TSH-β gene polymorphism in Saudi patients with thyroid cancer: A case-control study

BackgroundThe role of thyroid-stimulating hormone in the pathogenesis of thyroid cancer is not yet fully explored. This study aimed to evaluate the role of the TSH-β polymorphism in thyroid cancer in a Saudi cohort.MethodsA prospective case-control study was conducted on 507 patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma and compared them with 560 controls of Saudi origin. The association of two variants, the rs201857310, and rs7530810, in the TSH-β gene with thyroid cancer risk as well as thyroxine dose, were evaluated.ResultsThe rs201857310_A > G [OR: 0.50 (95 % CI: 0.35–0.71); P < 0.0001] was strongly associated with thyroid cancer. The multivariable analysis adjusted the effect of possible confounders (age, sex, body mass index, and smoking). Multivariable analysis elucidated that the rs201857310 maintained its significant association with the disease [OR: 0.47 (95 % CI: 0.32–0.68); P < 0.0001]. There was no significant association between the other rs7530810 variant and the disease. There was no association between any of the variants and the thyroxine dose requirement (P = 0.79 and 0.73).ConclusionsOur findings indicate that the TSH-β gene could have a role in the pathogenesis of differentiated thyroid carcinoma in the Saudi population.     

Do personality traits related to affect regulation predict other tobacco product use among young adult non-daily smokers?

IntroductionUnderstanding factors that influence non-cigarette tobacco use is important given these products' prevalence and health risks. The goal of this study was to test the hypothesis that personality traits related to affect regulation would be associated with greater frequency of other tobacco product (OTP) use in a sample of young adult non-daily smokers.MethodsParticipants (n = 518, 51% male) aged 18–24 were non-daily cigarette smokers recruited from the community for a longitudinal study of tobacco use. Personality characteristics (impulsivity, anhedonia, and negative affectivity) were measured at baseline, and participants reported recent tobacco use at baseline and 3, 6, and 9 months later. Assessments were conducted online or via mobile phone.ResultsAcross the 4 assessments, 33–52% of participants reported recent OTP use, with frequency of use decreasing over time. Longitudinal negative binomial regression models indicated that greater sensation seeking and lack of premeditation were associated with more frequent OTP use (ps < 0.05). These effects were consistent over time.ConclusionsFindings suggest that young adult non-daily cigarette smokers with greater propensity for immediately rewarding behaviors may use OTPs more frequently. Young, non-daily cigarette smokers with high levels of sensation seeking and/or lack of premeditation may be at increased risk for harms related to OTP use and may benefit from prevention and cessation strategies that specifically address affect.     

Should personality traits be considered when refining substance misuse treatment programs?

The interplay between stable personality characteristics and environmental factors is emphasised in most contemporary approaches to individual differences. This interaction appears to be important in understanding the development of substance use and misuse. Impulsivity related personality traits such as sensation-seeking, novelty seeking, reward-sensitivity and behavioural disinhibition, are strongly linked to adolescent and adult substance use and misuse. The role of anxiety-related traits, in the development of substance misuse is less clear. Nonetheless, anxiety disorders are very common amongst adult substance misusers and almost certainly play a critical role in the maintenance of a substance use disorder and influence treatment effectiveness. The data suggest that personality influences treatment outcomes and yet these individual differences are generally not addressed in treatment. We argue in this review that interventions which are matched to these relevant personality traits may improve treatment outcomes for substance misusers.     

