scholarly journals The role of gender in the prevalence of human leptospirosis in Albania

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (03) ◽  
pp. 150-155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edmond Puca ◽  
Pellumb Pipero ◽  
Arjan Harxhi ◽  
Erjona Abazaj ◽  
Arjet Gega ◽  
...  

Introduction: Leptospirosis is a zoonotic spirochetal disease with global importance, which continues to have a major impact on public health in developing countries. The prevalence of the disease is much higher in males. The objectives of this study were: to give some data and to share our experience with human leptospirosis in Albania; to describe the prevalence regarding to the role of gender in the prevalence of human leptospirosis; to make a gender specific analysis of the clinical manifestations in patients diagnosed and treated for leptospirosis in our service and to make a review of literature related to this hypothesis. Methodology: We reviewed the epidemiologic data, risk factors and differences in clinical presentation between males and females’ patients with leptospirosis. These data are analysed from hospitalized patients. Diagnosis of leptospirosis was established based on clinical presentation, epidemiological data and subsequently confirmed serologically by Anti-Leptospira IgM antibodies through ELISA test. Results: Between 2005-2016, 233 cases of confirmed leptospirosis were analysed. Males were 208 (89.27%) and 25 of patients (10.72%) were females in ratio 9:1 p < 0.001. The highest prevalence was observed in the 45-64 age groups. Overall mortality was found to be 8.58%, 19 were males and one female p < 0.001. Conclusions: There is a much higher prevalence of leptospirosis in middle aged men. Mortality rate seems to be similar in males and females. While the difference in prevalence may be related to exposure to risk factors, further investigation is necessary to study gender-based genetic and immunological predisposition.

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 689.1-690
Author(s):  
S. Monti ◽  
L. Dagna ◽  
C. Campochiaro ◽  
A. Tomelleri ◽  
G. Zanframundo ◽  
...  

Background:Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is the most frequent systemic vasculitis after the age of 50 years old. Recent interest in the processes of immune and vascular aging have been proposed as a disease risk factor. Data on the impact of age at diagnosis of GCA on the clinical course of the disease are scarceObjectives:To assess the role of age at diagnosis of GCA on the risk and time to relapseMethods:Centres participating in the Italian Society of Rheumatology Vasculitis Study Group retrospectively enrolled patients with a diagnosis of GCA until December 2019. The cohort was divided in tertiles according to age at diagnosis (≤ 72; 73-79; > 79 years old). Negative binomial regression was used to assess the relapse rate according to age groups, and Cox regression for time to first relapse.Results:Of 720 patients enrolled in 14 Italian reference centres, 711 had complete follow-up data (female 50%; mean age 75±7). Median follow-up duration was 34 months (IQR 16;70). Patients in the older group at diagnosis (> 79 years) had more frequent visual loss compared to the 73-79 and ≤ 72 age groups (31% vs 20% vs 7%; p<0.001), but lower rates of general symptoms (56% vs 70% vs 77%; p<0.001). Large-vessel (LV)-GCA was less frequent in the older group (18% vs 22% vs 43%; p<0.001). At least one relapse occurred in 47% of patients. Median time to relapse was 12 months (IQR 6;23). Age did not influence the rate of relapses [18 per 100 persons/years (95%CI 15;21) vs 19 (95% CI 17;22) vs 19 (95%CI 17;22)], nor the time to first relapse (Figure 1). LV-GCA, presentation with significantly elevated c-reactive protein (> 50 mg/L) and general symptoms were independent predictors of relapse.Conclusion:Age at diagnosis of GCA influenced the clinical presentation and risk of ischaemic complications, but did not affect the relapse rate during follow-up. LV-GCA occurred more frequently in younger patients and was an independent predictor of relapse risk, highlighting the need for a correct characterization of the clinical subtype at the early stages of disease.Disclosure of Interests:Sara Monti: None declared, Lorenzo Dagna Grant/research support from: Abbvie, BMS, Celgene, Janssen, MSD, Mundipharma Pharmaceuticals, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, SG, SOBI, Consultant of: Abbvie, Amgen, Biogen, BMS, Celltrion, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, SG, and SOBI, Corrado Campochiaro Speakers bureau: Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, GSK, SOBI, Alessandro Tomelleri: None declared, Giovanni Zanframundo: None declared, Catherine Klersy: None declared, Francesco Muratore: None declared, Luigi Boiardi: None declared, Roberto Padoan: None declared, Mara Felicetti: None declared, Franco Schiavon: None declared, Milena Bond: None declared, Alvise Berti: None declared, Roberto Bortolotti: None declared, Carlotta Nannini: None declared, Fabrizio Cantini: None declared, Alessandro Giollo: None declared, Edoardo Conticini: None declared, angelica gattamelata: None declared, Roberta Priori: None declared, Luca Quartuccio Consultant of: Abbvie, Bristol, Speakers bureau: Abbvie, Pfizer, Elena Treppo: None declared, Giacomo Emmi: None declared, Martina Finocchi: None declared, Giulia Cassone: None declared, Ariela Hoxha Speakers bureau: Celgene, UCB, Novartis, Sanofi, Werfen, Rosario Foti Consultant of: lilly, sanofi, MSD, Janssen, Abbvie, BMS, celgene, roche, Speakers bureau: lilly, sanofi, MSD, Janssen, Abbvie, BMS, celgene, roche, Michele Colaci: None declared, Roberto Caporali Consultant of: AbbVie; Gilead Sciences, Inc.; Lilly; Merck Sharp & Dohme; Celgene; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Pfizer; UCB, Speakers bureau: Abbvie; Bristol-Myers Squibb; Celgene; Lilly; Gilead Sciences, Inc; MSD; Pfizer; Roche; UCB, Carlo Salvarani: None declared, Carlomaurizio Montecucco: None declared


