Long-term smoking cessation and heart rate dynamics in an aging healthy cohort: is it possible to fully recover? (Publications)
AIM: To evaluate the long-term influence of smoking cessation on the regulation of the autonomic cardiovascular system in an aging general population, using the subpopulation of lifelong non-smokers a
Agreement between spirometers: a challenge in the follow-up of patients and populations? (Publications)
Background: Long-term cohort studies and lung function laboratories are confronted with the need for replacement of spirometers. Lack of agreement between spirometers might affect the longitudinal com
Variability and reproducibility of carotid structural and functional parameters assessed with transcutaneous ultrasound - results from the SAPALDIA... (Publications)
OBJECTIVE: Carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) and local stiffness are vascular biomarkers of atherosclerotic burden. We investigated the variability and reproducibility of clinically relevant struc
Differences in indoor versus outdoor concentrations of ultrafine particles, PM2.5, PMabsorbance and NO2 in Swiss homes (Publications)
Indoor air quality is a growing concern as we spend the majority of time indoors and as new buildings are increasingly airtight for energy saving purposes. For a better understanding of residential in
Biobanking across the phenome - at the center of chronic disease research (Publications)
BACKGROUND: Recognized public health relevant risk factors such as obesity, physical inactivity, smoking or air pollution are common to many non-communicable diseases (NCDs). NCDs cluster and co-morbi
Longitudinal change of prebronchodilator spirometric obstruction and health outcomes: results from the SAPALDIA cohort (Publications)
Background Understanding the prognostic meaning of early stages of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in the general population is relevant for discussions about underdiagnosis. To date, COP
Integration of genome-wide association studies with biological knowledge identifies six novel genes related to kidney function (Publications)
In conducting genome-wide association studies (GWAS), analytic approaches leveraging biologic information may further understanding of the pathophysiology of clinical traits. To discover novel associa
Multiple loci associated with indices of renal function and chronic kidney disease (Publications)
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has a heritable component and is an important global public health problem because of its high prevalence and morbidity. We conducted genome-wide association studies (GWAS
Gender differences in prevalence, diagnosis and incidence of allergic and non-allergic asthma: a population-based cohort (Publications)
BackgroundAlthough women with severe non-allergic asthma may represent a substantial proportion of adults with asthma in clinical practice, gender differences in the incidence of allergic and non-alle
HMOX1 and GST variants modify attenuation of FEF25-75% decline due to PM10 reduction (Publications)
Reduced exposure to particulate matter with a 50% cut-off aerodynamic diameter of 10 microm (PM(10)) attenuated age-related lung function decline in our cohort, particularly in the small airways. We h