Biomedical subjects

Hiroyasu Iso

Publications and source records attributed to Hiroyasu Iso.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Leukocyte count is an independent predictor for risk of acute myocardial infarction in middle-aged Japanese men.

BACKGROUND: Leukocyte count is recognized as an inflammatory marker and a predictor of cardiovascular events. However, it is uncertain whether the contribution of leukocyte count to the risk of cardiovascular disease is independent of smoking. METHODS: The subjects were 4492 male employees aged 40-59 years who worked for nine companies in Osaka. RESULTS: After 9-year follow-up, 40 acute myocardial infarction and 26 ischemic stroke events occurred. Age-adjusted relative risk of acute myocardial infarction in the highest versus lowest quartiles of leukocyte count was 6.0 (95% CI, 1.8-20.5, P for trend <0.001) and the multivariable relative risk adjusted for smoking and other conventional cardiovascular risk factors was 3.7 (1.0-13.4, P for trend=0.01). The association between leukocyte count and the risk of acute myocardial infarction was also observed among both current smokers and nonsmokers. The positive association between leukocyte count and the risk of ischemic stroke was weak and did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: Leukocyte count is a predictor of acute myocardial infarction among Japanese middle-aged men, both in smokers and nonsmokers.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed2006

Serum total cholesterol levels and risk of mortality from stroke and coronary heart disease in Japanese: the JACC study.

The relation between serum total cholesterol and coronary heart disease is well established, but the relations with total stroke and stroke subtypes are controversial. We conducted a nested case-control study as part of the JACC study. A total of 39,242 subjects, 40-79 years of age, provided serum samples at baseline between 1988 and 1990. During the 10-year follow-up, 345 deaths from total strokes (including 76 intraparenchymal hemorrhages) and 150 deaths from coronary heart diseases were recorded. The control subjects were matched for sex, age, community, and year of serum storage, and further adjusted for systolic blood pressure, high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, ethanol intake category, smoking status, and diabetes. Serum total cholesterol levels were measured using an enzymatic method. Cases with total stroke and more specifically intraparenchymal hemorrhage had lower mean values of serum total cholesterol levels compared with control subjects. The risk of mortality from intraparenchymal hemorrhage was significantly higher for persons with low total cholesterol levels [less than 4.14 mmol/l (160 mg/dl)] than with those with higher levels. The risk of mortality from coronary heart disease for persons with serum total cholesterol levels more than or equal to 6.72 mmol/l (260 mg/dl) was significantly higher than those with levels less than 4.14 mmol/l (160 mg/dl). Low serum total cholesterol levels are associated with high mortality from intraparenchymal hemorrhage while high levels are associated with high mortality from coronary heart disease among Japanese.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

A low level of C-reactive protein in Japanese adults and its association with cardiovascular risk factors: the Japan NCVC-Collaborative Inflammation Cohort (JNIC) study.

High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels vary remarkably by race and ethnic group. We examined hs-CRP levels and their association with cardiovascular risk factors in the Japanese general population. The Japan National Cardiovascular Center (NCVC)-collaborative Inflammation Cohort (JNIC) Study recruited 5213 men and 7071 women aged > or = 40 years from seven communities in Japan during 2002-2004. hs-CRP was measured using nephelometry calibrated with CRM 470, the international plasma protein reference material. Traditional cardiovascular risk factors and their aggregation were studied in multivariate logistic models, stratified by overweight status. Median hs-CRP levels in men and women were 0.60 and 0.45 mg/L, respectively. The percentage of subjects with hs-CRP levels < 1.0, 1.0-3.0, and > 3.0 mg/L was 67.4%, 22.0%, and 10.6% in men, respectively, and 76.3%, 16.7%, and 7.0% in women. hs-CRP levels showed significant linear associations with traditional risk factors. Overweight, hypertension, dyslipidemia (men only), smoking (men only), and diabetes (women only) contributed significantly to elevated hs-CRP levels. Overweight individuals with hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes had a high prevalence of elevated hs-CRP levels in both sexes. Japanese adults have very low hs-CRP levels. An aggregation of metabolic risk factors is associated with elevated hs-CRP levels among overweight individuals, particularly in women.

