Non-obstructive azoospermia is a common condition associated with significant health risks, including increased mortality, cancer, and chronic diseases such as metabolic and cardiovascular disorders. This review aims to highlight the potential health challenges faced by men with this condition compared to fertile counterparts. Through a comprehensive bibliographic search on PubMed, using the following algorithm: ("infertility, male" [MeSH Terms] OR "azoospermia" [MeSH Terms]) AND ("mortality" [MeSH Terms] OR "neoplasms" [MeSH Terms] OR "chronic disease" [MeSH Terms] OR "diabetes mellitus" [MeSH Terms] OR "heart diseases" [MeSH Terms]), we analyzed existing literature to explore the associations between infertility, specifically azoospermia, and adverse health outcomes. Findings indicate that infertile men are at a higher risk of death, various cancers (particularly testicular cancer), metabolic syndrome, diabetes, hypogonadism, and cardiovascular disease. Although research specifically addressing azoospermia is limited, available studies support the notion that men with this condition may experience heightened health vulnerabilities. Given these risks, it is imperative for healthcare professionals, especially urologists, to conduct thorough health assessments for men diagnosed with azoospermia. Informing patients of these potential health issues and integrating comprehensive evaluations into their care can facilitate early detection and intervention for life-threatening conditions. Ultimately, men with azoospermia should receive ongoing monitoring to address their specific health concerns, thus improving their long-term health outcomes.
Humans ; Male ; Azoospermia/epidemiology* ; Cardiovascular Diseases/etiology* ; Metabolic Syndrome/epidemiology* ; Infertility, Male/complications* ; Testicular Neoplasms/epidemiology* ; Hypogonadism/epidemiology* ; Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology* ; Risk Factors ; Neoplasms/epidemiology*

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the multimorbidity patterns and core diseases among hospitalized patients in different age groups and to explore the impacts of multimorbidity patterns on hospitalization costs. METHODS: Electronic medical records of adult inpatients (aged ≥18 years) from Ningbo Medical Center Lihuili Hospital between January 1, 2018, and June 30, 2023 were collected. The multimorbidity status involving 53 specific diseases was analyzed across different age groups. Association rule mining was used to identify common multimorbidity patterns. Complex network analysis was used to identify core diseases within the multimorbidity networks. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) were used to analyze the impact of different multimorbidity patterns on hospitalization costs. RESULTS: The prevalence of multimorbidity among the 359 402 adult inpatients was 38.51%, with higher rates observed in males (43.60%) and elderly patients (58.29%). Association rule mining identified 15 common multimorbidity patterns, which exhibited differences across age groups. The most prevalent multimorbidity pattern overall was "diabetes→hypertension" (support=7.04%, confidence=62.17%, lift=2.17). In the young adult group, the most prevalent pattern was "dyslipidemia→chronic liver disease" (support=1.19%, confidence=53.17%, lift=6.04). In the middle-aged group, it was "diabetes→hypertension" (support=4.84%, confidence=50.28%, lift=2.15). In the elderly group, it was "coronary heart disease, diabetes→hypertension" (support=2.38%, confidence=77.43%, lift=1.63). Complex network analysis revealed that the core diseases within multimorbidity networks differed across age groups. The core disease identified in the young adult group was chronic liver disease (degree centrality=50, betweenness centrality=0.055, closeness centrality=0.963). Core diseases in the middle-aged group included hypertension, chronic liver disease, and diabetes (all with degree centrality=52, betweenness centrality=0.022, closeness centrality=1.000). Core diseases in the elderly group comprised hypertension, diabetes, malignant tumors, chronic liver disease, thyroid disease, anemia, and arrhythmia (all with degree centrality=52, betweenness centrality=0.009, closeness centrality=1.000). Generalized estimating equations analysis indicated that, most multimorbidity patterns were significantly associated with increased hospitalization costs. However, the magnitude of cost increase varied across different multimorbidity patterns. Specifically, hospitalization costs for patients with patterns such as "heart failure→hypertension", "stroke→hypertension", "malignant tumor, diabetes→hypertension", "stroke, diabetes→hypertension", and "diabetes, heart failure→hypertension" were more than double those of patients without any target diseases. CONCLUSIONS Multimorbidity patterns and core diseases among hospitalized patients differ significantly across age groups, and different patterns exert varying impacts on hospitalization costs. These findings underscore the necessity for age-stratified and multimorbidity pattern specific management strategies.
