Detection of previously undiagnosed conditions in midlife preventive health examinations.
L, K., L, H., TJ, P.C., F, G., A, K., C, P., C, H., & B, W. (2026). Detection of previously undiagnosed conditions in midlife preventive health examinations.. Scientific reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-026-53658-2
L K, L H, TJ PC, F G, A K, C P, et al. Detection of previously undiagnosed conditions in midlife preventive health examinations.. Scientific reports. 2026; doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-53658-2
L K, L H, TJ PC, et al. Detection of previously undiagnosed conditions in midlife preventive health examinations.[J]. Scientific reports. 2026. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-53658-2.
@article{l2026,
author = {Kalski L and Hafermann L and Pulst Caliman TJ and Greiß F and Karathanos A and Pächter C and Herrmann C and Wolfarth B},
title = {Detection of previously undiagnosed conditions in midlife preventive health examinations.},
journal = {Scientific reports},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1038/s41598-026-53658-2},
note = {PMID: 42236785},
}
TY - JOUR AU - Kalski L AU - Hafermann L AU - Pulst Caliman TJ AU - Greiß F AU - Karathanos A AU - Pächter C AU - Herrmann C AU - Wolfarth B TI - Detection of previously undiagnosed conditions in midlife preventive health examinations. T2 - Scientific reports PY - 2026 DO - 10.1038/s41598-026-53658-2 AN - PMID:42236785 ER -
This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of previously undocumented suspected diagnoses identified during preventive health examinations in middle-aged adults, and to examine their associations with clinical and behavioral factors. In this cross-sectional study, 1,040 adults aged 45-59 years underwent preventive clinical examinations comprising self-reported medical histories, anamneses, previous medical records, and laboratory tests (LDL cholesterol, blood pressure, HbA1c, TSH). Suspected diagnoses were defined by clinical thresholds (e.g., LDL > 116 mg/dl, hypertension ≥ 140/90 mmHg, HbA1c > 6.0%). Multivariable logistic regression analyzed associations between multiple variables and the three binary outcomes, any suspected diagnosis of hypertension and elevated cholesterol. The mean age of participants was 52.93 years (sd = 4.17), with 61% male (n = 631). In total, 421 (41%) had at least one newly identified suspected diagnosis. The most frequent findings were elevated LDL cholesterol (n = 287, 28%) and hypertension (n = 93, 9%). Male sex was associated with higher odds of any suspected diagnosis (OR: 1.42; 95%-CI: 1.09-1.85) and having hypertension (OR: 2.24; 95%-CI: 1.31-3.99). BMI was associated with hypertension (OR: 1.15; 95%-CI: 1.08-1.21) and showed a weak association with elevated cholesterol (OR: 1.04; 95%-CI: 1.00-1.08). A recent blood test was linked to lower odds of any suspected findings (OR: 0.65; 95%-CI: 0.50-0.84). No consistent associations were observed for lifestyle factors. A family history of dyslipidemia was associated with elevated cholesterol (OR: 1.55; 95%-CI: 1.01-2.40). Preventive health screenings can reveal a substantial number of previously undiagnosed conditions, particularly among individuals with limited healthcare contact or elevated risk. The findings suggest that such screenings may offer a significant value for targeted risk groups in midlife. Further research should evaluate long-term outcomes and cost-effectiveness.