Aged↗

PubMed2006

Plasma fibrinogen concentrations and risk of stroke and its subtypes among Japanese men and women.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We aimed to examine the impact of fibrinogen concentrations on the incidence of stroke. METHODS: We examined the association between fibrinogen and risk of total stroke and stroke subtypes in an 11-year prospective study of 4608 men and 7589 women aged 40 to 79 years with no history of stroke and/or coronary heart disease. The analysis was repeated, stratified by smoking status, to examine whether the association between fibrinogen and stroke was modified by smoking. RESULTS: There were 317 incident total strokes comprising 103 hemorrhagic strokes (70 intraparenchymal hemorrhages [22.1% of strokes], 33 subarachnoid hemorrhages [10.4%]), 206 ischemic strokes (65.0%), and 8 strokes of undetermined type (2.5%). The multivariable hazard ratio (95% CI) for the highest versus lowest fibrinogen quartiles after adjustment for age, sex, area, and known cardiovascular risk factors was 2.5 (1.3 to 5.0), P<0.01, for hemorrhagic stroke and 3.2 (1.4 to 7.4), P<0.01, for intraparenchymal hemorrhage. There was no positive association of fibrinogen with risk of ischemic stroke or subarachnoid hemorrhage. Among never-smokers, the multivariable hazard ratio (95% CI) for the highest versus lowest fibrinogen quartiles was 3.5 (1.3 to 9.3), P=0.01, for hemorrhagic stroke and 4.4 (1.3 to 15.2), P=0.02, for intraparenchymal hemorrhage. CONCLUSIONS: High plasma fibrinogen concentration can be a predictor for risk of intraparenchymal hemorrhage.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Effectiveness of cervical cancer screening over cervical cancer mortality among Japanese women.

BACKGROUND: Various studies have revealed that cervical cancer (CC) screening significantly reduces both CC incidence and mortality in developed countries. Although Japan introduced a nationwide government funded annual CC screening for the women aged 30+ in 1982, the effectiveness of CC screening on CC mortality has not yet been evaluated by any prospective cohort study. Therefore, the present study evaluated the association of CC mortality with self-reported CC screening and some other factors by a nationwide cohort study. METHODS: Baseline survey of the Japan Collaborative Cohort Study for the enrollment of subjects was completed during 1988-90 and followed until 2003. This study only analyzed 63,541 women, aged 30-79 years, who were free from any cancer history at enrollment. RESULTS: During the follow-up period, 38 CC deaths were identified. The mean age at mortality was 67.0 years, with a mortality rate of 4.2 per 100,000 person-years. Participation rate in CC screening was 46.9%. Age-adjusted Cox model indicated significantly lower CC mortality [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.30, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.12-0.74] due to CC screening. Protectiveness remained almost the same (HR = 0.30, 95% CI = 0.12-0.76) when adjusted for age, body mass index and number of deliveries. The results also revealed that CC screening could reduce at least 50% of CC deaths even after excluding the effect of possible self-selection bias. CONCLUSIONS: CC screening in Japan may reduce CC mortality significantly for women aged 30-79 years. However, further studies with more CC deaths and increased statistical power are needed to validate the findings.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

A prospective cohort study of shift work and risk of ischemic heart disease in Japanese male workers.

