Nationwide Population-based Longitudinal Study Research Articles

Association of childhood obesity or weight change with early-onset follicular occlusion triad among children.

The effects of childhood obesity or weight gain on the development of early-onset follicular occlusion triad (FOT) among children, which includes hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), acne conglobata (AC), and dissecting cellulitis of the scalp (DCS), remain unknown. To investigate the association between body mass index (BMI) or its changes and early-onset FOT development. This nationwide population-based longitudinal cohort study included a cohort of 2,012,928 Korean children who underwent two consecutive health examinations at 30-36 months and 42-48 months of age between 2009 and 2020. The BMI and its changes derived during health screenings at 30-36 and 42-48 months. We performed multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analyses to estimate the risk of early-onset FOT, including HS, AC, and DCS. During the follow-up, 1,283 FOT, including 143 HS, 1,068 AC, and 72 DCS, events were identified. Children with obesity were at an elevated risk of early-onset FOT compared to those with a normal weight (FOT: adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.49, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.21-1.84; HS: aHR 2.30, 95% CI 1.39-3.82; AC: aHR 1.36, 95% CI 1.07-1.73). BMI gain was correlated with an elevated risk of early-onset FOT, particularly HS, whereas BMI loss was linked to a decreased risk of early-onset FOT, especially HS. Children who became obese had an increased early-onset FOT risk (aHR 1.51, 95% CI 1.07-2.14) compared to those who maintained a normal weight. Children who reduced from obese to normal weight exhibited a decreased risk of early-onset FOT (FOT: aHR 0.41, 95% CI 0.17-0.96, P for trend=0.02; HS: P for trend=0.05) compared to obese children who retained their weight. Childhood obesity was associated with an elevated risk of early-onset FOT, including HS and AC. Weight gain was correlated with an increased risk of early-onset FOT, especially HS, while weight loss was associated with a decreased risk of early-onset FOT, particularly HS. Implementing purposeful weight-reduction strategies may be helpful in preventing early-onset FOT development.

Trends of antibiotic use at the end-of-life of cancer and non-cancer decedents: a nationwide population-based longitudinal study (2006–2018)

Abstract Objective: This study aimed to assess the actual burden of antibiotic use among end-of-life (EOL) patients in South Korea and to compare trends between cancer and non-cancer decedents. Design: Population-based mortality follow-back study. Setting: Data from the Korean National Health Insurance Database, covering the period from January1, 2006, to December 31, 2018, provided for research by the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS), were used. Participants: All decedents from 2006 to 2018 were included and categorized as cancer decedents or non-cancer decedents. Methods: Annual antibiotic consumption rates and prescription rates were calculated, and Poisson regression was used to estimate their trends. Results: Overall antibiotic consumption rates decreased slightly among decedents in their final month with a less pronounced annual decrease rate among cancer decedents compared to non-cancer decedents (0.4% vs 2.3% per year, P <.001). Over the study period, although narrow spectrum antibiotics were used less, utilization and prescription of broad-spectrum antibiotics steadily increased, and prescription rates were higher in cancer decedents compared to non-cancer controls. Specifically, carbapenem prescription rates increased from 5.6% to 18.5%, (RR 1.087, 95% CI 1.085–1.088, P <.001) in cancer decedents and from 2.9% to 13.2% (RR 1.115, 95% CI 1.113–1.116, P <.001) in non-cancer decedents. Conclusions: Our findings show that patients at the EOL, especially those with cancer, are increasingly and highly exposed to broad-spectrum antibiotics. Measures of antibiotic stewardship are required among this population.

The COVID-19 pandemic affects pregnancy complications and delivery outcomes in Japan: a large-scale nationwide population-based longitudinal study

The impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on pregnancy outcomes in Japan at the national level is unclear. This study aimed to assess the impact of the pandemic on pregnancy complications and delivery outcomes in Japan using nationwide population-based longitudinal data. Secondary data from the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology from 2016 to 2020 were analyzed. Obstetric information, pregnancy complications, and delivery information of pregnant women over 22 weeks of gestation were compared before and during the pandemic. The trends of hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, fetal growth restriction, and APGAR < 7 increased, whereas those of preterm birth and low birth weight decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pregnancy complications and delivery outcomes have worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan. Social changes caused by unprecedented situations may have massively influenced pregnancy in several ways. Our findings suggest that even in mild lockdowns like those in Japan, the introduction of social fear during the pandemic might negatively impact pregnancy outcomes.

