The German COPD cohort COSYCONET: Aims, methods and descriptive analysis of the study population at baseline

Several clinical studies suggest the involvement of premature ageing processes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Using an epidemiological approach, we studied whether accelerated age ...

https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/erj/43/4/983.full.pdf

Telomere length in circulating leukocytes is associated with lung function and disease

Objective

Loneliness has a deep impact on quality of life in older people. Findings on sex-specific differences on the experience of loneliness remain sparse. This study compared the intensity of and factors associated with loneliness between men and women.



Methods

Analyses are based on the 2008/2009 data of the KORA-Age Study, comprising 4127 participants in the age range of 64–94 years. An age-stratified random subsample of 1079 subjects participated in a face-to-face interview. Loneliness was measured by using a short German version of the UCLA-Loneliness-Scale (12 items, Likert scaled, ranging from 0 to 36 points). Multiple logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyze the associations of socio-demographic, physical, and psychological factors with loneliness.



Results

The mean level of loneliness did not significantly differ between men (17.0 ± 4.5) and women (17.5 ± 5.1). However, among the oldest old (≥85 years), loneliness was higher in women (p value = 0.047). Depression, low satisfaction with life, and low resilience were associated significantly with loneliness, which was more pronounced in men. Living alone was not associated with loneliness, whereas lower social network was associated with a three time higher risk for feeling lonely in both men and women.



Conclusions

The extent of loneliness was equally distributed between men and women, although women were more disadvantaged regarding living arrangements as well as physical and mental health. However, loneliness was stronger associated with adverse mental health conditions in men. These findings should be considered when developing intervention strategies to reduce loneliness. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

How much does it hurt to be lonely? Mental and physical differences between older men and women in the KORA-Age Study.

Direct and indirect costs of COPD and its comorbidities: Results from the German COSYCONET study.

Background: Complaints of vertigo and dizziness are common in primary care in the aged. They can be caused by distinct vestibular disorders, but can also be a symptom in other conditions like non-vestibular sensory loss, vascular encephalopathy or anxiety. The aim of this study was to investigate the specific contribution of vertigo and dizziness to the total burden of disability in aged persons when controlling for the presence of other health conditions. Methods: Data originate from the MONICA/KORA study, a population-based cohort. Survivors of the original cohorts who were 65 years and older were examined by telephone interview in 2009. Disability was assessed with the Health Assessment Questionnaire. Logistic regression was used to adjust for potential confounders and additive regression to estimate the contribution of vertigo and dizziness to disability prevalence. Results: Adjusted for age, sex and other chronic conditions, vertigo and dizziness were associated with disability (odds ratio 1.66, 95% confidence intervals 1.40-1.98). In both men and women between 65 and 79 years, vertigo and dizziness were among the strongest contributors to the burden of disability with a prevalence of 10.5% (6.6 to 15.1) in men and 9.0% (5.7 to 13.0) in women. In men, this effect is stable across all age-groups, whereas it decreases with age in women. Conclusions: Vertigo and dizziness independently and relevantly contribute to population-attributable disability in the aged. They are not inevitable consequences of ageing but arise from distinct disease entities. Careful management of vertigo and dizziness might increase population health and reduce disability.

Burden of disability attributable to vertigo and dizziness in the aged: results from the KORA-Age study

Background The objective of the KORA-Age research consortium is to assess the determinants and consequences of multimorbidity in the elderly and to look into reasons for successful aging in the general public. Patients and methods In the KORA-Age cohort study 9,197 persons were included who where born in the year 1943 or before and participants of previous KORA cohort studies conducted between 1984 and 2001 (KORA: Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg). The randomized intervention study KORINNA (Coronary infarct follow-up treatment in the elderly) tested a nurse-based case management program with 338 patients with myocardial infarct and included an evaluation in health economics. Results A total of 2,734 deaths were registered, 4,565 participants submitted a postal health status questionnaire and 4,127 participants were interviewed by telephone (response 76.2% and 68.9% respectively). A gender and age-stratified random sample of the cohort consisting of 1,079 persons took part in a physical examination (response 53.8%). Conclusion The KORA-Age consortium was able to collect data in a large population-based sample and is contributing to the understanding of multimorbidity and successful aging.

/pdf/multimorbidity-and-successful-aging-the-population-based-3owneg34h0.pdf

[Multimorbidity and successful aging: the population-based KORA-Age study].

Hintergrund
Das KORA-Age-Verbundprojekt hat zum Ziel, die Determinanten und Folgen von Multimorbiditat im Alter zu ermitteln und nach Faktoren des erfolgreichen Alterns in der Allgemeinbevolkerung zu suchen.

/pdf/multimorbiditat-und-erfolgreiches-altern-1rfip9gskj.pdf

B. Kranz

Papers

[Multimorbidity and successful aging: the population-based KORA-Age study].

Multimorbidität und erfolgreiches Altern