Contribution of education level and dairy fat sources to serum cholesterol in Russian and Finnish Karelia: results from four cross-sectional risk factor surveys in 1992-2007

Associations between dietary macronutrient quality and asthenozoospermia risk: a hospital-based case-control study

Background & aims: Macronutrients are the main part of the human diet and can affect multiple health outcomes. Nevertheless, associations between dietary macronutrient quality and asthenozoospermia risk have not been reported to date. Thus, this study aimed to be the first to explore the associations between macronutrient quality and asthenozoospermia risk using the novel multidimensional macronutrient quality index (MQI). Methods: A case-control study was conducted at infertility clinics of Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University during June and December 2020, including 552 asthenozoospermia cases and 585 normozoospermia controls. Data on diet were collected using a validated food frequency questionnaire. MQI was estimated according to the carbohydrate quality index (CQI), fat quality index (FQI), and protein quality index (PQI). Binary logistic regression models were performed to calculate the odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Subgroup and interaction analyses were performed based on age, body mass index, physical activity, smoking, drinking, and education level. Dose-response relationships were evaluated by restricted cubic splines. Sensitivity analyses were performed in two ways. First, participants with a dietary change were excluded to lower potential reverse causation. Then, we used the healthy plate protein source quality index instead of PQI to redefine MQI. Results: No statistically significant association was observed between dietary MQI and asthenozoospermia risk (OR = 1.24, 95% CI: 0.88-1.73). The sub-indices of MQI, CQI, FQI, and PQI, failed to be identified as having a statistically significant association with asthenozoospermia risk (OR = 1.35, 95% CI: 0.92-1.97 for CQI; OR = 1.13, 95% CI: 0.84-1.53 for FQI; OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 0.92-1.78 for PQI). However, CQI showed a positive association with the risk of asthenozoospermia among non-drinkers (Ptrend < 0.05) and highly educated participants (OR = 1.82, 95% CI: 1.13-2.94; Ptrend < 0.05). Additionally, there was a multiplicative interaction between CQI and education level for asthenozoospermia risk (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated no association of MQI and its sub-indices with asthenozoospermia risk except for CQI. Although our findings are mostly non-significant, they contribute novel knowledge to this research field and lay the foundation for future studies.

Non-HDL cholesterol level and depression among Canadian elderly—a cross-sectional analysis of the baseline data from the CLSA

To explore whether non-high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-c) is associated with depression, a total of 26 819 Canadians aged 45–85 from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) were included in analysis. Non-HDL-c, the difference between total-c and HDL-c, was categorized into five levels, i.e., <2.6, 2.6 to <3.7, 3.7 to <4.8, 4.8 to 5.7, and ≥5.7 mmol/L. History of clinical depression was collected by questionnaire at an in-home interview, and current potential depression status was determined by CES-D10 (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale 10 questions version) score, i.e., ≥10 vs. <10. Logistic continuation ratio model for ordinal data was used to estimate the odds of being at or above a higher non-HDL-c category for depression status. Compared with those without clinical depression history and currently undepressed, the adjusted odds ratios (95% CI) were 1.09 (1.02, 1.17) for those without clinical depression history but currently depressed, 1.05 (0.98, 1.12) for those had clinical depression history but currently undepressed, and 1.21 (1.10, 1.32) for those had clinical depression history and currently depressed. The average of non-HDL-c for four depression groups were 3.64, 3.71, 3.69, and 3.82 mmol/L, respectively, and group 4 was statistically higher than others ( p < 0.001). In conclusion, people with both current depression and a history clinical depression are at an increased risk of having high level of non-HDL-c.

No simple answers for the Finnish and Russian Karelia allergy contrast: Methylation of CD14 gene

BACKGROUND

Finnish and Russian Karelian children have a highly contrasting occurrence of asthma and allergy. In these two environments, we studied associations between total serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) with methylation levels in cluster of differentiation 14 (CD14).

METHODS

Five hundred Finnish and Russian Karelian children were included in four groups: Finnish children with high IgE (n = 126) and low IgE (n = 124) as well as Russian children with high IgE (n = 125) and low IgE (n = 125). DNA was extracted from whole blood cells and pyrosequenced. Three CpG sites were selected in the promoter region of CD14.

RESULTS

Methylation levels in two of the three CpG sites were higher in the Finnish compared to Russian Karelian children. In the promoter area of CD14, the Finnish compared to Russian children with low IgE had a significant (p < 0.0001) increase in methylation levels at the Amp5Site 2. Likewise, the Finnish compared to Russian children with high IgE had a significant (p = 0.003) increase in methylation levels at the Amp5Site 3. In Russian children with low vs. high IgE, there were significant differences in methylation levels, but this was not the case on the Finnish side. In the regression analysis, adding the methylation variation of CD14 to the model did not explain the higher asthma and allergy risk in the Finnish children.

CONCLUSIONS

The methylation levels in the promoter region of CD14 gene were higher in the Finnish compared to Russian Karelian children. However, the methylation variation of this candidate gene did not explain the asthma and allergy contrast between these two areas.

Greater decreases in cholesterol levels among individuals with high cardiovascular risk than among the general population: the northern Sweden MONICA study 1994 to 2014

AIM

Decreasing cholesterol levels in Western populations is the main reason for decreasing mortality due to coronary heart disease. Our aim was to analyze trends in cholesterol levels in the population during a period of 20 years in relation to previous cardiovascular disease (CVD), other cardiovascular risk factors, and socioeconomic status.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A total of 4546 women and 4349 men aged 25-74 years participated in five population-based surveys in the Northern Sweden MONICA Study between 1994 and 2014 (participation rate 76.8-62.5%). Total cholesterol levels decreased from 6.2 mmol/L (95% confidence interval, CI, 6.1-6.2) in 1994 to 5.5 mmol/L (CI 5.4-5.5) in 2014. The decrease was more pronounced in elderly vs. younger participants (1.0 vs. 0.5 mmol/L). In 2014, participants with previous CVD, diabetes, or hypertension had lower cholesterol levels than the general population, whereas their levels were higher or similar to the general population in 1994. The use of lipid-lowering drugs increased markedly and was used by 14.3% in 2014. Previously described differences in cholesterol levels between participants with obesity and normal weight, and between those with and without university education, diminished, or vanished over time.

CONCLUSION

Cholesterol levels decreased by 0.7 mmol/L over 20 years with no sign of abating. The improvement occurred in all age and gender groups but more prominently among those at high risk of ischaemic heart disease.