Peaks In Age Distribution Research Articles

Ten-year multicentric retrospective analysis regarding postoperative complications and impact of comorbidities in hemorrhoidal surgery with literature review.

Hemorrhoidal disease (HD) is considered a low-severity pathology by both general population and physicians, but the lengthy conservative therapy and postoperative complications suggest otherwise. To assess the effectiveness of different treatment options, both conservative and surgical, in contrast with some preexisting comorbidities. We conducted a retrospective, 10-yearlong study between January 2011 and December 2021 in two surgical centers, a private and a state-owned hospital. We compared the efficacy and safety of several treatment options, such as open hemorrhoidectomy, stapled hemorrhoidopexy, rubber band ligation and infrared coagulation in terms of complication rates and types and their correlation with different preexisting comorbidities such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), use of anticoagulant medication (AM) and liver cirrhosis. We also conducted a 20-years long PubMed research (1.263 articles) for relevant comparisons. Our study recorded 10940 patients with HD, 10241 with conservative and 699 with surgical treatment. Out of these, the male-to-female ratio of 1.3, and a peak in age distribution between 59 and 68 years old (32% of patients). For the entire study, we recorded a 90% incidence of immediate pain, immediate bleeding in 1.5% (11 cases), delayed bleeding in 1.0% (7 cases), and 0.6% surgical site infections. Urinary retention was also present, with 0.2% of patients, anal stricture in 1% and fecal incontinence for 0.5% of patients (4 cases). We recorded no severe complications such as Fournier`s gangrene or rectovaginal perforations. IBD accounted for 6% of the patients, with ulcerative colitis in 12% and Chron`s disease in 10.5%. 6.6% of the patients had AM, determining 4% immediate and 2% delayed bleeding, in surgically treated patients. Our study determined that most common complications (pain, urinary retention, bleeding, and stricture) are correlated with each surgical technique and pre-existing comorbidities.

Analysis of adult dental emergencies at a medical center in southern Taiwan

Background/purposeThe need for dental emergency (DE) services has increased in recent years. This study therefore investigated the characteristics of patients presenting with DEs in a medical center in southern Taiwan. Materials and methodsThis was a retrospective study of 1964 adult patients who presented with a DE at the Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital in 2018. Medical records providing age, sex, time, day, past visit history, chief complaint, diagnosis, and treatment were collected and analyzed. ResultsThe results revealed that men constituted 52.4% of the patients with DEs, the average age was 45.6 years, and the age distribution peak was 20–29 years (26.5%). The peak period for the DE visit was between 17:00 and 24:00 (42.1%), and the peak day of the week was Sunday (27.4%), followed by Saturday (18.0%). The most common chief complaint was pain (49.8%), and the diagnoses were as follows: pulp-related problems (36.7%), periodontal-related problems (22.9%), trauma (22.2%), odontogenic infection (15.3%), postoperative complications (9.2%), and temporomandibular disorders (3.7%). Dental treatment and medication were prescribed for 51.9% of the patients with DE. The rate of patients recommended for further dental treatment was 86.8%, and the actual return rate was 40.1%. ConclusionThis study revealed that the top three reasons for adult DE visits were pulp-related problems, periodontal-related problems, and trauma. These results may be used as a reference for dentists who provide DE services.

Epidemiology of pediatric femur fractures in children: the Swedish Fracture Register

BackgroundAlthough femur fractures in children are rare, they are the most common fractures in need of hospitalization. We sought to describe the epidemiology and treatment of pediatric femur fractures recorded in the Swedish Fracture Register (SFR). We also studied the relationship between femur fractures, age, sex, fracture pattern, injury mechanism, seasonal variation and treatment.MethodsThis nationwide observational register study was based on the pediatric part of the SFR. We included all patients < 16 years of age who were registered in the SFR from 2015 to 2018.ResultsOf the 709 femur fractures, 454 (64%) occurred in boys. Sixty-two of these fractures were proximal (9%), 453 shaft (64%) and 194 distal (27%). A bimodal age distribution peak was observed in boys aged 2–3 and 16–19 years. In contrast, the age distribution among girls was evenly distributed. Younger children were mainly injured by a fall, whereas older children sustained their fracture because of traffic accidents. Non-surgical treatment prevailed among younger children; however, prevalence of surgical treatment increased with age.ConclusionsWe found a lower ratio between boys and girls (1.8:1) compared to earlier studies. The bimodal age distribution was seen only in boys. Falls were the most common injury in younger children, whereas traffic-related accidents were the most common in adolescents. With age, there was a corresponding increase in surgical treatment.

