30-year Observation Period Research Articles

Prophylactic external irradiation in differentiated thyroid cancer: a retrospective study over a 30-year observation period.

Following surgery which left no microscopic residue, 114 patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (58 papillary, 56 follicular) were subgrouped on the basis of the dose of externally applied prophylactic postoperative radiation: group 1 received an adequate dose of radiation (> or = 4,500 cGy of telecobalt, > or = 4,000 R of orthovoltage therapy), while group 2 received an inadequate dose of radiation (this group included non-irradiated patients). Local/regional-relapse-free survival (LRRFS), distant-metastatic-relapse-free survival (DMRFS) and total-cause-specific survival (TCSS) were calculated by means of life-table analysis for each histologic type. TCSS and LRRFS were significantly (p < 0.001) better for group 1 in papillary cancer. No difference was found in DMRFS. LRRFS was significantly (p < 0.001) better for group 1 in follicular cancer. No differences were found in TCSS and DMRFS. We conclude that (1) prophylactic postoperative external irradiation is an effective method for survival prolongation in papillary cancer, reducing local/regional recurrences, and (2) external irradiation should be considered in the postoperative management of follicular cancer, to diminish local/regional relapse.

Infective endocarditis at a Hospital of the University of Kiel, 1958–1987

The clinical courses of 214 patients with infective endocarditis treated between 1958 and 1987 at the First Medical Hospital of the University of Kiel (FRG) were analyzed retrospectively. A decrease in the incidence of endocarditis occurred during the 30-year observation period. The mean age of patients was 48 years, and men were more frequently affected than women. In the course of the investigation, a rise in isolated aortic valve disease was noted, whereas the number of patients with isolated involvement of the mitral valve and combined mitral-aortic valvular defects declined. Streptococci (57%) were the most frequent pathogens isolated; as opposed to their increase, the percentages of Staphylococcus aureus and enterococci decreased. Otolaryngological, dentogenic and urogenital diseases were most frequently held to be responsible for the development of infective endocarditis. Prior cardiosurgical interventions became increasingly significant as a cause of the disease. In this connection, a rising percentage of endocarditis cases was linked with prosthetically replaced heart valves. Complications and concomitant symptoms of endocarditis included the development of heart failure, cerebral embolism and encephalitis, splenomegaly, and renal inflammation. Finally, the marked decrease in mortality contrasted with a simultaneous rise in the number of endocarditis cases achieving full recovery.

Electrocardiographic Abnormalities in Apparently Healthy Men and the Risk of Sudden Death

Identification of individuals at increased risk of sudden cardiac death is an important but difficult problem, especially in persons without clinically apparent heart disease. The ability of the electrocardiogram (ECG) to predict sudden death was determined in a study of 3983 men who were 30.8 years of age (mean) at entry and who had been followed with regular examinations, including ECGs. During the 30-year observation period, 70 cases of sudden death occurred in men without previous clinical manifestations of heart disease. Electrocardiographic abnormalities were detected before sudden death in 71.4% of cases. The abnormalities were, in decreasing order of frequency, ST segment and T-wave abnormalities, ventricular extrasystoles, left ventricular hypertrophy, complete left bundle branch block, and pronounced left axis deviation. When these electrocardiographic findings in men without clinical manifestations of heart disease were related prospectively to the incidence of sudden death, ST segment and T-wave abnormalities, ventricular extra-systoles, left ventricular hypertrophy and complete left bundle branch block were significant predictors of sudden death, while left axis deviation and right bundle branch block were not significant predictors of sudden death. Increased severity of primary T-wave abnormalities and the association of ST segment and T-wave abnormalities with increased QRS voltage further increased the sudden death risk. The combination of ventricular extrasystoles with either ST-T abnormalities or left ventricular hypertrophy considerably increased the risk of sudden death. Thus, these data indicate that electrocardiographic abnormalities detected on routine examination in men without clinical evidence of heart disease identify men at an increased risk of sudden death.

Relationship of blood pressure in 20-39-year-old men to subsequent blood pressure and incidence of hypertension over a 30-year observation period.

The objective of this investigation was to determine the relationship of blood pressure (BP) in young men, ages 20-39 years, to their subsequent BP from the perspective of BP tracking, position in BP distribution and later evidence of hypertensive BP values. Since 1948, the Manitoba Study group has followed 3983 men, 90% of whom were 20-39 years old at entry. BP in persons not prescribed antihypertensive medications was examined at 5-year intervals during the 30-year observation period to 1978. To adjust for age, BP was examined within 5-year age groups at entry. The correlations between entry and subsequent BP at the same length of follow-up were greater for systolic than diastolic BP and increased with older ages. The correlation decreased wtih every 5-year examination after entry for all ages. Men whose BP was below the mean at entry were less likely to have a BP greater than 1 standard deviation (SD) above the mean at any of the examinations. Men with an entry BP greater than 1 SD above the mean were more likely to have BP greater than 1 SD above the mean later, but the relationship decreased considerably after 20 years, especially in 20-24-year age group. The results were similar for the probability of hypertension values (systolic BP greater than or equal to 140 or 150 mm Hg, diastolic BP greater than or equal to 90 or 95 mm Hg) at later examinations. Thus, BP in later life can be predicted from BP at ages 20-39 years and can identify groups at high or low risk for hypertension.