Association of Socioeconomic Status With Long-Term Outcome in Survivors After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: Nationwide Population-Based Longitudinal Study

Background Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a major public health problem and a leading cause of death worldwide. Previous studies have focused on improving the survival of people who have had OHCA by analyzing short-term survival outcomes, such as the return of spontaneous circulation, 30-day survival, and survival to discharge. Research has been conducted on prehospital prognostic factors to improve the survival of patients with OHCA, among which the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and survival has been reported. SES could affect bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation rates and whether OHCA is witnessed, and low cardiopulmonary resuscitation education rates are associated with low SES. It has been reported that areas with high SES have shorter hospital transfer times and more public defibrillators per person. Previous studies have shown the impact of SES disparities on the short-term survival of patients with OHCA. However, understanding the impact of SES on the long-term prognosis of OHCA survivors remains limited. As long-term outcomes are more indicative of a patient’s ongoing health care needs and the burden on public health than short-term outcomes, understanding the long-term prognosis of OHCA survivors is important. Objective This study aimed to identify whether SES influenced the long-term outcomes of OHCA. Methods Using health claims data obtained from the National Health Insurance (NHI) service in Korea, we included OHCA survivors who were hospitalized between January 2005 and December 2015. The patients were divided into 2 groups: NHI and Medical Aid (MA) groups, with the MA group defined as having a low SES. Cumulative mortality was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and a Cox proportional hazards model was used to evaluate the impact of SES on long-term mortality. A subgroup analysis was performed based on whether cardiac procedures were performed. Results We followed 4873 OHCA survivors for up to 14 years (median of 3.3 years). The Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed that the MA group had a significantly decreased long-term survival rate compared to the NHI group. With an adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) of 1.52 (95% CI 1.35-1.72), low SES was associated with increased long-term mortality. The overall mortality rate of the patients who underwent cardiac procedures in the MA group was significantly higher than that of the NHI group (aHR 1.72, 95% CI 1.05-2.82). The overall mortality rate of patients without cardiac procedures was also increased in the MA group compared to the NHI group (aHR 1.39, 95% CI 1.23-1.58). Conclusions OHCA survivors with low SES had an increased risk of poor long-term outcomes compared with those with higher SES. OHCA survivors with low SES who have undergone cardiac procedures need considerable care for long-term survival.

Air Pollution and Acute Kidney Injury in the U.S. Medicare Population: A Longitudinal Cohort Study.

Recent studies have reported the association between air pollution exposure and reduced kidney function. However, it is unclear whether air pollution is associated with an increased risk of acute kidney injury (AKI). To address this gap in knowledge, we investigated the effect estimates of long-term exposures to fine particulate matter [PM in aerodynamic diameter ()], nitrogen dioxide (), and ozone () on the risk of first hospital admission for AKI using nationwide Medicare data. This nationwide population-based longitudinal cohort study included 61,300,754 beneficiaries enrolled in Medicare Part A fee-for-service (FFS) who were years of age and resided in the continental United States from the years 2000 through 2016. We applied Cox-equivalent Poisson models to estimate the association between air pollution and first hospital admission for AKI. Exposure to , , and was associated with increased risk for first hospital admission for AKI, with hazard ratios (HRs) of 1.17 (95% CI: 1.16, 1.19) for a increase in , 1.12 (95% CI: 1.11, 1.13) for a increase in , and 1.03 (95% CI: 1.02, 1.04) for a increase in summer-period (June to September). The associations persisted at annual exposures lower than the current National Ambient Air Quality Standard. This study found an association between exposures to air pollution and the risk of the first hospital admission with AKI, and this association persisted even at low concentrations of air pollution. Our findings provide beneficial implications for public health policies and air pollution guidelines to alleviate health care expenditures and the disease burden attributable to AKI. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP10729.