Humans ; Multimorbidity ; Male ; Hospitalization/economics* ; Female ; Aged ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Young Adult ; Adolescent ; Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology* ; Electronic Health Records ; Aged, 80 and over ; Hospital Costs ; China/epidemiology* ; Hypertension/economics* ; Liver Diseases/epidemiology*

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that married couples often share similar lifestyles, as well as lifestyle-associated conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. This study aims to prospectively investigate the association between an individual's development of a non-communicable disease and the subsequent development of the same condition in their spouse. METHODS: This population-based cohort study utilized 12 waves of annual prospective surveys from 2005 onwards in Japan, with a discrete-time design. A total of 9,417 middle-aged couples (18,834 participants; discrete-time observations = 118,876) were included. Each participant whose spouse had developed one of six conditions was propensity score-matched with five controls whose spouses had not been diagnosed with the condition: diabetes [n = 1374 vs n = 6870], hypertension [n = 2657 vs n = 13285], hypercholesterolemia [n = 3321 vs n = 16605], stroke [n = 567 vs n = 2835], coronary heart disease (CHD) [n = 1093 vs n = 5465] or cancer [n = 923 vs n = 4615]. Using conditional logistic regression, we assessed participants' development of the same condition within three years following their spouse's diagnosis. RESULTS: Participants whose spouses had developed diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, or CHD were more likely to develop the same condition within three years. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were: 1.96 (1.53-2.50), 1.20 (1.06-1.36), 1.63 (1.47-1.81) and 1.43 (1.05-1.95), respectively. No significant associations were observed in stroke [1.69 (0.80-3.58)] or cancer [1.08 (0.75-1.54)]. CONCLUSION Spouses of individuals recently diagnosed with certain metabolic conditions are at a higher risk of developing those conditions themselves. These findings may provide valuable guidance for targeting and personalizing chronic disease screening and prevention efforts.
Humans ; Spouses/statistics & numerical data* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Japan/epidemiology* ; Longitudinal Studies ; Noncommunicable Diseases/epidemiology* ; Prospective Studies ; Neoplasms/epidemiology* ; Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology* ; Risk Factors ; Aged, 80 and over ; Adult ; Hypertension/epidemiology*

BACKGROUND: High visceral fat mass (FM) is associated with a high risk of cardiometabolic morbidity. Meanwhile, loss of skeletal muscle (lean mass, LM) has been suggested to contribute to metabolic diseases. METHODS: We investigated associations between cardiometabolic diseases and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-measured body composition indices, including the FM index (FM/height²), percent body fat, trunk-to-appendicular fat ratio (TAR), trunk-to-leg fat ratio (TLR), LM index (LM/height²) and FM-to-LM ratio in 595 community-dwelling elderly Japanese men (mean age, 74 years; standard deviation, 6; range, 65 to 94). Hypertension was identified as high blood pressure and/or the use of antihypertensive drugs. Diabetes was identified as high hemoglobin A1c and/or the use of antidiabetic drugs. The ability of DXA-based indices to discriminate between the presence and absence of cardiometabolic diseases was evaluated using area under the curve (AUC) calculated by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. RESULTS: Body mass index, FM index, percent body fat, TAR, TLR and FM-to-LM ratio were significantly associated with hypertension (P < 0.05). TAR and TLR, but not body mass index, FM index, percent body fat, LM index and FM-to-LM ratio, showed significant positive associations with diabetes. The AUC for the LM index was significantly lower than those for the FM index, percent body fat and FM-to-LM ratio. No associations were observed between the LM index and hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes. CONCLUSION The association between cardiometabolic function and LM, which includes skeletal muscle, may not be as pronounced or stronger than associations between cardiometabolic function and FM. Further detailed studies are needed to clarify how skeletal muscle contributes to cardiometabolic disease.
