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    Abstract:
    Importance Disparity in overall survival (OS) and differences in the frequency of driver gene variants by race and ethnicity have been separately observed in patients with colorectal cancer; however, how these differences contribute to survival disparity is unknown. Objective To quantify the association of molecular, socioeconomic, and clinical covariates with racial and ethnic disparities in overall survival among patients with colorectal cancer. Design, Setting, and Participants This single-center cohort study was conducted at a tertiary-level cancer center using relevant data on all patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer from January 1, 1973, to March 1, 2023. The relative contribution of variables to the disparity was determined using mediation analysis with sequential multivariate Cox regression models. Main Outcome OS, from diagnosis date and from start of first-line chemotherapy. Results The study population of 47 178 patients (median [IQR] age, 57.0 [49-66] years; 20 465 [43.4%] females and 26 713 [56.6%] males; 3.0% Asian, 8.7% Black, 8.8% Hispanic, and 79.4% White individuals) had a median (IQR) follow-up from initial diagnosis of 124 (174) months and OS of 55 (145) months. Compared with White patients, Black patients had worse OS (hazard ratio [HR], 1.16; 95% CI, 1.09-1.24; P <.001), whereas Asian and Hispanic patients had better OS (HR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.59-0.74; P <.001; and 0.86; 95% CI, 0.81-0.92; P <.001, respectively). When restricted to patients with metastatic disease, the greatest disparity was between Black patients compared with White patients (HR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.06-1.37; P <.001). Evaluating changes in OS disparity over 20 years showed disparity decreasing among Asian, Hispanic, and White patients, but increasing between Black patients and White patients (HRs, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.07-1.31 for 2008-2012; 1.24, 95% CI, 1.08-1.42 for 2013-2017; and 1.50; 95% CI, 1.20-1.87 for 2018-2023). Survival outcomes for first-line chemotherapy were worse for Black patients compared with White patients (median OS, 18 vs 26 months; HR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.01-1.70). Among 7628 patients who had clinical molecular testing, APC , KRAS, and PIK3CA showed higher variant frequency in Black patients (false discovery rate [FDR], 0.01; < 0.001; and 0.01, respectively), whereas BRAF and KIT were higher among White patients (FDR, 0.001 and 0.01). Mediation analysis identified neighborhood socioeconomic status as the greatest contributor to OS disparity (29%), followed by molecular characteristics (microsatellite instability status, KRAS variation and BRAF variation, 10%), and tumor sidedness (9%). Conclusions This single-center cohort study identified substantial OS disparity and differing frequencies of driver gene variations by race and ethnicity. Socioeconomic status had the largest contribution but accounted for less than one-third of the disparity, with substantial contribution from tumor molecular features. Further study of the associations of genetic ancestry and the molecular pathogenesis of colorectal cancer with chemotherapy response is needed.
    This paper reviews the evidence on the well-known positive association between socioeconomic status and health. We focus on four dimensions of socioeconomic status -- education, financial resources, rank, and race and ethnicity -- paying particular attention to how the mechanisms linking health to each of these dimensions diverge and coincide. The extent to which socioeconomic advantage causes good health varies, both across these four dimensions and across the phases of the lifecycle. Circumstances in early life play a crucial role in determining the co-evolution of socioeconomic status and health throughout adulthood. In adulthood, a considerable part of the association runs from health to socioeconomic status, at least in the case of wealth. The diversity of pathways casts doubt upon theories that treat socioeconomic status as a unified concept.
    Association (psychology)
    Citations (1)
    To assess physical activity and leisure time activities in relation to socioeconomic status.We have studied 1,078 boys and girls from 24 schools from areas of different geographical and socioeconomical status. Physical activity and leisure time activities were assessed by a questionnaire.We have observed that adolescents spend more time watching T.V. than doing physical activity (p = 0.0001). In general, boys prefer strong physical activity. Children from the lowest socioeconomic families did less physical activity than children from the highest socioeconomic families (p < or = 0.05). In girls, those with the lowest socioeconomic status spent the greatest amount of time watching T.V. (p = 0.0001).From our results, we deduce that we must improve physical activity habits in children, especially in those from the lowest socioeconomic families.
    Leisure time
    Citations (9)
    Recent cohort studies in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have questioned the validity of previously reported associations between inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and reductions in mortality and rehospitalization in observational studies. Using time-dependent versions of statistical survival models, these studies have suggested immortal time bias as responsible for the proposed beneficial association.We explored the extent of this bias in a study of patients with COPD monitored for a year from COPD discharge with two designs free of any immortal time bias in the General Practice Research Database in the United Kingdom.In Design 1, we used only patients whose treatment status was defined on the same day of discharge to obtain a matched cohort based on propensity scores, which were derived from the patient-level baseline characteristics. In Design 2, we identified all in the study cohort who experienced death or rehospitalization and then matched each case to up to four noncases by randomly sampling from the cohort risk sets without regard to treatment status.The propensity scores matched cohort analysis of 786 patients without a wait time found a significant risk reduction associated with use of ICS: hazard ratio, 0.69 (95% confidence interval, 0.52-0.93). The matched nested case-control analysis of 2,222 patients, designed without regard to exposure status and hence free of immortal time bias, gave a similar association with exposure to ICS in the last 6-month period: hazard ratio, 0.71 (0.56-0.90).We conclude that immortal time bias cannot account for the risk reduction associated with ICS exposure in observational studies.
    Citations (92)
    Background Structured primary diabetes care within a collectively supported setting is associated with better monitoring of biomedical and lifestyle-related target indicators amongst people with type 2 diabetes and with better HbA1c levels. Whether socioeconomic status affects the delivery of care in terms of monitoring and its association with HbA1c levels within this approach, is unclear. This study aims to understand whether, within a structured care approach, (1) socioeconomic categories differ concerning diabetes monitoring as recommended; (2) socioeconomic status modifies the association between monitoring as recommended and HbA1c. Methods Observational real-life cohort study with primary care registry data from general practitioners within diverse socioeconomic areas, who are supported with the implementation of structured diabetes care. People with type 2 diabetes mellitus were offered quarterly diabetes consultations. “Monitoring as recommended” by professional guidelines implied minimally one annual registration of HbA1c, systolic blood pressure, LDL, BMI, smoking behaviour and physical activity. Regarding socioeconomic status, deprived, advantageous urban and advantageous suburban categories were compared to the intermediate category concerning (a) recommended monitoring; (b) association between recommended monitoring and HbA1c. Results Aim 1 (n = 13 601 people): Compared to the intermediate socioeconomic category, no significant differences in odds of being monitored as recommended were found in the deprived (OR 0.45 (95% CI 0.19-1.08)), advantageous urban (OR 1.27 (95% CI 0.46-3.54)) and advantageous suburban (OR 2.32 (95% CI 0.88-6.08)) categories. Aim 2 (n = 11 164 people): People with recommended monitoring had significantly lower HbA1c levels than incompletely monitored people (−2.4 (95% CI −2.9; −1.8) mmol/mol). SES modified monitoring-related HbA1c differences, which were significantly higher in the deprived (−3.3 (95% CI −4.3; −2.4) mmol/mol) than the intermediate category (−1.3 (95% CI −2.2; −0.4) mmol/mol). Conclusions Within a structured diabetes care setting, socioeconomic status is not associated with recommended monitoring. Socioeconomic differences in the association between recommended monitoring and HbA1c levels advocate further exploration of practice and patient-related factors contributing to appropriate monitoring and for care adjustment to population needs.
    Odds
    Citations (5)

