Associations between Quasi-biennial Oscillation phase, solar wind, geomagnetic activity, and the incidence of acute myocardial infarction.

An increase in the daily rate of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has been observed during days of geomagnetic storm (GS). However, the analysis of associations between the daily number of AMI and geomagnetic activity (GMA) over longer periods sometimes yields controversial results. The study aimed to detect the complex association between the daily numbers of AMI and weather, the Quasi-biennial Oscillation (QBO) phase, GMA, and solar wind variables.

Link of ocular pseudoexfoliation syndrome and vascular system changes: results from 10-year follow-up study.

Purpose: To examine the 10-year incidence of the pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX) in adults in a population-based follow-up study, to determine its link with vascular diseases, and to identify possible risk factors of the PEX.

Methods: The baseline examination was performed in 2006 on a random sample of 1033 participants from Kaunas city (Lithuania) population. In 2016, a follow-up study of 686 participants who returned for the examination was conducted.

Long-Term Survival after Acute Myocardial Infarction in Lithuania during Transitional Period (1996-2015): Data from Population-Based Kaunas Ischemic Heart Disease Register.

: There is a lack of reliable epidemiological data on the long-term survival after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the Lithuanian population. The aim of the study was to evaluate the long-term (36 months) survival after AMI among persons aged 25-64 years, who had experienced AMI in four time-periods 1996, 2003-2004, 2008, and 2012. : The source of the data was Kaunas population-based Ischemic heart disease (IHD) register.

Long-term survival after stroke in Lithuania: Data from Kaunas population-based stroke registry.

Background: There is a lack of reliable epidemiological data on long-term survival trends of first-ever stroke patients in Lithuanian population.

Aims: To evaluate trends in long-term survival after stroke and to determine the influence of some sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, time and subtype of stroke, and stroke care on survival.

Methods: All stroke events included in Kaunas stroke register database were ascertained and validated according to the standardized criteria outlined by the WHO MONICA Project.

Trends in electrocardiographic abnormalities and risk of cardiovascular mortality in Lithuania, 1986-2015.

Background: This study aimed to assess the trends in the prevalence of electrocardiographic (ECG) abnormalities from 1986 to 2015 and impact of ECG abnormalities on risk of death from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) in the Lithuanian population aged 40-64 years.

Methods: Data from four surveys carried out in Kaunas city and five randomly selected municipalities of Lithuania were analysed. A resting ECG was recorded and CVD risk factors were measured in each survey.

The influence of the North Atlantic Oscillation index on arterial blood pressure.

Aim: to detect the complex association between arterial blood pressure (BP) and air temperature, atmospheric pressure, relative humidity, wind speed, and North Atlantic oscillation (NAO) indices.

Methods: Data were obtained from the survey performed in the framework of the international Health, Alcohol and Psychosocial Factors in Eastern Europe study. The number of individuals used in the models or other analysed groups was 7077.

Blood troponin levels in acute cardiac events depends on space weather activity components (a correlative study).

Background: Many biological processes are influenced by space weather activity components such as solar activity (SA), geomagnetic activity (GMA) and cosmic ray activity (CRA). Examples are total mortality, acute myocardial infarction (AMI), stroke (cerebrovascular accident), sudden cardiac death, some congenital maladies (congenital heart disease and Down syndrome), many events in neonatology, ophtalmology, blood pressure regulation, blood coagulation, inflammation, etc. The aim of this study was to check if the level of blood troponins (Tns) - markers of myocardial damage and recognized components of modern description of AMI - is connected with the mentioned space weather parameters.

Trends in the Attack Rates, Incidence, and Mortality of Stroke during 1986-2012: Data of Kaunas (Lithuania) Stroke Registry.

Background: There is a lack of reliable epidemiological data on longitudinal trends in stroke attack rates, incidence, and mortality in the countries of the Baltic region.

Aims: The aim of the present study was to explore the longitudinal trends of stroke in middle-aged urban population of Lithuania during the period of 1986 through 2012.

Methods: All stroke events in the studied population were ascertained and validated according to the standardized criteria outlined by the WHO MONICA Project.

The Prognostic Value of Family History for the Estimation of Cardiovascular Mortality Risk in Men: Results from a Long-Term Cohort Study in Lithuania.

Aim: To evaluate the additional prognostic value of family history for the estimation of cardiovascular (CVD) mortality risk in middle-aged urban Lithuanian men.

