Biomedical subjects

Zoran Bursac

Publications and source records attributed to Zoran Bursac.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Comparison of mortality rates in statin users versus nonstatin users in a United States veteran population.

Statins have been shown to be effective in reducing cardiovascular events and overall mortality in primary and secondary prevention trials. This study was designed to examine the effect of statin use on overall death. Cross-sectional data were obtained from the Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Integrated Service Network 16 database for approximately 1.5 million veterans followed up in 10 hospitals in the southern United States. Statins were prescribed more often to elderly subjects with a history of coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, current smoking, and using cardiovascular drugs (beta blockers, aspirin, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and calcium channel blockers). The predictors of death were, as expected, cancer, diabetes mellitus, the use of cardiac drugs, and age. Importantly, using statins showed a highly significant negative association with death (odds ratio 0.54, 95% confidence interval 0.42 to 0.69, p <0.0001), even after adjustment for all other variables. Overall, the mean age at death among statin users was 2 years older than among nonstatin users, despite statin users being at a higher risk of death. In conclusion, the results of this study have shown that using statins is a potent life-saving strategy. The benefit observed in this study is unique because almost 1/2 the patients were >or=70 years of age when statin therapy was initiated.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗

PubMed2006

Common carotid arterial interadventitial distance (diameter) as an indicator of the damaging effects of age and atherosclerosis, a cross-sectional study of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Community Cohort Limited Access Data (ARICLAD), 1987-89.

BACKGROUND: The effect of age on common carotid artery diameter is unclear for varying atherosclerosis risk levels. METHODS: Cross-sectional data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Limited Access Data set were used to estimate the association of age with B-mode ultrasound common carotid artery diameter for three atherosclerosis risk levels. Based on information from clinical examinations, B-mode ultrasounds, questionnaires, blood and other tests, participants were categorized into three groups: pre-existing disease (prevalent stroke and/or coronary heart disease), high risk group (no pre-existing disease, but prevalent diabetes, hypertension, plaques/shadowing, body mass index > or = 30, current smoking, or hyperlipidemia), and a low risk group (no pre-existing disease, no plaques/shadowing, and no major elevated risk factors). Multivariable linear regression analyses modeled the common carotid artery diameter relationship with age. RESULTS: Age was positively and significantly associated with common carotid artery diameter after risk factor adjustment in the overall sample, but age had a larger effect among persons with evidence of atherosclerosis (interaction p < 0.05). Each year of older age was associated with 0.03 mm larger diameter/year among persons with pre-existing disease, with 0.027 mm larger diameter/year in the high risk group, but only 0.017 mm/year among the low risk group. Results were qualitatively similar using plaques/shadowing status to indicate atherosclerosis severity. CONCLUSION: The significant impact of age on common carotid artery diameter among low risk, middle-aged, black and white men and women suggests arterial remodelling may occur in the absence of identified risk factors. The significantly larger impact of age among persons with, compared to persons without identified atherosclerosis or its risk factors, suggests that arterial remodelling may be an indicator of exposure duration.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Self-reported sugar-sweetened beverage intake among college students.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize sugar-sweetened beverage intake of college students. RESEARCH METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Undergraduates in an urban southern community campus were surveyed anonymously about sugared beverage consumption (soda, fruit drinks, energy drinks, sports drinks, sweet ice tea) in the past month. RESULTS: Two hundred sixty-five undergraduates responded (66% women, 46% minority, 100% of volunteers solicited). Most students (95%) reported sugared beverage intake in the past month, and 65% reported daily intake. Men were more likely than women to report daily intake (74% vs. 61%, p = 0.035). Soda was the most common sugar-sweetened beverage. Black undergraduates reported higher sugared beverage intake than whites (p = 0.02), with 91% of blacks reporting sugar-sweetened fruit drink intake in the past month and 50% reporting daily consumption. Mean estimated caloric intake from combined types of sugar-sweetened beverages was significantly higher among black students than whites, 796 +/- 941 vs. 397 +/- 396 kcal/d (p = 0.0003); the primary source of sugar-sweetened beverage calories among blacks was sugared fruit drinks (556 +/- 918 kcal/d). Younger undergraduates reported significantly higher intake than older students (p = 0.025). DISCUSSION: Self-reported sugar-sweetened beverage consumption among undergraduates is substantial and likely contributes considerable non-nutritive calories, which may contribute to weight gain. Black undergraduates may be particularly vulnerable due to higher sugared beverage intake. Obesity prevention interventions targeting reductions in sugar-sweetened beverages in this population merit consideration.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Changing drinking pattern does not influence health perception: a longitudinal study of the atherosclerosis risk in communities study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate if dynamic changes in the pattern of alcoholic beverages consumption are associated with modifications in health perception. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This study investigated 12 332 middle aged men and women from the atherosclerosis risk in communities study who reported drinking status and perceived health triennially from 1987 to 1995. Crude and adjusted risks for change in health perception between visits two and three by change in drinking status between visits one and two were computed. In the multivariate analysis the sample was restricted to participants with stable drinking status between visit two and three and stable health perception between visits one and two, to assure that exposure and outcome were not temporary. Covariates included age, sex, race, income, smoking status, educational level, and obesity. RESULTS: Health for persons who stopped or started drinking, or continued to abstain was more likely to decline than was health for persons who continued to drink even after adjustment and restrictions (drinking cessation: OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.1, 2.3; started drinking; OR = 1.4, 95% CI = 0.9, 2.2; continued abstaining from alcohol: OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.3, 1.9). Among participants with poor perceived health, starting, stopping, or continuing to abstain from alcohol did not improve health in relation to participants that continued to drink. CONCLUSION: Increasing and decreasing drinking patterns and continuous abstinence were associated with declining health perception in comparison with continuous drinking, while starting or stopping drinking did not improve health perception of persons with poor perceived health. These findings suggest that change in health perception was not biologically related to alcohol consumption.