Humans ; Male ; Absorptiometry, Photon ; Aged ; Japan/epidemiology* ; Body Composition ; Aged, 80 and over ; Hypertension/epidemiology* ; Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology* ; Body Mass Index ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Osteoporosis/epidemiology* ; Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology* ; Risk Factors ; East Asian People

BACKGROUND: Prior studies have shown that drivers with type 2 diabetes are more likely to be involved in motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) compared to the general population. Certain meteorological factors have been increasingly recognized as contributors to MVC risk. This study aims to examine the association of MVCs with temperature, rainfall, wind speed, and sunshine duration among drivers with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: Using Taiwan's National Health Insurance data (2019-2021), we identified individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and linked their records to the Police-Reported Traffic Accident Registry to obtain daily MVC counts. Meteorological data were sourced from the Central Weather Administration. Associations between daily weather conditions and MVCs were assessed using a Distributed Lag Non-Linear Model. RESULTS: Over the 1,096-day study period, 170,468 MVC events involving drivers with type 2 diabetes were recorded. A U-shaped association was observed between same-day temperature and MVC rates. Compared with the reference temperature of 17.5 °C, both lower temperatures (≤15 °C; rate ratio [RR] = 1.014-1.053) and higher temperatures (≥30 °C; RR = 1.062) were associated with increased MVC risk. Rainfall showed an inverse relationship with MVCs. Compared with 70 mm of rainfall, the lowest MVC rate occurred at 129 mm (RR = 0.873), while the highest was on rain-free days (0 mm; RR = 1.068). Stronger effects were observed when lag periods up to 14 days were considered. Wind speed and sunshine duration were not significantly associated with MVC risk. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that drivers with type 2 diabetes should exercise greater caution on days with extreme temperatures or in days with lesser rainfall, as these conditions may elevate MVC risk.
Humans ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/epidemiology* ; Taiwan/epidemiology* ; Accidents, Traffic/statistics & numerical data* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Female ; Weather ; Aged ; Adult ; Temperature ; Risk Factors

Periodontitis has become one of the most widespread chronic inflammatory diseases worldwide, affecting roughly 11% of the adult population. In China, periodontal health is notably poor, with less than 10% of individuals over the age of 35 maintaining periodontal health, while the prevalence of periodontitis in middle-aged and elderly populations reaches as high as 82.6%. From a public health perspective, periodontitis not only seriously compromises oral health but is also closely linked to multiple chronic systemic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and cognitive impairment. A substantial body of cohort studies and meta-analyses consistently demonstrate that patients with periodontitis are at a significantly increased risk of cardiovascular events. Moreover, periodontitis tends to progress more rapidly in individuals with diabetes, highlighting a bidirectional causal relationship between these two conditions. Our research team has maintained a long-term focus on elucidating the relationship between periodontitis and systemic diseases within Chinese community populations. In this review, we comprehensively summarize epidemiological findings on the associations between periodontitis and cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and cognitive decline, specifically drawing on data from Chinese cohorts. Complementing these observations, animal experiments provide evidence that experimental periodontitis can induce glucose intolerance and accelerate the development of atherosclerotic lesions. At the mechanistic level, we preliminarily validate that mitochondrial DNA efflux and the hematogenous spread of periodontal pathogens may act as biological conduits bridging local periodontal inflammation with systemic pathologies. We also address current challenges in the field, including difficulties in disentangling causal relationships due to confounding comorbidities like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, which often coexist and influence each other. To advance understanding, there is an urgent need for well-designed longitudinal and interventional studies employing advanced causal inference methods. Ultimately, this work aims to deepen the current knowledge of periodontitis ' systemic effects and to support the development of evidence-based public health strategies for integrating oral health into chronic disease prevention efforts in China.
