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A retrospective study was conducted, and 576 human immunodeficiency virus-infected children with total lymphocyte count (TLC) and CD4 count were recruited from China. Spearman rank order correlation and receiver-operating characteristic were used. An overall positive correlation was noted between TLC and CD4 count (prehighly active antiretroviral therapy [pre-HAART], r = 0.789, 6 months of HAART, r = 0.642, 12 months of HAART, r = 0.691, P = 0.001). TLC ≤ 2600 cells/mm(3) predicted a CD4 count of ≤ 350 cells/mm(3) with 82.9% sensitivity, 79.6% specificity pre-HAART. Meanwhile, the optimum prediction for CD4 count of ≤ 350 cells/mm(3) was a TLC of ≤ 2400 cells/mm at 6 months (73.6% sensitivity and 74.1% specificity) and 12 months (81.7% sensitivity and 76.5% specificity) of HAART. TLC can be used as a surrogate marker for predicting CD4 count of human immunodeficiency virus-infected children before and during HAART in resource-limited countries.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers in the world and is particularly prevalent in China. China is also a hyperendemic area for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Although a strong association between HBV infection and HCC has been established previously, the role of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and the interaction between HBV and HCV in the development of HCC has not been adequately explored. The major objective of this study is to determine the relationship between HBV or HCV infection and HCC by use of case-control study in Henan, China.In all, 152 HCC patients and 115 control patients were collected from four hospitals in Henan, China between January 1994 and October 1995. The demographic characteristics of the two groups were comparable. In further analysis, a 1:1 pair-matched case-control study was performed. Of 152 HCC patients, 113 were randomly selected to be pair-matched by sex and age (+/-5 years) to controls with non-hepatic disease. All the cases and controls were interviewed during hospitalization by two specially trained interviewers using a standard questionnaire. All sera were tested for HBV and HCV markers. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% CI for HCC risk factors were calculated by logistic regression model controlling for possible confounding factors such as sex and age. The multivariate analysis was done on the basis of the univariate analysis.The results of this study indicated that the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody to HCV (anti-HCV) were much higher in HCC patients (63.2% and 11.2% respectively) than in the control patients (5.2%, 3.5%). The difference between two groups was significant (P0.05). Risk factor analysis revealed that both HBV and HCV infection were important factors for HCC in Henan, China and HBV appeared to have a key role in the development of HCC. Odds ratios of HBsAg and HBV infection were 28.82 (95% CI: 11.18-78.78) and 31.22 (95% CI: 13.86-72.15), respectively. Moreover, the risk of developing HCC increased significantly and showed an additive effect when both viral markers of HBV and HCV infection were considered (OR = 42.85). Results from the 1:1 pair-matched case-control study also showed that HBV infection was an important risk factor for HCC, which was consistent with the results from the group-matched case-control study.This is the first reported case-control study of HCC in Henan, China. This study provides further evidence that chronic HBV infection is strongly associated with the development of HCC among this population. Our results have demonstrated that HCV and HBV infection are independent and probably additive risk factors for HCC.One of the most common cancers in the world, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is particularly prevalent in China. China is also a hyperendemic area for hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Findings are presented from a case-control study conducted in Henan, China, to determine the relationship between HBV or hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and HCC. 152 HCC patients and 115 control patients were recruited from 4 hospitals in Henan between January 1994 and October 1995. In further analysis, 113 of the 152 HCC patients were randomly selected to be 1:1 pair-matched by sex and age to controls with nonhepatic disease. All cases and controls were interviewed and had their sera tested for HBV and HCV markers. The prevalences of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody to HCV (anti-HCV) were 63.2% and 11.2%, respectively, in HCC patients, and 5.2% and 3.5%, respectively, in the controls. Risk factor analysis found that both HBV and HCV infection were important factors for HCC, with HBV appearing to have a central role in the development of HCC. Odds ratios of HBsAg and HBV infection were 28.82 and 31.22, respectively. The risk of developing HCC increased significantly and showed an additive effect when the viral markers of both HBV and HCV infection were considered. Results from the 1:1 pair-matched case-control study also showed HBV infection to be an important risk factor for HCC, consistent with the results from the group-matched case-control study.

