Association Between Hearing and Vision Impairment and Risk of Dementia: Results of a Case-Control Study Based on Secondary Data

Introduction: Hearing and vision loss are highly prevalent in elderly adults, and thus frequently occur in conjunction with cognitive impairments. Studies have shown that hearing impairment is associated with a higher risk of dementia. However, evidence concerning the association between vision loss and dementia, as well as the co-occurrence of vision and hearing loss and dementia, has been inconclusive. Objectives: To assess the association between: (i) either hearing or vision loss and the risk of dementia, as well as between; and (ii) the combination of both sensory impairments and the risk of dementia. Methods: This case-control study was based on a 5-year data set that included patients aged 65 years and older who had initially been diagnosed with dementia diseases by one of 1,203 general practitioners in Germany between January 2013 and December 2017. In total, 61,354 identified dementia cases were matched to non-dementia controls, resulting in a sample size of 122,708 individuals. Hearing loss and vision loss were identified using the ICD-10 diagnoses documented in the general practitioners’ files prior to the initial dementia diagnosis. Multivariate logistic regression models were fitted to evaluate the associations between visual and/or hearing impairment and the risk of dementia and controlled for sociodemographic and clinical variables. Results: Hearing impairment was documented in 11.2% of patients with a dementia diagnosis and 9.5% of patients without such a diagnosis. Some form of vision impairment was documented in 28.4% of patients diagnosed with dementia and 28.8% of controls. Visual impairment was not significantly associated with dementia (OR = 0.97, CI = 95% 0.97–1.02, p = 0.219). However, patients with hearing impairment were at a significantly higher risk of developing dementia (OR = 1.26, CI = 95% 1.15–1.38, p < 0.001), a finding that very likely led to the observed significant association of the combination of both visual and hearing impairments and the risk of dementia (OR = 1.14, CI = 95% 1.04–1.24, p = 0.005). Discussion: This analysis adds important evidence that contributes to the limited body of knowledge about the association between hearing and/or vision loss and dementia. It further demonstrates that, of the two, only hearing impairment affects patients’ cognition and thus contributes to dementia risk

Sedimentologische Auswirkungen der Grundfischerei in der Kieler Bucht (Westliche Ostsee)

Sedimentological effects of trawl fishery are little investigated compared to the biological effects. The objectives for the present investigation concern the mechanical disturbance of the sediments and the reworking induced by the ploughing effect of the trawl-net otter boards. For investigation of the distribution of trawl-net tracks on the sediment surface and their morphological analysis highresolving side-scan Sonar and video instruments (ROV) were used, occasionally supported by scuba divers. Manifold mechanical effects on the sediments observed up to 23 cm sediment depth were studied on X-ray graphs from video-controlled box core sampling. The reworking of sediments is due to the suspension cloud during trawling as well as to erosion which acts preferredly at small-scale topography formed by the ploughing effect of the otter boards. Oblique action of the otter boards and their frequently jumping rnotion reduce the surface disturbed by trawling. Sedimentologische Auswirkungen der Grundfischerei sind bisher im Vergleich zu biologischen Effekten wenig untersucht. Die Fragestellung der vorliegenden Arbeit setzt hauptsächlich an den mechanischen Störungen und den Konsequenzen für die Sedimenturnlagerung durch den Einfluß der Grundfischerei, vor allem durch die Pflugwirkung der Scherbretter, im Gebiet der Kieler Bucht an. Die Verbreitung der Grundfischereispuren am Meeresboden wurde mit Hilfe eines hochauflösenden Seitensichtsonars untersucht, für die morphologische Analyse wurden zusätzlich Video- und Tauchbeobachtungen eingesetzt. Die mechanischen Störeffekte wurden an Röntgen-Radiographien untersucht. Die an Radiographien von video-gesteuerten Kastengreiferproben beobachtete Tiefenwirkung der mechanischen Störungen des Sedimentgefüges - Faltungs- und Wickelgefüge, Zerscherungen sowie Laminierung durch Pflugsohleneffekte werden beschrieben - beträgt bis zu 23 cm. Umlagerung erfolgt über die beim Grundfischen erzeugte Suspensionswolke sowie über Erosion, die an den durch die Scherbretter entstandenen Unebenheiten bevorzugt ansetzt. Die Verbreitung der Suspensionswolke erfolgt deshalb mehr lokal, während das erodierte Material durch episodische Bodenströmungen weiter verfrachtet wird. Eine beträchtliche Reduktion der Flächenwirkung der Scherbretter auf Schlickböden erfolgt dadurch, daß diese zum weitaus überwiegenden Teil nur schräg "über Eck" den Grund berühren oder, durch elastische Reaktion des Geschirrs auf den Sedimentwiderstand bedingt, sich hüpfend fortbewegen

Berichtsmodul 'Landwirtschaft und Umwelt' in den Umweltökonomischen Gesamtrechnungen: Konzept und beispielhafte Darstellung erster Ergebnisse

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Genetic variants of the promoter of the heme oxygenase-1 gene and their influence on cardiovascular disease (The Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health Study)

Background Heme oxygenase-1 is an inducible cytoprotective enzyme which handles oxidative stress by generating anti-oxidant bilirubin and vasodilating carbon monoxide. A (GT)n dinucleotide repeat and a -413A>T single nucleotide polymorphism have been reported in the promoter region of HMOX1 to both influence the occurrence of coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction. We sought to validate these observations in persons scheduled for coronary angiography. Methods We included 3219 subjects in the current analysis, 2526 with CAD including a subgroup of CAD and MI (n = 1339) and 693 controls. Coronary status was determined by coronary angiography. Risk factors and biochemical parameters (bilirubin, iron, LDL-C, HDL-C, and triglycerides) were determined by standard procedures. The dinucleotide repeat was analysed by PCR and subsequent sizing by capillary electrophoresis, the -413A>T polymorphism by PCR and RFLP. Results In the LURIC study the allele frequency for the -413A>T polymorphism is A = 0,589 and T = 0,411. The (GT)n repeats spread between 14 and 39 repeats with 22 (19.9%) and 29 (47.1%) as the two most common alleles. We found neither an association of the genotypes or allelic frequencies with any of the biochemical parameters nor with CAD or previous MI. Conclusion Although an association of these polymorphisms with the appearance of CAD and MI have been published before, our results strongly argue against a relevant role of the (GT)n repeat or the -413A>T SNP in the HMOX1 promoter in CAD or MI

Aufbau des Berichtsmoduls 'Landwirtschaft und Umwelt' in den Umweltökonomischen Gesamtrechnungen

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