Hospital Discharge Register Research Articles

Egg and cholesterol intake, apolipoprotein E4 phenotype and risk of venous thromboembolism: findings from a prospective cohort study.

The impact of egg consumption, a major source of dietary cholesterol, with the risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVDs) is controversial. Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a CVD which shares common risk factors and mechanistic pathways with ASCVD. However, there is no data on the relationship between egg or cholesterol intake and VTE risk. Therefore, we evaluated the prospective associations of egg and cholesterol intakes with VTE risk and whether the apolipoprotein E4 (apoE4) phenotype, which influences cholesterol metabolism, could modify the associations. Data involving 1,852 men aged 42-61 years at baseline without a history of VTE or coronary heart disease in the population-based Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study were analysed. Dietary intakes were assessed with 4-day food records. Incident VTE events were identified by record linkage to hospital discharge registries. Hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) for incident VTE were estimated using Cox regression. During a median follow-up of 28.8 years, 132 VTE events occurred. Comparing the top (>38 g/d) versus bottom (<20 g/d) tertiles of egg consumption, the HR (95% CI) for VTE was 0.99 (0.64-1.53) in analysis adjusted for several established risk factors and other dietary factors. There was also no evidence of an association between cholesterol intake and VTE risk. Imputed results were consistent with the observed results. The apoE4 phenotype did not modify the associations. In middle-aged and older Finnish men, egg or cholesterol intakes were not associated with future VTE risk. Other large-scale prospective studies are needed to confirm or refute these findings.

Temporal and regional differences in the incidence of hospital-diagnosed endometriosis: a Danish population-based study.

Due to diagnostic challenges, normalization of symptoms and an overall lack of awareness among both patients and physicians, endometriosis is an underdiagnosed disease. This can result in delayed treatment and potentially worsening of the disease. Despite initiatives, such as patients' support organizations and specialized endometriosis referral centers, differences in awareness, socioeconomic factors and lifestyle, combined with varying distances to specialized referral centers, could result in regional differences in the degree of underdiagnosing. This study aims to explore temporal and regional variations in the incidence of endometriosis based on the Danish hospital discharge register, and shed light on the degree of underdiagnosing of endometriosis in Denmark. This registry-based cohort study included all women aged 15-55 living in Denmark from 1990-2017. Participants were identified through the Danish Civil Registration system and endometriosis diagnoses received at a hospital were obtained from the Danish National Patient Registry. Incidence rates of diagnosed endometriosis were calculated for each year of the study period and for each municipality in Denmark. A Cox regression analysis, stratified by calendar time and adjusted for ethnic origin, household composition, highest educational level and family socioeconomic status, was performed to estimate the association between residence and likelihood of receiving a hospital-based diagnosis of endometriosis. The nationwide incidence rate of hospital-diagnosed endometriosis was 7.89 (95% confidence interval [CI] 7.80-7.99) per 10 000 person-years and the prevalence in 2017 was 1.63%. The results showed an overall increase in the incidence of diagnosed endometriosis of 46.8% (95% CI 32.9-62.2) during the study period and also displayed significant regional differences. After adjustments, women living in northern Jutland had the highest probability of receiving a hospital-based diagnosis of endometriosis (hazard ratio 1.13, 95% CI 1.09-1.18), whereas women living in northern Zealand had the lowest probability (hazard ratio 0.63, 95% CI 0.60-0.67) compared with eastern Jutland. These regional differences have become more evident over time. Our results reveal significant regional differences in the incidence of hospital-diagnosed endometriosis, suggesting that a significant number of women may be left behind without a diagnosis. Further studies are needed to assess the underlying reasons for the significant regional differences.

A Retrospective Cohort Study on Infant Respiratory Tract Infection Hospitalizations and Recurrent Wheeze and Asthma Risk: Impact of Respiratory Syncytial Virus.

