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Biomedical subjects

D P Mertz

Publications and source records attributed to D P Mertz.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

[Is there a change in the trend of the risk factor profile in the adult population?].

In a comparative study of a total of 7169 unselected patients of both sexes, that has been admitted as inpatients for rehabilitation reasons concerning rheumatic diseases, has been examined which differences result between 1988 und 1990 with respect to the prevalence of overweight of more than 20% in relation to the individual ideal weight and to impairment of the carbohydrate metabolism. Age structure, professions and social levels were comparable in both populations. In comparison with the large upward trend of the risk factor profile between 1976 and 1988 there was a slight but significant increase of the prevalence of overweight between 1988 und 1990 only for males (53.9% vs. 57.7%), whereas among females the prevalence showed an insignificant downward trend (67.9% vs. 66.6%). At the same time the prevalence of an impaired carbohydrate metabolism did not differ significantly (10.5% vs. 9.5%). There is evidence for a small success of public and medical efforts to improve public health.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[First indications of decrease in the incidence of hyperuricemia in North Germany].

For the first time after onset of the economic miracle since 1948/49 the continuous considerable upward trend of the prevalence of hyperuricemia among the adult population in northern Germany seems to be stopped. In a comparative study of a total of 7169 unselected patients of both sexes, that has been admitted as inpatients for rehabilitation reasons predominantly concerning rheumatic diseases, has been examined which differences result between 1988 and 1990 with respect to the prevalence of hyperuricemia in relation to overweight. Age structure, professions and social levels were comparable in both populations. In comparison with the large upward trend of the risk factor profile between 1976 and 1988 the prevalence of hyperuricemia in males decreased significantly from an average of 17.9 per cent to 15.2 per cent. For females only an insignificant trend to a decrease of the prevalence of hyperuricemia (4.5 per cent vs. 4.2 per cent) was noted. In hyperuricemic males the prevalence of overweight of more than 20 per cent in relation to the individual ideal weight was significantly more frequent than in the whole male population (70.1 per cent vs. 57.7 per cent). Just as for obesity and diabetes mellitus the prevalence of hyperuricemia among the adult population in northern Germany appears to have culminated or crossed its summit. There is further evidence for a small success of public and medical efforts to improve public health. Of a total of 3584 patients who were investigated in 1990 1977 males showed a mean serum uric acid level of 5.71 +/- 1.62 mg/dl whereas in females the corresponding mean value was highly significantly less (4.22 +/- 1.06 mg/dl).

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Changes in the epidemiology, symptomatology and prognosis of gout].

Hardly any other disorder in this century has been subject to such strong changes--referring to epidemiology and symptomatology--as was gout. These changes were all linked to fundamental social upheavals. In the past 4 decades effective medicamentous possibilities of treating hyperuricaemia and gout have been added. The clinical picture of gout is being obscured by many and partly indiscriminate beginnings of treatment of innocuous or symptomless hyperuricaemias that were found by accident on the occasion of a medical checkup; attacks of gout and classical gout-specific morphological degenerations have become rare in spite of a still increasing number of hyperuricaemias among the general population. For these reasons epidemiological inquiries about gout lack any solid foundation. It is rather appropriate to speak only of "potential" gout, of a constellation which--if untreated--would probably mean manifest gout sometime. Because of the numerous accompanying diseases which usually attack patients with gout and which mostly occur combined with other disorders (such as obesity, lesions of the liver and kidneys, high blood pressure, disorders of the lipoprotein and carbohydrate metabolism), those patients' life expectancy--if they are not treated--is limited anyway. Most of these accompanying diseases can contribute to the development of an early severe atherosclerosis the consequences of which do lead to the death of most of the untreated "cases". Today gout as an arthropathy can be considered to be overcome--punctual and correct medical treatment provided; also the numerous accompanying diseases are well treatable today.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cross-Sectional Studies↗
PubMed1990

[Trends in the risk factor profile between 1976 and 1988].

In a comparative study of a total of 5740 unselected patients of both sexes, that had been admitted as inpatients for rehabilitation reasons concerning rheumatic diseases, it has been examined which differences result between 1976 and 1988 with respect to the prevalence of one or more of the following 5 diseases: diseases of the liver, arterial hypertension, disturbances of the lipid, uric acid or carbohydrate metabolism. Underlying were the same conditions and valuation standards. 2155 consecutively hospitalized patients in 1976 of a medium age of 53.75 +/- 10.89 years (standard deviation) were compared to 3585 patients with a medium age of 55.25 +/- 10.74 years in 1988. Age structure, professions and social levels were comparable in both populations. Whereas 1976 41.1% of the males and 27.9% of the females had one or more of the 5 diseases, this applied for 71.0% of the males and 59.5% of the females in 1988. Between 1976 and 1988 diseases of the liver, arterial hypertension, hyperlipoproteinemia and impairment of carbohydrate metabolism increased highly significant by 66%, 73%, 128% and 41%, respectively. Also hyperuricemia was found more frequently in 1988 among males than 1976 (17.9% vs. 14.2%), whereas among females the prevalence lowered significantly from 8.5% to 4.5% during this period. At the same time the prevalence of overweight of more than 20% of the ideal weight increased from 56.6% of the patients suffering from one or more of the 5 diseases in 1976 to 63.9% in 1988 significantly. Of a total of 3585 patients that was investigated in 1988 2395 patients (66.8%) had one or more of the additional diseases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cause of Death↗
PubMed1986

[A simple test for quantitative determination of LDL-cholesterol].

