• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제55권3호
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• pp.297-306
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• 2022

Objectives: The incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality is increasing in developing countries. This study aimed to decompose the socioeconomic inequality of CVD in Iran. Methods: This cross-sectional population-based study was conducted on 20 519 adults who enrolled in the Ardabil Non-Communicable Disease cohort study. Principal component analysis and multivariable logistic regression were used, respectively, to estimate socioeconomic status and to describe the relationships between CVD prevalence and the explanatory variables. The relative concentration index, concentration curve, and Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition model were used to measure and decompose the socioeconomic inequality. Results: The overall age-adjusted prevalence of CVD was 8.4% in northwest Iran. Multivariable logistic regression showed that older adults, overweight or obese adults, and people with hypertension and diabetes were more likely to have CVD. Moreover, people with low economic status were 38% more likely to have CVD than people with high economic status. The prevalence of CVD was mainly concentrated among the poor (concentration index, -0.077: 95% confidence interval, -0.103 to -0.060), and 78.66% of the gap between the poorest and richest groups was attributed to differences in the distribution of the explanatory variables included in the model. Conclusions: The most important factors affecting inequality in CVD were old age, chronic illness (hypertension and diabetes), marital status, and socioeconomic status. This study documented stark inequality in the prevalence of CVD, wherein the poor were more affected than the rich. Therefore, it is necessary to implement policies to monitor, screen, and control CVD in poor people living in northwest Iran.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제14권3호
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• pp.1747-1753
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• 2013

Background: It is projected that low and middle-income countries will bear a major burden of tobacco related morbidity and mortality, yet, only limited information is available on the determinants of smoking initiation among youth in Africa. This study aimed to assess the determinants of smoking initiation and susceptibility to future smoking among a population of high school school students in Lagos, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: Baseline data from an intervention study designed to assess the effect of an anti-smoking awareness program on the knowledge, attitudes and practices of adolescents was analyzed. The survey was carried out in six randomly selected public and private secondary schools in local government areas in Lagos state, Nigeria. A total of 973 students completed self-administered questionnaires on smoking initiation, health related knowledge and attitudes towards smoking, susceptibility to future smoking and other factors associated with smoking. Results: Of the respondents, 9.7% had initiated smoking tobacco products with the predominant form being cigarettes (7.3%). Males (OR: 2.77, 95%CI: 1.65-4.66) and those with more pro-smoking attitudes (OR: 1.44, 95%CI: 1.34-1.54) were more likely to have initiated smoking. Those with parents and friends who are smokers were 3.47 (95%CI: 1.50-8.05) and 2.26 (95%CI: 1.27-4.01) times more likely to have initiated smoking. Non-smoking students, in privately owned schools (OR: 5.08), with friends who smoke (5.09), with lower knowledge (OR: 0.87) and more pro-smoking attitudes (OR 1.13) were more susceptible to future smoking. In addition, respondents who had been sent to purchase cigarettes by an older adult (OR: 3.68) were also more susceptible to future smoking. Conclusions: Being male and having parents who smoke are predictors of smoking initiation among these students. Consistent with findings in other countries, peers not only influence smoking initiation but also influence smoking susceptibility among youth in this African setting. Prevention programs designed to reduce tobacco use among in-school youth should take these factors into consideration. In line with the recommendations of article 16 of the WHO FCTC, efforts to enforce the ban on the sales of cigarettes to minors should be also emphasised.

• 보건교육건강증진학회지
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• 제33권2호
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• pp.77-87
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• 2016

Objectives: This study was conducted to provide data in order to develop effective family planning programs by analyzing the factors which affect contraceptive use among women in Ethiopia. Methods: The community health survey was conducted on women of childbearing age. The research model was developed based on Andersen's Model. A total of 320 respondents were analyzed through Chi-square analysis, t-tests and logistic regression analysis. Results: Contraceptive prevalence rate was 43.1% and most of them were using modern and short-term methods. Among three factor categories, the need factor(unwanted pregnancy experience) was revealed as the most important factor, following enabling factor which was knowing the FP services in health center. Conclusions: These results lead to several conclusions. First, the results imply that programs should focus on women who are in the over 30yr. as well as the poorer economic group and urban residents. Second, to improve the effectiveness of the program, it is important to help them to be motivated themselves and to promote knowledge on various methods. Third, in terms of service delivery, community health workers are expected to take a crucial role. To improve the availability of services, they should provide practical services as those in health center.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• 제34권2호
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• pp.149-160
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• 2017