Infant respiratory syncytial virus infection (RSV) has been associated with asthma later in life. We explored the risk of recurrent wheeze or asthma in children with infant RSV-associated hospitalization compared to other respiratory infections. We performed a retrospective cohort study using Danish national hospital discharge registers. Infants younger than 6 months, born between January 1995 and October 2018, and with a RSV hospital admission were compared to infants hospitalized for injuries, non-RSV acute upper respiratory tract infection (AURTI), pneumonia and other respiratory pathogens, nonpathogen-coded lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI), pertussis, or nonspecific respiratory infections. Infants were followed until recurrent wheeze or asthma diagnosis, death, migration, age 10 years, or study end. We estimated cumulative incidence rate ratios (CIRR) and hazard ratios (HR) adjusted for sex, age at inclusion, hospital length of stay (LOS), maternal smoking, 5-minute APGAR score (APGAR5), prematurity, and congenital risk factors (CRF). We included 68 130 infants, of whom 20 920 (30.7%) had RSV hospitalization. The cumulative incidence rate of recurrent wheeze or asthma was 16.6 per 1000 person-years after RSV hospitalization, higher than after injury (CIRR, 2.69; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.48-2.92), AURTI (CIRR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.34-1.58), or pertussis (CIRR, 2.32; 95% CI, 1.85-2.91), similar to pneumonia and other respiratory pathogens (CIRR, 1.15; 95% CI, .99-1.34) and LRTI (CIRR, 0.79; 95% CI, .60-1.04), but lower than nonspecific respiratory infections (CIRR, 0.79; 95% CI, .73-.87). Adjusted HRs for recurrent wheeze or asthma after RSV hospitalization compared to injuries decreased from 2.37 (95% CI, 2.08-2.70) for 0 to <1 year to 1.23 (95% CI, .88-1.73) for 6 to <10 years for term-born children, and from 1.48 (95% CI, 1.09-2.00) to 0.60 (95% CI, .25-1.43) for preterm-born children. Sex, maternal smoking, LOS, CRF, and APGAR5 were independent risk factors. Infant RSV hospitalization is associated with recurrent wheeze and asthma hospitalization, predominantly at preschool age. If causal, RSV prophylaxis, including vaccines, may significantly reduce disease burden of wheeze and asthma.

Standardised data collection in prehospital critical care: a comparison of medical problem categories and discharge diagnoses

BackgroundPrehospital medical problem reporting is essential in the management of helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) operations. The consensus-based template for reporting and documenting in physician-staffed prehospital services exists and the classification of medical problems presented in the template is widely used in research and quality improvement. However, validation of the reported prehospital medical problem is lacking. This study aimed to describe the in-hospital diagnoses, patient characteristics and medical interventions in different categories of medical problems.MethodsThis retrospective, observational registry study examined the 10 most common in-hospital International Statistical Classification of Disease (ICD-10) diagnoseswithin different prehospital medical problem categories, defined by the HEMS physician/paramedic immediately after the mission was completed. Data were gathered from a national HEMS quality registry and a national hospital discharge registry. Patient characteristics and medical interventions related to different medical problem categories are also described.ResultsA total of 33,844 patients were included in the analyses. All the medical problem categories included a broad spectrum of ICD-10 diagnoses (the number of diagnosis classes per medical problem category ranged from 73 to 403). The most frequent diagnoses were mainly consistent with the reported medical problems. Overlapping of ICD-10 diagnoses was mostly seen in two medical problem categories: stroke and acute neurology excluding stroke. Additionally, typical patient characteristics and disturbances in vital signs were related to adequate medical problem categories.ConclusionsMedical problems reported by HEMS personnel have adequate correspondence to hospital discharge diagnoses. However, the classification of cerebrovascular accidents remains challenging.

Incidence of femoral fractures in children and adolescents in Finland and Sweden between 1998 and 2016: A binational population-based study.

Femoral fractures in children have significant impact for patients, family, and trauma resources as they usually require hospitalization and surgical treatment. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and trends of femoral fractures among children and adolescents hospitalized between 1998 and 2016 in Finland and Sweden. All patients younger than 17 years of age in Finland and Sweden with a femoral fracture treated surgically between 1998 and 2016 were included in the study. Data were collected from National Hospital Discharge Registries. Patients were classified by gender and age into four groups. The annual incidences per 100,000 were calculated using annual mid-year population census data obtained from the Official Statistics of Finland and Sweden. In total, 6410 patients younger than 17 years of age diagnosed with femoral fracture were included in this study. The total incidence per 100,000 femoral fractures was 13.3 in Finland and 11.0 in Sweden. The incidence of femoral fractures decreased during the study period in all age groups, except for teenage Finnish girls. Most of the fractures were located in femoral shaft. Fractures of the upper and distal femur were rare. Male predominance was detected in all age groups older than 1 year. The incidence of femoral fractures decreased in all age groups except in teenage Finnish girls. Majority of femoral fractures were located in femoral shaft with male predominance. In children younger than 1 year of age, female predominance was found.

