Search results for "POPULATION"

Health indicators as indicators of the progress of civilization

2018

Projecting the spread of COVID-19 for Germany

2020

We model the evolution of the number of individuals that are reported to be sick with COVID-19 in Germany. Our theoretical framework builds on a continuous time Markov chain with four states: healthy without infection, sick, healthy after recovery or after infection but without symptoms and dead. Our quantitative solution matches the number of sick individuals up to the most recent observation and ends with a share of sick individuals following from infection rates and sickness probabilities. We employ this framework to study inter alia the expected peak of the number of sick individuals in a scenario without public regulation of social contacts. We also study the effects of public regulati…

Genetic and environmental aspect of polycystic ovary syndrome.

2004

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a heterogeneous syndrome determined in most patients by the association of two main factors: hyperandrogenism and insulin resistance. These characters are probably independent of each other and seem to be inherited by several different mechanisms. In some patients homozygous gene alteration has been found but in most patients PCOS seems to be determined by the association of gene polymorphisms that are common in the general population but alone are unable to determine phenotypic consequences. Alteration of genes that regulate the initial steps of ovarian steroidogenesis is probably the main causal factor of hyperandrogenism. Insulin resistance may be the …

Maintenance of iodine intake

2013

Dietary iodine status is routinely assessed by measuring urinary iodine excretion (UI). In most European countries iodine intake is maintained at WHO recommended levels by iodisation of table salt [1]. Exceptions to this practice include Ireland and the UK where only 5% (approximately) of table salt sold is iodine supplemented. However despite the finding of relatively low median UI values in study populations in both Ireland and the UK [2-4] there is little evidence of an increased prevalence of hypothyroidism, overt or subclinical, of non autoimmune pathogenesis [5-8]. In this communication studies on iodine status in the Irish population over the years 1988-2007 are reviewed, as are inve…

There is a Relationship Between Obesity and Coronavirus Disease 2019 but More Information is Needed

2020

We read with particular interest your comments in Obesity regarding the Coronavirus‐19 (COVID‐19) epidemic (1) and a related manuscript by Simonnet et al. (2). Resolution of the specific relationship between obesity and COVID‐19, two existing public health epidemics, is critically needed to potentially prevent health systems worldwide from being overburdened. Few studies describing COVID‐19 with rates of obesity exist, and most are based on heterogeneous populations (Table 1) (2‐7). In cohort studies with COVID‐19 disease, obesity rates are generally reported as no higher than population‐based estimates; in contrast, subgroups of critically ill patients (e.g, intensive care unit (ICU)) repo…

Clinical inertia is the enemy of therapeutic success in the management of diabetes and its complications: A narrative literature review

2020

AbstractDiabetes mellitus is a chronic disease characterized by high social, economic and health burden, mostly due to the high incidence and morbidity of diabetes complications. Numerous studies have shown that optimizing metabolic control may reduce the risk of micro and macrovascular complications related to the disease, and the algorithms suggest that an appropriate and timely step of care intensification should be proposed after 3 months from the failure to achieve metabolic goals. Nonetheless, many population studies show that glycemic control in diabetic patients is often inadequate. The phenomenon of clinical inertia in diabetology, defined as the failure to start a therapy or its i…

Effects of aerobic exercise and diet intervention on glycaemic control and liver fat content in men and women aged 50–65 years with prediabetes and n…

2016

Abstract Background Prediabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease precede development of type 2 diabetes; however, appropriate lifestyle interventions might help to prevent such progression. We aimed to test whether aerobic exercise training and a high-fibre diet can reduce hepatic fat content and increase insulin sensitivity in individuals with prediabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Methods We did a randomised controlled trial in seven clinics in Yangpu district, Shanghai, China. We recruited individuals aged 50–65 years with impaired fasting glucose (5·6–6·9 mmol/L) or impaired glucose tolerance (2 h glucose 7·8–11·0 mmol/L) and diagnosed non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.…

Vitamin D status and hypercholesterolemia in Spanish general population.

2013

Low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels have been associated with increased prevalence of cardiovascular diseases. A possible relation between lipids and 25(OH)D might explain this association. This investigation aimed to determine the association between vitamin D and cholesterol, as well as the influence of statins on this association. This was a cross-sectional population-based study with 177 subjects aged 18-84 years. We collected demographics and data on sun exposure, sun protection habits, current medication including lipid-lowering drugs, and estimated vitamin D intake. Serum measurements included levels of 25(OH)D, parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcium, phosphorus, total cholest…

Glycolysis Metabolites and Risk of Atrial Fibrillation and Heart Failure in the PREDIMED Trial

2021

The increased prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) highlights the need to better understand the mechanisms underlying these cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the association between glycolysis-related metabolites and the risk of AF and HF in a Mediterranean population at high risk of CVD. We used two case-control studies nested within the PREDIMED trial. A total of 512 incident AF cases matched to 734 controls, and 334 incident HF cases matched to 508 controls, were included. Plasma metabolites were quantified by using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution negative ion mode MS detection. C…

Effects of alcohol-free beer on lipid profile and parameters of oxidative stress and inflammation in elderly women

2009

We assessed the influence of alcohol-free beer on factors implicated in atherosclerosis, such as lipid profile, oxidative stress parameters, and proinflammatory cytokines, in postmenopausal women, a population particularly at risk for atherosclerotic disease.The study was carried out in 29 nuns, 58 to 73 y old, who live in a convent with a disciplined, regular, and homogeneous lifestyle. The nuns maintained their habits and diet routine, but their meals were supplemented with 500 mL/d of alcohol-free beer (0.0%) divided into two doses over a 45-d period. Lipid profile, inflammatory markers such as C-reactive protein, interleukins 1 and 6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and parameters of o…