2020 ◽  
Vol 148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fei He ◽  
Hong mei Yang ◽  
Guo ming Li ◽  
Bing qing Zhu ◽  
Yating Zhang ◽  
...  

Abstract Teenagers are important carriers of Neisseria meningitidis, which is a leading cause of invasive meningococcal disease. In China, the carriage rate and risk factors among teenagers are unclear. The present study presents a retrospective analysis of epidemiological data for N. meningitidis carriage from 2013 to 2017 in Suizhou city, China. The carriage rates were 3.26%, 2.22%, 3.33%, 3.53% and 9.88% for 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017, respectively. From 2014 to 2017, the carriage rate in the 15- to 19-year-old age group (teenagers) was the highest and significantly higher than that in remain age groups. Subsequently, a larger scale survey (December 2017) for carriage rate and relative risk factors (population density, time spent in the classroom, gender and antibiotics use) were investigated on the teenagers (15- to 19-year-old age) at the same school. The carriage rate was still high at 33.48% (223/663) and varied greatly from 6.56% to 52.94% in a different class. Population density of the classroom was found to be a significant risk factor for carriage, and 1.4 persons/m2 is recommended as the maximum classroom density. Further, higher male gender ratio and more time spent in the classroom were also significantly associated with higher carriage. Finally, antibiotic use was associated with a significantly lower carriage rate. All the results imply that attention should be paid to the teenagers and various measures can be taken to reduce the N. meningitidis carriage, to prevent and control the outbreak of IMD.


Author(s):  
O. V. Paina ◽  
E. V. Semenova ◽  
I. V. Markova ◽  
L. S. Zubarovskaya ◽  
B. V. Afanasyev

Acute leukemias in children aged under 1 year has different clinical manifestations as compared to patients of older age groups. The prognostic values of ALL and AML in children under 1 year are different. In ALL there are additional independent risk factors which worsen the prognosis. Clinical researches in the field of infant acute leukemia is still under develop and making a significant contribution to the understanding of the biology of leukemogenesis and therapy. The results of therapy in different research groups were comprised: POG, CCG, COG (USA), JPLSG (Japan), Interfant (BFM, researchers from New Zealand, Australia and the USA). The difference of the results led to discrepancy regarding the role of allo-HSCT in the infants treatment. In Raisa Gorbacheva Memorial Research Institute of Children Oncology, Hematology and Transplantation, the 10-year OS after allo-HSCT in the pediatric group with high-risk infant leukemias was 55 %, in the group of patients with restructuring of the MLL gene – 53 % versus 59 % without MLL gene. The results of allo-HSCT depended on the disease stage at the time of treatment, in I–II CR 5-year OS was 79 % (n = 35), in III–IV CR or progression –16 % (n = 20).


2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 218-221
Author(s):  
L. V. Yanitskaya ◽  
L. F. Osinskaya ◽  
A. V. Redko

Hyperglycemia of diabetes mellitus leads to the activation of the polyol way of oxidation of glucose with the activation of the enzymes of aldose reductase and sorbitol dehydrogenase and of their coenzymes NADPH and NAD, which triggers the mechanism of formation of sorbitol. The consequences of these changes lead to microangiopathy of the tissues of the kidneys, which may be one of the pathogenetic mechanisms of diabetic nephropathy. In an accessible literature, the role of coenzymes of sorbitol pathway in the development of diabetic nephropathy is not sufficiently defined. The purpose of the study was to study the content of NAD and NADPH coenzymes, their correlation, and their role in the mechanism of kidney damage in diabetes mellitus and to predict the possible correction of these changes with the NAD-nicotinamide derivative. The study was conducted on a model of streptotrozectinic diabetes mellitus (single administration of streptozotocin in a dose of 60 mg per 1 kg of body weight). Four weeks after induction of diabetes, nicotinamide (100 mg per 1 kg body weight) was injected. The level of glucose was determined by the Accu-chek (Roshe Diagnostics, Switzerland) glucose meter. The content of NAD and NADH was determined in the non-protein extracts. The statistical analysis was carried out using the Microsoft Excel statistical analysis program. The difference between the indicators was considered statistically significant (p<0.05). The NAD level was reduced by 31%, the NAD/NADN ratio was 32%. The dependence of the ratio of NADP/NADPN in conditions of hyperglycemia of diabetes mellitus with clinical manifestations of diabetic nephropathy is determined. A decrease in the ratio of NADP/NADPN to 38% in the rat kidney in the cortical layer was detected. The introduction of nicotinamide normalized the reduced content of NAD diabetic rats. These results provide perspectives for further research in which nicotinamide can be used as a renal protector.


