Pesticide exposure has been associated with different adverse health effects which may be modulated to some extent by paraoxonase-1 (PON1) activity and genetic polymorphisms. This study assessed seasonal variations in PON1 activity (using paraoxon –POase–, phenylacetate –AREase–, diazoxon –DZOase– and dihydrocoumarin –DHCase– as substrates), erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and plasma cholinesterase (using butyrylthiocholine –BuChE– and benzoylcholine…
Relationship between QT Interval Length and Arterial Stiffness in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE): A Cross-Sectional Case-Control Study
Introduction and Objectives The QT interval on the electrocardiogram has been shown to be longer in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) compared to that of the general population. The clinical significance of this finding is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between QT interval and subclinical atherosclerosis, measured by…
A Nested Case–Control Study of Metabolically Defined Body Size Phenotypes and Risk of Colorectal Cancer in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)
Background Obesity is positively associated with colorectal cancer. Recently, body size subtypes categorised by the prevalence of hyperinsulinaemia have been defined, and metabolically healthy overweight/obese individuals (without hyperinsulinaemia) have been suggested to be at lower risk of cardiovascular disease than their metabolically unhealthy (hyperinsulinaemic) overweight/obese counterparts. Whether similarly variable relationships exist for metabolically defined body…
Non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity (NEAC) estimated by two different dietary assessment methods and its relationship with NEAC plasma levels
Purpose We aimed to quantify and compare dietary non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity (NEAC), estimated using two dietary assessment methods, and to explore its relationship with plasma NEAC. Methods Fifty healthy subjects volunteer to participate in this study. Two dietary assessment methods [a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and a 24-hour recall (24-HR)] were used to collect dietary…
Gender inequalities in COPD decision-making in primary care
Background COPD is a frequent severe illness that increasingly affects females. Gender inequalities have been reported in COPD care. Objective To analyze decision-making in primary care for men and women with identical COPD as a function of the gender of the family physician (FP). Methods Cross-sectional, multicenter study in 457 Andalusian FPs, using a self-administered…
Physical activity and risk of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis in a prospective cohort study
Previous case–control studies have suggested a possible increased risk of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) with physical activity (PA), but this association has never been studied in prospective cohort studies. We therefore assessed the association between PA and risk of death from ALS in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. A total of 472,100…
La formación entre iguales para pacientes con diabetes mellitus 2. Una evaluación cuantitativa y cualitativa en el País Vasco y Andalucía
Objetivo Evaluar la estrategia formativa entre iguales para pacientes con diabetes mellitus tipo 2 de los programas «Paciente Activo» (País Vasco) y «Escuela de Pacientes» (Andalucía). Diseño Diseño mixto cuantitativo/cualitativo de evaluación pre/post de los programas de formación llevado a cabo entre 2012 y 2014. Emplazamiento País Vasco y Andalucía. Participantes Un total de 409 pacientes…
Mapping capacity to conduct health technology assessment in Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe
AIM: To provide insights into the capacity to conduct health technology assessment (HTA) in Central, Eastern, and South-Eastern Europe (CESEE), taking account of technical, financial, networking, and human resources. METHODS: An e-mail survey of 257 CESEE key informants involved in HTA was undertaken between March and April 2014. Contact e-mail addresses were identified from the…
Work, household, and leisure-time physical activity and risk of mortality in the EPIC-Spain cohort
Objective Large-scale longitudinal data on the association of domain-specific physical activity (PA) and mortality is limited. Our objective was to evaluate the association of work, household (HPA), and leisure time PA (LTPA) with overall and cause-specific mortality in the EPIC-Spain study. Methods 38,379 participants (62.4% women), 30–65 years old, and free of chronic disease at baseline…
Intensive alcohol consumption by adolescents in Southern Spain: The importance of friendship
Background There has been an increase in intensive alcohol drinking by Spanish adolescents since the 1990s, especially among the females, but there has been limited exploration of this phenomenon. The objective of this study was to analyse the discourses of Spanish adolescents on their drinking behaviour at contextual, relational, and personal levels. Methods A qualitative…