Alcohol Drinking↗

PubMed2005

Hyperbolastic growth models: theory and application.

BACKGROUND: Mathematical models describing growth kinetics are very important for predicting many biological phenomena such as tumor volume, speed of disease progression, and determination of an optimal radiation and/or chemotherapy schedule. Growth models such as logistic, Gompertz, Richards, and Weibull have been extensively studied and applied to a wide range of medical and biological studies. We introduce a class of three and four parameter models called "hyperbolastic models" for accurately predicting and analyzing self-limited growth behavior that occurs e.g. in tumors. To illustrate the application and utility of these models and to gain a more complete understanding of them, we apply them to two sets of data considered in previously published literature. RESULTS: The results indicate that volumetric tumor growth follows the principle of hyperbolastic growth model type III, and in both applications at least one of the newly proposed models provides a better fit to the data than the classical models used for comparison. CONCLUSION: We have developed a new family of growth models that predict the volumetric growth behavior of multicellular tumor spheroids with a high degree of accuracy. We strongly believe that the family of hyperbolastic models can be a valuable predictive tool in many areas of biomedical and epidemiological research such as cancer or stem cell growth and infectious disease outbreaks.

Cell Proliferation↗

PubMed2003

From risky behaviors to chronic outcomes: current status and Healthy People 2010 goals for American Indians in Oklahoma.

OBJECTIVES: The objective was to estimate the rates of behavior-related risk factors among American Indians in Oklahoma, and compare those to the Oklahoma general population rates and Healthy People 2010 goals where available. METHODS: The REACH 2010 Native American Behavioral Risk Factor Survey, a random telephone survey, was conducted in 2000 as a part of the larger national REACH initiative. It had 3,732 respondents and it included measures related to health status, health care access, overweight, exercise, tobacco use, alcohol use, hypertension, cholesterol screening and diabetes. RESULTS: Self-reported health status was excellent or very good among 52% of respondents and fair or poor among 21%. Sixty-one percent of adults were overweight or obese. Prevalence of current cigarette smoking was at 33%. Binge drinking in the last month was present among 18% of American Indian adults. Thirty percent of adults did not engage in any leisure time physical activity during the last month. Diagnosed high blood pressure was reported by 26% of respondents, and prevalence of diabetes exceeded 8%. CONCLUSIONS: Majority of the recorded behaviors are above Healthy People 2010 goals, and exceed Oklahoma general population rates. There are also some significant gender differences, demonstrating the need for targeted intervention activities.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Prevalence of current cigarette smoking among American Indians in Oklahoma: a comparison.

Tobacco use among American Indians in the US is higher compared to the overall population. Little is known, however, about tobacco use among Native Americans in Oklahoma. The objective of this paper is to report the prevalence of current cigarette smoking among the Native American population in Oklahoma and compare these rates to Oklahoma general adult population rates and United States median rates. The REACH 2010 Native American Behavioral Risk Factor Survey, a random telephone survey, was conducted in 2000 as a part of larger national REACH initiative. It was designed to over-sample Native Americans in Oklahoma, and collect information related to diabetes, cardiovascular disease, overweight and obesity, physical activity, tobacco use, and other behavioral risk factors of interest. The prevalence of current cigarette smoking was significantly higher among Native American adults in Oklahoma (33%) as compared to the Oklahoma general adult population current smoking rate (23%), and U.S. median rate (23%). It was also greater than smoking rates for other racial and/or ethnic groups in Oklahoma. For Native Americans in Oklahoma as well as for Oklahoma and U.S. general populations, highest cigarette smoking rates were among men, younger age groups, and those of lower socioeconomic status, all following the same trend. These findings are urging for more interventions targeting groups with higher smoking rates.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Self-reported mammography screening among Oklahoma women age 50 and older: Oklahoma Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System 1997-2001.

PURPOSE: To examine which factors were associated with mammography screening among women age 50 and older in Oklahoma from 1997-2001. METHODS: Using data from 4,338 women age 50 and older interviewed for the 1997-2001 Oklahoma Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, this study examines the proportion of women receiving mammography screening services and assesses the associations between covariates of interest and mammography screening. RESULTS: Among Oklahoma women age 50 and older, 17.5% had never received a mammogram and 14.9% of those who had received a mammogram had not done so in the past two years. Women without health insurance coverage, those of lower socioeconomic status and those engaging in risky health behaviors were more likely to never have had a mammogram and, if they were screened, to have not had a mammogram in the past two years. CONCLUSIONS: These results show a need to focus mammography screening programs on women with lower socioeconomic status.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Tobacco use among American Indians in Oklahoma: an epidemiologic view.

OBJECTIVES: With the exception of national surveys that sample the entire U.S. population, little information exists on tobacco habits among American Indians. This study is a comparison of tobacco use findings in the 1990s among American Indians in Oklahoma, a state with a large and diverse American Indian population (39 tribes). METHODS: Data on current tobacco use are presented from two statewide surveys, the Oklahoma Youth Tobacco Survey and the Native American Behavioral Risk Factor Survey, as well as two large epidemiologic studies of chronic disease among American Indians-the Cherokee Diabetes Study and the Strong Heart Study. Three of these four sources of data involve research/surveys exclusively about American Indians. RESULTS: Nontraditional use of tobacco by American Indians occurs frequently, according to each instrument. Initiation to this habit begins in middle school and increases dramatically during high school. After age 50, reporting by individuals that they currently smoke declines steadily. CONCLUSIONS: Despite sampling different individuals for the surveys and different tribes for the epidemiologic research, results were comparable in age groups that overlapped. These findings support national data indicating that American Indians have higher prevalence rates of smoking than other racial/ethnic groups. American Indians report smoking on average about a half a pack of cigarettes per day. Individuals reporting using tobacco solely for ceremonial purposes were far fewer than habitual users. Buying tobacco products in American Indian smoke shops helps tribal economies; this fact needs to be considered for prevention programs to succeed.

Adolescent↗