| 1. |
- Armbrecht, Gabriele, et al.
(författare)
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Degenerative inter-vertebral disc disease osteochondrosis intervertebralis in Europe : Prevalence, geographic variation and radiological correlates in men and women aged 50 and over
- 2017
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Ingår i: Rheumatology. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1462-0324 .- 1462-0332. ; 56:7, s. 1189-1199
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives. To assess the prevalences across Europe of radiological indices of degenerative inter-vertebral disc disease (DDD); and to quantify their associations with, age, sex, physical anthropometry, areal BMD (aBMD) and change in aBMD with time. Methods. In the population-based European Prospective Osteoporosis Study, 27 age-stratified samples of men and women from across the continent aged 50+ years had standardized lateral radiographs of the lumbar and thoracic spine to evaluate the severity of DDD, using the Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) scale. Measurements of anterior, mid-body and posterior vertebral heights on all assessed vertebrae from T4 to L4 were used to generate indices of end-plate curvature. Results. Images from 10 132 participants (56% female, mean age 63.9 years) passed quality checks. Overall, 47% of men and women had DDD grade 3 or more in the lumbar spine and 36% in both thoracic and lumbar spine. Risk ratios for DDD grades 3 and 4, adjusted for age and anthropometric determinants, varied across a three-fold range between centres, yet prevalences were highly correlated in men and women. DDD was associated with flattened, non-ovoid inter-vertebral disc spaces. KL grade 4 and loss of inter-vertebral disc space were associated with higher spine aBMD. Conclusion. KL grades 3 and 4 are often used clinically to categorize radiological DDD. Highly variable European prevalences of radiologically defined DDD grades 3+ along with the large effects of age may have growing and geographically unequal health and economic impacts as the population ages. These data encourage further studies of potential genetic and environmental causes.
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| 2. |
- Herrick, Ariane L, et al.
(författare)
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Treatment outcome in early diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis : The European Scleroderma Observational Study (ESOS)
- 2017
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Ingår i: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. - : BMJ. - 0003-4967 .- 1468-2060. ; 76:7, s. 1207-1218
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives: The rarity of early diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc) makes randomised controlled trials very difficult. We aimed to use an observational approach to compare effectiveness of currently used treatment approaches. Methods: This was a prospective, observational cohort study of early dcSSc (within three years of onset of skin thickening). Clinicians selected one of four protocols for each patient: methotrexate, mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), cyclophosphamide or 'no immunosuppressant'. Patients were assessed three-monthly for up to 24 months. The primary outcome was the change in modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS). Confounding by indication at baseline was accounted for using inverse probability of treatment (IPT) weights. As a secondary outcome, an IPT-weighted Cox model was used to test for differences in survival. Results Of 326 patients recruited from 50 centres, 65 were prescribed methotrexate, 118 MMF, 87 cyclophosphamide and 56 no immunosuppressant. 276 (84.7%) patients completed 12 and 234 (71.7%) 24 months follow-up (or reached last visit date). There were statistically significant reductions in mRSS at 12 months in all groups: -4.0 (-5.2 to -2.7) units for methotrexate, -4.1 (-5.3 to -2.9) for MMF, -3.3 (-4.9 to -1.7) for cyclophosphamide and -2.2 (-4.0 to -0.3) for no immunosuppressant (p value for between-group differences=0.346). There were no statistically significant differences in survival between protocols before (p=0.389) or after weighting (p=0.440), but survival was poorest in the no immunosuppressant group (84.0%) at 24 months. Conclusions: These findings may support using immunosuppressants for early dcSSc but suggest that overall benefit is modest over 12 months and that better treatments are needed.
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| 3. |
- McBeth, John, et al.
