The relation of body mass index and abdominal adiposity with dyslipidemia in 27 general populations of the WHO MONICA Project.

Background And Aims: The association between adiposity measures and dyslipidemia has seldom been assessed in a multipopulational setting.

Methods And Results: 27 populations from Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Canada (WHO MONICA project) using health surveys conducted between 1990 and 1997 in adults aged 35-64 years (n = 40,480). Dyslipidemia was defined as the total/HDL cholesterol ratio >6 (men) and >5 (women).

Appropriateness criteria for surgery improve clinical outcomes in patients with low back pain and/or sciatica.

Study Design: Prospective, controlled, observational outcome study using clinical, radiographic, and patient/physician-based questionnaire data, with patient outcomes at 12 months follow-up.

Objective: To validate appropriateness criteria for low back surgery.

Summary Of Background Data: Most surgical treatment failures are attributed to poor patient selection, but no widely accepted consensus exists on detailed indications for appropriate surgery.

The effect of nonmedical factors on variations in the performance of colonoscopy among different health care settings.

Background: Previous published studies have shown significant variations in colonoscopy performance, even when medical factors are taken into account. This study aimed to examine the role of nonmedical factors (ie, embodied in health care system design) as possible contributors to variations in colonoscopy performance.

Methods: Patient data from a multicenter observational study conducted between 2000 and 2002 in 21 centers in 11 western countries were used.

Use of the Cognitive Performance Scale (CPS) to detect cognitive impairment in the acute care setting: concurrent and predictive validity.

The Cognitive Performance Scale (CPS) was initially designed to assess cognition in long term care residents. Subsequently, the CPS has also been used among in-home, post-acute, and acute care populations even though CPS' clinimetric performance has not been studied in these settings. This study aimed to determine CPS agreement with the Mini Mental Status Exam (MMSE) and its predictive validity for institutionalization and death in a cohort (N=401) of elderly medical inpatients aged 75 years and over.

Surrogate markers for atherosclerosis in overweight subjects with atherogenic dyslipidemia: the GEMS project.

Metabolic syndrome is a constellation of major risk factors for cardiovascular disease. In affected individuals with this syndrome, the independent contribution of low high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and increased triglyceride levels to the development of atherosclerosis remains to be clarified. We assessed the relationship between these 2 parameters and several surrogate markers for atherosclerosis.