Cardiovascular risk factors and lifestyle behaviours in relation to longevity: a Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: The American Heart Association introduced the Life's Simple 7 initiative to improve cardiovascular health by modifying cardiovascular risk factors and lifestyle behaviours. It is unclear whether these risk factors are causally associated with longevity. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate causal associations of Life's Simple 7 modifiable risk factors, as well as sleep and education, with longevity using the two-sample Mendelian randomization design. METHODS: Instrumental variables for the modifiable risk factors were obtained from large-scale genome-wide association studies. Data on longevity beyond the 90th survival percentile were extracted from a genome-wide association meta-analysis with 11,262 cases and 25,483 controls whose age at death or last contact was ≤ the 60th survival percentile. RESULTS: Risk factors associated with a lower odds of longevity included the following: genetic liability to type 2 diabetes (OR 0.88; 95% CI: 0.84;0.92), genetically predicted systolic and diastolic blood pressure (per 1-mmHg increase: 0.96; 0.94;0.97 and 0.95; 0.93;0.97), body mass index (per 1-SD increase: 0.80; 0.74;0.86), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (per 1-SD increase: 0.75; 0.65;0.86) and smoking initiation (0.75; 0.66;0.85). Genetically increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (per 1-SD increase: 1.23; 1.08;1.41) and educational level (per 1-SD increase: 1.64; 1.45;1.86) were associated with a higher odds of longevity. Fasting glucose and other lifestyle factors were not significantly associated with longevity. CONCLUSION: Most of the Life's Simple 7 modifiable risk factors are causally related to longevity. Prevention strategies should focus on modifying these risk factors and reducing education inequalities to improve cardiovascular health and longevity.

Characteristics associated with polypharmacy in people with type 2 diabetes: the Dutch Diabetes Pearl cohort.

AIM: To describe the prevalence and characteristics of polypharmacy in a Dutch cohort of individuals with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: We included people with type 2 diabetes from the Diabetes Pearl cohort, of whom 3886 were treated in primary care and 2873 in academic care (secondary/tertiary). With multivariable multinomial logistic regression analyses stratified for line of care, we assessed which sociodemographic, lifestyle and cardiometabolic characteristics were associated with moderate (5-9 medications) and severe polypharmacy (≥10 medications) compared with no polypharmacy (0-4 medications). RESULTS: Mean age was 63 ± 10 years, and 40% were women. The median number of daily medications was 5 (IQR 3-7) in primary care and 7 (IQR 5-10) in academic care. The prevalence of moderate and severe polypharmacy was 44% and 10% in primary care, and 53% and 29% in academic care respectively. Glucose-lowering and lipid-modifying medications were most prevalent. People with severe polypharmacy used a relatively large amount of other (i.e. non-cardiovascular and non-glucose-lowering) medication. Moderate and severe polypharmacy across all lines of care were associated with higher age, low educational level, more smoking, longer diabetes duration, higher BMI and more cardiovascular disease. CONCLUSIONS: Severe and moderate polypharmacy are prevalent in over half of people with type 2 diabetes in primary care, and even more in academic care. People with polypharmacy are characterized by poorer cardiometabolic status. These results highlight the significance of polypharmacy in type 2 diabetes.

[The level of oral health and oral care in patients with Sjögren syndrome]. / Het niveau van de mondgezondheid en mondverzorging van patiënten met het syndroom van Sjögren.

Sjögren syndrome, characterised by, among other things, dry mouth, can be associated with an increased risk of caries and oral infections. The level of oral care and oral health in a group of 50 patients with Sjögren syndrome was assessed. These findings were compared with a group of 61 healthy controls. Damage to the cervical area of the teeth was much more frequently seen in patients with Sjögren syndrome than in the control group (p smaller 0,001). Moreover, patients with Sjögren syndrome paid more attention to their oral care. This expressed itself, among other things, by the more frequent use of interdental cleaning agents (p = 0.004) and fluoride mouthwashes (p smaller 0.001). It is recommended that dentists and dental hygienists see their patients often; every three months, for example, on account of, among other things, the increased risk of developing caries.