(författare)
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Musculoskeletal pain is associated with very low levels of vitamin D in men: results from the European Male Ageing Study
- 2010
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Ingår i: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. - : BMJ. - 1468-2060 .- 0003-4967. ; 69:8, s. 1448-1452
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction A study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that musculoskeletal pain is associated with low vitamin D levels but the relationship is explained by physical inactivity and/or other putative confounding factors. Methods Men aged 40-79 years completed a postal questionnaire including a pain assessment and attended a clinical assessment (lifestyle questionnaire, physical performance tests, 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25-(OH) D) levels from fasting blood sample). Subjects were classified according to 25-(OH) D levels as 'normal' (>= 15 ng/ml) or 'low' (<15 ng/ml). The relationship between pain status and 25-(OH) D levels was assessed using logistic regression. Results are expressed as ORs and 95% CIs. Results 3075 men of mean (SD) age 60 (11) years were included in the analysis. 1262 (41.0%) subjects were pain-free, 1550 (50.4%) reported 'other pain' that did not satisfy criteria for chronic widespread pain (CWP) and 263 (8.6%) reported CWP. Compared with patients who were pain-free, those with 'other pain' and CWP had lower 25-(OH) D levels (n = 239 (18.9%), n = 361 (23.3) and n = 67 (24.1%), respectively, p < 0.05). After adjusting for age, having 'other pain' was associated with a 30% increase in the odds of having low 25-(OH) D while CWP was associated with a 50% increase. These relationships persisted after adjusting for physical activity levels. Adjusting for additional lifestyle factors (body mass index, smoking and alcohol use) and depression attenuated these relationships, although pain remained moderately associated with increased odds of 20% of having low vitamin D levels. Conclusions These findings have implications at a population level for the long-term health of individuals with musculoskeletal pain.
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| 4. |
- McBeth, John, et al.
(författare)
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Perturbed Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) and IGF Binding Protein-3 Are Not Associated with Chronic Widespread Pain in Men: Results from the European Male Ageing Study.
- 2009
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Ingår i: Journal of Rheumatology. - : The Journal of Rheumatology. - 0315-162X .- 1499-2752. ; 36, s. 2523-2530
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To determine whether perturbations of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) were associated with the presence of chronic widespread pain (CWP) in men. METHODS: The European Male Ageing Study (EMAS) is an 8-center population-based study of men aged 40-79 years recruited from population registers. A questionnaire asked about the presence and duration of musculoskeletal pain, from which subjects reporting CWP were identified. Subjects also had an interviewer-assisted questionnaire: levels of physical activity and mood were assessed, and height and weight were measured. IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 were assayed from a fasting blood sample. Logistic regression models were used to determine the association between IGF measures and CWP. Results were expressed as odds ratios or relative risk ratios. RESULTS: A total of 3206 subjects provided full data. Of those, 1314 (39.0%) reported no pain in the past month and 278 (8.3%) reported pain that satisfied criteria for CWP. IGF-1 concentrations were similar among subjects who reported no pain and those with CWP: 131.5 mg/l and 128.4 mg/l, respectively. This was true also for IGFBP-3 (4.3 and 4.3 mg/l). Obesity was associated with low IGF-1 and a high IGFBP-3/IGF-1 ratio, indicating less bioavailable IGF-1, irrespective of pain status. This relationship persisted after adjustment for comorbidities, depression, smoking, alcohol consumption, and quality of life. CONCLUSION: Overall CWP was not associated with perturbations in IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 concentrations. Hypofunctioning of the axis was noted among subjects who were obese and this was not specific to CWP. These data suggest that IGF-1 is unlikely to be etiologically important in relation to CWP, although the relationship with growth hormone remains to be elucidated.
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| 5. |
- Peytrignet, Sébastien, et al.
(författare)
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Disability, fatigue, pain and their associates in early diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis: the European Scleroderma Observational Study.