This study prospectively examined the association between shift work and the risk of ischemic heart disease among Japanese male workers. A baseline survey, which involved 110,792 inhabitants (age range: 40-79 years) from 45 areas throughout Japan, was conducted between 1988 and 1990. The causes of death were identified from death certificates. The analysis was restricted to 17,649 men (age range: 40-59 years) who were employed at the time of the baseline survey. All subjects were asked to indicate the most regular shift work that they had undertaken previously: day work, rotating-shift work, or fixed-night work. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the risks of shift work for ischemic heart disease. During the 233,869 person-years of follow-up, a total of 1,363 deaths were recorded, 86 of which were due to ischemic heart disease. Compared with the day workers, the rotating-shift workers had a significantly higher risk of death due to ischemic heart disease (relative risk = 2.32, 95% confidence interval: 1.37, 3.95; p = 0.002), whereas fixed-night work was not associated with ischemic heart disease (relative risk = 1.23, 95% confidence interval: 0.49, 3.10; p = 0.658). In addition, subjects with coronary risk factors, such as hypertension, overweight, habitual alcohol consumption, and smoking, were highly susceptible to the effect of rotating-shift work on the risk of death due to ischemic heart disease.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Proportions of stroke subtypes among men and women > or =40 years of age in an urban Japanese city in 1992, 1997, and 2002.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Higher proportions of hemorrhagic stroke and lacunar infarction were reported in rural Japan compared with those in Western countries. We examined the relative proportions of stroke subtypes in an urban Japanese city where westernized lifestyles are more common than in rural areas. METHODS: Stroke registration was performed in 1992, 1997, and 2002 for residents > or =40 years of age who were admitted with acute strokes to all of the 10 hospitals with > or =90 beds in Yao City, Osaka, Japan. Strokes were classified as intraparenchymal hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, or ischemic strokes (embolic infarction, large-artery occlusive infarction, lacunar infarction, and unclassified thrombotic infarction) by criteria using computed tomography or MRI. RESULTS: A total of 650 first-ever strokes were registered. The age-adjusted proportion of each stroke subtype was not significantly different among the 3 study periods in both men and women. Throughout the 3 periods, intraparenchymal hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and ischemic stroke accounted for 26%, 7%, and 65% in men, respectively. In women, the respective proportions were 29%, 21%, and 44%. The proportion of each subtype for total ischemic strokes was as follows: 51% to 61% lacunar infarction, 25% to 26% large-artery occlusive infarction, and 11% to 17% embolic infarction. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that hemorrhagic stroke represented a large proportion of all strokes, especially among women, and lacunar infarction was the most common subtype of ischemic stroke among both men and women in Yao City, which differed from findings in Western countries.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

The relationship between green tea and total caffeine intake and risk for self-reported type 2 diabetes among Japanese adults.

BACKGROUND: In western populations, coffee consumption is associated with a reduced risk for type 2 diabetes; however, the effect of green, black, and oolong teas is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between consumption of these beverages and risk for diabetes. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: 25 communities across Japan. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 17,413 persons (6727 men and 10,686 women; 49% of the original study population) who were 40 to 65 years of age; had no history of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or cancer at the baseline lifestyle survey; and completed the 5-year follow-up questionnaire. There was no difference in body mass index levels at baseline between respondents and nonrespondents. MEASUREMENTS: Questionnaire on consumption of coffee; black, green, and oolong teas; and physician-diagnosed diabetes. RESULTS: During the 5-year follow-up, there were 444 self-reported new cases of diabetes in 231 men and 213 women (5-year event rates, 3.4% and 2.0%, respectively). Consumption of green tea and coffee was inversely associated with risk for diabetes after adjustment for age, sex, body mass index, and other risk factors. Multivariable odds ratios for diabetes among participants who frequently drank green tea and coffee (> or =6 cups of green tea per day and > or =3 cups of coffee per day) were 0.67 (95% CI, 0.47 to 0.94) and 0.58 (CI, 0.37 to 0.90), respectively, compared with those who drank less than 1 cup per week. No association was found between consumption of black or oolong teas and the risk for diabetes. Total caffeine intake from these beverages was associated with a 33% reduced risk for diabetes. These inverse associations were more pronounced in women and in overweight men. LIMITATIONS: Diabetes was self-reported, no data were available on consumption of soda, and the follow-up rate was low. CONCLUSIONS: Consumption of green tea, coffee, and total caffeine was associated with a reduced risk for type 2 diabetes.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Metabolic syndrome and urinary cGMP excretion in general population.