Hospitalisation costs of sinonasal cancer: Results from the Italian hospital discharge registry (2001–2018)

Objective: This paper assesses hospital costs associated with sinonasal cancer (SNC) in Italy and evaluates related time trends.Methods: All Italian hospitalizations treating patients with a diagnosis of SNC (N = 29,355) were extracted from the National Hospital Discharge Registry. Data refer to patients discharged from public and private hospitals between 2001 and 2018. Hospitalization cost, admission rate, length of stay and other hospitalization-level variables were used as the main outcome variables. Information on the relative disease intensity per hospitalization was used to specifically allocate total hospitalization costs to SNC medical resources.Results: Over the 2001-2018 period, Italian hospitals have treated 1,631 admissions with SNC every year, on average. The mean annual hospitalization cost across all hospitals was 5,502,909 €, or 3,374 € per admission, and 60.0% of these costs were attributable to SNC only. Patient age at discharge (from 62 to 63 years), percentage of surgical procedures (from 29.3% to 46.8%) and of urgent cases (from 13.5% to 16.5%) increased over time. The percentage of costs attributable to SNC followed an inverted U-shaped pattern reaching the minimum level in 2006; conversely, mortality rose until 2007 then decreased steadily.Conclusions: Good progress has been made in SNC treatments. Endoscopic techniques represent one of the most important advances in this field, reducing morbidity and hospital length of stay while keeping similar survival rates. Policies aimed at monitoring workers most exposed to SNC risk and at standardizing hospital treatments could help Public Health Institutions to plan optimal prevention policies.

Low incidence of clinically relevant bleeding complications after fast-track arthroplasty: a register study of 8,511 arthroplasties.

Background and purposeFast-track total joint replacement (TJR) has become increasingly common. Routine thromboprophylaxis for pulmonary embolism and deep venous thrombosis prevention lasts from 2 to 5 weeks. This retrospective registry study focused on clinically relevant bleeding complications 90 days after fast-track primary TJR.Patients and methodsAll primary fast-track total hip (THA) and knee arthroplasties (TKA) performed between 2015 and 2016 were extracted from the Finnish Arthroplasty Register and Finnish Hospital Discharge Register. Type of arthroplasty and indication for the operation were combined with diagnoses of clinically relevant bleeding complications within 90 days of surgery. The incidence of these bleedings was the primary outcome measure.ResultsOf the total of 8,511 patients (mean age 67 years (SD 10); 60% female), 45% underwent unilateral THA, 52% unilateral TKA, and 3% bilateral TKA. The incidence of clinically relevant bleeding complications within 90 days was 1% (95% CI 0.8–1.3). No difference was observed in bleeding incidence between the groups. The 87 bleedings comprised 57 operative site bleedings, 17 gastrointestinal bleedings, 6 intracranial non-traumatic bleedings, 5 bleedings from the nose or another undetermined site, and 2 intraocular bleedings. 1 death due to intracranial bleeding was recorded, and hence clinically relevant bleeding-specific 90-day mortality was 0.01%.InterpretationThe incidence of clinically relevant bleeding complications was low. However, they cause patient discomfort, increase the use of healthcare services, and can be life-threatening and even fatal.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Head and Neck Cancer Diagnosis in the Piedmont Region, Italy: Interrupted Time-Series Analysis.

