title: The Rotterdam Study: 2016 objectives and design update.
abstract: The Rotterdam Study is a prospective cohort study ongoing since 1990 in the city of Rotterdam in The Netherlands. The study targets cardiovascular, endocrine, hepatic, neurological, ophthalmic, psychiatric, dermatological, otolaryngological, locomotor, and respiratory diseases. As of 2008, 14,926 subjects aged 45 years or over comprise the Rotterdam Study cohort. The findings of the Rotterdam Study have been presented in over 1200 research articles and reports (see www.erasmus-epidemiology.nl/rotterdamstudy ). This article gives the rationale of the study and its design. It also presents a summary of the major findings and an update of the objectives and methods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. a.hofman@erasmusmc.nl.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hofman
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Pulmonary Diseases, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Guy G O
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Brusselle
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Gastro-Enterology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sarwa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Darwish Murad
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Cornelia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: van Duijn
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Cardiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Oscar H
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Franco
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goedegebure
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Neurology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Radiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: M Arfan
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ikram
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Ophthalmology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Caroline C W
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Klaver
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Tamar E C
authors.initials: TE
authors.lastname: Nijsten
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Robin P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Peeters
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Bruno H Ch
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Stricker
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Psychiatry, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Henning W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Tiemeier
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: André G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Uitterlinden
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus Medical Center, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.|Department of Radiology, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Meike W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Vernooij
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015340:Epidemiologic Research Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008017:Life Expectancy / Q000639:trends*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011157:Population Dynamics; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Biomarkers; Cardiovascular diseases; Cohort study; Dermatological diseases; Endocrine diseases; Epidemiologic methods; Genetic epidemiology; Liver diseases; Neurological diseases; Oncology; Ophthalmic diseases; Otolaryngological diseases; Pharmacoepidemiology; Psychiatric diseases; Renal diseases; Respiratory diseases