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- Johannessen, Ane, et al.
(author)
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Longterm follow-up in European respiratory health studies : patterns and implications
- 2014
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In: BMC Pulmonary Medicine. - : BioMed Central. - 1471-2466. ; 14, s. 63-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Selection bias is a systematic error in epidemiologic studies that may seriously distort true measures of associations between exposure and disease. Observational studies are highly susceptible to selection bias, and researchers should therefore always examine to what extent selection bias may be present in their material and what characterizes the bias in their material. In the present study we examined long-term participation and consequences of loss to follow-up in the studies Respiratory Health in Northern Europe (RHINE), Italian centers of European Community Respiratory Health Survey (I-ECRHS), and the Italian Study on Asthma in Young Adults (ISAYA). METHODS: Logistic regression identified predictors for follow-up participation. Baseline prevalence of 9 respiratory symptoms (asthma attack, asthma medication, combined variable with asthma attack and/or asthma medication, wheeze, rhinitis, wheeze with dyspnea, wheeze without cold, waking with chest tightness, waking with dyspnea) and 9 exposure-outcome associations (predictors sex, age and smoking; outcomes wheeze, asthma and rhinitis) were compared between all baseline participants and long-term participants. Bias was measured as ratios of relative frequencies and ratios of odds ratios (ROR). RESULTS: Follow-up response rates after 10 years were 75% in RHINE, 64% in I-ECRHS and 53% in ISAYA. After 20 years of follow-up, response was 53% in RHINE and 49% in I-ECRHS. Female sex predicted long-term participation (in RHINE OR (95%CI) 1.30(1.22, 1.38); in I-ECRHS 1.29 (1.11, 1.50); and in ISAYA 1.42 (1.25, 1.61)), as did increasing age. Baseline prevalence of respiratory symptoms were lower among long-term participants (relative deviations compared to total baseline population 0-15% (RHINE), 0-48% (I-ECRHS), 3-20% (ISAYA)), except rhinitis which had a slightly higher prevalence. Most exposure-outcome associations did not differ between long-term participants and all baseline participants, except lower OR for rhinitis among ISAYA long-term participating smokers (relative deviation 17% (smokers) and 44% (10-20 pack years)). CONCLUSIONS: We found comparable patterns of long-term participation and loss to follow-up in RHINE, I-ECRHS and ISAYA. Baseline prevalence estimates for long-term participants were slightly lower than for the total baseline population, while exposure-outcome associations were mainly unchanged by loss to follow-up.
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2. |
- Lønnebotn, Marianne, et al.
(author)
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Polycystic ovary syndrome, body mass index and hypertensive disorders in pregnancy
- 2018
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In: Pregnancy Hypertension. - : Elsevier. - 2210-7789 .- 2210-7797. ; 11, s. 32-37
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective: Some studies of women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) report increased prevalence of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, while others do not. Several of these studies do not control for obesity. We aimed to study whether PCOS is associated with hypertensive disorders in pregnancy and whether it is dependent on body mass index (BMI).Study design: We present a cross-sectional analysis of 3732 women from Denmark, Estonia, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, born in 1945-72, who participated in the Respiratory Health In Northern Europe (RHINE) study and answered an extensive women's health questionnaire on menstruation, PCOS, infertility, pregnancy history and childbirth. The main outcome measurement was hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. We adjusted for smoking, age, infertility treatment and study center. Effect modification by BMI was assessed.Results: PCOS was related to hypertensive disorders in pregnancy with a relative risk (RR) of 1.62 (95% CI 1.09-2.42). This relationship was found among underweight women with a BMI of <18.5 kg/m(2) [RR=5.2 (95% CI 1.66-16.5)] and obese women with a BMI of >= 30 kg/m(2) [RR=2.36 (95% CI 1.29-4.31)], but not among normal-weight women, BMI 18.5-25 kg/m(2) [1.08 (0.53-2.20)], or overweight women, BMI 25-30 kg/m(2) [1.24 (0.50-3.08)] (p-interaction=0.041).Conclusion: Polycystic ovary syndrome is associated with hypertensive disorders in pregnancy. This association only occurs among underweight and obese women and not among normal-weight and slightly overweight women.
