PURPOSE: Many epidemiological studies have investigated environmental risk factors for the development of acoustic neuroma. However, these results are controversial. We conducted a meta-analysis of case-control studies to identify any potential relationship between history of noise exposure, smoking, allergic diseases, and risk of acoustic neuroma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched PubMed to identify relevant articles. Two researchers evaluated the eligibility and extracted the data independently. RESULTS: Eleven case-control studies were included in our meta-analysis. Acoustic neuroma was found to be associated with leisure noise exposure [odds ratio (OR)=1.33, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.05-1.68], but not with occupational noise exposure and ever noise exposure (OR=1.20, 95% CI: 0.84-1.72 and OR=1.15, 95% CI: 0.80-1.65). The OR of acoustic neuroma for ever (versus never) smoking was 0.53 (95% CI: 0.30-0.94), while the subgroup analysis indicated ORs of 0.95 (95% CI: 0.81-1.10) and 0.49 (95% CI: 0.41-0.59) for ex-smoker and current smoker respectively. The ORs for asthma, eczema, and seasonal rhinitis were 0.98 (95% CI: 0.80-1.18), 0.91 (95% CI: 0.76-1.09), and 1.52 (95% CI: 0.90-2.54), respectively. CONCLUSION: Our meta-analysis is suggestive of an elevated risk of acoustic neuroma among individuals who were ever exposed to leisure noise, but not to occupational noise. Our study also indicated a lower acoustic neuroma risk among ever and current cigarette smokers than never smokers, while there was no significant relationship for ex-smokers. No significant associations were found between acoustic neuroma and history of any allergic diseases, such as asthma, eczema, and seasonal rhinitis.
Adult ; Asthma/complications ; Environmental Exposure/*adverse effects ; Female ; Humans ; Hypersensitivity ; *Leisure Activities ; Neuroma, Acoustic/epidemiology/*etiology ; Noise/*adverse effects ; Occupational Exposure/adverse effects ; Risk Factors ; Smoking/adverse effects

To explore breast cancer etiology, literature was searched using Medline. We explored the 1) plausibility of smoking in breast carcinogenesis; 2) physiological properties, susceptibility windows, and exposure timing of breast cells; 3) role of exogenous hormones in breast carcinogenesis; 4) biological mechanism of synergistic interactions between smoking and exogenous hormones in breast carcinogenesis; and 5) evidence from epidemiologic studies and the fitted secular trend between smoking rate, exogenous hormone use, and breast cancer incidence in past decades. We deduced that exogenous hormone use per se is not a significant cause and its association with breast cancer is distorted by chronic exposure to environmental carcinogens, especially smoking. We hypothesize that smoking is one of the causes of breast cancer and that this causality is strengthened by synergistic interaction between smoking and exogenous hormone use. Physicians should be cautious of prescribing exogenous hormones for those with chronic exposure to environmental carcinogens to prevent breast cancer.
Breast Neoplasms ; chemically induced ; epidemiology ; etiology ; China ; epidemiology ; Contraceptives, Oral, Hormonal ; adverse effects ; Estrogens ; adverse effects ; Female ; Hormone Replacement Therapy ; adverse effects ; Humans ; Incidence ; MEDLINE ; Progestins ; adverse effects ; PubMed ; Smoking ; adverse effects ; United States ; epidemiology

Adult ; Aged ; Asthma ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Bronchiolitis Obliterans ; epidemiology ; etiology ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Smoking ; adverse effects

Asthma ; drug therapy ; epidemiology ; etiology ; China ; epidemiology ; Cluster Analysis ; Humans ; Phenotype ; Pulmonary Eosinophilia ; etiology ; Smoking ; adverse effects ; Th2 Cells ; immunology

OBJECTIVETo explore the influence of smoking on chronic diseases among people with various income levels in China.

METHODSCross-sectional study on smoking behavior, chronic disease and income level was performed using database of the Second National Health Service Study (1998) provided by the Ministry of Health in China.

RESULTSCompared to never-smokers, smokers (including current smokers and former smokers) had a higher rate of having chronic diseases, after adjusted in age, income, educational level, employment status and type of jobs with corresponding countryside (OR = 1.185, 95% CI: 1.121 - 1.253 and town OR = 1.083, 95% CI: 1.010 - 1.161). Smoking had a more serious effect on having chronic illness in males from the countryside (former-smoker OR = 2.764, 95% CI: 2.471 - 3.092) than in town (former-smoker OR = 2.112, 95% CI: 1.844 - 2.419). Smokers at the lowest income level had a higher possibility of having chronic illness (town OR = 2.076, 95% CI: 1.551 - 2.780; countryside OR = 2.903, 95% CI: 2.248 - 3.749) than those at the highest income level (town OR = 1.785, 95% CI: 1.285 - 2.479 in the countryside OR = 2.466, 95% CI: 1.941 - 3.134).

