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Aim: This study aimed to identify the factors influencing the changes in the number of teeth present and the number of healthy or filled surfaces between two time points. Materials and Methods: Repeated cross‐sectional data from population‐based studies, namely the German Oral Health Studies (DMS‐III vs. DMS‐V), the Studies of Health in Pomerania (SHIP‐START‐0 vs. SHIP‐TREND‐0), and the Jönköping study (2003 vs. 2013), were analysed. Oaxaca decomposition models were constructed for the outcomes (number of teeth, number of healthy surfaces, and number of filled surfaces). Results: The number of teeth increased between examinations (DMS: +2.26 [adults], +4.92 [seniors], SHIP: +1.67, Jönköping: +0.96). Improvements in education and dental awareness brought a positive change in all outcomes. An increase in powered toothbrushing and inter‐dental cleaning had a great impact in DMS (adults: +0.25 tooth, +0.78 healthy surface, +0.38 filled surface; seniors: +1.19 teeth, 5.79 healthy surfaces, +0.48 filled surface). Inter‐dental cleaning decreased by 4% between SHIP‐START‐0 and SHIP‐TREND‐0, which negatively affected the outcomes. Conclusions: From this study, it can be concluded that education may be the most important factor having a direct and indirect effect on the outcomes. However, for better oral health, powered toothbrushing and inter‐dental cleaning should not be neglected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Associations between thyroid function and hepatic steatosis defined by enzymatic and sonographic criteria are largely unknown in the general population. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the association between thyroid function tests and sonographic as well as enzymatic criteria of liver status in a large population-based study, the Study of Health in Germany (SHIP). Methods: Data from 3661 SHIP participants without a self-reported history of thyroid or liver disease were analyzed. Hepatic steatosis was defined as the presence of a hyperechogenic ultrasound pattern of the liver and increased serum alanine transferase concentrations. Serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free triiodothyronine (FT3), and free thyroxine (FT4) concentrations were associated with hepatic steatosis using multinomial regression models adjusted for sex, age, physical activity, alcohol consumption, waist circumference, and food intake pattern. Results: We detected no consistent association of serum TSH and FT3 concentrations with hepatic steatosis. In contrast, serum FT4 concentrations were inversely associated with hepatic steatosis in men (odds ratio (OR)=0.04 [95% confidence interval (CI)=0.01; 0.17]) and women (OR=0.06 [95% CI=0.01; 0.42]). Conclusions: Results from the present cross-sectional study suggest that low FT4 concentrations are associated with hepatic steatosis. Longitudinal and intervention studies are warranted to investigate whether hypothyroidism increases the risk of hepatic steatosis or vice versa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Objective Oxidized LDL (oxLDL) is involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Thus, it is important to investigate putative risk factors for increased oxLDL. Evidence suggests that, compared to euthyroid individuals, LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels are lower in individuals with overt hyperthyroidism. Whereas oxidization of LDL-C into oxLDL is increased in overt hyper- and hypothyroidism, it has not been investigated whether subclinical thyroid dysfunction impacts on oxLDL levels in general. We have analysed the association between serum thyrotrophin (TSH) levels and oxLDL in a population-based study. Design, Patients and Measurements Of the 4308 individuals enrolled in the Study of Health in Pomerania, data from 3519 individuals were analysed (680 missing the oxLDL variable). oxLDL was measured by the oxLDL competitive ELISA on a BEP 2000. Multivariable linear regression models were performed to assess the association between serum TSH and oxLDL levels. Results TSH was positively associated with oxLDL in a curvilinear fashion with increasing serum TSH levels. Subgroup analyses revealed a significant association only in the group of individuals >60 years. Additionally, serum TSH levels were not associated with the ratio of oxLDL to LDL (β = −0·04; 95% CI = −0·08, 0·01; P = 0·084). Conclusions We demonstrate an association between serum TSH and oxLDL levels especially in the range of subclinical thyroid disease. Our study suggests that serum TSH levels affect LDL-C production or clearance rather than the LDL-C oxidation processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Respiratory muscle pressures have been gaining increasing interest because of prognostic value. The study aim was to acquire reference values for respiratory pressures in a large-scale population-based survey - the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP). Methods: One thousand eight hundred and nine participants (885 men) of a cross-sectional epidemiologic survey, called 'Study of Health in Pomerania - SHIP', underwent lung function and respiratory muscle pressure measurements. After excluding individuals with cardiopulmonary disorders, prediction equations for men and women were established by quantile regression analysis. Results: The final study population comprised 912 individuals (432 men), aged 25-80 years. The study provides a representative set of sex-specific prediction equations of respiratory muscle strength. Respiratory pressures are decreasing with age and are lower in women when compared to men. Conclusions: Prediction equations for relevant respiratory pressures are given. Based on this well-described population-based survey with extensive cardiopulmonary investigations to exclude relevant interfering disorders a sufficient comprehensive set of reference values was obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]