Humans ; Periodontitis/complications* ; Cardiovascular Diseases/etiology* ; China/epidemiology* ; Metabolic Syndrome/etiology* ; Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology* ; Risk Factors

INTRODUCTION: The profile of patients referred from primary to tertiary nephrology care is unclear. Ethnic Malay patients have the highest incidence and prevalence of kidney failure in Singapore. We hypothesised that there is a Malay predominance among patients referred to nephrology due to a higher burden of metabolic disease in this ethnic group. METHODS: This is a retrospective observational cohort study. From 2014 to 2018, a coordinator and physician triaged patients referred from primary care, and determined co-management and assignment to nephrology clinics. Key disease parameters were collated on triage and analysed. RESULTS: A total of 6,017 patients were studied. The mean age of patients was 64 ± 16 years. They comprised 57% men; 67% were Chinese and 22% were Malay. The proportion of Malay patients is higher than the proportion of Malays in the general population (13.4%) and they were more likely than other ethnicities to have ≥3 comorbidities, including diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, coronary artery disease and stroke (70% vs. 57%, P < 0.001). Malay and Indian patients had poorer control of diabetes mellitus compared to other ethnicities (glycated haemoglobin 7.8% vs. 7.4%, P < 0.001). Higher proportion of Malay patients compared to other ethnicities had worse kidney function with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <30 mL/min/1.73 m 2 on presentation (28% vs. 24%, P = 0.003). More ethnic Malay, Indian and younger patients missed appointments. CONCLUSION A disproportionately large number of Malay patients are referred for kidney disease. These patients have higher metabolic disease burden, tend to miss appointments and are referred at lower eGFR. Reasons underpinning these associations should be identified to facilitate efforts for targeting this at-risk population, ensuring kidney health for all.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Retrospective Studies ; Middle Aged ; Singapore/epidemiology* ; Referral and Consultation/statistics & numerical data* ; Aged ; Nephrology ; Glomerular Filtration Rate ; Metabolic Diseases/epidemiology* ; Ethnicity ; Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology* ; Malaysia/ethnology* ; Adult

INTRODUCTION: Degenerative mitral stenosis (DMS) is frequently cited as increasing in prevalence in the developed world, although comparatively little is known about DMS in comparison to rheumatic mitral stenosis (RMS). METHOD: A retrospective observational study was conducted on 745 cases of native-valve mitral stenosis (MS) with median follow-up time of 7.25 years. Clinical and echocardiographic parameters were compared. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed for a composite of all-cause mortality and heart failure hospitalisation. RESULTS: Patients with DMS compared to RMS were older (age, mean ± standard deviation: 69.6 ± 12.3 versus [vs] 51.6 ± 14.3 years, respectively; P<0.001) and a greater proportion had medical comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus (78 [41.9%] vs 112 [20.0%], P<0.001). The proportion of cases of degenerative aetiology increased from 1.1% in 1991-1995 to 41.0% in 2016-2017. In multivariate analysis for the composite outcome, age (hazard ratio [HR] 95% confidence interval [CI] of 1.032 [1.020-1.044]; P<0.001), diabetes mellitus (HR 1.443, 95% CI 1.068-1.948; P=0.017), chronic kidney disease (HR 2.043, 95% CI 1.470-2.841; P<0.001) and pulmonary artery systolic pressure (HR 1.019, 95% CI 1.010- 1.027; P<0.001) demonstrated significant indepen-dent associations. The aetiology of MS was not independently associated with the composite outcome. CONCLUSION DMS is becoming an increasingly common cause of native-valve MS. Despite numerous clinical differences between RMS and DMS, the aetiology of MS did not independently influence a composite of mortality or heart failure hospitalisation.
Humans ; Mitral Valve Stenosis/etiology* ; Male ; Female ; Retrospective Studies ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Rheumatic Heart Disease/mortality* ; Echocardiography ; Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data* ; Heart Failure/epidemiology* ; Singapore/epidemiology* ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology*

BACKGROUND: The global rise in diabetes prevalence is a pressing concern. Despite initiatives like "The Healthy Beijing Action 2020-2030" advocating for increased awareness, treatment, and control, the specific situation in Beijing remains unexplored. This study aimed to analyze the trends in diabetes prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control among Beijing adults. METHODS: Through a stratified multistage probability cluster sampling method, a series of representative cross-sectional surveys were conducted in Beijing from 2005 to 2022, targeting adults aged 18-79 years. A face-to-face questionnaire, along with body measurements and laboratory tests, were administered to 111,943 participants. Data from all survey were age- and/or gender-standardized based on the 2020 Beijing census population. Annual percentage rate change (APC) or average annual percentage rate change (AAPC) was calculated to determine prevalence trends over time. Complex sampling logistic regression models were employed to explore the relationship between various characteristics and diabetes. RESULTS: From 2005 to 2022, the total prevalence of diabetes among Beijing adults aged 18-79 years increased from 9.6% (95% CI: 8.8-10.4%) to 13.9% (95% CI: 13.1-14.7%), with an APC/AAPC of 2.1% (95% CI: 1.1-3.2%, P <0.05). Significant increases were observed among adults aged 18-39 years and rural residents. Undiagnosed diabetes rose from 3.5% (95% CI: 3.2-4.0%) to 7.2% (95% CI: 6.6-7.9%) with an APC/AAPC of 4.1% (95% CI: 0.5-7.3%, P <0.05). However, diabetes awareness and treatment rates showed annual declines of 1.4% (95% CI: -3.0% to -0.2%, P <0.05) and 1.3% (95% CI: -2.6% to -0.2%, P <0.05), respectively. The diabetes control rate decreased from 21.5% to 19.1%, although not statistically significant (APC/AAPC = -1.5%, 95% CI: -5.6% to 1.9%). Overweight and obesity were identified as risk factors for diabetes, with ORs of 1.65 (95% CI: 1.38-1.98) and 2.48 (95% CI: 2.07-2.99), respectively. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of diabetes in Beijing has significantly increased between 2005 and 2022, particularly among young adults and rural residents. Meanwhile, there has been a concerning decrease in diabetes awareness and treatment rates, while control rates have remained stagnant. Regular blood glucose testing, especially among adults aged 18-59 years, should be warranted. Furthermore, being male, elderly, overweight, or obese was associated with higher diabetes risk, suggesting the needs for targeted management strategies.