The Association of Body Mass Index and Waist Circumference with the Risk of Achilles Tendon Problems: A Nationwide Population-Based Longitudinal Cohort Study.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) with the risk of Achilles tendinopathy (AT) or Achilles tendon rupture (ATR), using data from a nationwide population-based cohort. We hypothesized that higher BMI and WC would be independently associated with the increased risk of AT or ATR. In addition, a higher WC may potentiate the association between BMI and the risk of Achilles tendon problems. We used the National Health Insurance database that covers the entire South Korean population to follow up subjects who participated in the National Health Screening Program (NHSP) from January 2009 to December 2010. The NHSP data include subjects' BMI, WC, blood test results, blood pressure, and information about lifestyle. Among the subjects, those who were newly diagnosed as having AT or ATR before December 31, 2017, were selected. To examine the association of the variables with the risk of AT or ATR and determine whether the effect of higher BMI varied according to WC, multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression was used. Among a total of 16,830,532 subjects, 125,814 and 31,424 developed AT and ATR, respectively. A higher BMI showed a greater association with the increased risk of ATR than AT (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 3.49 vs. 1.96). A higher WC was associated with the increased risk of AT (adjusted HR, 1.22), but not ATR. In a separate analysis, the association between BMI and the risk of AT was higher when subjects had higher WC as compared to those with lower WC, being most significant in individuals with both higher BMI and higher WC. Higher BMI was more associated with the increased risk of ATR than AT. Moreover, a high central fat distribution played an independent and potentiating role in the development of AT. This implies the greater importance of a high central fat distribution contributing to the development of AT in obese people.

Uveitis increases the risk of stroke among patients with ankylosing spondylitis: A nationwide population-based longitudinal study.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is known to increase the risk of stroke. Among patients with AS, uveitis is the most common extra-articular manifestation. However, no previous investigations have discussed the association between uveitis and the risk for developing stroke in patients with AS. This retrospective cohort study aimed to explore the relationship between uveitis and the incidence of stroke in patients with AS by obtaining medical records from January 1, 2000, to December 31, 2015, from the National Health Insurance Research Database, according to the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification diagnosis codes. The primary outcome was the incidence of stroke. Pearson’s chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test were used to analyze variables. Kaplan–Meier survival curves and univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression models with and without Fine and Gray’s competing risk model were used to analyze data. Total 828 AS patients with uveitis and 3,312 AS patients without uveitis were identified. During the follow-up period, 137 patients in the uveitis group and 344 in the non-uveitis group developed stroke. Uveitis is a significant risk factor for stroke development in patients with AS (adjusted hazard ratio = 1.846, p < 0.001). Age, diabetes mellitus, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, coronary artery disease, and atrial fibrillation were associated with a higher risk of stroke. After subgroup analysis, both anterior uveitis and posterior segment involvement were found to increase the risk of stroke in patients with AS. Uveitis is associated with an increased risk in both ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes in patients with AS. Therefore, when uveitis is identified, clinicians should pay more attention to the cerebrovascular risk in patients with AS, especially in those with underlying comorbidities.

Bidirectional Relationship Between Tuberculosis and Hypothyroidism: An 18-Year Nationwide Population-Based Longitudinal Cohort Study.

Some antituberculosis agents may cause hypothyroidism, and thyroid hormones play a vital role in Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. However, the relationship between tuberculosis (TB) and hypothyroidism has not been clearly established. Therefore, this retrospective, longitudinal cohort study aimed to investigate the association between these two diseases using the 2000–2017 data from the Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. The hypothyroidism and TB cohorts were matched with the control group in a 1:4 ratio. Adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) were assessed using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis in each cohort. In total, 3,976 individuals with hypothyroidism and 35 120 individuals with TB were included in this study. The risk of developing TB in patients with hypothyroidism was 2.91 times higher than that in those without hypothyroidism (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.50–3.65). The subgroup of thyroxine replacement therapy (TRT) had a 2.40 times higher risk (95% CI, 1.26–3.01), whereas the subgroup of non-TRT had a 3.62 times higher risk of developing TB than those without hypothyroidism (95% CI, 2.19–4.84). On the other hand, the risk of developing hypothyroidism in patients with TB was 2.01 times higher than that in those without TB (95% CI, 1.41–2.38). Our findings provide evidence that TB and hypothyroidism are interrelated. Thus, clinicians and public health authorities should monitor the association between these two diseases to reduce the relevant disease burden.

The association between sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors and incident dementia: A nationwide population-based longitudinal cohort study.

