Review Of Epidemiological Studies Research Articles

Greenness and kidney? A review of epidemiological studies on the association between green space and kidney disease.

Recent accumulating epidemiological evidence underlines the important role of environmental exposures on kidney diseases. Among environmental exposures, this study addresses "Green space," which has been recognized as one of the major environmental exposures at the population level. We review a total of seven epidemiological studies currently published on greenness and kidney disease. We also discuss knowledge gaps in the epidemiological evidence in relation to study design, greenness exposure index, emerging kidney outcomes, and inequalities. With an increase in public attention regarding environmental risks and climate change, an improved understanding of the beneficial effects of green space can play an important role in promoting kidney health.

Impact of infrasound and low frequency noise on human health and well-being. Part II: Review of epidemiological studies

This paper summarizes the currently available knowledge on the impact of infrasound (IS) and low frequency noise (LFN) on human health and well-being. This narrative review of the literature data was based on the selected, mostly, peer-reviewed research papers, review articles, and meta-analyses that were published in 1971-2022. It has been focused on the results of epidemiological studies concerning the annoyance related to infrasound and low frequency noise, as well as their impact on the cardiovascular system and sleep disorders. Particular attention was also paid to the latest research results and specific sources of IS and LFN, i.e., wind turbines. Med Pr Work Health Saf. 2023;74(5):409-23.

The Benefits and Burdens of Meat Consumption

The Benefits and Burdens of Meat Consumption

Effects of Particulate Matter on Allergic Rhinitis and Possible Mechanisms

Health impacts of particulate matter (PM) have become a global concern. PM tends to affect patients with allergic diseases, such as allergic rhinitis (AR), more severely. Many epidemiological studies have shown that PM increases outpatient clinic visits as well as the prevalence and severity of AR, while decreasing the quality of life of AR patients. However, the exact mechanisms underlying the effects of PM on the development and exacerbation of AR are still poorly understood. Various mechanisms are involved in the effects of PM on AR, including immunological response, oxidative stress, epithelial barrier dysfunction, allergic sensitization, and epigenetic modification. This article reviews epidemiological and clinical studies on the effects of PM on AR, and the mechanisms by which PM aggravates AR.

Stroke in Parkinson's disease: a review of epidemiological studies and potential pathophysiological mechanisms.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the fastest growing neurological disorder and one of the leading neurological causes of disability worldwide following stroke. An overall aging global population, as well as general changes in lifestyle associated with mass industrialization in the last century, may be linked to both increased incidencerates of PD and an increase in cumulative cardiovascular risk. Recent epidemiological studies show an increased risk of stroke, post-stroke complications, and subclinical ischemic insults in PD. PD patients have a host of characteristics that might contribute to increasing the risk of developing ischemicstroke including motor impairment, dysautonomia, and sleep disorders. This increases the urgency to study the interplay between PD and other neurological disorders, and their combined effect on mortality, morbidity, and quality of life. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the studied etiological factors and pathological processes involved in PD, specifically with regard to their relationship to stroke. We hope that this review offers aninsight into the relationship between PD and ischemicstroke and motivates further studiesin this regard.

Exposure to Source-Specific Particulate Matter and Health Effects: a Review of Epidemiological Studies

Exposure to Source-Specific Particulate Matter and Health Effects: a Review of Epidemiological Studies

Effectiveness of personal protection measures against Lyme disease: A review of epidemiologic studies from the United States.

Lyme disease, the most commonly reported vector-borne disease in the United States, is caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted through the bite of an infected blacklegged tick. In the absence of a licensed vaccine, the prevention of Lyme disease relies heavily on limiting tick exposure. Methods for limiting tick exposure include personal protection measures such as repellent use, wearing protective clothing, avoiding areas where ticks may be present, bathing after exposure to tick habitat and performing regular tick checks. Public health officials typically recommend all these personal protection measures; however, there is limited evidence to promote one behaviour or practice over another. The focus of this article is to review available literature that examines the effectiveness of recommended personal protection measures to prevent Lyme and other Ixodes-transmitted diseases in humans. Articles included in this review were identified through Google Scholar and PubMed searches using specific search terms. We identified over 56,000 articles using Google Scholar and PubMed searches. Of those, 16 studies fit our criteria for inclusion and were reviewed in their entirety. Among the personal protection measures evaluated, no intervention was predominantly or consistently effective across studies, demonstrating that, currently, there is no single best method for primary prevention of Ixodes-transmitted diseases in the United States. Frequently recommended practices such as tick checks, repellent use and protective clothing had mixed results across studies. Study design differences limited comparability among studies, and sample sizes for these studies may have been too small to detect statistically significant results even if a prevention method was effective. Though many of the reviewed personal protection measures are frequently recommended to the public, limited evidence demonstrates their ability to prevent tick-borne disease. Additional standardized studies are needed to evaluate personal protection measures.

