Paracelsus 10,000: A prospective cohort study based on the population of Salzburg, Austria. Rationale, objectives and study design

Abstract Background Paracelsus 10,000 is a prospective cohort study with the objective to investigate the health status of the population in and around the city of Salzburg. The focus lies on common non-communicable diseases, mainly cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and their risk factors. Methods Inhabitants of the city of Salzburg and the surrounding were randomly selected and underwent a preventive medical checkup. The program included medical examinations, as well as inventories on mental disorders and lifestyle including nutrition and physical activity. From all study participants biological samples were stored in a biobank at -80°C enabling future investigations of biomarkers and utilization of the whole spectrum of multi-omics. Results Between the years 2013 and 2020, 10,062 participants, 5,187 women and 4,875 men aged between 23 and 77 years, were investigated in the study. Participants of the age group 50-59 years, making up 42.3% of the cohort were in the focus of the study. In this group, 2620 participants underwent an extended investigation program. Conclusion The Paracelsus 10,000 study has attained a unique position within the framework of Austrian epidemiological research with the potential to gain new insight into the role of interactions between genetic predisposition and lifestyle factors for disease development in the Salzburg population. This report describes rationale, objectives and design of the study and provides insight into the main characteristics of the study cohort.