BackgroundThe association of the use of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor and incident dementia remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the risk of incident dementia with the use of SGLT2 inhibitor.MethodsThis is a population-based cohort study utilizing Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database. Each patient who took SGLT2 inhibitors was assigned to the SGLT2 inhibitor group, whereas 1:1 propensity score-matched randomly selected patients who were nonusers of SGLT2 inhibitors were assigned to the non-SGLT2 inhibitor group. The study outcome was incident dementia.ResultsA total of 976,972 patients newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) between 2011 and 2018 were included in this study. After the patients’ propensity score matching by age, sex, duration of DM, comorbidities and drug index date of the patients, a total of 103,247 patients in the SGLT2 inhibitor group and 103,247 in the non-SGLT2 inhibitor group were enrolled for analysis. The SGLT2 inhibitor group was associated with a lower risk of incident dementia (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.89, 95% confidence interval: 0.82–0.96; p = .0021). Diabetic complications were significantly lower in the SGLT2 inhibitor group compared with the non-SGLT2 group. Sensitivity analysis was also consistent with the main analysis.ConclusionsPatients with type 2 DM who were prescribed SGLT2 inhibitors were associated with a lower risk of incident dementia compared with those not prescribed SGLT2 inhibitors in real-world practice.

Response to lithium and anticonvulsants among patients with bipolar disorder with and without comorbid epilepsy – A nation-wide population-based longitudinal study

ObjectiveIn a nation-wide population-based longitudinal register linkage study for the first time 1) to investigate long-term response to lithium in patients with bipolar disorder with and without comorbid epilepsy, and 2) within patients with bipolar disorder and comorbid epilepsy to compare differences in responses between lithium, valproate and lamotrigine. MethodsWe used Danish nation-wide population-based longitudinal register linkage to identify 154 patients with bipolar disorder and comorbid epilepsy and 8381 patients with bipolar disorder without comorbid epilepsy during a study period from 1995 to 2017. Response was defined as continuous monotherapy with lithium, valproate or lamotrigine without switch to or add-on of an antipsychotic drug or an antidepressant or hospitalization during an up to ten-year follow-up period. We calculated standardized absolute risks and differences thereof with respect to age, gender, socioeconomic status and comorbidity with other physical disorders than epilepsy. ResultsResponse to lithium was decreased in patients with bipolar disorder with versus without comorbid epilepsy during the ten-year follow-up period and the difference remained after standardization for comorbidity with other physical disorders than epilepsy. Within patients with bipolar disorder and comorbid epilepsy, response to lithium was decreased compared with responses to valproate and lamotrigine. ConclusionsThe findings suggest that valproate and lamotrigine should be given priority in patients with comorbid bipolar disorder and epilepsy. The study highlights the need for closely clinical monitoring and psychological support for patients with bipolar disorder and comorbid epilepsy and emphasize the need for further long-term studies of effect of interventions.

Breast-conserving surgery with whole breast radiation therapy has a subsequent lower mood disorder incidence rate than total mastectomy in early-stage breast cancer patients: a nationwide population-based longitudinal study.

Breast-conserving surgery (BCS) followed by whole breast radiation therapy (BCS-WBRT) or total mastectomy without WBRT (TM-no-WBRT) is the primary treatment for early stage breast cancer patients. Our study aimed to identify which early stage breast cancer treatment strategies had a subsequent lower incidence rate of mood disorder over a period of 10years after the primary treatment. This retrospective cohort study consisted of newly diagnosed early stage breast cancer patients in Taiwan from 2000 to 2013 using the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. We used a 1:1 propensity score matching by age to enrol patients into the BCS-WBRT and TM-no-WBRT groups. Statistical analyses were performed to calculate the hazard ratio and cumulative incidence rate. Our study consisted of 876 BCS-WBRT patients and 1949 TM-no-WBRT patients. After propensity score matching, each study group included 876 patients. The results showed that the mood disorder incidence rate was lower in the BCS-WBRT group than in the TM-no-WBRT group. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that the BCS-WBRT group had a decreased risk of developing mood disorder (adjusted hazard ratio 0.69, 95% CI 0.53-0.90, p < 0.01). Furthermore, the Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the BCS-WBRT group had a lower cumulative incidence rate of mood disorder, especially depression, after undergoing 10years of primary treatment (p = 0.004). Our results indicated that BCS-WBRT was associated with a lower risk of development of mood disorder over a 10-year period compared to TM-no-WBRT in early stage breast cancer patients. Our findings may provide helpful information, along with other clinical data, for breast cancer patients as they choose the type of appropriate surgery for treatment.

