Publications

2 Publications matching the given criteria: (Clear all filters)

Abstract (Expand)

BACKGROUND: The LIFE-Adult-Study is a population-based cohort study, which has recently completed the baseline examination of 10,000 randomly selected participants from Leipzig, a major city with 550,000 inhabitants in the east of Germany. It is the first study of this kind and size in an urban population in the eastern part of Germany. The study is conducted by the Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases (LIFE). Our objective is to investigate prevalences, early onset markers, genetic predispositions, and the role of lifestyle factors of major civilization diseases, with primary focus on metabolic and vascular diseases, heart function, cognitive impairment, brain function, depression, sleep disorders and vigilance dysregulation, retinal and optic nerve degeneration, and allergies. METHODS/DESIGN: The study covers a main age range from 40-79 years with particular deep phenotyping in elderly participants above the age of 60. The baseline examination was conducted from August 2011 to November 2014. All participants underwent an extensive core assessment programme (5-6 h) including structured interviews, questionnaires, physical examinations, and biospecimen collection. Participants over 60 underwent two additional assessment programmes (3-4 h each) on two separate visits including deeper cognitive testing, brain magnetic resonance imaging, diagnostic interviews for depression, and electroencephalography. DISCUSSION: The participation rate was 33 %. The assessment programme was accepted well and completely passed by almost all participants. Biomarker analyses have already been performed in all participants. Genotype, transcriptome and metabolome analyses have been conducted in subgroups. The first follow-up examination will commence in 2016.

Authors: M. Loeffler, C. Engel, P. Ahnert, D. Alfermann, K. Arelin, R. Baber, F. Beutner, H. Binder, E. Brahler, R. Burkhardt, U. Ceglarek, C. Enzenbach, M. Fuchs, H. Glaesmer, F. Girlich, A. Hagendorff, M. Hantzsch, U. Hegerl, S. Henger, T. Hensch, A. Hinz, V. Holzendorf, D. Husser, A. Kersting, A. Kiel, T. Kirsten, J. Kratzsch, K. Krohn, T. Luck, S. Melzer, J. Netto, M. Nuchter, M. Raschpichler, F. G. Rauscher, S. G. Riedel-Heller, C. Sander, M. Scholz, P. Schonknecht, M. L. Schroeter, J. C. Simon, R. Speer, J. Staker, R. Stein, Y. Stobel-Richter, M. Stumvoll, A. Tarnok, A. Teren, D. Teupser, F. S. Then, A. Tonjes, R. Treudler, A. Villringer, A. Weissgerber, P. Wiedemann, S. Zachariae, K. Wirkner, J. Thiery

Date Published: 22nd Jul 2015

Publication Type: Not specified

Human Diseases: disease of mental health, mental depression, vascular disease, allergic hypersensitivity disease, sleep disorder, retinal degeneration

Abstract (Expand)

Cryptococcus neoformans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that causes lung inflammation and meningoencephalitis in immunocompromised patients but is also able to asymptomatically infect immunocompetent individuals. C. neoformans is found ubiquitously especially in urban areas where it is spread by pigeons, and fungal exposure may predispose for asthma development already at an early age, as soon as confronted with pigeon droppings. In the study presented here, we investigated the presence of specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) against C. neoformans in sera from patients suffering from asthma in comparison to a healthy control cohort, accrued from the Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases (LIFE). For serological analysis we developed a flow cytometry (FACS) based assay specific for an acapsular strain of C. neoformans to comprehensively analyze different cryptococcal serotypes. Compared with the non-asthmatic cohort, asthmatics exhibited, as expected, an elevated level of total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE), whereas the IgG seroreactivity against C. neoformans was not significantly different among the two groups (P = .118). Nevertheless, there was a trend toward increased Cryptococcus-specific IgG antibodies in the serum of asthmatics. Additionally, in male asthmatics an increased IgG-mediated seroreactivity compared to female asthmatics was found. This points to a higher prevalence of subclinical C. neoformans infection in male asthmatics and may support the hypothesis of C. neoformans as a risk factor for the development of asthma in urban areas.

Authors: A. Grahnert, U. Muller, H. von Buttlar, R. Treudler, G. Alber

Date Published: 31st May 2015

Publication Type: Not specified

Human Diseases: asthma, allergic hypersensitivity disease

Powered by
(v.1.13.0-master)
Copyright © 2008 - 2021 The University of Manchester and HITS gGmbH
Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, University of Leipzig

By continuing to use this site you agree to the use of cookies