Socioeconomic status and anthropometric changes-A meta-analytic approach from seven German cohorts.

Objective: To study the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and annual relative change in anthropometric markers in the general German adult population.

Methods: Longitudinal data of 56,556 participants aged 18-83 years from seven population-based German cohort studies (CARLA, SHIP, KORA, DEGS, EPIC-Heidelberg, EPIC-Potsdam, PopGen) were analyzed by meta-analysis using a random-effects model. The indicators of SES were education and household income.

Regional variation of chronic kidney disease in Germany: results from two population-based surveys.

Background/aims: Due to the increasing prevalence of risk factors for chronic kidney disease (CKD), kidney dysfunction becomes a major public health problem. We investigated the CKD prevalence and determined to what extent the variation of risk factors explains the different CKD prevalence in Germany.

Methods: We analyzed data from 6,054 participants, aged 31 to 82 years, from the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP-1) in Northeast Germany and the Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg (KORA F4) Study in Southern Germany.

Genome-wide association study of kidney function decline in individuals of European descent.

Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified multiple loci associated with cross-sectional eGFR, but a systematic genetic analysis of kidney function decline over time is missing. Here we conducted a GWAS meta-analysis among 63,558 participants of European descent, initially from 16 cohorts with serial kidney function measurements within the CKDGen Consortium, followed by independent replication among additional participants from 13 cohorts. In stage 1 GWAS meta-analysis, single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at MEOX2, GALNT11, IL1RAP, NPPA, HPCAL1, and CDH23 showed the strongest associations for at least one trait, in addition to the known UMOD locus, which showed genome-wide significance with an annual change in eGFR.

Inverse association of estimated cystatin C- and creatinine-based glomerular filtration rate with left ventricular mass: Results from the Study of Health in Pomerania.

Background: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease in the general population and in patients with chronic kidney disease. The objective of this study was to investigate the association of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) with left ventricular mass index (LVMI), LVH and left ventricular geometry. A question of clinical relevance is whether estimated glomerular filtration rate based on cystatin C (eGFRcystatinC) is a better marker for cardiovascular risk than estimated glomerular filtration rate based on creatinine (eGFRcreatinine).

Subclinical hyperthyroidism is not associated with progression of cardiac mass and development of left ventricular hypertrophy in middle-aged and older subjects: results from a 5-year follow-up.

Background: Decreased serum TSH levels are associated with increased cardiovascular mortality in elderly, and subclinical hyperthyroidism (SCH) was associated with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) as a predictor of cardiovascular mortality in some cross-sectional and case-control studies. The aim was to assess whether SCH independently impacts development of LVH over time.

Methods: Of 3300 participants of the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania those with overt hyperthyroidism, hypothyroidism, possible thyroid disease or missing echocardiographic baseline data or follow-up were excluded, resulting in a study population of 1112 individuals (556 women) aged 45-81 years.

Peroxiredoxin III protects pancreatic ß cells from apoptosis.

Type 1 diabetes mellitus is characterized by a progressive autoimmune destruction of insulin-producing β cells. Macrophages and T lymphocytes release cytokines, which induce the synthesis of oxygen and nitrogen radicals in the pancreatic islets. The resulting cellular and mitochondrial damage promotes β cell death.

Lack of association between insulin-like growth factor-1 or insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-3 and left ventricular hypertrophy: results of the Study of Health in Pomerania.

Objective: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a major cardiac sequel of hypertension and a powerful predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Several nonpopulation-based studies explored the association between insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-I) and LVH with conflicting results. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of serum IGF-I or IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) levels with LVH in a population-based study.

Hepatic steatosis is associated with low serum testosterone and high serum DHEAS levels in men.

Obesity and metabolic syndrome are associated with low serum testosterone levels. Hepatic steatosis contributes to the metabolic syndrome and might be regarded as its hepatic manifestation. In this study, we sought to investigate the relationship between hepatic steatosis, serum testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEAS) levels in men.

Inverse association between number of teeth and left ventricular mass in women.

Objectives: Recently, we have demonstrated a sex-specific inverse association between the number of teeth and hypertension. Left ventricular hypertrophy is a major cardiac sequel of hypertension. With the present study we sought to investigate whether there is also an inverse association between the number of teeth and left ventricular mass (LVM).