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has likely affected the most vulnerable groups of patients and those requiring time-critical access to healthcare services, such as patients with cancer. The aim of this study was to use time trend data to assess the impact of COVID-19 on timely diagnosis and treatment of head and neck cancer (HNC) in the Italian Piedmont region.MethodsThis study was based on two different data sources. First, regional hospital discharge register data were used to identify incident HNC in patients ≥18 years old during the period from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2020. Interrupted time-series analysis was used to model the long-time trends in monthly incident HNC before COVID-19 while accounting for holiday-related seasonal fluctuations in the HNC admissions. Second, in a population of incident HNC patients eligible for recruitment in an ongoing clinical cohort study (HEADSpAcE) that started before the COVID-19 pandemic, we compared the distribution of early-stage and late-stage diagnoses between the pre-COVID-19 and the COVID-19 period.ResultsThere were 4,811 incident HNC admissions in the 5-year period before the COVID-19 outbreak and 832 admissions in 2020, of which 689 occurred after the COVID-19 outbreak in Italy. An initial reduction of 28% in admissions during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic (RR 0.72, 95% CI 0.62–0.84) was largely addressed by the end of 2020 (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.89–1.03) when considering the whole population, although there were some heterogeneities. The gap between observed and expected admissions was particularly evident and had not completely recovered by the end of the year in older (≥75 years) patients (RR: 0.88, 0.76–1.01), patients with a Romano-Charlson comorbidity index below 2 (RR 0.91, 95% CI: 0.84–1.00), and primary surgically treated patients (RR 0.88, 95% CI 0.80–0.97). In the subgroup of patients eligible for the ongoing active recruitment, we observed no evidence of a shift toward a more advanced stage at diagnosis in the periods following the first pandemic wave.ConclusionsThe COVID-19 pandemic has affected differentially the management of certain groups of incident HNC patients, with more pronounced impact on older patients, those treated primarily surgically, and those with less comorbidities. The missed and delayed diagnoses may translate into worser oncological outcomes in these patients.

Real-world effectiveness of antipsychotic doses for relapse prevention in patients with first-episode schizophrenia in Finland: a nationwide, register-based cohort study

Antipsychotic doses for relapse prevention in patients with first-episode schizophrenia that have the highest likelihood of success are unknown. We aimed to study the evolution of antipsychotic dose and risk of severe relapse indicated by psychiatric rehospitalisation associated with antipsychotic use and specific dose categories. We did a nationwide, register-based cohort study in Finland. Patients were identified from the nationwide Hospital Discharge register, which records all inpatient hospital stays. Patients with first-episode schizophrenia diagnosed as inpatients and who were 45 years or younger were followed-up for 5 years of illness or until a fifth relapse episode. The primary measure was rehospitalisation due to psychosis, which was used as a marker of relapse and defined as inpatient hospital care with an ICD-10 code of F20-F29 diagnosis recorded as the main discharge diagnosis. Time between relapses was required to be at least 30 days to be considered a next relapse. Antipsychotic use was derived from the prescription register. Dose was summed from all concomitant antipsychotics. Antipsychotic effectiveness for preventing rehospitalisation was studied using within-individual analyses to eliminate selection bias, stratifying time to before and after the second relapse. In total, the study population comprised 5367 patients, of whom 3444 (64·2%) were men and 1923 (35·8%) were women, with a mean age of 29·5 years (SD 7·8) at the start of follow-up. Ethnicity data were not available. 3058 (57·0%) of 5367 patients required hospitalisations. In these patients, the mean dose increased gradually after each new relapse from 1·22 defined daily doses per day (95% CI 1·18-1·26) before the first relapse to 1·56 defined daily doses per day (1·48-1·64) before the fifth relapse. Adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) for rehospitalisation with antipsychotic use versus non-use increased from 0·42 (95% CI 0·35-0·51) before the second relapse to 0·78 (0·62-0·99) after the second relapse (p<0·0001), indicating markedly decreased effectiveness. Analysing specific dose categories revealed a U-shaped curve, showing the lowest rehospitalisation risk during use of the standard dose (0·9 to <1·1 defined daily doses per day) before but not after the second relapse. Low dose (<0·6 defined daily doses per day) was associated with substantially higher rehospitalisation risk (aHR 1·54 [95% CI 1·06-2·24]) versus standard dose before the second relapse, but not after the second relapse (1·11 [0·76-1·62]), owing to reduced effectiveness of all doses after the second relapse. The effectiveness of antipsychotics for relapse prevention decreased substantially after the second relapse. Therefore, prevention of the second relapse is essential, and all patients should receive sufficient antipsychotic doses and enhanced relapse prevention efforts after their first relapse. Academy of Finland and Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.

Ankle fractures in Finland: 118,929 operatively treated between 1987 and 2019.