Stratigraphy and geochronological constraints of the Serra Sul Formation (Carajás Basin, Amazonian Craton, Brazil)

The Carajás Basin, Amazonian Craton, hosts extensive Neoarchean to Paleoproterozoic sedimentary archives, which are still poorly constrained regarding their depositional settings, ages, and type of basin in which they have been deposited. In this study, we performed detailed sedimentological investigations and U-Pb dating of detrital zircon in four drill cores intercepting the recently defined Serra Sul Formation. Our data show that this formation corresponds to various shallow to deep subaqueous environments. Shallow water environments are characterized by local occurrences of microbially-mediated structures, while deep water environments are characterized by polymictic conglomerates resulting from the mixing of materials of different origins during downslope debris flow. Both sedimentary facies and common occurrence of syn-sedimentary deformations attest for recurrent slope instabilities. Geochronological investigations allow to define a maximum depositional age of 2684 ± 10 Ma, that is several tens million years younger than other Neoarchean sedimentary units of the Carajás Basin. Major peaks in age distribution indicate that the Serra Sul Formation derives from local sources that constitute the basement of the Carajás Basin. The infilling of the Carajás Basin by local sources, together with sedimentary facies and depositional environments attesting for slope instabilities, suggest that the Serra Sul Formation was deposited during an active extensional tectonic phase. Such Neoarchean to early Paleoproterozoic tectonic setting compares with those documented in many other cratons worldwide and suggests that it could correspond to the break-up of one of the first documented supercontinent.

Clinicopathologic presentation of malignant orbito-ocular tumors in Kano, Nigeria: A prospective multicenter study.

Background:Malignant orbito-ocular tumors are major causes of morbidity and mortality in the developing countries. Their presentation, morphologic type, and management are challenging, and earlier reports were mostly retrospective surveys. Histological analysis is essential in making correct diagnosis. Here, we determined the clinical presentations and histopathologic types of orbito-ocular tumors in some tertiary hospitals in Kano, Nigeria.Materials and Methods:This was a prospective cross-sectional multicenter clinical and pathologic study conducted between June 2012 and May 2013. A structured pro forma was used to record findings, patient's biodata, clinical presentation, type of surgical intervention, and histological diagnosis. Data were analyzed with STATA version 11.0.Results:Sixty-seven eye tumors were observed among 61 patients. There were 43 males and 18 females (male-to-female ratio = 2.4:1). Patients had a mean of 13.4 ± 18.3 with a median of 4.0 (0.5–70) years with a double peak in age distribution. The most common features were visual loss (90.2%), leukocoria (59%), proptosis (55%), and fungating mass (49.2%). The symptoms were for ≥6 months in 57.4% and unilateral in 82.1%. B-scan showed retinal masses and calcifications in 13.5% and 4.5%, respectively. Confirmation by histology was achieved in 91% with the most common tumor being retinoblastoma, conjunctival squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and rhabdomyosarcoma with frequencies of 38 (56.6%), 11 (16.4%), and 6 (9.0%), respectively. Six patients were HIV positive and all had SCC.Conclusions:Retinoblastoma was the most common malignant orbito-ocular tumor observed in this study. Patients often present late to the hospital with visual loss.

The three peaks in age distribution of females with pneumothorax: a nationwide database study in Japan.

