Hospital-based Case-control Study Research Articles

Angiotensin-converting enzyme gene insertion/deletion polymorphism and risk of ischemic stroke complication among patients with hypertension in the Ethiopian population.

Ischemic stroke is a complicated, multifaceted condition brought on by a confluence of vascular, environmental, and genetic variables. The burden of ischemic stroke is currently rising in terms of death, morbidity, and disability worldwide. Genetic variables also play significant roles in the pathophysiology of hypertension and ischemic stroke in addition to the greatest effects of demographic, clinical, and behavioral risk factors. The key functional variation of the ACE gene that has drawn the most interest is the ACE I/D variant. Even though the ACE gene I/D polymorphism has been widely studied, the findings of investigations on the involvement of this polymorphism in ischemic stroke were contradictory and provide conflicting data. The goal of this study was to look into the effect of the ACE gene I/D polymorphism on the risk of ischemic stroke in patients with hypertension. A hospital-based case-control study was carried out in 36 cases of patients with hypertensive IS and 36 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Clinical and biochemical parameters were measured to assess the associated risk factors. The DNA was isolated from blood samples, and the ACE I/D genotypes were identified using polymerase chain reaction and analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis. The ACE-DD genotype (OR = 3.71, 95% CI = 1.02-13.5; P < 0.05) and D allele (OR = 2.07, 95% CI = 1.06-4.03; P < 0.05) were significantly more common in patients than in controls, indicating that it is a risk factor for the development of ischemic stroke in hypertensive individuals. There is a significant correlation between the ACE gene I/D polymorphism and the development of ischemic stroke in patients with a history of hypertension in the Ethiopian population.

Polymorphism of genes encoding drug-metabolizing and inflammation-related enzymes for susceptibility to cholangiocarcinoma in Thailand.

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is an intractable cancer, and its incidence in northeastern Thailand is the highest worldwide. Infection with the liver fluke Opisthorchis viverrini (OV) has been associated with CCA risk. However, animal experiments have suggested that OV alone does not induce CCA, but its combination with a chemical carcinogen like nitrosamine can cause experimentally induced CCA in hamsters. Therefore, in humans, other environmental and genetic factors may also be involved. To examine relations between risk for CCA and genetic polymorphisms in carcinogen-metabolizing and inflammation-related genes. This hospital-based case-control study enrolled 95 case-control pairs matched by age (± 5 years) and sex. We examined relations between risk for CCA and genetic polymorphisms in carcinogen-metabolizing and inflammation-related genes, serum anti-OV, alcohol consumption, and smoking. Polymorphisms of CYP2E1, IL-6 (-174 and -634), IL-10 (-819), and NF-κB (-94) and their co-occurrence with polymorphisms in the drug-metabolizing enzyme gene GSTT1 or GSTM1 were also analyzed. Although CCA risk was not significantly associated with any single polymorphism, persons with the GSTT1 wild-type and CYP2E1 c1/c2 + c2/c2 genotype had an increased risk (OR = 3.33, 95%CI: 1.23-9.00) as compared with persons having the GSTT1 wild-type and CYP2E1 c1/c1 wild genotype. The presence of anti-OV in serum was associated with a 7- to 11-fold increased risk, and smoking level was related to an OR of 1.5-1.8 in multivariable analyses adjusted for each of the seven genetic polymorphisms. In addition to infection with OV, gene-gene interactions may be considered as one of the risk factors for CCA development.

Association between gastric cancer and the intake of different types of iron and meats

BackgroundHeme and non-heme irons are two forms of iron in the diet. Few studies have evaluated the association between heme iron intake and the risk of gastric cancer (GC). We aimed to investigate the association between heme, non-heme and total iron intake and risk of GC in Iran.MethodsIn a hospital-based case–control study, nutritionists interviewed 178 pathologically confirmed GC patients and 276 controls using a valid Diet History Questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression model was used to estimate Odds Ratios (OR) and 95% Confidence Intervals (CIs) for iron intake and risk of GC.ResultsSubjects in the highest tertile of total iron intake were 46% less likely to get GC than those in the lowest (OR = 0.54, 95% CI: 0.32–0.92), however, the associations were not significant for intake of heme and non-heme iron. The risk of GC in the highest tertile of total meat intake was 2.51 times higher than the lowest. We found significant associations between GC and chicken (OR = 2.95; 95% CI: 1.66–5.22) and fish intake (OR = 1.89; 95% CI: 1.09–3.27), However, we found no associations between the risk of GC and intake of red meat, salted fish, and liver.ConclusionTotal iron intake was associated with a lower risk of GC which could be partly due to the high prevalence of anemia in Iran. Although, we could not find any significant association between the risk of GC and the intake of heme and non-hem iron among the Iranian population.

