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PubMed2006

Secular trends of blood isolates in patients from a rural area population hospitalized in a tertiary center in a small city in Greece.

BACKGROUND: Most of the studies evaluating the secular trends of blood isolates come from tertiary hospitals in urban areas. We sought to study the trends of the antimicrobial resistance of blood isolates in patients from a rural population hospitalized in a tertiary hospital in a small city in Greece. METHODS: We retrospectively collected and analysed data for the first positive blood culture obtained for each admission for each patient hospitalized in General Hospital of Tripolis, Tripolis, Peloponnesus, Greece during a 5 year period (16/05/2000-15/05/2005). RESULTS: Sixty-seven thousand and seventy patients were hospitalized during the study period from whom 3,206 blood cultures were obtained. A higher increase of the number of obtained blood cultures than the number of admissions was noted during the study period (p < 0.001). Three hundred and seventy-three (11.6%) blood cultures were positive. Coagulase-negative staphylococci (35.9%), Escherichia coli (29%), and Staphylococcus aureus (18.2%) were the most commonly isolated pathogens. Among the Staphylococcus aureus isolates, the proportion of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was 17.2% (5/29). The proportion of Escherichia coli resistant to trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole, ampicillin and cefuroxime was 29.6% (32/108), 25.0% (27/108), and 8.3% (9/108) respectively. Imipenem-resistance was noted in 3.4% (1/29) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates. There were only 6 (1.6%) Acinetobacter baummanii blood isolates during the study period. CONCLUSION: The antimicrobial resistance of isolates from patients receiving care at the studied tertiary hospital in a small city in Greece is considerably less compared to that noted in tertiary hospitals in larger cities of the country.

Bacteremia↗
PubMed2006

Secular trends of antimicrobial resistance of blood isolates in a newly founded Greek hospital.

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance is one of the most challenging issues in modern medicine. METHODS: We evaluated the secular trends of the relative frequency of blood isolates and of the pattern of their in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility in our hospital during the last four and a half years. RESULTS: Overall, the data regarding the relative frequency of blood isolates in our newly founded hospital do not differ significantly from those of hospitals that are functioning for a much longer period of time. A noteworthy emerging problem is the increasing antimicrobial resistance of Gram-negative bacteria, mainly Acinetobacter baumannii and Klebsiella pneumoniae to various classes of antibiotics. Acinetobacter baumannii isolates showed an increase of resistance to amikacin (p = 0.019), ciprofloxacin (p = 0.001), imipenem (p < 0.001), and piperacillin/tazobactam (p = 0.01) between the first and second period of the study. CONCLUSION: An alarming increase of the antimicrobial resistance of Acinetobacter baumannii isolates has been noted during our study.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed2003

The timing of normal puberty and the age limits of sexual precocity: variations around the world, secular trends, and changes after migration.

During the past decade, possible advancement in timing of puberty has been reported in the United States. In addition, early pubertal development and an increased incidence of sexual precocity have been noticed in children, primarily girls, migrating for foreign adoption in several Western European countries. These observations are raising the issues of current differences and secular trends in timing of puberty in relation to ethnic, geographical, and socioeconomic background. None of these factors provide an unequivocal explanation for the earlier onset of puberty seen in the United States. In the formerly deprived migrating children, refeeding and catch-up growth may prime maturation. However, precocious puberty is seen also in some nondeprived migrating children. Attention has been paid to the changing milieu after migration, and recently, the possible role of endocrine- disrupting chemicals from the environment has been considered. These observations urge further study of the onset of puberty as a possible sensitive and early marker of the interactions between environmental conditions and genetic susceptibility that can influence physiological and pathological processes.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1993

[Secular changes of the mean birth weight in Japan during the past 20 years (single births, 1969-88)].

Using vital statistics (1981-1988) of the Japanese government, the mean birth weight (MBW) classified by sex was calculated from a birth weight distribution of the single births with 500g intervals for all Japan, prefectures and regions. These MBWs were linked with the MBW of 1969-1980 in our previous reports (Ref. 1) 2)). The MBWs of single births for twenty years (1969-1988) were investigated and it was pointed out that the MBWs classified by area (all Japan, prefectures and regions) were on the decrease recently and that the areal differences of the MBW were becoming large. For all Japan a secular change in the MBW was discussed for the term of a standard deviation, a skewness, a kurtosis, and relative frequencies of less than 2500g (weight class 1), those from 2500g to 3999g (weight class 2) and those of 4000g or more (weight class 3). These investigations revealed that birth weights of Japan have had a tendency to have a small standard deviation, a negative skewness, and a large kurtosis. Weight class 1 decreased until 1976 and increased after this year. Weight class 2 was on the increase up to 1988, and weight class 3 increased until 1973 and decreased afterward, as if it were accompanied by the MBW. For the purpose of confirming the contribution of each weight class to the annual change of the MBW, an analytical method for the weight frequency distribution was proposed as follows. Let M, M', pi and pi' represent the MBW of a given year (year A), the MBW of an another year (year B), the relative frequency of the i-th weight class in year A and that in year B, respectively. Suppose that M(i)'' represents the MBW when only the i-th weight class has pi as a relative frequency even in year B. Then, as the result of a fairly simple calculation, the difference between the MBW in year A and that in year B, M'-M, is obtained as follows; M'-M = sigma (1-pi') (M'-M(i)''). Therefore, the amount (1-pi') (M'-M(i)'') is able to be considered as a share of the i-th weight class in relation to the difference of M'-M. Accordingly, the share proportioned to the summation of the absolute amount [formula: see text] may represent the degree of the contribution of the i-th weight class to the difference, M'-M.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Birth Weight↗
PubMed2001

