Cancer incidence among Chernobyl cleanup workers from Estonia: A 34-year follow-up.

From 1986 to 1991, 4831 men from Estonia were sent to clean up radioactively contaminated areas near Chernobyl (Chornobyl). Their cancer incidence during 1986 to 2019 was compared to that of the male population of Estonia. The cohort of cleanup workers was linked to national population and cancer registers based on unique personal identification numbers.

Trends in teenage delivery and abortion rates in Estonia over more than two decades: a nationwide register-based study.

Background: In the last 30 years, Estonia has undergone major socio-economic changes, including profound educational and healthcare reforms. The study aimed to analyse trends in teenage delivery and induced abortion rates among younger and older teens, including Estonians and non-Estonians, and to study trends in repeat teenage pregnancies in more detail.

Methods: The register-based study included data on 29 818 deliveries (1992-2019) and 25 865 (1996-2019) induced abortions among 15-19-year-old girls.

The fall and rise of cancer registration in Estonia: The dangers of overzealous application of data protection.

Background: The population-based Estonian Cancer Registry (ECR) has maintained a database of cancer cases since 1968. Between 2001 and 2007 the ECR was prohibited from linking cancer records to death certificates. In January 2008, the prohibition was lifted, and two years later the ECR was able to begin tracing back unmatched deaths.

Sex disparities in premature adult mortality in Estonia 1995-2016: a national register-based study.

Objectives: To quantify sex disparities in cause-specific premature adult mortality in Estonia, to determine the causes of death with the largest differences, to provide insight into related behaviours and to offer some guidance to public health policy-makers based on the results of the study.

Design: A national register-based study.

Setting: Estonia.

Singleton pregnancies after in vitro fertilization in Estonia: a register-based study of complications and adverse outcomes in relation to the maternal socio-demographic background.

Background: An increased risk of adverse conditions related to in vitro fertilization (IVF) pregnancies has been repeatedly reported. Our study aimed to summarize outcome differences between pregnancies after IVF and after spontaneous conception (SC) in Estonia.

Methods: Data on all liveborn singletons to primiparas women aged 25-40 years during the period 2005-2014 were obtained from the Estonian Medical Birth Registry.

Factors associated with serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations in older people in Europe: the EUREYE study.

Background/objectives: We aimed to describe serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) concentrations in older Europeans and to investigate associations between 25OHD and lifestyle factors, including dietary intake and supplement use.

Subjects/methods: Men and women aged ≥ 65 years were recruited from seven centres across north to south Europe. Serum 25OHD and 25OHD concentrations were measured by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in 4495 samples and total 25OHD (25OHD + 25OHD) was adjusted for season of blood collection.

Quality of IVF status registration in the Estonian Medical Birth Registry: a national record linkage study.

Background: Information regarding in vitro fertilization (IVF) as a pregnancy risk factor (yes/ no) is stored in each birth record of the Estonian Medical Birth Registry (EMBR). This study aimed to assess the validity of registration of newborns' IVF status in the EMBR.

Methods: To identify the newborns conceived by IVF, the birth records in the EMBR were compared to individual records on the embryo transfer procedures in the Estonian Health Insurance Fund (EHIF) database as a reference.

Novel quantitative pigmentation phenotyping enhances genetic association, epistasis, and prediction of human eye colour.

Success of genetic association and the prediction of phenotypic traits from DNA are known to depend on the accuracy of phenotype characterization, amongst other parameters. To overcome limitations in the characterization of human iris pigmentation, we introduce a fully automated approach that specifies the areal proportions proposed to represent differing pigmentation types, such as pheomelanin, eumelanin, and non-pigmented areas within the iris. We demonstrate the utility of this approach using high-resolution digital eye imagery and genotype data from 12 selected SNPs from over 3000 European samples of seven populations that are part of the EUREYE study.

Associations between Serum Vitamin D and Genetic Variants in Vitamin D Pathways and Age-Related Macular Degeneration in the European Eye Study.

Purpose: To study associations between early and late age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and neovascular AMD (nvAMD) with serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) and genetic variants in vitamin D pathway genes.

Design: Population-based, cross-sectional study in a random sample aged 65 years or older from 7 European countries.

Participants: Of 4753 participants, 4496 (2028 men and 2468 women), with a mean age of 73 years, provided a blood sample; 2137 had no signs of AMD, 2209 had early AMD, and 150 had late AMD, of whom 104 had nvAMD.

Association Between Myopia, Ultraviolet B Radiation Exposure, Serum Vitamin D Concentrations, and Genetic Polymorphisms in Vitamin D Metabolic Pathways in a Multicountry European Study.

Importance: Myopia is becoming increasingly common globally and is associated with potentially sight-threatening complications. Spending time outdoors is protective, but the mechanism underlying this association is poorly understood.

Objective: To examine the association of myopia with ultraviolet B radiation (UVB; directly associated with time outdoors and sunlight exposure), serum vitamin D concentrations, and vitamin D pathway genetic variants, adjusting for years in education.

