Precautions to Consider in the Analysis of Prognostic and Predictive Indices.

Understanding the differences between prognostic and predictive indices is imperative for medical research advances. We have developed a new prognostic measure that will identify the strengths, limitations, and potential applications in clinical practice.

Efforts needed for preventing breast and colorectal cancer through changes in dietary patterns.

Background: Prospective cohort studies on diet and cancer report risk associations as hazard ratios. But hazard ratios do not inform on the number of people who need to alter their dietary behaviours for preventing cancer. The objective of this study is to estimate the number of people that need to alter their diet for preventing one additional case of female breast or colorectal cancer.

Effectiveness of and overdiagnosis from mammography screening in the Netherlands: population based study.

 To analyse stage specific incidence of breast cancer in the Netherlands where women have been invited to biennial mammography screening since 1989 (ages 50-69) and 1997 (ages 70-75), and to assess changes in breast cancer mortality and quantified overdiagnosis. Population based study. Mammography screening programme, the Netherlands.

Effect of vitamin D supplementation on non-skeletal disorders: a systematic review of meta-analyses and randomised trials.

Randomised trials reported up to Dec 31, 2012, did not confirm that vitamin D supplementation could protect from non-skeletal health conditions affecting adults, as was expected on the basis of data from observational studies. To examine whether the more recently published meta-analyses and trials would change past conclusions, we systematically reviewed meta-analyses of vitamin D supplementation and non-skeletal disorders published between Jan 1, 2013, and May 31, 2017, that included study participants of all ages, including pregnant women. We also searched for randomised trials not included in meta-analyses.

Daily milk consumption and all-cause mortality, coronary heart disease and stroke: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational cohort studies.

Background: Observational studies and meta-analyses relating milk consumption by adults to all-cause mortality, coronary heart disease and stroke have obtained contradictory results. Some studies found a protective effect of milk consumption, whilst other found an increased risk.

Methods: We performed a systematic literature search until June 2015 on prospective studies that looked at milk consumption, all-cause mortality, coronary heart disease and stroke.

Physical activity, hormone replacement therapy and breast cancer risk: A meta-analysis of prospective studies.

Background: Lower risk of breast cancer has been reported among physically active women, but the risk in women using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) appears to be higher. We quantified the association between physical activity and breast cancer, and we examined the influence that HRT use and other risk factors had on this association.

Methods: After a systematic literature search, prospective studies were meta-analysed using random-effect models applied on highest versus lowest level of physical activity.

Trends in colorectal cancer mortality in Europe: retrospective analysis of the WHO mortality database.

Objective: To examine changes in colorectal cancer mortality in 34 European countries between 1970 and 2011.

Design: Retrospective trend analysis.

Data Source: World Health Organization mortality database.

VaRank: a simple and powerful tool for ranking genetic variants.

Background. Most genetic disorders are caused by single nucleotide variations (SNVs) or small insertion/deletions (indels). High throughput sequencing has broadened the catalogue of human variation, including common polymorphisms, rare variations or disease causing mutations.

Vitamin D status and ill health: a systematic review.

Low serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) have been associated with many non-skeletal disorders. However, whether low 25(OH)D is the cause or result of ill health is not known. We did a systematic search of prospective and intervention studies that assessed the effect of 25(OH)D concentrations on non-skeletal health outcomes in individuals aged 18 years or older.

Blood glucose concentrations and breast cancer risk in women without diabetes: a meta-analysis.

Purpose: Some studies have suggested an increased risk of breast cancer associated with elevated fasting serum glucose in nondiabetic subjects. Given how common both breast cancer and impaired glucose tolerance are in our aging societies, this is an important issue for public health.

Methods: We performed a systematic review of prospective cohort studies that examined the association between elevated serum glucose levels in nondiabetic subjects (levels below 7.

Next generation sequencing for molecular diagnosis of neuromuscular diseases.

Inherited neuromuscular disorders (NMD) are chronic genetic diseases posing a significant burden on patients and the health care system. Despite tremendous research and clinical efforts, the molecular causes remain unknown for nearly half of the patients, due to genetic heterogeneity and conventional molecular diagnosis based on a gene-by-gene approach. We aimed to test next generation sequencing (NGS) as an efficient and cost-effective strategy to accelerate patient diagnosis.