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Papers by Abdonas Tamošiūnas
Ophthalmic genetics, 2018
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of incurable visual impairment in... more Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of incurable visual impairment in the developed countries. The main pathological change in AMD is the formation of drusen containing 40% of lipids, dominated by esterified cholesterol (EC) and phosphatidylcholine (PC), and protein. Haplotype ε4 of apolipoprotein E (ApoE) acts as a ligand for the low-density lipoprotein receptor and is involved in the maintenance and repair of neuronal cell membranes. This study aimed to evaluate the association of AMD with ApoE gene polymorphism variants (rs7412 and rs429358). A total of 2133 subjects were enrolled in our research. The study group comprised patients with early AMD (n = 413) and exudative AMD (n = 307), and the control group enrolled randomly selected persons (n = 1413). The genotyping of ApoE (rs7412 and rs429358) was performed using the real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Statistical analysis revealed that ApoE 4/2 genotype was less frequently observed in...
Molecular medicine (Cambridge, Mass.), Jan 24, 2015
Transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) is a cytokine that participates in a broad range of cellul... more Transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) is a cytokine that participates in a broad range of cellular regulatory processes and is associated with various diseases including aortic aneurysm. Increased TGF-β1 levels are linked to Marfan syndrome (MFS) caused by fibrillin1 (FBN1) mutations and subsequent defects in signaling system. FBN1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs2118181 and rs1059177 do not cause MFS but are associated with dilatative pathology of aortic aneurysms (DPAA). TGF-β1 and FBN1 SNPs rs2118181 and rs1059177 are potential biomarkers for early diagnosis of DPAA. We investigated the relationship between TGF-β1 levels in human blood plasma and FBN1 rs2118181 and rs1059177 in 269 individuals. The results showed a quantitative dependence of SNP genotype and TGF-β1 concentration. Presence of a single rs2118181 minor allele (G) increased the amount of TGF-β1 by roughly one ng/ml. Two copies of FBN1 rs1059177 minor allele (G) were required to have an additive effect on TG...
Medicina, 2020
Background and Objectives: In recent years, the impact of individual risk factors on mortality fr... more Background and Objectives: In recent years, the impact of individual risk factors on mortality from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) has been often investigated. However, there is a lack of studies that have evaluated the relationship between lifestyle habits, metabolic syndrome, and their combined influence on the first event of CVD. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of metabolic syndrome and lifestyle habits on the risk of the first event of CVD in a Lithuanian urban population. Materials and Methods: The presented data were collected from a survey that was carried out within the framework of the international project Health, Alcohol and Psychosocial Factors in Eastern Europe (HAPIEE). For statistical analysis, 4257 participants aged 45–72 years were selected (with a follow-up of 11 years). Results: The findings from the Cox proportional hazards regression multivariable analysis showed that metabolic syndrome, current smoking status, and former smoking status increa...
Lietuvos Bendrosios Praktikos Gydytojas, Apr 20, 2010
Tyrimo tikslas. Įvertinti tyrime dalyvavusių pagyvenusio amžiaus (65–72 metų) gyventojų sveikatos... more Tyrimo tikslas. Įvertinti tyrime dalyvavusių pagyvenusio amžiaus (65–72 metų) gyventojų sveikatos rodiklius ir gyvensenos ypatumus, palyginti juos su vidutinio amžiaus asmenų (45–54 metų) analogiskais rodikliais. Tyrimo medžiaga ir metodai. Istirti 4193 Kauno miesto gyventojai: 45–72 metų vyrai ir moterys, atsitiktinai atrinkti is Lietuvos gyventojų registro. Duomenys buvo renkami medicininio patikrinimo bei apklausos, naudojant standartinius klausimynus, metu. Rezultatai. Subjektyviai savo sveikatą kaip gerą įvertino 30,6 proc. vyrų, tik 18,6 proc. moterų teigė, kad jų sveikata yra gera (p<0,001). Vienisumo jausmą jautė 11,0 proc. vyrų ir 20,8 proc. moterų (p<0,001). Su amžiumi vyrų rūkymo paplitimas mažėja: 45–54 metų grupėje reguliariai rūkė 45,6 proc. vyrų, 65–72 metų grupėje rūkė tik 15,5 proc. (p<0,001). Moterų grupėje rūkymo paplitimas priklausomai nuo amžiaus taip pat kito. Padidėjes arterinis kraujo spaudimas nustatytas 76,0 proc. 65–72 metų ir 51,9 proc. 45–54 metų tiriamųjų (p<0,001). Isvados. Moterys savo sveikatą įvertino blogiau nei vyrai. Su amžiumi vyrų ir moterų rūkymo paplitimas mažėjo. Arterinė hipertenzija dažnesnė tarp pagyvenusio amžiaus žmonių palyginus su vidutinio amžiaus žmonėmis. Reiksminiai žodžiai: sveikata, pagyvenusio amžiaus žmonės, gyvensena, rizikos veiksniai.