Do angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor blockers decrease the risk of hospitalization secondary to community-acquired pneumonia? A nested case-control study

STUDY OBJECTIVE: As studies have shown that angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors may lower the risk of developing pneumonia by increasing the cough reflex, we sought to explore the potential association between use of ACE inhibitors and the risk of hospitalization secondary to community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). To test this hypothesis further, we also looked at the risk for CAP in those taking angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), as these drugs have a similar mechanism of action to that of ACE inhibitors but have minimal or no effect on the cough reflex. In addition, the putative protection against pneumonia may instead be related to general inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system. DESIGN: Nested case-control study. DATA SOURCE: Universal Quebec, Canada, administrative health databases. PATIENTS: From a cohort of 47,148 patients with coronary artery disease who had a revascularization procedure between 1996 and 2000, 1666 patients with CAP and 33,315 time-matched control subjects (20 controls for each case) were identified. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Conditional logistic regression analysis was used to estimate rate ratios, while controlling for potential confounders. No association was observed between patients receiving ACE inhibitors and hospitalization for CAP (rate ratio [RR] 0.98, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.69-1.40). A similar lack of association was noted for those receiving ARBs (RR 1.02, 95% CI 0.70-1.49). CONCLUSION: In this case-control study, no association was found between use of ACE inhibitors or ARBs and risk of hospitalization secondary to CAP. Future studies are necessary to explore this association further.     

Crystal methamphetamine: A source of added sexual risk for Hispanic men who have sex with men?

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether use of crystal methamphetamine increases HIV risk behaviors beyond the risk associated with use of other recreational drugs among Hispanic men who have sex with men (HMSM). DESIGN: We compared the sexual behaviors and psychosocial characteristics of non-recreational drug users (non-users), recreational drug users who did not use crystal (non-crystal drug users), and recreational drug users who used crystal (crystal users). METHODS: We recruited 294 HMSM from Internet and 272 from community venues. Eligible men completed an ACASI to assess socio-demographic factors, drug use, sexual behaviors and psychosocial factors and received 50 dollars. RESULTS: In the multivariate model, crystal users were more likely than non-crystal drug users to have lower Hispanicism, higher attachment to the gay community, and history of suicide attempts. Crystal users were not significantly different from non-crystal drug users in number of sex partners; however, differences in unprotected receptive anal sex approached significance. CONCLUSIONS: The additional risk of crystal above that of other recreational drugs needs to be disentangled from those associated with poly-drug use. Our data suggest that it may depend on how one defines risky sexual behavior and is influenced by psychological, physiologic and social factors.     

A comparison of medical symptoms reported by cocaine‐, opiate‐, and alcohol‐dependent patients

Substance abuse is frequently associated with adverse medical consequences. The differences in medical symptoms reported by 101 alcohol‐, 113 cocaine‐, and 107 opiate‐dependent individuals receiving outpatient treatment were studied using a 134‐item questionnaire (MILCOM). Data analysis revealed interesting and unexpected findings, with cocaine patients reporting the fewest total symptoms among the three groups. Moreover, cocaine patients reported significantly fewer CNS and musculo‐skeletal symptoms compared to both alcohol and opiate patients and significantly fewer GI and urinary symptoms than the alcohol but not the opiate patients. In addition, there were sex‐ and race‐related differences in the pattern of symptoms reported. Women reported significantly more CVS, mood, nose/throat, CNS, skin, and GI symptoms than men. Similarly, Caucasians reported significantly more mood, CNS, nose/throat, head/neck, musculoskeletal, and GI symptoms than African‐Americans. The study highlights the influence of drug of choice, gender, and race on medical needs of substance‐abusing persons.     

Do cardiac glycosides affect platelet function? A flow cytometric study in healthy volunteers