To examine the relationship between metabolic syndrome and endothelial dysfunction, we investigated cross-sectionally the correlation between metabolic risk factors and urinary excretion of cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP), a second messenger of nitric oxide (NO), in 1541 Japanese men and women aged 40-79 years. The 24-h urinary excretion of cGMP was measured using a (125)I-labeled cGMP radioimmunoassay and was adjusted for urinary creatinine excretion (nmol/mmol creatinine). The components of metabolic syndrome were defined based on the following criteria: body mass index (BMI)> or =25.0 kg/m(2), fasting plasma glucose> or =6.11 mmol/l or non-fasting plasma glucose level> or =11.1 mmol/l, systolic blood pressure> or =130 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure> or =85 mm Hg, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol<1.03 mmol/l for men and <1.29 mmol/l for women, and triglyceride> or =1.69 mmol/l. The number of components of metabolic syndrome correlated inversely with urinary cGMP excretion; means of cGMP excretion for the whole group adjusted for age, sex, and cardiovascular risk factors were 53.6, 48.6, 47.9, 44.4 and 42.3 nmol/mmol for 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4-5 components of metabolic syndrome, respectively (p=0.002). Our data suggest that a reduction of NO bioactivity concur with clustered features of the metabolic syndrome.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Factors associated with "Ikigai" among members of a public temporary employment agency for seniors (Silver Human Resources Centre) in Japan; gender differences.

BACKGROUND: "Ikigai" is culturally defined in the society of Japan as a comprehensive concept describing subjective well-being. It is considered to be related to life-satisfaction, self-esteem, morale, happiness as well as evaluation towards meaning of one's life. Although previous studies examined factors associated with Ikigai with smaller samples, consistent results have not been obtained, especially from the viewpoint of gender differences. Identification of gender-specific factors related with Ikigai among the elderly, may be of value to enhance subjective well-being. METHODS: Self-administered questionnaires were distributed among 4,737 randomly selected members of the Silver Human Resources Centre (SHRC), a public temporary employment agency for seniors, in Osaka, Japan. This represents about 10% of all registered members (n = 41,593) in the 38 SHRC centres in Osaka. A total of 4,376 subjects (male: 2,913; female: 1,463) provided a satisfactory response to the questionnaire (response rate: 92%). The status whether they have "Ikigai" or not was evaluated by self-anchoring scale ranging from 0 to 5 (0 = lowest rate and 5 = highest rate of having "Ikigai"). Also, self-rated life-change score through work (-3 to 3) was evaluated by three items, i.e.) changes in (1) the number of friends through work, (2) social interests and (3) the quantity of conversation with others (1 = increase, 0 = no change, and -1 = decrease). RESULTS: The factors associated with "Ikigai" for total subjects were the number of rooms in one's residence, annual income, healthy life style score (Breslow), the number of working days through SHRC, satisfaction with one's life history and life-change sore through work. The multivariable odds ratio (95% CI) of having "Ikigai" was 1.9 (1.1-3.3) for persons with no change in life thorough work compared with subjects with a score of < or = -1. Moreover, the multivariable odds ratios were 3.5 (1.9-6.6) for a life-change score = 1, 3.1 (1.7-5.7) for a score = 2 and 7.8 (4.0-15.2) for a score = 3 compared with persons with a score of < or = -1. For male subjects, other factors associated with having "Ikigai" were the number of rooms in their residence, annual income, the number of working days through SHRC, subjective assessment of health condition, and degree of satisfaction with their life history. For female, the corresponding factors were the presence of a spouse and degree of satisfaction with their life history. CONCLUSION: Scores for life-changes through work were associated with a higher prevalence of having "Ikigai" for both male and female. For male, "Ikigai" tended to be associated with physical condition and socioeconomic factors such as the size of their residence or annual income, while for female, family relations such as having spouse and psychological factors such as satisfaction with one's life history were significant factors. In spite of the design limitations of this study, it is possible to conclude that the recognition of life change through obtaining work may enhance "Ikigai" among people who wish to engage in productive activities in their later stages of life for both male and female. SHRC has a potential to provide resources for fulfilling one's "Ikigai" through supporting working opportunities to realize life changes for both elder male and female.