Background and purposeAnkle fractures are one of the most common fractures requiring operative treatment. They occur most commonly in postmenopausal women and younger men and recent studies suggest that the incidence of ankle fractures is increasing. In this registry study, we analyze inpatient data of operatively treated ankle fractures during a period of 33 years from our comprehensive nationwide register data.Patients and methodsThe data on operatively treated ankle fracture patients between January 1, 1987 and December 31, 2019 was collected from the Finnish National Hospital Discharge Register and analyzed.Results118,929 ankle fractures were treated operatively. These included lateral malleolar fractures (33%), bi- or trimalleolar fractures (51%), medial malleolar fractures (7%), and other fractures (9%). Mean age was 53 (SD 17) years for women and 43 (16) for men. The average annual incidence rate was 69 per 100,000 person-years. Over the past 3 decades incidence has leveled off for women and has started to decline for men. However, the incidence is increasing in the elderly women group (over 70 years of age). In the over 50 age group, comorbidities have increased over the years, being more common in men than in women. The incidence of ankle fractures was higher during the winter months (November–March).InterpretationThe number of operatively treated ankle fractures has leveled off during the last 33 years. However, nowadays we operate on more difficult fractures in elderly patients with comorbidities.

Decreasing hip fracture rates among older adults in Chile, 2001-2019.

To describe and analyze the characteristics and trends of osteoporotic hip fractures in Chile from 2001 to 2019, by age and sex. We assessed hip fractures in people aged ≥ 65years using data from the hospital discharge register of Chile's Department of Statistics and Health. The Joinpoint regression analysis software was used to perform a trend analysis. From 2001 to 2019, a total of 107.972 patients aged ≥ 65years were hospitalized in Chile with a diagnosis of hip fracture (S72.0, S72.1, and S72.2). 77.4% of the patients were females, and 63.7% were adults aged ≥ 80years. The average annual incidence rate over this period was 358.3/100.000 in the whole population (95% CI: ± 12.8), 195.2/100.000 in men (95% CI: ± 9), and 482/100.000 in women (95% CI: ± 15.5). After an adjustment for age, hip fracture rates decreased annually on average by 1.0% (p < 0.001, 95% CI: - 1.4%, - 0.7%), from 358.5/100.000 in 2001 to 331.7/100.000 in 2019. Hip fracture rates decreased annually in both men (- 1.4%, p < 0.001) and women (- 0.9%, p < 0.001). The incidence of osteoporotic hip fractures has been decreasing annually and significantly in Chile since 2001, both in men and women. This may be caused by increased levels of obesity and a lower risk of falling among older adults. We recommend further studies to assess all factors contributing to this change in hip fracture rates.

Risk of total knee replacement after proximal tibia fracture: a register-based study of 7,841 patients.

Background and purposePost-traumatic knee osteoarthritis following proximal tibia fracture (PTF) is a common complication that may lead to total knee replacement as secondary treatment (TKRS). We determined the risk of TKRS following PTF, whether treated nonoperatively or operatively, and compared the results with a 38-fold control group without prior PTF.Patients and methodsWe identified all patients over 18 years of age in Finland with PTF treated during the period 2009–2018 from the Finnish Hospital Discharge Register (FHDR) and Finnish Arthroplasty Register (FAR). Age, sex, treatment method, follow-up time, and possible TKRS were recorded.Results7,701 patients were treated for PTF during the period 2009–2018. Over the 5.1-year (SD 3.1) follow-up, TKRS was performed in 340 (4.3%) patients with a prior PTF after a mean of 2.1 (SD 2.0) years post-fracture. TKRS was needed in 138 (3.7%, HR 1.8) patients in the nonoperatively treated group and in 202 (5.0%, HR 3.2) patients in the operatively treated group. Operative treatment, female sex, and high age were identified as risk factors for TKRS. The incidence of TKRS was highest during the first 2 years after fracture and remained elevated throughout the follow-up.InterpretationPatients with a prior PTF had a 1.8- to 3.2-fold higher risk of TKRS compared with controls during the first 5 years post-fracture. Risk of TKRS was associated with an operatively treated PTF, female sex, and high age. The patients in the operative group likely sustained more complex fractures, while female sex and age may be explained by more osteoporotic bone quality.

