EPI Update, September 30 2005

Weekly newsletter for Center For Acute Disease Epidemiology of Iowa Department of Public Health.

EPI Update, October 7 2005

Weekly newsletter for Center For Acute Disease Epidemiology of Iowa Department of Public Health.

EPI Update, October 7 2005

Weekly newsletter for Center For Acute Disease Epidemiology of Iowa Department of Public Health.

EPI Update, October 14 2005

Weekly newsletter for Center For Acute Disease Epidemiology of Iowa Department of Public Health.

EPI Update, October 21 2005

Weekly newsletter for Center For Acute Disease Epidemiology of Iowa Department of Public Health.

Vitamin D levels and associated factors: a population-based study in Switzerland.

QUESTIONS UNDER STUDY: To update the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency and to identify factors associated with vitamin D status in the Swiss adult population. METHODS: Data from the 2010-2011 Swiss Study on Salt intake, a population-based study in the Swiss population, was used. Vitamin D concentration in serum was measured by liquid chromatography- tandem mass spectrometry. Major factors that influence vitamin D levels were taken into account. Survey statistical procedures were used to estimate means and prevalences of vitamin D levels and status. Monthly-specific tertiles of vitamin D and ordinal logistic regression were used to determine the associations of covariates of interest with vitamin D status. RESULTS: The prevalences of vitamin D insufficiency (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D: 20-29.9 ng/ml) and deficiency (<20 ng/ml) were the highest in the January-March period; 26.4% (95%CI: 21.6-31.7) and 61.6% (95%CI: 56.0-67.0), respectively. In the same period, more than 9 of ten men were vitamin D insufficient or deficient. Each unit increase of Body Mass Index was associated with an 8% decreased likelihood of being in a higher vitamin D tertiles. Oral contraceptive, altitude, urinary excretion of calcium, use of vitamin D supplement or treatment, high wine consumption, physical activity were associated with vitamin D tertiles. Compared to the French-speaking region, the Italian-speaking region was independently associated with a higher likelihood of being in higher vitamin D tertiles (OR: 1.66, 95%CI: 1.14-2.43). CONCLUSIONS: Low levels of vitamin D are common among Swiss adults, in particular during winter months and outside the Italian-speaking region.

EPI Update, October 28 2005

Weekly newsletter for Center For Acute Disease Epidemiology of Iowa Department of Public Health.

EPI Update, November 4 2005

Weekly newsletter for Center For Acute Disease Epidemiology of Iowa Department of Public Health.

EPI Update, November 11 2005

Weekly newsletter for Center For Acute Disease Epidemiology of Iowa Department of Public Health.

EPI Update, November 18 2005

Weekly newsletter for Center For Acute Disease Epidemiology of Iowa Department of Public Health.

EPI Update, November 25 2005

Weekly newsletter for Center For Acute Disease Epidemiology of Iowa Department of Public Health.

EPI Update, December 2 2005

Weekly newsletter for Center For Acute Disease Epidemiology of Iowa Department of Public Health.

Development of the first disease activity index for eosinophilic esophagitis: update on the EEsAI in 2012

Background and Aims: The international E EsAI s tudy g roup is currently d eveloping the first activity index ( EEsAI) specific for E osinophilic Esophagitis (EoE). G oal: T o develop, e valuate and validate the EEsAI. Methods: T he development c omprises three p hases: 1. Selection of c andidate items ( completed); 2. Evaluation of t he activity index i n a first patient cohort (in progress, p atient recruitment completed); and 3. Validation in a s econd EoE patient cohort. F ocus group interviews with patients were used in p hase 1 to g enerate patient r eported outcomes (PRO) according to g uidelines o f regulatory authorities (FDA a nd EMA), whereas the section of biologic items was developed by Delphi rounds o f international E oE experts from E urope and North America. Results: T he EEsAI has a modular c omposition to a ssess the following components o f EoE activity: p atient r eported outcomes, e ndoscopic activity, histologic activity, laboratory activity, a nd quality of l ife (QoL). Definitions for a ll aspects o f endoscopic and histologic appearance were e stablished by consensus r ounds a mong E oE experts. S ymptom a ssessment tools were c reated that t ake into account d ifferent food consistencies as w ell as f ood avoidance and specific processing strategies. The EEsAI i s currently e valuated in a cohort of a dult EoE patients since M arch 2 011 (patient recruitment completed). Conclusions: The EEsAI standardizes outcome assessment in EoE t rials. T he collaboration with i nternational E oE e xperts a s well as f ollowing o f the guidelines f rom regulatory authorities will lead to its wide applicability.

EPI Update, December 16 2005

Weekly newsletter for Center For Acute Disease Epidemiology of Iowa Department of Public Health.

EPI Update, January 6, 2006

Weekly newsletter for Center For Acute Disease Epidemiology of Iowa Department of Public Health.