Biomedical subjects

W Barth

Publications and source records attributed to W Barth.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1994

Trends of acute myocardial infarction morbidity and case fatality in East Germany since 1970.

Because of the high risk factor levels and the high morbidity and mortality of cardiovascular diseases, a Myocardial Infarction Control Programme was implemented in East Germany in the 1970s. To measure its effect, many myocardial infarction registers have operated in the country ever since, and despite some methodological problems the results of these registers now make trend estimations possible. In recent years, we observed no decline in the acute myocardial infarction attack rates in the population aged 25-64 years, and in men there was even a slight increase towards the late 1980s. These somewhat different sex-specific trends run parallel to the trends of the risk factor levels, as well as the cardiovascular mortality rates in men and women. There was no decline in the case fatality rate either during that period. We have to conclude, therefore, that the aims of the Myocardial Infarction Control Programme have not been reached, and both primary and secondary myocardial infarction prevention must be intensified. Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, under the new conditions existing in East Germany after unification, must be reduced at least to the level observed in West Germany.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Devices for the control of laser transmission across the sclera during transscleral photocoagulation.

Improving the reproducibility of transscleral photocoagulation necessitates controlling the transmission of the laser beam through the sclera. Two factors make such control problematic: the locally increased transparency of the sclera resulting from the contact procedure and the occurrence of time-related relaxation phenomena. Two instruments have been devised to help control these factors. The first is a mechanical compensation unit comprised of magnets and a spring that allows the force exerted on the sclera to be adjusted to between 0.1 and 0.4 N, the pressure being determined by the outer diameter of the contact tip. The second instrument monitors the portion of the aiming beam reflected by the sclera as a means of determining the exact level of power actually transmitted through it. This information theoretically could be fed back to the treatment laser, allowing the level of power being delivered to be adjusted accordingly.

Ciliary Body↗

PubMed1990

[Developments in street traffic from 1975 to 1988 from a statistical viewpoint].

The author gives a report on the events in road traffic in the Federal Republic of Germany under statistical aspects--doing so he continues a tradition, which is in practice by the "Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt" (Federal Motor-Vehicle Board) since 1971. Since individual road traffic and the density of traffic are rising, the number of traffic accidents is increasing nearly proportionally to the development of the rolling stock and the quantity of driving. A small positive development seems to be seen in the rate of accidents by drunken driving. It may be, that this is a result of the information-campaigns. But nevertheless: each alcoholized driver always has to expect particularly severe consequences from an accident.

Accidents, Traffic↗

PubMed1988

Risk factors in the population of the GDR-MONICA Study (1983/84).

The GDR-MONICA project comprises 25 administratively defined areas with a population of nearly two million people aged 25-64. Data from the first random sample survey are reported here. The survey gathered information regarding risk factors, dietary behaviour, physical activity and psychosocial factors from 11,281 persons aged 25-64. The average risk factor levels were high in the population: The mean casual blood pressure was 140/88 mmHg and 138/86 mmHg for men and women respectively. In both sexes the mean total cholesterol level exceeded 6.1 mmol/L, and the mean body mass index (BMI) was just over 26.0. The study population consumed, on average, excessive amounts of energy, fat, alcohol, and sodium, and too few carbohydrates. Preliminary conclusions regarding unfavourable trends in risk factor levels have been drawn by comparing the present data with other recent reliable epidemiological studies.

Adult↗

PubMed1980

Histocompatibility alloantigens in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Evidence for the influence of multiple genes in the major histocompatibility complex.

The frequency of HLA-A, B, and Cw antigens as well as the antigens expressed preferentially on B cells and monocytes (DRw and Ia-like) was examined in a normal population and two related disease populations, psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. HLA antigens distinguishing the two disease populations were found. Psoriatic patients demonstrated an increase in frequency of HLA-A1, B17, and B13. Patients with psoriatic arthritis demonstrated an increased frequency of HLA-A26, B38, and DRw4. Antigens showing a common increase in frequency in the two disease populations were HLA-Cw6, DRw7, and Ia744. These results demonstrate genetic differences as well as similarities in the two populations of patients with the common clinical feature of psoriasis. In addition to the above analysis, we examined the association of individual alloantigens elevated in frequency in the diseased population. These same alloantigens were examined for association in the normal population. This analysis revealed HLA antigen associations in the two disease groups that differed from the association of several antigens in the normal population. The results suggest that at least two genetic factors, one mapping in the HLA-A, C-B region and one mapping in the HLA-B-DRw region are associated with the disease states. Thus, multiple factors controlled by genes in the major histocompatibility complex appear to contribute to the disease entities under investigation.

Arthritis↗

PubMed1976

Prevalence of ischaemic heart disease, arterial hypertension and intermittent claudication, and distribution of risk factors among middle-aged men in Moscow and Berlin.

The initial examinations of prospective epidemiological studies of the same kind performed in random samples of 50-54 years old men from Moscow and Berlin showed the following prevalence rates (each first figure for Moscow, second for Berlin): ischaemic heart disease 14.4/13.6%, arterial hypertension 18.0/19.0%, intermittent claudication 6.9/3.4%, cigarette smoking 46.5/51.4%, overweight 22.9/21.9%, impaired glucose tolerance 36.6/42.5%. Hypercholesterolaemia (24.6/8.1%) was not comparable because different determination methods were used. In both population samples almost a half of IHD and 1/3-1/2 of hypertension cases were newly detected only by the study examinations. More than 80% of the 50-54 years old men showed the presence of one or more risk factors. The following significant relationships between disease groups and risk factors were found: for IHD, with hypertension, impaired glucose tolerance, and hypercholesterolaemia (Moscow only); for hypertension, with overweight, impaired glucose tolerance, and hypercholesterolaemia (Moscow only); for intermittent claudication, with cigarette smoking, impaired glucose tolerance, and hypercholesterolaemia (Moscow only). These comparative studies demonstrate the benefit and need of further common research and efforts for prevention and control of cardiovascular diseases.

Berlin↗

PubMed1974