Areca nut extracts increased expression of inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1beta, interleukin-6 and interleukin-8, in peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Background And Objective: Cytokines represent a central role in inflammatory tissue destruction and regulate the immune responses that may govern the progression of periodontal diseases. This study investigated the effects of areca nut extracts on the expression of inflammatory cytokines, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1beta, interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The role of oxidative stress of areca nut extracts was also examined using curcumin.

Effect of a dementia diagnosis on survival of older patients after a diagnosis of breast, colon, or prostate cancer: implications for cancer care.

Background: Preexisting dementia affects cancer care. Knowledge of how dementia affects survival after a cancer diagnosis may help guide cancer care decisions. We therefore examined the associations between preexisting diagnoses of dementia and survival from breast, colon, and prostate cancer.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist use in men without a cancer registry diagnosis of prostate cancer.

Background: Use of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists has become popular for virtually all stages of prostate cancer. We hypothesized that some men receive these agents after only a limited work-up for their cancer. Such cases may be missed by tumor registries, leading to underestimates of the total extent of GnRH agonist use.

Gender and ethnic differences in rehabilitation outcomes after hip-replacement surgery.

Objective: To examine gender and ethnic differences in functional status and living setting for patients after hip arthroplasty.

Design: Retrospective cohort study of 69,793 patients receiving inpatient medical rehabilitation after hip arthroplasty included in the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation database for the period of 2002-2003. Primary measures included functional status as assessed by the FIM instrument and discharge living setting (home vs.

Use of intravenous bisphosphonates in older women with breast cancer.

Introduction: i.v. bisphosphonates reduce skeletal events in women with bone metastases from breast cancer, but little is known about the prevalence and duration of bisphosphonate use.

Mammography use may partially mediate disparities in tumor size at diagnosis in women with social security disabilities.

Objective: This study determined the association between screening mammography and tumor size at diagnosis in older women whose original reason for entitlement to Medicare benefits was disability (SSDI).

Methods: A retrospective study of female Medicare beneficiaries older than 69 years diagnosed with breast cancer using Surveillance Epidemiological End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked database. Multiple linear regression techniques were used to determine the effect of screening mammography use on tumor size.

Church attendance mediates the association between depressive symptoms and cognitive functioning among older Mexican Americans.

Background: The objective of this study was to examine how the effect of depressive symptoms on cognitive function is modified by church attendance.

Methods: We used a sample of 2759 older Mexican Americans. Cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) at baseline, 2, 5, 7, and 11 years of follow-up.

Increasing access to medical oncology consultation in older patients with stage II-IIIA non-small-cell lung cancer.

Background: Resectable non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was once considered a disease whose sole therapy was surgical resection. Therefore it was managed by surgeons. However, with growing evidence of the benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy, such patients should also be evaluated by a medical oncologist.

Relationship between test methodology and mean velocity in timed walk tests: a review.

Objective: To assess the degree to which test methodology affects outcomes in clinical evaluations of walking speed.

Data Sources: Medline database and reference lists from relevant articles.

Study Selection: We conducted electronic searches by using various combinations of terms related to clinical evaluations of walking speed.

Limits of observational data in determining outcomes from cancer therapy.

Background: Observational data are used increasingly to assess the effectiveness of therapies. However, selection biases are likely to have an impact on results and threaten the validity of these studies.

Methods: The primary objective of the current study was to explore the effect of selection biases in observational studies of treatment effectiveness in cancer care.

Discharge setting for patients with hip fracture: trends from 2001 to 2005.

Objectives: To examine recent trends in discharge disposition after hospitalization for hip fracture.

Design: Retrospective observational study using data from the 5% random sample of Medicare claims data from 2001 to 2005 that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services makes available for research purposes.

Setting: Inpatient medical rehabilitation pre- and postimplementation of prospective payment (2001-2005).

Racial and ethnic differences in postacute rehabilitation outcomes after stroke in the United States.

Background And Purpose: Incidence, prevalence, and mortality for stroke vary by race and ethnicity with higher rates for blacks compared with non-Hispanic whites. Little information is available regarding differences in postacute care outcomes for racial and ethnic groups after a stroke.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of 161,692 patients from the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation who received inpatient medical rehabilitation after a first stroke in 2002 and 2003.

Ethnic differences in discharge destination among older patients with traumatic brain injury.

Unlabelled: Ethnic differences in discharge destination among older patients with traumatic brain injury.

Objective: To estimate the association between ethnicity and discharge destination in older patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Design: A retrospective analysis.

Characteristics of urologists predict the use of androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer.

Purpose: We previously have reported wide variations among urologists in the use of androgen deprivation for prostate cancer. Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare linked database, we examined how individual urologist characteristics influenced the use of androgen deprivation therapy.

Methods: Participants included 82,375 men with prostate cancer who were diagnosed from January 1, 1992, through December 31, 2002, and the 2,080 urologists who provided care to them.

