ACE I/D polymorphism is associated with mortality in a cohort study of patients starting with dialysis

ACE I/D polymorphism is associated with mortality in a cohort study of patients starting with dialysis.BackgroundIn dialysis patients, only a few follow-up studies have addressed the relationship between the insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism in the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene and mortality, but the available data are contradictory.MethodsA cohort of 453 consecutive patients starting dialysis between January 1999 and January 2002 and participating in a Dutch multicenter prospective study was examined. Patients who died within 3 months after the start of dialysis were excluded. Patients were followed until date of death or censoring in November 2003.ResultsThe ACE II, ID, and DD genotype frequencies were 24.3% (N = 110), 50.1% (N = 227), and 25.6% (N = 116). Besides a slightly higher number of Caucasians in the DD group, all other patient characteristics of the 3 ACE groups were similar at the start of dialysis. After adjustment for age, comorbidity, and ethnic background, patients with the ID and DD genotype showed an increased hazard ratio (HR) for all-cause mortality of 1.55 (95% CI 1.00-2.42) and 2.30 (95% CI 1.41-3.75), compared to patients with the II genotype. Slightly lower HRs were found for cardiovascular mortality. All groups of primary kidney disease showed a 2- to 3-fold increased adjusted HR for DD.ConclusionThe DD genotype identifies dialysis patients at an increased risk for mortality

Evaluatie van de pilot Sociale veiligheid LHBT-jongeren op school

In dit onderzoek werd een pilot geëvalueerd gericht op het verbeteren vanhet klimaat ten aanzien van lesbiennes, homoseksuelen, biseksuelen entransgenders (LHBT's) het basisonderwijs, het voortgezet onderwijs en hetspeciaal basisonderwijs/(voortgezet) speciaal onderwijs. In de pilot stondenverschillende activiteiten centraal, zoals voorlichting en trainingen.De 132 deelnemende scholen werden at random ingedeeld in een experimentele en een controlegroep. 2469 basisschoolleerlingen en 9403 leerlingen in het voortgezet onderwijs vulden tijdens een voormeting (najaar2012) en een nameting (voorjaar 2013) een vragenlijst in. Via deze effectmeting werden enkele effecten vastgesteld: in de experimentele groep werden de houdingen van basisschoolleerlingen ten aanzien van LHBT's nade pilot positiever. In de experimentele groep voelden scholieren in hetvoortgezet onderwijs met homoseksuele, lesbische of biseksuele gevoelenszich na de pilot veiliger in de klas. Daarnaast werden er diepte-interviewsgehouden met onder andere leerlingen en leraren op een selectie van twintigscholen. Hieruit kwam naar voren dat een persoonlijk verhaal van eenervaringsdeskundige leerlingen aan het denken kan zetten, net als wanneerklasgenoten vertellen over LHBT's die zij kennen. Vervolgonderzoek moetuitwijzen welke meer concrete onderdelen van interventies effectief zijnen welke niet

Odour annoyance in the neighbourhood of livestock farming - perceived health and health care seeking behaviour

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Odour annoyance forms the main source of environmental stress in residents living in the proximity of animal feeding operations (AFOs) and it has been associated with reduced health. This study aims to gain more insight into the association between AFOs in the neighbourhood, odour annoyance, other environmental stressors, and health, and incorporates health care seeking behaviour for reported symptoms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional data from 753 people living in an area in the Netherlands with a high density of AFOs was evaluated. Odour and other environmental annoyances in the neighbourhood, general health and symptom reporting were obtained by questionnaire. Health care utilisation was obtained from electronic medical records of general practices. The number of pigs, poultry and cattle within a 500 m radius from homes was computed using Geographic Information System data. Mutually adjusted multiple Poisson and (ordinal) logistic regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: The number of pigs, poultry and cattle was equally associated with odour annoyance. This annoyance was associated with reduced general health and increased reporting of respiratory, gastrointestinal, neurological and stress-related symptoms. Participants rarely consulted their general practitioner for reported symptoms. Environmental stressors were weakly associated. CONCLUSIONS: The number of animals around the homes was associated with odour annoyance. Odour annoyance was associated with reduced health, which could be a reason for caution with the construction of new AFOs

Additional file 1: of Doctor-diagnosed health problems in a region with a high density of concentrated animal feeding operations: a cross-sectional study

Detailed results of association between the number of CAFOs in the high CAFO density region, 2009. (DOCX 31 kb

Risk factors for pneumonia, and ‘other infectious disease’ in 70,142 adults.

<p>Odds ratios and 95% CI were adjusted for all variables in the Table using multiple logistic regression analysis.</p>†<p>‘Other infectious disease’ is the diagnosis code used by GPs for registration of suspected Q fever.</p

Smoothed plots with 95% confidence bands representing associations of the number of goats within 5 km around the home address with pneumonia (A; P = 0.001) and ‘other infectious disease’ (C; P<0.0001), and associations of distance to nearest goat farm with pneumonia (B; P = 0.0002) and ‘other infectious disease’ (D; P<0.0001) among 70,142 adults.

<p>Associations were adjusted for age and sex.</p

The expression of type III hyperlipoproteinemia: Involvement of lipolysis genes

Type III hyperlipoproteinemia (HLP) is mainly found in homozygous apolipoprotein (APO) E2 (R158C) carriers. Genetic factors contributing to the expression of type III HLP were investigated in 113 hyper- and 52 normolipidemic E2/2 subjects, by testing for polymorphisms in APOC3, APOA5, HL (hepatic lipase) and LPL (lipoprotein lipase) genes. In addition, 188 normolipidemic Dutch control panels (NDCP) and 141 hypertriglyceridemic (HTG) patients were genotyped as well. No associations were found for four HL gene polymorphisms and two LPL gene polymorphisms and type III HLP. The frequency of the rare allele of APOC3 3238 G>C and APOA5 -1131 T>C (in linkage disequilibrium) was significantly higher in type III HLP patients when compared with normolipidemic E2/2 subjects, 15.6 vs 6.9% and 15.1 vs 5.8%, respectively, (PC polymorphism and LPL c.27 G>A mutation were higher in type III HLP patients, though not significant. Some 58% of the type III HLP patients carried either the APOA5 -1131 T>C, c.56 G>C and/or LPL c.27 G>A mutation as compared to 27% of the normolipidemic APOE2/2 subjects (odds ratio 3.7, 95% confidence interval=1.8-7.5, PC/APOA5 -1131 T>C polymorphism showed a more severe hyperlipidemia than patients without this polymorphism. Polymorphisms in lipolysis genes associate with the expression and severity of type III HLP in APOE2/2