    Background and objectives

    Sedentary behavior is associated with increased mortality in the general population. Whether replacing sedentary behavior with low- or light-intensity activities confers a survival benefit in the general or CKD populations is unknown.

    Design, setting, participants, & measurements

    This observational analysis of the 2003–2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey examined the associations of low- and light-intensity activities with mortality. On the basis of the number of counts/min recorded by an accelerometer, durations of sedentary (<100/min), low (100–499/min), light (500–2019/min), and moderate/vigorous (≥2020/min) activity were defined and normalized to 60 minutes. The mortality associations of 2 min/hr less sedentary duration in conjunction with 2 min/hr more (tradeoff) spent in one of the low, light, or moderate/vigorous activity durations while controlling for the other two activity durations were examined in multivariable Cox regression models in the entire cohort and in the CKD subgroup.

    Results

    Of the 3626 participants included, 383 had CKD. The mean sedentary duration was 34.4±7.9 min/hr in the entire cohort and 40.8±6.8 in the CKD subgroup. Tradeoff of sedentary duration with low activity duration was not associated with mortality in the entire cohort or the CKD subgroup. Tradeoff of sedentary duration with light activity duration was associated with a lower hazard of death in the entire cohort (hazard ratio, 0.67; 95% confidence interval, 0.48 to 0.93) and CKD subgroup (hazard ratio, 0.59; 95% confidence interval, 0.35 to 0.98). Tradeoff of sedentary duration with moderate/vigorous activity duration had a nonsignificant lower hazard in the entire cohort and CKD subgroup.