Women are the minority among patients with spontaneous pneumothorax, but catamenial pneumothorax (CP) is unique to them. We aimed to clarify the clinical characteristics of female patients with spontaneous pneumothorax using a nationwide database. Medical records from the Japanese Diagnosis Procedure Combination database for inpatients with pneumothorax between July 2010 and March 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. Age, underlying diseases, body mass index, smoking status, laterality, number of hospitalizations and treatments were studied. We identified 157 087 patients with pneumothorax, including 27 716 (17.6%) women and 129 371 (82.4%) men. The age distribution of female patients with pneumothorax had 3 peaks: 18 years, around 40 years and 80 years; male patients had 2 peaks: 18 years and 79 years. We identified 873 patients with CP; this number was not sufficient to account for the female-specific peak around 40 years. The characteristics of female patients of reproductive age were significantly different between those with and without CP. The patients with CP were older (average age: 37.9 ± 7.7 years vs 31.3 ± 11.5 years, P < 0.001), were right side dominant (right: 64.9%, left: 6.5%), had more hospitalizations (average number of hospitalizations: 1.6 ± 0.9 vs 1.3 ± 0.6, P < 0.001) and had more frequently undergone surgery (57.1% vs 37.3%, P < 0.001). The age distribution of women with pneumothorax had 3 distinct peaks while that of men had 2. CP has different characteristics from other types of pneumothorax, thus requiring different treatment strategies for women of reproductive age.

PTH-151 Improving Patient Care: Nurse-Led Therapeutic Paracentesis Service

Introduction Warrington is home to more patients with a history of alcohol excess and chronic liver disease than the national average. In Warrington hospital we have a cohort of patients dependent on regular therapeutic abdominal paracentesis who traditionally were admitted via A&E. In the trust paracentesis can only be performed on the gastroenterology ward, and so awaiting transfer led to increased length of stay. Once admitted, patients would wait for consultant review and for a junior doctor to finish their ward work before inserting their drain, causing further delay in treatment. Following this we developed a protocol and training scheme to allow band 6 nurses to safely perform the procedure and co-ordinate admissions directly. The aim of this service was to improve access for patients who require regular paracentesis and reduce length of stay, whilst maintaining patient safety. Methods The nurses who volunteered for training began with tutorials, then with demonstration and direct supervision by three gastroenterology consultants. The nurses observed 3 drains inserted by a consultant or registrar, then assisted for 3 procedures, and finally inserted drains themselves under direct supervision. The nurses were assessed at 10, 15, 20 and 25 drains using an assessment tool based on the Paracentesis DOPS assessment form used for doctors. Following this they were deemed competent to perform the task independently. We carried out a prospective audit of all patients involved and analysed the data after 9 months of the service being established. Mean length of stay was calculated using inpatient discharge letters. Patients who had issues not directly related to the insertion of their drain were discounted from the results. Results Since April 2015, a total of 114 drains have been performed in 25 patients. The majority of patients were male (76%). Interestingly we noticed two peaks in age distribution: the majority in the older age group 66–75 years (40%) which were more likely to have NAFLD aetiology; the younger group age 46–55 years (28%) and were shown to be majority ALD patients. We noted that in those elective patients admitted directly to the gastroenterology ward for nurse-led management, mean length of stay was less than 24 hours, compared with 4.5 days for the patients admitted via A&E. The latter was the path of all patients prior to April 2015. There have been no documented complications following any of the procedures performed by nurses. Conclusion Therapeutic abdominal paracentesis in elective patients can be carried out safely by nurses, improves patient experience and drastically reduces length of stay. We feel this service has greatly improved the care of our outpatients with ascites and we would recommend implementation of this service in other trusts. Disclosure of Interest None Declared

SY08-1 * OVERLAPPING OF DIFFERENT ADDICTIONS INCLUDING ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, INTERNET AND GAMBLING

Objective. This study aimed to describe the epidemiological features of internet addiction and the relationship among other popular addictive behaviors in Japanese population. Subjects and Methods. Subjects were Japanese adults randomly selected from throughout Japan. Of the 7,052 adults approached, 4,153 (response rate, 58.9%) responded to the 2013 survey. The questionnaire included screening tests for alcohol dependence, nicotine dependence, internet addiction, gamble addiction. The results were compared with the results from 2008 nationwide survey. Results and Discussion. The prevalence of addiction was higher among males than females across all addictive behaviors. The peak of age distribution tends to younger generation for internet addiction. In order to assess the co-occurrence pattern of four addictive behaviors was analyzed. For male, most prevalent situation was alcohol use disorder only, followed by gambling addiction only, nicotine dependence only, internet addiction only. For female, most prevalent situation was internet only, followed by gambling addiction only, alcohol use disorder only, nicotine dependence only. The patterns of associations among the four addictive behaviors were different for men and women. Significant associations among four additive behaviors were found among women, while among men, internet addiction was associated only with nicotine addiction, but not with other behaviors.

