The Prevalence of Overweight/Obesity and Related Comorbidities among HIV-Positive and HIV-Negative Patients Attending the Same Clinics in Gaborone, Botswana

Context: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) helps restore the health status of people living with HIV (PLHIV). Likewise, it increases the risk of overweight/obesity and related comorbidities among the recipients. In countries like Botswana where ±84% of PLHIV is on ART, the paucity of data comparing overweight/obesity between HIV-positive on ART and HIV-negative patients may impede clinical and policy decision-making. This study sought to estimate and compare: i) the prevalence of overweight/obesity between HIV-positive on ART and HIV-negative patients;ii) the prevalence of hypertension (HTN), diabetes mellitus (DM)/coronary heart disease (CHD) between HIV-positive patients on ART and HIV-negative patients attending same outpatient departments of general clinics in Gaborone, Botswana. Patients and Methods: Five hundred eighty-one (581) outpatients were recruited in four major clinics of Gaborone, Botswana, between June and July 2019;294 or 51% of them were HIV-negative and 287 or 49% were HIV-positive on ART. The prevalence of overweight/obesity and of HTN and DM/CHD were calculated and examined using stratified analysis. Subgroups were compared using Chi-square analysis with Yates correction or Fisher exact test and t-student test for continuous data. Results: Major findings after stratification of the study population by HIV status were: i) the prevalence of all categories of (BMI), including overweight/obesity, were comparable between HIV-negative-patients and HIV-positive. In fact, there were 24 (8.0%) cases of underweight among HIV-negative-Patients and 15(5%) cases among HIV-positive patients, p = 0.2;145 (49%) HIV-negative-patients and 128 (45%) HIV-positive, p = 0.07 cases of normal weight;72 (25%) HIV-negative-patients and 87 (30%) HIV-positive, p = 0.08, were overweight;53 (18%) HIV-negative-patients and 57 (20%) HIV-positive, p = 0.12, were obese;125 (43%) HIV-negative patients and 144 (50%) HIV-positive, p=0.06 were overweight/obese;ii) the prevalence of HTN and DM/CHD among HIV-positive-patients were significantly lower (p < 0.05) compared to HIV-negative patients: There were 32 (10.9%) cases of HTN among HIV-negative patients compared to 18 (6.3%) cases of HTN among HIV-positive patients, p = 0.001;32 (11%) cases of DM/CHD HIV-negative patients compared to 4 (1.4%) cases of DM/CHD among HIV-positive patients, p = 0.001. Conclusion: the prevalence of overweight/obesity observed between HIV-negative and HIV-positive patients may suggest that the two groups shared the same exposure factors. That HTN and DM/CHD prevalence was lower among HIV-positive compared to HIV-negative patients, is possibly due to interplay factors of ART, HIV or the host population. Further studies are, however, recommended for clarifications.

Prostatic Adenomectomy and Comorbidities: Frequency and Management at the Urology Department of the Ignace Deen National Hospital in Conakry

Goal: To determine the type of comorbidity and highlight the complications of adenomectomy and comorbidities. Material and Methods: This is a prospective, descriptive, cross-sectional study lasting six (6) months, from July 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022. Patients with BPH on comorbidity condition taken care of during the study period AND have agreed to participate in the study. Results: During our study, 49 cases of benign prostatic hypertrophy with comorbidities were collected, representing a frequency of 29%. The average age ranges for the patients were 43 - 70 years. The age group most affected was 70 to 79 years old (38.80%). Nocturnal urinary frequency was the main reason for consultation present in all our patients. The most frequent comorbidity was hypertension, i.e. 83.70%. The PSA rate between 4 and 10 was the most represented, i.e. 42.86%. The prostate volume was between 61 and 100 ml in 40.82% of patients. Histology showed that it was a benign adenomatous hypertrophy of the prostate in 85.70% and a prostatic adenomyoma in 14.29%. Trans-bladder adenomectomy alone was the most performed technique, i.e. 49%, followed by trans urethral resection of the prostate, i.e. 38.80%. Retention of urine after removal of the catheter was the most observed complication, i.e. 12.20%. Conclusion: Benign prostatic hypertrophy with comorbidities constitutes a frequent association. Because their presence can affect effectiveness and lead to complications.