Mediterranean Diet Score and Its Association with Age-Related Macular Degeneration: The European Eye Study.

Purpose: To examine associations between adherence to a Mediterranean diet and prevalence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in countries ranging from Southern to Northern Europe.

Design: Cross-sectional, population-based epidemiologic study.

Participants: Of 5060 randomly sampled people aged 65 years or older from 7 study centers across Europe (Norway, Estonia, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Greece, and Spain), full dietary data were available in 4753.

Recent changes in breast cancer incidence and mortality in Estonia: Transition to the west.

Background The aim of this study was to examine breast cancer (BC) incidence and mortality trends in Estonia during recent decades and to compare the pattern of these trends with other selected European countries and regions. We attempt to explain the findings in relation to changes in Estonian society and healthcare system. Methods BC incidence (1985-2012) and mortality (1985-2013) data for Estonia were obtained from the Estonian Cancer Registry and Statistics Estonia.

Chernobyl cleanup workers from Estonia: cohort description and related epidemiological research.

The Estonian study of Chernobyl cleanup workers was one of the first investigations to evaluate the possible health consequences of working in the Chernobyl area (the 30 km exclusion zone and/or adjacent territories) after the 1986 reactor accident. The cohort consists of 4831 men who were dispatched in 1986-1991 for tasks involving decontamination, construction of buildings, transport, radiation measurement, guard duty or other activities. By 31 December 2012, the follow-up of the cohort yielded 102 158 person-years of observation.

Contraceptive use among young women in Estonia: Association with contraceptive services.

Objectives: Our study aimed to explore the association between the use of effective contraceptive methods and access to different contraceptive services, as well as to describe accessibility-related obstacles when using contraceptive services and satisfaction with those services.

Methods: From a population-based cross-sectional study carried out in 2004 (response rate 53.8%), the data of 16- to 24-year-old women requiring contraception (N = 868) were analysed.

Non-cancer morbidity among Estonian Chernobyl cleanup workers: a register-based cohort study.

Objective: To examine non-cancer morbidity in the Estonian Chernobyl cleanup workers cohort compared with the population sample with special attention to radiation-related diseases and mental health disorders.

Design: Register-based cohort study.

Setting: Estonia.

Site-specific cancer risk in the Baltic cohort of Chernobyl cleanup workers, 1986-2007.

Objective: To assess site-specific cancer risk in the Baltic cohort of Chernobyl cleanup workers, 1986-2007.

Methods: The Baltic cohort includes 17,040 men from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania who participated in the environmental cleanup after the accident at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Station in 1986-1991 and who were followed up for cancer incidence until the end of 2007. Cancer cases diagnosed in the cohort and in the male population of each country were identified from the respective national cancer registers.

Chernobyl cleanup workers from Estonia: follow-up for cancer incidence and mortality.

This study examined cancer incidence (1986-2008) and mortality (1986-2011) among the Estonian Chernobyl cleanup workers in comparison with the Estonian male population. The cohort of 4810 men was followed through nationwide population, mortality and cancer registries. Cancer and death risks were measured by standardised incidence ratio (SIR) and standardised mortality ratio (SMR), respectively.

ARMS2 increases the risk of early and late age-related macular degeneration in the European Eye Study.

Objective: To study associations between severity stages of early and late age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and genetic variations in age-related maculopathy susceptibility 2 (ARMS2) and complement factor H (CFH) and to investigate potential interactions between smoking and ARMS2.

Design: Population-based, cross-sectional European Eye Study in 7 countries in Europe.

Participants: Four thousand seven hundred fifty participants, 65 years of age and older, recruited through random sampling.

Complement factor H genetic variant and age-related macular degeneration: effect size, modifiers and relationship to disease subtype.

Background: Variation in the complement factor H gene (CFH) is associated with risk of late age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Previous studies have been case-control studies in populations of European ancestry with little differentiation in AMD subtype, and insufficient power to confirm or refute effect modification by smoking.

Methods: To precisely quantify the association of the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP rs1061170, 'Y402H') with risk of AMD among studies with differing study designs, participant ancestry and AMD grade and to investigate effect modification by smoking, we report two unpublished genetic association studies (n = 2759) combined with data from 24 published studies (26 studies, 26,494 individuals, including 14,174 cases of AMD) of European ancestry, 10 of which provided individual-level data used to test gene-smoking interaction; and 16 published studies from non-European ancestry.

Associations between aspirin use and aging macula disorder: the European Eye Study.

Objective: To study associations between aspirin use and early and late aging macula disorder (AMD).

Design: Population-based cross-sectional European Eye Study in 7 centers from northern to southern Europe.

Participants: In total, 4691 participants 65 years of age and older, collected by random sampling.

Evidence of association of APOE with age-related macular degeneration: a pooled analysis of 15 studies.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of incurable visual impairment in high-income countries. Previous studies report inconsistent associations between AMD and apolipoprotein E (APOE), a lipid transport protein involved in low-density cholesterol modulation. Potential interaction between APOE and sex, and smoking status has been reported.