Environmental Health, 2014
Background: The aims of this study were to explore associations of the distance and use of urban ... more Background: The aims of this study were to explore associations of the distance and use of urban green spaces with the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and its risk factors, and to evaluate the impact of the accessibility and use of green spaces on the incidence of CVD among the population of Kaunas city (Lithuania). Methods: We present the results from a Kaunas cohort study on the access to and use of green spaces, the association with cardiovascular risk factors and other health-related variables, and the risk of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. A random sample of 5,112 individuals aged 45-72 years was screened in 2006-2008. During the mean 4.41 years follow-up, there were 83 deaths from CVD and 364 non-fatal cases of CVD among persons free from CHD and stroke at the baseline survey. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models were used for data analysis. Results: We found that the distance from people's residence to green spaces was not related to the prevalence of health-related variables. However, the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and the prevalence of diabetes mellitus were significantly lower among park users than among non-users. During the follow up, an increased risk of non-fatal and fatal CVD combined was observed for those who lived ≥629.61 m from green spaces (3rd tertile of distance to green space) (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.36), and the risk for non-fatal CVD-for those who lived ≥347.81 m (2nd and 3rd tertile) and were not park users (HR = 1.66) as compared to men and women who lived 347.8 m or less (1st tertile) from green space. Men living further away from parks (3rd tertile) had a higher risk of non-fatal and fatal CVD combined, compared to those living nearby (1st tertile) (HR = 1.51). Compared to park users living nearby (1st tertile), a statistically significantly increased risk of non-fatal CVD was observed for women who were not park users and living farther away from parks (2nd and 3rd tertile) (HR = 2.78). Conclusion: Our analysis suggests public health policies aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles in urban settings could produce cardiovascular benefits.
Scientific Reports
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a major public health problem. Cold winter weather increases... more Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a major public health problem. Cold winter weather increases the risk of AMI, but factors influencing susceptibility are poorly known. We conducted an individual-level case-crossover study of the associations between winter cold spells and the risk of AMI, with special focus on survival at 28 days and effect modification by age and sex. All 16,071 adult cases of AMI among the residents of the city of Kaunas in Lithuania in 2000–2015 were included in the study. Cold weather was statistically defined using the 5th percentile of frequency distribution of daily mean temperatures over the winter months. According to conditional logistic regression controlling for time-varying and time-invariant confounders, each additional cold spell day during the week preceding AMI increased the risk of AMI by 5% (95% CI 1–9%). For nonfatal and fatal cases, the risk increase per each additional cold spell day was 5% (95% CI 1–9%) and 6% (95% CI − 2–13%), respectivel...
Informatica, 2018
The main purpose of this article was to compare traditional binary logistic regression analysis w... more The main purpose of this article was to compare traditional binary logistic regression analysis with decision tree analysis for the evaluation of the risk of cardiovascular diseases in adult men living in the city. Patients and methods. In our study, we used data from the Multifactorial Ischemic Heart Disease Prevention Study (MIHDPS). In the MIHDPS study, a random sample of male inhabitants of Kaunas city (Lithuania) aged 40-59 years was examined between 1977 and 1980. We analysed a sample of 5626 men. Taking blood pressure lowering medicine, disability, intermittent claudication, regular smoking, a higher value of the body mass index, systolic blood pressure, age, total serum cholesterol, and walking in winter were associated with a higher probability of ischemic heart disease or cardiovascular diseases. Having more siblings and drinking alcohol were associated with a lower probability of these diseases. The binary logistic regression method showed a very slightly lower level of errors than the decision tree did (the difference between the two methods was 2.04% for ischemic heart disease (IHD) and 2.86% for cardiovascular disease (CVD), but for consumers, the decision tree is easier to understand and interpret the results. Both of these methods are appropriate to analyse cardiovascular disease data.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Background: Weather is a well-known factor worldwide in psychiatric problems such as depression, ... more Background: Weather is a well-known factor worldwide in psychiatric problems such as depression, with the elderly and females being particularly susceptible. The aim of this study was to detect associations between the risk of depressive symptoms (DS) and weather variables. Methods: 6937 participants were assessed in the baseline survey of the Health Alcohol Psychosocial Factors in Eastern Europe (HAPIEE) study during 2006–2008. To assess the risk of DS, a multivariate logistic model was created with predictors such as socio-demographic factors, health behaviors, and weather variables. Results: DS were found in 23.4% of the respondents, in 15.6% of males and in 29.9% in females. A higher risk of DS (by 25%) was associated with November–December, a rising wind speed, and relative humidity (RH) < 94% and snowfall during the cold period occurring 2 days before the survey. A higher air temperature (>14.2 °C) predominant during May–September had a protective impact. A higher risk o...
Atmosphere
The effects of charged solar particles hitting the Earth’s magnetosphere are often harmful and ca... more The effects of charged solar particles hitting the Earth’s magnetosphere are often harmful and can be dangerous to the human organism. The aim of this study was to analyze the associations of geomagnetic storms (GSs) and other space weather events (solar proton events (SPEs), solar flares (SFs), high-speed solar wind (HSSW), interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) and stream interaction regions (SIRs)) with morbidity from acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and mortality from ischemic heart diseases (IHDs) during the period 2000–2015 in Kaunas (Lithuania). In 2000–2015, 12,330 AMI events (men/women n = 6942/5388) and 3742 deaths from IHD (men/women n = 2480/1262) were registered. The results showed that a higher risk of AMI and deaths from IHD were related to the period of 3 days before GS—a day after GS, and a stronger effect was observed during the spring–autumn period. The strongest effect of HSSW was observed on the day of the event. We found significant associations between...
Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 2008
The main purpose of this paper was to assess the effect of age, period, and cohort on stroke mort... more The main purpose of this paper was to assess the effect of age, period, and cohort on stroke mortality rates among a Lithuanian urban population aged 25-64 years (1041 men and 724 women) between 1980 and 2004. Routine stroke mortality data were obtained from official Kaunas region mortality register by codes 430-438 and I60-I69 in the 9th and in the 10th revisions of the International Classifications of Diseases (ICD), respectively. Mortality rates per 100,000 persons for men and women were age-adjusted using the age distribution of the European Standard Population. Age-specific mortality rates were analysed by sex, period, and birth cohort in eight 5-year age groups and five 5-year age groups. Goodness of fit of the Poisson regression models were evaluated using Pearson and Freeman-Tukey residuals. The age-period and age-period-cohort models provided a significantly better fit than a model with the factors &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;age&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; and &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;cohort&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;. During the study period, mortality rates decreased from 46.8 to 33.0 per 100,000 for men, and from 20.2 to 18.1 per 100,000 for women (average annual decrease of -1.3%, p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.1 for men, and -1.6%, p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.03 for women). An age effect was present in both sexes. The definite upward period effect was observed from 1990 to 1994 both among men and women, and was followed by a sharp fall during 2000-4. Cohort and period effects have contained relevant information which partially explained trends in stroke mortality among a 25-64 year-old Lithuanian urban population. During the period of 1980-2004, the mortality trend declined among women only. The period effect contains relevant information for the explanation of increasing mortality rates during 2000-4 among men and women. The Poisson regression models could be applied for the examination and explanation of the different causes of the population mortality.
Journal of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system : JRAAS
To evaluate the influence of traditional risk factors of ischaemic heart disease and genetic fact... more To evaluate the influence of traditional risk factors of ischaemic heart disease and genetic factors to predict different types of acute coronary syndromes. Five hundred and twenty-three patients with acute coronary syndromes (393 with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and 130 with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI)) comprised the study group. The control group consisted of 645 subjects free from symptoms of ischaemic heart disease and stroke. Genetic polymorphisms of MMP-2 (-735) C/T, MMP-2 (-1306) C/T, MMP-3 (-1171) 5A/6A, MMP-9 (-1562) C/T and ACE I/D were evaluated using polymerase chain reaction. Patients with acute coronary syndromes more often had ID or II genotype than DD genotype of ACE ( P = 0.04) and 5A5A or 5A6A genotype than 6A6A genotype of MMP-3 ( P = 0.02) in comparison to the control group. The genotypes of other matrix metalloproteinase genes did not differ between the groups. 5A5A and 5A6A genotypes of MMP-3 (odds ratio (OR) 1.5; P = 0.021), ...
Scandinavian Journal of Public Health
Aims: The aim of this study was to examine the relation between residential distance from major r... more Aims: The aim of this study was to examine the relation between residential distance from major roads and city parks and the development of arterial hypertension. Methods: In this study, we used data of the population included in the MONICA survey (Lithuania). In total, 739 participants without arterial hypertension were selected for the present study. Poisson regression with robust variance estimation was used to evaluate the associations between distances from a major road and a city park expressed as categorical variables and the incidence of arterial hypertension, adjusting for individual risk factors. Results: For persons living at a distance of 151–300 m and > 300 m from city parks, relative risks were 1.49 (95% CI 1.03–2.15) and 1.51 (95% CI 1.10–2.07) respectively, as compared to a ≤ 150 m distance from city parks. For persons living further than 200 m away from a major road, the relative risk for the residential distance from city parks > 150 m was 2.36 ( p = 0.029) t...
Central European Journal of Public Health
Objectives: Previous studies have observed notable unexplained geographic differences in incidenc... more Objectives: Previous studies have observed notable unexplained geographic differences in incidence of kidney cancer in Europe. Lithuania is among the countries with the highest incidence and mortality. Our objective was to investigate the effect of different lifestyle, anthropometric and biological factors on the risk of kidney cancer in Lithuanian men.
International Ophthalmology
Purpose To examine the 10-year incidence of the pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX) in adults in a p... more Purpose To examine the 10-year incidence of the pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX) in adults in a population-based follow-up study, to determine its link with vascular diseases, and to identify possible risk factors of the PEX. Methods The baseline examination was performed in 2006 on a random sample of 1033 participants from Kaunas city (Lithuania) population. In 2016, a follow-up study of 686 participants who returned for the examination was conducted. The respondents filled out a questionnaire, an ophthalmological examination was performed, and the presence of vascular diseases was determined by the anamnesis and electrocardiogram evaluation data. Binary univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted with the PEX and vascular diseases as predictors, controlling for age. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals of OR were calculated for the risk of new PEX cases. Results During 10 years, the prevalence of the PEX in the study population increased from 1...