Life quality, anxiety and depression in patients with сhronic obstructive pulmonary disease (literature review)

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an irreversible disease, the main symptoms of which are shortness of breath and cough. With progression, these symptoms worsen the patients’ life quality, limit their physical activity and lead to psychological problems. COPD is the fourth most common disease in the world and one of the leading causes of death. A review of epidemiological studies shows that depression occurs in patients with COPD in 6—80 % of cases, with an average of about 40 %. Also, these patients often have anxiety disorders in 10 to 55 % of cases.158 literature sources in Pubmed database on request COPD AND depression AND anxiety for last 10 years were included to the study and 44 of them were selected for further detailed study.According to the analysis of literature sources, possible relationships between COPD, life quality, anxiety and depressive disorders were found, approaches to their detection, monitoring and treatment were described, as well as the importance of controlling COPD symptoms to improve the patients’ life quality and reduce the manifestations of psychological and mental disorders. Evidence has been found indicating that an increase in physical activity when COPD symptoms are controlled changes the state of functioning of central monoamines, increases the regulation of the hypothalamic­-pituitary-­adrenal system, increases the release of endogenous opioids and decreases the severity of systemic inflammation, which reduces the manifestations of anxiety and depression.Due to the bidirectional relationship of patients’ life quality, depression and anxiety, and COPD, the most effective is an integrated approach that improves the patient’s condition through the impact on both physical and psychological factors. However, there is still a need for randomized trials to definitively study the benefits of psychological, pharmacological, and combined treatments for depression and anxiety disorders in COPD.

Prevalence and risk factors for food allergy in children: a review of epidemiological studies

BACKGROUND: Food allergy is an actual problem in pediatric practice. In recent decades, there has been an increase in the prevalence of food allergies, as well as an increase in the number of severe cases.
 AIM: To assess the prevalence of food allergy and the role of hereditary and environmental factors in food allergy development in children according to epidemiological cohorts and cross-sectional studies.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic review of epidemiological cohorts and cross-sectional studies published between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2021, was conducted This review investigated the developmental factors and prevalence of food allergy.
 RESULTS: This review made it possible to generalize and systematize the accumulated worldwide scientific data on food allergy. An analysis of epidemiological studies revealed a significant prevalence of food allergy, which reflected the natural course of the disease; the highest rates were found among young children, and by school age, the prevalence of symptoms and confirmed food allergy is gradually decreasing. Based on epidemiological data, the main risk factors for food allergy are hereditary predisposition and environmental factors that modify the microbial environment.
 CONCLUSION: It is necessary to further study the genetic markers of food allergy, as well as the role of microbiotic factors in the implementation of hereditary predisposition to allergic diseases.

Breast Implant-Associated Immunological Disorders.

Background Breast implants are commonly placed postbreast cancer reconstruction, cosmetic augmentation, and gender-affirming surgery. Breast implant illness (BII) is a systemic complication associated with breast implants. Patients with BII may experience autoimmune symptoms including fatigue, difficulty concentrating, hair loss, weight change, and depression. BII is poorly understood, and the etiology is unknown. The purpose of this literature review is to characterize BII autoimmune disorders and determine possible causes for its etiology. Methods The PubMed, Google Scholar, Embase, Web of Science, and OVID databases were interrogated from 2010 to 2020 using a query strategy including search term combinations of “implants,” “breast implant illness,” “autoimmune,” and “systemic illness.” Results BII includes a spectrum of autoimmune symptoms such as fatigue, myalgias/arthralgias, dry eyes/mouth, and rash. A review of epidemiological studies in the past ten years exhibited evidence affirming an association between breast implants and autoimmune diseases. The most commonly recognized were Sjogren's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic sclerosis, chronic fatigue syndrome, and Raynaud's syndrome. Explantation resulted in alleviation of symptoms in over 50% of patients, strengthening the hypothesis linking breast implants to BII. Studies have shown that silicone is a biologically inert material and unlikely to be the cause of these symptoms. This is supported by the fact that increased risk of autoimmune disease was also reported in patients with other implantable biomaterials such as orthopedic implants. Recent studies shed light on a possible role of bacterial biofilm and subsequent host-pathogen interactions as a confounding factor to this problem. Conclusion BII could be dependent on biofilm infection and the microenvironment around the implants. The true pathophysiology behind these complaints must be further investigated so that alternative treatment regimens other than explantation can be developed. Translational significance of these studies is not limited to breast implants but extends to other implants as well.