Remission and Transition of Female Urinary Incontinence and Its Subtypes and the Impact of Body Mass Index on This Progression: A Nationwide Population-Based 4-Year Longitudinal Study in China.

Purpose:We estimated the remission and transition rate between urinary incontinence (UI) subtypes in women with UI and evaluated the impact of body mass index (BMI) on this process.Materials and Methods:A Chinese population-based longitudinal study was conducted. Women aged ≥20 years were included using a multistage, stratified, cluster sampling method. Self-reported data on demographics, medical history, and physiological and anthropometric information were collected. UI was identified using 2 questions about any leaking symptom of stress UI (SUI) and urgency UI (UUI) in the past 6 months. Predicted probabilities of UI subtypes were calculated using multinomial logistic regression.Results:Analyses included 5,189 women (mean age 52.6 years, mean BMI 23.8 kg/m2), of whom 98.5% were parous. The median followup time was 4.0 years. Overall, the annual remission rate of UI was 12.7% among adult women. Regarding UI subtypes, the remission rates for UUI and SUI were similar, but higher than that for mixed urinary incontinence (MUI; p <0.05). In total, 7.6% of SUI patients and 16.4% of UUI patients developed MUI, and 35.3% of MUI patients continued to report MUI after 4 years. For women aged ≥60 years with a BMI ≥24 kg/m2 and MUI at onset, the predicted remission rate (95% CI) was only 0.32 (0.29–0.35), but the predicted probability of the MUI remaining reached 0.50 (0.46–0.54).Conclusions:The annual remission rate of UI was 12.7% among adult women. Women with a higher BMI had less remission and a higher predicted probability of MUI 4 years later.

WITHDRAWN: The association of body mass index and waist circumference with the risk of Achilles tendon problems: A nationwide population-based longitudinal cohort study

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) with the risk of Achilles tendinopathy (AT) or tendon rupture (ATR) by using data from a nationwide population-based cohort. We hypothesized that higher BMI and WC can be independently associated with the risk of AT or ATR. In addition, a higher WC may potentiate the association between BMI and the risk of Achilles tendon problems. We used the National Health Insurance database that covers the entire South Korean population to follow-up subjects who participated in the National Health Screening Program (NHSP) from January 2009 to December 2010. The NHSP data include subjects’ BMI, WC, blood test results, blood pressure, and information about lifestyle. Among the subjects, those who were newly diagnosed as having AT or ATR before December 31, 2017, were selected. To examine the association of the variables with the risk of AT or ATR and determine whether the effect of higher BMI varied according to WC, multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression was used. Among a total of 16,830,532 subjects, 125,814 and 31,424 developed AT and ATR. A higher BMI showed a greater association with the increased risk of ATR than AT (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 3.49 vs 1.96). A higher WC was associated with the increased risk of AT (adjusted HR, 1.22) but not ATR. In a separate analysis, the association between higher BMI and the risk of AT was higher when subjects had higher WC as compared to those lower WC, being most significant in individuals with both higher BMI and higher WC. Our results support that higher BMI was associated with the increased risk of ATR more than AT. Moreover, a high central fat distribution played an independent and potentiating role in the development of AT. This implies the greater importance of a high central fat distribution contributing to the development of AT in obese subjects. Level II, prospective cohort study

Female Reproductive Factors and the Risk of Bronchiectasis: A Nationwide Population-Based Longitudinal Study.