Coagulation Profile In Diabetes Mellitus And Its Association with Microvascular Complications in Uncontrolled and Controlled Diabetes at Edo Specialist Hospital, Benin-City, South-South, Nigeria

Diabetes mellitus induces coagulopathies by glycating haemoglobin, prothrombin, fibrinogen, and other proteins involved in the clotting mechanism. Shortened PTTK and PT represent a hypercoagulable state related to an elevated thrombotic risk and a negative cardiovascular effect, both of which can lead to the onset and progression of microvascular and macrovascular problems. The study aims to compare the coagulation profile in diabetes-related microvascular complications in clients with uncontrolled and controlled diabetes at an Edo specialty hospital in Benin City. A hospital-based case-control study was carried out at ESH in Benin City. Two hundred eighty individuals were recruited for the study, including 215 diabetes patients (55 type I diabetes, 160 type II diabetes, and 65 non-diabetics) attending the outpatient department of ESH in Benin City. Blood was drawn for coagulation and biochemical assays. Diabetes patients had significantly lower levels of PT and PTTK compared to non-diabetes controls (p&lt;0.05). Fibrinogen and D-dimer levels were considerably higher (p&lt;0.05). The PTTK level was much lower in type 2 diabetes than in type 1 diabetes, and there was a significant difference in platelet count between type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Female diabetes patients had lower levels of PTTK and PT than male diabetic patients. Furthermore, in diabetes with complications, the levels of PTTK and platelet count were lower (p0.05). It was discovered that insulin treatment decreased platelet count, whereas sulfonylurea increased fibrinogen levels in people with diabetes. Diabetes may increase the risk of clotting, as indicated by shorter PTTK, PT, and higher fibrinogen and D-dimer levels compared to controls. The coagulation profile should be evaluated as a regular screening test in diabetes patients to reduce the incidence and prevalence of vascular burden and to improve quality of life.

Calprotectin as new potential clinical marker for multiple myeloma.

Increased levels of inflammatory cytokines in multiple myeloma (MM) patients and the role of inflammation in disease pathogenesis, have recently been considered. The aim of this study was to quantitatively evaluation of fecal calprotectin (CP) as a non-invasive biomarker for the evaluation of inflammation in patients with multiple myeloma. This study is a hospital-based case control study. MM patients referred to patients referred to medical centers of Tehran province, Iran, were identified and classified into two groups of new MM patients (n = 40) and patients undergoing treatment (n = 28). Healthy individuals were included in the study as healthy control (n = 25). Morning stool samples were collected and CP was extracted immediately. After collecting the samples, CP was measured according to ELISA method and was determined in μg/g of feces. Values ​​above 50 μg/g of feces are positive and indicate inflammation. The results revealed that there is a significant difference between groups in terms if CP mean (p = 0.001). The mean of CP among new cases, under treatment and control groups were 301.3 (SD: 141.0), 165.1 (SD: 153.9) and 36.9 (SD: 13.5), respectively. Then the groups were compared in pairs, the results showed that the new case group was significantly different from the under-treatment group (p = 0.001), and also the control group showed a significant difference with the new case group (p = 0.001) and the under-treatment group (p = 0.001) that the amount of CP in the control group was significantly lower than the other two groups. In addition, the results of the study showed a significant correlation between age and plasma cells with CP value, so that with increasing age and plasma cells, CP value also showed a significant increase. The results indicate that quantitative evaluation of CP as a non-invasive laboratory biomarker has a high potential as a clinical marker in patients with multiple myeloma and inflammation should considered as a hallmark of cancer. Further diagnostic studies are recommended.