Tuberculosis-diabetes comorbidities: Mechanistic insights for clinical considerations and treatment challenges

Tuberculosis(TB)remains a leading cause of death among infectious diseases,particularly in poor countries.Viral infections,multidrug-resistant and ex-tensively drug-resistant TB strains,as well as the coexistence of chronic illnesses such as diabetes mellitus(DM)greatly aggravate TB morbidity and mortality.DM[particularly type 2 DM(T2DM)]and TB have converged making their control even more challenging.Two contemporary global epidemics,TB-DM behaves like a syndemic,a synergistic confluence of two highly prevalent diseases.T2DM is a risk factor for developing more severe forms of multi-drug resistant-TB and TB recurrence after preventive treatment.Since a bidirectional relationship exists between TB and DM,it is necessary to concurrently treat both,and promote recommendations for the joint management of both diseases.There are also some drug-drug interactions resulting in adverse treatment outcomes in TB-DM patients including treatment failure,and reinfection.In addition,autophagy may play a role in these comorbidities.Therefore,the TB-DM comorbidities present several health challenges,requiring a focus on multidisciplinary collaboration and integrated strategies,to effectively deal with this double burden.To effectively manage the comorbidity,further screening in affected countries,more suitable drugs,and better treatment strategies are required.

Diabetes mellitus and comorbidities in elderly people from the Lugu community:A critical-reflective analysis

Ageing has a close relationship with chronic non-communicable diseases,such as diabetes mellitus and high blood pressure.These pathologies are often associated with changes in eating habits and promote crucial physiological changes which act silently in the long term in the elderly population.Due to the speed of urban development and technological advances,there has been an increase in the population's life expectancy.However,it is essential to know the socio-demographic profile and prevalent comorbidities of the elderly population,which can provide a reliable and broad database to enable the outline of strategies and the promotion of efficient health policies.In this sense,the purpose of this editorial is to contribute to the debate surrounding the article that analysed epidemiological data from the Lugu community.Diabetes mellitus,hypertension and cardiovascular pathologies and their comorbidities were the most prevalent conditions in this community.Such data could contribute to develop public policies constructively and assertively,allowing investments in the prevention and treatment of these pathologies.

Incidence,prevalence,and comorbidities of chronic pancreatitis:A 7-year population-based study

BACKGROUND Chronic pancreatitis(CP)is a fibroinflammatory syndrome leading to reduced quality of life and shortened life expectancy.Population-based estimates of the incidence,prevalence,and comorbidities of CP in China are scarce.AIM To characterize the incidence,prevalence,and comorbidities of CP in Sichuan Province,China,with population-based data.METHODS Data on CP from 2015 to 2021 were obtained from the Health Information Center of Sichuan Province.During the study period,a total of 38090 individuals were diagnosed with CP in Sichuan Province.The yearly incidence rate and point prevalence rate(December 31,2021)of CP were calculated.The prevalence of comorbid conditions in CP patients was estimated.The annual number of CPrelated hospitalizations,hospital length of stay,and hospitalization costs for CP were evaluated.Yearly incidence rates were standardized for age by the direct method using the permanent population of Sichuan Province in the 2020 census as the standard population.An analysis of variance test for the linearity of scaled variables and the Cochran-Armitage trend test for categorical data were performed to investigate the yearly trends,and a two-sided test with P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.RESULTS The 38090 CP patients comprised 23280 males and 14810 females.The mean age of patients at CP diagnosis was 57.83 years,with male patients(55.87 years)being younger than female patients(60.11 years)(P<0.001).The mean incidence rate of CP during the study period was 6.81 per 100000 person-years,and the incidence of CP increased each year,from 4.03 per 100000 person-years in 2015 to 8.27 per 100000 person-years in 2021(P<0.001).The point prevalence rate of CP in 2021 was 45.52 per 100000 individuals for the total population,with rates of 55.04 per 100000 individuals for men and 35.78 per 100000 individuals for women(P<0.001).Individuals aged 65 years or older had the highest prevalence of CP(113.38 per 100000 individuals)(P<0.001).Diabetes(26.32%)was the most common comorbidity in CP patients.The number of CP-related hospitalizations increased from 3739 in 2015 to 11009 in 2021.The total costs for CP-related hospitalizations for CP patients over the study period were 667.96 million yuan,with an average of 17538 yuan per patient.CONCLUSION The yearly incidence of CP is increasing,and the overall CP hospitalization cost has increased by 1.4 times during the last 7 years,indicating that CP remains a heavy health burden.

Age,blood tests and comorbidities and AIMS65 risk scores outperform Glasgow-Blatchford and pre-endoscopic Rockall score in patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding

BACKGROUND Upper gastrointestinal(GI)bleeding is a life-threatening condition with high mortality rates.AIM To compare the performance of pre-endoscopic risk scores in predicting the following primary outcomes:In-hospital mortality,intervention(endoscopic or surgical)and length of admission(≥7 d).METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis of 363 patients presenting with upper GI bleeding from December 2020 to January 2021.We calculated and compared the area under the receiver operating characteristics curves(AUROCs)of Glasgow-Blatchford score(GBS),pre-endoscopic Rockall score(PERS),albumin,international normalized ratio,altered mental status,systolic blood pressure,age older than 65(AIMS65)and age,blood tests and comorbidities(ABC),including their optimal cut-off in variceal and non-variceal upper GI bleeding cohorts.We subsequently analyzed through a logistic binary regression model,if addition of lactate increased the score performance.RESULTS All scores had discriminative ability in predicting in-hospital mortality irrespective of study group.AIMS65 score had the best performance in the variceal bleeding group(AUROC=0.772;P<0.001),and ABC score(AUROC=0.775;P<0.001)in the non-variceal bleeding group.However,ABC score,at a cut-off value of 5.5,was the best predictor(AUROC=0.770,P=0.001)of inhospital mortality in both populations.PERS score was a good predictor for endoscopic treatment(AUC=0.604;P=0.046)in the variceal population,while GBS score,(AUROC=0.722;P=0.024),outperformed the other scores in predicting surgical intervention.Addition of lactate to AIMS65 score,increases by 5-fold the probability of in-hospital mortality(P<0.05)and by 12-fold if added to GBS score(P<0.003).No score proved to be a good predictor for length of admission.CONCLUSION ABC score is the most accurate in predicting in-hospital mortality in both mixed and non-variceal bleeding population.PERS and GBS should be used to determine need for endoscopic and surgical intervention,respectively.Lactate can be used as an additional tool to risk scores for predicting inhospital mortality.

Ten-year multicentric retrospective analysis regarding postoperative complications and impact of comorbidities in hemorrhoidal surgery with literature review

BACKGROUND Hemorrhoidal disease(HD)is considered a low-severity pathology by both general population and physicians,but the lengthy conservative therapy and postoperative complications suggest otherwise.AIM To assess the effectiveness of different treatment options,both conservative and surgical,in contrast with some preexisting comorbidities.METHODS We conducted a retrospective,10-yearlong study between January 2011 and December 2021 in two surgical centers,a private and a state-owned hospital.We compared the efficacy and safety of several treatment options,such as open hemorrhoidectomy,stapled hemorrhoidopexy,rubber band ligation and infrared coagulation in terms of complication rates and types and their correlation with different preexisting comorbidities such as inflammatory bowel disease(IBD),use of anticoagulant medication(AM)and liver cirrhosis.We also conducted a 20-years long PubMed research(1.263 articles)for relevant comparisons.RESULTS Our study recorded 10940 patients with HD,10241 with conservative and 699 with surgical treatment.Out of these,the male-to-female ratio of 1.3,and a peak in age distribution between 59 and 68 years old(32%of patients).For the entire study,we recorded a 90%incidence of immediate pain,immediate bleeding in 1.5%(11 cases),delayed bleeding in 1.0%(7 cases),and 0.6%surgical site infections.Urinary retention was also present,with 0.2%of patients,anal stricture in 1%and fecal incontinence for 0.5%of patients(4 cases).We recorded no severe complications such as Fournier`s gangrene or rectovaginal perforations.IBD accounted for 6%of the patients,with ulcerative colitis in 12%and Chron`s disease in 10.5%.6.6%of the patients had AM,determining 4%immediate and 2%delayed bleeding,in surgically treated patients.CONCLUSION Our study determined that most common complications(pain,urinary retention,bleeding,and stricture)are correlated with each surgical technique and pre-existing comorbidities.

Research on Effects of Comorbidities Disease on Anticoagulation and Bleeding Disorders Risk in Patients with Overdosage of Vitamin K Antagonist Anticoagulant

Objectives: Research on effects of comorbidities disease on anticoagulation overdose in patients receiving anticoagulant therapy with vitamin K antagonists anticoagulant (VKAs) drugs at HaiPhong-VinhBao International General Hospital. Methods: Description and Prospective study. Research on 79 patients receiving anticoagulant therapy with VKAs who have an INR testing index of more than anticoagulation dose with VKAs and check INR every 4 weeks. Results: The average research age is 65.65 ± 12.17 years [33: 85], most of the elderly group. The Male group is lower than the female group (p > 0.05). Patients with hemorrhage signs account for 22.8%. The INR testing index has an average value is 5.88 ± 3.0 [3.02 - 23.95];The group of INR > 5 level is a higher risk of bleeding than the group of INR ≤ 5 levels, there is statistical difference (p Conclusion: All most patients with anticoagulation overdose are in the elderly group. The group with INR > 5 levels has a higher risk of bleeding than the group with INR ≤ 5 levels, it’s the statistical significance (p 1 but p > 0.05);Patients used VKAs drugs on the background of kidney failure or arthritis pathology are the cause of the increased risk of bleeding, it’s statistical significance (p < 0.05).

An overview of the mechanism of acupuncture and moxibustion in treating depression comorbidities insomnia

Depression and insomnia have become a frequent disease in the clinic.Clinically,depression and insomnia occur synchronously.Most researchers believe acupuncture treats insomnia and depression comorbidity through mechanisms such as inflammation theory,HPA axis theory,neurotransmitter theory,nervous system structure theory,immunoregulation theory,etc.Acupuncture has a clear effect on depression and insomnia comorbidity,and is two-way,specific,and integral.Therefore,a summary on the mechanism of using acupuncture to treat depression and insomnia comorbidity is made,to provide reference for future clinical application and laboratory research.

Prevalence of Comorbidities in the Urological Patients at the Former Military Teaching Hospital of Cotonou

Background: Comorbidities are additive diseases and care burdens in urological patients. Determining the epidemiologic profile of comorbidities in urological patients in our setting may help us to better the management of urological disease. Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of comorbidities in urological patients. Patient and Method: We collected comorbidity, urological disease and demographic data in all urological patients managed at the former Military Teaching Hospital of Cotonou from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2020. We used the software R 4.2.2 to perform descriptive and bi-varied data analysis. Student’s t test was used to compare means. Results: The prevalence of comorbidities was 14.2%, i.e., 601 comorbidity-affected among 4242 patients. The comorbidities predominantly affected men: the sex ratio was 13:1. The presence of comorbidity was correlated with patients’ age (p < 0.001). The comorbidities observed in the 601 affected patients were hypertension (84.5%), diabetes (26.5%), asthma (2%), and heart failure (1.2%). Hypertension (p = 0.001) and asthma (p = 0.030) were correlated with age. No comorbidity was associated with gender. The comorbidities’ prevalence was highest in patients aged 40 - 80 years who presented urological diseases such as BPH (68.9%), Erectile dysfunction (ED) and ejaculatory disorders, overactive bladder (OAB) and neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD), renal cyst (5%), inguinal hernia (4.2%), urinary stones (2.8%), and prostate cancer (2.3%). Conclusion: The comorbidities’ prevalence was 14.2% in the urological patients. The main comorbidities were hypertension (84.5%) and diabetes mellitus (26.5%).

Association of Overlapped and Un-overlapped Comorbidities with COVID-19 Severity and Treatment Outcomes: A Retrospective Cohort Study from Nine Provinces in China

Objective Several COVID-19 patients have overlapping comorbidities. The independent role of each component contributing to the risk of COVID-19 is unknown, and how some non-cardiometabolic comorbidities affect the risk of COVID-19 remains unclear.Methods A retrospective follow-up design was adopted. A total of 1,160 laboratory-confirmed patients were enrolled from nine provinces in China. Data on comorbidities were obtained from the patients’ medical records. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratio(OR) and 95% confidence interval(95% CI) of the associations between comorbidities(cardiometabolic or non-cardiometabolic diseases), clinical severity, and treatment outcomes of COVID-19.Results Overall, 158(13.6%) patients were diagnosed with severe illness and 32(2.7%) had unfavorable outcomes. Hypertension(2.87, 1.30–6.32), type 2 diabetes(T2 DM)(3.57, 2.32–5.49),cardiovascular disease(CVD)(3.78, 1.81–7.89), fatty liver disease(7.53, 1.96–28.96), hyperlipidemia(2.15, 1.26–3.67), other lung diseases(6.00, 3.01–11.96), and electrolyte imbalance(10.40, 3.00–26.10)were independently linked to increased odds of being severely ill. T2 DM(6.07, 2.89–12.75), CVD(8.47,6.03–11.89), and electrolyte imbalance(19.44, 11.47–32.96) were also strong predictors of unfavorable outcomes. Women with comorbidities were more likely to have severe disease on admission(5.46,3.25–9.19), while men with comorbidities were more likely to have unfavorable treatment outcomes(6.58, 1.46–29.64) within two weeks.Conclusion Besides hypertension, diabetes, and CVD, fatty liver disease, hyperlipidemia, other lung diseases, and electrolyte imbalance were independent risk factors for COVID-19 severity and poor treatment outcome. Women with comorbidities were more likely to have severe disease, while men with comorbidities were more likely to have unfavorable treatment outcomes.

Neuroinflammation and comorbidities are frequently ignored factors in CNS pathology

Virtually all drug interventions that have been successful pre-clinically in experimental stroke have failed to prove their efficacy in a dinical setting. This could be partly explained by the complexity and heterogeneity of human diseases as well as the associated co-morbidities which may render neuroprotective drugs less efficacious in dinical practice. One aspect of crucial importance in the physiopathology of stroke which is not completely understood is neuroinflammation. At the pres- ent time, it is becoming evident that subtle, but continuous neuroinflammation can provide the ground for disorders such as cerebral small vessel disease. Moreover, advanced aging and a number of highly prevalent risk factors such as obesity, hypertension, diabetes and atherosclerosis could act as ＂silent contributors＂ promoting a chronic proinflammatory state. This could aggravate the out- come of various pathological entities and can contribute to a number of subsequent post-stroke complications such as dementia, depression and neurodegeneration creating a pathological vicious cycle. Moreover, recent data suggests that the inflammatory process might be dosely linked with multiple neurodegenerative pathways related to depression. In addition, pro-inflammatory cyto- kines could play a central role in the pathophysiology of both depression and dementia.

Association of comorbidities with increasing severity of peripheral neuropathy in diabetes mellitus

AIM: To analyze a large population of patients with diabetes and peripheral neuropathy(PN) to determine other meaningful comorbid etiologies for PN.METHODS: Peripheral Neuropathy is a common complication of type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus;however,other potential causes for PN may be co-existing in patients with diabetes.A prospective cohort study was performed to assess patients with diabetes and PN.We compared patients having PN due solely to diabetes with patients possessing co-existing comorbidities,performing clinical(Toronto Clinical Scoring System and the Utah Early Neuropathy Scale),laboratory and electrophysiological assessments in all patients.RESULTS: Patients with either type 1 or 2 diabetes mellitus and co-existing comorbidities did not have more severe clinical or electrophysiological PN phenotypes overall.However,in patients with type 1 diabetes,presence of a lipid disorder was associated with greater PN severity.In type 2 diabetes patients,both a lipid disorder and cobalamin deficiency were associated with greater PN severity.There was no additive effect upon PN severity with presence of three or more comorbid etiologies.CONCLUSION: The presence of specific,and not general,comorbidities in patients with type 1 or 2 diabetes corresponds with greater PN severity.

Hepatitis C comorbidities affecting the course and response to therapy

Several studies have demonstrated that the outcome of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) infection is profoundly influenced by a variety of comorbidities. Many of these comorbidities have a significant influence on the response to antiviral therapy. These comorbidities negatively affect the course and outcome of liver disease, often reducing the chance of achieving a sustained virological response with PEGylated interferon and ribavirin treatments. Comorbidities affecting response to antiviral therapy reduce compliance and adherence to inadequate doses of therapy. The most important comorbidities affecting the course of CHC include hepatitis B virus coinfection, metabolic syndrome, and intestinal bacterial overgrowth. Comorbidities affecting the course and response to therapy include schistosomiasis, iron overload, alcohol abuse, and excessive smoking. Comorbidities affecting response to antiviral therapy include depression, anemia, cardiovascular disease, and renal failure.

Comparative profile for COVID-19 cases from China and North America: Clinical symptoms, comorbidities and disease biomarkers

BACKGROUND Large inter-individual and inter-population differences in the susceptibility to and outcome of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 or coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)have been noted.Understanding these differences and how they influence vulnerability to infection and disease severity is critical to public health intervention.AIM To analyze and compare the profile of COVID-19 cases between China and North America as two regions that differ in many environmental,host and healthcare factors related to disease risk.METHODS We conducted a meta-analysis to examine and compare demographic information,clinical symptoms,comorbidities,disease severity and levels of disease biomarkers of COVID-19 cases from clinical studies and data from China(105 studies)and North America(19 studies).RESULTS COVID-19 patients from North America were older than their Chinese counterparts and with higher male:Female ratio.Fever,cough,fatigue and dyspnea were the most common clinical symptoms in both study regions(present in about 30%to 75%of the cases in both regions).Meta-analysis for the prevalence of comorbidities(such as obesity,hypertension,diabetes,cardiovascular diseases,chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,cancer,and chronic kidney diseases)in COVID-19 patients were all significantly more prevalent in North America compared to China.Comorbidities were positively correlated with age but at a significantly younger age range in China compared to North American.The most prevalent infection outcome was acute respiratory distress syndrome which was 2-fold more frequent in North America than in China.Levels of C-reactive protein were 4.5-fold higher in the North American cases than in cases from China.CONCLUSION The differences in the profile of COVID-19 cases from China and North America may relate to differences in environmental-,host-and healthcare-related factors between the two regions.Such inter-population differences-together with intrapopulation variability-underline the need to characterize the effect of health inequities and inequalities on public health response to COVID-19 and can assist in preparing for the re-emergence of the epidemic.

Survival and comorbidities in lung cancer patients:Evidence from administrative claims data in Germany

Lung cancer is the most common cancer type worldwide and has the highest and second highest mortality rate for men and women respectively in Germany.Yet,the role of comorbid illnesses in lung cancer patient prognosis is still debated.We analyzed administrative claims data from one of the largest statutory health insurance(SHI)funds in Germany,covering close to 9 million people(11%of the national population);observation period was from 2005 to 2019.Lung cancer patients and their concomitant diseases were identified by ICD-10-GM codes.Comorbidities were classified according to the Charlson Comorbidity Index(CCI).Incidence,comorbidity prevalence and survival are estimated considering sex,age at diagnosis,and place of residence.Kaplan Meier curves with 95%confidence intervals were built in relation to common comorbidities.We identified 70,698 lung cancer incident cases in the sample.Incidence and survival figures are comparable to official statistics in Germany.Most prevalent comorbidities are chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)(36.7%),followed by peripheral vascular disease(PVD)(18.7%),diabetes without chronic complications(17.4%),congestive heart failure(CHF)(16.5%)and renal disease(14.7%).Relative to overall survival,lung cancer patients with CHF,cerebrovascular disease(CEVD)and renal disease are associated with largest drops in survival probabilities(9%or higher),while those with PVD and diabetes without chronic complications with moderate drops(7%or lower).The study showed a negative association between survival and most common comorbidities among lung cancer patients,based on a large sample for Germany.Further research needs to explore the individual effect of comorbidities disentangled from that of other patient characteristics such as cancer stage and histology.

Regional disease characteristics and comorbidities of patients with schizophrenia in the Ziprasidone Observational Study of Cardiac Outcomes (ZODIAC): Findings from an international large simple trial

Background: Using baseline data from the Ziprasidone Observational Study of Cardiac Outcomes (ZODIAC), we assessed disease characteristics and prevalence of select comorbidities among subjects with schizophrenia in different clinical settings across 18 countries. ZODIAC was a randomized, open-label, one-year, large simple trial (LST) that enrolled 18,239 individuals with schizophrenia. Methods: Subjects were randomized to open-label treatment with ziprasidone (n = 9120) or olanzapine (n = 9119) in naturalistic (usual care) settings and followed for one year. Study sites (n = 749) applied minimal selection criteria in an attempt to make the study population as representative as possible of those receiving treatment in “real world” circumstances across the countries. Results: Mean patient age was 41 years, 55% were male, 34% were markedly ill or presented with more severe disease, and 66% of subjects had one or more select comorbid conditions [i.e. heart attack, stroke, hypertension, CAD/angina, high cholesterol/triglycerides, diabetes, or overweight (BMI ≥ 25)] at baseline. History of suicide attempt was greatest in the US (38%), compared with Sweden (34%), Brazil/South America (26%), Asia (23%), and Eastern Europe (20%). Overweight or obesity was the most prevalent comorbid risk factor, representing 60% of enrolled subjects, 70% of US subjects compared with 30% in Asia and 52% - 64% in the other regions studied. High cholesterol/triglycerides levels were found in 23% of US subjects compared with a relatively low prevalence in other countries (3% - 11%). History of cardiovascular or diabetes-related comorbidities was found in 31% of subjects. Current smoking (46.5%) and past smoking (11.8%) were common with men dominating the proportion of current smokers: US (61%);Asia (60%);Sweden (50%);Eastern Europe (49%);and Latin America (44%). Conclusions: Our findings indicate substantial baseline variations across countries in demographics, comorbid conditions, and psychiatric disease history. These data provide an international epidemiologic picture of schizophrenia and may help guide future research and treatment initiatives.

Efficacy and limits of sildenafil citrate in patients with arterial erectile dysfunction： role of peripheral arterial disease and cardiovascular comorbidities

Aim： To evaluate whether the response to sildenafil administration in patients with arterial erectile dysfunction （ED） was related to their peak systolic velocity （PSV）, peripheral atherosclerosis, cardiovascular risk factors （RF） and/or comorbidities at low cardiovascular risk. Methods： We enrolled 97 patients with 1-2 RF and comorbidities, combined with arterial ED alone （group A, n = 27）, ED plus atherosclerotic carotid artery （group B, n = 23）, ED plus lower limb artery abnormalities （group C, n = 25）, and ED plus carotid and lower limb artery abnormalities （group D, n = 22）. Sildenafil efficacy （100 mg twice a week for 12 weeks） was also examined in patients with ≥ 3 RF, peripheral a（herosclerosis and no cardiovascular comorbidities （group E, n = 20）. Results： Median PSV was 24.1, 21.0, 19.3, 14.5 and 17.5 cm/s in groups A, B, C, D and E, respectively. Sildenafil response was higher in group A patients （77.8%）, intermediate in groups B and C （65.2% and 56%） and lowest in groups D （45.4%） and E （50%）, and the response in latter two groups was significantly lower than in the other three groups. In addition, sildenafil response was nega- tively influenced by： 〉 3 RF, peripheral atherosclerosis and no systemic comorbidity, or presence of 1-2 RF associated with extended atherosclerosis and comorbidities. The number of comorbidifies was positively related to atherosclerosis localization or extension （25, 35, 38 and 47 in groups A, B, C and D, respectively）. Conclusion： Low sildenafil efficacy in patients with arterial ED was associated with extended atherosclerosis. These patients should undergo extensive ultrasonography and a full cardiovascular examination.

Extraskeletal symptoms and comorbidities of diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis(DISH) is a noninflammatory disease characterized by calcification and ossification of soft tissues, mainly enthesis and spinal ligaments. The clinical presentation primarily includes spinal involvement-induced pain and range of motion. Although rare, life-threatening gastrointestinal, respiratory or neurological events or severe morbidity due to bone compression on the adjacent structures may develop. There is a limited amount of data on DISHrelated events in the literature. In recent years, comorbid metabolic disorders are of great interest in patients with DISH. The early diagnosis of these conditions as well as rare entities allows an effective multidisciplinary approach for the treatment of DISH. In this article, we review extraskeletal symptoms and associated comorbidities in patients with DISH.

Prevalence of Non-Communicable Diseases and Number of Comorbidities According to Differences in Household Income Levels in Japan: Analysis from National Health and Nutrition Survey

Though it has been reported that in Western developed countries socioeconomic status is associated with non-communicable diseases (NCD), there are sparse evidence from Japan, midst an income gap that has been pointed out in recent years. Therefore, we examined the presence or absence of NCD and the number of comorbidities according to household income in Japanese, using data from the National Health and Nutrition Survey of 2010. 1287 men and 1659 women aged 20 - 79 years from households at 3 income levels (<2, 2 - 5.9, ≥6 million yen) were analyzed. Participants completed questionnaires regarding whether they had been diagnosed with NCD, as well as undergoing clinical laboratory tests. Logistic regression analyses were used for statistical analysis with adjustment for age, gender, household size, and population of municipalities. The prevalences of participants with high, medium, and low income were 22.3%, 57.6%, and 20.2%, respectively. Participants with the lowest income had the highest odds of hypertension (OR [95% confidence interval (CI)] = 1.71 [1.29 - 2.26], p p = 0.041), and stroke (5.07 [2.04 - 12.60] p < 0.001). Additionally, prevalences of participants with 2 or 3 NCD (hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia) were 15.0% and 33.0% in high and low income levels, respectively. A low income could contribute to a high prevalence of NCD and large number of comorbidities among Japanese. Establishing a health policy in Japan is needed to enable an optimal health condition and lifestyle regardless of socioeconomic disparities.