OBJECTIVENanobacteria, a new kind of bacteria found by a Finnish scholar, is considered to relate to many human diseases like nephrolithiasis. However, there are no data available on nanobacteria infection in Chinese people.

METHODSNanobacteria was detected in serum of 336 cases of healthy adults in Southern China by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunohistochemistry stain. The monoclonal antibody of nanobacterum was supplied by Kuipio University of Finland.

RESULTSNanobacteria infection rates were 27 (8.0%), 19 (5.7%) in the healthy adults by ELISA and immunohistochemistry stain respectively. No difference was shown between the 2 methods and between male and female, statistically. Age and sex did not seem to be related to the infectious risk of nanobacteria. However, the infectious rate was lower in those below 30-year-old than that of people over 60-year-old (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONNanobacteria was existed in the serum of Chinese healthy people with an infectious rate of 8.0%.

Adult ; Arteriosclerosis ; microbiology ; China ; epidemiology ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Female ; Gram-Negative Bacteria ; isolation & purification ; Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections ; blood ; epidemiology ; microbiology ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Kidney Calculi ; microbiology ; Male

Adult ; Aged ; Arteriosclerosis ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Incidence ; Inflammation ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Interleukin-10 ; blood ; genetics ; Kidney Failure, Chronic ; complications ; genetics ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Polymorphism, Genetic

OBJECTIVETo explore the reliability and validity of digital pulse wave analyzing method in evaluating arterial compliance in population-based study.

METHODSAll 415 adults (132 men and 283 women) aged 20 to 86 years old were selected from urban (220 persons) and rural (195 persons) areas, respectively by a stratified randomly sampling method. Arterial compliance, evaluated by stiffness index (SI), was measured by using digital pulse wave analyzing method from the Pulse trace machine (Micro medical, London), and the SI value was determined accordingly.

RESULTSIn the study on both repeatability and stability, there was a perfect correlation between the frequent measurements for one individual either on one occasion or on two 40-days-apart occasions. The SI values were not significantly different between the urban and the rural, men and women. Multiple stepwise regressions showed that systolic blood pressure and age were positively correlated with SI value, respectively (both P values were less than 0.001). The correlation kept unchanged after taking account of gender, BMI and heart rate. The mean SI values for people aged 20 to 29, 30 to 39, 40 to 49, 50 to 59 and > or = 60 were 7.35, 8.84, 10.41, 10.95 and 12.01 m/s (P < 0.01), respectively.

CONCLUSIONSBoth systolic blood pressure and age should be contributed as the main influencing factors of arterial compliance. Digital pulse wave analyzing method is a preferable measurement in evaluating arterial compliance in population-based study due to its better repeatability and stability.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Arteries ; physiopathology ; Arteriosclerosis ; epidemiology ; physiopathology ; China ; epidemiology ; Compliance ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pulse ; methods ; Rural Population ; Sampling Studies ; Urban Population

PURPOSE: Koreans have been undergoing rapid lifestyle changes that may have an effect on patterns of cerebral artery atherosclerosis. This study was aimed at determining the frequency and distribution of atherosclerosis in the cerebral arteries and associated temporal changes over the past eight-year period among Korean stroke patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: By using stroke registry data registered between April 1999 and March 2007, we investigated the presence, severity, and location of cerebral artery atherosclerosis as determined by angiographic findings. Their annual patterns and association with vascular risk factors were investigated. RESULTS: Of 1,955 patients, 1,517 patients (77.6%) demonstrated atherosclerosis in one or more arteries. A significantly increasing trend of atherosclerosis was observed during the past eight years, which was ascribed to an increase of combined extracranial (EC) and intracranial (IC) atherosclerosis. The number of atherosclerotic arteries increased as the number of risk factors increased. In the multivariate analysis, the year and vascular risk factors were independent predictors of the presence of atherosclerosis. CONCLUSION: We found that the atherosclerotic burden has been increasing for the past eight years in Korean stroke patients, particularly the combined EC and IC subtype. Lifestyle changes and increase in vascular risk factors may be contributing factors.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Child ; *Cost of Illness ; Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology/physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension/epidemiology/physiopathology ; Intracranial Arteriosclerosis/*epidemiology/etiology/pathology ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Young Adult