Exposure to pesticides and breast cancer in the city of Petrópolis, Brazil.

To investigate the association between pesticide use and breast cancer. A hospital-based case-control study was conducted in Petrópolis city, Brazil. The study data were obtained through interviews, and the magnitude of the association between self-reported pesticide exposure and breast cancer was determined using unconditional logistic regression. A higher estimated risk for breast cancer was found in women exposed to pesticides for 10 or more years, where this association was not statistically significant after adjusting for potential confounders (OR = 1.40; 95% CI 0.85-2.49). A positive statistically significant association was found between breast cancer and higher educational level or previous use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), whereas having had 2 or more pregnancies to term proved a protective factor. Further studies elucidating the contribution of pesticide exposure to the development of breast cancer are needed, given that current findings in the literature are conflicting.

Nutrient Patterns and Bladder Cancer: A Case-Control Study in Iran

To examine the association between nutrient patterns (NP) and the risk of bladder cancer (BC) in the Iranian population, this Hospital-based case-control study was conducted with 306 participants (106 cases and 200 controls). The cases were newly diagnosed with BC (transitional cell carcinoma). Participants’ past year’s dietary intake was obtained via a valid 168-item Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Principal Component Analysis was applied to derive NPs considering the intake of the nutrients. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratio (ORs) and 95%CIs. Two main NPs were obtained - Mineral Dominant (NP1) and Fat Dominant (NP2). NP1 was characterized by a high loading of folate, total carbohydrate, iron, phosphorus, fiber, total protein, magnesium, potassium, and calcium. NP2 had high loadings of trans-fatty acid (TFA), poly-unsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), total fat, saturated fatty acid (SFA), sodium, and cholesterol. Higher adherence to NP1 pattern significantly decreased the odds of BC (OR = 0.24, 95%CI: 0.09–0.67). In contrast, high adherence to NP2 resulted in almost a five-fold increase in the odds of BC (OR = 5.41, 95%CI: 2.26, 12.95). Variability in nutrient patterns has significant associations with the risk of BC, further highlighting the need to study patterns of nutrient intake rather than single nutrients.

Adherence to Mediterranean dietary quality index and risk of breast cancer in adult women: a case-control study

BackgroundBreast cancer (BC) is the fifth most prevalent cause of cancer-related deaths in Iran. Given that the role of whole-diet on cancer risk is important, this study aimed to assess the association of MedDQI and breast cancer risk.MethodsThis hospital-based case-control study was performed on 150 women with pathologically confirmed breast cancer within the period of less than 3 months. Controls were 150 apparently healthy that were matched by age. Dietary data was collected using a validated questionnaire. To examine participants’ adherence to MedDQI, the MedDQI was created according to foods and nutrients highlighted or minimized in the MedDQI construction.ResultsAfter adjusting for possible confounders, participants in the highest quartile of the MedDQI score had 55% lower odds of breast cancer than women in the bottom quartile (OR: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.21, 0.94, P trend: 0.02). Stratified analysis by menopausal status showed such association in postmenopausal women (OR: 0.24, 95% CI: 0.07, 0.8, P trend: 0.055) after controlling for age and energy intake.ConclusionThe results showed an inverse association between adherence to the MedDQI and risk of breast cancer among Iranian women. More prospective studies are needed to confirm our results.

Vaccine effectiveness against severe COVID-19 during the Omicron wave in Germany: results from the COViK study

PurposeCOViK, a prospective hospital-based multicenter case-control study in Germany, aims to assess the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines against severe disease. Here, we report vaccine effectiveness (VE) against COVID-19-caused hospitalization and intensive care treatment during the Omicron wave.MethodsWe analyzed data from 276 cases with COVID-19 and 494 control patients recruited in 13 hospitals from 1 December 2021 to 5 September 2022. We calculated crude and confounder-adjusted VE estimates.Results21% of cases (57/276) were not vaccinated, compared to 5% of controls (26/494; p < 0.001). Confounder-adjusted VE against COVID-19-caused hospitalization was 55.4% (95% CI: 12–78%), 81.5% (95% CI: 68–90%) and 95.6% (95%CI: 88–99%) after two, three and four vaccine doses, respectively. VE against hospitalization due to COVID-19 remained stable up to one year after three vaccine doses.ConclusionThree vaccine doses remained highly effective in preventing severe disease and this protection was sustained; a fourth dose further increased protection.