The secular trends in male:female ratio at birth in postwar industrialized countries.

Finnish investigators [Vartiainen et al. Environmental Chemicals and Changes in Sex Ratio: Analysis Over 250 Years in Finland. Environ Health Perspect 107:813-815 (1999)] presented the sex ratio of all newborn babies from 1751 to 1997 in order to evaluate whether Finnish long-term data are compatible with the hypothesis that the decrease in the ratio of male to female births after World War I and World War II in industrial countries is caused by environmental factors. They found an increase in the proportion of males from 1751 to 1920, which was interrupted by peaks in male births during World War I and World War II and followed by a decrease thereafter, similar to the trends in many other countries. The turning point of male proportion, however, preceded the period of industrialization and introduction of pesticides and hormonal drugs. Thus, a causal association between these environmental exposures and this decrease is unlikely. In addition, none of the various family parameters (e.g., paternal age, maternal age, age difference in parents, birth order) could explain the historical time trends. Vartiainen et al. concluded that at present it is unknown how these historical trends could be mediated. The postwar secular decline of the male:female ratio at birth is not an isolated phenomenon and parallels the decline of perinatal morbidity and mortality, congenital anomalies, and various constitutional diseases. This parallelism indicates a common etiology and may be caused by reduction of conceptopathology, as a correlate to increasing socioeconomic development. An inverted dose response or the dose-response fallacy due to vanishing male conceptuses explains the low sex ratios before World War I and World War II in newborns from black parents and from the lowest socioeconomic classes.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Blood lead secular trend in a cohort of children in Mexico City (1987-2002).

We determined the secular trend in blood lead levels in a cohort of 321 children born in Mexico City between 1987 and 1992. Blood lead level was measured every 6 months during a 10-year period. We modeled the effect of yearly air lead concentration nested within the calendar year in which the child was born, family use of lead-glazed pottery, socioeconomic status, year in which the child was born, age of the child at the time of blood lead measurement, place of residence, and an indicator variable for subjects with complete or incomplete blood lead values. The yearly mean of air lead of the Valley of Mexico decreased from its highest level of 2.80 microg/m3 in 1987 to 0.07 microg/m3 in 2002. The contribution of air lead to blood lead according to year of birth was strongest for subjects born in 1987 and fell to nearly zero for children born in 1992. The geometric mean of the entire cohort rose from 8.4 microg/dL in the first year of life to 10.1 microg/dL in the second and decreased thereafter until it reached 6.4 microg/dL at 10 years of age. Children of families who used lead-glazed ceramics had blood lead levels 18.5% higher than did children of nonusing families. Children who belonged to the lowest socioeconomic levels had blood lead levels 32.2% higher than did those of highest socioeconomic levels. Children who lived in the northeast part of the city had blood lead levels 10.9% higher compared with those who lived in the southwest.

Child↗
PubMed1989

More lung cancer but better survival. Implications of secular trends in "necropsy surprise" rates.

In previous research, we have demonstrated the value of using necropsy "surprise" lung cancer cases, in those in whom lung cancer was not suspected during life, to estimate the size and composition of the "reservoir" of undetected lung cancer in the general population. The current research was done to determine the characteristics and consequences of secular changes over time in the composition of the lung cancer "reservoir." The results suggest that further advances in diagnostic technology will enhance detection during life of the large "reservoir" of resectable lung cancer, particularly in women. With the increased detection of these reservoir cases during life, the statistical occurrence rates for lung cancer will seem to increase, but survival rates will seem to improve because more of the detected cases will be resectable.

Autopsy↗
PubMed2000

Coxsackie infection and births of future diabetic children: year, seasonality and secularity.

