Associations of long-term exposure to air pollution and greenness with incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Northern Europe: The Life-GAP project.

Background: Prolonged exposure to air pollution has been linked to adverse respiratory health, yet the evidence concerning its association with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is inconsistent. The evidence of a greenness effect on chronic respiratory diseases is limited.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the association between long-term exposure to particulate matter (PM and PM), black carbon (BC), nitrogen dioxide (NO), ozone (O) and greenness (as measured by the normalized difference vegetation index - NDVI) and incidence of self-reported chronic bronchitis or COPD (CB/COPD).

Association between physical activity over a 10-year period and current insomnia symptoms, sleep duration and daytime sleepiness: a European population-based study.

Objectives: To explore the relationship between physical activity over a 10-year period and current symptoms of insomnia, daytime sleepiness and estimated sleep duration in adults aged 39-67.

Design: Population-based, multicentre cohort study.

Setting: 21 centres in nine European countries.

Nocturnal gastro-oesophageal reflux and respiratory symptoms are increased in sleep apnoea: comparison with the general population.

Aim: To assess respiratory symptoms and nocturnal gastro-oesophageal reflux (nGER) among untreated obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) patients, compared with the general population. Also, if nGER associates differently with respiratory symptoms among OSA patients.

Methods: 2 study cohorts were included: 822 newly diagnosed subjects with moderate-severe OSA and 738 Icelandic general population study participants.

Respiratory symptoms, exacerbations and sleep disturbances are more common among participants with asthma and chronic airflow limitation: an epidemiological study in Estonia, Iceland and Sweden.

Background: Chronic airflow limitation (CAL) is a hallmark of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease but is also present in some patients with asthma. We investigated respiratory symptoms, sleep and health status of participants with and without CAL with particular emphasis on concurrent asthma using data from adult populations in Iceland, Estonia and Sweden investigated within the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease study.

Methods: All participants underwent spirometry with measurements of forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV) and forced vital capacity (FVC) before and after bronchodilation.

Gastroesophageal reflux and snoring are related to asthma and respiratory symptoms: Results from a Nordic longitudinal population survey.

Aim: To study if individuals with nocturnal gastroesophageal reflux (nGER) and habitual snoring are more likely to develop asthma and respiratory symptoms (i.e. wheeze, cough, chest tightness, breathlessness) than those without these conditions, and if these associations are additive.

Early life exposures contributing to accelerated lung function decline in adulthood - a follow-up study of 11,000 adults from the general population.

Background: We aimed to assess whether exposure to risk factors in early life from conception to puberty continue to contribute to lung function decline later in life by using a pooled cohort comprising approx. 11,000 adults followed for more than 20 years and with up to three lung function measurements.

Methods: Participants (20-68 years) in the ECRHS and NFBC1966 cohort studies followed in the periods 1991-2013 and 1997-2013, respectively, were included.

Long-term exposure to low-level air pollution and greenness and mortality in Northern Europe. The Life-GAP project.

Background: Air pollution has been linked to mortality, but there are few studies examining the association with different exposure time windows spanning across several decades. The evidence for the effects of green space and mortality is contradictory.

Objective: We investigated all-cause mortality in relation to exposure to particulate matter (PM and PM), black carbon (BC), nitrogen dioxide (NO), ozone (O) and greenness (normalized difference vegetation index - NDVI) across different exposure time windows.

Positive airway pressure treatment affects respiratory symptoms and gastro-oesophageal reflux: the Icelandic Sleep Apnea Cohort Study.

Aim: To study the effect of positive airway pressure (PAP) treatment on nocturnal gastro-oesophageal reflux (nGOR) and respiratory symptoms among clinical obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) patients.

Methods: 822 patients newly diagnosed with OSA referred for PAP treatment were recruited. 732 patients had a 2-year follow-up visit with continuous PAP compliance data (366 full PAP users, 366 partial/non-PAP users).

Fathers' preconception smoking and offspring DNA methylation.

Background: Experimental studies suggest that exposures may impact respiratory health across generations via epigenetic changes transmitted specifically through male germ cells. Studies in humans are, however, limited. We aim to identify epigenetic marks in offspring associated with father's preconception smoking.

Biomarkers of the L-Arginine/Dimethylarginine/Nitric Oxide Pathway in People with Chronic Airflow Obstruction and Obstructive Sleep Apnoea.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) are common chronic diseases that are associated with chronic and intermittent hypoxemia, respectively. Patients affected by the overlap of COPD and OSA have a particularly unfavourable prognosis. The L-arginine/nitric oxide (NO) pathway plays an important role in regulating pulmonary vascular function.

Association between abdominal and general obesity and respiratory symptoms, asthma and COPD. Results from the RHINE study.

Introduction: Previous studies on the association between abdominal and general obesity and respiratory disease have provided conflicting results.

Aims And Objectives: We aimed to explore the associations of abdominal obesity with respiratory symptoms, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease independently from general obesity in women and men.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was based on the Respiratory Health in Northern Europe (RHINE) III questionnaire (n = 12 290) conducted in 2010-2012.

