Recent Lung Cancer Patterns in Younger Age-Cohorts in Ireland

Background: Smoking causes 85% of all lung cancers in males and 70% in females. Therefore, birth cohort analysis and annual-percent-changes (APC) in age-specific lung cancer mortality rates, particularly in the youngest age cohorts, can explain the beneficial impacts of both past and recent anti-smoking interventions. Methods: A long-term time-trend analysis (1958-2002) in lung cancer mortality rates focusing on the youngest age-cohorts (30-49 years of age) in particular was investigated in Ireland. The rates were standardised to the World Standard Population. Lung cancer mortality data were downloaded from the WHO Cancer Mortality Database to estimate APCs in death rates, using the Joinpoint regression (version 3.0) program. A simple age-cohort modelling (log-linear Poisson model) was also done, using SAS software. Results: The youngest birth cohorts (born after 1965) have almost one-fourth lower lung cancer risk relative to those born around the First World War. A more than 50% relative decline in death rates among those between 35 and 39 years of age was observed in both sexes in recent years. The youngest age-cohorts (30-39 years of age) in males also showed a significant decrease in death rates in 1998-2002 by more than 3% every five years from 1958-1962 onwards. However, death rate declines in females are slower. Conclusions: The youngest birth cohorts had the lowest lung cancer risk and also showed a significant decreasing lung cancer death rate in the most recent years. Such temporal patterns indicate the beneficial impacts of both recent and past tobacco control efforts in Ireland. However, the decline in younger female cohorts is slower. A comprehensive national tobacco control program enforced on evidence-based policies elsewhere can further accelerate a decline in death rates, especially among the younger generations

Sex-Differences in Lung Cancer Cell-Types? An Epidemiologic Study in Ireland

Objective: This study assesses the epidemiological pattern of lung cancer cell-types in Ireland, with identification of any underlying gender variations. Methods: Lung cancer incidence data, including the major cell-types: squamous-cell-carcinoma (SCC), adenocarcinoma (AC), small-cell-lung-carcinoma (SCLC) and large-cell-carcinoma (LCC) were obtained from the national cancer registry (1994–2000), together with individual characteristics, such as age, gender, smoking status, and the year of diagnosis. Age-standardised incidence rates (ASIR), male-to-female (M: F) rate ratios (RR) of ASIR for SCC and AC, as well as RR of AC: SCC according to smoking status for both sexes, were estimated. Estimated-annual-percent-changes for each of the cell-types were calculated. Results: AC incidence in females is rising annually (8.5%, p=0.008) from 1994 to 2000, while SCC is declining (−5.4%, p=0.01) in males. M: F ratios of ASIR are consistently greater than ‘one’, but converging recently. RR of AC: SCC is also approaching ‘unity’ across both sexes, irrespective of the smoking status. Conclusions: An apparent increase in lung AC incidence in females was observed in Ireland that might indicate some local environmental risk factors, in addition to changing smoking habits. The study findings do not support the hypothesis that females in general are at higher risk for lung cancer development, but tobacco and histologic-specific susceptibility cannot be ruled out

Association of vitamin D with statin induced myalgia

Objective: To determine the association of serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH) Vitamin D) deficiency with the occurrence of myalgia in patients on statin therapy. Methods: The pathology laboratory database was reviewed to identify patients tested for serum 25(OH) Vitamin D and creatine kinase. A retrospective chart review was then conducted to ascertain statin use and reporting of myalgia for patients tested concurrently for serum 25(OH) vitamin D and creatinekinase levels between January 1, 2013 and December 31, 2013. Results: Of the 825 patients tested for creatine kinase and 25 (OH) Vitamin D in 2013, 49 met the study criteria.The mean serum 25 (OH) Vitamin D level in the 24 statin induced myalgiapatients was 17.93 ± 12.07 compared to 18.99 ± 15.2 in the 25 no SIM group (p = 0.81). Conclusion: Our study reports no association between statin induced myalgia and low 25 (OH) vitamin D levels

Identification and management of atypical Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome immediately post heart transplantation

Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) is a serious hematologic disorder with high mortality if left untreated. A comprehensive literature review revealed only two cases of aHUS post–heart transplantation. In both cases the disease developed after induction of calcineurin inhibitor therapy. We report a case of immediate post–heart transplantation aHUS, manifested before the induction of, and therefore not associated with, calcineurin inhibitor

Analyzing the short term and long-term complication of hysterectomy: a prospective study