Regional variations in lumbar spine surgery in Finland

IntroductionThe regional variation in spine surgery rates has been shown to be large both within and between countries. This variation has been reported to be less in studies from countries with spine registers. The aim of this study was to describe the regional variation in lumbar spine surgery in Finland.Materials and methodsThis is a retrospective register study. Data from the Finnish National Hospital Discharge Register (NHDR) were used to calculate and compare the rates of lumbar disc herniation (LDH), decompression, and fusion surgeries in five University Hospital catchment areas, covering the whole Finnish population, from January 1, 1997, through December 31, 2018.ResultsA total of 138,119 lumbar spine operations (including LDH, decompression, and fusion surgery) were performed in Finland between 1997 and 2018. The regional differences in the rate of LDH surgery were over fourfold (18 vs. 85 per 100,000 person years), lumbar decompression surgery over threefold (41 vs. 129 per 100,000 person years), and lumbar fusion surgery over twofold (14 vs. 34 per 100,000 person years) in 2018. The mean age of the patients increased in all regions during the study period.ConclusionsIn Finland, the regional variations in spine surgeries were vast. In a country with a publicly funded healthcare system, this finding was surprising. The recently created national spine register may serve to shed more light on the reasons for this regional variation.

Diseases with oral manifestations among adult asthmatics in Finland: a population-based matched cohort study

ObjectivesMany comorbidities are associated with adult asthma and may exacerbate the asthma burden of disease. This study aims to investigate the risk for major oral diseases or oral-manifesting diseases in...

The Development of Lower Limb Amputations in Finland from 1997 to 2018: A Nationwide Retrospective Registry Study

To investigate the rates of transfemoral, transtibial foot and toe amputations, and lower limb revascularisations in Finland between 1997 and 2018. Retrospective observational cohort study. Data from the Finnish National Hospital Discharge Register for the period 1997 - 2018 were used. The study population covered all patients 20 years and older who underwent lower limb revascularisations or amputations in private and public hospitals during the study period. All (outpatient and inpatient) amputations and revascularisations were included. The age adjusted incidence rates were based on the annual mid populations, which were obtained from the Official Statistics of Finland. Continuous variables were presented as median with interquartile range (IQR) or as mean with standard deviation. The 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the incidence rates were calculated using the Poisson exact method. All changes in incidence were calculated as relative change (%). A total of 75 230 patients underwent 149 492 lower limb revascularisations and amputations between 1997 and 2018 in Finland. The median (IQR) age of the patients was 73 (65, 80) and 60% of the patients were men. The incidence of all endovascular lower limb revascularisations increased by 159% while the incidence of lower limb amputations increased by 25%. The most notable increase occurred in toe (84%) and foot (107%) amputations, while the incidence of transfemoral amputations remained steady and transtibial amputations decreased by 53%. The first minor-major amputation ratio (CI) increased from 1.13 (1.03 - 1.24) to 1.49 (1.36 to 1.62) during the study period. The findings of this nationwide cohort study suggest that the incidence of both lower limb revascularisations and amputations is increasing. More specifically, revascularisations are more often performed endovascularly, and the incidence of transtibial amputations is declining, whereas the incidence of toe and foot amputations is increasing.

Estimating Selection Bias in Previous Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance Research - the Importance of Screening: Results from the Population-Based Screening Study Iceland Screens, Treats or Prevents Multiple Myeloma (iStopMM)

IntroductionMonoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is a plasma cell disorder preceding multiple myeloma and related disorders, present in 4.2% of the population over the age of 50. Although usually asymptomatic, MGUS has been associated with various health-related problems, including thrombosis, infections, fractures, neuropathy, and death. Because MGUS is asymptomatic, its diagnosis is typically incidental, during clinical workup for unrelated medical issues, and therefore most individuals remain undiagnosed. Consequently, MGUS cohorts in past studies may have suffered from more comorbidities than the actual population with MGUS. This might have introduced selection bias in previous studies on MGUS, which extent has not been studied in a systematic way. Therefore, previously reported associations between MGUS and various medical issues might not be as profound as formerly observed. The aim of this study was to compare characteristics of incidentally diagnosed MGUS versus MGUS diagnosed by systematic screening, with particular focus on demographics, comorbidities, and MGUS-related factors.MethodsThe study is based on the Iceland Screens, Treats, or Prevents Multiple Myeloma (iStopMM) study. iStopMM is a population-based screening study for MGUS and a randomized controlled trial of follow-up strategies that has included 54% (n = 80,759) of the Icelandic population above 40 years of age. In total, 75,422 participants were screened for MGUS by serum protein electrophoresis (SPEP) and free light chain (FLC) assay. Information on which individuals had incidentally diagnosed MGUS (clinical MGUS) prior to participation in iStopMM were gathered from the Icelandic cancer registry and laboratory results from Landspítali University Hospital and Læknasetrið, the only laboratories in Iceland that perform SPEP. M-protein concentration, MGUS isotype and FLC ratio were obtained from the original screening samples. Comorbidity data was acquired from two high-quality national registries: Hospital Discharge Register and Register of Primary Health Care Contacts, with >95% completeness and accuracy. MGUS diagnosed by screening was further classified into MGUS with or without M-proteins (light-chain MGUS). Those with clinical MGUS were used as the reference group in all analyses. Since all individuals with clinical MGUS had M-proteins, individuals with light-chain MGUS were excluded from this study. T-test and chi-square test were used for demographic comparison; linear regression adjusting for sex and age for continuous variables, and logistic regression adjusting for sex and age for comparison of categorical variables, regarding MGUS-related factors and comorbidities.ResultsThe study cohort consisted of 3,300 individuals who had MGUS with M-proteins; 224 individuals with clinical MGUS and 3,076 with screened MGUS. The clinical MGUS group was significantly older (p <0.01), more likely to live in the capital area of Iceland (p 0.02), and had a 0.14 g/dL higher mean M-protein concentration (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.10-0.19 g/dL, p <0.001) than those with screened MGUS. Individuals with clinical MGUS were also 1.73 times more likely to have a comorbidity (odds ratio [OR] 1.73, 95% CI 1.14-2.72, p 0.01) than those with screened MGUS, reflected in a significantly higher mean number of comorbidities (2.79 vs. 2.09, p <0.001). Finally, clinical MGUS were significantly more likely to have arrhythmias (OR 1.45, p 0.05), chronic kidney diseases (OR 2.42, p <0.001), endocrine diseases (OR 1.82, p <0.001), heart failure (OR 2.60, p <0.001), neurological diseases (OR 3.07, p <0.001) or rheumatological diseases (OR 3.25, p <0.001).DiscussionIn this large population-based study including 75,000 screened individuals, we found clinical MGUS cases to be older, more likely to live in Iceland's capital area, and have a higher M-protein concentration than those found to have MGUS while screened on the iStopMM study. Individuals with clinical MGUS also had a higher number of underlying comorbidities and were 1.5-3.3 times more likely to suffer from arrhythmias, chronic kidney diseases, endocrine disorders, heart failure, neurological diseases, and rheumatological diseases. Our findings highlight the importance of screening studies to evaluate the true epidemiological and biological implications of MGUS and suggest selection bias in prior studies. [Display omitted] DisclosuresKampanis: The Binding Site: Current Employment. Hultcrantz: Daiichi Sankyo: Research Funding; GlaxoSmithKline: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Research Funding; Curio Science LLC: Consultancy; Amgen: Research Funding; Intellisphere LLC: Consultancy. Durie: Amgen, Celgene/Bristol-Myers Squibb, Janssen, and Takeda: Consultancy; Amgen: Other: fees from non-CME/CE services . Harding: The Binding Site: Current Employment, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Patents & Royalties. Landgren: Janssen: Honoraria; Janssen: Other: IDMC; Takeda: Other: IDMC; Janssen: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding; Amgen: Honoraria; Amgen: Research Funding; GSK: Honoraria. Kristinsson: Amgen: Research Funding; Celgene: Research Funding.

Variant rs6749447 (T > G) in the serine threonine kinase gene is associated with cardiovascular complications, the Tampere adult population cardiovascular risk study.

