Dataset Information

Prevalence of corneal arcus and associated factors in a German population-Results from the Gutenberg Health Study.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

We aimed to determine the prevalence of corneal arcus and to identify associated factors in the general population of Germany.

Methods

The Gutenberg Health Study (GHS) is a population-based cohort study in Germany, which includes an ophthalmological assessment. Refraction, distance-corrected visual acuity, non-contact tonometry and anterior segment imaging were performed for the five-year follow-up examination. Anterior segment photographs were graded for the presence of corneal arcus. Prevalence estimates were computed, and multivariable logistic regression analysis was applied to determine associated factors for corneal arcus including sex, age, spherical equivalent, central corneal thickness, intraocular pressure (IOP), socio-economic status, smoking, BMI, systolic and diastolic arterial blood pressure, HbA1c, HDL-C, LDL-C, triglyceride, and lipid modifying agents.

Results

A total of 9,850 right and 9,745 left eyes of 9,858 subjects (59.2±10.8 years), 49.0% females were included in this cross-sectional analysis. 21.1% of men (95%-CI: 20.0%- 22.3%) had a corneal arcus in at least one eye, and 16.9% (95%-CI: 15.9%- 18.0%) of women. In multivariable analyses, the presence of corneal arcus was associated with male gender (OR = 0.54 for female, p<0.0001), higher age (OR = 2.54 per decade, p<0.0001), smoking (OR = 1.59, p<0.0001), hyperopia (OR = 1.05 per diopter, p<0.0001), thinner cornea (OR = 0.994 per μm, p<0.0001), higher IOP (OR = 1.02, p = 0.039), higher HDL-C-level (OR = 2.13, p<0.0001), higher LDL-C-level (OR = 1.21, p<0.0001), and intake of lipid modifying agents (OR = 1.26, p = 0.0001). Arcus was not associated with socio-economic status, BMI, arterial blood pressure, and HbA1c.

Conclusions

Corneal arcus is a frequent alteration of the cornea in Germany and is associated with ocular parameters and systemic parameters of dyslipidemia.

SUBMITTER: Wasielica-Poslednik J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8454945 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:ImportanceLow birth weight is associated with altered ocular organ development in childhood, including the morphology of the eye. However, no population-based data exist about this association in adulthood.ObjectiveTo evaluate whether low birth weight has a long-term association with anterior segment anatomy and axial length in adulthood.Design, setting, and participantsThe Gutenberg Health Study is a population-based, observational cohort study in Germany. All participants underwent ocular biometry. Among the participants with follow-up and self-reported birth weight available, associations were assessed between low birth weight and anterior segment anatomy and axial length using multivariable linear regression analysis with adjustment for age and sex. In patients with phakia, anterior chamber depth and lens thickness were also examined. Data for this study were collected from April 27, 2012, through April 28, 2017, and analyzed from January through April 2018.ExposuresLow birth weight.Main outcomes and measuresCorneal curvature, central corneal thickness, white-to-white distance, anterior chamber depth, lens thickness, and axial length.ResultsOverall, 11 294 eyes of 7120 participants were included (52.4% female; mean [SD] age, 56.2 [10.3] years). Most of the participants were white (98.6%). After adjustment for age and sex, an association was found between a lower birth weight and steeper corneal curvature (β = 0.005 mm/100 g; 95% CI, 0.005-0.006 mm/100 g; P < .001), smaller white-to-white distance (β = 0.006 mm/100 g; 95% CI, 0.005-0.007 mm/100 g; P < .001), thinner central corneal thickness (β = 0.327 μm/100 g; 95% CI, 0.229-0.425 μm/100 g; P < .001), and shorter axial length (β = 0.006 mm/100 g; 95% CI, 0.003-0.010 mm/100 g; P < .001). However, anterior chamber depth and lens thickness were not associated with low birth weight in participants with phakia (10 510 eyes of 5279 participants).Conclusions and relevanceThese analyses demonstrate an association between low birth weight and altered ocular geometry in adults aged 40 to 80 years, suggesting that birth weight and associated factors are crucial in anatomical ocular morphologic development. Retinopathy of prematurity and its treatment may affect ocular anatomy but could not be further analyzed in this study.

