The hospital outpatient alcohol project (HOAP): protocol for an individually randomized, parallel-group superiority trial of electronic alcohol screening and brief intervention versus screening alone for unhealthy alcohol use.

Background: Electronic screening and brief intervention (e-SBI) is a promising alternative to screening and brief intervention by health-care providers, but its efficacy in the hospital outpatient setting, which serves a large proportion of the population, has not been established. The aim of this study is to estimate the effect of e-SBI in hospital outpatients with hazardous or harmful drinking.

Methods/design: This randomized controlled trial will be conducted in the outpatient department of a large tertiary referral hospital in Newcastle (population 540,000), Australia.

Hemoglobin concentration and pregnancy outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of hemoglobin effect on the pregnancy outcomes.

Methods: We searched MEDLINE and SCOPUS from January 1, 1990 to April 10, 2011. Observational studies addressing association between hemoglobin and adverse pregnancy outcomes were selected.

Meta-analysis of hypercoagulability genetic polymorphisms in Perthes disease.

Perthes disease is an osteonecrosis of the femoral epiphysis with unclear etiology. This study aimed to systematically review the association between genetic determinants of hypercoagulability (Factor V Leiden, prothrombin II, and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase; MTHFR) and Perthes disease. PubMed and Scopus searched from inception to January 2012, data extraction and quality assessment were performed.

Quality of life impact of cardiovascular and affective conditions among older residents from urban and rural communities.

Background: The demographic, health and contextual factors associated with quality of life impairment are investigated in older persons from New South Wales, Australia. We examine the impact of cardiovascular and affective conditions on impairment and the potential moderating influence of comorbidity and remoteness.

Methods: Data from persons aged 55 and over were drawn from two community cohorts sampling from across urban to very remote areas.

Serum methylarginines and incident depression in a cohort of older adults.

Background: Methylarginines are endogenous nitric oxide synthase inhibitors that have been implicated in depression. This study measured serum concentrations of l-arginine, asymmetric (ADMA) and symmetric (SDMA) dimethylarginine in a representative sample of older community-dwelling adults and determined their association with incident depression over 6-years of follow-up.

Methods: Data on clinical, lifestyle, and demographic characteristics, methylated arginines, and l-arginine (measured using LC-MS/MS) were collected from a population-based sample of older Australian adults (Median age=64 years; IQR=60-70) from the Hunter Community Study.

Genome-wide analysis of blood pressure variability and ischemic stroke.

Background And Purpose: Visit-to-visit variability in blood pressure (vBP) is associated with ischemic stroke. We sought to determine whether such variability has genetic causes and whether genetic variants associated with BP variability are also associated with ischemic stroke.

Methods: A Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) for loci influencing BP variability was undertaken in 3802 individuals from the Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcome Trial (ASCOT) study, in which long-term visit-to-visit and within-visit BP measures were available.

Causal relationship between body mass index and fetuin-A level in the asian population: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study.

Objective: Fetuin-A is associated with body mass index (BMI) as well as components of the metabolic syndrome. However, it is unclear if fetuin-A affects BMI or the other way around. We therefore assessed the causal association between fetuin-A and BMI or vice versa, utilizing a bidirectional Mendelian randomization approach.

Genetic loci for retinal arteriolar microcirculation.

Narrow arterioles in the retina have been shown to predict hypertension as well as other vascular diseases, likely through an increase in the peripheral resistance of the microcirculatory flow. In this study, we performed a genome-wide association study in 18,722 unrelated individuals of European ancestry from the Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genomic Epidemiology consortium and the Blue Mountain Eye Study, to identify genetic determinants associated with variations in retinal arteriolar caliber. Retinal vascular calibers were measured on digitized retinal photographs using a standardized protocol.

GWAS of 126,559 individuals identifies genetic variants associated with educational attainment.

A genome-wide association study (GWAS) of educational attainment was conducted in a discovery sample of 101,069 individuals and a replication sample of 25,490. Three independent single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are genome-wide significant (rs9320913, rs11584700, rs4851266), and all three replicate. Estimated effects sizes are small (coefficient of determination R(2) ≈ 0.

Serum methylarginines and spirometry-measured lung function in older adults.

Rationale: Methylarginines are endogenous nitric oxide synthase inhibitors that have been implicated in animal models of lung disease but have not previously been examined for their association with spirometric measures of lung function in humans.

Objectives: This study measured serum concentrations of asymmetric and symmetric dimethylarginine in a representative sample of older community-dwelling adults and determined their association with spirometric lung function measures.

Methods: Data on clinical, lifestyle, and demographic characteristics, methylated arginines, and L-arginine (measured using LC-MS/MS) were collected from a population-based sample of older Australian adults from the Hunter Community Study.

Feasibility of internet-delivered mental health treatments for rural populations.

Purpose: Rural populations face numerous barriers to mental health care. Although internet-delivered mental health treatments may offer an accessible and cost-effective answer to these barriers, there has been little evaluation of the feasibility of this approach among rural communities.

Methods: Data were obtained from a random rural community sample through the third wave of the Australian Rural Mental Health Study.

An examination of the influences on New South Wales general practitioners regarding the provision of opioid substitution therapy.

Introduction: Few general practitioners (GP) prescribe opioid substitution therapy. Our aim was to analyse their previously identified motivating factors by describing their frequency and demographic associations.