Could Expanding and Investing in First-Episode Psychosis Services Prevent Aggressive Behaviour and Violent Crime?

ObjectiveSome persons developing, or presenting, schizophrenia engage in aggressive behaviour (AB) and/or criminal offending. Most of these individuals display AB prior to a first episode of psychosis (FEP). In fact, approximately one-third of FEP patients have a history of AB, some additionally display other antisocial behaviours (A+AB). The large majority of these individuals have presented conduct problems since childhood, benefit from clozapine, have extensive treatment needs, and are unlikely to comply with treatment. A smaller sub-group begin to engage in AB as illness onsets. A+AB persists, often for many years in spite of treatment-as-usual, until a victim is seriously harmed. This article proposes providing multi-component treatment programs at FEP in order to prevent aggressive and antisocial behaviours of persons with schizophrenia.MethodNon-systematic reviews of epidemiological studies of AB among persons with schizophrenia, of the defining characteristics of sub-types of persons with schizophrenia who engage in AB and their responses to treatment, and of FEP service outcomes.ResultsStudies have shown that mental health services that simultaneously target schizophrenia and aggressive behaviour are most effective both in reducing psychotic symptoms and aggressive behaviour. Evidence, although not abundant, suggests that a multi-component treatment program that would include the components recommended to treat schizophrenia and cognitive-behavioural interventions to reduce A+AB, and the other factors promoting A+AB such as substance misuse, victimisation, and poor recognition of emotions in the faces of others has the potential to effectively treat schizophrenia and reduce A+AB. Patients with a recent onset of AB would require few components of treatment, while those with prior conduct disorder would require all. Such a program of treatment would be long and intense.ConclusionsTrials are needed to test the effectiveness of multi-component treatment programs targeting schizophrenia and A+AB at FEP. Studies are also necessary to determine whether providing such programs in hospitals and/or prisons, with long-term community after-care, and in some cases with court orders to participate in treatment, would enhance effectiveness. Whether investing at FEP would be cost-effective requires investigation.

Collecting data on fractures: a review of epidemiological studies on orthopaedic traumatology and the Chinese experience in large volume databases.

This study aimed to review the epidemiological studies on orthopedic traumatology and the Chinese experience in large volume databases of fractures. Review of international and Chinese literature. Traumatic fractures are associated with high risks of death and disability worldwide, thus increasing financial burden on affected families and society. In the current study, epidemiological surveys on fractures around the world were reviewed to explore distribution and types of fractures in different populations. Different populations exhibit heterogeneity in the type, incidence of traumatic fractures, and the underlying causes and severity of fractures. Fracture epidemiology has strengthened clinical practice and increased understanding of the causes and patterns of fracture occurrence. Fracture and trauma epidemiological studies provide findings for use in public health education and data that can be used to develop targeted prevention intervention strategies by health departments. The current study summarized the worldwide epidemiological studies on orthopedic traumatology. The findings of this study will provide a basis for designing effective methods for fracture prevention and management.

Epidemiology of personality disorders in individuals with gender dysphoria.

Prevalence estimates of personality disorders (PD) in individuals with gender dysphoria (GD) are variable and heterogeneous, as psychiatric comorbidity and long-term follow-up data from gender-diverse samples are still limited. This review aims to assess prevalence rates across age groups and discuss potential reasons for variability in PD prevalence estimates among transgender people. International epidemiological data from several countries indicate that the best available estimates of the prevalence of any PD diagnosis in transgender youth are around 20% for adolescents and tend to increase to nearly 50% in trans-adults. The paucity of available data on personality dysfunction in children and adolescents with GD precluded us from definitive conclusions on the trends of emerging PDs in this population. Estimates of PD prevalence in transgender and gender-diverse people seem to be highly affected by methodological characteristics of the studies with no universally agreed reference standards for this population. The review of epidemiological studies on PD among gender-diverse people highlights the need for using more standardized study methodologies to make findings comparable. Nevertheless, international epidemiological data seem to support the link association between the development of PD and GD.

Life-Time Environmental Chemical Exposure and Obesity: Review of Epidemiological Studies Using Human Biomonitoring Methods.