Emergency plastic treatment in children's facial injury

Objective To analyze and summarize the features of children's facial wound and to share the emergency treatment experiences.Methods An retrospective study was conducted on the pathogenesis,age distribution,emergency treatment methods and complications in 1407 children (under 15 years of age) during recent 8 years (from January 2004 to December 2011).Results In this study the major facial wound type was simply lacerations (1196/1407,85.0 ％),and the most common wound cause was trumbling injury (1154/1407,82.0 ％).The T area was the easiest injured,successively,forehead (562/1407,39.9％),chin (211/1407,15.0％),lips (196/1407,13.9％) and nose (95/1407,6.8％).Here were 2 peaks in age distribution which were 2 and 5 years of age,respectively.Pleased outcome would be found while normalized plastic means were taken.After 3 to 6 months following up,there were 5 infection cases,27 cases healed with hypertrophic scars,and 7 cases with traumatic tattoos in wound location.Conclusions The most common wound type is simply laceration.2 and 5 years of age are two of the highest risk stages.It is necessary to act up to plastic surgery principles and take children's particularity into account when emergency treatment,and to do our best to minimize the scar in the first operation time. Key words: Emergency treatment; Children; Facial wound; Plastic surgery

Nationwide survey for primary sclerosing cholangitis and IgG4‐related sclerosing cholangitis in Japan

We previously conducted nationwide surveys for primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) in Japan, and demonstrated several characteristic features of Japanese PSC patients, yet patients with IgG4-related sclerosing cholangitis (IgG4-SC) might be misdiagnosed as PSC. Since the clinical diagnostic criteria of IgG4-SC were established in 2012, we again conducted a nationwide survey to investigate the characteristics of PSC and IgG4-SC lacking pancreatic involvement. The design was a questionnaire-based, multi-center retrospective study. The enrolled subjects were patients with PSC and IgG4-SC without pancreatic involvement diagnosed after 2005. We enrolled 197 PSC and 43 IgG4-SC patients without pancreatic lesions. The male dominance was significantly evident in IgG4-SC (P = 0.006). In patients with PSC, two peaks in age distribution were clearly observed. IgG4-SC was not detected in any patient younger than 45 years of age. At presentation, serum albumin and IgM were significantly higher in PSC, while serum IgG and IgG4 were significantly elevated in IgG4-SC. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) was detected in only 68/197 PSC patients (34%). The prognosis of IgG4-SC was considerably better than that of PSC. We confirmed several interesting clinical details of PSC in Japanese patients: two peaks in the age distribution and lower prevalence of IBD.

Moyamoya Disease in China

Here we describe the clinical features and outcomes of patients with moyamoya disease who were surgically treated at a single institution in China. Our cohort included 802 patients with moyamoya disease. Demographic and clinical characteristics were obtained by retrospective chart review; follow-up information and outcome were obtained through clinical visits, telephone, or letter interview. We used the Kaplan-Meier methods to estimate stroke risk by treatment status. The median age for the onset of symptoms was 28 (range, 0.5-77) years. Two definite peaks in age distribution were found. The ratio of women to men was 1:1 (398/404). Familial occurrence of moyamoya disease was 5.2%. The initial symptom was ischemia, hemorrhage, or others in 564, 113, and 125 patients, respectively. Twenty-nine of the 802 patients (3.6%) received conservative management. The remaining 773 patients (96.4%) underwent neurosurgical revascularization procedures, and 502 of these were bilateral. The median follow-up after surgery (n=773) or conservative management (n=26) was 26.3 months (range, 6.0-101.9 months). Most subsequent ischemic events appeared in the first 2 years after surgery. The Kaplan-Meier estimated stroke risk was 10.1% in the first 2 years, and the 5-year-Kaplan-Meier risk of stroke was 12.7% after surgery for all patients treated with surgical revascularization. This study on the clinical features of moyamoya disease in mainland China indicated bimodal incidence distribution with women-to-men ratios of 1:1 and lower rate of hemorrhages in adults compared with in children. Patients had low rates of postoperative ischemic or hemorrhagic strokes, and the majority of patients had preserved functional status after revascularization.

