A case-control study of Burkitt lymphoma in East Africa: are local health facilities an appropriate source of representative controls?
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Date
2012
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Infectious Agents and Cancer
Abstract
We investigated the feasibility and appropriateness of enrolling controls for Burkitt lymphoma (BL)
from local health facilities in two regions in Uganda.
Methods: BL case data were compiled from two local hospitals with capacity to diagnose and treat BL in Northwest
and North-central regions of Uganda during 1997 to 2009. Local health facility data were compiled from
children attending four representative local health facilities in the two regions over a two week period in May/June
2010. Age and sex patterns of BL cases and children at local facilities were compared and contrasted using
frequency tables.
Results: There were 999 BL cases diagnosed in the study area (92% of all BL cases treated at the hospitals): 64%
were from North-central and 36% from North-west region. The mean age of BL cases was 7.0 years (standard
deviation [SD] 3.0). Boys were younger than girls (6.6 years versus 7.2 years, P = 0.004) and cases from North-central
region were younger than cases from North-west region (6.8 years versus 7.3 years, P = 0.014). There were 1012
children recorded at the four local health facilities: 91% at facilities in North-central region and 9% from facilities in
North-west region. Daily attendance varied between 1 to 75 children per day. The mean age of children at health
facilities was 2.2 years (SD 2.8); it did not differ by sex. Children at North-central region facilities were younger than
children at North-west region facilities (1.8 years versus 6.6 years, P < 0.001).
Conclusions: While many children attend local health facilities, confirming feasibility of obtaining controls, their
mean age is much lower than BL cases. Health facilities may be suitable for obtaining young, but not older,
controls.
Description
Keywords
Burkitt lymphoma, East Africa, Local health facilities
Citation
Baik et al.: A case-control study of Burkitt lymphoma in East Africa: are local health facilities an appropriate source of representative controls? Infectious Agents and Cancer 2012 7:5. doi:10.1186/1750-9378-7-5