Changes in physical activity and mortality risk among an adult Lithuanian urban population: results from a cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in physical activity and the association of these changes with the risk of all-cause mortality and mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD) among an adult and elderly Lithuanian urban population. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. METHODS: Data from four surveys are presented. In total, there were 2416 participants (1071 men and 1345 women) who took part in one of the initial three surveys in the framework of the Multinational Monitoring of Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease (MONICA) study since 1986 and also in the follow-up survey in 2006 (with follow-up over 15 years). Study participants were followed-up for mortality events from 2006 until 31 December 2017. The mean duration of the follow-up for endpoints period was 10.55 (standard deviation 2.33) years. RESULTS: Over 15 years of follow-up, 50.9% of men and 56.7% of women were physically active at initial and follow-up surveys, and approximately 10.0% of respondents were physically inactive. Over this period, 22.8% of men and 24.8% of women increased their physical activity level, and 14.1% of men and 10.1% of women decreased their physical activity level. The findings from the Cox proportional hazards regression multivariable analysis showed that a decrease in physical activity level during the follow-up period was related to a higher risk for all-cause mortality and mortality from CVD risk in women (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.82, P = 0.039; and HR = 5.40, P = 0.014, respectively). In men, a clear association of physical inactivity was ascertained only to all-cause mortality risk and only for non-smokers (HR = 2.07, P = 0.013). CONCLUSIONS: A decrease in physical activity levels in women is a strong predictor for all-cause mortality risk and mortality from CVD risk. Physical inactivity in male non-smokers is a strong predictor for all-cause mortality risk.

[Associations between quality of life and lifestyle peculiarities in stroke survivors: the results of the EROS study]. / Svyaz' mezhdu kachestvom i osobennostyami obraza zhizni lits, perenesshikh tserebral'nyi insul't: rezul'taty issledovaniya EROS.

OBJECTIVE: To determine relations between quality of life and characteristics of lifestyle in stroke patients and control groups. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The case group consisted of 508 Kaunas citizens, aged 25-84, who had survived their first stroke. The control group consisted of 508 randomly chosen healthy Kaunas citizens age- and sex-matched to the cases. SF-12 questionnaire on the quality of life has been used for the study. The characteristics of lifestyle (alcohol use, smoking, nutrition) were studied. RESULTS: The effect size of alcohol use in the stroke patients was not large (Cohen's d=0.41) compared to the control group (Cohen's d=0.87). Patients who did not use alcohol had lower estimations in the physical health domain of quality of life compared to those who used alcohol. The number of smoking men was significantly higher (p=0.0005) in the stroke patients (29.0%) than in the control group (19.6%). The physical health was best assessed by men belonging to the control group who never smoked compared to men who had quit smoking (p=0.0005) and in the stroke group - by smoking men compared to men who had quit smoking (p=0.049). Nutrition status had significant effect only on the physical health in the control group: the estimate of physical health of obese individuals was lower when compared to the rest participants (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The number of men who used excessive amounts of alcohol and smoked or had quit smoking was higher in the stroke patients group than in the control group. In the stroke patient group, the effect size of alcohol use was not large. Men who had quit smoking prior to stroke presented poorer evaluations of the quality of life in the general health and mental health domains than did those who had smoked before stroke onset.

[The effect of stroke on health and daily activities].

The purpose of this survey was to compare quality of life between survivors of stroke and the general population with regard to daily activities, health and emotional state. We surveyed a random group of 508 Kaunas residents, aged between 25 and 84 years, who survived the first stroke. The control group was made up of 508 sex- and age-matched stroke-free residents of Kaunas. We used the SF-12 quality of life questionnaire. Logistic regression was applied to evaluate the subjects for quality of life with regard to health, daily routine and mental state. Health was rated as very good by 1% of patients and 24,4% of controls (p = 0,001) and as poor by 78,9% and 26,4%, respectively (p = 0,001). The activities of 35,2% of patients and 3,5% of controls were impaired by their health (p = 0,001). State of health or emotional problems restricted social relationship in 19,3% of patients and in 1,6% of controls (p < 0,05). Social activities were mostly impaired in patients after cerebral stroke (odds ratio (OR = 36,7). Stroke also caused depression (OR = 16) and limited domestic activities (OR = 15,5).