Aged↗

PubMed2006

Intake of fish and n3 fatty acids and risk of coronary heart disease among Japanese: the Japan Public Health Center-Based (JPHC) Study Cohort I.

BACKGROUND: Once- or twice-weekly consumption of fish (or a small amount of fish intake) reduces the risk of coronary heart disease and sudden cardiac death in Western countries. It is uncertain whether a high frequency or large amount of fish intake, as is the case in Japan, further reduces the risk. METHODS AND RESULTS: To examine an association between high intake of fish and n3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and the risk of coronary heart disease, a total of 41,578 Japanese men and women aged 40 to 59 years who were free of prior diagnosis of cardiovascular disease and cancer and who completed a food frequency questionnaire were followed up from 1990-1992 to 2001. After 477,325 person-years of follow-up, 258 incident cases of coronary heart disease (198 definite and 23 probable myocardial infarctions and 37 sudden cardiac deaths) were documented, comprising 196 nonfatal and 62 fatal coronary events. The multivariable hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals in the highest (8 times per week, or median intake=180 g/d) versus lowest (once a week, or median intake=23 g/d) quintiles of fish intake were 0.63 (0.38 to 1.04) for total coronary heart disease, 0.44 (0.24 to 0.81) for definite myocardial infarction, and 1.14 (0.36 to 3.63) for sudden cardiac death. The reduced risk was primarily observed for nonfatal coronary events (HR=0.43 [0.23 to 0.81]) but not for fatal coronary events (HR=1.08 [0.42 to 2.76]). Strong inverse associations existed between dietary intake of n3 fatty acids and risk of definite myocardial infarction (HR=0.35 [0.18 to 0.66]) and nonfatal coronary events (HR=0.33 [0.17 to 0.63]). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with a modest fish intake of once a week or &20 g/d, a higher intake was associated with substantially reduced risk of coronary heart disease, primarily nonfatal cardiac events, among middle-aged persons.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Sleep-disordered breathing and blood pressure levels among shift and day workers.

BACKGROUND: Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) can be one of the major determinants of high blood pressure (BP), but there has been no study on SDB with an emphasis on shift workers. The objective of this study was to examine whether a relationship between SDB and blood pressure/hypertension is more evident among shift workers than among day workers. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we measured BP levels and oxygen desaturation index (by nocturnal pulse oximetry) among 253 male shift workers and 206 male day workers aged 30 to 62 years at nuclear power plants in Japan. RESULTS: The prevalence of SDB (3% oxygen desaturation index >or=10 and >or=15 per hour) in all subjects was 11.3% (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 8.4-14.2) and 6.1% (95% CI 3.9-8.3), respectively, with no statistical difference between shift and day workers. Systolic and diastolic BP levels were correlated with 3% oxygen desaturation index in all subjects after adjustment for potential confounding variables. This association was primarily observed among workers aged >or=40 years, more specifically older shift workers. CONCLUSIONS: A correlation between SDB severity and diastolic BP levels among shift workers aged >or=40 years suggests the importance of screening for SDB among shift workers for BP control.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Egg consumption, serum total cholesterol concentrations and coronary heart disease incidence: Japan Public Health Center-based prospective study.