- 2018
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Ingår i: Rheumatology (Oxford, England). - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1462-0332 .- 1462-0324. ; 57:2, s. 370-381
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Our aim was to describe the burden of early dcSSc in terms of disability, fatigue and pain in the European Scleroderma Observational Study cohort, and to explore associated clinical features.Patients completed questionnaires at study entry, 12 and 24 months, including the HAQ disability index (HAQ-DI), the Cochin Hand Function Scale (CHFS), the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-fatigue and the Short Form 36 (SF36). Associates examined included the modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS), current digital ulcers and internal organ involvement. Correlations between 12-month changes were also examined.The 326 patients recruited (median disease duration 11.9 months) displayed high levels of disability [mean (s.d.) HAQ-DI 1.1 (0.83)], with 'grip' and 'activity' being most affected. Of the 18 activities assessed in the CHFS, those involving fine finger movements were most affected. High HAQ-DI and CHFS scores were both associated with high mRSS (ρ = 0.34, P < 0.0001 and ρ = 0.35, P < 0.0001, respectively). HAQ-DI was higher in patients with digital ulcers (P = 0.004), pulmonary fibrosis (P = 0.005), cardiac (P = 0.005) and muscle involvement (P = 0.002). As anticipated, HAQ-DI, CHFS, the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy and SF36 scores were all highly correlated, in particular the HAQ-DI with the CHFS (ρ = 0.84, P < 0.0001). Worsening HAQ-DI over 12 months was strongly associated with increasing mRSS (ρ = 0.40, P < 0.0001), decreasing hand function (ρ = 0.57, P < 0.0001) and increasing fatigue (ρ = -0.53, P < 0.0001).The European Scleroderma Observational Study highlights the burden of disability in early dcSSc, with high levels of disability and fatigue, associating with the degree of skin thickening (mRSS). Impaired hand function is a major contributor to overall disability.
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| 6. |
- Tajar, Abdelouahid, et al.
(författare)
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Elevated levels of gonadotrophins but not sex steroids are associated with musculoskeletal pain in middle-aged and older European men
- 2011
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Ingår i: Pain. - : Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health). - 1872-6623 .- 0304-3959. ; 152:7, s. 1495-1501
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this study was to determine the association of hormone levels with the occurrence of musculoskeletal pain. Men ages 40 to 79 years were recruited from population registers in 8 European centres. Subjects were asked to complete a postal questionnaire, which enquired about lifestyle and the occurrence of musculoskeletal pain over the past month. Total testosterone (T), oestradiol (E2), luteinising hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were assayed from a fasting blood sample. The association between pain status and hormone levels was assessed using multinomial logistic regression with results expressed as relative risk ratios (RRR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). A total of 3206 men had complete data on pain status. Of these, 8.7% reported chronic widespread pain (CWP), whereas 50% had some pain although not CWP and were classified as having some pain. T and E2 were not associated with musculoskeletal pain, whereas significant differences in LH and FSH levels were found between pain groups. After adjustment for age and other possible confounders, the association between pain status and both LH and FSH persisted. Compared with those in the lowest tertile of LH, those in the highest tertile were more likely to report some pain (vs no pain, RRR = 1.28; 95% CI 1.09 to 1.50) and also CWP (vs no pain, RRR = 1.51; 95% CI 1.10 to 2.07). Similar results were found for FSH. Gonadotrophins, but not sex steroid hormone levels, are associated with musculoskeletal pain in men. (C) 2011 International Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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| 7. |
- Boonen, Steven, et al.
(författare)
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Influence of bone remodelling rate on quantitative ultrasound parameters at the calcaneus and DXA BMDa of the hip and spine in middle-aged and elderly European men: the European Male Ageing Study (EMAS)
- 2011
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Ingår i: European Journal of Endocrinology. - 1479-683X. ; 165:6, s. 977-986
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To assess the influence of sex hormones on markers of bone turnover and to explore the association between these markers and bone health in middle-aged and elderly European men. Design: A cross-sectional population-based survey. Methods: Men aged 40-79 years were recruited from population registers in eight European centres. Subjects completed a postal questionnaire which included questions concerning lifestyle and were invited to undergo quantitative ultrasound (QUS) of the calcaneus and to provide a fasting blood sample from which the bone markers serum N-terminal propeptide of type 1 procollagen (P1NP) and crosslinks (beta C-terminal cross-linked telopeptide (beta-cTX)), total testosterone, total oestradiol (E-2), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) were measured. Dualenergy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) of the hip and lumbar spine was performed in two centres. Results: A total of 3120, mean age 59.9 years (S.D. = 11.0) were included. After adjustment for centre, age, height, weight, lifestyle factors, season and other hormones, total and free E-2 were negatively associated with beta-cTX but not P1NP while SHBG, IGF1 and parathyroid hormone (PTH) were positively associated with both beta-cTX and P1NP. Total or free testosterone was not independently associated with either bone marker. After the same adjustments, higher levels of both bone markers were significantly associated with lower QUS parameters and lower DXA-assessed bone density at the total hip and lumbar spine. Conclusions: E-2, SHBG, IGF1 and PTH contribute significantly to the regulation/rate of bone turnover in middle-aged and older European men. Higher rates of bone remodelling are negatively associated with male bone health.
