scholarly journals Citizens, doctors, politicians - who´s an expert in times of COVID-19? A survey in Austria and Germany

2021 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dagmar Schaffler-Schaden ◽  
Juergen Herfert ◽  
James O´Brien ◽  
Tim Johansson ◽  
Alexander Seymer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Age And Gender ◽  
Course Of Disease ◽  
The Public ◽  
Profound Knowledge ◽  
Risk Of Disease ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Level Of Agreement ◽  
Health Experts ◽  
Valid Information

Abstract Background This study aimed to explore which measures and risk factors for a COVID − 19 infection are considered most important in the general population, health experts and policymakers and to assess the level of agreement across the groups from Austria and Germany. Methods A two-phased survey was conducted, participants were matched according to age and gender. Three different groups were asked which measures they considered most relevant in reducing a COVID-19 transmission, to determine which factors contribute most to the risk of disease, and to evaluate the level of agreement in the assessment of risk factor relevance for (a) the transmission of the disease and (b) the risk of a severe course of COVID-19. Results Risk factors for an infection that were selected from all three groups were immunosuppression/deficiency, cancer, chronic lung disease, smoking, age and working as a health care professional. Interrater agreement per population was only poor to slight and results were highly heterogeneous. Conclusions Our survey shows a broad spectrum of opinions and the associated general uncertainty about the risk factors for infection and a severe course of disease across the groups. Profound knowledge of politicians and experts is of high relevance to provide the public with valid information to ensure cooperation fighting the pandemic. Trial registration https://apps.who.int/trialsearch/ (ID: DRKS00022166). Registered 15 June 2020.

Impact of age and sex on subclinical coronary atherosclerosis in a healthy asian population

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Wong ◽  
J Yap ◽  
KK Yeo
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
Coronary Artery ◽  
Coronary Atherosclerosis ◽  
Ldl Cholesterol ◽  
Multivariable Analysis ◽  
Asian Population ◽  
Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
Age And Gender ◽  
And Gender

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background and Aims The influence of age and gender on clinical atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is well reported, but literature remains sparse on whether these extend to the disease in its preclinical stage. We aim to report the prevalence, risk-factors and impact of age and gender on the burden of subclinical coronary atherosclerosis in a healthy Asian population. Methods Healthy subjects aged 30-69 years old, with no history of cardiovascular disease or diabetes were recruited from the general population. Subclinical coronary atherosclerosis was quantified via the Coronary Artery Calcium Score (CACS) with CACS of 0 indicating the absence of calcified plaque, 1 to 10 minimal plaque, 11 to 100 mild plaque, and >100 moderate to severe plaque. Results A total of 663 individuals (mean age 49.4 ± 9.2 years, 44.8% male) were included. The prevalence of any CAC was 29.3% with 9% having CAC > 100.  The prevalence was significantly higher in males than females (43.1 vs 18.0%, p < 0.001). These gender differences became increasingly pronounced with increasing age, especially in those with moderate-severe CAC. Multivariable analysis revealed significant associations between increasing age, male, higher blood pressure, increased glucose levels and higher LDL cholesterol levels with the presence of any CAC. LDL cholesterol was more significantly associated with CAC in females compared to males (Pinteraction = 0.022). Conclusions The prevalence of preclinical atherosclerosis increased with age, and was higher in males than females, with gender-specific differences in associated risk factors. These results will better inform individualised future risk management strategies to prevent the development and progression of coronary artery disease within healthy individuals.

Evaluation of the Fibromyalgia and Related Risk Factors in Patients with Advanced Kidney Failure Undergoing Hemodialysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seyed Mostafa Seyedmardani ◽  
Saeed Abkhiz ◽  
Azadeh Megrazi ◽  
Aarefeh Jafarzade ◽  
Golshan Kamali Zonouz
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Kidney Failure ◽  
Fibromyalgia Syndrome ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Hemodialysis Patients ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Age And Gender ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Symptom Severity Score ◽  
And Gender

Background : Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is defined as widespread and persistent pain in the musculoskeletal system. There are limited reports regarding the prevalence of fibromyalgia syndrome in patients with advanced kidney failure undergoing regular hemodialysis. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of fibromyalgia syndrome and its risk factors in a large proportion of patients under the hemodialysis condition. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 293 patients who were admitted to the hemodialysis ward were evaluated for fibromyalgia syndrome in an educational hospital. The questionnaire was designed according to symptom severity score (SS score) and widespread pain index (WPI) criteria. The correlation between FMS and various variables, including demographic, clinical, and biochemistry biomarkers, was also precisely calculated by logistic regression. Data were analyzed using SPSS v.17 statistics software. Results: The results showed that, of 293 hemodialysis patients, 130 patients (44.4%) had fibromyalgia, the mean age of patients with and without fibromyalgia was 61.09 ± 15.36 and 53.49 ± 15.38 years old, respectively (P = 0.001). Moreover, there was a significant difference in terms of gender among patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (P = 0.001). To note, there was no significant relationship between the kidney failure etiopathogenesis, duration of dialysis, body mass index (BMI), Kt/v index, history of peritoneal dialysis, and laboratory parameters with fibromyalgia in hemodialysis patients (P > 0.05). However, our findings revealed that both age and gender could be considered as the predictor variables associated with fibromyalgia in patients undergoing hemodialysis. Conclusion: Taken together, in this study, we found that age and gender would be the critical factors in terms of the fibromyalgia syndrome in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

scholarly journals The Impact of Air Pollution (PM2.5) on Atherogenesis in Modernizing Southern versus Northern China