Clinical characteristics of dental emergencies and prevalence of dental trauma at a university hospital emergency center in Korea

The aim of this study was to examine the clinical characteristics of dental emergency patients who visited a university hospital emergency center and to evaluate the incidence of dental trauma. A retrospective chart review of patients with dental complaints and who visited the Seoul National University Bundang Hospital (SNUBH) emergency center in Gyeonggi-do, Korea, from January 2009 to December 2009 was conducted. Information regarding age, gender, the time, day, and month of presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and follow up was collected and analyzed. One thousand four hundred twenty-five patients with dental problems visited the SNUBH emergency center. Dental patients accounted for 1.47% of the total 96,708 patients at the emergency center. The male-to-female ratio was 1.68:1, with a considerably larger number of male patients (62.7%). The age distribution peak was at 0-9 years (27.5%), followed by patients in their forties (14.1%). The number of patients visiting the dental emergency center peaked in May (14.2%), on Sundays (22.4%), and between 2100 and 2400 h (20.8%). The patients' chief complaints were as follows: dental trauma, dental infection, oral bleeding, and temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). The prevalence of dental trauma was 66%. The reasons for dental emergency visits included the following: dental trauma, dental infection, oral bleeding, and TMD, with 66% of the patients requiring management of dental trauma. It is important that dentists make a prompt, accurate diagnosis and initiate effective treatment in case of dental emergencies, especially dental trauma.

Reply to comment by M. Francisco Pereira et al. on “Geodynamic evolution of the SW Europe Variscides”

] The interpretation reported by Ribeiro et al. [2007]favors the presence of a Cadomian basement within the SWEurope Variscides, eventually including older relics,considering as well the role of this basement in theevolution of the Variscan cycle; this particular issue wasdeveloped in a subsequent paper [Ribeiro et al., 2009]. Thepossibility of Grenville inliers is not definitely ruled out bythe arguments of Pereira et al. [2009]. Indeed, a few (nearlyconcordant) U/Pb zircon ages of 0.94 to 1.2 Ga are reportedby Linnemann et al. [2008]; several other U/Pb zircongeochronological data from Na¨gler et al. [1995], de la Rosaet al. [2002], Sola´etal.[2008], and Cordani et al. [2006](upper intercept date for sample 43B-5.1 assuming lead lossduring Variscan metamorphism at 360 Ma), although notdefinitive, also suggest the inheritance of Grenville ages inOssa-Morena Zone (OMZ) rocks. Furthermore, detritalzircons in Me´rtola Formation (South Portuguese Zone)proximal greywackes(includinghigh-grademetamorphiclith-oclastssimilar to those rocks found at the OMZ E´vora Massif)reveal a frequency age distribution peak at 0.94 Ga (R. Jorge,personal communication, 2009), consistent with derivationfrom inliers of a Greenville orogen, which is well datedbetween 1.2 and 0.95 Ga in the North American craton.Therefore, the possibility of pre-Cadomian cycles remainsdebatable (as signed by a question mark in the text of Ribeiroet al. [2007]), as well as the provenance of detrital zircons andtheconnectionsbetweenIberiaandWestAfrica,AmazoniaandLaurentia cratons prior to the assemblage of Pannotia Super-continent. Further investigations are needed to solve thisproblem within an acceptable range of uncertainty.[