Association between angiotensinogen M235T gene polymorphism and risk of ischemic stroke among the Ethiopian population: a case control study

Ischemic stroke (IS) is a multifaceted, complicated illness resulting from a confluence of genetic, environmental and vascular risk factors. Many genes that may contribute to ischemic stroke have been discovered in humans. The genetic contribution appears to be greater in IS patients with hypertension. There is conflicting evidence about a positive correlation between the AGT M235T polymorphism and ischemic stroke. The aim of this study was to examine the possible association of the AGT M235T gene polymorphism with the risk of ischemic stroke. A hospital-based case-control study was carried out in 36 ischemic stroke patient cases and 36 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Clinical parameters were measured to assess the associated risk factors. DNA was isolated from blood samples, and the AGT M235T genotypes were identified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis. The AGT-TT genotype (OR = 4.64, 95% CL = 1.23–17.4; p = 0.023 and T allele (OR = 2.54, 95% CL = 1.28–5.02; p = 0.003) were significantly more common in patients than in controls, indicating that it may be a major risk factor for the development of ischemic stroke. The results suggest that there may be a significant correlation between the AGT M235T gene polymorphism and the development of ischemic stroke in the studied Ethiopian population.

Hospital-based case–control study of risk factors of early neonatal mortality in the Gaza Strip

Background: Early neonatal death is an essential epidemiological indicator of maternal and child health. Aims: To identify risk factors for early neonatal deaths in the Gaza Strip. Methods: This was a hospital-based case–control study. We included 132 women with neonatal deaths recorded from January to September 2018. The control group comprised 264 women who were selected using systematic random sampling and gave birth to live newborns at the time of the data collection. Results: The controls who had no history of neonatal death or still birth were less likely to have an early neonatal death compared with women who did have such a history. The controls who did not have meconium aspiration syndrome or amniotic fluid complications were less likely to have an early neonatal death compared with women who did experience these complications during delivery. The controls who had a singleton birth outcome were less likely to have an early neonatal death compared with women who had multiple births. Conclusion: It is important to establish intervention programmes to provide preconception care, improve the quality of intrapartum and postnatal care, provide high-quality health education, and improve the quality of care provided within neonatal intensive care units.

The relationship between diet quality indices and odds of breast cancer in women: a case–control study

Dietary quality is an important factor in the etiology of breast cancer (BrCa), but further studies are required to better elucidate this relationship. Accordingly, we sought to analyze if diet quality, assessed using the Diet Quality Index-International (DQI-I), Mean Adequacy Ratio (MAR), and Dietary Energy Density (DED), was related to BrCa. In this Hospital-based case–control study, 253 patients with BrCa and 267 non BrCa controls were enrolled. Individual food consumption data from a food frequency questionnaire was used to calculate the Diet Quality Indices (DQI). Employing a case–control design, odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were obtained, and a dose–response analysis investigated. After adjusting for potential confounders, those in the highest quartile of the MAR index had significantly lower odds of BrCa than those in the lowest (OR = 0.42, 95% CI 0.23–0.78; P for trend = 0.007). Although there was no association between individual quartiles of the DQI-I and BrCa, there was evidence of a significant trend across all the quartile categories (P for trend = 0.030).There was no significant association was found between DED index and the odds of BrCa in the crude and fully adjusted models. We found that higher MAR indices were associated with decreased odds of BrCa, Therefore, the dietary patterns reflected by these scores may serve as a possible guide to preventing BrCa in Iranian women.