Humans ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Male ; Female ; Aged ; Adolescent ; Young Adult ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology* ; Beijing/epidemiology* ; Prevalence ; China/epidemiology* ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Approximately 40% of individuals with diabetes worldwide are at risk of developing diabetic kidney disease (DKD), which is not only the leading cause of kidney failure, but also significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, causing significant societal health and financial burdens. This study aimed to describe the burden of DKD and explore its cross-country epidemiological status, predict development trends, and assess its risk factors and sociodemographic transitions. METHODS: Based on the Global Burden of Diseases (GBD) Study 2021, data on DKD due to type 1 diabetes (DKD-T1DM) and type 2 diabetes (DKD-T2DM) were analyzed by sex, age, year, and location. Numbers and age-standardized rates were used to compare the disease burden between DKD-T1DM and DKD-T2DM among locations. Decomposition analysis was used to assess the potential drivers. Locally weighted scatter plot smoothing and Frontier analysis were used to estimate sociodemographic transitions of DKD disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). RESULTS: The DALYs due to DKD increased markedly from 1990 to 2021, with a 74.0% (from 2,227,518 to 3,875,628) and 173.6% (from 4,122,919 to 11,278,935) increase for DKD-T1DM and DKD-T2DM, respectively. In 2030, the estimated DALYs for DKD-T1DM surpassed 4.4 million, with that of DKD-T2DM exceeding 14.6 million. Notably, middle-sociodemographic index (SDI) quintile was responsible for the most significant DALYs. Decomposition analysis revealed that population growth and aging were major drivers for the increased DKD DALYs in most regions. Interestingly, the most pronounced effect of positive DALYs change from 1990 to 2021 was presented in high-SDI quintile, while in low-SDI quintile, DALYs for DKD-T1DM and DKD-T2DM presented a decreasing trend over the past years. Frontiers analysis revealed that there was a negative association between SDI quintiles and age-standardized DALY rates (ASDRs) in DKD-T1DM and DKD-T2DM. Countries with middle-SDI shouldered disproportionately high DKD burden. Kidney dysfunction (nearly 100.0% for DKD-T1DM and DKD-T2DM), high fasting plasma glucose (70.8% for DKD-T1DM and 87.4% for DKD-T2DM), and non-optimal temperatures (low and high, 5.0% for DKD-T1DM and 5.1% for DKD-T2DM) were common risk factors for age-standardized DALYs in T1DM-DKD and T2DM-DKD. There were other specific risk factors for DKD-T2DM such as high body mass index (38.2%), high systolic blood pressure (10.2%), dietary risks (17.8%), low physical activity (6.2%), lead exposure (1.2%), and other environmental risks. CONCLUSIONS DKD markedly increased and varied significantly across regions, contributing to a substantial disease burden, especially in middle-SDI countries. The rise in DKD is primarily driven by population growth, aging, and key risk factors such as high fasting plasma glucose and kidney dysfunction, with projections suggesting continued escalation of the burden by 2030.
Humans ; Global Burden of Disease ; Risk Factors ; Male ; Female ; Disability-Adjusted Life Years ; Diabetic Nephropathies/epidemiology* ; Middle Aged ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/epidemiology* ; Adult ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1/complications* ; Aged ; Adolescent ; Young Adult ; Quality-Adjusted Life Years