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 1552
Author(s):  
Kamsang Woo ◽  
Changqing Lin ◽  
Yuehui Yin ◽  
Dongshuang Guo ◽  
Ping Chook ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Air Pollution ◽  
Northern China ◽  
Age And Gender ◽  
Carotid Imt ◽  
Southern Chinese ◽  
Northern Chinese ◽  
Traditional Risk Factors ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The Impact

To evaluate the impact of PM2.5 air pollution on atherogenic processes in modernizing Southern versus Northern China, we studied 1323 asymptomatic Chinese in Southern and Northern China in 1996–2007. PM2.5 exposure and metabolic syndrome (MS) were noted. Brachial flow-mediated dilation (endothelial function FMD) and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) were measured by ultrasound. Although age and gender were similar, PM2.5 was higher in Northern China than in Southern China. The Northern Chinese were characterized by lower lipids, folate and vitamin B12, but higher age, blood pressures, MS and homocysteine (HC) (p = 0.0015). Brachial FMD was significantly lower and carotid IMT was significantly greater (0.68±0.13) in Northern Chinese, compared with FMD and IMT (0.57 ± 0.13, p < 0.0001) in Southern Chinese. On multivariate regression, for the overall cohort, carotid IMT was significantly related to PM2.5, independent of location and traditional risk factors (Model R2 = 0.352, F = 27.1, p < 0.0001), while FMD was inversely related to gender, age, and northern location, but not to PM2.5. In Southern Chinese, brachial FMD was inversely correlated to PM2.5, independent of age, whereas carotid IMT was significantly related to PM2.5, independent of age and gender. In Northern Chinese, brachial FMD was inversely related to gender only, but not to PM2.5, while carotid IMT was related to traditional risk factors. Despite a higher PM2.5 pollution in Northern China, PM2.5 pollution was more significantly associated with atherogenic surrogates in Southern compared to Northern Chinese. This has potential implications for atherosclerosis prevention.

scholarly journals AGE AND GENDER WISE DISTRIBUTIONOF RISK FACTORS AMONG PATIENTS WITHCORONORY ARTERY DISEASE.

1969 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 523-528
Author(s):  
MUHAMMAD ASIF IQBAL ◽  
IKRAMULLAH ◽  
ABDUL HADI ◽  
FAROOQ AHMAD ◽  
MUHAMMAD REHANUL HAQ ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Coronary Artery ◽  
Older Age ◽  
Fat Intake ◽  
Conventional Risk Factor ◽  
Age And Gender ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Artery Disease ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Conventional Risk Factors

OBJECTIVE: To describe conventional risk factors by age and gender in coronary artery diseasepatients.MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted in outdoor patient department of agencyheadquarter hospital (AHQ) Landikotal, Khyber agency, from June to October 2013. It was a hospitalbased descriptive observational study. Sample size was 926 patients with established coronary arterydisease, recruited through purposive convenient sampling technique. Adult patients (above 18 years) ofboth genders with coronary artery disease were included in the study. Every patient was evaluated forthe presence of conventional risk factors. Card vascular risk factors were assessed by a self-administeredquestionnaire and various laboratory tests.RESULTS: Total patients were 926, male were 546(59%). Mean age was 58.28±12.005 years (20-95years). Study population was divided into younger (age <40 years) and older age groups (> 40 years).Younger patients were 66(7.1%) and older age 866(92.9%). Hypertension was present in 563 patients(61.1%) with 59.2%and 63.2% in male and female, respectively (p=0.186). Diabetes was present in29.9% with 27.8% in male and 32.9% in female patients (p=0.098).Hypertension was significantly morecommon in older patients while smoking and heavy fat intake was significantly more common inyounger patients. Other risk factors for CAD were similar across younger and older age groups.CONCLUSION: Conventional risk factor in male and female differ widely with smoking, ex-smoker,heavy fat intake and obesity is significantly more common in male patients, while family history forCAD is common in female patients. Diabetes is higher in 40 years or above patients while smoking ishigher in patients less than 40 years.KEY WORDS: Conventional Risk Factor, Coronary Artery Disease, Age, Gender

scholarly journals Epidemiological Analysis of Major Cardiovascular Risk Factors in 1,508 Indian Adults Stratified by Age and Gender

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 608-612
Author(s):  
Sunil S. Thanvi ◽  
Sunil K. Karna ◽  
Utsav B Patel
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Coronary Artery Disease ◽  
Cardiovascular Risk ◽  
Coronary Artery ◽  
Cardiovascular Risk Factors ◽  
Vitamin D3 ◽  
Density Lipoprotein ◽  
Age And Gender ◽  
Artery Disease ◽  
And Gender