Psichologija
Senėjimo problemos kontekste pažintinių gebėjimų prastėjimas tampa vis aktualesnė tema. Yra duome... more Senėjimo problemos kontekste pažintinių gebėjimų prastėjimas tampa vis aktualesnė tema. Yra duomenų, kad APOE ɛ4 genotipas prognozuoja prastesnius pažintinius gebėjimus. Taigi, kyla poreikis išsiaiškinti, kurie pažintinių gebėjimų komponentai ir jų pokyčiai siejasi su APOE ɛ4 genotipu. Šio straipsnio tikslas – sisteminės analizės metodu apžvelgti mokslinius tyrimus, analizavusius pažintinių gebėjimų ir APOE ɛ4 genotipo sąsajas.Ankstesnių tyrimų rezultatai atskleidžia, kad turintieji APOE ɛ4 alelį pasižymi prastesniais pažintiniais gebėjimais, palyginti su asmenimis, neturinčiais APOE ɛ4. Dauguma tyrimų įrodo, kad APOE ɛ4 genotipas susijęs su prastesne atmintimi ir vykdomosios funkcijos rezultatais. Kiek rečiau aptinkami APOE ɛ4 ir dėmesio ryšiai. O verbaliniai ir samprotavimo gebėjimai su šio geno polimorfizmu dažniausiai nesiejami. Manoma, kad APOE ɛ4 genotipas gali turėti įtakos pažintinių gebėjimų prastėjimui, tačiau lieka neaiški šio geno polimorfizmo įtaka pažintinių gebėjimų p...
Journal of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system : JRAAS
To evaluate the influence of traditional risk factors of ischaemic heart disease and genetic fact... more To evaluate the influence of traditional risk factors of ischaemic heart disease and genetic factors to predict different types of acute coronary syndromes. Five hundred and twenty-three patients with acute coronary syndromes (393 with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and 130 with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI)) comprised the study group. The control group consisted of 645 subjects free from symptoms of ischaemic heart disease and stroke. Genetic polymorphisms of MMP-2 (-735) C/T, MMP-2 (-1306) C/T, MMP-3 (-1171) 5A/6A, MMP-9 (-1562) C/T and ACE I/D were evaluated using polymerase chain reaction. Patients with acute coronary syndromes more often had ID or II genotype than DD genotype of ACE ( P = 0.04) and 5A5A or 5A6A genotype than 6A6A genotype of MMP-3 ( P = 0.02) in comparison to the control group. The genotypes of other matrix metalloproteinase genes did not differ between the groups. 5A5A and 5A6A genotypes of MMP-3 (odds ratio (OR) 1.5; P = 0.021), ...
Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2016
The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations among morbidity of acute myocardial infarc... more The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations among morbidity of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and mortality from ischemic heart disease (IHD) with heliogeophysical factors among the Kaunas population. The study population was stratified into three age categories: 25-54, 55-64, and ≥65 years. In this study, solar flares (SF), solar proton fluences (SPF), and geomagnetic activity (GMA) were employed as heliogeophysical factors and used Poisson regression and two methods of time series modeling (lag and lead). Influence of GMA in different age and sex category is uneven. The mean number of AMI events per day was greatest (23 %) among men aged 25-54 years on the third day and the same sex aged 55-64 years-increased 10 % 2 days before when the GMA intensity was A+S. Both for men and women aged ≥65 years, the highest increase in the mean number of deaths from IHD events per day was observed on the second day when the GMA intensity was A+S-51 and 34 %, respectively. Evaluating the impact of SF of 10(-5) ≤ SF < 10(-4) W/m(2) (M+X) intensity, the mean number of AMI events per day was greatest for 55-64-year-old women and men on the same and second days. Such SF were associated with a 13 and 20 % increase, respectively. Evaluating the impact of large fluence SPF, it was determined that the increase in the mean number of AMI events per day among 25-54-year-old men was greatest (30 %) 1 day, and death from IHD (54 %) was observed among women aged ≥65 years 2 days before the energy of the SPF has increased.
The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of risk factors, population-attributable risk f... more The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of risk factors, population-attributable risk fraction and prognosis of multiple risk factors for the risk of death from stroke among middle-aged Kaunas population during 1983–2003. Patients and methods. The random samples of men and women aged 35– 64 years were examined in MONICA-1, 2, 3 (n = 5437). The risk factors were assessed by the standard epidemiological questionnaire. New cases of deaths from stroke were registered from the beginning of every survey until December 31, 2003. During the follow-up period 85 deaths occurred: 45 in men and 43 in women. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the relative risks for death from stroke. The prevalence of arterial hypertension, physical inactivity, obesity, ischemic changes on electrocardiogram was higher among men who died of stroke as compared to men examined in the MONICA-1 survey. Results. The highest population attributable fraction of stroke was for ar-terial hyp...