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| 8. |
- Corona, Giovanni, et al.
(författare)
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Age-Related Changes in General and Sexual Health in Middle-Aged and Older Men: Results from the European Male Ageing Study (EMAS)
- 2010
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Ingår i: Journal of Sexual Medicine. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 1743-6109 .- 1743-6095. ; 7:4, s. 1362-1380
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Introduction. Limited information is available concerning the general and sexual health status of European men. Aim. To investigate the age-related changes in general and sexual health in middle-aged and older men from different countries of the European Union. Methods. This is a cross-sectional multicenter survey performed on a sample of 3,369 community-dwelling men aged 40-79 years old (mean 60 +/- 11 years). Subjects were randomly selected from eight European centers including centers from nontransitional (Florence [Italy], Leuven [Belgium], Malmo [Sweden], Manchester [United Kingdom], Santiago de Compostela [Spain]) and transitional countries (Lodz [Poland], Szeged [Hungary], Tartu [Estonia]). Main Outcome Measures. Different parameters were evaluated including the Beck's Depression Inventory for the quantification of depressive symptoms, the Short Form-36 Health Survey for the assessment of the quality of life (QoL), the International Prostate Symptom Score for the evaluation of lower urinary tract symptoms, and the European Male Ageing Study sexual function questionnaire for the study of sexual function. Results. More than 50% of subjects reported the presence of one or more common morbidities. Overall, hypertension (29%), obesity (24%), and heart diseases (16%) were the most prevalent conditions. Around 30% of men reported erectile dysfunction (ED) and 6% reported severe orgasmic impairment, both of which were closely associated with age and concomitant morbidities. Only 38% of men reporting ED were concerned about it. Furthermore, concern about ED increased with age, peaking in the 50-59 years age band, but decreased thereafter. Men in transitional countries reported a higher prevalence of morbidities and impairment of sexual function as well as a lower QoL. Conclusion. Sexual health declined while concomitant morbidities increased in European men as a function of age. The burden of general and sexual health is higher in transitional countries, emphasizing the need to develop more effective strategies to promote healthy aging for men in these countries. Corona G, Lee DM, Forti G, O'Connor DB, Maggi M, O'Neill TW, Pendleton N, Bartfai G, Boonen S, Casanueva FF, Finn JD, Giwercman A, Han TS, Huhtaniemi IT, Kula K, Lean MEJ, Punab M, Silman AJ, Vanderschueren D, Wu FCW, and EMAS Study Group. Age-related changes in general and sexual health in middle-aged and older men: Results from the European Male Ageing Study (EMAS). J Sex Med 2010;7:1362-1380.
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| 9. |
- Han, Thang S., et al.