AGE-REALTED MACULAR DEGENERATION AND SERUM LEPTIN: A CASE–CONTROL STUDY

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of serum leptin levels with presence and severity of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods: A hospital-based case–control study conducted on 84 patients (42 cases and 42 controls) of either sex complaining of diminution of vision aged 40 years and above between August 2019 and 2021. Results: Mean serum leptin level in cases was 1.55±0.99 ng/mL and control was 2.11±0.88 ng/mL (p&lt;0.008). The serum leptin level was negatively correlated with early (1.06±0.99 ng/mL), intermediate (0.50±0.08 ng/mL), and dry age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) (0.29±0.12 ng/mL). However, we found higher serum leptin levels in exudative ARMD (2.58±0.99 ng/mL). Maximum number of cases were of exudative AMD (42.86%) followed by early AMD (33.34%) and intermediate and dry AMD (11.91% each). Conclusion: We found a decrease in serum leptin levels as disease severity increases from the early AMD to intermediate AMD and Dry AMD. However, the levels of serum leptin levels were higher in patients with exudative AMD. This may be due to some pathological process that is different in dry and exudative AMD. This can form the basis for further research in future.

Correlation Between Serum Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha (TNF-α) and Clinical Severity of Tuberculosis: A Hospital-Based Study.

The main aim of this study was to assess the correlation between serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels the and clinical severity of tuberculosis. This was a hospital-based case-control prospective study and was conducted at the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, a tertiary care hospital in the northern part of India, from May 2016 to May 2018. The subjects were recruited in the study considering inclusion and exclusion criteria. All patients with pulmonary tuberculosis as well as patients with extrapulmonary tuberculosis were included as subjects and a clinical severity score based on anemia, weight loss, presence of hypoxia, and radiological features was calculated and compared with TNF-α levels. Age- and sex-matched healthy individuals were recruited as controls. A total of 75 subjects comprising 50 cases and 25 controls were taken for the study. There were 34 (68.0%) patients with elevated TNF-α levels while only 16 (32.0%) patients had normal TNF-α levels. And, TNF-α levels were normal in 21 (84%) control subjects as compared to tuberculosis (TB) patients. Such difference in serum TNF-α levels between cases and controls was statistically significant (p<0.05). The mean serum TNF-α level in TB cases was 1265.63 pg/mL, while the mean serum TNF-α level in controls was 312.06 pg/mL. The difference in serum TNF-α levels between the two groups was statistically significant (p<0.01). We observed a significant increase in serum TNF-α levels with the increase in clinical severity score. Serum TNF-α levels were significantly associated with increased severity of TB.

Evaluation of Doppler indices (MCA & UA) and fetal outcomes: a retrospective case-control study in women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy

Background Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) is associated with an increased risk of adverse outcomes. The fetal middle cerebral artery (MCA) and umbilical artery (UA) blood flow detected by ultrasound are recommended to evaluate the oxygenation of the fetus. It is necessary to analyze the relationship between MCA & UA doppler indices or cerebroplacental ratio (CPR) and fetal outcomes and describe MCA and UA blood flow values across gestation. Methods Hospital-based retrospective case-control study during 2016 to 2020. 800 singleton pregnant women: 400 normotensive control, 219 gestational hypertension (GH), and 181 preeclampsia (PE)/eclampsia (EC). An analysis of the outcomes of mothers and neonates was performed. The fetal MCA and UA blood flow values across gestation were established, and MCA-resistance index (RI) and CPR were used to predict fetal distress and small for gestational age (SGA). Results In the normotensive control, GH and PE/EC groups, the mean gestational age (GA) was 38.9 ± 1.2 weeks, 39.0 ± 1.0 weeks, and 38.6 ± 1.3 weeks respectively, and the mean birth weight (BW) was 3.195 ± 0.387 kilograms, 3.198 ± 0.428 kilograms, and 2.987 ± 0.544 kilograms respectively. There were differences in GA, BW, fetal distress, SGA and intraventricular hemorrhage I-II between the hypertension group and normotensive control group (p < 0.05). The MCA-RI (sensitivity: 70.1%, specificity: 64.3%) and MCA-RI (sensitivity: 52.4%, specificity: 84.6%) were the best indices to predict fetal distress and SGA, respectively during GA of 35-40 weeks. Conclusions Fetal MCA blood flow values and CPR are of great benefit for obstetricians to evaluate the status of fetus evidentially in singleton pregnancy.