Ophthalmic genetics, 2018
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of incurable visual impairment in... more Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of incurable visual impairment in the developed countries. The main pathological change in AMD is the formation of drusen containing 40% of lipids, dominated by esterified cholesterol (EC) and phosphatidylcholine (PC), and protein. Haplotype ε4 of apolipoprotein E (ApoE) acts as a ligand for the low-density lipoprotein receptor and is involved in the maintenance and repair of neuronal cell membranes. This study aimed to evaluate the association of AMD with ApoE gene polymorphism variants (rs7412 and rs429358). A total of 2133 subjects were enrolled in our research. The study group comprised patients with early AMD (n = 413) and exudative AMD (n = 307), and the control group enrolled randomly selected persons (n = 1413). The genotyping of ApoE (rs7412 and rs429358) was performed using the real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Statistical analysis revealed that ApoE 4/2 genotype was less frequently observed in...
Molecular medicine (Cambridge, Mass.), Jan 24, 2015
Transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) is a cytokine that participates in a broad range of cellul... more Transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) is a cytokine that participates in a broad range of cellular regulatory processes and is associated with various diseases including aortic aneurysm. Increased TGF-β1 levels are linked to Marfan syndrome (MFS) caused by fibrillin1 (FBN1) mutations and subsequent defects in signaling system. FBN1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs2118181 and rs1059177 do not cause MFS but are associated with dilatative pathology of aortic aneurysms (DPAA). TGF-β1 and FBN1 SNPs rs2118181 and rs1059177 are potential biomarkers for early diagnosis of DPAA. We investigated the relationship between TGF-β1 levels in human blood plasma and FBN1 rs2118181 and rs1059177 in 269 individuals. The results showed a quantitative dependence of SNP genotype and TGF-β1 concentration. Presence of a single rs2118181 minor allele (G) increased the amount of TGF-β1 by roughly one ng/ml. Two copies of FBN1 rs1059177 minor allele (G) were required to have an additive effect on TG...
Medicina, 2020
Background and Objectives: In recent years, the impact of individual risk factors on mortality fr... more Background and Objectives: In recent years, the impact of individual risk factors on mortality from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) has been often investigated. However, there is a lack of studies that have evaluated the relationship between lifestyle habits, metabolic syndrome, and their combined influence on the first event of CVD. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of metabolic syndrome and lifestyle habits on the risk of the first event of CVD in a Lithuanian urban population. Materials and Methods: The presented data were collected from a survey that was carried out within the framework of the international project Health, Alcohol and Psychosocial Factors in Eastern Europe (HAPIEE). For statistical analysis, 4257 participants aged 45–72 years were selected (with a follow-up of 11 years). Results: The findings from the Cox proportional hazards regression multivariable analysis showed that metabolic syndrome, current smoking status, and former smoking status increa...
Lietuvos Bendrosios Praktikos Gydytojas, Apr 20, 2010
Tyrimo tikslas. Įvertinti tyrime dalyvavusių pagyvenusio amžiaus (65–72 metų) gyventojų sveikatos... more Tyrimo tikslas. Įvertinti tyrime dalyvavusių pagyvenusio amžiaus (65–72 metų) gyventojų sveikatos rodiklius ir gyvensenos ypatumus, palyginti juos su vidutinio amžiaus asmenų (45–54 metų) analogiskais rodikliais. Tyrimo medžiaga ir metodai. Istirti 4193 Kauno miesto gyventojai: 45–72 metų vyrai ir moterys, atsitiktinai atrinkti is Lietuvos gyventojų registro. Duomenys buvo renkami medicininio patikrinimo bei apklausos, naudojant standartinius klausimynus, metu. Rezultatai. Subjektyviai savo sveikatą kaip gerą įvertino 30,6 proc. vyrų, tik 18,6 proc. moterų teigė, kad jų sveikata yra gera (p<0,001). Vienisumo jausmą jautė 11,0 proc. vyrų ir 20,8 proc. moterų (p<0,001). Su amžiumi vyrų rūkymo paplitimas mažėja: 45–54 metų grupėje reguliariai rūkė 45,6 proc. vyrų, 65–72 metų grupėje rūkė tik 15,5 proc. (p<0,001). Moterų grupėje rūkymo paplitimas priklausomai nuo amžiaus taip pat kito. Padidėjes arterinis kraujo spaudimas nustatytas 76,0 proc. 65–72 metų ir 51,9 proc. 45–54 metų tiriamųjų (p<0,001). Isvados. Moterys savo sveikatą įvertino blogiau nei vyrai. Su amžiumi vyrų ir moterų rūkymo paplitimas mažėjo. Arterinė hipertenzija dažnesnė tarp pagyvenusio amžiaus žmonių palyginus su vidutinio amžiaus žmonėmis. Reiksminiai žodžiai: sveikata, pagyvenusio amžiaus žmonės, gyvensena, rizikos veiksniai.