Cutaneous Cysts of the Head and Neck

A retrospective study on the features of cutaneous cysts of the head and neck as seen in a North Jordanian population. The records of the Department of Pathology at Jordan University of Science and Technology were reviewed for patients with cutaneous cysts of the head and neck during the 12-year period extending between 1991 and 2002. Applicable records were retrieved, reviewed, and analyzed. Primary analysis outcome measures included patient age, gender, location of the cyst, type, clinical presentation, and treatment. The records of 488 patients were available for analysis. Epidermoid cyst was the most frequent lesion (49%) followed by pilar cysts (27%), and dermoid cysts (22%). The site affected most frequently was the scalp (34%), predominantly with pilar cysts (96%). Epidermoid cyst was the most frequent lesion in the neck (68%), cheeks (77%), periauricular area (70%), and the nasal area (55%). Dermoid cyst was the most frequent lesion in the periorbital area (52%). Females represented 51% of the patients and males accounted for 49%. The peak of age distribution for patients with dermoid cysts was at the first decade, and both of epidermoid and pilar cysts peaked at the third decade. Infection presented in 2.5% of cases. All cysts were enucleated surgically. Maxillofacial surgeons often encounter cutaneous cysts of the head and neck, and they must be familiar with the clinicopathologic characteristics of these lesions.

Clinical aspects of injury and acute poisoning in Korean pediatric patients

Unintentional injuries are the most important cause of morbidity and mortality in the pediatric population, and the home is the most common site of injury for children in Korea. The most common cause of injury was slip down. Fall down and burn were frequent in infant/toddlers group, automobile and bicycle accident more frequent in preschool children. Findings from the survey could then be used to provide targets for direct educational efforts by medical services and to direct environmental safety modifications tailored to the unique situation of each family. Pediatric toxic ingestions are treated commonly by pediatricians and emergency physicians. Significant injury after these ingestions is infrequent, but identifying the dangerous ingestion is sometimes a difficult task. By performing a detailed history, focused physical examination, and directed laboratory evaluation, an estimation of risk can be developed. According to recent Korean poison papers, there were bimodal peak of age distribution in poisoned children patient on the whole: infant and adolescents group. Various types of materials belonged the classes of drugs, household products, and industrial solvents. Most of the poisoned children patients had been poisoned accidentally, while most cases of adolescents poisoning had been intentional. More than half of the adolescents group had a suicidal purpose in Korea, so an understanding of the demographic factors associated with self-harm poisoning may provide useful information to improve prevention and treatment strategies.

Acute leukemia of childhood: A single institution's experience

The aim of this study was to investigate distribution of immunophenotypic and cytogenetic features of childhood acute leukemia (AL) in the cohort of 239 newly diagnosed patients registered at the leading pediatric oncohematology center in the country during a six-year period (1996-2002). With approximately 60-70% of all childhood AL cases in Serbia and Montenegro being diagnosed and treated in this institution the used data represent a valid research sample to draw conclusions for entire country. On the basis of five phenotypic markers, the distribution of immunological subtypes was as follows: 169 (70.7%) expressed B-cell marker CD19 (137 were CD10 positive and 32 CD10 negative), 37 (15.5%) belonged to T-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) (cyCD3 positive), and 33 (13.8%) were acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) (CD13 positive and/or CD33 positive in the absence of lymphoid-associated antigens). The ratio of males and females was 1.5:1. Most of the cases were between the ages of 2 and 4, and were predominantly B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) cases. Another peak of age distribution was observed at the age of 7. The frequency of T-ALL (18% of ALL) was similar to that reported for Mediterranean countries: France (19.4%), Greece (28.1%), Southern Italy (28.3%), and Bulgaria (28.0%). Cytogenetic analyses were performed in 193 patients: 164 ALL and 29 AML. Normal karyotype was found in 57% of ALL and in 55% of AML patients, while cytogenetic abnormalities including structural, numerical, and complex chromosomal rearrangements were found in 43% of ALL and in 45% of AML patients. Our results represent a contribution to epidemiological aspects of childhood leukemia studies.

Recent status of primary sclerosing cholangitis in Japan.

Patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) in Japan have two peaks in age distribution, one in their twenties and the other in their fifties and sixties. PSC patients in Japan have different characteristics from those in other countries: there is a higher incidence of eosinophilia (27%) and positivity for anti-nuclear antibody (30%), less frequent complication with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD; 21%), and more frequent complication with chronic pancreatitis (15%). In younger patients in Japan (those aged less than 40 years), the incidence of positivity for anti-nuclear antibody was lower (20% vs 38% P < 0.05), complication with IBD was more frequent (39% vs 9% P < 0.01), complication with chronic pancreatitis was less frequent (4% vs 22% P < 0.01), and damage to both the intra- and extrahepatic bile ducts was more frequent (89% vs 56% P < 0.01) than in older patients (those aged 40 years or more). These findings suggest that younger PSC patients in Japan have characteristics similar to those of patients in other countries, and that in Japan older PSC patients have a different pathogenesis from that of younger patients.

Estimated Prevalence of Sjogren's Syndrome in Japan : Findings from a Nationwide Epidemiological Survey

To estimate the prevalence of Sjogren's syndrome (SS) in Japan, and to describe the clinicoepidemiological features, a nationwide epidemiological survey was conducted in 1994. The study consisted of two questionnaires distributed to the relevant departments of hospitals throughout Japan. The first questionnaire inquired the number of the patients treated in 1993, and the second one detailed clinico-epidemiological information of the patients reported. Following major epidemiological findings emerged from the study : (a) The total number of patients treated for SS in 1993, in Japan, was estimated as 17, 000 (95% confidence interval 15, 000-20, 000). The estimated crude prevalence rates were 1.9 and 25.6 per 100, 000 population in males and females, respectively. (b) The ratio of female to male patients was 13.7. The peak of age distribution of SS patients reported was in their fifties. The highest prevalence rate was observed among females with their sixth decade ; being 62.2 per 100, 000 population. J Epidemiol. 1995; 5 : 125-129.

Vestibular neuronitis: epidemiological survey by questionnaire in Japan.

An epidemiological survey on vestibular neuronitis in Japan was conducted by means of a questionnaire filled in by major neuro-otology clinics (otolaryngologists) during 1988-1990 (3 years). The diagnostic criteria of vestibular neuronitis settled on in 1986 by the Standardization Committee of the Japan Society of Equilibrium Research were applied. Gross analysis of questionnaire answers showed that i) there was no sexual difference, ii) the peak of age distribution was between 40-50 years, iii) about 30% of all cases had had common colds prior to the disease, the rate being highest among children below 10 years, iv) disappearance of positional and positioning nystagmus appeared in about 60% of all cases within 3 months, and that v) caloric CP was observed in about half of the cases at the follow-up test. Progress was not as favorable when compared to previous studies.

埼玉県内の医療機関で臨床材料から分離されたA群レンサ球菌の分離状況 (1979～1989年)

On 4,864 group A streptococci isolated from throat culture of patients in hospitals in Saitama from 1979 to 1989, we have done an epidemiological analysis of the T-type detection rates and the T-type epidemic, the monthly isolation rates, and the isolation rates by sex and age of patients. 1. The T-type detection rates of 4,864 isolates of group A streptococci showed type T12 in 22.6%, type T4 in 16.4%, type T1 in 10.8%, type T13 in 8.5%, type T6 in 7.6%, type T28 in 6.9%, type T3 in 6.1% and type T18 in 5.3% etc, and the largest number of isolates was type T12 among 16 T-types. 2. The main epidemic T-type during the investigation was type T12, and it was at the top from 1980 to 1981 and from 1984 to 1985. The others, type T4 was at the top from 1982 to 1983 and from 1983 to 1989, type T3 was in 1986, type T6 was in 1987, and type T1 was in 1988, especially it has been suggested that there are the high epidemic T-types and low epidemic T-types among the T-types of throat group A streptococci. 3. Monthly epidemic pattern of throat group A streptococci in each year showed two small epidemic peaks on March and June, a large epidemic peak from November to December since a turn on August. Further, the monthly epidemic pattern has been repeated every year. 4. Throat group A streptococci isolated from patients occupied 87 per cent by the patients from 0 to 14 years, the peak of age distribution showed by age group from 5 to 7 years. The sexual ratio of male to female was in the ratio 1:0.9. Further, the throat group A streptococci isolated from patients of age greater than 15 years was occupied about 50 per cent by age group from 30 to 39 years. A sexual ratio of male to female in the age group was in the ratio 1:1.8.