(författare)
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Impaired quality of life and sexual function in overweight and obese men: the European Male Ageing Study
- 2011
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Ingår i: European Journal of Endocrinology. - 1479-683X. ; 164:6, s. 1003-1011
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Few published data link overweight and obesity with measures of quality of life (QoL) including sexual health in men. Objective: To assess the association of overweight/obesity with impairment of physical and psychological QoL and sexual functions in men. Design and setting: Cross-sectional, multicentre survey of 3369 community-dwelling men aged 40-79 (mean +/- S.D., 60 +/- 11) years randomly selected from eight European centres. Outcomes: Adiposity was assessed by body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC), QoL and functional impairments by physical and psychological function domains of the Short Form-36 questionnaire, Beck's Depression Inventory and the European Male Ageing Study sexual function questionnaire. Results: Complete data on sexual activities and erectile function were available in 2734 (92%) and 3193 (95%) of the participants respectively. From the population studied, 814 men were obese (BMI >= 30 kg/m(2)) and 1171 had WC >= 102 cm, 25% of all men were unable to do vigorous activity and 2-13% reported depressive symptoms. Symptoms of sexual dysfunction ranged between 22% (low sexual desire) and 40% (infrequent morning erections) of the participants. Among obese men with both BMI >= 30 kg/m(2) and WC >= 102 cm, at least one symptom of impaired physical, psychological and sexual function was reported by 41, 43 and 73% of the participants respectively. Compared with the reference group of non-obese men (BMI < 30 kg/m(2) and WC < 102cm), men with BMI >= 30 kg/m(2) and WC >= 102 cm more frequently reported at least one symptom of impaired physical function (odds ratio (OR)=2.67; confidence interval (CI): 2.07-3.45, P < 0.001), impaired psychological function (OR=1.48; CI: 1.14-1.90, P < 0.01) and impaired sexual function (OR=1.45; CI: 1.14-1.85, P < 0.01). These functional impairments were also more prevalent in men who had WC >= 102 cm even with BMI < 30 kg/m(2), but those with BMI >= 30 kg/m(2) and WC < 102 cm generally did not suffer from increased impaired physical or sexual health. Men with high BMI and WC were at even greater likelihood of having a composite of two or more or three or more symptoms compared with those with normal BMI and WC. Conclusions: Men with high WC, including those who are 'non-obese' with BMI < 30 kg/m(2), have poor QoL with symptoms of impaired physical, psychological and sexual functions. Health promotion to improve QoL should focus on prevention of obesity and central fat accumulation.
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| 10. |
- Huhtaniemi, Ilpo T., et al.
(författare)
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Comparison of serum testosterone and estradiol measurements in 3174 European men using platform immunoassay and mass spectrometry; relevance for the diagnostics in aging men
- 2012
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Ingår i: European Journal of Endocrinology. - 1479-683X. ; 166:6, s. 983-991
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: The limitations of serum testosterone and estradiol (E-2) measurements using nonextraction platform immunoassays (IAs) are widely recognized. Switching to more specific mass spectrometry (MS)-based methods has been advocated, but directly comparative data on the two methods are scarce. Methods: We compared serum testosterone and E-2 measurements in a large sample of middle-aged/elderly men using a common platform IA and a gas chromatography (GC)-MS method, in order to assess their limitations and advantages, and to diagnose male hypogonadism. Of subjects from the European Male Aging Study (n = 3174; age 40-79 years), peripheral serum testosterone and E-2 were analyzed using established commercial platform IAs (Roche Diagnostics E170) and in-house GC MS methods. Results: Over a broad concentration range, serum testosterone concentration measured by IA and MS showed high correlation (R=0.93, P<0.001), which was less robust in the hypogonadal range (<11 nmol/l; R=0.72, P<0.001). The IA/MS correlation was weaker in E-2 measurements (R=0.32, P<0.001, at E-2 <40.8 pmol/l, and R=0.74, P<0.001, at E-2 >40.8 pmol/l). Using MS as the comparator method, IA ascertained low testosterone compatible with hypogonadism (<11 nmol/l), with 75% sensitivity and 96.3% specificity. The same parameters with IA for the detection of low E-2 (<40.7 pmol/l) were 13.3 and 99.3%, and for high E-2 (>120 pmol/l) 88.4 and 88.6%. Conclusion: A validated platform IA is sufficient to detect subnormal testosterone concentrations in the diagnosis of male hypogonadism. The IA used for E-2 measurements showed poor correlation with MS and may only be suitable for the detection of high E-2 in men.
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