Can environment or allergy explain international variation in prevalence of wheeze in childhood?

Asthma prevalence in children varies substantially around the world, but the contribution of known risk factors to this international variation is uncertain. The International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC) Phase Two studied 8–12 year old children in 30 centres worldwide with parent-completed symptom and risk factor questionnaires and aeroallergen skin prick testing. We used multilevel logistic regression modelling to investigate the effect of adjustment for individual and ecological risk factors on the between-centre variation in prevalence of recent wheeze. Adjustment for single individual-level risk factors changed the centre-level variation from a reduction of up to 8.4% (and 8.5% for atopy) to an increase of up to 6.8%. Modelling the 11 most influential environmental factors among all children simultaneously, the centre-level variation changed little overall (2.4% increase). Modelling only factors that decreased the variance, the 6 most influential factors (synthetic and feather quilt, mother’s smoking, heating stoves, dampness and foam pillows) in combination resulted in a 21% reduction in variance. Ecological (centre-level) risk factors generally explained higher proportions of the variation than did individual risk factors. Single environmental factors and aeroallergen sensitisation measured at the individual (child) level did not explain much of the between-centre variation in wheeze prevalence

Evaluation of hand asymmetry in relation to hand preference [Procjena asimetrije ruku u odnosu na preferenciju ruku]

We evaluated the asymmetric hand measurements in right- and left-handed individuals. 343 men and 290 women aged 18-42 years (22.11±2.07) participated in the study. There were no statistically significant differences when right-left differences in hand length, third finger length, palmar length, and the digit index value were evaluated according to hand preference and sex. Statistically significant differences were found for right-left differences in hand width, hand- -shape index, and the palmar length/width according to hand preference. The strong left-handers, weak left-handers, and ambidextrous individuals in the study group all exhibited asymmetry favoring the left and were considered together. Similarly, the strong and weak right-handers exhibited asymmetry favoring the right hand and were considered together. The difference between these two groups was significant. When the data were evaluated according to sex, significant differences were found between the subgroups. In particular, right-left differences in the hand-shape index and palmar length/width values of the strong left-handers, weak left-handers, and ambidextrous individuals were found to be statistically significant according to sex; in contrast, the strong and weak right-handers showed no significant differences according to sex. These results suggest a relation of hand asymmetry to hand preference in a Turkish population

Hand-grip strenghts in right- and left-handers with different degrees of hand preferences

We evaluated hand grip- strength in right- and left-handed individuals with different degrees of preferences. Six hundred and thirty-three individuals (343 men, 290 women) aged between 18 and 42 years (22.11±2,07) participated. Hand preference was determined using the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory. A hydraulic hand dynamometer was used to measure the grip-strengths, while sitting with the elbow in 90° flexion and the forearm in semi-pronation, lying on an arm rest. The mean value of three trials was recorded. Statistically significant differences were observed among strongly right-handed men, weakly right-handed men, ambidextrous men, weakly left-handed men, and strongly left-handed men for right-hand grip strength. The differences between strong left- and strong right-handed men, weak right-handed and strong left-handed men, ambidextrous, and strong left-handed men were the primary reasons for the significance. No statistically significant difference was found among the different hand preference groups of men for the left hand, and no statistically significant difference was detected among different hand preference groups of women for either hand. Our study provides insight into the relationship between handedness and hand performance based on grip strength in a Turkish population. © Universitätsverlag Ulm GmbH 2008

Quality of life of Turkish patients with depression in Ankara and in Berlin

Background and Objectives: Quality of life (QOL) of immigrant groups with mental disorders should be compared with similar patients in the country of origin. Therefore, this study evaluated the QOL in Turkish patients who were in treatment because of depressive disorders in Ankara and Berlin. Subjects and Methods: Patients with depressive disorders were recruited from services in Ankara and Berlin. The same researcher interviewed all patients and assessed socio-demographic characteristics, symptomatology, psychiatric diagnosis and QOL. Results: QOL of patients in Ankara was significantly higher than that of patients in Berlin. Satisfaction with specific life domains also showed significant differences between the two groups. Factors positively associated with QoL in Berlin were marital status, shorter duration of marriage, fewer occupants per household, a relaxed religious attitude, being informed about the illness by the physician, and lower levels of symptoms. In Ankara, only initial help seeking behavior and level of depressive symptoms were associated with QOL. Conclusion: QOL of Turkish patients with depression in Berlin appears lower than that of similar patients in Ankara. Different factors may influence QOL of Turkish patients with depression living in the place of origin and having emigrated to Germany. © 2008 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved

Symptoms of Turkish Patients with Depression in Ankara and Berlin

The official published article is available online at journals.psychiatryonline.or

Comparison of different matching methods in observational studies and sensitivity analysis: The relation between depression and STAI-2 scores