Streptococcus pneumoniae, pneumococcus, is the most common cause of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). CAP is an important infectious disease with high morbidity and mortality, and it is still one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Many genetic factors of the host and various environmental factors surrounding it have been studied as important determinants of the pathophysiology and outcomes of pneumococcal infections. Various cytokines, including transforming growth factor $(TGF)-{\beta}1$, are involved in different stages of the progression of pneumococcal infection. $TGF-{\beta}1$ is a cytokine that regulates a wide range of cellular and physiological functions, including immune and inflammatory responses. This cytokine has long been known as an anti-inflammatory cytokine that is critical to preventing the progression of an acute infection to a chronic condition. On the other hand, recent studies have unveiled the diverse roles of $TGF-{\beta}1$ on different stages of pneumococcal infections other than mitigating inflammation. This review summarizes the recent findings of the role of $TGF-{\beta}1$ on the pathophysiology of pneumococcal infections, which is fundamental to developing novel therapeutic strategies for such infections in immune-compromised patients.

• 한국전문물리치료학회지
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• 제17권3호
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• pp.59-67
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• 2010

Mortality rates from stroke have been declining. Because of this, more people are living with residual disability. Rehabilitation plays an important role in functional recovery of stroke survivors. In stroke rehabilitation, early prediction of the obtainable level of functional recovery is desirable to deliver efficient care, set realistic goals, and provide appropriate discharge planning. The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of functional outcome after stroke using inpatient rehabilitation as measured by Functional Independence Measure (FIM) total scores. Correlation and stepwise multiple regression analyses were performed on data collected retrospectively from two-hundred thirty-five patients. More than moderate correlation was found between FIM total scores at the time of hospital admission and FIM total scores at the time of discharge from the hospital. Significant predictors of FIM at the time of discharge were FIM total scores at the time of hospital admission, age, and onset-admission interval. The equation was as follows: expected discharge FIM total score = $76.12+.62{\times}$(admission FIM total score)-$.38{\times}(age)-.15{\times}$(onset-admission interval). These findings suggest that FIM total scores at the time of hospital admission, age, and onset-admission interval are important determinants of functional outcome.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제27권4호
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• pp.195-207
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• 2021

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a bacterial pathogen capable of causing human diseases, such as soft tissue infection, bacteremia, endocarditis, toxic shock syndrome, pneumonia, and sepsis. Although the incidence rate of diseases caused by MRSA has declined in recent years, these diseases still pose a clinical threat due to their consistently high morbidity and mortality rates. However, the role of virulence factors in staphylococcal infections remains incompletely understood. Methicillin resistance, which confers resistance to all β-lactam antibiotics in cellular islets, is mediated by the mecA gene in the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec). Differences in SCCmec types and differences in their sizes and structures serve epidemiological purposes and are used to differentiate between hospital-associated (HA)-MRSA and community-associated (CA)-MRSA. Some virulence factors of S. aureus are also providing a distinction between HA-MRSA and CA-MRSA. These factors vary depending on the presence of toxins, adhesion, immune evasion, and other virulence determinants. In this review, we summarized an overview of MRSA such as resistance mechanisms, SCCmec types, HA- and CA-MRSA, and virulence factors that enhance pathogenicity or MRSA epidemiology, transmission, and genetic diversity.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제31권10호
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• pp.931-938
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• 1998

