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- Burney, P., et al.
(författare)
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A case-control study of the relation between plasma selenium and asthma in European populations : a GAL2EN project
- 2008
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Ingår i: Allergy. European Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. - : Wiley. - 0105-4538 .- 1398-9995. ; 63:7, s. 865-871
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: There is evidence that selenium levels are relatively low in Europe and may be falling. Low levels of selenium or low activity of some of the enzymes dependent on selenium have been associated with asthma. METHODS: The GA(2)LEN network has organized a multicentre case-control study in Europe to assess the relation of plasma selenium to asthma. The network compared 569 cases in 14 European centres with a diagnosis of asthma and reporting asthma symptoms in the last 12 months with 576 controls from the same centres with no diagnosis of asthma and no asthmatic symptoms in the last 12 months. RESULTS: All cases and controls were selected from the same population defined by age and place of residence. Mean plasma selenium concentrations among the controls ranged from 116.3 microg/l in Palermo to 67.7 microg/l in Vienna and 56.1 microg/l among the children in Oslo. Random effects meta-analysis of the results from the centres showed no overall association between asthma and plasma selenium [odds ratio (OR)/10 microg/l increase in plasma selenium: 1.04; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.89-1.21] though there was a significantly protective effect in Lodz (OR: 0.48; 95% CI: 0.29-0.78) and a marginally significant adverse effect in Amsterdam (OR: 1.68; 95% CI: 0.98-2.90) and Ghent (OR: 1.35; 95% CI: 1.03-1.77). CONCLUSION: This study does not support a role for selenium in protection against asthma, but effect modification and confounding cannot be ruled out.
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| 4. |
- Christodoulou, C., et al.
(författare)
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Seasonality of violent suicides in the Athens greater area
- 2009
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Ingår i: Journal of Suicide and Life-threatening Behaviour. - : Wiley. - 0363-0234 .- 1943-278X. ; 39:3, s. 321-331
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of the study was to ascertain suicide seasonality in the Greek population and to associate this seasonal variation with age, sex, and suicide method. Studying seasonality can be of help in establishing a public health policy, related with suicide prevention. This is an epidemiologic study based on forensic evidence. We studied the deaths caused by self-injury (trauma), namely deaths by violent suicide (not self-poisoning). Statistically significant suicide seasonality was established with a peak in May. This seasonal variation is attributed mainly to males. As for the method, suicide by hanging peaks in June and by shooting in April. It was also observed that seasonality for individuals above the age of 45 peaks in early May.
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| 5. |
- Papadopoulos, K I, et al.
(författare)
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Sarcoidosis and Autoimmunity: Evidence of Differential Associations with HLA Class II Markers
- 2006
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Ingår i: International Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism. - 1726-913X. ; 4:1, s. 13-18
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- A high frequency of endocrine autoimmunity and gastrointestinal immune reactivity has been reported in sarcoidosis. The aim of the present study was to determine the immunogenetic background of sarcoidosis focusing on the associated autoimmune manifestations. Materials and Methods: A total of 66 (38 males, 28 females) and /65 (37 males, 28 females) Caucasian patients with documented sarcoidosis diagnosed at the Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Malmö University Hospital were genomically typed for DRB1/DQB1. Results: The frequencies of HLA-DRB1*02 (p=0.004), DRB1*14 (p=0.022), DQB1*0602 (p=0.027), DQB1*0503 (p=0.022), were significantly increased in the whole group of patients with sarcoidosis as well as in sarcoidosis associated with autoimmune manifestations compared to healthy controls. Conclusions: Significant associations of HLADRB1* 02 and *14 and DQB1*0602 and *0503 with sarcoidosis were found, particularly apparent in the subgroup with associated autoimmune manifestations. Different immunogenetic profiles may thus exist in sarcoidosis indicative and/or causative of distinct clinical subgroups. HLA class II presentation of a putative sarcoidosisspecific antigen might be of vital importance in sarcoidosis, deciding the direction of the sarcoid disease and eventual associations with it. Whether the above mentioned HLA class II haplotypes and/or their linked genes, alone or in unison with HLA class I, are organ- or diseasespecific remains to be determined.
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