Differences in the risk factor patterns for coronary heart disease in China, Japan, and Germany

Correlation study on oral health and electrocardiogram abnormalities

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between periodontal conditions and electrocardiogram test results that were obtained to screen for coronary heart disease risk factors. The present study included a total of 578 subjects who underwent annual medical check-ups at the Total Health Care Center in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture, Japan. To calculate the odds ratios for the electromyography abnormalities, we performed a logistic regression analysis for the oral examination, electrocardiogram, and blood analysis data. The crude odds ratio was obtained by a logistic regression analysis of age, sex, number of missing teeth, number of filled teeth, simplified oral hygiene index, community periodontal index, and blood analysis factors and results indicated there was a statistically significant correlation with the prevalence of electrocardiogram abnormalities. However, electrocardiogram abnormalities have a strong correlation with demographic factors such as sex and age. Therefore the experimental factors representing oral status were reexamined after the odds ratios were adjusted for age and sex. As a result of this adjustment, the new odds ratios that were determined indicated that there were no correlations between the oral factors and the prevalence of electrocardiogram abnormalities.

Aging, cognition, and culture: a neuroscientific perspective

Behavioral studies have suggested some intriguing differences across cultures in cognitive processes such as attention to context, the use of categorization, stereotypes about aging, and metamemory judgments. Moreover, there is behavioral evidence to suggest that, with age, cultural differences in cognition become less pronounced, likely due to decreased cognitive resources that may result in more similarity across cultures in cognition. The study of the neuroscience of aging, culture and cognition, although in its infancy, potentially provides insight into the contributions of experience and neurobiology to cognitive function. We review initial findings of cross-cultural behavioral aging research in light of cognitive neuroscience of aging research and consider the methodological challenges and benefits of adding a cross-cultural dimension to the study of the cognitive neuroscience of aging.

Association of microalbuminuria and atherosclerotic risk factors in non-diabetic subjects in Korea

Microalbuminuria in non-diabetic subjects is reportedly associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The prevalence of microalbuminuria in non-diabetic subjects varies widely from 5-6% in the UK and USA to 30-55% in Finland, Mexico, or Australian Aborigines. We studied cross-sectionally 497 clinically healthy, non-diabetic subjects more than 40 years of age who were living in Seoul, Korea for the prevalence of microalbuminuria and various cardiovascular risk factors. Urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) was determined in morning spot urine samples. Subjects were divided into normoalbuminuria (UACR < 2 mg/mmol) and microalbuminuria (UACR > or = 2 mg/mmol) groups. A total of 61 (12.2%) out of 497 subjects were found to have microalbuminuria. Subjects with microalbuminuria had significantly higher values in age, body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio in women, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, prevalence of hypertension, plasma cholesterol and triglyceride, and fasting plasma insulin. When subjects with microalbuminuria were compared with age-, sex-, and BMI-matched controls without microalbuminuria, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and fasting plasma insulin concentrations were higher in microalbuminuric subjects. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that fasting plasma insulin level and systolic blood pressure were independently associated with microalbuminuria. These results indicate that the prevalence of microalbuminuria in Korean non-diabetic subjects is lower than that in Mexico and Finland, but similar to that in Caucasians from the UK and USA, or in Pima Indians. Also, microalbuminuria in Korean non-diabetic subjects is associated with atherosclerotic risk factors such as hyperinsulinemia and hypertension, suggesting that microalbuminuria in these subjects may be a feature of insulin resistance syndrome.

Lignan and isoflavonoid concentrations in tea and coffee

Tea is a beverage consumed widely throughout the world. The existence in tea of chemopreventing compounds possessing antimutagenic, anticarcinogenic and antioxidative properties has been reported. High intakes of tea and foods containing flavonoids have recently been shown to be negatively correlated to the occurrence of CHD. However, tea may contain other compounds with similar activities. Using a new gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric method we measured lignans and isoflavonoids in samples of twenty commercial teas (black, green and red varieties) and, for comparison, six coffees. Both unbrewed and brewed tea were investigated. The analysis of the teas yielded relatively high levels of the lignans secoisolariciresinol (5.6-28.9 mg/kg; 15.9-81.9 mumol/kg) and matairesinol (0.56-4.13 mg/kg; 1.6-11.5 mumol/kg) but only low levels of isoflavonoids. Because the plant lignans, as well as their mammalian metabolites enterolactone and enterodiol, have antioxidative properties and these mammalian lignans occur in high concentrations in plasma, we hypothesize that lignan polyphenols may contribute to the protective effect of tea on CHD.

Dietary habits in Eastern Germany: changes after reunification and their relation to CHD risk profiles (DRECAN)

As part of the DREsden CArdiovascular risk and Nutrition study, 2038 participants, selected from a cohort of 3076 workers in the Dresden area, underwent a detailed nutritional analysis of the periods before and after German reunification. Although protein, fat, carbohydrate, and total calorie intake did not change in Dresden after reunification, polyunsaturated fat replaced 17% of the saturated fatty acids, dairy product intake tripled, and fruit intake increased by 70%. Relative to a reference PROCAM 'western' cohort, the 90th percentile of triglycerides was higher in middle-aged men, and the levels of total cholesterol and HDLC were higher in all males. Serum LDLC levels in males and females were similar. Serum lipid concentrations and the prevalence of hyperlipidemia were similar to those of the PROCAM cohort, but smoking was less common. In young males and females, body mass index was higher; hypertension was more frequent. We assume that the differences in nutrition and risk profile before reunification were less substantial than commonly believed.