To investigate the relationship between phenomenon of aggregation on multiple metabolic abnormalities and their family history.A random cluster sampling was carried out to study the phenomenon of multiple metabolic abnormalities among the adult inhabitants in a county of Henan province. Questionnaire, physical examination and biochemical tests were admitted. Multiple correspondence analyses were used to explore the aggregation of multiple metabolic abnormalities among objects including hyperlipidemia, diabetes, coronary heart disease etc. Corresponding relationships between objects and their parents on multiple metabolic abnormalities were also analyzed.In total, 3901 people were investigated including 1428 (36.6%) males and 2473 (63.4%) females. The mean age of them was 32.8±6.3. Data showed that the Cronbach's α were 0.547 and 0.387 while Eigen values were 1.971 and 1.535 in two dimensions, regarding the correspondence analysis on their parents' multiple metabolic abnormalities. Cronbach's α levels were 0.598 and 0.457 together with Eigen values as 2.263 and 1.743 in two dimensions on the correspondence analysis of the objects' and their parents' multiple metabolic abnormalities. Results from Multiple correspondence analysis diagrams showed that there was an aggregation of variety metabolic abnormalities in both objects and their parents but not between objects and their parents or between fathers and mothers, though χ2 test showed a weak correlation between some of the categories. The ranges of contingency coefficients between metabolic abnormalities were 0.04 to 0.11, 0.04 to 0.08 and 0.04 to 0.11 between parents, objects and fathers, objects and mothers, respectively. When compared with simple obesity, the central obesity aggregated appeared more obviously with other metabolic abnormalities.Both objects and their parents showed an aggregation of variety metabolic abnormalities. Aggregation of central obesity showed more obvious on other metabolic abnormalities than the simple obesity. Family histories of metabolic abnormalities played a moderate role in the generations suffering from multiple metabolic abnormalities.

To analyze the region cluster and risk factors of hypertension in the Chinese adult population and to explore the application of multilevel regression model in the risk factors of hypertension.Multi-stage random sampling technique was used to choose 15,540 individuals aged 35-74 years from 10 regions in China. Two-level logistic regression models were fitted under MLwiN 2.02 software.The region cluster of hypertension existed and variance portion coefficient was 3.1%. After adjusting for the age and gender, overall obese people (BMIor =28 kg/m2) were 4.50 (95% CI: 4.00-5.06) times, overweight people (BMI=24-27.9 kg/m2) were 2.26 (95% CI: 2.07-2.46) times more likely to be hypertensive as compared with those of normal BMI (18.5-23.9 kg/m2), and those centrally obesive people (Waist circumferenceor =85 cm in male or 80 cm in female) were 2.62 (95% CI: 2.42-2.83) times more likely to be hypertensive as compared with those of normal WC. The age-and gender-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) of triglyceride (TG), serum total cholesterol (TC), glucose, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and drinking alcohol were 2.10 (95% CI: 1.89-2.33), 2.08 (95% CI: 1.84-2.35), 1.85 (95% CI: 1.60-2.14), 1.58 (95% CI: 1.38-1.81), 1.49 (95% CI: 1.32-1.69) and 1.15 (95% CI: 1.05-1.27), respectively.The prevalence of hypertension was not only affected by individual risk factors, such as obesity, drinking alcohol, abnormal glucose and serum lipids profile, but also affected by the geographic environment where people resided in. Population-and risk factors targeted strategies, proved a promising way to reduce individual risk of hypertension in the primary prevention of hypertension.

To investigate the secular trend of infection rate, risk factor exposure rates for nosocomial pneumonia (NP), and to evaluate the nosocomial infection surveillance and control programs efficacy in an university hospital from 1993 to 2000.All 126 665 hospitalized patients from 1993 to 2000 were studied for NP. The independent risk factors for NP were analyzed by using case-control study method and logistic regression technique. The time-specific rates for NP and risk factor exposure were calculated annually.The infection rates for NP were decreased by 50% from 1.20% in 1993 to 0.60% in 2000. The logistic regression analysis showed that the independent risk factors for NP were immunosuppressive therapy (OR = 2.72), chemotherapy (OR = 2.17), cancer (OR = 1.45), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, OR = 1.88), ICU (OR = 3.18), coma (OR = 3.26), tracheotomy (OR = 14.95), hemodialysis (OR = 5.12), bone or lumbar puncture (OR = 1.82). The time-trends for exposure rates of COPD and bone or lumbar puncture were slightly decreased, however those for the others and the synthetic risk factors were not changed significantly.The infection rates for NP were significantly decreased in the case of no change for exposure rates of risk factors for NP, this suggests that the nosocomial infection surveillance and control programs were effective for lowering infection rate for NP in this hospital.