2022 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Han Zhang ◽  
Yingying Wu ◽  
Yuqing He ◽  
Xingyuan Liu ◽  
Mingqian Liu ◽  
...  

Objective: To study the differences in clinical characteristics, risk factors, and complications across age-groups among the inpatients with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).Methods: In this population-based retrospective study, we included all the positive hospitalized patients with COVID-19 at Wuhan City from December 29, 2019 to April 15, 2020, during the first pandemic wave. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to explore the risk factors for death from COVID-19. Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) was performed to study the associations between comorbidities and complications.Results: There are 36,358 patients in the final cohort, of whom 2,492 (6.85%) died. Greater age (odds ration [OR] = 1.061 [95% CI 1.057–1.065], p &lt; 0.001), male gender (OR = 1.726 [95% CI 1.582–1.885], p &lt; 0.001), alcohol consumption (OR = 1.558 [95% CI 1.355–1.786], p &lt; 0.001), smoking (OR = 1.326 [95% CI 1.055–1.652], p = 0.014), hypertension (OR = 1.175 [95% CI 1.067–1.293], p = 0.001), diabetes (OR = 1.258 [95% CI 1.118–1.413], p &lt; 0.001), cancer (OR = 1.86 [95% CI 1.507–2.279], p &lt; 0.001), chronic kidney disease (CKD) (OR = 1.745 [95% CI 1.427–2.12], p &lt; 0.001), and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) (OR = 1.96 [95% CI 1.323–2.846], p = 0.001) were independent risk factors for death from COVID-19. Patients aged 40–80 years make up the majority of the whole patients, and them had similar risk factors with the whole patients. For patients aged &lt;40 years, only cancer (OR = 17.112 [95% CI 6.264–39.73], p &lt; 0.001) and ICH (OR = 31.538 [95% CI 5.213–158.787], p &lt; 0.001) were significantly associated with higher odds of death. For patients aged &gt;80 years, only age (OR = 1.033 [95% CI 1.008–1.059], p = 0.01) and male gender (OR = 1.585 [95% CI 1.301–1.933], p &lt; 0.001) were associated with higher odds of death. The incidence of most complications increases with age, but arrhythmias, gastrointestinal bleeding, and sepsis were more common in younger deceased patients with COVID-19, with only arrhythmia reaching statistical difference (p = 0.039). We found a relatively poor correlation between preexisting risk factors and complications.Conclusions: Coronavirus disease 2019 are disproportionally affected by age for its clinical manifestations, risk factors, complications, and outcomes. Prior complications have little effect on the incidence of extrapulmonary complications.


2020 ◽  
Vol 0 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
Rajesh Kumar ◽  
Tribhuwan Kumar ◽  
Kamlesh Jha ◽  
Yogesh Kumar

Objectives: Seizure is the fourth most common neurological disorder in the world; it affects all age groups with equal possibility of occurrence in both males and females. Many antiepileptic drugs are available today, but its diagnosis is challenging. The present study attempted to see if seizure activities could be predicted by analyzing the pre-seizure electrical activities. The prediction may help in taking preventive measures appropriately beforehand in the individuals with seizure proneness. Material and Methods: We selected 11 generalized seizure patients and 19 control patients out of total 115 patients referred for electro-diagnostics for various reasons. EEG of the subjects recorded, segmented as per protocol, and analyzed using MATLAB and EEGLAB tools. Results: The mean energy level in alpha and beta band of the study subject was significantly lower (P = 0.04 and 0.004, respectively) as compared to the age matched control subjects. Theta and delta bands did not show any significant difference between the groups. The difference between the pre- and post-electrical seizure energy and entropy was statistically insignificant. Conclusion: The study shows that the energy level remains low in the seizure patients in the alpha and beta bands. This further goes down when electrophysiological seizure activities starts. The randomness or entropy does not alter significantly among the seizure subjects in comparison to non-seizure subjects.