BACKGROUND: Environmental factors including Coxsackie virus infections are considered as one of the etiopathogenetic mechanisms in childhood insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). HYPOTHESIS: This relationship should be reflected not only in similar seasonal and secular periodicities of Coxsackie epidemics and IDDM incidence but also in the cycling of births of future diabetic children. SUBJECTS: Seven hundred and seven healthy Slovak children randomly selected in 1985-98 were investigated for the presence of actual Coxsackie infection. The months of birth in 1970-93 of 1779 Slovak children with later IDDM were registered. AntiCoxsackie positivity was determined in 1978-91 at IDDM onset in 336 children. METHODS: AntiCoxsackie positivity was assessed by IgM antibodies and virus neutralization test. Time series data were processed by cosinor regression enabling the definition of statistical significance of trends and of cycles with tested period lengths. RESULTS: Marked autumnal peaks were found for Coxsackie infections. For births of future diabetics, both autumn and spring peaks were encountered. Moreover, seven-year cycling displayed peaks in 1990 and 1997 for Coxsackie and 1976, 1983 and 1990 for IDDM births. CONCLUSIONS: Connection between Coxsackie viral infections and births of future diabetic children appears plausible also in Slovakia.

Child↗
PubMed2003

Secular changes in sleep position during infancy: 1995-1998.

OBJECTIVE: Prone sleeping among infants has been associated with an increased risk of sudden infant death syndrome. The objective of this study was to compare factors associated with sleep position in 1995-1996 and 1997-1998 and to assess secular trends in use of prone infant sleep position from 1995 through 1998 among families stratified by race and education. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted in eastern Massachusetts and northwest Ohio of 12 029 mothers of infants who weighed > or =2500 g at birth. Descriptive statistics and multivariate odds ratios were used to relate maternal and infant characteristics to prone and supine sleeping. RESULTS: A total of 14 206 mothers (25% of those eligible) were enrolled. A total of 12 029 mothers (85% of enrolled) responded to the 1-month and 11 552 mothers (81% of enrolled) responded to the 3-month follow-up questionnaire. A decline in use of the prone sleep position and increase in use of the supine position was observed during the 4 years of the study. Factors associated with prone and supine sleep position were similar in 1995-1996 and 1997-1998. In 1997-1998, use of prone sleeping at 1 month of age reached the goal of < or =10% only among infants of white and Asian women, married women, women who were older than 25 years, women who were college graduates, and women with incomes >$55 000 per year. At 3 months of age, however, prone sleeping increased to 12% to 17% in these groups. These same groups were most likely to use the supine position; 38% to 45% were supine at 1 month, increasing to 56% to 64% by 3 months of age. However, as of the end of 1998, approximately 27% of infants of non-college-educated black and Hispanic mothers were placed to sleep in the prone position and only 20% to 30% were being placed to sleep in the supine position at 3 months of age. CONCLUSIONS: Recommendations to avoid prone sleep position and especially the recommendation that supine sleep position is preferred have not been effectively delivered to black and Hispanic families and to families of low-income and less than a college education.

Chi-Square Distribution↗
PubMed1997

Secular increases in relative weight and adiposity among children over two decades: the Bogalusa Heart Study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine trends in relative weight and obesity among 5- to 24-year-olds between 1973 and 1994. DESIGN: A panel design consisting of seven cross-sectional surveys of schoolchildren and three surveys of post-high-school subjects. Anthropometric measurements included height, weight, and subscapular and triceps skinfolds. STUDY POPULATION: All schoolchildren residing in Ward 4 of Washington Parish, Louisiana, a biracial community, were considered eligible; participation rates were >80%. Young adults were eligible if they had participated previously as schoolchildren. A total of 26,371 examinations were performed on 11,564 persons. RESULTS: During the study period, substantial increases in mean levels of weight (0.2 kg/y) and skinfold thickness (0.15 mm/y) were observed; these changes were independent of height, age, and other covariates. The prevalence of overweight, defined by the 85th percentile of weight-for-height in 1973 to 1974, increased approximately twofold by 1994. Although secular increases were seen both among boys and girls and among blacks and whites, the largest increases were seen among 19- to 24-year-olds. Furthermore, the yearly increases in relative weight and obesity during the latter part of the study period (1983 through 1994) were approximately 50% greater than those between 1973 and 1982. CONCLUSIONS: The increasing prevalence of obesity in early life indicates a need for primary prevention. Additional study is needed to determine whether these trends are continuing to accelerate and to examine possible explanations, such as diet and physical activity, for these changes.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Secular trend in height in enlisted men and recruits from the Brazilian Navy born from 1970 to 1977.

This study presents data from a survey on height trends in Brazilian Navy enlisted men and recruits born from 1970 to 1977. The sample consisted of 52,574 enlisted men and 4,459 recruits ranging in age from 18.00 to 18.99 years. The statistical processing employed two-way analysis of variance procedure, simple linear regression comparing height and year of birth and multiple analysis controlling for schooling (regression coefficient) and the chi-square. The results show that enlisted men and recruits displayed height increments, characterizing a contemporary process of secular trend. Such increments were also present in the country's various macro-regions. The results were compared to a recent investigation of a national scope - the National Survey on Health and Nutrition (PNSN) - and both enlisted men and recruits displayed higher median height than that reported by the PNSN. Level of schooling for individuals in the Navy is high, far superior to that of the Brazilian population as a whole. This set of data suggests that young men enlisting in the Navy are on average of a higher socioeconomic status than the Brazilian population in general, which limits possibilities for extrapolating the findings from this research.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Secular trends in the stature of Brazilian Navy recruits born from 1940 and 1965].