Temporal trends and predictors of perioperative chemotherapy use in elderly patients with resected nonsmall cell lung cancer.

Background: The authors assessed patterns of perioperative chemotherapy use in elderly patients with resected stage I, II, or IIIA nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) from 1992 to 2002.

Methods: By using data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program, 11,807 patients were identified who had resected stage I, II, or IIIA NSCLC between 1992 and 2002 and survived >or=120 days beyond diagnosis. The rate of perioperative chemotherapy use was measured by calendar year, and the association between clinical/demographic characteristics and the receipt of chemotherapy was examined by using logistic regression.

Test-retest reliability of a psychological well-being scale in hospitalized older adults.

Background And Aims: To examine the reliability of a 6-domain psychological well-being instrument in older patients admitted to an acute care hospital unit.

Methods: A prospective reliability study was conducted using a convenience sample of 40 hospitalized patients aged 65 or older. The main measure was a 6-domain psychological well-being instrument including self-acceptance, positive relations with others, autonomy, environmental mastery, purpose of life, and personal growth.

Predictors of complementary and alternative medicine use among older Mexican Americans.

To determine predictors of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use, we used a cohort of 1445 non-institutionalized Mexican Americans aged 65 and older from the first wave (1993-1994) of the Hispanic Established Population for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly, followed until 2000-2001. The main outcome was use of any CAM (herbal medicine, chiropractic, acupuncture, massage therapy, relaxation techniques or spiritual healing) in the past 12 months and was assessed at 7 years of follow-up. Potential predictors of CAM use at baseline included sociodemographics, acculturation factors, and medical conditions.

Depressive symptoms and cognitive change in older Mexican Americans.

To examine the association between presence of clinically relevant depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale [CES-D] score >or= 16) and subsequent cognitive function (Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE]) over a 7-year period in older Mexican Americans, a prospective cohort study was performed. Five south-western states contributed data to the Hispanic Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly. Participants included 2812 noninstitutionalized Mexican Americans aged 65 and older followed from 1993-1994 until 2000-2001.

The influence of marital status on stage at diagnosis and survival of older persons with melanoma.

Background: Melanoma incidence and mortality had a sustained increase in the last 3 decades in the United States, especially among white older men. Little is known about the relationship between marital status and melanoma outcomes in older people. The objective of this study was to determine the association between marital status and stage at diagnosis and survival of older persons with cutaneous melanoma.

Comparison of stage at diagnosis of cancer in patients who are on dialysis versus the general population.

Background And Objectives: Frequent medical encounters in patients with ESRD on dialysis may allow early detection of malignancies despite low rates of cancer screening in this population. It is therefore unclear whether dialysis patients are disadvantaged in terms of cancer diagnosis. This study compared stage at diagnosis of cancer in a population-based sample of patients with ESRD versus the general population.

Intravenous bisphosphonate therapy and inflammatory conditions or surgery of the jaw: a population-based analysis.

Background: Recent reports have identified an association between osteonecrosis of the jaw or facial bones and treatment with nitrogen-containing intravenous bisphosphonates. We investigated this association by use of data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program linked to Medicare claims.

Methods: We identified 16,073 cancer patients who were diagnosed between January 1, 1986, and December 31, 2002, and were treated intravenously with the bisphosphonates pamidronate and/or zoledronic acid between January 1, 1995, and December 31, 2003.

Measures of lower body function and risk of mortality over 7 years of follow-up.

The study examined whether a test of walking speed provides similar predictive information on mortality risk as does a summary measure of lower body function. Data were from the Hispanic Established Population for the Epidemiologic Study of the Elderly database and included Mexican Americans aged 65 years or more (1993-2000). Primary measures included a short physical performance battery, a test of walking speed, and mortality.

Mortality of foreign-born and US-born Hispanic adults at younger ages: a reexamination of recent patterns.

Objectives: We sought to determine whether mortality rates among immigrant and US-born Hispanic young adults were higher or lower compared with non-Hispanic Whites. We also sought to identify which causes of death accounted for the differences in mortality rates between groups. Measures.

Incidence of additional primary cancers in patients with invasive intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms and sporadic pancreatic adenocarcinomas.

Background: Recent small studies have reported an incidence of 23% to 39% for additional primary cancers in patients with intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN) of the pancreas. There have been no population-based studies evaluating this incidence rate.

Methods: Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database (1983 to 1991), we identified all patients with primary pancreatic cancers (sporadic and adenocarcinomas arising in IPMNs).

The effect of obesity on disability vs mortality in older Americans.

Background: The association between obesity and mortality is reduced or eliminated in older subjects. In addition to mortality, disability is an important health outcome. The objectives of this study were to examine the association between body mass index (BMI), calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared, and subsequent disability and mortality among older Americans, as well as to estimate the effect of BMI on life expectancy and disability-free life expectancy among older Americans.