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The original version of this article inadvertently contained the wrong version of Fig. 4 and the descriptives derived from it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Work ability predicts future disability pension (DP). A single-item work ability score (WAS) is emerging as a measure for work ability. This study compared single-item WAS with the multi-item work ability index (WAI) in its ability to identify workers at risk of DP. Methods: This prospective cohort study comprised 11 537 male construction workers, who completed the WAI at baseline and reported DP after a mean 2.3 years of follow-up. WAS and WAI were calibrated for DP risk predictions with the Hosmer-Lemeshow (H-L) test and their ability to discriminate between high- and low-risk construction workers was investigated with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Results: At follow-up, 336 (3%) construction workers reported DP. Both WAS [odds ratio (OR) 0.72, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 0.66-0.78] and WAI (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.52-0.63) scores were associated with DP at follow-up. The WAS showed miscalibration (H-L model Χ²=10.60; df=3; P=0.01) and poorly discriminated between high- and low-risk construction workers (AUC 0.67, 95% CI 0.64-0.70). In contrast, calibration (H-L model Χ²=8.20; df=8; P=0.41) and discrimination (AUC 0.78, 95% CI 0.75-0.80) were both adequate for the WAI. Conclusion: Although associated with the risk of future DP, the single-item WAS poorly identified male construction workers at risk of DP. We recommend using the multi-item WAI to screen for risk of DP in occupational health practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim This study aimed to determine the developmental trajectories of social participation, by level of gross motor function and intellectual disability, in a Dutch population of individuals with cerebral palsy ( CP) aged 1 to 24 years. Method As part of the Pediatric Rehabilitation Research in the Netherlands ( PERRIN+), 424 individuals with CP (261 males, 163 females; mean age [ SD] 9y 6mo [6y 2mo]; Gross Motor Function Classification [ GMFCS] levels I- V [50% level I]; 87% with spastic CP; 26% with intellectual disability) were longitudinally followed for up to 4 years between 2002 and 2007. Social participation was assessed with the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales survey. Effects of age, GMFCS level and intellectual disability were analysed using multilevel modelling. Results The developmental trajectories for individuals in GMFCS levels I to IV did not significantly differ from each other. For individuals without intellectual disability, the degree of social participation increased with age and stabilized at about 18 years. These individuals reached social participation levels similar to typically developing individuals. The trajectories were significantly less favourable for individuals in GMFCS level V and individuals with intellectual disability. Interpretation Intellectual disability is more distinctive for the development of social participation than GMFCS level. The developmental trajectories will support individuals with CP and their families in setting realistic goals and professionals in optimizing the choice of interventions at an early age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the longitudinal associations of person-related factors with physical activity (PA) behavior in young adults. Methods: We analyzed longitudinal self-reported time spent in moderate-intensity PA (MPA; 4-7 METs) and vigorous-intensity PA (VPA; >7 METs) from 499 young adults (49% male) who participated in the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study at the age of 21, 27, 32, and 36 yr. Sociodemographic factors (i.e., marital and employment status), physical factors (i.e., skinfolds, aerobic fitness, neuromotor fitness, back problems, and general health status), psychological factors (i.e., problem and emotion focused coping, mild health complaints, and personality), and behavioral factors (i.e., alcohol consumption, smoking, and energy intake) were assessed at each time point. We performed sex-specific univariable and multivariable generalized estimating equations. Results: Men and women with higher aerobic fitness were more moderately and vigorously active. Not having paid work was associated with more MPA in both men and women. Men with part-time paid work, lower scores on dominance, higher scores on hostility, and above moderate alcohol consumption (i.e., ≥140 g of alcohol per week) were more moderately active. Divorced women and those with better physical flexibility spent more time in MPA. Men having full-time paid work, with a good general health status and nonsmokers, were more vigorously active. Women being married/living together, who had better physical flexibility, lower scores on inadequacy, higher scores on dominance, and low caloric intake (around 2000 kcal•d-1) were more vigorously active. Conclusion: Several sociodemographic, physical, psychological, and behavioral factors were associated with PA in Dutch young adults. Determinants were different for MPA and VPA and for men and women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Homocysteine is an independent predictor of cardiovascular risk. The mechanisms underlying this link are not fully elucidated. Whereas the role of vascular dysfunction in conduit arteries is extensively studied, the role of the microcirculation in this relationship is largely unexplored. We assessed the relationship between homocysteine levels and microvascular structure and function in a healthy, population-based cohort. Materials and methods We cross-sectionally studied 260 participants (aged 42 years, 47% men) of the Amsterdam Growth and Health Longitudinal Study. Nailfold videocapillaroscopy was used to assess capillary density at baseline, during venous occlusion and during peak reactive hyperaemia. The relationship between tertiles of homocysteine and microvascular outcomes was evaluated using linear regression analyses, with adjustment for BMI and blood pressure. Stratified analyses were performed for men and women. Results In men, we observed a negative, nonlinear relationship between homocysteine and baseline capillary density, showing a lower capillary density in the highest tertile of homocysteine [adjusted B −8·65 capillaries/mm2 (95%- CI: −16·05 to −1·25); P = 0·02]. In women, no significant associations were found between homocysteine and microvascular outcomes. Conclusions In men, higher homocysteine levels are associated with a reduction in basal perfusion of skin capillaries. This finding provides a novel potential explanation for how homocysteine influences cardiovascular disease risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Sitting is associated with health risks. Factors that influence sitting are however not well understood. The aim was to examine the biological, socio-demographic, work-related