Neurofilament light chain reference values in serum and cerebrospinal fluid: a bi-compartmental analysis in neurological diseases.

Background: Concentrations of neurofilament light chain (NfL), a neuroaxonal damage marker, increase with age. Therefore, age-dependent reference values are important in clinical practice. However, so far these have only been established with a bead-based system and age-dependent z-scores for CSF are missing.

Population-Based Versus Hospital-Based Data in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis-A Factor to Consider?

Background: Over the past years, some studies in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) have provided heterogeneous findings regarding demographic and clinical data as well as the impact of various prognostic factors. It is well known that these inconsistencies might be caused by a selection bias in hospital-based data sets. In this study, we sought to further characterize this selection bias.

Blood-CSF barrier integrity in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

The integrity of the blood-CSF barrier plays a major role in inflammation, but also in shielding the CNS from external and systemic-potentially toxic-factors. Here we report results of measurements of the albumin quotient-which is thought to mirror the integrity of the blood-CSF barrier-in 1059 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The results were compared with groups of patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease, facial palsy and tension headache.

Long-term exposure to air pollution and chronic kidney disease-associated mortality-Results from the pooled cohort of the European multicentre ELAPSE-study.

Despite the known link between air pollution and cause-specific mortality, its relation to chronic kidney disease (CKD)-associated mortality is understudied. Therefore, we investigated the association between long-term exposure to air pollution and CKD-related mortality in a large multicentre population-based European cohort. Cohort data were linked to local mortality registry data.

Coping as a resource to allow for psychosocial adjustment in fatal disease: results from patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal disorder, which imposes a severe emotional burden on patients. Appropriate coping mechanisms may alleviate this burden and facilitate wellbeing, with social support known to be a successful coping strategy. This observational study aimed to determine the interplay of general coping traits of hope for success and fear of failure, coping behavior of social activity, and patients' wellbeing.

Evaluation of a Population-Based Targeted Screening Approach for Skin Cancer with Long-Time Follow-Up in Austria including Potential Effects on Melanoma Mortality.

Background: whether screening for skin cancer affects melanoma-specific mortality in a population-based setting remains unclear.

Methods: in this population-based cohort study, we characterized and evaluated a skin cancer prevention program following a targeted screening approach conducted in 1989-1994 in the Austrian province Vorarlberg, with follow-up until 2019. The general population and attendees of a health examination program served for comparison.

The value of earlier-in-life systolic and diastolic blood pressure for cardiovascular risk prediction.

Blood pressure (BP) varies over a lifetime. This cardiovascular observation study (OS) compared the predictive value of earlier- and later-in-life blood pressure (BP) in 1,497 cardiovascular disease patients utilizing readings taken during a health survey (HS) and 15 years later from the same subjects at the baseline of this OS. Prediction of the cardiovascular risk during the OS follow-up (21 years) was significantly more effective if the earlier BP readings at HS were used instead of recent OS readings (NRI = 0.

Long-term exposure to air pollution and incidence of gastric and the upper aerodigestive tract cancers in a pooled European cohort: The ELAPSE project.

Air pollution has been shown to significantly impact human health including cancer. Gastric and upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) cancers are common and increased risk has been associated with smoking and occupational exposures. However, the association with air pollution remains unclear.

Body mass index, triglyceride-glucose index, and prostate cancer death: a mediation analysis in eight European cohorts.

Background: Insulin resistance is a hypothesised biological mechanism linking obesity with prostate cancer (PCa) death. Data in support of this hypothesis is limited.

Methods: We included 259,884 men from eight European cohorts, with 11,760 incident PCa's and 1784 PCa deaths during follow-up.

Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and risk of leukemia and lymphoma in a pooled European cohort.

Leukemia and lymphoma are the two most common forms of hematologic malignancy, and their etiology is largely unknown. Pathophysiological mechanisms suggest a possible association with air pollution, but little empirical evidence is available. We aimed to investigate the association between long-term residential exposure to outdoor air pollution and risk of leukemia and lymphoma.

Regional outcome disparities in German head and neck cancer patients: Shorter survival in Eastern Germany.

Introduction: Demographics are important prognostic factors in malignant diseases. A nationwide analysis concerning the prognostic impact of demographics in head and neck cancer (HNC) patients (HNCP) has not been performed previously.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of data from the Center for Cancer Registry Data (ZfKD) and the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) between 2002 and 2017 was performed.