Although the oestrogen level is thought to be involved in the occurrence of bronchiectasis, limited data are available on the relationship between female reproductive factors and the risk of bronchiectasis. We performed a population-based retrospective cohort study of 959,523 premenopausal women and 1,362,401 postmenopausal women without a previous history of bronchiectasis who participated in a health screening exam in 2009 in South Korea. In premenopausal women, compared with a later age at menarche (≥16 years), an earlier menarche (<12 years) was associated with a reduced risk of bronchiectasis with an adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) (95% confidence interval (CI)) of 0.74 (0.67–0.81). However, there were no significant associations between other reproductive factors (breastfeeding, parity, or oral contraceptive use) and the risk of bronchiectasis. In postmenopausal women, the risk of bronchiectasis (aHR (95% CI)) was lower in those with an earlier menarche (0.79 (0.72–0.87) for <12 years vs. ≥16 years), a later menopause (0.90 (0.84–0.96) ≥55 years vs. <40 years), and a longer reproductive period (0.90 (0.86–0.94) for ≥40 years vs. <30 years). There was no significant relationship between parity and the risk of bronchiectasis. Although breastfeeding <1 year (aHR (95% CI) = 0.92 (0.87–0.97) for <0.5 years and 0.93 (0.88–0.97) for 0.5–1 years) and oral contraceptive use <1 year (0.97 (0.94–0.99)) reduced the risk of bronchiectasis, hormone replacement therapy ≥5 years increased the risk of bronchiectasis (1.24 (1.18–1.30)). Female reproductive factors are risk factors for developing bronchiectasis, showing a higher risk associated with shorter endogenous oestrogen exposure regardless of the menopausal status.

Psychiatric disorders among children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in South Korea: a nationwide population-based longitudinal study

ObjectiveChildren with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) may be at increased risk of psychiatric disorders. This study analyzed the incidence of psychiatric disorders in children with ALL in South Korea.MethodsUsing nationwide claims data for January 2009 to March 2016, we identified three major psychiatric disorders (depression, anxiety and stress/adjustment disorder) among children diagnosed with ALL. We analyzed the incidence of psychiatric disorders before and after ALL diagnosis.ResultsOverall, 2160 children diagnosed with ALL were identified. Seventy-five children (3.5%) were diagnosed with at least one major psychiatric disorder from 1 year before ALL diagnosis to the last follow-up point (range: 42.5–111.5 months). Of these, 70 (93.3%) patients were identified after ALL diagnosis, with the incidence peaking 1 year after ALL diagnosis. Depression, anxiety and stress/adjustment disorders were diagnosed in 30 (1.4%), 15 (0.7%) and 30 (1.4%) patients, respectively.ConclusionsAmong pediatric patients with ALL, most psychiatric disorders were identified after the diagnosis of leukemia, and psychiatric disorder incidence differed according to patient age and time since ALL diagnosis. Timely screening for and proper management of mental disorders are needed during all stages of ALL treatment.

P.0096 Socioeconomic functioning in patients with bipolar disorder and their unaffected siblings – a nation-wide population-based longitudinal study

P.0096 Socioeconomic functioning in patients with bipolar disorder and their unaffected siblings – a nation-wide population-based longitudinal study

Response to antidepressants among patients with unipolar depression with and without comorbid epilepsy-a nation-wide population-based longitudinal study

ObjectiveIn a nation-wide population-based longitudinal register linkage study to investigate long-term response to antidepressants in patients with depression with and without comorbid epilepsy. MethodsWe used Danish nation-wide population-based longitudinal register linkage to identify 1487 patients with depression and comorbid epilepsy and 71,163 patients with depression without comorbid epilepsy during a study period from 1995 to 2017. Response was defined as continuous monotherapy with an antidepressant drug without switch to or add-on of another antidepressant drug, an antipsychotic drug or lithium or hospitalization during an up to ten-year follow-up period. We calculated standardized absolute risks and differences thereof with respect to age, gender, socioeconomic status and comorbidity with other physical disorders than epilepsy. ResultsIn patients with depression, response to antidepressants was decreased with versus without comorbid epilepsy during the ten-year follow-up period. One year after start of antidepressant treatment the proportion of responders was 12% (CI: 10%-14%) lower in patients with versus without comorbid epilepsy in the standardized population. Response to antidepressants were specifically decreased among younger and unemployed patients with depression and comorbid epilepsy. LimitationsWe did not include sub-analyses according to subtypes of epilepsy. ConclusionsResponse to antidepressants was decreased in patients with comorbid epilepsy versus without comorbid epilepsy at all time points during a ten-year follow-up period. The study highlights the need for closely clinical monitoring and psychological support for patients with depression and comorbid epilepsy and emphasize the need for further long-term studies of effect of interventions.

