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Biomedical subjects

Hans Wolff

Publications and source records attributed to Hans Wolff.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Converging prevalences of obesity across educational groups in Switzerland.

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether the rapid increase in obesity prevalence among persons with higher education levels observed in one U.S. study is also observed in a European adult population. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: This study involved continuous surveillance of the adult population of Geneva, Switzerland (1993 to 2004), with annual random, independent, cross-sectional, representative samples (6635 men and 6558 women, ages 35 to 74 years) and analysis of 12-year trends in obesity prevalence across educational level subgroups. RESULTS: Obesity prevalence in men had an upward trend in the medium education subgroup (p < 0.02), a borderline upward trend in the high education subgroup (p < 0.08), but no trend in the low education subgroup. There was a borderline trend interaction between the male low and medium education subgroups (p < 0.09). Obesity prevalence in women had a borderline increase in the low education subgroup (p < 0.08), an almost borderline increase in the high education subgroup (p = 0.11), but no significant trend in the medium education subgroup. There was no evidence of trend interaction between the female education groups. DISCUSSION: In Geneva, as in the United States, the inverse association between education level and obesity rates has weakened over time among men, but, inconsistent with the U.S. findings, has persisted for women. Explanations may include more physically demanding occupations for men with low education levels and different attitudes toward body image between the sexes.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

In a quasi-simultaneous assessment, imprecise cholesterol monitoring and screening tests were improved.

OBJECTIVE: To calibrate Reflotron-measured capillary total cholesterol (cTC) relative to a laboratory-measured venous total cholesterol (vTC) criterion standard for monitoring and screening hypercholesterolemia. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Quasi-simultaneous assessment in 1999-2002 of Reflotron cTC and laboratory vTC in a random sample of 4,269 adult residents of Geneva, Switzerland (calibration development subsample n=3,067; validation subsample n=1,172), by means of bias, precision, correlation, sensitivity, and false positive percentage (calculated as 100-specificity) analyses of Reflotron cTC vs. laboratory vTC measures for predicting hypercholesterolemia. RESULTS: Total bias was small (-0.26 mmol/L), but there was substantial negative drift in Reflotron cTC (annual biases +0.08, -0.17, -0.27, and -0.60 mmol/L in 1999-2002). Overall, 57% of Reflotron cTC measurements for 894 hypercholesterolemic patients underestimated laboratory vTC (2%, 57%, 71%, and 98% in 1999-2002). Prior to calibration, sensitivity was 73% for the development and 35% for the validation subsample, with false positive at 4% (development) and 0.1% (validation). After calibration, sensitivity was 78% for the development and 37% for the validation subsample, with false positive at 5% (development) and 0.2% (validation). Using 95% upper prediction limits (UPL) for individual vTC values increased sensitivity to 99% and 83% and false positive percentage to 30% and 7% for the development and validation subsamples, respectively. CONCLUSION: Crude results of Reflotron-measured cTC have poor sensitivity. Instead, 95% UPL can be used for monitoring and screening. Simply adding 0.8 mmol/L to a patient's observed Reflotron cTC value provides a very good approximation to the 95% UPL.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Health care and illegality: a survey of undocumented pregnant immigrants in Geneva.

Little is known about the conditions of life and the specific health problems of pregnant, undocumented immigrants. This study describes the socio-demographic characteristics and health problems encountered during pregnancy among uninsured, undocumented immigrants in Geneva, Switzerland. A socio-demographic questionnaire was completed by 134 pregnant and undocumented women (mean age 27.8 years) who attended a free antenatal facility between October 2002 and October 2003. The first control of pregnancy was at a median of 10.5 weeks (range 5-33) of amenorrhoea. They were mostly Latino-American (78%), had a median 12 years of education but almost exclusively performed domestic work (91%) after an average residence in Geneva of 18 months. Half of the 62 mothers had left at least one child in their home country. One out of three had never had a cervical smear test and 13% were not immune to rubella. Unintended pregnancies (83%), mostly resulted from lack of contraception (70%). All but one delivery were simple, with a median maternity inpatient stay of 5 days (range 2-10). This population of undocumented, pregnant immigrants comprised mostly highly educated, young, Latino-American women living in poor housing conditions and wages below the legal minimum. The study identified the high proportion of unintended pregnancies as a major health issue. Future research should target these issues and programs addressing lack of access to preventive measures. As well as this, the specific needs of this hard-to-reach population, such as contraception advice, rubella vaccination and cervical cancer screening, should be supported.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

[Longitudinal melanonychia induced by hydroxyurea therapy].

UNLABELLED: Four case reports of patients with myeloproliferative syndrome receiving therapy with hydroxycarbamide (synonymous: hydroxyurea) and developing streaky longitudinal pigmentation appeared in fingernails and toenails several months after starting this therapy. BACKGROUND: Pigmentation of finger- and toenails presents a wide range of differential diagnostic considerations. They can be of infectious, melanocytic or exogenous origin or caused by metabolic disorders. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Three women and one man, ranging in age from 62 and 87 years, were treated with hydroxycarbamide for myeloproliferative syndrome or chronic myelogenous leukemia for five to twelve years. All four patients were Fitzpatrick skin types II. RESULTS: Several months after starting this therapy, they developed streaky longitudinal pigmentation of their fingernails and toenails. In two patients, these findings were diagnosed by chance, whereas two patients sought dermatological advice because of nail pigmentation. In two of the patients the longitudinal pigmentation disappeared a few month after discontinuation of hydroxycarbamide. The melanonychia persisted in another patient, while the fourth was lost to follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: When melanonychia is identified in hematology-oncology patients, a careful medical history should be obtained. A list of medications is crucial, since hydroxycarbamide causes nail pigmentation. In each case of nail pigmentation, an acral lentiginous melanoma must be excluded.

Aged↗