Limited egg consumption is often recommended to reduce serum cholesterol concentration for the prevention of CHD. We examined the association of egg consumption and total cholesterol concentration with the risk of CHD. A total of 90 735 subjects (19 856 men and 21 408 women, aged 40-59 years in cohort I; 23 463 men and 26 008 women, aged 40-69 years in cohort II) were followed from 1990-4 to the end of 2001 under the Japan Public Health Center-based prospective study. Total cholesterol was obtained in 36 % of the subjects. Men and women were combined for the analyses. The subjects were categorised into four groups according to egg consumption. Subjects with total cholesterol >or=2200 mg/l were less frequent in frequent egg consumption groups in both cohorts (trend P<0.0001). Subjects with <1 d/week of egg consumption were more likely to avoid a cholesterol-rich diet. Egg consumption was not associated with the risk of CHD, although total cholesterol was significantly related to the risk of CHD. The multivariate hazard ratio of CHD in subjects with total cholesterol >or=2400 v. <1800 mg/l was 2.17 (95 % CI 1.22, 3.85; trend P=0.0018). In conclusion, eating eggs more frequently, up to almost daily, was not associated with an increase in CHD incidence for middle-aged Japanese men and women. Subjects with hypercholesterolaemia were less frequently in frequent egg consumption groups, probably because they avoided eating eggs.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Cigarette smoking and risk of coronary heart disease incidence among middle-aged Japanese men and women: the JPHC Study Cohort I.

BACKGROUND: Few data have been available on the sex-specific magnitude of the smoking effect on the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in Asia. DESIGN AND METHODS: A population-based prospective cohort study of 19 782 men and 21 500 women aged 40-59 years between 1990-1992 and 2001 was conducted to examine the relationship between smoking status and the risk of CHD. RESULTS: A total of 260 incidences of CHD were confirmed among men, including 174 myocardial infarctions (MI). The numbers among women were 66 and 43, respectively. The multivariate relative risk [95% confidence interval (CI)] for current smokers versus never-smokers in men after adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors, several life style factors and public health centre was 2.85 (1.98, 4.12) for total CHD and 3.64 (2.27, 5.83) for MI. These respective risks in women were 3.07 (1.48, 6.40) and 2.90 (1.18, 7.18). Among men, a dose-dependent relationship was observed between the number of cigarettes and the risk of MI. The population-attributable risk per cent (95% CI) of CHD was 46% (34, 55) in men and 9% (0, 18) in women. Smoking cessation, however, led to a rapid decline in the CHD risk within 2 years. CONCLUSION: Smoking raises the risk of CHD significantly in both sexes of middle-aged Japanese, with large public health significance especially in men. Smoking cessation would have an immediate effect on risk reduction.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Relationship of smoking and smoking cessation with ankle-to-arm blood pressure index in elderly Japanese men.

BACKGROUND: Cigarette smoking is associated with an increased risk of peripheral arterial disease, but the relationship between smoking cessation and preclinical peripheral atherosclerosis is uncertain. DESIGN AND METHODS: A cross-sectional, population-based study to examine the effect of smoking and smoking cessation on the prevalence of peripheral arterial disease among 1215 men aged 60-79 years in two Japanese communities in 1999-2000. The ankle-to-arm systolic blood pressure index (AAI) was used as an estimate of the presence of peripheral atherosclerosis. RESULTS: The mean AAI correlated inversely and linearly with smoking status and pack-years of smoking. The multivariate prevalence odds ratio [95% confidence interval (CI)] of low AAI (< 0.90) compared with never-smokers was 3.7 (95% CI 1.1-12.7) for current smokers and 4.2 (95% CI 1.2-14.6) for men with 45 or more pack-years of smoking. In men who have quit smoking for 20 years or more, the mean AAI was higher and the prevalence of low AAI (< 0.90) was lower than those of current smokers, but similar to those of never-smokers. CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm that current smoking and pack-years of smoking correlate with the presence of peripheral artery disease. The results suggest that smoking cessation for 20 years or more is associated with the regression of atherosclerosis in peripheral arteries. This finding needs to be confirmed by a prospective study.

Aged↗

PubMed2006

Relationships between sleep-disordered breathing and blood pressure and excessive daytime sleepiness among truck drivers.