Dietary Inflammatory Index, Obesity, and the Incidence of Colorectal Cancer: Findings from a Hospital-Based Case-Control Study in Malaysia

Obesity-mediated inflammation represents a key connection between the intake of foods with high inflammatory potential and colorectal cancer (CRC) risk. We aimed to explore the association between energy-adjusted dietary inflammatory index (E-DII) in relation to CRC risk in both obese and non-obese subjects. This study included 99 histopathologically confirmed CRC cases, 73 colonic polyps cases, and 141 healthy controls from tertiary medical centres in both urban and suburban areas in Peninsular Malaysia. The subjects were categorised into body mass index (BMI) < 25 kg/m2 and BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 groups. E-DII scores were computed based on dietary intake assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusted for potential cofounders. The mean dietary energy intake and mean BMI values of the subjects tended to increase as the E-DII scores increased (p for trend < 0.001). E-DII was significantly related to CRC risk only in obese subjects (OR = 1.45; 95% CI = 1.30-1.77; p < 0.001 for trend). Stratified analyses of risk factors showed significant associations between E-DII and CRC risk by age group (p for interaction = 0.030), smoking status (p for interaction = 0.043), and anthropometric indices for both males and females (p for interaction < 0.001) in the most pro-inflammatory E-DII quartile vs. the lowest E-DII quartile. Overall, pro-inflammatory diets were associated with an increased incidence of CRC in the Malaysian population, particularly in obese subjects.

Red Cell Distribution Width and the Severity of Acute Exacerbration of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease - A Hospital Based Case Control Study

Abstract Background and Objective: Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most common diseases in patients with having frequent hospitalization. The aim of this study is to find whether there is any relationship between red cell distribution width (RDW) with mortality in acute exacerbation of COPD. Materials and Methods: The hospital-based case–control study is conducted on hospitalized 50 patients with the diagnosis of acute exacerbation of COPD and 50 patients with stable period of COPD. Results: This was a hospital-based case–control study in the age group of above 30 years in hospitalized 50 patients with a primary and definite diagnosis of acute exacerbation of COPD and 50 participants in stable period of COPD conducted among admitted in the department of medicine. Maximum patients in both groups were found in the &gt;60 years age group. The mean age in acute exacerbations of COPD group was 64.62 ± 8.24 years and in stable COPD were 63.22 ± 9.18 years. Both groups were comparable. Maximum patients in both groups were male. The mean RDW significantly higher in acute exacerbation of COPD (17.60% ±5.70%) as compared to stable COPD patients (13.80% ±3.33%). The difference in both groups was found statistically significant. The mean corpuscular volume was significantly lower in acute exacerbation of COPD (82.04 ± 1.49) as compared to stable COPD patients (86.50 ± 1.87). The difference in both groups was found statistically significant. RDW was significantly higher in those patients who were died (19.50% ±0.70%) as compared to survived patients (17.52% ±5.61%). The difference in both groups was found to be statistically significant. 4.00% hospital mortality in acute exacerbation of COPD group compared with stable COPD patients. Conclusion: We have concluded that the mean RDW on the day of presenting the illness was significantly higher in acute exacerbation of COPD as compared to stable COPD. Those patients who had a high RDW during admission were associated with poor prognoses.

Association between diabetes risk reduction diet score and risk of breast cancer: A case–control study

Purpose To assess the association between the diabetes risk reduction diet score (DRRD) and the odds of breast cancer (BC). Methods During this hospital-based case-control study we included 149 newly diagnosed cases of BC and 150 controls matched by age. All cases were patients with pathologically confirmed BC, with no history of any form of other cancers. The controls were randomly selected from visitors and families of non-cancer patients in other wards of the same hospital who had no health issues including BC. The dietary intakes were evaluated by a validated 147-item semi-quantitative FFQ. DRRD score was calculated from 9 dietary components published before, with a better score resembling a higher adherence to DRRD. Results A negative association was found between the chances of BC and DRRD after adjusting for potential confounders, but it was not statistically significant (OR, 0.47;95%CI, 0.11-2.08; P=0.531). Also, there were no significant associations between DRRD and therefore the odds of BC in the crude model and also in post-menopausal (OR, 0.45;95%CI, 0.10-1.99; P=0.505) and pre-menopausal women (OR, 0.52;95%CI, 0.18-1.40; P=0.097) in our study, after adjusting for potential confounders. Conclusion Adherence to a diet with a high DRRD score was not associated with the reduced risk of BC in Iranian adults.

