International audiencePurposePatients with metabolic syndrome have a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, although their susceptibility to chemotherapy-induced cardiac disease is not well documented. The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess associations between obesity or being overweight and cardiotoxicity from anthracyclines and sequential anthracyclines and trastuzumab in patients with breast cancer.MethodsWe performed a random-effects analysis and a network meta-analysis and assessed publication bias. We included 15 studies and 8,745 patients with breast cancers who were treated with anthracyclines and sequential anthracyclines and trastuzumab.ResultsCombination of obesity and being overweight was significantly associated with a greater risk of developing cardiotoxicity after anthracyclines and a sequential anthracyclines and trastuzumab regimen in patients with breast cancer. Pooled odds ratio for cardiotoxicity was 1.38 (95% CI, 1.06 to 1.80; I-2 = 43%; N = 8,745) for overweight or obesity (body mass index. 25 kg/m(2)), 1.47 (95% CI, 0.95 to 2.28; I-2 = 47%; n = 2,615) for obesity, and 1.15 (95% CI, 0.83 to 1.58; I-2 = 27%; n = 2,708) for overweight. Associations were independent of study design, year of publication, drug regimen (anthracyclines alone v sequential anthracyclines and trastuzumab), or definitions of cardiotoxicity and of overweight or obesity. There was no evidence of publication bias; however, we could not separate the contributions of obesity-related cardiovascular risk factors, such as diabetes and hypertension, from that of obesity itself in this largely unadjusted analysis.ConclusionOur findings in a largely unadjusted analysis suggest that overweight and obesity are risk factors for cardiotoxicity from anthracyclines and sequential anthracyclines and trastuzumab
ContextEpidemiology is a discipline which has evolved with the changes taking place in society and the emergence of new diseases and new discipline related to epidemiology. With these evolutions, it is important to understand epidemiology and to analyse the evolution of content of definitions of epidemiology.ObjectivesThe main objective of this paper was to identify new definitions of epidemiology available since 1978. Secondary objectives were to analyse the content of these definitions, to compare them with those used by Lilienfeld and to determine whether changes have taken place over the last forty years.MethodsA review of grey literature and published literature was conducted to find the definitions of epidemiology written between 1978 and 2017.Results102 definitions of epidemiology were retained. They helped to highlight 20 terms and concepts related to epidemiology. Most of them were already used in the definitions used by Lilienfeld. Five terms were present in more than 50% of definitions from the period 1978 to 2017: “population”, “study”, “disease”, “health” and “distribution”. Several developments have occurred: strengthening of the terms “control” and “health” already used, the concept of “disease” was less frequently encountered whereas the concepts “infectious diseases”, “mass phenomenon” are no longer used in definitions from 1978 to 2017.ConclusionThis evolution of content of definition of epidemiology is absent from books on epidemiology. A thematic analysis of definitions of epidemiology could be conducted in order to improve our understanding of changes observed.
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