The present paper reports data on secular trends in the stature of Brazilian Navy recruits born from 1940 to 1965. The final sample included 3269 individuals aged 18.00-18.99. Statistics performed were: ANOVA (one-way and two-way), Sheffe test, simple linear regression between stature and year of birth, and multiple linear regression adjusting for level of schooling (beta coefficient) and chi-square. Results indicated a progressive growth trend in stature of 0.1 cm/yr. for the country as a whole. The trend was also observed for nearly all regions and two out of three levels of schooling and can be explained by improvement in some of the country's health indicators. One important characteristic was a higher level of schooling observed among Navy recruits, suggesting that these individuals represent a highly select group, and that therefore data on the Navy cannot be applied directly to the Brazilian population as a whole.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

A secular trend in age at menarche in Sendai city and its surroundings.

A secular trend in age at menarche was examined for 1,333 women living in Sendai city and its surroundings by applying the birth-year cohort analysis and the cross-sectional probit analysis. The trend toward younger menarcheal ages was consistently observed by both analyses, and it started off soon after the second World War. The speed was 0.11 year/year for the observation period of 1946 to 1966.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1978

Secular trends in height and weight of Japanese pupils.

In the city of Sendai, the height and weight of pupils at the ages of 11.5 to 12.0 years and 14.5 to 15.0 years have been measured in every spring and autumn since 1936. The analyses of the data summarized for 40 years revealed reduction in physique of the pupils in early 1940's and a marked growth acceleration in late 1940's till 1960's, followed by reduction in secular growth rates in late 1970's. The reduction is more prominent in the core part of the city. The results are compared with those from two extremes in Japan, i.e., megalopolitan areas and remote areas, and also those from European and North American countries.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Suicide mortality in Japan: analysis of the unusual secular trends.

To investigate unusual secular trends in suicide rate in Japan since the Second World War, the cause-specific mortality by sex and age during the period 1950-82 was analyzed. The results indicated that: suicide death rates due to two causes, i.e., poisoning by solid and liquid substances and run over by train and other means, for young persons increased remarkably in the mid 1950s; and the rates due to most causes for middle-aged men continued to increase during the period of economic depression following the oil crisis in 1973. The effects of availability of suicide methods and changes in economy on suicide death rate are discussed in the light of these findings.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Secular trends of sizes at birth in Russian infants born between 1987 and 2002.

Secular changes in the body dimensions of newborns from three different geographical localities are compared. Anthropometrical data of infants born in 1987 and in 2002 as a result of singleton full-term non-pathological postpartum were collected from medical records of children's out-patient clinics in three geographical localities: two big cities-Moscow and Saratov-and the town of Khvalynsk (Saratov region). The total number of newborns used in the analysis was 1,174. Body length and weight at birth from 1987 to 2002 increased in Moscow and Saratov, while in Khvalynsk there was a significant decrease of body length for boys. There is also a trend towards decrease of body weight in Khvalynsk boys and girls. It may be assumed that the changes in body sizes of newborns may be connected with socio-economic changes.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed2003

Secular trends in the performance of children and adolescents (1980-2000): an analysis of 55 studies of the 20m shuttle run test in 11 countries.

It is widely believed that the performance of children and adolescents on aerobic fitness tests is declining. To test this hypothesis, this meta-analysis compared the results of 55 reports of the performance of children and adolescents aged 6-19 years who have used the 20m shuttle run test (20mSRT). All data were collected in the period 1981-2000. Following corrections for methodological variation, the results of all studies were expressed using the common metric of running speed (km/h) at the last completed stage. Raw data were combined with pseudodata generated from reported means and standard deviations using Monte Carlo simulation. Where data were available on children and adolescents from the same country of the same age and sex, but tested at different times, linear regression was used to calculate rates of change. This was possible for 11 (mainly developed) countries, representing a total of 129,882 children and adolescents in 151 age x sex x country slices. There has been a significant decline in performance in the 11 countries where data were available, and in most age x sex groups, with a sample-weighted mean decline of 0.43% of mean values per year. The decline was most marked in older age groups and the rate of decline was similar for boys and girls. There has been a very rapid secular decline in the 20mSRT performance of children and adolescents over the last 20 years, at least in developed countries. The rate of decline is not related to the change in the country's relative wealth, as quantified by per capita gross domestic product (GDP).

Adolescent↗