Boston University

About: Boston University is a education organization based out in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 48688 authors who have published 119622 publications receiving 6276020 citations. The organization is also known as: BU & Boston U.

Recent Patterns of Medication Use in the Ambulatory Adult Population of the United States: The Slone Survey

Abstract: ContextData on the range of prescription and over-the-counter drug use in the United States are not available.ObjectiveTo provide recent population-based information on use of all medications, including prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins and minerals, and herbal preparations/natural supplements in the United States.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsOngoing telephone survey of a random sample of the noninstitutionalized US population in the 48 continental states and the District of Columbia; data analyzed here were collected from February 1998 through December 1999.Main Outcome MeasureUse of medications, by type, during the preceding week, compared by demographic characteristics.ResultsAmong 2590 participants aged at least 18 years, 81% used at least 1 medication in the preceding week; 50% took at least 1 prescription drug; and 7% took 5 or more. The highest overall prevalence of medication use was among women aged at least 65 years, of whom 12% took at least 10 medications and 23% took at least 5 prescription drugs. Herbals/supplements were taken by 14% of the population. Among prescription drug users, 16% also took an herbal/supplement; the rate of concurrent use was highest for fluoxetine users, at 22%. Reasons for drug use varied widely, with hypertension and headache mentioned most often (9% for each). Vitamins/minerals were frequently used for nonspecific reasons such as "health" (35%); herbals/supplements were also most commonly used for "health" (16%).ConclusionsIn any given week, most US adults take at least 1 medication, and many take multiple agents. The substantial overlap between use of prescription medications and herbals/supplements raises concern about unintended interactions. Documentation of usage patterns can provide a basis for improving the safety of medication use.

A comprehensive 1000 Genomes–based genome-wide association meta-analysis of coronary artery disease

Abstract: Existing knowledge of genetic variants affecting risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) is largely based on genome-wide association study (GWAS) analysis of common SNPs. Leveraging phased haplotypes from the 1000 Genomes Project, we report a GWAS meta-analysis of ∼185,000 CAD cases and controls, interrogating 6.7 million common (minor allele frequency (MAF) > 0.05) and 2.7 million low-frequency (0.005 < MAF < 0.05) variants. In addition to confirming most known CAD-associated loci, we identified ten new loci (eight additive and two recessive) that contain candidate causal genes newly implicating biological processes in vessel walls. We observed intralocus allelic heterogeneity but little evidence of low-frequency variants with larger effects and no evidence of synthetic association. Our analysis provides a comprehensive survey of the fine genetic architecture of CAD, showing that genetic susceptibility to this common disease is largely determined by common SNPs of small effect size.

Sample Size Requirements for Structural Equation Models: An Evaluation of Power, Bias, and Solution Propriety.

Abstract: Determining sample size requirements for structural equation modeling (SEM) is a challenge often faced by investigators, peer reviewers, and grant writers Recent years have seen a large increase in SEMs in the behavioral science literature, but consideration of sample size requirements for applied SEMs often relies on outdated rules-of-thumb This study used Monte Carlo data simulation techniques to evaluate sample size requirements for common applied SEMs Across a series of simulations, we systematically varied key model properties, including number of indicators and factors, magnitude of factor loadings and path coefficients, and amount of missing data We investigated how changes in these parameters affected sample size requirements with respect to statistical power, bias in the parameter estimates, and overall solution propriety Results revealed a range of sample size requirements (ie, from 30 to 460 cases), meaningful patterns of association between parameters and sample size, and highlight the limitations of commonly cited rules-of-thumb The broad "lessons learned" for determining SEM sample size requirements are discussed

Childhood adversities and adult psychopathology in the WHO World Mental Health Surveys

Abstract: Background Although significant associations of childhood adversities with adult mental disorders are widely documented, most studies focus on single childhood adversities predicting single disorders. Aims To examine joint associations of 12 childhood adversities with first onset of 20 DSM–IV disorders in World Mental Health (WMH) Surveys in 21 countries. Method Nationally or regionally representative surveys of 51 945 adults assessed childhood adversities and lifetime DSM–IV disorders with the WHO Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). Results Childhood adversities were highly prevalent and interrelated. Childhood adversities associated with maladaptive family functioning (e.g. parental mental illness, child abuse, neglect) were the strongest predictors of disorders. Co-occurring childhood adversities associated with maladaptive family functioning had significant subadditive predictive associations and little specificity across disorders. Childhood adversities account for 29.8% of all disorders across countries. Conclusions Childhood adversities have strong associations with all classes of disorders at all life-course stages in all groups of WMH countries. Long-term associations imply the existence of as-yet undetermined mediators.

Prevalence, incidence, prognosis, and predisposing conditions for atrial fibrillation : population-based estimates

Abstract: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common of the serious cardiac rhythm disturbances and is responsible for substantial morbidity and mortality in the general population. Its prevalence doubles with each advancing decade of age, from 0.5% at age 50-59 years to almost 9% at age 80-89 years. It is also becoming more prevalent, increasing in men aged 65-84 years from 3.2% in 1968-1970 to 9.1% in 1987-1989. This statistically significant increase in men was not explained by an increase in age, valve disease, or myocardial infarctions in the cohort. The incidence of new onset of AF also doubled with each decade of age, independent of the increasing prevalence of known predisposing conditions. Based on 38-year follow-up data from the Framingham Study, men had a 1.5-fold greater risk of developing AF than women after adjustment for age and predisposing conditions. Of the cardiovascular risk factors, only hypertension and diabetes were significant independent predictors of AF, adjusting for age and other predisposing conditions. Cigarette smoking was a significant risk factor in women adjusting only for age (OR = 1.4), but was just short of significance on adjustment for other risk factors. Neither obesity nor alcohol intake was associated with AF incidence in either sex. For men and women, respectively, diabetes conferred a 1.4- and 1.6-fold risk, and hypertension a 1.5- and 1.4-fold risk, after adjusting for other associated conditions. Because of its high prevalence in the population, hypertension was responsible for more AF in the population (14%) than any other risk factor. Intrinsic overt cardiac conditions imposed a substantially higher risk. Adjusting for other relevant conditions, heart failure was associated with a 4.5- and 5.9-fold risk, and valvular heart disease a 1.8- and 3.4-fold risk for AF in men and women, respectively. Myocardial infarction significantly increased the risk factor-adjusted likelihood of AF by 40% in men only. Echocardiographic predictors of nonrheumatic AF include left atrial enlargement (39%/ increase in risk per 5-mm increment), left ventricular fractional shortening (34% per 5% decrement), and left ventricular wall thickness (28% per 4-mm increment). These echocardiographic features offer prognostic information for AF beyond the traditional clinical risk factors. Electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy increased risk of AF 3-4-fold after adjusting only for age, but this risk ratio is decreased to 1.4 after adjustment for the other associated conditions. The chief hazard of AF is stroke, the risk of which is increased 4-5-fold. Because of its high prevalence in advanced age, AF assumes great importance as a risk factor for stroke and by the ninth decade becomes a dominant factor. The attributable risk for stroke associated with AF increases steeply from 1.5% at age 50-59 years to 23.5% at age 80-89 years. AF is associated with a doubling of mortality in both sexes, which is decreased to 1.5-1.9-fold after adjusting for associated cardiovascular conditions. Decreased survival associated with AF occurs across a wide range of ages.