Long-term exposure to several constituents and sources of PM is associated with incidence of upper aerodigestive tract cancers but not gastric cancer: Results from the large pooled European cohort of the ELAPSE project.

It is unclear whether cancers of the upper aerodigestive tract (UADT) and gastric cancer are related to air pollution, due to few studies with inconsistent results. The effects of particulate matter (PM) may vary across locations due to different source contributions and related PM compositions, and it is not clear which PM constituents/sources are most relevant from a consideration of overall mass concentration alone. We therefore investigated the association of UADT and gastric cancers with PM elemental constituents and sources components indicative of different sources within a large multicentre population based epidemiological study.

Cystatin C based estimation of chronic kidney disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in the ALS registry Swabia: associated risk and prognostic value.

Kidney function as part of metabolic changes could be associated with amyotrophic lateral-sclerosis (ALS). We investigated the associations between estimated chronic kidney disease (CKD), based on the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) cystatin C equation, and the risk at onset and prognostic value of CKD for ALS. Between October 2010 and June 2014, 362 ALS cases (59.

Multiple myeloma risk in relation to long-term air pollution exposure - A pooled analysis of four European cohorts.

Background: Air pollution is a growing concern worldwide, with significant impacts on human health. Multiple myeloma is a type of blood cancer with increasing incidence. Studies have linked air pollution exposure to various types of cancer, including leukemia and lymphoma, however, the relationship with multiple myeloma incidence has not been extensively investigated.

Demographics and access to head and neck cancer care in rural areas compared to urban areas in Germany.

Background: Demographic development in rural and urban areas differs substantially. Demographics and access to specialized head and neck cancer centers may affect head and neck cancer patients' (HNCP) outcomes. Here, we compare epidemiological indicators and outcomes of HNCP in rural and urban Germany.

Long-term air pollution exposure and malignant intracranial tumours of the central nervous system: a pooled analysis of six European cohorts.

Background: Risk factors for malignant tumours of the central nervous system (CNS) are largely unknown.

Methods: We pooled six European cohorts (N = 302,493) and assessed the association between residential exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO), fine particles (PM), black carbon (BC), ozone (O) and eight elemental components of PM (copper, iron, potassium, nickel, sulfur, silicon, vanadium, and zinc) and malignant intracranial CNS tumours defined according to the International Classification of Diseases ICD-9/ICD-10 codes 192.1/C70.

Exposure to ambient air pollution and elevated blood levels of gamma-glutamyl transferase in a large Austrian cohort.

Gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) is related to oxidative stress and an indicator for liver damage. We investigated the association between air pollution and GGT in a large Austrian cohort (N = 116,109) to better understand how air pollution affects human health. Data come from voluntary prevention visits that were routinely collected within the Vorarlberg Health Monitoring and Prevention Program (VHM&PP).

Association of blood lipids with onset and prognosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: results from the ALS Swabia registry.

Background: To date, the role of blood lipid levels and their association with the onset and prognosis of ALS is controversial. We explored these associations in a large, population-based case-control study.

Methods: Between October 2010 and June 2014, 336 ALS patients (mean age 65.

Metabolically (un)healthy obesity and risk of obesity-related cancers: a pooled study.

Background: Studies of obesity with or without metabolic aberrations, commonly termed metabolically unhealthy or healthy obesity, in relation to cancer risk are scarce.

Methods: We investigated body mass index (normal weight, overweight, obesity) jointly and in interaction with metabolic health status in relation to obesity-related cancer risk (n = 23 630) among 797 193 European individuals. A metabolic score comprising mid-blood pressure, plasma glucose, and triglycerides was used to define metabolically healthy and unhealthy status.

Long-term air pollution exposure and Parkinson's disease mortality in a large pooled European cohort: An ELAPSE study.

Background: The link between exposure to ambient air pollution and mortality from cardiorespiratory diseases is well established, while evidence on neurodegenerative disorders including Parkinson's Disease (PD) remains limited.

Objective: We examined the association between long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and PD mortality in seven European cohorts.

Methods: Within the project 'Effects of Low-Level Air Pollution: A Study in Europe' (ELAPSE), we pooled data from seven cohorts among six European countries.