and lifestyle determinants of sitting time (including during transport, work and leisure) in young adult Australian women. Methods Self-reported data from 11,676 participants (aged 22-27 years in 2000) in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health were collected over 9 years in 2000, 2003, 2006 and 2009. Generalised Estimating Equations were used to examine univariable and multivariable associations of body mass index (BMI), country of birth, area of residence, education, marital status, number of children, occupational status, working hours, physical activity, smoking, alcohol intake and stress with week- and weekend-day sitting time. Results Compared with women in the respective referent categories, (1) women with higher BMI, those born in Asia, those with less than University level education, doing white collar work, working 41-48 hours a week, current smokers, non, rare or risky/ high risk drinkers and those being somewhat stressed had significantly higher sitting time; and (2) women living in rural and remote areas, partnered women, those with children, those without a paid job and blue collar workers, those working less than 34 hours a week, and active women had significantly lower sitting time. Conclusions Among young adult Australian women, those with higher BMI, those born in Asia, those with higher level occupations and long working hours, were most at risk of higher sitting time. These results can be used to identify at-risk groups and inform intervention development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In the Netherlands, low risk women receive midwife-led care and can choose to give birth at home or in hospital. There is concern that transfer of care during labour from midwife-led care to an obstetrician-led unit leads to negative birth experiences, in particular among those with planned home birth. In this study we compared sense of control, which is a major attribute of the childbirth experience, for women planning home compared to women planning hospital birth under midwife-led care. In particular, we studied sense of control among women who were transferred to obstetric-led care during labour according to planned place of birth: home versus hospital. Methods: We used data from the prospective multicentre DELIVER (Data EersteLIjns VERloskunde) cohort-study, conducted in 2009 and 2010 in the Netherlands. Sense of control during labour was assessed 6 weeks after birth, using the short version of the Labour Agentry Scale (LAS-11). A higher LAS-11 score indicates a higher feeling of control. We considered a difference of a minimum of 5.5 points as clinically relevant. Results: Nulliparous- and parous women who planned a home birth had a 2.6 (95% CI 1.0, 4.3) and a 3.0 (1.6, 4.4) higher LAS score during first stage of labour respectively and during second stage a higher score of 2.8 (0.9, 4.7) and 2.3 (0.6, 4.0), compared with women who planned a hospital birth. Overall, women who were transferred experienced a lower sense of control than women who were not transferred. Parous women who planned a home birth and who were transferred had a 4.3 (0.2, 8.4) higher LAS score in 2nd stage, compared to those who planned a hospital birth and who were transferred. Conclusion: We found no clinically relevant differences in feelings of control among women who planned a home or hospital birth. Transfer of care during labour lowered feelings of control, but feelings of control were similar for transferred women who planned a home or hospital birth. As far as their expected sense of control is concerned, low risk women should be encouraged to give birth at the location of their preference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Little is known about the presence of chronic morbidity in inflammatory arthritis (IA) patients at disease onset. Previous studies have been mainly performed in established IA patients or they focus on isolated co-morbid diseases. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of chronic diseases at the onset of IA and to determine whether this is different from the number that one might expect based on age and sex. Patients and methods. A nested case–control study from 2001 to 2010 using data from patient electronic medical records in general practice. Totally, 3354 patients with newly diagnosed IA were included. Each patient was matched on age, sex and general practice with two control patients. In total, 121 different chronic diseases were studied. Results. In total, 70% of the IA patients had at least one chronic disease at the onset of IA, compared with 59% of the control patients (P < 0.001). The highest prevalence in IA patients was found for cardiovascular diseases (35%), musculoskeletal diseases (27%) and neurological diseases (22%). Compared with the control patients, patients with IA had the highest increased risk for musculoskeletal diseases [odds ratio, OR = 1.7 (95% confidence interval: 1.6–19)] and for neurological diseases [OR = 1.6 (1.4–1.7)] at the onset of IA. Conclusion. At the onset of IA, nearly three-quarters of patients with IA had at least one other chronic disease. Since multi-morbidity affects treatment and outcome of the IA patient, these diseases should be taken into account when treating IA patients. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

DM (diabetes mellitus) is present in 20-40% of patients with liver cirrhosis, but its prognostic impact is unclear. Therefore, in the present study, we investigated whether the presence of DM in patients with cirrhosis was associated with increased mortality, and/or with increased incidence of SBP (spontaneous bacterial peritonitis). We reviewed medical and laboratory data of 230 patients with cirrhosis from the period 2001-2011, for whom data were complete in n=226. Follow-up for the outcomes mortality and SBP was performed until May 2012, with only 13 patients lost to follow-up. DM was present at baseline in 78 patients (35%). Median follow-up was 6.2 (interquartile range, 3.1-9.3) years, during which 118 patients died [47 out of 78 with DM (60%), and 71 out of 148 without DM (48%)]. The presence of DM at baseline was not associated with increased mortality after adjustment for age {HR (hazard ratio), 1.00 [95% CI (confidence interval), 0.67-1.50]}. Further adjustment for sex, aetiology of cirrhosis, platelet count and the Child-Pugh or MELD (model for end-stage liver disease) score did not change this finding. During follow-up, 37 patients developed incident SBP (19 with DM and 18 without DM). DM at baseline was associated with incident SBP, even after adjustment for age, sex, aetiology, platelet count and the Child-Pugh [HR, 2.39 (95% CI, 1.10-5.18)] or MELD score [HR, 2.50 (95% CI, 1.16-5.40)]. In conclusion, the presence of DM at baseline in patients with cirrhosis was associated with an increased risk of SBP, which may represent an increased susceptibility to infections. On the other hand, DM was not clearly associated with increased mortality in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]