Environmental Health, 2014
Background: The aims of this study were to explore associations of the distance and use of urban ... more Background: The aims of this study were to explore associations of the distance and use of urban green spaces with the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and its risk factors, and to evaluate the impact of the accessibility and use of green spaces on the incidence of CVD among the population of Kaunas city (Lithuania). Methods: We present the results from a Kaunas cohort study on the access to and use of green spaces, the association with cardiovascular risk factors and other health-related variables, and the risk of cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. A random sample of 5,112 individuals aged 45-72 years was screened in 2006-2008. During the mean 4.41 years follow-up, there were 83 deaths from CVD and 364 non-fatal cases of CVD among persons free from CHD and stroke at the baseline survey. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models were used for data analysis. Results: We found that the distance from people's residence to green spaces was not related to the prevalence of health-related variables. However, the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and the prevalence of diabetes mellitus were significantly lower among park users than among non-users. During the follow up, an increased risk of non-fatal and fatal CVD combined was observed for those who lived ≥629.61 m from green spaces (3rd tertile of distance to green space) (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.36), and the risk for non-fatal CVD-for those who lived ≥347.81 m (2nd and 3rd tertile) and were not park users (HR = 1.66) as compared to men and women who lived 347.8 m or less (1st tertile) from green space. Men living further away from parks (3rd tertile) had a higher risk of non-fatal and fatal CVD combined, compared to those living nearby (1st tertile) (HR = 1.51). Compared to park users living nearby (1st tertile), a statistically significantly increased risk of non-fatal CVD was observed for women who were not park users and living farther away from parks (2nd and 3rd tertile) (HR = 2.78). Conclusion: Our analysis suggests public health policies aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles in urban settings could produce cardiovascular benefits.
Scientific Reports
Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a major public health problem. Cold winter weather increases... more Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a major public health problem. Cold winter weather increases the risk of AMI, but factors influencing susceptibility are poorly known. We conducted an individual-level case-crossover study of the associations between winter cold spells and the risk of AMI, with special focus on survival at 28 days and effect modification by age and sex. All 16,071 adult cases of AMI among the residents of the city of Kaunas in Lithuania in 2000–2015 were included in the study. Cold weather was statistically defined using the 5th percentile of frequency distribution of daily mean temperatures over the winter months. According to conditional logistic regression controlling for time-varying and time-invariant confounders, each additional cold spell day during the week preceding AMI increased the risk of AMI by 5% (95% CI 1–9%). For nonfatal and fatal cases, the risk increase per each additional cold spell day was 5% (95% CI 1–9%) and 6% (95% CI − 2–13%), respectivel...
Informatica, 2018
The main purpose of this article was to compare traditional binary logistic regression analysis w... more The main purpose of this article was to compare traditional binary logistic regression analysis with decision tree analysis for the evaluation of the risk of cardiovascular diseases in adult men living in the city. Patients and methods. In our study, we used data from the Multifactorial Ischemic Heart Disease Prevention Study (MIHDPS). In the MIHDPS study, a random sample of male inhabitants of Kaunas city (Lithuania) aged 40-59 years was examined between 1977 and 1980. We analysed a sample of 5626 men. Taking blood pressure lowering medicine, disability, intermittent claudication, regular smoking, a higher value of the body mass index, systolic blood pressure, age, total serum cholesterol, and walking in winter were associated with a higher probability of ischemic heart disease or cardiovascular diseases. Having more siblings and drinking alcohol were associated with a lower probability of these diseases. The binary logistic regression method showed a very slightly lower level of errors than the decision tree did (the difference between the two methods was 2.04% for ischemic heart disease (IHD) and 2.86% for cardiovascular disease (CVD), but for consumers, the decision tree is easier to understand and interpret the results. Both of these methods are appropriate to analyse cardiovascular disease data.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Background: Weather is a well-known factor worldwide in psychiatric problems such as depression, ... more Background: Weather is a well-known factor worldwide in psychiatric problems such as depression, with the elderly and females being particularly susceptible. The aim of this study was to detect associations between the risk of depressive symptoms (DS) and weather variables. Methods: 6937 participants were assessed in the baseline survey of the Health Alcohol Psychosocial Factors in Eastern Europe (HAPIEE) study during 2006–2008. To assess the risk of DS, a multivariate logistic model was created with predictors such as socio-demographic factors, health behaviors, and weather variables. Results: DS were found in 23.4% of the respondents, in 15.6% of males and in 29.9% in females. A higher risk of DS (by 25%) was associated with November–December, a rising wind speed, and relative humidity (RH) < 94% and snowfall during the cold period occurring 2 days before the survey. A higher air temperature (>14.2 °C) predominant during May–September had a protective impact. A higher risk o...
Atmosphere
The effects of charged solar particles hitting the Earth’s magnetosphere are often harmful and ca... more The effects of charged solar particles hitting the Earth’s magnetosphere are often harmful and can be dangerous to the human organism. The aim of this study was to analyze the associations of geomagnetic storms (GSs) and other space weather events (solar proton events (SPEs), solar flares (SFs), high-speed solar wind (HSSW), interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) and stream interaction regions (SIRs)) with morbidity from acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and mortality from ischemic heart diseases (IHDs) during the period 2000–2015 in Kaunas (Lithuania). In 2000–2015, 12,330 AMI events (men/women n = 6942/5388) and 3742 deaths from IHD (men/women n = 2480/1262) were registered. The results showed that a higher risk of AMI and deaths from IHD were related to the period of 3 days before GS—a day after GS, and a stronger effect was observed during the spring–autumn period. The strongest effect of HSSW was observed on the day of the event. We found significant associations between...
