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F Rodriguez-Artalejo

Publications and source records attributed to F Rodriguez-Artalejo.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Risk of cancer after low doses of ionising radiation: retrospective cohort study in 15 countries.

OBJECTIVES: To provide direct estimates of risk of cancer after protracted low doses of ionising radiation and to strengthen the scientific basis of radiation protection standards for environmental, occupational, and medical diagnostic exposures. DESIGN: Multinational retrospective cohort study of cancer mortality. SETTING: Cohorts of workers in the nuclear industry in 15 countries. PARTICIPANTS: 407 391 workers individually monitored for external radiation with a total follow-up of 5.2 million person years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Estimates of excess relative risks per sievert (Sv) of radiation dose for mortality from cancers other than leukaemia and from leukaemia excluding chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, the main causes of death considered by radiation protection authorities. RESULTS: The excess relative risk for cancers other than leukaemia was 0.97 per Sv, 95% confidence interval 0.14 to 1.97. Analyses of causes of death related or unrelated to smoking indicate that, although confounding by smoking may be present, it is unlikely to explain all of this increased risk. The excess relative risk for leukaemia excluding chronic lymphocytic leukaemia was 1.93 per Sv (< 0 to 8.47). On the basis of these estimates, 1-2% of deaths from cancer among workers in this cohort may be attributable to radiation. CONCLUSIONS: These estimates, from the largest study of nuclear workers ever conducted, are higher than, but statistically compatible with, the risk estimates used for current radiation protection standards. The results suggest that there is a small excess risk of cancer, even at the low doses and dose rates typically received by nuclear workers in this study.

Dose-Response Relationship, Drug↗

Symptoms of gastro-oesophageal reflux: prevalence, severity, duration and associated factors in a Spanish population.

AIM: To measure the prevalence of gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms and to identify associated factors in a representative sample of the Spanish population. METHODS: A telephone survey of 2500 subjects was performed using a validated questionnaire. The association of gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms (defined as the presence of heartburn or acid regurgitation) and their clinical characteristics with potential risk factors was summarized using the odds ratios (OR) obtained by multiple logistic regression. RESULTS: The response rate was 71.2%. The annual prevalence of gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms was 31.6% [95% confidence interval (CI), 29.8-33.4] and the weekly prevalence was 9.8% (95% CI, 8.6-10.9). Gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms were associated with excess weight (OR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.23-1.92), obesity (OR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.30-2.32), the psychosomatic symptom score (OR, 2.98; 95% CI, 2.41-3.67) and the presence of gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms in a direct family member (OR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.17-2.23). Gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms of > or =10 years' duration were more frequent in obese subjects (OR, 1.92; 95% CI, 1.14-3.22) and those with a direct family member with gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms (OR, 2.42; 95% CI, 1.44-4.06). Factors associated with gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms of < or =1 year duration were a spouse with gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms (OR, 2.33; 95% CI, 1.39-3.9) and the consumption of 1-5 aspirins/week (OR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.01-2.86). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of frequent gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms in Spain is lower than that observed in other Western populations. The psychosomatic symptom score is the factor most strongly associated with gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms. Long-term gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms are associated with certain genetic factors (obesity, family history of gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms), whereas short-term gastro-oesophageal reflux symptoms are associated with factors of probable environmental nature.

Adult↗

Self-perception of being overweight in Spanish adults.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the frequency, distribution and trend in misperceived overweight and obesity. DESIGN: Three independent cross-sectional studies carried out in 1987, 1995 and 1997 over representative samples of Spanish adult population. SETTING: Spanish adult population aged 20 y and over. SUBJECTS AND INTERVENTIONS: A total of 11 496 men and women aged 20 y and over with a body mass index (BMI) >or=25 kg/m(2). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence and time trend of misperceived overweight and obesity based on self-perceived weight and height. RESULTS: Some 28.4% of the population did not perceive themselves to be overweight or obese in 1987 (26.9% in 1995/97). Overweight was more frequently misperceived among men, persons over 64 y of age, those residing in rural areas and those with an elementary educational level. The largest percentages of misperceived overweight were in the more moderate levels of BMI: 50% of men and 30% of women with a BMI of 25-26.9 kg/m(2) in 1995/1997 did not perceive themselves to be overweight. CONCLUSIONS: Misperceived overweight and obesity is frequent in the adult population in Spain. Some social and cultural factors may explain its higher frequency in men, older individuals and those with elementary level of education. The fact that most of those who do not perceive themselves to be overweight are in the moderate levels of overweight should be taken into account when designing strategies for the prevention and control of overweight and obesity in the general population.