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3. |
- Macsali, Ferenc, et al.
(author)
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Early Age at Menarche, Lung Function, and Adult Asthma
- 2011
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In: American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. - 1073-449X .- 1535-4970. ; 183:1, s. 8-14
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Rationale: Hormonal and metabolic status appears to influence lung health in women, and there are findings suggesting that early menarche may be related to asthma, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and breast cancer. Objectives: This study investigates whether age at menarche is related to adult lung function and asthma. Methods: Among participants in the European Community Respiratory Health Survey II, 3,354 women aged 27-57 years from random population samples in 21 centers responded to a questionnaire concerning women's health (1998-2002). Of these women, 2,873 had lung function measurements, 2,136 had measurements of bronchial hyperreactivity, and 2,743 had IgE measurements. Logistic, linear, and negative binomial regression analyses included adjustment for age, height, body mass index, education, smoking, family size, and center. Measurements and Main Results: FEV1 and FVC were lower and asthma was more common in women with early menarche. Women reporting menarche at age 10 years or less, as compared with women with menarche at age 13 years (reference category), had lower FEV1 (adjusted difference, -113 ml; 95% confidence interval [CI], -196 to -33 ml) and FVC (-126 ml; 95% CI, -223 to -28 ml); also lower FEV1 expressed as a percentage of the predicted value (-3.28%; 95% CI, -6.25 to -0.30%) and FVC expressed as a percentage of the predicted value (-3.63%; 95% CI, -6.64 to -0.62%). Women with early menarche more often had asthma symptoms (odds ratio, 1.80; 95% CI, 1.09-2.97), asthma with bronchial hyperreactivity (odds ratio, 2.79; 95% CI, 1.06-7.34), and higher asthma symptom score (mean ratio, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.12-2.21). Conclusions: Women with early menarche had lower lung function and more asthma in adulthood. This supports a role for metabolic and hormonal factors in women's respiratory health.
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4. |
- Macsali, Ferenc, et al.
(author)
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Oral contraception, body mass index, and asthma : a cross-sectional Nordic-Baltic population survey
- 2009
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In: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. - : Elsevier BV. - 0091-6749 .- 1097-6825. ; 123:2, s. 391-397
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Emerging evidence suggests that sex steroid hormones may influence airways obstruction, and that metabolic status may modify potential effects. OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the association between use of oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) and asthma in a Nordic-Baltic population-based study, while taking into account possible interplay with body mass index (BMI). METHODS: Postal questionnaires were sent to subjects in Denmark, Estonia, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden from 1999 to 2001 (response rate in women, 77%). Pregnant women, women using hormone replacement therapy, and women >45 years were excluded. Analyses included 5791 women 25 to 44 years old, of whom 961 (17%) used OCP. Logistic regression analyses included adjustment for smoking, irregular menstruation, BMI, age, type of dwelling, and center. RESULTS: Oral contraceptive pills were associated with increased risk for asthma (odds ratio, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.09-1.86), asthma with hay fever (1.48; 1.08-2.03), wheeze with shortness of breath (1.27; 1.02-1.60), hay fever (1.25; 1.06-1.48), and >/=3 asthma symptoms (1.29; 1.05-1.58). The findings were consistent between centers. The associations were present only among normal weight women (BMI 20-25 kg/m(2), asthma: 1.45; 1.02-2.05) and overweight women (BMI >25kg/m(2): 1.91; 1.20-3.02), but not among lean women (BMI <20 kg/m(2): 0.41; 0.12-1.40). Interaction between BMI and OCP in association with asthma was significant (P(interaction) < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Women using oral contraceptive pills had more asthma. This was found only in normal weight and overweight women, indicating interplay between sex hormones and metabolic status in effect on the airways. The findings originate from a cross-sectional postal survey and should be interpreted with caution; it is recommended that asthma symptoms are included in clinical trials of oral contraception.
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