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Background: Compared to the general population, patients with alcohol and drug addiction have an increased risk of additional hazardous lifestyles and suffer from more chronic diseases, adding to their already significantly higher morbidity and mortality. The objective of this study was to test the efficacy of the Very Integrated Program (VIP) on treatment and health outcomes for patients diagnosed with alcohol and drug addiction. Methods: Parallel randomized clinical trial with intervention as add‐on to addiction care as usual. A total of 322 patients aged 18 years or older were identified, and the study requirements were fulfilled by 219 patients, 7 of whom participated in a pilot. The intervention was a 6‐week intensive, tailored, educational program that included motivational interviewing, a smoking cessation program, dietary and physical activity counseling, and patient education. The main outcome measures were substance‐free days, time to relapse, and treatment adherence assessed after 6 weeks and 12 months. Secondary outcomes were lifestyle factors, symptoms of comorbidity, and quality of life. Missing data were imputed conservatively by using data closest to the follow‐up date and baseline values in patients with no follow‐up. Results: The 212 patients (intervention, n = 113; control, n = 99) were randomized, and 202 had complete data for primary outcomes. After 6 weeks, there were no significant differences between the groups regarding primary or secondary outcomes. At the 12‐month follow‐up, the patients in the control group had significantly more total substance‐free days (139 days; ranging 0 to 365 vs. 265; 0 to 366, p = 0.021)—specifically among the patients with drug addiction—and higher physical and mental quality of life (45 vs. 58, p = 0.049 and 54 vs. 66, p = 0.037), but not in the per‐protocol analysis (60 vs. 46, p = 0.52 and 70 vs. 66, p = 0.74). The sensitivity analyses did not support significant differences between the groups. Conclusion: Overall, adding VIP intervention did not improve outcome of the alcohol or drug addiction care or the lifestyle compared to the addiction care alone. This patient group is still in need of effective programs, and new intervention research is required to develop that. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Background Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) might increase the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE), and risks might differ by type of NSAID. Compared with men, women have a higher incidence of VTE at younger age, and they more often use NSAIDs. Objectives To assess risks of VTE in young and middle-aged women in association with use of NSAIDs. Patients/Methods In a nationwide case-control study (Thrombo Embolism Hormone Study) performed in Sweden 2003-2009, we included as cases 1433 women, 18 to 64 years of age with a first time VTE. Controls were 1402 randomly selected women, frequency matched by age. Information was obtained by telephone interviews and DNA analyses of blood samples. We calculated adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) adjusting for degree of immobilization, chronic disease, smoking, body mass index, use of hormonal contraception, hormone therapy or other NSAIDs. Results Use of NSAIDs was not associated with increased risks of VTE (OR = 0.98, 95% CI 0.80-1.19). The OR was 0.88 for propionic acid derivatives (95% CI 0.72-1.10), 1.18 for acetic acid derivatives (95% CI 0.82-1.70) and 1.76 for coxibs (95% CI 0.73-4.27). For users of acetic acid derivatives and coxibs, the ORs increased by cumulative dose. Carriership of the prothrombin gene mutation or factor V Leiden had only minor effects on the results. Conclusions We found no increased risks of VTE in association with use of NSAIDs. Users of high cumulative doses of acetic acid derivatives and coxibs had the highest risks, suggesting a relationship with cyclooxygenase selectivity and dose. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on occupational risks for bladder and renal Pelvis transitional cell cancer between men and women in Sweden. The researchers employed various methods, including Swedish national consensus and cancer registry-linked data, Pearson's coefficient of the log standardized incidence ratios (SIR), and the use of Poisson regression that calculates relative risks of job exposures. Results of the study indicated that the highest proportion of renal pelvis and bladder cancers occur on employed Swedish men working in the shop and metal industries, while employed women have the higher risks for renal pelvis and bladder cancers.

BACKGROUND: Transfusion safety rests heavily on the health of blood donors. Although they are perceived as being healthier than average, little is known about their long-term disease patterns and to which extent the blood banks' continuous efforts to optimize donor selection has resulted in improvements. Mortality and cancer incidence among blood donors in Sweden and Denmark was investigated. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: All computerized blood bank databases were compiled into one database, which was linked to national population and health data registers. With a retrospective cohort study design, 1,110,329 blood donors were followed for up to 35 years from first computer-registered blood donation to death, emigration, or December 31, 2002. Standardized mortality and incidence ratios expressed relative risk of death and cancer comparing blood donors to the general population. RESULTS: Blood donors had an overall mortality 30 percent lower (99% confidence interval [CI] 29%-31%) and cancer incidence 4 percent lower (99% CI 2%-5%) than the background population. Mortality rates and cancer incidence were lowest for outcomes that are recognized as being related to lifestyle factors such as smoking or to the selection criteria for blood donation. Blood donors recruited in more recent years exhibited a lower relative mortality than those who started earlier. CONCLUSION: Blood donors enjoy better than average health. Explicit and informal requirements for blood donation in Scandinavia, although mostly of a simple nature, have successfully refined the selection of a particularly healthy subpopulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]