The exponential global increase in the incidence of obesity may be partly attributable to environmental chemical (EC) exposure. Humans are constantly exposed to ECs, primarily through environmental components. This review compiled human epidemiological study findings of associations between blood and/or urinary exposure levels of ECs and anthropometric overweight and obesity indices. The findings reveal research gaps that should be addressed. We searched MEDLINE (PubMed) for full text English articles published in 2006–2020 using the keywords “environmental exposure” and “obesity”. A total of 821 articles were retrieved; 102 reported relationships between environmental exposure and obesity indices. ECs were the predominantly studied environmental exposure compounds. The ECs were grouped into phenols, phthalates, and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) to evaluate obesogenic roles. In total, 106 articles meeting the inclusion criteria were summarized after an additional search by each group of EC combined with obesity in the PubMed and Scopus databases. Dose-dependent positive associations between bisphenol A (BPA) and various obesity indices were revealed. Both individual and summed di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and non-DEHP metabolites showed inconsistent associations with overweight and obesity indices, although mono-butyl phthalate (MBP), mono-ethyl phthalate (MEP), and mono-benzyl phthalate (MBzP) seem to have obesogenic roles in adolescents, adults, and the elderly. Maternal exposure levels of individual POP metabolites or congeners showed inconsistent associations, whereas dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were positively associated with obesity indices. There was insufficient evidence of associations between early childhood EC exposure and the subsequent development of overweight and obesity in late childhood. Overall, human evidence explicitly reveals the consistent obesogenic roles of BPA, DDE, and PFOA, but inconsistent roles of phthalate metabolites and other POPs. Further prospective studies may yield deeper insights into the overall scenario.

Outdoor Mold and Respiratory Health: State of Science of Epidemiological Studies

Fungal spores are the predominant biological particulates in outdoor air. However, in contrast to pollens or outdoor air pollution, little is known about their respiratory health risks. The objectives were to conduct the first review of epidemiological studies on the short- and long-term effects of outdoor mold exposure on respiratory health in children and adults. Health outcomes included asthma, lung function, and rhinitis. Cross-sectional and longitudinal epidemiological studies using quantitative measures of outdoor mold exposure (optical microscopy, culture-based methods) were selected, providing that important confounding factors including temporal trends or meteorological factors were accounted for. A systematic literature search was performed up to June 2020, leading to the selection of 37 publications. Most studies were longitudinal and investigated short-term effects. There is evidence of an association between outdoor fungal exposure and an increase in asthma exacerbation among children for total spores, 2 phyla (ascomycetes, basidiomycetes), and 2 taxa (Cladosporium, Alternaria). A few studies also suggested an association for Coprinus, Ganoderma, Aspergillus-Penicillium, Botrytis, and Epicoccum in children, but this needs to be confirmed. Some studies reported mold associations with rhinitis, lung function, and among adults, but these were few in number or inconsistent. Further ecological studies in different regions that measure exposure to all taxa over several years are required to better understand their impact on rhinitis, asthma exacerbations and lung function. Larger panel studies are necessary to identify threshold effects in susceptible individuals. Finally, further research should assess the long-term effects of outdoor mold.

Gastrointestinal tract and skin permeability of chemicals in consumer products using parallel artificial membrane permeability assay (PAMPA).

Some chemicals commonly used in personal care products, household items, food vessels, cosmetics, and other consumer products are potentially harmful, and several reviews of epidemiological studies have suggested the associations between the chemical exposure from consumer products, and respiratory diseases, skin sensitization, and reproductive problems. Therefore, risk assessment is essential for management of consumer products safety. Necessarily, the estimation of human exposure is an essential step in risk assessment, and the absorption rate of those chemicals via the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, and skin are very critical in determining the internal dose of the exposed chemicals. In this study, parallel artificial membrane permeability assays (PAMPA) for the gastrointestinal tract and skin were performed to evaluate the permeability of parabens (4-hydroxybenzoic acid, methyl-, propyl-, and butyl paraben), bisphenols (bisphenol A, bisphenol F, and bisphenol S), isothiazolinones (methyl-, chloromethyl-, benz-, octyl-, and dichlorooctyl isothiazolinone), and phthalates [diethyl-, dibutyl-, Di-isononyl-, and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate]. Lipid solubility of test chemicals indicated by log P values was shown as the most critical factor and showed a positive association with the permeability of parabens, bisphenols, and isothiazolinones in PAMPA assay. However, phthalate showed a reverse-association between lipophilicity and permeability. The permeability of all the tested chemicals was higher in the gastrointestinal tract membrane than in the skin membrane. The pH in donor solution did not show significant effects on the permeability in all the chemicals, except the chemicals with a free hydrophilic moiety in their chemical structures.

