A prospective study of blood transfusion history and liver cancer in a high-endemic area of Japan

Oral Symptoms Predict Mortality: a Prospective Study in Japan

Several studies have reported positive associations between oral infections and systemic diseases. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effects of oral symptoms on mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD) and pneumonia. Using data from a cohort study in Japan, we analyzed 4,139 individuals aged 40–79 years. The baseline questionnaire included the following items related to oral symptoms: ‘sensitive teeth’, ‘difficulty in chewing tough food substances’, ‘bleeding gums’, and ‘mouth feels sticky’. We used the Cox proportional hazard model to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) for mortality, after adjustments for lifestyle, socio-economic factors, and history of diseases. Persons complaining that their ‘mouth feels sticky’ had a two-fold higher risk of pneumonia (HR = 2.1; 95%CI, 1.2–3.6), while those complaining of ‘sensitive teeth’ had a lower risk of CVD (HR = 0.4; 95%CI, 0.2–0.9). Some oral symptoms may be predictors of mortality from pneumonia and CVD.

Mortality and risk factors for stroke and its subtypes in a cohort study in Japan

OBJECTIVE

To estimate stroke mortality and evaluate risk factors for total stroke deaths and its two principal subtypes in a cohort study in Japan.

METHODS

A total of 9651 subjects aged 40 or over and free of stroke were analyzed in a cohort study conducted in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. The follow-up period was from 1986 to 2003. Mortality rate per 100,000 person-years of stroke was estimated. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the hazard ratios and 95% confidence interval.

RESULTS

A total of 226 stroke deaths were recorded during 132,972 years of follow-up. Among these, 47 were intracerebral hemorrhage and 109 were cerebral infarction. Stroke mortality rates were 209.4 per 100,000 person-years in males, and 140.5 in females. The results showed that advanced age, male gender, low body mass index (BMI), history of diabetes, hypertension, and transfusion were associated with an increased risk of mortality from total stroke.

CONCLUSION

We confirmed that advanced age, male gender, low BMI, history of diabetes, history of hypertension and history of transfusion were associated with an increased risk of total stroke mortality. In addition, the magnitude of these associations differed between the two principal stroke subtypes.

Blood transfusion risks in the intensive care unit

This article reviews transfusion risks with particular emphasis on the critically ill. It describes the various types of noninfectious,infectious, and mild-to-severe reactions that can occur in a trans-fused patient. The article describes differential diagnosis of these reactions and the handling and treatment of the patient. Diagnosis of the type of transfusion reaction by laboratory tests is detailed. Finally, the article discusses the dangers of human error with possible strategies to combat this problem using new technologies.