PURPOSE: Koreans have been undergoing rapid lifestyle changes that may have an effect on patterns of cerebral artery atherosclerosis. This study was aimed at determining the frequency and distribution of atherosclerosis in the cerebral arteries and associated temporal changes over the past eight-year period among Korean stroke patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: By using stroke registry data registered between April 1999 and March 2007, we investigated the presence, severity, and location of cerebral artery atherosclerosis as determined by angiographic findings. Their annual patterns and association with vascular risk factors were investigated. RESULTS: Of 1,955 patients, 1,517 patients (77.6%) demonstrated atherosclerosis in one or more arteries. A significantly increasing trend of atherosclerosis was observed during the past eight years, which was ascribed to an increase of combined extracranial (EC) and intracranial (IC) atherosclerosis. The number of atherosclerotic arteries increased as the number of risk factors increased. In the multivariate analysis, the year and vascular risk factors were independent predictors of the presence of atherosclerosis. CONCLUSION: We found that the atherosclerotic burden has been increasing for the past eight years in Korean stroke patients, particularly the combined EC and IC subtype. Lifestyle changes and increase in vascular risk factors may be contributing factors.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Child ; *Cost of Illness ; Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology/physiopathology ; Female ; Humans ; Hypertension/epidemiology/physiopathology ; Intracranial Arteriosclerosis/*epidemiology/etiology/pathology ; Korea/epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Multivariate Analysis ; Risk Factors ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the association of hypertension and carotid atherosclerosis in a general population in China.

METHODSA population-based epidemiological survey on cardiovascular diseases was performed in autumn, 2002. A total of 1198 rural residents with 426 men and 776 women aged 43 - 73 years, underwent carotid duplex examination. Hypertension was classified into 6 groups of optimal, normal, high-normal, stage 1, 2 and 3.

RESULTS(1) A significant positive dose-response relation was found between hypertension categories, duration of hypertension and intima-media thickness (IMT) in both genders (trend test P < 0.01). After adjustment of age, body mass index, total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, glucose and smoking, the relation did not change. The associations between duration of hypertension and IMT disappeared after further adjustment with blood pressure. (2) The occurrence of plaque was positively associated with blood pressure groups and duration of hypertension, as well as in the age-adjusted models. The associations between duration of hypertension and plaque weakened or disappeared after further adjustment with systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure or hypertension categories.

CONCLUSIONHypertension was associated with subclinical carotid atherosclerosis. Prolonged course of disease might aggravate the carotid atherosclerosis.

Adult ; Aged ; Arteriosclerosis ; complications ; diagnostic imaging ; epidemiology ; Carotid Stenosis ; diagnostic imaging ; epidemiology ; etiology ; China ; epidemiology ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hypertension ; classification ; complications ; epidemiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Rural Health ; Ultrasonography

Small dense LDL (sd-LDL) has recently emerged as an important coronary artery disease (CAD) risk factor. This study was performed to investigate how LDL particle size is related to CAD and acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Blood samples were collected from 504 patients that underwent coronary angiography to evaluate chest pain. The LDL particle size of these samples was measured. The mean LDL particle size was smaller in patients with angiographically proven CAD than in the controls (26.41+/-0.95 vs 26.73+/-0.64nm, p < 0.001), and was negatively correlated with the Framingham risk score (r=-0.121, p=0.007). Patients with more extensive CAD had smaller LDL particles. LDL particle size was also smaller in patients with acute coronary syndrome as compared to non-ACS patients (26.09+/-1.42 vs 26.54+/-0.63nm, p=0.011). These results suggest that sd-LDL is independently associated with the incidence and extent of CAD, and can be a risk factor for the development of ACS in the Korean population.
Risk Factors ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Particle Size ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Lipoproteins, LDL/*blood/chemistry ; Humans ; Female ; Coronary Arteriosclerosis/*blood/*epidemiology ; Biological Markers ; Aged ; Acute Disease

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the influence of gender on the development and prognosis of atherosclerosis obliterans (ASO).

