Cent Eur J Public Health 2007, 15(2):51-57 | DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a3410

Erfurt Male Cohort Study (ERFORT Study). Study Design and Descriptive Results

Joachim Heinrich1,2, Christa Meisinger1, Gabriele Wölke1, Claudia Greschik1, Hubert Schneller1, Sabine Brasche2,3, Gert Strube2
1 GSF National Research Center for Environment and Health, Institute of Epidemiology, Neuherberg, Germany
2 Medical School Erfurt, Department for Preventive Cardiology, Erfurt, Germany
3 Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Institute of Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Department of Indoor Climatology, Jena, Germany

Objectives: The main objective of ERFORT Study is to investigate cardiovascular risk factors, life-style related factors and psychosocial factors with regard to total and cause-specific mortality and morbidity. This paper describes the study design, frequency data on cardiovascular and psychosocial factors at baseline survey, and findings of three 5 year follow-up medical examinations. Life status was followed for 30 years.

Methods: The Erfurt Male Cohort Study (ERFORT Study) is a population-based prospective cohort study and has its origin in the WHO initiated feasibility study to acquire experience in multi-factorial intervention programs. The baseline survey in 1973-75 examined a random populationbased sample of 1,160 males aged 35-61 years (brutto response rate 74.6 %) from the city of Erfurt, East Germany.

Results: Standardized and mostly validated methods were applied for a collection of data on cardiovascular risk factors, lifestyle-related and psychosocial factors, blood tests and ECG. Three consecutive follow-up examinations yielded datasets of 907, 740 and 609 subjects' re-examination in 1978-79, 1983-85 and 1988-90. Cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, and claudication intermittent approximately doubled within a 15-year follow-up. Prevalence of diabetes strongly increases from 2.8 % at baseline to 12.0 % at the 15-years follow up. High blood pressure (≥160/95 mm Hg) only slightly increased, whereas the antihypertensive treatment increased from 8.7% to 33.6%.

Conclusions: This data set of a German cohort followed for several decades is an outstanding database to answer questions about long-term associations between biological and psychosocial factors and mortality in men.

Keywords: cohort, men, cardiovascular risk factors, East Germany, life status

Received: September 4, 2006; Revised: February 12, 2007; Accepted: February 12, 2007; Published: June 1, 2007  Show citation

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Heinrich J, Meisinger C, Wölke G, Greschik C, Schneller H, Brasche S, Strube G. Erfurt Male Cohort Study (ERFORT Study). Study Design and Descriptive Results. Cent Eur J Public Health. 2007;15(2):51-57. doi: 10.21101/cejph.a3410. PubMed PMID: 17645217.
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