BACKGROUND: Early detection of vascular change may improve prediction of subclinical stage of cardiovascular disease, allowing intervention to prevent overt vascular damage. High heart rate is known to increase cardiovascular morbidity and mortality rate in the general population and in individuals with cardiovascular disease. We aimed to investigate the association between resting heart rate (RHR) measured using electrocardiogram (ECG) and arterial stiffness measured using the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) in men. METHODS: Data were collected from 5,629 men aged between 20 and 78 years who visited a single-site health promotion center. RHR was measured in a supine posture after resting for 10 minutes using an ECG. Arterial stiffness was measured using the CAVI. The cutoff value for high CAVI was ≥9.0. RESULTS: RHR was one of the major determinants of high CAVI after adjusting for age, waist circumference, mean arterial pressure, glycosylated hemoglobin level, triglyceride level, white blood cell count, and lifestyle factors. When RHR groups were defined according to the RHR quartiles, the odds ratio of group with RHR ≥70 bpm, for high CAVI was 3.62 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.21–5.91) after adjusting for age and lifestyle factors. This association was not changed after adjusting for all other covariates (odds ratio, 2.39; 95% CI, 1.36–4.19). CONCLUSIONS: RHR measured using ECG is significantly associated with arterial stiffness in men not taking medications for hypertension, dyslipidemia, or diabetes. These findings suggest that RHR may be useful in assessing cardiovascular risk in men.
Arterial Pressure ; Arteriosclerosis ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Dyslipidemias ; Electrocardiography ; Health Promotion ; Heart Rate ; Heart ; Hemoglobin A, Glycosylated ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Leukocyte Count ; Life Style ; Male ; Mortality ; Odds Ratio ; Posture ; Risk Assessment ; Triglycerides ; Vascular Stiffness ; Waist Circumference

Background: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease fibrosis score (NFS) is a scoring system applied in clinical practice to predict advanced fibrosis in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Evidence shows that progression of steatohepatitis and liver fibrosis reduces the production of verylow- density lipoprotein. The aim of this study was to identify the association of NFS and serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels and in adults with NAFLD. Methods: Data were gathered from 24,889 subjects who had visited a health promotion center. NFS was calculated to assess the severity of fibrosis in all the subjects. Serum LDL-C levels were measured using a direct method. Results: Serum LDL-C levels tended to decrease with increasing NFS quartiles (P for trend<0.01). NFS was one of the major determinants of serum LDL-C level after adjusting for age, sex, lifestyle-related factors, and other covariates. The estimated mean serum LDL-C level was significantly lower in the highest quartile of NFS than in the lowest quartile of NFS. Conclusion NFS had a negative association with serum LDL-C levels in adults with NAFLD. Elevated LDL-C level is not only a risk factor of cardiovascular disease but also a predictive indicator of NAFLD severity.

Background: In general, women tend to increase serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels after menopause. Hypercholesterolemia is a risk factor that causes atherosclerosis and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Additionally, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol increases even when attempting to modify lifestyles in menopausal women. Therefore, we wanted to find out what risk factors are associated with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in menopausal women. Methods: Data were gathered from 4,943 subjects who had visited a Health Promotion Center. Variables are measured in body metering and blood tests. Partial correlation analysis was performed to identify the variables that are related to low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and multiple regression analysis was performed to find the variables that can predict low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Results: The mean age of the subjects was 57.3±6.6 years old, the average low density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration was 124.6±33.3 mg/dL, the average body mass index was 23.6±3.2 kg/m 2 , and the average waist circumference was 78.4±8.3 cm, and 21.5 percent of subjects was abdominal obesity. Serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level showed a positive correlation with obesity, oxidative stress-related indices, and inflammatory markers such as ESR, CRP. ESR, body fat mass, total bilirubin, uric acid, fasting plasma glucose, and WBC count showed positive correlation with serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, and age showed negative correlation. Conclusion This study identified several factors, such as inflammatory markers, obesity and oxidative stress related indices were associated with elevated serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in postmenopausal women.

BACKGROUND: Early detection of vascular change may improve prediction of subclinical stage of cardiovascular disease, allowing intervention to prevent overt vascular damage. High heart rate is known to increase cardiovascular morbidity and mortality rate in the general population and in individuals with cardiovascular disease. We aimed to investigate the association between resting heart rate (RHR) measured using electrocardiogram (ECG) and arterial stiffness measured using the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) in men. METHODS: Data were collected from 5,629 men aged between 20 and 78 years who visited a single-site health promotion center. RHR was measured in a supine posture after resting for 10 minutes using an ECG. Arterial stiffness was measured using the CAVI. The cutoff value for high CAVI was ≥9.0. RESULTS: RHR was one of the major determinants of high CAVI after adjusting for age, waist circumference, mean arterial pressure, glycosylated hemoglobin level, triglyceride level, white blood cell count, and lifestyle factors. When RHR groups were defined according to the RHR quartiles, the odds ratio of group with RHR ≥70 bpm, for high CAVI was 3.62 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.21–5.91) after adjusting for age and lifestyle factors. This association was not changed after adjusting for all other covariates (odds ratio, 2.39; 95% CI, 1.36–4.19). CONCLUSIONS RHR measured using ECG is significantly associated with arterial stiffness in men not taking medications for hypertension, dyslipidemia, or diabetes. These findings suggest that RHR may be useful in assessing cardiovascular risk in men.

Background: Hereditary hemolytic anemia (HHA) is a rare disease characterized by premature red blood cell (RBC) destruction due to intrinsic RBC defects. The RBC Disorder Working Party of the Korean Society of Hematology established and updated the standard operating procedure for making an accurate diagnosis of HHA since 2007. The aim of this study was to investigate a nationwide epidemiology of Korean HHA. Methods: We collected the data of a newly diagnosed pediatric HHA cohort (2007–2016) and compared this cohort's characteristics with those of a previously surveyed pediatric HHA cohort (1997–2006) in Korea. Each participant's information was retrospectively collected by a questionnaire survey. Results: A total of 369 children with HHA from 38 hospitals distributed in 16 of 17 districts of Korea were investigated. RBC membranopathies, hemoglobinopathies, RBC enzymopathies, and unknown etiologies accounted for 263 (71.3%), 59 (16.0%), 23 (6.2%), and 24 (6.5%) of the cases, respectively. Compared to the cohort from the previous decade, the proportions of hemoglobinopathies and RBC enzymopathies significantly increased (P < 0.001 and P = 0.008, respectively). Twenty-three of the 59 hemoglobinopathy patients had immigrant mothers, mostly from South-East Asia. Conclusion In Korea, thalassemia traits have increased over the past 10 years, reflecting both increased awareness of this disease and increased international marriages. The enhanced recognition of RBC enzymopathies is due to advances in diagnostic technique; however, 6.5% of HHA patients still do not have a clear diagnosis. It is necessary to improve accessibility of diagnosing HHA.