Background: Hysterectomy is the most common surgical procedure done worldwide in women. Although many studies were done regarding short term complications, long term complications are not very well followed up. The objective of the study is to analyze short term and also long-term complications for the different mode of hysterectomy.Methods: It was a time-bound hospital-based prospective study which includes all the women who underwent hysterectomy for benign conditions in the hospital except women with prior psychiatric, bowel, bladder and sexual dysfunctions. All the patients were followed up for one year using a set of questionnaires to study short term and long-term complications.Results: No significant difference in short term post-operative complications concerning the mode of hysterectomy except for UTI was more common in vaginal hysterectomy group and haemorrhage in TAH route. Sexual dysfunction was noted even after 1 year of surgery in all modes of hysterectomy. Mild urinary dysfunction found statistically significant even at 1 year follow up in vaginal hysterectomy mode however there was no bothersome urinary dysfunction persistent after one year.Conclusions: Sexual dysfunction is the most common persistent long-term morbidity following hysterectomy found in the present study

Efecto de la hormona de crecimiento sobre los parámetros seminales, el hemograma parcial y el nivel de testosterona en búfalos Nili Ravi

The purpose of this trial was to examine the possible effects of exogenous growth hormone (GH) on semen quality, hematological variables and serum testosterone concentration in Nili Ravi buffalo. Bulls of the treatment group (n=3) were injected with recombinant GH 500 mg in a 15 day interval for 10 consecutive weeks, while bulls of control group (n=3) received equal volume of normal saline solution. Semen samples were collected twice per week and analyzed for physiological parameters. Blood samples collected fortnightly were analyzed for red blood cells count (RBC), hemoglobin concentration (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), white blood cell (WBC), neutrophils, lymphocytes, and serum testosterone levels. Data were analyzed statistically using t-test. Results indicated that GH treatment of Nili-Ravi buffaloes significantly (p<0.05) increased ejaculatory volume (8.8±0.2 vs 7.7±0.2 ml), sperm motility (72.6±0.4 vs 67.4±0.7%), mass activity (3.35±0.07 vs 2.52±0.08), sperm concentration (982.2±67.8 vs 731.9±50.5 million/ml), live sperm (80.1±0.3 vs 75.8±0.5%) and serum testosterone (4.02±0.21 vs 2.37±0.07 ng/ml) compared to control bulls. Among hematological variables, lymphocytes were increased (p<0.05), but MCV, WBC count, and neutrophils decreased (p<0.05). Hb, RBC and PCV remained unchanged. However, values of these variables were within normal ranges for buffalo bulls. In conclusion, treatment of Nili-Ravi bulls with GH improved semen quality and increased serum testosterone without ostensible adverse effects on the general state.El propósito de este ensayo fue examinar los posibles efectos de la hormona de crecimiento exógena (GH) sobre la calidad del semen, algunas variables del hemograma y la concentración de testosterona en suero de toros bubalinos Nili Ravi. Los búfalos del grupo tratado (n=3) fueron inyectados con 500 mg de somatotropina recombinante cada 15 días durante 10 semanas consecutivas, mientras que los del grupo control (n=3) recibieron igual volumen de solución fisiológica salina. Las muestras de semen fueron tomadas dos veces por semana y analizadas para evaluar los parámetros fisiológicos. Las muestras de sangre colectadas quincenalmente fueron analizadas para establecer el recuento de glóbulos rojos, la  concentración de hemoglobina, el hematocrito, el volumen corpuscular medio (MCV), recuento de glóbulos blancos (WBC), tasa de neutrófilos y linfocitos, así como los niveles séricos de testosterona. Los datos obtenidos fueron analizados estadísticamente por medio del test-t de Student. Los resultados indicaron que el tratamiento con somatotropina aumentó significativamente (p<0,05) el volumen eyaculado (8,8±0,2 versus 7,7±0,2 ml), la motilidad del semen (72,6±0,4 versus 67,4±0,7%), la actividad de masa (3,35±0,07 versus 2,52±0,08), la concentración de espermatozoides (982,2±67,8 versus 731,9±50,5 millones/ml), los espermatozoides vivos (80,1±0,3 versus 75,8±0,5%) y el nivel de testosterona sérica (4,02±0,21 versus 2,37±0,07 ng/ml), comparados con los animales controles. En el hemograma aumentaron los linfocitos (p<0,05) y disminuyeron variables como volumen corpuscular medio, recuento de leucocitos y tasa de neutrófilos (p<0,05). Hemoglobina, concentración de eritrocitos y hematocrito permanecieron inalterados. Todos los parámetros investigados se situaron dentro de los rangos normales para toros bubalinos. En conclusión, el tratamiento de búfalos Nili-Ravi con somatotropina mejoró la calidad del semen y aumentó la testosterona sérica, sin provocar ostensibles efectos adversos en el estado general de los toro