Sleep-disordered breathing is a risk factor for hypertension, cardiovascular disease and accidents in the general population, but little is known about this correlation among professional truck drivers. To examine the relationships of sleep-disordered breathing with blood pressure levels and excessive daytime sleepiness among truck drivers, we conducted a population-based cross-sectional study of 1,313 subjects aged 20-69 years registered in the Japanese Trucking Association. The 3% oxygen desaturation index was selected as an indicator of sleep-disordered breathing, representing the number of desaturation events per hour of recording time in which blood oxygen fell by > or = 3% by overnight pulse oximetry. The Epworth Sleepiness Scale was used to estimate excessive daytime sleepiness. There were significant positive associations between the 3% oxygen desaturation index levels and both diastolic blood pressure levels and Epworth Sleepiness Scale scores. The multivariate odds ratio of hypertension was 2.0 (1.1-3.6) for a 3% oxygen desaturation index of > or = 15 in reference with a 3% oxygen desaturation index of <5. This association was more evident among those aged > or = 40 years and overweight subjects. Further, the multivariate odds ratio of an Epworth Sleepiness Scale of > or = 11 was 2.3 (1.1-4.9) for a 3% oxygen desaturation index of > or =15 in reference with a 3% oxygen desaturation index of <5. This association was more evident among those aged > or =40 years. The associations of sleep-disordered breathing severity with diastolic blood pressure levels and excessive daytime sleepiness suggest the need for sleep-disordered breathing screening among truck drivers for prevention of hypertension and potential traffic accidents.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Impact of the revision of a nutrient database on the validity of a self-administered food frequency questionnaire (FFQ).

BACKGROUND: Revision of the national nutrient database in 2000 had a strong impact on the absolute level of estimated nutrient intake in dietary assessments. However, whether it influenced the ranking of individuals by estimated intake, a more important function in epidemiologic studies, has not been investigated. Here, we investigated the effect of this revision of the nutrient database on the validity of a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) used to estimate nutrient intake in the Japan Public Health Center-based prospective Study (JPHC Study). METHODS: Subjects were a subsample of the JPHC Study who volunteered to participate in the validation study of the FFQ. Validity of the FFQ was evaluated by reference to the 28-day weighed dietary records as a gold standard. Nutrient intake according to the FFQ was recalculated using the revised database, and the results were compared to those using the previous database. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients (CCs) between intakes estimated by the FFQ and dietary records were computed using the revised database, and were compared to CCs computed using the previous database. RESULTS: For most of the nutrients, mean intake increased or decreased significantly using the revised database. However, no notable change was seen for the CC between estimated intake according to dietary records and FFQ when the revised database was used for calculation. Differences in the point estimates of the CCs ranged from -0.14 to 0.15. Likewise, CCs between biomarkers and estimated intake according to FFQ were similar for the two databases. CONCLUSION: Despite changes in intake levels for many nutrients, the validity of our FFQ using rank correlation by nutrient intake was not influenced by revision of the nutrient database in Japan.

Aged↗

PubMed2006

Relationships of age at menarche and menopause, and reproductive year with mortality from cardiovascular disease in Japanese postmenopausal women: the JACC study.

BACKGROUND: Early menopause is associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease in Caucasian women. However, this association has not been examined in Asian women. METHODS: We conducted a 10-year cohort study of 37,965 Japanese post-menopausal women aged 40-79 years in the Japan Collaborative Cohort (JACC) Study. Causes of death were determined based on the International Classification of Disease. RESULTS: There were 487 mortality of stroke and 178 mortality of coronary heart disease. Late menarche or early menopause, or shorter duration of reproductive period was not associated with risk of mortality from coronary heart disease. However, compared with women with age at menarche < or =13 years, those with age at menarche > or =17 years tended to have increased risk of mortality from stroke: the multivariable hazard ratio was 1.32 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.93-1.87, p = 0.10). Compared with women with age at menopause of > or =49 years, those with age at menopause of <49 years tended to have increased risk of coronary heart disease among women aged 40-64 years; the multivariable hazard ratio was 1.85 (95% CI: 0.92-3.73, p = 0.08). CONCLUSIONS: The possible association between early menopause and coronary heart disease among middle-aged women was consistent with the result of observational studies for Caucasian women, and can be explained by a protective effect of endogenous estrogen on the development of atherosclerosis.

Adult↗