Estimates of pandemic influenza vaccine effectiveness in Europe, 2009-2010: results of Influenza Monitoring Vaccine Effectiveness in Europe (I-MOVE) multicentre case-control study

A multicentre case-control study based on sentinel practitioner surveillance networks from seven European countries was undertaken to estimate the effectiveness of 2009-2010 pandemic and seasonal influenza vaccines against medically attended influenza-like illness (ILI) laboratory-confirmed as pandemic influenza A (H1N1) (pH1N1).

Hospitalization risk due to respiratory illness associated with genetic variation at IFITM3 in patients with influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 infection: a case-control study

Recent studies suggest an association between the Interferon Inducible Transmembrane 3 (IFITM3) rs12252 variant and the course of influenza infection. However, it is not clear whether the reported association relates to influenza infection severity. The aim of this study was to estimate the hospitalization risk associated with this variant in Influenza Like Illness (ILI) patients during the H1N1 pandemic influenza. A case-control genetic association study was performed, using nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal swabs collected during the H1N1 pandemic influenza. Laboratory diagnosis of influenza infection was performed by RT-PCR, the IFITM3 rs12252 was genotyped by RFLP and tested for association with hospitalization. Conditional logistic regression was performed to calculate the confounder-adjusted odds ratio of hospitalization associated with IFITM3 rs12252. We selected 312 ILI cases and 624 matched non-hospitalized controls. Within ILI Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 positive patients, no statistical significant association was found between the variant and the hospitalization risk (Adjusted OR: 0.73 (95%CI: 0.33–1.50)). Regarding ILI Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 negative patients, CT/CC genotype carriers had a higher risk of being hospitalized than patients with TT genotype (Adjusted OR: 2.54 (95%CI: 1.54–4.19)). The IFITM3 rs12252 variant was associated with respiratory infection hospitalization but not specifically in patients infected with Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09.

Recurrent bacteremia with Streptococcus dysgalactiae: a case-control study.

Beta-hemolytic streptococci of groups C and G, designated as Streptococcus dysgalactiae (SD), can cause severe and recurring invasive infections. In this case-control study, we aimed to identify clinical and molecular risk factors for recurrence of SD bacteremia. Twenty-two cases of recurrent SD bacteremia were identified, and median time between episodes was 6 months. The most frequent clinical manifestation was skin and soft tissue infection. Cases and 92 controls, with single-episode SD bacteremia, showed similar demographics, had similar Charlson comorbidity scores, and had similar clinical presentations. Thirty-day fatality was 13% among controls, whereas none of 22 cases died. In 19 cases (86%), the same emm type was encountered in both episodes. SD isolates from recurrent episodes and from single episodes had a similar emm type distribution. Thus, we did not identify clinical risk factors for recurrences. The high proportion of identical emm types in recurrent episodes indicates a host-specific colonization.

Nocardia infection in solid organ transplant recipients: a multicenter European case-control study.

BACKGROUND  Nocardiosis is a rare, life-threatening opportunistic infection, affecting 0.04% to 3.5% of patients after solid organ transplantation (SOT). The aim of this study was to identify risk factors for Nocardia infection after SOT and to describe the presentation of nocardiosis in these patients. METHODS  We performed a retrospective case-control study of adult patients diagnosed with nocardiosis after SOT between 2000 and 2014 in 36 European (France, Belgium, Switzerland, Netherlands, Spain) centers. Two control subjects per case were matched by institution, transplant date and transplanted organ. A multivariable analysis was performed using conditional logistic regression to identify risk factors for nocardiosis. RESULTS  One hundred and seventeen cases of nocardiosis and 234 control patients were included. Nocardiosis occurred at a median of 17.5 [range 2-244] months after transplantation. In multivariable analysis, high calcineurin inhibitor trough levels in the month before diagnosis (OR=6.11 [2.58-14.51]), use of tacrolimus (OR=2.65 [1.17-6.00]) and corticosteroid dose (OR=1.12 [1.03-1.22]) at the time of diagnosis, patient age (OR=1.04 [1.02-1.07]) and length of stay in intensive care unit after SOT (OR=1.04 [1.00-1.09]) were independently associated with development of nocardiosis; low-dose cotrimoxazole prophylaxis was not found to prevent nocardiosis. Nocardia farcinica was more frequently associated with brain, skin and subcutaneous tissue infections than were other Nocardia species. Among the 30 cases with central nervous system nocardiosis, 13 (43.3%) had no neurological symptoms. CONCLUSIONS  We identified five risk factors for nocardiosis after SOT. Low-dose cotrimoxazole was not found to prevent Nocardia infection. These findings may help improve management of transplant recipients.

A national case-control study of Ewing's sarcoma family of tumours in Australia

Limited population-based epidemiologic information is available on Ewing's sarcoma family of tumours (ESFT), a rare group of neoplasms. Several associations have been noted on a few studies but results were not consistent, except for exposure to farming among cases and their parents. Here we present the non-farm findings of a nationwide case-control study of ESFT in children and young adults in Australia. The analysis included 106 persons with confirmed ESFT and 344 population-based controls selected randomly via telephone. Information was collected by interview (84% face to face). We found a strong and significant association of ESFT with hernias, in particular hernia repaired in hospital (OR = 5.6, 95% Cl 1.3-6.4). Among other factors, there was a near doubling of risk for males, and male cases had their pubertal signs earlier (started shaving earlier) than male controls. There was also an increased risk of ESFT at higher levels of self-assessed exercise, but no other factor really stood out. For pregnancy-related factors, there was a tripling of risk for glandular fever, a doubling of risk for urinary tract infection and a near doubling of risk for X-rays during or just before pregnancy, but these estimates were not significant. In addition, there was a large number of inverse associations with medical conditions (specifically bone disorders), case exposure to medications, vaccinations and X-rays, with ultrasound during the pregnancy having the most certain effects. We conclude that, although the aetiology of ESFT remains obscure, overall there is strong evidence of an association with inguinal hernia; this can now be added to the farm-associated risk reported by others and us. The other associations reported here await replication and refinement in future studies. (C) 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Hospital-based case-control study of bronchiectasis in indigenous children in central Australia