BACKGROUND Routine screening of healthy individuals for the presence of cardiovascular risk factors is important for identification of high-risk coronary artery disease (CAD) patients at early stage and to provide preventive care. Considering the high burden of CAD, such investigations are of significant importance in Indian context. METHODS In this cross-sectional study, adult individuals (18 – 68 years) were evaluated for pre-existing diseases, lipid profile, blood glucose profile, thyroid profile, haemoglobin (Hb) and vitamins D3 and B12 levels after obtaining informed consent. These variables were compared between patients stratified based on their gender and age (< 40, 40 – 60, > 60 years). RESULTS A total of 1,508 participants (mean age: 49 ± 11 years; 49.9 % females) were investigated. Hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidaemia, anaemia, vitamin D3 and B12 deficiencies, hyperthyroidism, and hypothyroidism were observed in 31.2 %, 26.5 %, 32.0 %, 8.6 %, 35.3 %, 25.1 %, 21.0 % and 0.6 % of patients respectively. Prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidaemia increased with ageing, while deficiencies of Hb, vitamin D3, and vitamin B12 as well as hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism were comparable across all age groups. Males were more prone to hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidaemia, while females were more prone to have Hb deficiency, hyperthyroidism, and hypothyroidism. Total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), fasting blood sugar (FBS), vitamin D3, and vitamin B12 were elevated with increase in age, while Hb levels decreased. Males exhibited higher levels of TG, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), TC / HDL, LDL / HDL, FBS, and Hb, while females displayed higher levels of vitamin D3 and B12. CONCLUSIONS Our findings verify the role of age and gender on majority of cardiovascular risk factors. The high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors is alarming and demands the need for appropriate health-care measures. KEYWORDS Age, Coronary Artery Disease, Gender, Risk Factor

scholarly journals Doctors, suicide and mental illness

2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 165-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clare Gerada
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Health Service ◽  
Public Domain ◽  
Mortality Data ◽  
Next Of Kin ◽  
Age And Gender ◽  
Additional Risk ◽  
The Public ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Health Programme

This article focuses on doctors and suicide. It provides real examples to illustrate why doctors die by their own hand. These reasons are replicated in the general population, but also include a host of additional risk factors related to being a doctor. In each case, information about the doctor is in the public domain or, as in one case, consent from the next of kin has been obtained for a detail not in the public domain. The author is a doctors' doctor, heading up a confidential health service for doctors with mental illness or addiction, the National Health Service Practitioner Health Programme. Mortality data from the programme (January 2008–January 2017) will also be included. For the sake of confidentiality, data is collated and details regarding age and gender have been approximated.Declaration of interestNone.

scholarly journals Incidence, Risk Factors, and Epidemiology of Cystic Echinococcosis: A Complex Socioecological Emerging Infectious Disease in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Province of Pakistan

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sumbal Haleem ◽  
Sadaf Niaz ◽  
Naveeda Akhtar Qureshi ◽  
Riaz Ullah ◽  
Mansour S. Alsaid ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Cystic Echinococcosis ◽  
Organ Specificity ◽  
Hydatid Cysts ◽  
Age And Gender ◽  
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
Incidence Risk ◽  
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province ◽  
And Gender

Cystic echinococcosis is a serious zoonotic disease caused by Echinococcus granulosus species complex. The current study is the first attempt to determine the level of infection in domestic livestock and to explore the CE-related knowledge and awareness among livestock farmers in different districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, province of Pakistan. A total of 1297 animals were examined for hydatid cysts including 538 cows, 428 buffaloes, 208 sheep, and 123 goats, at different slaughter houses in different districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2 years from September 2015 to September 2017. For epidemiological investigations, prevalence in association with various factors (climate, age, and gender), organ specificity, types of cysts (fertile, sterile, or calcified), and viability of cysts parameters was recorded. Basing on the results obtained, areas with high prevalence were selected for further follow-ups and administration of questionnaires to the farmers and dog owners, to provide baseline data about this parasitic disease and to identify potential areas of emergence with correspondence animal and of public health significance. The finding of this study revealed the presence of CE in livestock of KP, Pakistan. The prevalence of hydatid cysts was the highest in buffaloes (15.88%) followed by cows (15.79%), sheep (15.38%), and goats (3.25%). Our investigation revealed close relationship between prevalence and animal age and gender in different months of the year. These findings also showed the highest prevalence of hydatid cysts in liver (63.49%), followed by lungs (23.80%) and mesentery (2.64%). Fertile and viable cysts were observed in all animal species except goats. The highest percentage of fertile and viable cysts was reported from the liver and lungs of sheep. For evaluation of risk factors, a total of 384 respondents were investigated. The results of current study revealed that 97.9% of farmers are not familiar with CE and transmission of this infection from dogs to human and livestock. The present study shows that CE will continue to be of medical and veterinary importance in Pakistan.

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