Methods: The association between family history of CVD and the risk of CVD mortality was examined in a population-based cohort of 6,098 men enrolled during 1972-1974 and 1976-1980 in Kaunas, Lithuania. After up to 40 years of follow-up, 2,272 deaths from CVD and 1,482 deaths from coronary heart disease (CHD) were identified.

Anthropometric trends and the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality in a Lithuanian urban population aged 45-64 years.

Aims: To estimate trends in anthropometric indexes from 1992 to 2008 and to evaluate the risk of cardiovascular disease mortality in relation to anthropometric indexes (body mass index, waist circumference, waist:hip ratio, waist:height ratio).

Methods: Data from the three surveys (1992-2008) are presented. A random sample of 5147 subjects aged 45-64 years was selected for statistical analysis.

Smoking and All-cause Mortality in Older Adults: Results From the CHANCES Consortium.

Introduction: Smoking is known to be a major cause of death among middle-aged adults, but evidence on its impact and the benefits of smoking cessation among older adults has remained limited. Therefore, we aimed to estimate the influence of smoking and smoking cessation on all-cause mortality in people aged ≥60 years.

Methods: Relative mortality and mortality rate advancement periods (RAPs) were estimated by Cox proportional hazards models for the population-based prospective cohort studies from Europe and the U.

Trends in out-of-hospital ischemic heart disease mortality for the 25-64 year old population of Kaunas, Lithuania, based on data from the 1988-2012 Ischemic Heart Disease Registry.

Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate trends in out-of-hospital ischemic heart disease (IHD) mortality in the Kaunas, Lithuania population aged 25-64, from 1988 to 2012.

Methods: The registry was maintained according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations for the multinational MONICA (MONItoring of trends and determinants in CArdiovascular disease) project. We analysed out-of-hospital deaths from IHD, by sex and age groups, using the linear logistic regression model for identifying trends.

Health factors and risk of all-cause, cardiovascular, and coronary heart disease mortality: findings from the MONICA and HAPIEE studies in Lithuania.

Aims: This study investigated the trends and levels of the prevalence of health factors, and the association of all-cause and cardiovascular (CVD) mortality with healthy levels of combined risk factors among Lithuanian urban population.

Methods: Data from five general population surveys in Kaunas, Lithuania, conducted between 1983 and 2008 were used. Healthy factors measured at baseline include non-smoking, normal weight, normal arterial blood pressure, normal level of total serum cholesterol, normal physical activity and normal level of fasting glucose.

Trends of myocardial infarction morbidity and its associations with weather conditions.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the trends of myocardial infarction (MI) morbidity and evaluate the associations with some meteorological factors.

Materials And Methods: Data on MI morbidity were collected from Kaunas ischemic heart disease registry and information about meteorological factors from Kaunas meteorological station was collected.

Results: The overall morbidity rates of acute MI among men aged 25-64 increased by 2.

The relationship of green space, depressive symptoms and perceived general health in urban population.

Aims: To assess the relationship between green space proximity, use of green space and depressive symptoms and perceived general health among a random sample men and women.

Methods: Cross-sectional study of a population-based sample of 6,944 45-72 year old Kaunas city residents. Self-reported questionnaires provided information on sociodemographic variables, health behaviours, depressive symptoms and poor and very poor perceived general health.

Accessibility and use of urban green spaces, and cardiovascular health: findings from a Kaunas cohort study.

Background: The aims of this study were to explore associations of the distance and use of urban green spaces with the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and its risk factors, and to evaluate the impact of the accessibility and use of green spaces on the incidence of CVD among the population of Kaunas city (Lithuania).

Methods: We present the results from a Kaunas cohort study on the access to and use of green spaces, the association with cardiovascular risk factors and other health-related variables, and the risk of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. A random sample of 5,112 individuals aged 45-72 years was screened in 2006-2008.

Birth month and longevity: birth month of victims of sudden (SCD, ≤1 h) and rapid (RCD, ≤24 h) cardiac deaths.

Background: After a publication of a study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA in 2001, we published three studies related to birth month and morbidity of patients that can affect longevity. The aim of this study is to check two groups of cardiac deaths, consisting of more than 50% of cardiovascular mortality in the industrial world, to examine this paradigm.

Methods: Patients suffering rapid cardiac death (RCD) (≤24 h) and sudden cardiac death (SCD) (≤1 h) in Lithuanian Medical Science University hospital, a tertiary 3000-bed facility, in 2000-2010 were studied.

The effect of atmospheric temperature and pressure on the occurrence of acute myocardial infarction in Kaunas.