연구배경 : 대혈관전위증에 있어서 동맥전환술은 현재 가장 적절한 치료방법이 되었다. 비교적 최근에 개심술을 시작한 저자들 병원에서의 신생아 동맥전환술의 성적을 후향적으로 분석해 보고자 한다. 재료 및 방법 : 1991년 10월부터 1997년 11월까지 총 33명의 신생아에서 동맥전환술을 시행하였고 진단별로는 온전한 심실중격을 갖고 있는 대혈관전위증이 27례, 심실중격결손을 갖고 있는 대혈관전위증이 3례, Taussig- Bing anomaly가 3례였다. 환아들의 평균나이는 10.9$\pm$7.9일, 평균체중은 3.29$\pm$0.44kg이었다. 결과: 전체 술후 병원사망은 10례로 30.3%의 사망률을 보였다. 이를 수술시기적으로 나누어 보면, 1994년 이전은 모두 8례 중 6례 사망하여 75%, 1994년과 1995년 2년동안은 10례 중 2례 사망하여 20%, 1996년 이후는 15례 중 2례 사망하여 13.3%로 시간이 지남에 따라 수술사망률이 감소함을 보였다. 수술사망에 관여하는 위험요소는 초기의 수술과 응급수술이나 좋지 못한 술전상황을 하나이상 갖고 있는 경우가 수술사망의 위험요소로 파악되었다. 만기사망은 2명에서 발생하였으며 생존한 21명 전원에서 평균 17.4$\pm$16.5개월동안 추적관찰이 가능하였다. 모두 NYHA functional class I의 양호한 상태로 잘 성장하고 있으며 1례에서 경한 폐동맥협착증과 2례에서 경도의 대동맥폐쇄부전증이 심장초음파검사에서 발견되었다. 결론 : 대혈관전위증을 갖고 있는 신생아에서의 동맥전환술은 그 수술성적이 경험이 쌓임에 따라 많이 향상되고 있고 또한, 수술생존자의 만기성적이 매우 양호함을 보여주고 있다.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제38권2호
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• pp.123-131
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• 2005

배경: 관상동맥우회로술을 받는 고령환자가 증가하는 추세이다. 고령환자는 비교적 높은 수술합병증과 사망률을 보인다. 관상동맥우회로술을 받은 고령환자의 수술사망과 합병증에 영향을 주는 위험인자를 알아보았다. 대상 및 방법: 1995년 1월부터 2003년 7월까지 서울 아산병원에서 관상동맥우회로술을 시행 받은 75세 이상의 고령환자 91명을 연구대상으로 하였다. 남자가 67명이었고 여자는 24명이었다. 평균나이는 $77{\pm}2.4$세로 75세에서 88세까지 분포했다. 30종류의 임상적, 혈 역학적 변수를 수술사망 및 합병증에 영향을 추는 위험인자로 가정하고 이들의 연관성을 분석하였다. 걸과: 5명의 환자에서 응급수술을 시행하였다. 85명의 환자에서 내흉동맥을 사용하였고 10명의 환자에서는 양측 내흉동맥을 사용하였다. 원위부문합 수는 평균 3.7개였다. 수술사망률은 $3.3\%$ (3/91)였다. 22명의 환자에서 최소한 한 가지 이상의 합병증이 발생하였다. 저심박출증후군이 9예$(9.9\%)$로 가장 많았으며 출혈로 인한 재수술 6예$(6.6\%)$, 폐부전 5예$(5.5\%)$, 심근경색증 4예$(4.4\%)$, 뇌졸중 3예$(3.3\%)$, 급성신부전 3예$(3.3\%)$, 심실성 부정맥 2예$(2.2\%)$, 상부위장관 출혈 2예$(2.2\%)$, 감염 2예$(2.2\%)$, 그리고 지연흉골봉합이 1예$(1.1\%)$였다. 통계상으로 수술사망과 연관이 있는 위험인자는 없었고 신부전, 말초혈관질환, 응급수술, 최근의 심근경색증, 울혈성심부전, New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III 또는 IV, Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) 협심증 III 또는 IV, 그리고 $40\%$ 이하의 저심박출계수가 전체적인 합병증에 영향을 주는 위험인자로 분석되었다. 1년, 3년, 5년 생존율은 각각 $94.9\%,\;89.8\%,\;83.5\%$였다. 추적관찰 중 $93.3\%$의 환자가 NYHA class I 또는 II였고 $91.1\%$의 환자는 협심증 증상이 없었다. 결론: 75세 이상 고령환자에서 관상동맥우회로술은, 합병층 발생이 다소 높기는 하지만 만족스러운 수술사망률과 우수한 장기결과를 보여주어 선택적 환자에서 적극적으로 시행할 수 있다.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.759-765
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• 2016