Methods: An anonymous, cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey on opioid prescribing in pain and dependency was distributed across five New South Wales Divisions of GPs.

Is serum zinc level associated with prediabetes and diabetes?: a cross-sectional study from Bangladesh.

Aims: To determine serum zinc level and other relevant biological markers in normal, prediabetic and diabetic individuals and their association with Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA) parameters.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between March and December 2009. Any patient aged ≥ 30 years attending the medicine outpatient department of a medical university hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh and who had a blood glucose level ordered by a physician was eligible to participate.

Construct validity of the Assessment of Quality of Life - 6D (AQoL-6D) in community samples.

Background: The Assessment of Quality of Life - 6D scale (AQoL-6D) is a self-report instrument designed to provide a sensitive multidimensional evaluation of health related quality of life. The current paper assesses the construct, concurrent and convergent validity of the AQoL-6D in a combined longitudinal population sample drawn from across urban, regional and remote areas of Australia.

Methods: The AQoL-6D was administered within the Hunter Community Study and the Australian Rural Mental Health Study over time (mean years lag = 3.

Serum thiols and cardiovascular risk scores: a combined assessment of transsulfuration pathway components and substrate/product ratios.

Background: Serum thiols have shown associations with surrogate markers of cardiovascular disease. However, little information is available on their combined association with validated cardiovascular risk scores for primary prevention at population level. We sought to determine whether individual serum thiol concentrations and substrate/product ratios within the transsulfuration pathway are independently associated with such scores.

The use, misuse and abuse of dabigatran.

The tale of dabigatran sounds some cautionary notes about proper critical appraisal of new randomised controlled trials,care in deciding on the generalisability of results, judicious screening of patients and lessons about the politics around increasingly lucrative drugs. The old lesson of caveat utilitor still holds: let the user beware!

Bladder carcinoma in situ (CIS) in Australia: a rising incidence for an under-reported malignancy.

Objectives: To investigate the incidence of carcinoma in situ (CIS) in Australia and examine implications for its diagnosis and management, as CIS of the urinary bladder is a non-reportable disease in Australia.

Methods: Analysis of annual hospitalisation data using Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) datasets showed an increase in CIS from 2001 onwards. To determine whether the increase seen with AIHW data represented a true increase in the rates offices, patient level data was examined using the Centre for Health record linkage (CHeReL) datasets.

Exposure to pesticides and the risk of childhood brain tumors.

Purpose: Previous research has suggested positive associations between parental or childhood exposure to pesticides and risk of childhood brain tumors (CBT). This Australian case-control study of CBT investigated whether exposures to pesticides before pregnancy, during pregnancy and during childhood, were associated with an increased risk.

Methods: Cases were recruited from 10 pediatric oncology centers, and controls by random-digit dialing, frequency matched on age, sex, and State of residence.

Continuing difficulties in interpreting CNV data: lessons from a genome-wide CNV association study of Australian HNPCC/lynch syndrome patients.

Background: Hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC)/Lynch syndrome (LS) is a cancer syndrome characterised by early-onset epithelial cancers, especially colorectal cancer (CRC) and endometrial cancer. The aim of the current study was to use SNP-array technology to identify genomic aberrations which could contribute to the increased risk of cancer in HNPCC/LS patients.

Methods: Individuals diagnosed with HNPCC/LS (100) and healthy controls (384) were genotyped using the Illumina Human610-Quad SNP-arrays.

Investigation of the relationship between sleep duration, all-cause mortality, and preexisting disease.

Objective: To examine the relationship between sleep duration and mortality and to quantify the likely impact of residual confounding due to poor health status on any observed association.

Methods: The sample included 227,815 Australian adults aged 45 years and older recruited from 2006-2009 (the 45 and Up Study). Sleep duration and relevant covariates (e.

Individual- and provider-level factors associated with colorectal cancer screening in accordance with guideline recommendation: a community-level perspective across varying levels of risk.

Background: Participation rates in colorectal cancer screening (CRC) are low. Relatively little is known about screening uptake across varying levels of risk and across population groups. The purpose of the current study was to identify factors associated with (i) ever receiving colorectal cancer (CRC) testing; (ii) risk-appropriate CRC screening in accordance with guidelines; and (iii) recent colonoscopy screening.

How many steps are enough? Dose-response curves for pedometer steps and multiple health markers in a community-based sample of older Australians.

Background: Although an overall public health target of 10,000 steps per day has been advocated, the dose-response relationship for each health benefit of physical activity may differ.

Methods: A representative community sample of 2458 Australian residents aged 55-85 wore a pedometer for a week in 2005-2007 and completed a health assessment. Age-standardized steps per day were compared with multiple markers of health using locally weighted regression to produce smoothed dose-response curves and then to select the steps per day matching 60% or 80% of the range in each health marker.

Meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies in five cohorts reveals common variants in RBFOX1, a regulator of tissue-specific splicing, associated with refractive error.

Visual refractive errors (REs) are complex genetic traits with a largely unknown etiology. To date, genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of moderate size have identified several novel risk markers for RE, measured here as mean spherical equivalent (MSE). We performed a GWAS using a total of 7280 samples from five cohorts: the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS); the KORA study ('Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg'); the Framingham Eye Study (FES); the Ogliastra Genetic Park-Talana (OGP-Talana) Study and the Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).