Articles: mortality.
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Comparative Study
Disparities in mortality patterns among Canadian immigrants and refugees, 1980-1998: results of a national cohort study.
This study examines mortality patterns among Canadian immigrants, including both refugees and non-refugees, 1980-1998. Records of a stratified random sample of Canadian immigrants landing between 1980-1990 (N = 369,936) were probabilistically linked to mortality data (1980-1998). Mortality rates among immigrants were compared to those of the general Canadian population, stratifying by age, sex, immigration category, region of birth and time in Canada. ⋯ Although immigrants presented lower all-cause mortality than the general Canadian population (SMR between 0.34 and 0.58), some cause-specific mortality rates were elevated among immigrants, including mortality from stroke, diabetes, infectious diseases (AIDS and hepatitis among certain subgroups), and certain cancers (liver and nasopharynx). Mortality rates differed by region of birth, and were higher among refugees than other immigrants. These results support the need to consider the heterogeneity of immigrant populations and vulnerable subgroups when developing targeted interventions.
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To investigate whether co-existing medical disorders, summed up in a comorbidity index, in nonsurgical patients attending the emergency department could predict short-term and long-term mortality, and whether the index could add prognostic information to the Rapid Emergency Medicine Score. ⋯ Information on coexisting disorders (Charlson Comorbidity Index) can prognosticate both short-term and long-term mortality in the nonsurgical emergency department. It can also add prognostic information to the Rapid Emergency Medicine Score as a predictor of long-term mortality.
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The Western Australian Anaesthetic Mortality Committee has collected data since 1980. During this time, reporting of anaesthesia mortality has been mandatory in Western Australia, confidentiality and legal protection have been ensured, consistent definitions and classifications have been used, and reasonable estimates have been available for the number of surgical procedures performed. ⋯ At present, the rates are extremely low (< 1:50, 000 surgical procedures per annum), and similar to rates reported from other Australian states. While these figures are encouraging, their main function is to serve as the baseline for further improvements.
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Intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) is much less common than ischaemic stroke (15% versus 85% in most Western studies), but is associated with a significantly worse prognosis. ICH is much more common in Asian populations, probably reflecting higher rates of small vessel disease, hypertension and genetic factors. Overall, ICH mortality rates approach 50% and there has been little effective treatment to date, except for the overall benefit from stroke unit care. ⋯ Medical therapies to reduce brain edema and intracranial pressure, including glycerol and mannitol, are not of proven value. It is accepted that corticosteroids should not be used in ICH and may worsen outcomes. The management of acute hypertension is controversial and guidelines are based on little direct evidence.
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Obesity has been perceived to be a risk factor for adverse outcomes following cardiac surgery. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that patients with morbid obesity (defined as a body mass index (BMI) greater or equal to 40 kg/m(2)) would have increased rates of mortality and morbidity following cardiac surgery. ⋯ This study was unable to demonstrate that morbidly obese patients having cardiac surgery had statistically significant increased morbidity or mortality.