an agnostic search of risk factors for heart failure in 500 451 individuals, excluding individuals with prior heart failure. Novel factors were then subjected to several in-depth analyses, including multivariable Cox models of incident heart failure, and assessment of discrimination and calibration. Machine learning confirmed many known and putative risk factors for heart failure and identified several novel candidates. Mean reticulocyte volume appeared as one novel factor and leg bioimpedance another, the latter appearing as the most important new marker. Leg bioimpedance was lower in those who developed heart failure during an up to 9.8-year follow-up. When adjusting for known heart failure risk factors, leg bioimpedance was inversely related to heart failure (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval], 0.60 [0.48-0.73] and 0.75 [0.59-0.94], in age- and sex-adjusted and fully adjusted models, respectively, comparing the upper versus lower quartile). A model including leg bioimpedance, age, sex, and self-reported history of myocardial infarction showed good discrimination for future heart failure hospitalization (Concordance index [C-index]=0.82) and good calibration. CONCLUSIONS: Leg bioimpedance is inversely associated with heart failure incidence in the general population. A simple model of exclusively noninvasive measures, combining leg bioimpedance with history of myocardial infarction, age, and sex provides accurate predictive capacity

An Alternate Explanation.

A 48-year-old man with long-standing type 2 diabetes mellitus (recent glycated hemoglobin level, 6.5%) and chronic kidney disease (baseline creatinine level, 3.3 mg per deciliter [292 μmol per liter]; glomerular filtration rate, 24 ml per minute per 1.73 m2 of body-surface area) presented to his primary care physician with a 3-month history of numbness, tingling, and faint violaceous discoloration of the tips of multiple fingers and toes. His physical examination showed reduced light-touch sensation in a glove-and-stocking distribution; the radial and pedal pulses were palpable. The vitamin B12 level was 260 pg per milliliter (192 pmol per liter; normal range, 190 to 950 pg per milliliter [140 to 701 pmol per liter]). He did not smoke tobacco, drink alcohol, or use illicit drugs. One month later, a nontraumatic wound developed on the left foot. The ankle–brachial index (ABI) was 1.2 on both sides (normal range, 0.91 to 1.3). Wound care was initiated for a presumed neuropathic ulcer