Obesity does not modify the effect of continuous positive airway pressure on insulin resistance in adults with obstructive sleep apnoea.

https://bit.ly/3CtX7jZ.

Clinical Remission of Asthma and Allergic Rhinitis - in a Longitudinal Population Study.

Background: Although asthma and allergic rhinitis are chronic diseases, some patients experience periods of remission. Information on prognostic factors associated with the remission of asthma and allergic rhinitis is valuable in resource prioritization. This study investigated factors associated with the clinical remission of asthma and allergic rhinitis.

Female sex hormones and symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea in European women of a population-based cohort.

Background: The prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea is higher in women after menopause. This is suggested to be a result of an altered sex hormone balance but has so far not been confirmed in a population-based study.

Objective: To investigate whether serum concentration of estrogens and progesterone are associated with the prevalence of sleep apnea symptoms in middle-aged women of the general population.

Cohort profile: the multigeneration Respiratory Health in Northern Europe, Spain and Australia (RHINESSA) cohort.

Purpose: The Respiratory Health in Northern Europe, Spain and Australia (RHINESSA) cohort was established to (1) investigate how exposures before conception and in previous generations influence health and disease, particularly allergies and respiratory health, (2) identify susceptible time windows and (3) explore underlying mechanisms. The ultimate aim is to facilitate efficient intervention strategies targeting multiple generations.

Participants: RHINESSA includes study participants of multiple generations from ten study centres in Norway (1), Denmark (1), Sweden (3), Iceland (1), Estonia (1), Spain (2) and Australia (1).

Premature menopause and autoimmune primary ovarian insufficiency in two international multi-center cohorts.

Objective: To investigate markers of premature menopause (<40 years) and specifically the prevalence of autoimmune primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) in European women.

Design: Postmenopausal women were categorized according to age at menopause and self-reported reason for menopause in a cross-sectional analysis of 6870 women.

Methods: Variables associated with the timing of menopause and hormone measurements of 17β-estradiol and follicle-stimulating hormone were explored using multivariable logistic regression analysis.

Parental Prepuberty Overweight and Offspring Lung Function.

In a recent study we found that fathers' but not mothers' onset of overweight in puberty was associated with asthma in adult offspring. The potential impact on offspring's adult lung function, a key marker of general and respiratory health, has not been studied. We investigated the potential causal effects of parents' overweight on adult offspring's lung function within the paternal and maternal lines.

[Is Icelanders' sleep duration getting shorter? Review on sleep duration and sleeping habits].

Sleep health promotion is an ever-increasing subject of public discourse in Iceland. Prominent claims made include that the duration of sleep among Icelanders is shortening, and that changing sleeping habits constitute a significant public health risk. Like many aspects of healthcare, commercial interests and sales hype can skew perception.

Different components of excessive daytime sleepiness and the change with positive airway pressure treatment in patients with obstructive sleep apnea: Results from the Icelandic Sleep Apnea Cohort (ISAC).

Excessive daytime sleepiness includes both an inability to stay awake during the day and a general feeling of sleepiness. We describe different dimensions of daytime sleepiness in adults with moderate-severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) before and after 2 years of positive airway pressure (PAP) treatment. Using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (score >10 defined as "risk of dozing") and Basic Nordic Sleep Questionnaire (feeling sleepy ≥3 times/week defined as "feeling sleepy"), participants were categorised into sleepiness phenotypes labelled non-sleepy, risk of dozing only, feeling sleepy only, or both symptoms.

Quantitative analysis of size and regional distribution of corpora amylacea in the hippocampal formation of obstructive sleep apnoea patients.

Corpora amylacea (CoA) are spherical aggregates of glucose polymers and proteins within the periventricular, perivascular and subpial regions of the cerebral cortex and the hippocampal cornu ammonis (CA) subfields. The present study quantified the distribution of CoA in autopsied hippocampi of patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) using ethanolamine-induced fluorescence. CoA were observed in 29 of 30 patients (96.

Maternal preconception occupational exposure to cleaning products and disinfectants and offspring asthma.

Background: Emerging research suggests health effects in offspring after parental chemical exposures before conception. Many future mothers are exposed to potent chemicals at work, but potential offspring health effects are hardly investigated.

Objective: We sought to investigate childhood asthma in relation to mother's occupational exposure to cleaning products and disinfectants before conception.

Breathlessness across generations: results from the RHINESSA generation study.

Background: Breathlessness is a major cause of suffering and disability globally. The symptom relates to multiple factors including asthma and lung function, which are influenced by hereditary factors. No study has evaluated potential inheritance of breathlessness itself across generations.

Prenatal and prepubertal exposures to tobacco smoke in men may cause lower lung function in future offspring: a three-generation study using a causal modelling approach.

Mechanistic research suggests that lifestyle and environmental factors impact respiratory health across generations by epigenetic changes transmitted through male germ cells. Evidence from studies on humans is very limited.We investigated multigeneration causal associations to estimate the causal effects of tobacco smoking on lung function within the paternal line.