TY  - JOUR
AB  - Summary: We estimated the prevalence of sarcopenia and its impact on disability in older people. Sarcopenia was found to contribute to higher disability scores. However, our study was not able to show any influence of sarcopenia on the rate of functional decline. This directs attention to an accurate diagnosis of sarcopenia as the onset may be influenced, but its rate may not. Introduction: The objectives of this study using data from a population-based cohort were to estimate the prevalence of sarcopenia in older people in Germany and to test the hypothesis that sarcopenia is associated with disability in older adults. Methods: Cross-sectional (n = 927) and longitudinal analyses (n = 859) of participants aged ≥65 years at baseline from southern Germany enrolled in the Cooperative Health Research in the Region Augsburg (KORA)-Age study (2009–2012). Sarcopenia was defined based on the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) algorithm which includes the presence of both low muscle mass and low muscle function (strength or performance). Disability status was measured by the Health Assessment Questionnaire–Disability Index (HAQ-DI). The presence of disability was defined as HAQ-DI >0. Directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) were constructed to identify potential confounders. The effect of sarcopenia on disability was analyzed using linear mixed effect models with disability values as a continuous outcome. Results: The overall prevalence of sarcopenia was 5.7% (men 4.0%, women 7.5%) and increased with age. The 3-year incidence of disability was 32.7%. After adjustment for potential confounders, presence of sarcopenia was significantly associated with higher disability scores (0.142 [confidence interval 0.029–0.254]). Conclusion: The prevalence of sarcopenia is consistent with estimates from other European studies using this algorithm. Our results suggest that sarcopenia can contribute to higher disability scores in older adults. However, our study was not able to show any influence of sarcopenia on the rate of functional decline using the EWGSOP diagnostic algorithm for sarcopenia. This directs attention to an accurate diagnosis of sarcopenia as the onset may be influenced, but its rate may not.
AU  - Phillips, A.*
AU  - Strobl, R.*
AU  - Vogt, S.
AU  - Ladwig, K.-H.
AU  - Thorand, B.
AU  - Grill, E.*
C1  - 50906
C2  - 43000
CY  - London
SP  - 2069-2079
TI  - Sarcopenia is associated with disability status-results from the KORA-Age study.
JO  - Osteoporos. Int.
VL  - 28
IS  - 7
PB  - Springer London Ltd
PY  - 2017
SN  - 0937-941X
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - In this study, we determined the cost-effectiveness of hip protector use compared with no hip protector on a geriatric ward in Germany. From both the societal and the statutory health insurance (SHI) perspectives, the cost-effectiveness ratios for the provision of hip protectors were below 12,000/quality-adjusted life year (QALY) even if unrelated costs in added life years were included. INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to determine the cost-effectiveness of the provision of hip protectors compared with no hip protectors on a geriatric ward in Germany. METHODS: A lifetime decision-analytic Markov model was developed. Costs were measured from the societal and from the statutory health insurance (SHI) perspectives and comprised direct medical, non-medical and unrelated costs in additional life years gained. Health outcomes were measured in terms of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). To reflect several levels of uncertainty, first- and second-order Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) approaches were applied. RESULTS: Hip protector use compared with no hip protector results in savings (costs, -5.1/QALYs, 0.003) for the societal perspective. For the SHI perspective, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was 4416 /QALY (costs, +13.4). If unrelated costs in life years gained were included, the cost-effectiveness ratio increases to 9794/QALY for the societal perspective and to 11,426/QALY for the SHI perspective. In the MCS, for the societal perspective without unrelated costs, 47 % of simulations indicated hip protectors to be cost saving (i.e. lower costs and higher effects). CONCLUSION: Although the gain in QALYs due to the provision of providing hip protectors to patients on geriatric wards is small, all scenarios showed acceptable cost-effectiveness ratios or even savings.
AU  - Stollenwerk, B.
AU  - Bartmus, T.
AU  - Klug, F.
AU  - Stock, S.*
AU  - Müller, D.*
C1  - 43091
C2  - 36065
CY  - London
SP  - 1367-1379
TI  - Cost-effectiveness of hip protector use on a geriatric ward in Germany: A Markov model.
JO  - Osteoporos. Int.
VL  - 26
IS  - 4
PB  - Springer London Ltd
PY  - 2015
SN  - 0937-941X
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AB  - Use of beta-blockers is associated with a reduced risk of fractures in middle-aged and older subjects from the general population. INTRODUCTION: The present prospective population-based study investigated the association between use of beta-blockers and incidence of any fracture. METHODS: The study was based on 1,793 persons 55 to 74 years of age who participated in one of the three MONICA Augsburg surveys between 1984 and 1995. Subjects were without any fracture at baseline. Incident fractures were assessed using a health questionnaire. Hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated from Cox proportional hazard models. RESULTS: During a mean follow-up of 10.7 years, there occurred 263 incident fractures. beta-blocker users were older, were significantly more likely to be obese, to drink no alcohol, to have hypertension or diabetes, to use thiazides and statins, and to be physically inactive. The use of beta-blockers was associated with a lower risk of any fracture (HR 0.57; 95% CI = 0.36-0.90) after adjustment for age, sex and survey. Further adjustment for body mass index and education years only slightly attenuated the relationship (HR 0.60; 95% CI = 0.38-0.95) and additional adjustment for a variety of further risk factors did not attenuate the association (HR 0.60; 95% CI = 0.37-0.96). CONCLUSION: Use of beta-blockers was associated with a reduced risk of fractures in middle-aged and older subjects from the general population.
AU  - Meisinger, C.
AU  - Heier, M.
AU  - Lang, O.
AU  - Döring, A.
C1  - 4626
C2  - 24936
SP  - 1189-1195
TI  - Beta-blocker use and risk of fractures in men and women from the general population: The MONICA/KORA Augsburg cohort study.
JO  - Osteoporos. Int.
VL  - 18
IS  - 9
PB  - Springer
PY  - 2007
SN  - 0937-941X
ER  - 

TY  - JOUR
AU  - Wildner, M.*
AU  - Sangha, O.*
AU  - Clark, D.E.*
AU  - Döring, A.
AU  - Manstetten, A.*
C1  - 22069
C2  - 20708
SP  - 579-585
TI  - Independent Living after Fractures in the Elderly.
JO  - Osteoporos. Int.
VL  - 13
PY  - 2002
SN  - 0937-941X
ER  -