title: A case-control study of myelodysplastic syndromes in Belgrade (Serbia Montenegro).
abstract: The objective of the study was to investigate factors related to the occurrence of myelodysplatic syndromes (MDS) in the population of Belgrade (Serbia Montenegro). The case-control study was conducted during the period 2000-2003. The study group consisted of 80 newly diagnosed MDS patients and 160 sex- and age-matched hospital controls with nonmalignant and noninfectious diseases. The disease categories in the control group were circulatory (51 patients, 32%), gastrointestinal (53 patients, 33%), and ophthalmological (56 patients, 35%) disorders. Conditional univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were applied. Multivariate analysis showed the following factors to be significantly related to MDS: exposure to chemicals (OR = 10.8, 95%CI 3.2-36.2, p = 0.0001), viral upper respiratory tract infections (twice a year or more, OR = 5.8, 95%CI 2.5-13.6, p = 0.0001), exposure to insecticides, pesticides and herbicides (OR = 5.2, 95%CI 1.8-15.1, p = 0.003), coffee (OR = 5.1, 95%CI 1.9-13.7, p = 0.001), and alcohol consumption (OR = 2.2, 95%CI 1.1-4.6, p = 0.033). The findings support the hypotheses that exposure to chemical agents, pesticides, insecticides, and herbicides, certain lifestyle factors (alcohol and coffee consumption), and frequent viral infections may be involved in the etiology of MDS, but these results should be confirmed by further investigations.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Visegradska 26A, Belgrade 11000, Serbia Montenegro. pekmezovic@sezampro.yu
authors.forename: Tatjana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pekmezovic
authors.forename: Nada
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Suvajdzic Vukovic
authors.forename: Darija
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kisic
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grgurevic
authors.forename: Andrija
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bogdanovic
authors.forename: Mirjana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gotic
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bakrac
authors.forename: Nenad
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Brkic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003069:Coffee / Q000009:adverse effects; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006540:Herbicides / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009190:Myelodysplastic Syndromes / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D015022:Yugoslavia
chemical_list: D003069:Coffee; D006540:Herbicides