Project description:Medicated obstructive pulmonary disease (asthma or COPD) has been associated with depression. Yet, there is little knowledge of the interplay of contributing social, biological, behavioral and psychological factors in the community. The study was conducted: (1) To determine the prevalence of depression in participants with medicated COPD or asthma from the general population, (2) to identify underlying social, biological, behavioral and psychological factors and (3) to determine the contribution of obstructive pulmonary disease and depression to subjective health. The population-based sample of 15.010 study participants (35-74 years) from the Gutenberg Health Study (GHS) was queried according to a medical diagnosis of obstructive pulmonary disease, defined as medicated COPD or asthma, and comorbid disorders. Demographic, behavioral and psychological factors were assessed by self-report; lung function (FEV1; FCV) was measured by spirometry. 307 men (4.3%) and 396 women (5.6%) reported a medical diagnosis of COPD or asthma. The prevalence of depression (PHQ-9 > = 10) was twice as high (16.2% vs. 7.5%) compared to participants without obstructive pulmonary disease. Participants with obstructive pulmonary disease were older, had a lower SES, more comorbid diseases and cardiovascular risk factors, higher distress and took more psychotropic medication. In multivariable logistic regression analyses, obstructive pulmonary disease was associated with a 71% increase of depression (OR = 1.71; 95% CI = 1.30 to 2.24). Additional contributors were FEV1 (1.18; 95% CI = 1.05 to 1.32) and dyspnea (NYHA > = 1) (2.19; 1.82 to 2.64), sex (women) (OR = 1.73; 95% CI 1.41 to 2.12), lower SES (OR = 0.98; 95%CI = 0.96 to 0.99). Lack of active sports OR = 0.79; 95% CI 0.68 to 0.92), obesity (OR 1.27; 95% CI 1.07 to 1.50), smoking (OR = 1.26; 95% CI 1.06 to 1.49) and dyslipidemia (OR = 1.35; 95% CI 1.15 to 1.57) also increased the risk of depression. Additional psychological risks were social phobia, type D, low social support, loneliness and life events in the past 12 months. In multivariable linear regression analyses, obstructive pulmonary disease and depression independently contributed to reduced subjective health in addition to sedentary behavior, smoking and comorbid somatic and mental disorders. These findings provide evidence that COPD and asthma are associated with depression in the community. Complex underlying demographic, medical and psychosocial variables have been identified which may justify an integrative treatment approach. Promoting health behavior (smoking cessation, exercising, weight reduction) and social integration may not only improve the somatic course of the disease, but also mental health. Mental health treatment may also improve health behavior and subjective health.

Project description:BackgroundSocioeconomic status (SES) has a strong association with depression or physical and mental health in general. However, as SES is a multifaceted construct these associations are not easy to explain. Further, there are several indicators and many studies only investigating two or less indicators at the same time. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the cross-sectional and longitudinal association of three defined SES dimensions (education, occupational position and household net-income) with the occurrence of elevated symptoms of depression relative to the impact of important covariates.MethodsThe study included observational data from 12,484 participants of the Gutenberg Health Study. The outcome was "elevated depressive symptoms" as defined by Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-2) ≥ 2 at the 2.5-year follow-up. Regression coefficients were adjusted for baseline covariates (age, sex, partnership, depression, anxiety, medical history of depressive or anxiety disorder and major medical diseases (MMD)) in addition to SES sum score and the three single indicators. We further examined interaction terms of the SES with sex, partnership and major medical diseases. We analyzed the sample stratified by elevated depressive symptoms at baseline, as we expected different trajectories in both subgroups.ResultsSES, education and household net-income were lower in the group of persons with PHQ-2 ≥ 2 at baseline, and they predicted the occurrence of PHQ-2 ≥ 2 at 2.5 year follow-up in the group of persons without elevated depressive symptoms at baseline after multivariable adjustment (SES: Odds Ratio (OR) 0.96, 0.95-0.98, p < 0.0001; education: OR 0.96, 0.93-0.99, p = 0.036; household net-income: OR 0.96, 0.92-0.99, p = 0.046) but not in the group of persons with elevated depressive symptoms at baseline. Further, we found that the impact of major medical diseases on the development of elevated depressive symptoms was buffered by high income. In addition, living in a partnership buffered the impact of a low occupational position.ConclusionsRegarding the SES, the dimensions education and household net-income seem to play the most important role for socioeconomic inequalities in persons in Mid-West Germany with depressive symptoms.Trial registrationReference no. 837.020.07; original vote: 22.3.2007, latest update: 20.10.2015.