Background: Breast cancer is the most frequent cancer of women in Pakistan with the majority presenting with stage III or IV lesionsat initial diagnosis. Patient and health system related factors are well known determinants of delay in presentation and diagnosis. Additionally, breast cancer being a heterogeneous disease, the various molecular subtypes featuring different aggressiveness also need to be considered. The present study evaluated the association of stage at initial diagnosis of breast cancer with these two factors in local women at a tertiary level health care facility in Lahore, Pakistan. Materials and Methods: Patient and tumor features were recorded separately during diagnostic workup in Breast Clinics at INMOL and at Services Hospital, Lahore. Data were entered in MS Excel and analyzed by descriptive statistics and Chi-Square test. Results: Among the 261 patients, 64% were staged as late breast cancer (LBC), the mean age was 46.8 with standard deviation of 13 years. Some 92% had invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), 61% had luminal types (LT) of non-aggressive tumor while 39% had the non-luminal types (NLT) of of HER2-enriched or basal aggressive tumors. While 70% of patients presented within one year of symptomatic disease (early report group "ERG"), 30% reported after a mean delay of 4 years with a standard deviation of 3.75 years. The stage distribution among ERG patients was not statistically different from those reporting late (P=0.123). Statistically larger proportion of patients with NLT presented as LBC as compared to the LT (P =0.034). Among the ERG, statistically different stage distribution of disease was observed for the NLT versus LT (P=0.047). Among those presenting late, this difference was insignificant (P=0.416). Conclusions: Breast cancer is a distinct disease in Pakistan with a high frequency of aggressive molecular types affecting younger women, with the majority presenting as LBC. Association of NLT with higher stage at diagnosis is statistically significant whereas time delay in diagnosis is not. Further research is required to define the risk profile and features in local patients. The burden of LBC can be reduced by promoting breast health awareness and by establishing easily accessible dedicated breast care set ups in the hospitals.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권7호
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• pp.3035-3039
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• 2014

Background: Lung cancer is one of the most prevalent malignancies in the world and both incidence and mortality rates are continuing to rise in Pakistan. However, epidemiological studies to identify common lung cancer determinants in the Pakistani population have been limited. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective case-control study, 400 cases and 800 controls were enrolled from different hospitals of all provinces of Pakistan. Information about socio-demographic, occupational, lifestyle and dietary variables was extracted by questionnaire from all subjects. Odd ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. and dose-response associations were also assessed for suitable factors. Results: Strong associations were observed for smoking (OR=9.4, 95%CI=6.9-12.8), pesticide exposure (OR=5.1, 95%CI=3.1-8.3), exposure to diesel exhaust (OR=3.1, 95%CI=2.1-4.5), red meat consumption (OR=2.9, 95%CI=1.8-4.7) and chicken consumption (OR=2.8, 95%CI=1.7-49). Other associated factors observed were welding fumes (OR=2.5, 95%CI=1.0-6.5), sedentary living (OR=2.0, 95%CI=1.6-2.6), family history (OR=2.0, 95%CI=0.8-4.9), wood dust (OR=1.9, 95%CI=1.2-3.1), tea consumption (OR=1.8, 95%CI=1.2-2.6), coffee consumption (OR=1.8, 95%CI=1.1-2.8), alcoholism (OR=1.7, 95%CI=1.1-2.5) and asbestos exposure(OR=1.5, 95%CI=0.5-4.4). Consumption of vegetables (OR=0.3, 95%CI=0.2-0.4), juices (OR=0.3, 95%CI=0.3-0.4), fruits (OR=0.7, 95%CI=0.5-0.9) and milk (OR=0.6, 95%CI=0.5-0.8) showed reduction in risk of lung cancer. Strongest dose-response relationships were observed for smoking ($X^2=333.8$, $p{\leq}0.0000001$), pesticide exposure ($X^2=50.9$, $p{\leq}0.0000001$) and exposure to diesel exhaust ($X^2=51.8$, $p{\leq}0.0000001$). Conclusions: Smoking, pesticide exposure, diesel exhaust and meat consumption are main lung cancer determinants in Pakistan. Consuming vegetables, fruits, milk and juices can reduce the risk of lung cancer risk, as in other countries.