The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that SSHL is a risk factor for the development of erectile dysfunction (ED).
Study Design: A retrospective cohort study.
Setting: Population-based study of Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database.
Methods:
We compared male patients newly diagnosed with SSHL between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2006 (N = 23,212), with age-matched controls (1: 2) (N = 46,424).
Main Outcome Measures: The incidence of ED at the end of 2009 was determined.
Results: After adjusting for potential confounding factors, we found an adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 1.942 (95% confidence interval, 1.688 – 2.233, p < 0.05), showing that patients find more with SSHL were more likely to experience ED than the control population. When stratified by patients’ age, the incidence of ED was
1.90-, 2.25-, and 1.84-fold higher for SSHL-diagnosed patients 16 to 34 years old (p = 0.0408), 35 to 49 years old (p < 0.0001), and 50 to 64 years old (p < 0.0001), respectively, than in the non-SSHL group. Hypertension and chronic renal disease comorbidities in patients with SSHL seemed to be associated with an increased Quizartinib clinical trial risk of developing ED.
Conclusion: SSHL may confer an independent risk of ED. This observation supports the assumption of the underlying vascular mechanism regarding the FDA approval PARP inhibitor development of SSHL. Thus, clinicians managing SSHL patients should be aware of the potential of the development of ED.
Evidence Level: 2B”
“Objective. The objective of this study was to assess whether low level of maternal vitamin B-12 is associated with an increased risk of fetal neural tube defects (NTDs), in order to contribute to research on further reduction of NTDs under a background of mandatory folic acid (FA) fortification.
Methods. A meta-analysis
was conducted. We retrieved and evaluated the studies published on the risk of low level of maternal vitamin B-12 for NTDs. The homogeneity of the studies was examined using the forest graph. Meta-analysis was applied to calculate the odds ratio (OR) of fetal NTDs in relation to low maternal B-12 and its 95% confidence interval (CI).
Results. We identified nine published articles including 567cases and 1566 controls in the meta-analysis. All the studies selected were homogeneous according to the forest graph (chi(2) = 15.05, P < 0.1). The estimated OR value of fetal NTDs in relation to low maternal B-12 was 2.41 (95% CI: 1.90-3.06).
Conclusion. Low maternal B-12 status could be an important risk factor for the development of fetal NTDs. The addition of synthetic B-12 to current recommendations for periconceptional FA tablet supplements or FA-fortified foods should be considered.