    Conclusions

    Patients with CKD are sedentary nearly two thirds of the time. Interventions that replace sedentary duration with an increase in light activity duration might confer a survival benefit.
    Subgroup analysis
    Citations (174)
    Background Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is believed to be an important enzyme in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC). Correlations between the expression of COX-2 with tumor growth and distant metastasis have become an issue; thus, attention has been paid to COX-2 as a prognostic factor. Various studies examined the relationship between COX-2 immunohistochemistry (IHC) overexpression with the clinical outcome in patients with colorectal cancer, but yielded conflicting results. The prognostic significance of COX-2 overexpression in colorectal cancer remains controversial. Methods Electronic databases updated to October 2012 were searched to find relevant studies. A meta-analysis was conducted with eligible studies which quantitatively evaluated the relationship between COX-2 overexpression and survival of patients with colorectal cancer. Survival data were aggregated and quantitatively analyzed. Results We performed a meta-analysis of 23 studies (n = 4567 patients) that evaluated the correlation between COX-2 overexpression detected by IHC and survival in patients with colorectal cancer. Combined hazard ratios suggested that COX-2 overexpression had an unfavorable impact on overall survival (OS) (HR [hazard ratio] = 1.193, 95% CI [confidence interval]: 1.02 ∼ 1.37), but not disease free survival (DFS) (HR = 1.25, 95% CI: 0.99 ∼ 1.50) in patients with colorectal cancer. Conclusions Cox-2 overexpression in colorectal cancer detected by IHC appears to have slightly worse overall survival. However, the prognostic value of COX-2 on survival in colorectal cancer still needs further large-scale prospective trials to be clarified.
    Background Although most people with relapsing onset multiple sclerosis (R-MS) eventually transition to secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS), little is known about disability progression in SPMS. Methods All R-MS patients in the Cardiff MS registry were included. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to examine a) hazard of converting to SPMS and b) hazard of attaining EDSS 6.0 and 8.0 in SPMS. Results 1611 R-MS patients were included. Older age at MS onset (hazard ratio [HR] 1.02, 95%CI 1.01–1.03), male sex (HR 1.71, 95%CI 1.41–2.08), and residual disability after onset (HR 1.38, 95%CI 1.11–1.71) were asso- ciated with increased hazard of SPMS. Male sex (EDSS 6.0 HR 1.41 [1.04–1.90], EDSS 8.0 HR 1.75 [1.14–2.69]) and higher EDSS at SPMS onset (EDSS 6.0 HR 1.31 [1.17–1.46]; EDSS 8.0 HR 1.38 [1.19–1.61]) were associated with increased hazard of reaching disability milestones, while older age at SPMS was associated with a lower hazard of progression (EDSS 6.0 HR 0.94 [0.92–0.96]; EDSS 8.0: HR 0.92 [0.90–0.95]). Conclusions Different factors are associated with hazard of SPMS compared to hazard of disability progres- sion after SPMS onset. These data may be used to plan services, and provide a baseline for comparison for future interventional studies and has relevance for new treatments for SPMS RobertsonNP@cardiff.ac.uk
    Citations (0)
    The hazard ratio and median survival time are the routine indicators in survival analysis. We briefly introduced the relationship between hazard ratio and median survival time and the role of proportional hazard assumption. We compared 110 pairs of hazard ratio and median survival time ratio in 58 articles and demonstrated the reasons for the difference by examples. The results showed that the hazard ratio estimated by the Cox regression model is unreasonable and not equivalent to median survival time ratio when the proportional hazard assumption is not met. Therefore, before performing the Cox regression model, the proportional hazard assumption should be tested first. If proportional hazard assumption is met, Cox regression model can be used; if proportional hazard assumption is not met, restricted mean survival times is suggested.风险比(hazard ratio,HR)和中位生存时间是生存分析时的常规分析和报告指标。本文简要介绍了HR和中位生存时间的关系以及比例风险假定在这两者之间的作用,分析了检索出的58篇文献中的110对风险比和中位生存时间比的差异,并通过实例阐明了产生这种差异的原因。结果表明,在不满足比例风险假定时,Cox回归模型计算得到的风险比是不合理的,且与中位生存时间之比不等价。因此,在使用Cox回归模型前,应先进行比例风险假定的检验,只有符合比例风险假定时才能使用该模型;当不符合比例风险假定时,建议使用限制性平均生存时间。.
    Utilized two psychologists as actors in making four videotapes to depict background information and verbal modes of communication for alcoholics according to black-white race differences and high-low socioeconomic status. Forty graduate psychology students (10 per group) then were shown randomly one of the four recordings and asked to make a diagnosis. A significant difference was found for the effects of race, socioeconomic status, and race X socioeconomic status interaction on the correct diagnosis of alcoholism. Results were interpreted as suggesting that a clinician's personal biases and/or prejudices might extend into the clinical diagnosis and treatment of clients.