2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 430-439
Author(s):  
Maksim A. Kurov ◽  
Valery G. Gоlubev

Injuries of the ankle joint (AJ) are the most common traumas of musculo-skeletal apparatus and a common reason for seeking medical advice. Overstrains of the ligament apparatus of AJ are the most common mechanism of traumas in running, sporting activity, in unexpected fallings into rough surfaces or getting with a heel into ribbed coverings of metroescalators, in a sharp stoppage of public transport, in wearing footwear on high heels, etc. 20-40% Of patients develop a clinical presentation of a chronic instability of the ankle joint. In the article the analysis of the literature data on the role of risk factors in development of a chronic posttraumatic instability of the ankle joint is given. In result the authors make the conclusion that the influence of the internal risk factors on development of a chronic posttraumatic instability of the ankle jointis studied insufficiently, and further investigations in this direction are required. This scientific trend is important and is of high practical significance, since its results could be used for elaboration of the algorithm of organ-saving operations which will permit to optimize medico-surgical approach, to reduce the number of patients with disability and to return patients to their professional and sporting activity.


Author(s):  
Lucien Ferndale ◽  
Colleen Aldous ◽  
Richard Hift ◽  
Sandie Thomson

(1) Oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma is common in Africa and has a male preponderance. The gender-based differences in clinical presentation and risk factor exposure are poorly studied in the African context. Our aim was to compare males and females with this disease. We analyzed the differences in clinical features and risk factor exposure between males and females with oesophageal cancer. (2) Data from patients presenting to a tertiary hospital in South Africa with oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma were analyzed. Data collected included patient demographics, clinical presentation, pathology and risk factor exposure. (3) Three hundred and sixty three patients were included in the study. The male to female ratio was 1.4:1. The mean age was 66 years for females and 61 years for males (p < 0.0001). A significantly larger percentage of males were underweight compared to females (60% vs. 32%, p < 0.001). There were no differences between the genders with regards to performance status, dysphagia grade and duration and tumor length, location and degree of differentiation. There were significant differences between risk factor exposure between the two genders. Smoking and alcohol consumption was an association in more than 70% of males but in less than 10% of females There was no difference survival. (4) Female patients with oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) are older and have a higher body mass index (BMI) than their male counterparts. Traditionally purported risk factors of smoking and alcohol consumption are infrequent associations with OSCC in female patients and other environmental risk factors may be more relevant in this gender.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Uta Düesberg ◽  
Julia Wosniok ◽  
Lutz Naehrlich ◽  
Patience Eschenhagen ◽  
Carsten Schwarz

Abstract Airway inflammation and chronic lung infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients are mostly caused by bacteria, e.g. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA). The role of fungi in the CF lung is still not well elucidated, but evidence for a harmful and complex role is getting stronger. The most common filamentous fungus in CF is Aspergillus fumigatus (AF). Age and continuous antibiotic treatment have been discussed as risk factors for AF colonisation but did not differentiate between transient and persistent AF colonisation. Also, the impact of co-colonisation of PA and AF on lung function is still under investigation. Data from patients with CF registered in the German Cystic Fibrosis Registry database in 2016 and 2017 were retrospectively analysed, involving descriptive and multivariate analysis to assess risk factors for transient or persistent AF colonisation. Age represented an independent risk factor for persistent AF colonisation. Prevalence was low in children less than ten years, highest in the middle age and getting lower in higher age (≥ 50 years). Continuous antibiotic lung treatment was significantly associated with AF prevalence in all age groups. CF patients with chronic PA infection had a lower lung function (FEV1%predicted), which was not influenced by an additional AF colonisation. AF colonisation without chronic PA infection, however, was significantly associated with a lower function, too. Older age up to 49 years and continuous antibiotic use were found to be the main risk factors for AF permanent colonisation. AF might be associated with decrease of lung function if not disguised by chronic PA infection.


2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 257-266
Author(s):  
Ariel M. Brettholz ◽  
Sabrina Opiola Mccauley

Mucormycosis is a rare invasive fungal infection that affects immunocompromised patients and is fatal when not identified and treated early. Diagnosis is often delayed as the symptoms are nonspecific and frequently mimic other common diseases. Pediatric patients with cancer are at risk for the infection; however, there is limited research that applies directly to the pediatric population. An understanding of the risk factors and clinical presentation of mucormycosis is crucial for the pediatric oncology provider to initiate the workup and provide prompt treatment. The gold standard for diagnosing mucormycosis is biopsy; however, the use of polymerase chain reaction is a novel tool that is being investigated. The mainstays of treatment are antifungal medications, surgery, and reversal of predisposing risk factors, although, new therapies are also emerging. This article will review the pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, and diagnostics of mucormycosis and will discuss current treatment and management strategies for the pediatric oncology clinician to allow for timely diagnosis and intervention to optimize patient outcomes.


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