Review of epidemiological studies on air pollution and health effects in children.

There is a growing body of literature on the adverse health effects of ambient air pollution. Children are more adversely affected by air pollution due to their biological susceptibility and exposure patterns. This review summarized the accumulated epidemiologic evidence with emphasis on studies conducted in Korea and heterogeneity in the literature. Based on systematic reviews and meta-analyses, there is consistent evidence on the association between exposure to ambient air pollution and children’s health, especially respiratory health and adverse birth outcomes, and growing evidence on neurodevelopmental outcomes. Despite these existing studies, the mechanism of the adverse health effects of air pollution and the critical window of susceptibility remain unclear. There is also a need to identify causes of heterogeneity between studies in terms of measurement of exposure/outcome, study design, and the differential characteristics of air pollutants and population.

Association between cholangiocarcinoma and liver flukes: review of epidemiological studies

According to official medical statistics, liver fluke infections caused by Opisthorchis felineus , Opisthorchis viverrini and Clonorchis sinensis , are reported annually in the Southeast Asia, European countries and the Russian Federation. These infections are the main cause of digestive system diseases in the population of endemic regions. The aim of the review is to analyze the findings of epidemiological studies and to assess the relationship between liver and bile duct cancer and Opisthorchiidae liver fluke infections. Materials and methods. The authors reviewed original studies published in 1974–2019 via the MEDLINE databases and the eLIBRARY scientific digital library. Results . The studies have shown that cholangiocarcinoma is a significant medical and social problem in the trematode-endemic areas of Southeast Asia due to the absence of specific symptoms, long asymptomatic course, resistance to therapy and high mortality of patients. Long-term infection caused by trematodes Opisthorchis viverrini and Clonorchis sinensis is associated with a significant risk of developing cholangiocellular cancer. An epidemiological multicenter study is required to establish the relationship between the Opisthorchis felineus infection and cholangiocarcinoma in the population of endemic regions in the Russian Federation.

Preventing Dementia: Shifting Focus Towards Potential Modifiable Risk Factors

Around the world, 50 million people live with dementia, an incurable disease. The number is expected to surpass 150 million in three decades. The burden on the economy keeps escalating every year. However, encouraging evidence from studies in Europe reveal a decline in rates of incidence dementia. Although the prevalence still remains high, new cases have become fewer. Therefore, research has shifted focus to the role of potential modifiable factors in curbing incidence dementia. Better management of vascular risk factors over the last couple of decades has seen the risk of dementia decrease dramatically. Studies on adherence to Mediterranean diet, moderate alcohol consumption and incorporation of physical activity into daily activities suggest the risk of dementia might be modified in vulnerable population. Smokers should be encouraged and supported to give up the habit. Identification of these potential modifiable risk factors doesn’t mean that dementia can eventually be stopped, but this is a start toward decreasing the risk and improving lives of people with dementia. For this review paper, we searched for original articles and review papers in EMBASE and PubMed. Keywords were used individually or in combination in the searches. The keywords used include: dementia, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, vitamin B12, Vitamin D, hypercholesterolemia, cognitive reserve, physical activity, physical exercise, smoking, alcohol consumption, Mediterranean diet and hyperhomocysteinemia. We, therefore, review epidemiological longitudinal studies, with a focus on their associations with risk of dementia. Key words: Cognitive impairment, Dementia, Diabetes mellitus, Mediterranean diet, Physical activity, Risk factors.

Association between Cigarette Smoking and Histotype-Specific Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: A Review of Epidemiologic Studies.

Many studies have demonstrated that smoking can influence ovarian cancer risk and survival; however, the number of studies investigating this relationship according to histologic subtypes is limited. We conducted a review of epidemiologic research that assessed the role of smoking on ovarian cancer risk and survival after diagnosis, specifically capturing studies that discerned between various histologic subtypes of this disease. In the majority of studies, current smoking was associated with increased risk of mucinous cancer. There was also evidence of a decreased risk of clear cell and endometrioid histotypes. No significant association was observed between cigarette smoking and serous cancer. In the studies investigating the relationship between smoking and survival, all the studies reported an increased risk of mortality associated with smoking. Smoking appeared to be a risk factor for both ovarian cancer risk and mortality. Future studies need to investigate further a potential link between smoking and ovarian cancer by having a better assessment of exposure to smoking and having a larger number of participants with the ability to detect associations within rare histotypes.