TY - JOUR
T1 - Common community acquired infections and subsequent risk of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
AU - Anderson, Lesley A.
AU - Landgren, Ola
AU - Engels, Eric A.
PY - 2009/11/1
Y1 - 2009/11/1
N2 - Emerging evidence supports a role for immune-related factors in the causation of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). Using the population-based U.S. Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results-Medicare database, 10 171 elderly CLL patients and 122 531 frequency-matched controls were identified in order to evaluate several community acquired infections associated with subsequent CLL risk. Odds ratios (ORs) were adjusted for gender, age, race, calendar year and number of physician claims. CLL risk was increased following Medicare claims for sinusitis (OR = 1·11; 95% CI = 1·05-1·17), pharyngitis (OR = 1·15; 1·08-1·22), bronchitis (OR = 1·14; 1·08-1·19), pneumonia (OR = 1·17; 1·11-1·24), influenza (OR = 1·10; 1·01-1·19), cellulitis (OR = 1·08; 1·02-1·14) and herpes zoster (OR = 1·26; 1·15-1·37). Associations with pneumonia and cellulitis remained significant when the 5-year period before diagnosis/control selection was excluded. CLL risk increased with increasing severity/frequency of pneumonia (P = 0·005), cellulitis (P < 0·001) and herpes zoster (P < 0·001). Our findings suggest that common infections may play a role in CLL aetiology. Alternatively, the associations might reflect an underlying immune disturbance present several years prior to CLL diagnosis.
AB - Emerging evidence supports a role for immune-related factors in the causation of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). Using the population-based U.S. Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results-Medicare database, 10 171 elderly CLL patients and 122 531 frequency-matched controls were identified in order to evaluate several community acquired infections associated with subsequent CLL risk. Odds ratios (ORs) were adjusted for gender, age, race, calendar year and number of physician claims. CLL risk was increased following Medicare claims for sinusitis (OR = 1·11; 95% CI = 1·05-1·17), pharyngitis (OR = 1·15; 1·08-1·22), bronchitis (OR = 1·14; 1·08-1·19), pneumonia (OR = 1·17; 1·11-1·24), influenza (OR = 1·10; 1·01-1·19), cellulitis (OR = 1·08; 1·02-1·14) and herpes zoster (OR = 1·26; 1·15-1·37). Associations with pneumonia and cellulitis remained significant when the 5-year period before diagnosis/control selection was excluded. CLL risk increased with increasing severity/frequency of pneumonia (P = 0·005), cellulitis (P < 0·001) and herpes zoster (P < 0·001). Our findings suggest that common infections may play a role in CLL aetiology. Alternatively, the associations might reflect an underlying immune disturbance present several years prior to CLL diagnosis.
KW - Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
KW - Epidemiology
KW - Infection
KW - Risk factors
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=70350442608&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1111/j.1365-2141.2009.07849.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1365-2141.2009.07849.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 19725826
AN - SCOPUS:70350442608
SN - 0007-1048
VL - 147
SP - 444
EP - 449
JO - British Journal of Haematology
JF - British Journal of Haematology
IS - 4
ER -