Scandinavian Journal of Public Health, 2008
The main purpose of this paper was to assess the effect of age, period, and cohort on stroke mort... more The main purpose of this paper was to assess the effect of age, period, and cohort on stroke mortality rates among a Lithuanian urban population aged 25-64 years (1041 men and 724 women) between 1980 and 2004. Routine stroke mortality data were obtained from official Kaunas region mortality register by codes 430-438 and I60-I69 in the 9th and in the 10th revisions of the International Classifications of Diseases (ICD), respectively. Mortality rates per 100,000 persons for men and women were age-adjusted using the age distribution of the European Standard Population. Age-specific mortality rates were analysed by sex, period, and birth cohort in eight 5-year age groups and five 5-year age groups. Goodness of fit of the Poisson regression models were evaluated using Pearson and Freeman-Tukey residuals. The age-period and age-period-cohort models provided a significantly better fit than a model with the factors &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;age&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39; and &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;quot;cohort&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;#39;. During the study period, mortality rates decreased from 46.8 to 33.0 per 100,000 for men, and from 20.2 to 18.1 per 100,000 for women (average annual decrease of -1.3%, p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.1 for men, and -1.6%, p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;0.03 for women). An age effect was present in both sexes. The definite upward period effect was observed from 1990 to 1994 both among men and women, and was followed by a sharp fall during 2000-4. Cohort and period effects have contained relevant information which partially explained trends in stroke mortality among a 25-64 year-old Lithuanian urban population. During the period of 1980-2004, the mortality trend declined among women only. The period effect contains relevant information for the explanation of increasing mortality rates during 2000-4 among men and women. The Poisson regression models could be applied for the examination and explanation of the different causes of the population mortality.
Journal of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system : JRAAS
To evaluate the influence of traditional risk factors of ischaemic heart disease and genetic fact... more To evaluate the influence of traditional risk factors of ischaemic heart disease and genetic factors to predict different types of acute coronary syndromes. Five hundred and twenty-three patients with acute coronary syndromes (393 with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and 130 with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI)) comprised the study group. The control group consisted of 645 subjects free from symptoms of ischaemic heart disease and stroke. Genetic polymorphisms of MMP-2 (-735) C/T, MMP-2 (-1306) C/T, MMP-3 (-1171) 5A/6A, MMP-9 (-1562) C/T and ACE I/D were evaluated using polymerase chain reaction. Patients with acute coronary syndromes more often had ID or II genotype than DD genotype of ACE ( P = 0.04) and 5A5A or 5A6A genotype than 6A6A genotype of MMP-3 ( P = 0.02) in comparison to the control group. The genotypes of other matrix metalloproteinase genes did not differ between the groups. 5A5A and 5A6A genotypes of MMP-3 (odds ratio (OR) 1.5; P = 0.021), ...
Scandinavian Journal of Public Health
Aims: The aim of this study was to examine the relation between residential distance from major r... more Aims: The aim of this study was to examine the relation between residential distance from major roads and city parks and the development of arterial hypertension. Methods: In this study, we used data of the population included in the MONICA survey (Lithuania). In total, 739 participants without arterial hypertension were selected for the present study. Poisson regression with robust variance estimation was used to evaluate the associations between distances from a major road and a city park expressed as categorical variables and the incidence of arterial hypertension, adjusting for individual risk factors. Results: For persons living at a distance of 151–300 m and > 300 m from city parks, relative risks were 1.49 (95% CI 1.03–2.15) and 1.51 (95% CI 1.10–2.07) respectively, as compared to a ≤ 150 m distance from city parks. For persons living further than 200 m away from a major road, the relative risk for the residential distance from city parks > 150 m was 2.36 ( p = 0.029) t...
Central European Journal of Public Health
Objectives: Previous studies have observed notable unexplained geographic differences in incidenc... more Objectives: Previous studies have observed notable unexplained geographic differences in incidence of kidney cancer in Europe. Lithuania is among the countries with the highest incidence and mortality. Our objective was to investigate the effect of different lifestyle, anthropometric and biological factors on the risk of kidney cancer in Lithuanian men.
International Ophthalmology
Purpose To examine the 10-year incidence of the pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX) in adults in a p... more Purpose To examine the 10-year incidence of the pseudoexfoliation syndrome (PEX) in adults in a population-based follow-up study, to determine its link with vascular diseases, and to identify possible risk factors of the PEX. Methods The baseline examination was performed in 2006 on a random sample of 1033 participants from Kaunas city (Lithuania) population. In 2016, a follow-up study of 686 participants who returned for the examination was conducted. The respondents filled out a questionnaire, an ophthalmological examination was performed, and the presence of vascular diseases was determined by the anamnesis and electrocardiogram evaluation data. Binary univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted with the PEX and vascular diseases as predictors, controlling for age. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals of OR were calculated for the risk of new PEX cases. Results During 10 years, the prevalence of the PEX in the study population increased from 1...