In researches where two or more groups are desired to be compared, observational and randomized experiments are very frequently used. As the subjects are randomly assigned to the groups in randomized experiments, balance is provided in observed/unobserved covariates of subjects in different groups. As the subjects cannot be randomly distributed into groups in observational studies, balance of observed/unobserved covariates between groups is not provided. This situation causes a biased estimate of the treatment effect. In this research, it is focused on different matching methods in observational studies and elimination of observed covariate effects confounding in the group effect, and these methods are examined comparatively. For this purpose, the effect of depression in 300 migraine patients, obtained from an observational study, on State continuous anxiety scale scores is taken and compared with the five different matching methods. Sensitivity of results is examined and it is researched whether the effect of treatment contains any bias. When results are examined, it is seen that matching methods produce similar results due to the overlap of propensity distribution in groups, high and balanced number of subjects in groups and covariates being not so many in number. The effects of unobserved covariates do not change the effect of treatment significantly. In conclusion, it is seen that, in the estimation of group effect in observational studies, it is possible to eliminate the effects of observed covariates using matching methods and matching quality of matching methods based on the propensity score is high. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Relationship between hand and eye preferences

This study evaluated the relationship between hand and eye preferences in 343 men and 290 women aged between 18 and 42 years (22.11±2.07). Right-handed men preferred their right eyes, whereas left-handed men preferred their left eyes (p .05), but a significant difference was observed between left-eye preference and a preference for both eyes (p = .008). Right-handed women preferred their right eyes, whereas left-handed women preferred their left eyes (p .05). The results suggest that cultural differences among study groups and individual differences within study groups explain the inconsistencies regarding hand and eye preferences. Moreover, the findings broaden our knowledge about eye preference in relation to hand preference in a Turkish population. © Universitätsverlag Ulm GmbH 2008

multiple sclerosis patients

Background: The aims of this study were to test the validity, test-retest reliability, and internal consistency of Turkish version of FIS; the variables affecting FIS score.Materials and methods: 71 MS patients and 68 healthy subjects were included to the study.Results: Total FIS score and subscale scores were different statistically between MS patients and healthy volunteers in both first and second FIS applications (p 0.05). To assess the test-retest reliability, the scores of two FIS applications did not differ statistically (cognitive t= 1.948 p > 0.05, physical t= 1.420 p=0.160, social t= 1.470 p=0.146, total t= 1.990 p=0.05). Intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.89 (99% confidence interval: 0.79-0.94) for cognitive, 0.95 (0.91-0.97) for physical, 0.91 (0.83-0.95) for social, and 0.93 (0.86-0.96) for total FIS scores (p < 0.001). EDSS Correlated with physical subscores in both applications of FIS.Conclusion: Turkish version of FIS, which is valid and reliable, seems an appropriate tool for the assessment of the effects of fatigue in Turkish MS population. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Mortality attributable to carbapenem-resistant nosocomial Acinetobacter baumannii infections in a Turkish university hospital

This study was performed to compare the mortality associated with carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) and carbapenem-sensitive A. baumannii (CSAB) infections, to identify potential risk factors for CRAB infections, and to investigate the effects of potential risk factors on mortality in CRAB and CSAB patients. This retrospective case-control study was conducted in a university hospital between January 1, 2005 and December 30, 2006. One hundred and ten patients with CRAB and 55 patients with CSAB infection were identified during the study period. The mortality rate was 61.8z and 52.7z in CRAB and CSAB cases, respectively (P = 0.341). In CRAB cases, the risk factors for mortality were identified as intubation (odds ratio [OR], 3.3; 95z confidence interval [CI], 1.0-10.1; P = 0.042) and high APACHE II score (OR, 1.2; 95zCI, 1.1-1.3; P = 0.000), by multivariate analysis. Previous use of carbapenem (OR, 6.1; 95z CI, 2.2-17.1; P = 0.001) or aminopenicillin (OR, 2.5; 95z CI, 1.2-5.1; P = 0.013) were independently associated with carbapenem resistance. Although the mortality rate was higher among patients with CRAB infections, this difference was not found to be statistically significant. Previous use of carbapenem and aminopenicillin were found to be independent risk factors for infections with CRAB

Relationship of apoE polymorphism with lipoprotein(a), apoA, apoB and lipid levels in atherosclerotic infarct

Background and purpose: Apolipoprotein E (apoE) polymorphism is suggested to be a risk factor in stroke in some populations, either by affecting lipid parameters or independently. Its effect on lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is not known. The roles of apoE polymorphism and of high Lp(a) levels in atherosclerotic stroke (AS) in the Turkish population are unclear. Our aim was to investigate the relationship of apoE alleles and Lp(a) level with AS and the relationship of apoE alleles with Lp(a) and other lipid parameters. Methods: ApoE polymorphisms and lipid parameters were prospectively evaluated in 85 patients and 77 controls with normal brain imaging. Results: Only hypertension, diabetes mellitus, associated vascular diseases and decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were found to be independent risk factors for stroke. However, in the presence of apoE/E4 allele, increased low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-chol), apolipoprotein B (apoB) and Lp(a) levels and in the presence of apo E/E3 allele, only Lp(a) levels were determined as risk factors. Conclusion: This study showed that while apoE polymorphism was not a risk factor itself, high Lp(a), LDL-chol and apoB were determined to be risk factors in E3 or E4 carriers. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved