BACKGROUND It is not known how the relationship between weight change and mortality is influenced by initial body mass index (BMI) or the magnitude of weight change. METHODS We use the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study (n = 13,104; follow-up 1992-2006) and Cox regression analysis to estimate relative mortality risks for 2-year weight change by initial BMI among 50- to-70-y...

BACKGROUND The mortality burden of the 2009 A/H1N1 influenza pandemic remains controversial, in part because of delays in reporting of vital statistics that are traditionally used to measure influenza-related excess mortality. Here, we compare excess mortality rates and years of life lost (YLL) for pandemic and seasonal influenza in Mexico and evaluate laboratory-confirmed death reports. METH...

BACKGROUND Observational studies report that influenza vaccination reduces winter mortality risk from any cause by 50% among the elderly. Influenza vaccination coverage among elderly persons (> or =65 years) in the United States increased from between 15% and 20% before 1980 to 65% in 2001. Unexpectedly, estimates of influenza-related mortality in this age group also increased during this perio...

BACKGROUND The mortality burden of the 2009 A/H1N1 pandemic remains unclear in many countries due to delays in reporting of death statistics. We estimate the age- and cause-specific excess mortality impact of the pandemic in France, relative to that of other countries and past epidemic and pandemic seasons. METHODS We applied Serfling and Poisson excess mortality approaches to model weekly ag...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE There is high case-fatality rate and loss of productive life-years related to aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) but data on long-term survival of patients with aSAH are scarce. We aim to evaluate long-term excess mortality and related risk factors after an aSAH event. METHODS Survivors (n=3078) of aSAH who had survived for ≥1 year were reviewed for this retrospe...

Using historical data from 1,763 birth cohorts from 1800 to 1935 in 13 developed countries, we show that what is now seen as normal-a large excess of female life expectancy in adulthood-is a demographic phenomenon that emerged among people born in the late 1800s. We show that excess adult male mortality is clearly rooted in specific age groups, 50-70, and that the sex asymmetry emerged in cohor...

The mortality experience of a cohort of chrysotile miners employed since 1946 in Balangero, northern Italy was updated to the end of 1987 giving a total of 427 deaths out of 27,010 man-years at risk. A substantial excess mortality for all causes (standardised mortality ratio (SMR) = 149) was found, mainly because of high rates for some alcohol related deaths (hepatic cirrhosis, accidents). For ...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The stroke risk among white residents of the coastal plain of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia (the "Stroke Belt") has been reported to be between 1.3 and 2.0 times the national average. In this study we examined (1) whether a similar excess risk exists for blacks in this region, (2) whether this regional excess stroke risk has decreased over time, and (3) whet...

hyperandrogenism affects 2-6% of all women. hypertension is one of disturbances which is related to androgen excess. higher intakes of vitamin c and vitamin e have been associated with lower blood pressure. tho investigate the effect of these vitamin supplementation on blood pressure in hyperandrogenic women, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was designed on 56 women 18-54 ye...

BACKGROUND Estimates of hip fracture mortality in Eastern Europe are scarce. We aimed to estimate the magnitude and duration of excess mortality after hip fracture in Estonia. METHODS Retrospective, population-based 10-year study of persons aged ≥50 in two cohorts: with hip fracture and an age- and sex-matched (in a 1:4 ratio) random sample from the national health insurance fund database for...