We have previously shown an association of STK39 (serine threonine kinase) rs6749447 (T > G) with hypertension in the Tampere adult population cardiovascular risk study in 50-year-old subjects. These 1196 subjects were followed up to the age of 65 years to determine whether rs6749447 is also associated with coronary artery disease (CAD), transient ischemic attack (TIA), or early cardiovascular death.DNA samples were collected by buccal swabs and genotypes were determined by PCR. Hypertension, TIA, and CAD were determined by questionnaire and the National Hospital Discharge Registry. Outcomes for death were collected from the National Statistics Centre. Linkage disequilibrium analysis and gene expression correlations for rs6749447 were done in silico.After following the subjects up to the age of 60 years the rs6749447 G-allele still associated with hypertension (P = .009). The variation did not associate with CAD (P = .959). The risk for TIA was 5.2-fold among G-allele carriers compared to TT genotype even after adjusting for body mass index (P = .036, 95% CI 1.11-24.59). After follow-up of the subjects to the age of 65 years, adjusting for body mass index, the G-allele was associated with 3.2-fold risk of premature cardiovascular death (P = .049, 95% CI 1.00-10.01).In conclusion, the STK39 genetic variant rs6749447 was significantly associated with TIA and premature cardiovascular death in a Finnish cohort. The in silico results of linkage disequilibrium and gene expression analyses also showed associations that were distinct from the retention of salt effect on kidneys proposed earlier for this intronic variation.

Periodontal disease and a poor response to periodontal treatment were associated with an increased risk of incident diabetes: A longitudinal cohort study in Sweden.

To investigate whether periodontal disease or the response to periodontal treatment could influence the risk of future diabetes. The eligible population consisted of 8983 individuals referred for periodontal treatment between 1980 and 2015. Diabetes incidence was obtained from the Swedish registers for cause of death, hospital discharge, and national diabetes registers. Data concerning treatment outcome 1year after treatment were available for 5258 individuals. Poor response to treatment was defined as having >10% sites with probing pocket depth ≥5 mm and bleeding on probing (BOP) at ≥20% of the sites. Among the 8983 individuals during a median follow-up of 21.3 years, 1117 cases of diabetes occurred. The number of teeth and BOP at baseline were significantly associated with incident diabetes in a dose-dependent manner after adjusting for age, sex, smoking, education level, and civil status [incident rate ratio(IRR) = 0.88 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.84-0.93), p < .001 and IRR=1.06 (95% CI 1.02-1.11), p=.003, respectively]. Poor response to treatment (14%) was associated with an increased risk (37%) for future diabetes (95% CI 1.12-1.68, p=.002) compared with good responders. Periodontal disease with increased tooth loss and BOP, as well as poor response to treatment, was associated with an increased risk for diabetes.

Comorbidity patterns in depression: A disease network analysis using regional hospital discharge records

BackgroundDepression is a psychiatric disorder with a high comorbidity burden; however, previous comorbidity studies predominately focused on a few common diseases and relied on self-reported data. We aimed to investigate the comorbid status of depression concerning the entire spectrum of chronic diseases using network analysis. MethodTotally, 22,872 depressed inpatients and one-to-one matched controls were enrolled in the retrospective study. Hospital discharge records were aggregated to measure the comorbidities, where those with a prevalence ≥ 1% were selected for further analysis. Based on the co-occurrence frequency, sex- and age-specific comorbidity networks in depressed patients were constructed and the results were compared with the controls. Louvain algorithm was used to detect the highly interlinked communities. ResultsDepressed patients had 4 comorbidities on average, and 84.4% had at least one comorbidity. The comorbidity network in depression cases was more complex than controls (connections of 839 vs. 369). Intricate but distinct communities appeared within the comorbidity network in depressed patients, where the largest community included cerebrovascular diseases, chronic ischaemia heart disease, atherosclerosis and osteoporosis. Sex-specific central diseases existed, and cardiovascular diseases were the major central diseases to both gender. The older the depressed patients, the more severe the central diseases in the comorbidity network. LimitationsThe causality of the observed interactions could not be determined. ConclusionsThe application of network analysis on longitudinal healthcare datasets to assess comorbidity patterns can supplement the traditional clinical study approaches. The findings would improve our understanding of depression-related comorbidities and enhance the integrated management of depression.

Incidence of pediatric injury visits decreased while trauma surgeries remained stable during the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Finland: a register-based study

IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has reduced pediatric emergency department (ED) visits and surgeries. This study evaluates the incidence of pediatric trauma ED visits and surgeries in Finland during the first and...