Psichologija
Senėjimo problemos kontekste pažintinių gebėjimų prastėjimas tampa vis aktualesnė tema. Yra duome... more Senėjimo problemos kontekste pažintinių gebėjimų prastėjimas tampa vis aktualesnė tema. Yra duomenų, kad APOE ɛ4 genotipas prognozuoja prastesnius pažintinius gebėjimus. Taigi, kyla poreikis išsiaiškinti, kurie pažintinių gebėjimų komponentai ir jų pokyčiai siejasi su APOE ɛ4 genotipu. Šio straipsnio tikslas – sisteminės analizės metodu apžvelgti mokslinius tyrimus, analizavusius pažintinių gebėjimų ir APOE ɛ4 genotipo sąsajas.Ankstesnių tyrimų rezultatai atskleidžia, kad turintieji APOE ɛ4 alelį pasižymi prastesniais pažintiniais gebėjimais, palyginti su asmenimis, neturinčiais APOE ɛ4. Dauguma tyrimų įrodo, kad APOE ɛ4 genotipas susijęs su prastesne atmintimi ir vykdomosios funkcijos rezultatais. Kiek rečiau aptinkami APOE ɛ4 ir dėmesio ryšiai. O verbaliniai ir samprotavimo gebėjimai su šio geno polimorfizmu dažniausiai nesiejami. Manoma, kad APOE ɛ4 genotipas gali turėti įtakos pažintinių gebėjimų prastėjimui, tačiau lieka neaiški šio geno polimorfizmo įtaka pažintinių gebėjimų p...
Journal of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system : JRAAS
To evaluate the influence of traditional risk factors of ischaemic heart disease and genetic fact... more To evaluate the influence of traditional risk factors of ischaemic heart disease and genetic factors to predict different types of acute coronary syndromes. Five hundred and twenty-three patients with acute coronary syndromes (393 with ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and 130 with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI)) comprised the study group. The control group consisted of 645 subjects free from symptoms of ischaemic heart disease and stroke. Genetic polymorphisms of MMP-2 (-735) C/T, MMP-2 (-1306) C/T, MMP-3 (-1171) 5A/6A, MMP-9 (-1562) C/T and ACE I/D were evaluated using polymerase chain reaction. Patients with acute coronary syndromes more often had ID or II genotype than DD genotype of ACE ( P = 0.04) and 5A5A or 5A6A genotype than 6A6A genotype of MMP-3 ( P = 0.02) in comparison to the control group. The genotypes of other matrix metalloproteinase genes did not differ between the groups. 5A5A and 5A6A genotypes of MMP-3 (odds ratio (OR) 1.5; P = 0.021), ...
Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2016
The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations among morbidity of acute myocardial infarc... more The aim of this study was to evaluate the associations among morbidity of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and mortality from ischemic heart disease (IHD) with heliogeophysical factors among the Kaunas population. The study population was stratified into three age categories: 25-54, 55-64, and ≥65 years. In this study, solar flares (SF), solar proton fluences (SPF), and geomagnetic activity (GMA) were employed as heliogeophysical factors and used Poisson regression and two methods of time series modeling (lag and lead). Influence of GMA in different age and sex category is uneven. The mean number of AMI events per day was greatest (23 %) among men aged 25-54 years on the third day and the same sex aged 55-64 years-increased 10 % 2 days before when the GMA intensity was A+S. Both for men and women aged ≥65 years, the highest increase in the mean number of deaths from IHD events per day was observed on the second day when the GMA intensity was A+S-51 and 34 %, respectively. Evaluating the impact of SF of 10(-5) ≤ SF < 10(-4) W/m(2) (M+X) intensity, the mean number of AMI events per day was greatest for 55-64-year-old women and men on the same and second days. Such SF were associated with a 13 and 20 % increase, respectively. Evaluating the impact of large fluence SPF, it was determined that the increase in the mean number of AMI events per day among 25-54-year-old men was greatest (30 %) 1 day, and death from IHD (54 %) was observed among women aged ≥65 years 2 days before the energy of the SPF has increased.
The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of risk factors, population-attributable risk f... more The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence of risk factors, population-attributable risk fraction and prognosis of multiple risk factors for the risk of death from stroke among middle-aged Kaunas population during 1983–2003. Patients and methods. The random samples of men and women aged 35– 64 years were examined in MONICA-1, 2, 3 (n = 5437). The risk factors were assessed by the standard epidemiological questionnaire. New cases of deaths from stroke were registered from the beginning of every survey until December 31, 2003. During the follow-up period 85 deaths occurred: 45 in men and 43 in women. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the relative risks for death from stroke. The prevalence of arterial hypertension, physical inactivity, obesity, ischemic changes on electrocardiogram was higher among men who died of stroke as compared to men examined in the MONICA-1 survey. Results. The highest population attributable fraction of stroke was for ar-terial hyp...