OBJECTIVE: Cardiac glycosides exert their inotropic effect by increasing intracellular calcium. Increased intracellular calcium is a key event in platelet aggregation. In aggregometer studies, digitalis has been found to augment platelet agonist responses. A prothrombotic effect of digitalis might be concealed since heart failure and atrial fibrillation per se predispose to thromboembolism. The present study investigates the effects of digitoxin on platelet function in healthy volunteers. METHODS: Twenty healthy, non-smoking volunteers were randomised to receive digitoxin ( n = 10, 0.6 mg day 1, 0.4 mg day 2, then 0.1 mg daily) or placebo ( n = 10) for 10 days. Platelet function was then analysed ex vivo using three-colour whole-blood-flow cytometry, both in non-stimulated mode and after agonist stimulation with 0.1 micromol/l adenosine diphosphate (ADP), 10 micromol/l ADP and 5.0 micromol/l epinephrine (final concentrations). Expression of activated fibrinogen receptor, von Willebrand's factor receptor and P-selectin, formation of platelet-platelet and platelet-leukocyte aggregates and particle size were examined. RESULTS: No significant difference between the placebo and the digitoxin group (digitoxin levels 17-42 nmol/l) was found, neither on a global level nor for any isolated parameter. CONCLUSIONS: Theory and in vitro data suggest that digitoxin treatment could activate platelets. No evidence for this was found in healthy volunteers. This observation is strengthened by the unequivocal results for all parameters measured. However, thrombosis-prone patients with heart failure and/or atrial fibrillation may respond differently to digitalis therapy.     

Neuroleptics are associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism： a case-control study.

AIM: Preliminary reports suggest that use of antipsychotic drugs is associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), but others did not confirm these results. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between antipsychotic drugs and VTE. METHODS: The present report used data from an ongoing hospital-based case-control study designed to investigate genetic and environmental risk factors of VTE. This study started in May 2000 in a single centre in Brest, France. and     

Do adolescents affiliate with 12-step groups? A multivariate process model of effects

OBJECTIVE: Research with adolescents has revealed salutary effects for 12-step attendance on substance use outcomes, but no studies have examined the effects of 12-step affiliation, or active involvement, beyond simple measures of attendance. Prior research with adults has shown that measures of affiliation are more predictive than measures of attendance. This study (1) assessed attributes that may influence 12-step attendance and affiliation; (2) tested whether 12-step affiliation in the first 3 months posttreatment possessed unique predictive power above that attributable to attendance alone; and (3) examined the extent to which motivation, coping and self-efficacy measured at 3 months mediated the relation between 12-step affiliation and substance use outcome in the ensuing 3 months. METHOD: Adolescent inpatients (N = 74, 62% female), who were aged 14-18 years (mean [SD] = 15.9 [1.19] years), were interviewed during treatment and at 3 and 6 months postdischarge. RESULTS: More severely substance-involved youth were more motivated for abstinence and more likely to attend and affiliate with 12-step groups. A high degree of collinearity between 12-step attendance and affiliation suggested that those attending were also likely to be those actively involved. As a consequence, affiliation did not predict outcome over and above frequency of attendance. Motivation was found to influence the relationship between 12-step affiliation and future substance use outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Given the widespread treatment recommendations for adolescent 12-step involvement, more study is needed to determine what kinds and what aspects of 12-step groups and fellowships are helpful to adolescent change efforts and what alternatives should be developed.     

Models of co‐occurring substance misuse and psychosis: are personality traits the missing link?

Traditional models of co-occurring substance misuse in psychosis, including the vulnerability and coping (self-medication) hypotheses, have tended to focus on state-specific factors, such as the severity of substance misuse or psychotic symptoms. In contrast, more recent personality models posit that co-morbidity is related to individual differences in stable trait-specific personality variables that underlie affective outcomes, coping strategies and subsequent risk for substance use. This paper reviews the current evidence base for these three models, and suggests that future research examine the inter-relationships between trait and state-specific personality, affective and behavioural variables on co-morbidity.     

Do immigrants from Turkey, Pakistan and Yugoslavia receive adequate medical treatment with beta-blockers and statins after acute myocardial infarction compared with Danish-born residents? A register-based follow-up study

Purpose  

We undertook a study investigating whether immigrants from Turkey, Pakistan and Yugoslavia received adequate medical treatment with beta-blockers and statins after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) when compared with Danish-born residents and explored whether associations between patient origin and medical treatment were mediated by socioeconomic status (SES).