The Southern dietary pattern, derived within the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) cohort, is characterized by high consumption of added fats, fried food, organ meats, processed meats, and sugar-sweetened beverages, and is associated with increased risk of several chronic diseases. The aim of the present study was to identify characteristics of individuals with high adherence to this dietary pattern.

We analyzed data from REGARDS, a national cohort of 30,239 black and white adults ≥ 45 years of age living in the US. Dietary data were collected using the Block 98 Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Multivariable linear regression was used to calculate standardized beta coefficients across all covariates for the entire sample and stratified by race and region.

We included 16,781 participants with complete dietary data. Among these, 34.6% were black, 45.6% male, 55.2% resided in stroke belt region, and the average age was 65 years. Black race was the factor with the largest magnitude of association to the Southern dietary pattern (Δ = 0.76 SD, p < 0.0001). Large differences in Southern dietary pattern adherence were observed between black participants and white participants in the stroke belt and non-belt (stroke belt Δ = 0.75 SD, non-belt Δ = 0.77 SD).

There was a high consumption of the Southern dietary pattern in the US black population, regardless of other factors, underlying our previous findings showing the substantial contribution of this dietary pattern to racial disparities in incident hypertension and stroke.

This study aimed to provide a systematic review on survival outcome based on Pittsburgh T-staging for patients with primary external auditory canal squamous cell carcinoma.

This study was a systematic review in compliance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines performed until January 2018; pertinent studies were screened. Quality of evidence was assessed using the grading of recommendation, assessment, development and evaluation working group system.

Eight articles were chosen that reported on 437 patients with external auditory carcinoma. The 5-year overall survival rate was 53.0 per cent. The pooled proportion of survivors at 5 years for T1 tumours was 88.4 per cent and for T2 tumours was 88.6 per cent. For the combined population of T1 and T2 cancer patients, it was 84.5 per cent. For T3 and T4 tumours, it was 53.3 per cent and 26.8 per cent, respectively, whereas for T3 and T4 tumours combined, it was 40.4 per cent. Individual analysis of 61 patients with presence of cervical nodes showed a poor survival rate.

From this review, there was not any significant difference found in the survival outcome between T1 and T2 tumours. A practical classification incorporating nodal status that accurately stratifies patients was proposed.

To evaluate energetic contribution according to the degree of industrial food processing and its association with sociodemographic, anthropometric, biochemical, clinical and behavioural characteristics in adolescents.

Cross-sectional study (Adolescent Lifestyle Study). Food consumption was assessed using 24-h dietary recalls, with foods classified by degree of industrial progressing. The usual diet was estimated using the Multiple Source Method. In a linear regression model, the energy percentage (E %) was associated with sociodemographic, anthropometric, biochemical, clinical and behavioural characteristics, after adjustment for sex and age.

Juiz de Fora, Brazil.

Eight hundred and four adolescents, of both sexes, 14–19 years of age, enrolled in public schools.

The E % of unprocessed or minimally processed foods corresponded to 43·1 %, processed foods to 11·0 % and the ultraprocessed foods to 45·9 %. E % of unprocessed foods was associated with socio-economic stratum (adjusted β = −0·093; P = 0·032), neck circumference (adjusted β = 0·017; P = 0·049), screen time (adjusted β = −0·247; P = 0·036) and HDL-cholesterol (adjusted β = −0·156; P = 0·003). E % of ultraprocessed foods was associated with socio-economic stratum (adjusted β = 0·118; P = 0·011), screen time (adjusted β = 0·375; P = 0·003), BMI (adjusted β = −0·029; P = 0·025), neck circumference (adjusted β = −0·017; P = 0·028) and HDL-cholesterol (adjusted β = 0·150; P = 0·002).

There was a high E % of ultraprocessed foods in the diet of the adolescents. Actions are needed to raise the awareness of adopting healthy eating habits.

Identify risk factors that could increase progression to severe disease and mortality in hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 patients in the Southeast US.

Multicenter, retrospective cohort including 502 adults hospitalized with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 between March 1, 2020 and May 8, 2020 within one of 15 participating hospitals in 5 health systems across 5 states in the Southeast US.

The study objectives were to identify risk factors that could increase progression to hospital mortality and severe disease (defined as a composite of intensive care unit admission or requirement of mechanical ventilation) in hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 patients in the Southeast US.

A total of 502 patients were included, and the majority (476/502, 95%) had clinically evaluable outcomes. Hospital mortality was 16% (76/476), while 35% (177/502) required ICU admission, and 18% (91/502) required mechanical ventilation. By both univariate and adjusted multivariate analysis, hospital mortality was independently associated with age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.03 for each decade increase, 95% CI 1.56-2.69), male sex (aOR 2.44, 95% CI: 1.34-4.59), and cardiovascular disease (aOR 2.16, 95% CI: 1.15-4.09). As with mortality, risk of severe disease was independently associated with age (aOR 1.17 for each decade increase, 95% CI: 1.00-1.37), male sex (aOR 2.34, 95% CI 1.54-3.60), and cardiovascular disease (aOR 1.77, 95% CI 1.09-2.85).

In an adjusted multivariate analysis, advanced age, male sex, and cardiovascular disease increased risk of severe disease and mortality in patients with COVID-19 in the Southeast US. In-hospital mortality risk doubled with each subsequent decade of life.