OBJECTIVE. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of meteorological variables (atmospheric temperature and pressure) on the daily occurrence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). MATERIAL AND METHODS.

All-cause and cardiovascular mortality risk estimation using different definitions of metabolic syndrome in Lithuanian urban population.

Objective: The objective of the study was to assess mortality risk in the subjects with diagnosed metabolic syndrome (MS) using National Cholesterol Educational Program (NCEP-ATPIII), American Heart Association and National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (AHA/NHLBI) International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and Joint Interim Societies (JIS) definitions.

Methods: Two random samples aged 35-64 years were examined in 1992-2002 in the framework within the Multinational Monitoring of Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease (MONICA) study (N=2455). The follow-up was carried out in terms of the end points reached from the baseline health examinations until December 31, 2009.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) (n-11026) on days of zero geomagnetic activity (GMA) and the following week: differences at months of maximal and minimal solar activity (SA) in solar cycles 23 and 24.

Background: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is one of most common cardiovascular pathologies in the industrial world. In addition to known risk factors, environmental physical activity factors such as solar activity (SA), geomagnetic activity (GMA), and cosmic ray activity (CRA) could be also involved in the timing of AMI. The aim of this study was to study AMI admissions at days of zero GMA, accompanied by high CRA, and the following week in the higher and lowest parts of solar cycles 23 and 24.

Estimation of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risk in relation to leisure-time physical activity: a cohort study.

Background And Objective: Epidemiologists agree that physical activity has a protective role in morbidity and mortality mainly through its positive impact on risk factors. So far, most studies have confirmed that CVD risk decreases with an increasing physical activity level, but it is not known what level of physical activity is already sufficient for mortality risk reduction. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore long-term associations between leisure-time physical activity and mortality risk in the Lithuanian urban population.

Recent heavy alcohol consumption at death certified as ischaemic heart disease: correcting mortality data from Kaunas (Lithuania).

Aims: To assess the proportion of deaths assigned to ischaemic heart disease (IHD) which in fact were caused by the toxic effects of alcohol, and how this may affect the official statistics of mortality from IHD in Lithuania.

Methods: Using the IHD register in Kaunas, Lithuania, and verifying underlying causes of death using standard international methodology, 3061 cases were found in Kaunas city who had died from IHD at age 25-64 during 1993-2007. Out-of-hospital sudden deaths accounted for 2467 cases (81%), including 1498 where forensic autopsy was conducted and post-mortem concentration of alcohol in blood and urine was available.

The dependence of successful resuscitation on electrocardiographically documented cardiac rhythm in case of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Objective: To determine the influence of electrocardiographically documented cardiac rhythm during sudden cardiac arrest on successful resuscitation among out-of-hospital deaths in Kaunas city.

Material And Methods: An observational prospective study was conducted between 1 January, 2005, and 30 December, 2005, in Kaunas city with a population of 360,627 inhabitants. In this period, all cases of cardiac arrest were analyzed according to the guidelines of the Utstein consensus conference.

Link between monthly rates of four subtypes of acute myocardial infarction and their corresponding cosmophysical activity parameters.

Unlabelled: The aim of this study was (1) to examine the relation between the monthly rate of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and three cosmophysical activity parameters: solar activity (SA), geomagnetic activity (GMA), and cosmic rays activity (CRA) levels; (2) to study whether different subtypes of AMI: ST-elevation MI (STEMI), non-ST-elevation (NSTEMI), Q-wave (Q-waveMI) and non-Q-wave (NQ-wave MI) are linked with monthly cosmophysical indices or with the daily level (I degrees-IV degrees) of GMA.

Methods: For the first question, we studied for 204 consecutive months (1983-1999) 16,683 patients (including 10405 males) with AMI who were included in the Kaunas Registry and for the second, 3824 AMI patients (2342 males), 72-month data. Cosmophysical data were obtained from the Apatity Neutron Monitoring Station of the Russian Academy of Science.

[Trends in morbidity from acute myocardial infarction, risk factors and risk of ischemia].

The Aim: To assess the linkages of trends between the mean values of main risk factors of ischemic heart disease, the overall high risk of coronary within 10 years and morbidity from acute myocardial infarction in Kaunas population aged 35-64 years during the period from 1983 to 2002.

Material And Methods: Data sources were four cross-sectional surveys (1983-1984, 1986-1987, 1992-1993, 2001-2002) and population-based ischemic heart disease register (1983-2001) of Kaunas population aged 35-64 years. Data collection was conducted according to the method using in the Multinational Monitoring of Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease (MONICA) project.