Background: Childhood pneumonia has been reported to be associated with the development of bronchiectasis but there are no case-control studies that have examined this. This study examined the relationship between hospital admission for episode(s) of pneumonia and the risk of radiologically proven bronchiectasis. Methods: A medical record-based case-control study of bronchiectasis in Indigenous children was conducted in Central Australia. Controls (183), matched to cases (61) by gender, age and year of diagnosis, were Indigenous children hospitalized with other conditions. Results: There was a strong association between a history of hospitalized pneumonia and bronchiectasis [odds ratio (OR), 15.2; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 4.4-52.7]. This was particularly evident in recurrent hospitalized pneumonia (P for trend < 0.01), severe pneumonia episodes with longer hospital stay (P for trend < 0.01), presence of atelectasis (OR 11.9; 95% CI 3.1-45.9) and requirement for oxygen (P for trend < 0.01). The overall number of pneumonia episodes, rather than its site, was associated with bronchiectasis. Although the total number of pneumonia episodes in the first year of life did not increase the risk of bronchiectasis, more severe episodes early in life did. Malnutrition, premature birth and being small for gestational age were more common findings among cases. Breast-feeding appeared to be a protective factor (OR 0.2; 95% CI 0.1-0.7). Conclusions: Although we cannot fully answer the question of why bronchiectasis is much more common in Indigenous children, we have provided strong evidence of an association between bronchiectasis and severe and recurrent pneumonia episodes in infancy and childhood.

Migraine and risk of subarachnoid haemorrhage: a population-based case-control study

Objective. Evidence exists for an association between migraine and ischaemic stroke, but there is uncertainty about whether migraine is a risk factor for subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH). Methods. A multi-centre, population-based, case-control study using cases of first-ever SAH during 1995-98 and matched controls in four study centres in Australia and New Zealand. Self- or proxy-reported history, frequency and characteristics of headaches, classified according to 1988 International Headache Society diagnostic criteria. Results. 206 of 432 (48%) cases and 236 of 473 (50%) controls had a history of headaches. The frequency and characteristics of headaches were similar between the two groups. No association was found in logistic regression analyses for history or frequency of headaches, or migraine headaches. Conclusions. No evidence was found for an association between recurrent headaches and SAH. Such information is important for counselling patients and families about the significance of past and ongoing headaches in relation to this illness. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Health-protective behaviours and risk of fall-related hip fractures: a population-based case-control study

Background: fall-related hip fractures are one of the most common causes of disability and mortality in older age. The study aimed to quantify the relationship between lifestyle behaviours and the risk of fall-related hip fracture in community-dwelling older people. The purpose was to contribute evidence for the promotion of healthy ageing as a population-based intervention for falls injury prevention. Methods: a case-control study was conducted with 387 participants, with a case-control ratio of 1:2. Incident cases of fall-related hip fracture in people aged 65 and over were recruited from six hospital sites in Brisbane, Australia, in 2003-04. Community-based controls, matched by age, sex and postcode, were recruited via electoral roll sampling. A questionnaire designed to assess lifestyle risk factors, identified as determinants of healthy ageing, was administered at face-to-face interviews. Results: behavioural factors which had a significant independent protective effect on the risk of hip fracture included never smoking [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 0.33 (0.12-0.88)], moderate alcohol consumption in mid- and older age [AOR: 0.49 (0.25-0.95)], not losing weight between mid- and older age [AOR: 0.36 (0.20-0.65)], playing sport in older age [AOR: 0.49 (0.29-0.83)] and practising a greater number of preventive medical care [AOR: 0.54 (0.32-0.94)] and self-health behaviours [AOR: 0.56 (0.33-0.94)]. Conclusion: with universal exposures, clear associations and modifiable behavioural factors, this study has contributed evidence to reduce the major public health burden of fall-related hip fractures using readily implemented population-based healthy ageing strategies.

Pre-term delivery and periodontal disease: a case-control study from Croatia

Aim: The aim of this report was to assess the strength and influence of periodontitis as a possible risk factor for pre-term birth (PTB) in a cohort of 81 primiparous Croatian mothers aged 18-39 years. Methods: PTB cases (n=17; mean age 25 +/- 2.9 years; age range 20-33 years) were defined as spontaneous delivery after less than 37 completed weeks of gestation that were followed by spontaneous labour or spontaneous rupture of membranes. Controls (full-time births) were normal births at or after 37 weeks of gestation (n=64; mean age 25 +/- 2.9 years; age range 19-39 years). Information on known risk factors and obstetric factors included the current pregnancy history, maternal age at delivery, pre-natal care, nutritional status, tobacco use, alcohol use, genitourinary infections, vaginosis, gestational age, and birth weight. Full-mouth periodontal examination was performed on all mothers within 2 days of delivery. Results: PTB cases had significantly worse periodontal status than controls (p=0.008). Multivariate logistic regression model, after controlling for other risk factors, demonstrated that periodontal disease is a significant independent risk factor for PTB, with an adjusted odds ratio of 8.13 for the PTB group (95% confidence interval 2.73-45.9). Conclusion: Periodontal disease represents a strong, independent, and clinically significant risk factor for PTB in the studied cohort. There are strong indicators that periodontal therapy should form a part of preventive prenatal care in Croatia.

The association of antihypertensives with postural blood pressure and falls among seniors residing in the community : a case control study

Date of Acceptance: 22/07/2015 This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.