The subject of the report is a novel precipitation test for the quantitative recording of LDL cholesterol based on the precipitation of LDL by dextran sulphate. Parallel assays of LDL cholesterol according to the new method and using quantitative lipoprotein electrophoresis as reference showed the results, in terms of the individual values and collectively, to be practically identical for a wide concentration range of various lipids and lipoproteins in the serum. The concentration ratio of the means obtained according to the two methods is 1.014 +/- 0.102 (standard deviation). The regression function displays a correlation coefficient of 0.9470. Double assays with the new technique yield a variation coefficient of 1.7 +/- 0.4%. Limitations of the method, which are insignificant for application in practice, are pointed out. The new precipitation method is simple, safe and useful for the quantitative estimation of the LDL cholesterol concentration in freshly obtained human serum. The method requires only little time and equipment.

Cholesterol, LDL↗
PubMed1979

[The range and lipid-lowering effect of etofibrate as a retard-preparation in patients with hyperlipoproteinemia type IIa (author's transl)].

Patients with hyperlipoproteinemia, type IIa, were treated with an adequate diet; additionally they were given 500 mg etofibrate daily. Within 14 days the total cholesterol-level in serum, LDL and LDL-cholesterol were reduced significantly, whereas the level of HDL was not affected. The potency of etofibrate is equal to approximately 50 to 80% of the lipid-lowering effect of clofibrate in an optimal dosis of 2 g/day.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

[Comparative study of the analysis of lipoproteins with different electrophoretic methods (author's transl)].

In 100 unselected sera the lipids were analysed with different methods. A commonly used method of the lipoprotein-electrophoresis, which evaluates the pherogram after staining with lipid-strains, was compared with the quantitative lipoproteinelectrophoresis according to Wieland and Seidel. The analyses were supplemented through the enzymatic estimation of total cholesterol and triglycerides. Only in 55 cases the results were identical. The improved diagnosis of lipoproteins is due to the complete and reproducible demonstration of HDL (high density lipoproteins) bands, which are found with the staining methods only in half of the cases. On the contrary the relative proportion of the VLDL (very low density lipoproteins) is increased three-fold with the staining methods.

Blood Protein Disorders↗
PubMed1979

[Correlation of glycerin-level and body weight (author's transl)].

In 202 non selected males and females the concentration of free glycerin in the fasting serum was evaluated. There was a significant parabolic correlation of the glycerin-levels in the serum with the deviation of the actual body weight from the ideal weight. There is a theory that glycerin regulates the appetite through a negative feed-back mechanism. Our findings do not contradict this hypothesis, as it cannot be excluded that feedback mechanism is disturbed in long lasting obesity. The serum level of free glycerin is not correlated with the concentration of triglycerides or total cholesterol.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

[Antilipemic agents available after the ban on clofibrate: clinical-pharmacological view].

Among the various available hypolipidemic agents only clofibrate-related substances, d-thyroxine and nicotinic acid are capable of lowering serum lipid values together with a relative or absolute rise of HDL. By that means one atherogenic risk factor is eliminated and compensated by an anti-risk factor. There are differences concerning the incidence and the seriousness of side-effects between the recommended hypolipidemic agents. Considering actual conditions attempts to find further factors that are associated with HDL level are the natural next step in efforts to develop effective lipid lowering drugs that decrease atherogenic lipoproteins, particularly LDL, and increase vasoprotective HDL.

Cholestyramine Resin↗
PubMed1979

[Uric-acid reduction with high allopurinol dosages (author's transl)].

At the high dosage of 600 mg daily, the uric-acid reducing effect of allopurinol depends on the initial level of uric-acid concentration in the same manner as at the usual dosage of 300 mg daily, but is more marked at the entire hyperuricaemic concentration range of 65--71 mumol/l (11--12 mg/l). After eight days at the same dosage of 600 mg daily allopurinol there is a highly significant correlation between the two variables, corresponding to the equation of uric acid effect of allopurinol = 0.893 x serum uric-acid concentration--29.27. At an uric-acid concentration of 476 mumol/l (80 mg/l); at a uric-acid level of about 595 mumol/l (100 mg/l) the average concentration reduction will be around 357 mumol/l (60 mg/l).

Aged↗
PubMed1979

[Influence of "prudent" diet and clofibrate upon apolipoprotein B in hyperlipoproteinemia type IIa (author's transl)].

If patients with hyperlipoproteinemia type IIa are treated with diet and additionally over a period of two weeks with 2 grams of Clofibrate daily, the cholesterol-level in the serum decreases. This decrease is caused mainly by a reduction of the apolipoprotein B and the LDL-cholesterol in serum. If elevated cholesterol-levels in the serum are reduced through a "prudent" diet, the concentration of apolipoprotein B in serum remains the same. It is not fully understood which influence a diet, which is rich in poly-unsaturated fatty acids and has a low content of saturated fatty acids and carbohydrates, has upon the lipoproteins in the serum. The mode of action of this diet and its significance for the concentration of HDL need further investigation.

Aged↗