Obesity-Independent Association between Glycemic Status and the Risk of Hematologic Malignancy: A Nationwide Population-Based Longitudinal Cohort Study

Simple SummaryThe present nationwide population-based longitudinal cohort study showed that diabetes was associated with an increased risk of hematologic malignancies independent of obesity. The risk of NHL increased according to the progression of dysglycemia towards a longer diabetes duration, while HL did not.There have been conflicting results regarding the association between diabetes and the risk of hematologic malignancies, and its interaction with obesity is unknown. This study determined the risk of hematologic malignancies according to the glycemic status in a population-based study involving health screening 9,774,625 participants. The baseline glycemic status of the participants was categorized into no diabetes, impaired fasting glucose (IFG), newly detected diabetes, diabetes duration <5 years, and diabetes duration ≥5 year groups. The risks of overall and specific hematologic malignancies were estimated using a Cox regression analysis. During a median follow up of 7.3 years, 14,733 hematologic malignancies developed. The adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) for the risk of all the hematologic malignancies was 0.99 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.95–1.02) for IFG, 0.99 (95% CI 0.91–1.08) for newly detected diabetes, 1.03 (95% CI 0.96–1.11) for diabetes duration <5 years, and 1.11 (95% CI 1.03, 1.20) for diabetes duration ≥5 year groups. The association was independent from obesity. The risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) increased according to the progression of dysglycemia towards a longer diabetes duration, while Hodgkin’s lymphoma did not. This study in Korea demonstrated diabetes to be associated with an increased risk of hematologic malignancies independent of obesity. The NHL risk increased with the diabetes duration.

Psychological distress after esophageal cancer surgery and the predictive effect of dispositional optimism: a nationwide population-based longitudinal study

PurposeTo examine the trajectory of psychological distress from 1 to 2 years after esophageal cancer surgery, and whether dispositional optimism could predict the risk of postoperative psychological distress.MethodsThis Swedish nationwide longitudinal study included 192 patients who had survived for 1 year after esophageal cancer surgery. We measured dispositional optimism with the Life Orientation Test-Revised (LOT-R) 1 year post-surgery and psychological distress with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale 1, 1.5, and 2 years post-surgery. Latent growth curve models were used to assess the trajectory of postoperative psychological distress and to examine the predictive validity of dispositional optimism.ResultsOne year after surgery, 11.5% (22 of 192) patients reported clinically significant psychological distress, and the proportion increased to 18.8% at 1.5 years and to 25.0% at 2 years post-surgery. Higher dispositional optimism predicted a lower probability of self-reported psychological distress at 1, 1.5, and 2 years after esophageal cancer surgery. For each point increase in the LOT-R sum score, the odds of psychological distress decreased by 44% (OR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.40 to 0.79).ConclusionThe high prevalence and longitudinal increase of self-reported psychological distress after esophageal cancer surgery indicate the unmet demands for timely psychological screening and interventions. Measuring dispositional optimism may help identify patients at higher risk of developing psychological distress, thereby contributing to the prevention of postoperative psychological distress.

Gender differences in the risk of depressive disorders following the loss of a young child: a nationwide population-based longitudinal study

BackgroundLosing a child to death is one of the most stressful life events experienced in adulthood. The aim of the current study is to investigate parental risk of seeking treatment for major depression disorders (MDD) after a child’s death and to explore whether such connection may operate differentially by parents’ prior medical condition.MethodsWe studied a retrospective cohort of 7245 parents (2987 mothers and 4258 fathers) identified in the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan (NHIRD) who had lost a child with age between 1 and 12 years. For comparison, the parents of 1:4 birth year- and gender-matched non-deceased children were retrieved (16,512 mothers and 17,753 fathers). Gender-specific Cox regression analyses were performed to estimate risk.ResultsNearly 5.0% and 2.4% of bereaved mothers and fathers sought treatment for MDD within three years after a child’s death, significantly higher than 0.8% and 0.5% in the non-bereaved parents. With covariate adjustment, the hazard ratio (HR) for maternal and paternal seeking treatment for MDD was estimated 4.71 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.35–6.64) and 1.93 (95% CI: 1.27–2.95), respectively. The increased risk of MDD varied by prior disease history; specifically, the increased risk of seeking treatment for MDD was especially prominent for those without chronic physical condition (CPC) (e.g., mothers with CPC: aHR = 2.38, 95% CI: 1.56–3.65 vs. no CPC: aHR = 9.55, 95% CI: 6.17–14.79).ConclusionsAfter the death of a child, parental elevated risk of MDD was especially prominent for the women and those without prior medical condition. Effective strategies addressing bereavement may require family-based, integrated physical and mental healthcare and even extended counseling service.