METHODSEight hundred and forty-two patients with ASO were treated from January 2000 to February 2007. The clinical data were retrospectively collected. And the influence of gender on the development and prognosis of ASO was investigated.

RESULTSAmong the 842 patients, 661 were male and 181 were female. The ratio of male to female was 3.65 : 1.00, and the ratio decreased with increasing age. The mean age of male and female patients were (71.7 +/- 9.0) years and (75.7 +/- 6.8) years, respectively. Significantly more iliac lesions occurred in male patients than in female, while female patients experienced more infrainguinal lesions. The coexistence rate of diabetes and amputation rate were significantly higher in female patients than in male (46.4%/24.7% and 16.0%/9.1%, respectively).

CONCLUSIONThe female patients with ASO appear to have poorer prognosis than the male, despite their lower incidence of ASO.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Arteriosclerosis Obliterans ; epidemiology ; therapy ; Female ; Humans ; Lower Extremity ; blood supply ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Sex Factors

Apolipoprotein E (apo E) plays a role in the regulation of the lipid metabolism of humans. Apo E, 229 amino acid polypeptide, is classified into three major isoform (E2, E3, E4) according to the differences of amino acid in position 112 and 158. In the normal population apo E3 isoform is most prevalent and apo E2 or E4 is frequently associated with hyperlipoproteinemia. To find out the frequency of apo E isoform distribution in the Korean population, apo E genotyping was performed. After amplification of apoE gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), restriction isotyping was done by cleavage with restriction enzyme Hha I and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The apo E allele frequency in 73 normal subjects was 4.8% for E2, 84.9% for E3 and 10.3% for E4. In diabetic patient with hyperlipoproteinemia, the frequency of apo E allele was 6.3% for E2, 81.0% for E3 and 12.7% for E4. There was no significant difference in apo E isoform distribution between diabetics and normal populations. But in patients with cardiovascular disease with hyperlipidemia, the apo E4 allele frequency was significantly higher than normal (20.0% vs 10.3%, p<0.005). Apo E3 was the most common isoform in normal and diabetic subjects and apo E2 isoform was rather low frequency compared to Caucasians. This pattern is similar to the Japanese population but somewhat different from other populations. From the data of a high association of apo E4 allele and cardiovascular disease with hypercholesterolemia, apo E isoform may be one of the determinants of hyperlipoproteinemia. The PCR method may be useful in apo E genotyping.
Apolipoproteins E/*genetics ; Arteriosclerosis/*genetics ; Base Sequence ; Genotype ; Humans ; Hyperlipidemias/*genetics ; Korea/epidemiology ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Reference Values ; Restriction Mapping

The formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), in various tissues has been known to enhance immunoinflammatory reactions and local oxidant stresses in long standing diabetes. Recently, AGEs have been reported to play a role in neointimal formation in animal models of arterial injury. We attempted to determine whether the serum levels of AGEs are associated with coronary restenosis in diabetic patients. Blood samples were collected from diabetic patients with coronary artery disease undergoing stent implantation and the serum levels of AGEs were analyzed by the fluorescent intensity method. The development of in-stent restenosis (ISR) was evaluated by a 6-month follow-up coronary angiography. A total of 263 target lesions were evaluated, in 203 patients. The ISR rate in the high-AGE (> 170 U/ml) group (40.1%) was significantly higher than in the low-AGE group (< or =170 U/ml) (19.6%) (p < 0.001). Furthermore, multivariate analysis revealed that a high level of serum AGEs is an independent risk factor for the development of ISR (odds ratio, 2.659; 95% CI, 1.431-4.940; p=0.002). The serum levels of AGEs constitute an excellent predictive factor for ISR, and should be one of the guidelines for medical therapy and interventional strategy to prevent ISR in diabetic patients.
Aged ; Coronary Arteriosclerosis/epidemiology/*metabolism/*therapy ; Coronary Restenosis/epidemiology/*metabolism ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/epidemiology/*metabolism ; Female ; Glycosylation End Products, Advanced/*blood ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Risk Factors ; *Stents