Adult↗

Dietary fat, olive oil intake and breast cancer risk.

As part of a population-based case-control study on diet and breast cancer in Spain, the role of dietary fat and vegetable oils in breast cancer etiology was examined. A validated, semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire was completed by 762 women, 18-75 years of age, with histologically confirmed, newly diagnosed breast cancer, and 988 randomly selected female controls. For each food item and nutrient, the study subjects were divided into quartiles according to intake levels, with the lowest quartile serving as the reference category. Adjustment for total energy intake and other potential confounders was made using multiple logistic regression for all women as well as separately for pre- and post-menopausal women. Neither total fat intake nor specific types of fat were significantly associated with breast cancer in pre- or post-menopausal women. However, higher consumption of olive oil (rich in monounsaturated fat) was significantly related to a lower risk of breast cancer [for highest vs. lowest quartile of consumption, odds ratio (OR) = 0.66; 95% CI, 0.46-0.97] with a significant dose-response trend. While these findings do not support a relation between total fat intake and breast cancer risk, they do provide evidence for an inverse association between olive oil (and suggest one between monounsaturated fat) and risk of breast cancer.

Adolescent↗

Value of Hodkinson's test for detecting dementia and mild cognitive impairment in epidemiological surveys.

In order to test the value of Hodkinson's test (HT) for the detection of dementia and other milder forms of cognitive impairment in community surveys, we have studied two separate groups of 50 individuals; one of the groups included individuals with dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and the other individuals with no cognitive disturbances. Both groups were drawn from the same rural population and subjected to HT and a neuropsychological exam for positive and differential diagnosis of cognitive impairment. The gold standard criteria for the diagnosis of dementia and MCI were the DSM-IIIR criteria and a simplified and adapted version of the criteria established for age-associated memory impairment. We found that the best cutoff of HT providing maximum sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of both dementia and MCI was 7. For this cutoff, sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of MCI were 94 and 90%, respectively; for the diagnosis of dementia sensitivity and specificity were 100 and 53%, respectively. This together with its brevity, low cost and independence of sensory impairment and cultural background makes the HT useful for large population-based screening of dementia and MCI.

Adult↗

Prevalence of age-associated memory impairment and dementia in a rural community.

To obtain accurate estimates of the prevalence of age-associated memory impairment, dementia, and Alzheimer's disease, a population study was carried out in Turégano, a rural community of 1011 inhabitants in the Segovia province of Spain. The study was divided into two phases: a door to door survey of the entire population aged 40 years and over (503 persons), followed by a clinical examination of suspected cases for positive and differential diagnosis of dementia and cognitive impairment. The prevalence of age-associated memory impairment was 3.6% in individuals of 40 years and over and 7.1% in individuals of 65 years and over, whereas dementia was found in 2.6% and 5.2%, respectively. The prevalence rates of both clinical conditions increased with age. The most prevalent clinical category of dementia was dementia of Alzheimer type, which represented 1.8% and 3.8% of these two age groups. The corresponding figures for vascular dementia were 0.4% and 0.9% and for secondary dementia 0.4% and 0.5%. Age-associated memory impairment is an age-dependent disorder with a high prevalence among the elderly; some of these patients may represent an early stage of Alzheimer's disease, suggesting that the prevalence of this disorder may be higher than previously estimated.

Adult↗

How much benefit could be obtained from cardiovascular disease intervention programs?

To estimate the potential benefits of cardiovascular disease intervention programs in Spain, we have computed cardiovascular population mortality fractions and deaths attributable to the main risk factors by using relative risks from international studies and Spanish prevalence and mortality data (subjects of both sexes, aged 25-64). As many as 71% of the cardiovascular deaths studied in men and 44% in women might be delayed every year in Spain if it were possible to eliminate the current exposure of the population to smoking, obesity, sedentariness, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia. With the eradication of tobacco exposure 31% of coronary deaths and 16% of stroke deaths in men (7% in both cases for women) might be avoided. Similar actions on sedentariness, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia might delay 17% and 29%, 13% and 13%, and 9% and 11% of deaths, respectively, in males (figures generally somewhat higher in females). These figures would be moderately lower if reductions in the prevalence of these factors are considered realistically. These results may encourage the implementation of strategies against cardiovascular diseases in countries with risk factor prevalence similar to that of Spain.

Adult↗