Ultrasonic Measurement of Left Ventricular Mass Index of Hypertensive and Normotensive Adults in a Tertiary Hospital in South-South Nigeria

Background: Hypertension is a known cause of heart disease which may manifest as an increase in left ventricular mass index. Echocardiography is a painless, safe and reliable test using sound waves for measuring Left Ventricular Mass (LVM) from which Left Ventricular Mass Index (LVMI) can be derived.&#x0D; Aims and Objectives: This study was aimed at evaluating and comparing the ultrasonic measurement of the left ventricular mass index of hypertensive patients and normotensive participants and correlating the Left Ventricular Mass Index (LVMI) to the Body Mass Index (BMI) and Gender in the study populations.&#x0D; Methodology: This was a prospective hospital-based case-control study of adult hypertensive participants and normotensive controls. Echocardiography was done with measurements of the Left Ventricular Mass (LVM) obtained. The LVMI of the study groups was correlated to their BMI and gender.&#x0D; Results: The mean BMI was statistically higher in the hypertensive group (25.98 4.40 kg/m2) (p-value=0.001).The mean Left Ventricular Mass Index (LVMI) was significantly higher in the hypertensive group (79.5961.67g/m2.7) than in normotensive group (55.36 34.77g/m2.7) (p-value 0.0001). In this study, the high BMI category (obese/overweight) was the strongest predictors of LVMI above 51g/m2.7 (p-value= 0.0001) and females were almost 1.8 times more likely to have increased LVMI than men&#x0D; Conclusion: This study revealed that the female gender, BMI and hypertension were significant predictors of increased left ventricular mass index. High BMI category (obese/overweight) was the strongest predictors of LVMI above 51g/m2.7. Periodic ultrasonic measurement of the ventricular mass index will help in early detection and reducing this common and potentially modifiable risk that leads to increased morbidity and mortality.

Determinants of poor glycemic control among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients at University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia: Unmatched case-control study.

Poor glycemic control is one of the most determinant factors for type 2 diabetes-related morbidity and mortality. The proportion of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with poor glycemic control remains high. Yet evidence on factors contributing to poor glycemic control remains scarce. The aim of this study is to identify determinants of poor glycemic control among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients at a diabetes mellitus clinic in University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia Determinants of Poor Glycemic Control among Type 2 Diabetes mellitus Patients at University of Gondar Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia: Unmatched Case-Control Study. A hospital-based case-control study was conducted from June to September 2020. Using convenience sampling techniques, a total of 90 cases and 90 controls with type 2 diabetes were recruited. The data were entered into Epidata version 4.6.0.2 and analyzed by Stata version 14.A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association between independent variables and glycemic control. Both 95% CI and p-value<0.05 were used to determine the level and significance, respectively. The mean age ( ± standard deviations) for the cases and controls were 57.55± 10.42 and 61.03± 8.93% respectively. The determinants of poor glycemic control were age (Adjusted odd ratio (AOR)= 0.08; 95% CI= 0.02-0.33), inadequate physical exercise (AOR = 5.05; 95% CI = 1.99-11.98), presence of comorbidities (AOR = 5.50; 95% CI = 2.06-14.66), non-adherence to anti-diabetes medications (AOR= 2.76; 95% CI= 1.19-6.40), persistent proteinuria (AOR=4.95; 95% CI=1.83-13.36) and high-density lipoprotein less than 40 mg/dl (AOR=3.08; 95% CI= 1.30-7.31). Age less than 65 years, inadequate physical exercise, presence of comorbidities, non-adherence to anti-diabetes medications, persistent proteinuria, and high-density lipoprotein less than 40 mg/dl were the determinants of poor glycemic control. Therefore, targeted educational and behavioral modification programs on adequate exercise and medication adherence should be routinely practiced. Furthermore, early guideline-based screening and treatment of comorbidities and complications is required to effectively manage diabetes mellitus.