CONCLUSIONSmoking might cause more serious health problems to people at lower income level in China.

China ; epidemiology ; Chronic Disease ; epidemiology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Humans ; Income ; Male ; Smoking ; adverse effects ; Social Class

Adult ; Aged ; Alcohol Drinking ; adverse effects ; China ; epidemiology ; Demography ; Female ; Geography ; Humans ; Hypertension ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Male ; Mass Screening ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Smoking ; adverse effects

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the risk factor of hypertension in China.

METHODSThe results of 24 case-control studies from 1989 to 2001 were analyzed by Meta-analysis method in this study. Random effect model (D-L method) and fix effect model (M-H method) were applied for data processing.

RESULTSThe pooled OR values (95% CI) of drinking, smoking, over-intake of salt, family history of hypertension, quickness to temper and overweight were 1.194 (1.184-1.203), 1.100 (1.096-1.104), 1.165 (1.157-1.173), 2.662 (2.550-2.779), 2.524 (1.902-3.348), 1.616 (1.600-1.633), respectively.

CONCLUSIONDrinking alcohol, smoking, over-intake of salt, family history of hypertension, quickness to temper and overweight were the important risk factors of hypertension in China.

Alcohol Drinking ; adverse effects ; Body Weight ; Case-Control Studies ; China ; epidemiology ; Family Health ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Male ; Risk Factors ; Smoking ; adverse effects ; Sodium, Dietary ; administration & dosage

OBJECTIVETo provide evidence for decision-making on lung cancer prevention through studying the main risk factors related to the incidence of lung cancer in Chinese people.

METHODSThe results from 41 epidemiological studies on risk factors of lung cancer from 1990 to 2001 were analyzed synthetically by Meta-analysis. The cumulative cases and controls were 5,600 and 6,892, respectively.

RESULTSThe pools odds ratio (OR) values of mentality (3.34), smoking (3.04), indoor coal pollution (3.20), indoor cooking oil fume pollution (2.72), family history of lung cancer (2.61), vegetables (0.49), fruits (0.69), BMI (1.57), family history of other tumour (2.97), personal history of respiratory system diseases (2.66), ventilation in kitchen (2.13), coal ever used in life (1.50), and exposure to environmental tobacco smoking (1.42).

CONCLUSIONThe main factors influencing the incidence of lung cancer in Chinese people were patients, mentality, smoking, indoor environmental pollution, personal history of respiratory system diseases, family history of cancer, intake of vegetables, fruits and so on.

Air Pollution, Indoor ; adverse effects ; China ; epidemiology ; Family Health ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Lung Neoplasms ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Male ; Mental Health ; Risk Factors ; Smoking ; adverse effects

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Alcohol Drinking ; adverse effects ; China ; epidemiology ; Educational Status ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Smoking ; adverse effects

OBJECTIVETo study the relationship between overweight/obesity, smoking, alcohol drinking and the stroke in Chinese residents, as to providing a scientific foundation to the causal prophylaxis of stroke.

METHODSApplying a meta-analysis with software of RevMan 4.2.9 version to systematically analyze the references in dealing about the relationship between overweight/obesity, smoking, alcohol drinking and the stroke in China during 1999 to 2006.

RESULTSSix, six and six articles dealing about overweight/obesity, smoking, alcohol drinking and the stroke were searched respectively. Incorporated by fix effect model, random effect model and random effect model after the heterogeneity tests, the values of OR were 1.81 (95% CI: 1.40-2.35), 1.22 (95% CI:1.08-1.37) and 1.19 (95% CI:1.03-1.38). After Z tests, the Z values were performed with 4.52, 3.24 and 2.36 respectively (all the P values were less than 0.05). Additionally, the funnel plots were protracted and the sensibility analysis was performed.

CONCLUSIONSThe publication biases were little and the results were creditable. The overweight/obesity, smoking and alcohol drinking in residents in China should be the risk factors of the stroke.

Alcohol Drinking ; adverse effects ; epidemiology ; Body Mass Index ; China ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Obesity ; complications ; epidemiology ; Overweight ; complications ; epidemiology ; Risk Factors ; Smoking ; adverse effects ; epidemiology ; Stroke ; epidemiology ; etiology ; Waist-Hip Ratio