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*

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

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the impact of glycemic control and diabetes duration on subsequent myocardial infarction (MI) in patients with both coronary heart disease (CHD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 33,238 patients with both CHD and T2D in Shenzhen, China. Patients were categorized into 6 groups based on baseline fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels and diabetes duration (from the date of diabetes diagnosis to the baseline date) to examine their combined effects on subsequent MI. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used, with further stratification by age, sex, and comorbidities to assess potential interactions. RESULTS: Over a median follow-up of 2.4 years, 2,110 patients experienced MI. Compared to those with optimal glycemic control (FPG < 6.1 mmol/L) and shorter diabetes duration (< 10 years), the fully-adjusted hazard ratio ( HR) (95% Confidence Interval [95% CI]) for those with a diabetes duration of ≥ 10 years and FPG > 8.0 mmol/L was 1.93 (95% CI: 1.59, 2.36). The combined effects of FPG and diabetes duration on MI were largely similar across different age, sex, and comorbidity groups, although the excess risk of MI associated with long-term diabetes appeared to be more pronounced among those with atrial fibrillation. CONCLUSION Our study indicates that glycemic control and diabetes duration significant influence the subsequent occurrence of MI in patients with both CHD and T2D. Tailored management strategies emphasizing strict glycemic control may be particularly beneficial for patients with longer diabetes duration and atrial fibrillation.
Humans ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/blood* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Coronary Disease/complications* ; Myocardial Infarction/etiology* ; Retrospective Studies ; China/epidemiology* ; Glycemic Control ; Blood Glucose ; Adult ; Risk Factors ; Time Factors

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*

BACKGROUND: Sex- and age-specific impacts of cardiovascular risk factors on the development of dementia have not been well evaluated. We investigated these impacts of smoking, overweight/obesity, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus on the risk of disabling dementia. METHODS: The study participants were 25,029 (10,134 men and 14,895 women) Japanese aged 40-74 years without disabling dementia at baseline (2008-2013). They were assessed on smoking status (non-current or current), overweight/obesity (body mass index ≥25 kg/m² and ≥30 kg/m², respectively), hypertension (systolic blood pressure ≥140 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg or any antihypertensive medication use), and diabetes mellitus (a fasting serum glucose ≥126 mg/dL, non-fasting glucose ≥200 mg/dL, hemoglobin A1c ≥6.5% by the National Glycohemoglobin Standardization Program or glucose-lowering medication use) at baseline. Disabling dementia was identified as the level of care required ≥1 and cognitive disability grade ≥IIa according to the National Long-term Care Insurance Database. We used a Cox proportional regression model to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) of disabling dementia according to the cardiovascular risk factors and calculated the population attributable fractions (PAFs). RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 9.1 years, 1,322 (606 men and 716 women) developed disabling dementia. Current smoking and hypertension were associated with a higher risk of disabling dementia in both sexes, whereas overweight or obesity was not associated with the risk in either sex. Diabetes mellitus was associated with a higher risk only in women (p for sex interaction = 0.04). The significant PAFs were 13% for smoking and 14% for hypertension in men and 3% for smoking, 12% for hypertension, and 5% for diabetes mellitus in women. The total PAFs of the significant risk factors were 28% in men and 20% in women. When stratified by age, hypertension in midlife (40-64 years) was associated with the increased risk in men, while diabetes mellitus in later-life (65-74 years) was so in women. CONCLUSIONS A substantial burden of disabling dementia was attributable to smoking, and hypertension in both sexes and diabetes mellitus in women, which may require the management of these cardiovascular risk factors to prevent dementia.
Male ; Humans ; Female ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Overweight/complications* ; East Asian People ; Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology* ; Hypertension/etiology* ; Diabetes Mellitus/etiology* ; Obesity/etiology* ; Smoking/epidemiology* ; Risk Factors ; Age Factors ; Dementia/etiology*

OBJECTIVE: The main aim of this study is to investigate whether acupuncture could be an effective complementary treatment for reducing the risk of macrovascular complications in diabetic patients currently taking antidiabetic medications using a nationwide population-based database. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study to assess the efficacy of acupuncture on cardiovascular complications in diabetic patients using data from patients between 40 and 79 years of age, newly diagnosed with diabetes between 2003 and 2006, found in the National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort (NHIS-NSC) in Korea. From the data, we identified 21,232 diabetic patients who were taking antidiabetic medication between 2003 and 2006. The selected patients were divided into two groups-those who received acupuncture at least three times and those who received no acupuncture (non-acupuncture) in the year following their diagnosis of diabetes. After 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM), each group had 3350 patients, and the observation ceased at the occurrence of a major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE), which was defined as either myocardial infarction, stroke, or death due to cardiovascular cause. RESULTS: After PSM, the acupuncture group had a lower incidence of MACE (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.81-0.94; P = 0.0003) and all-cause mortality (HR: 0.77; 95% CI: 0.70-0.84; P < 0.0001) than the non-acupuncture group; the HRs for stroke-related mortality (HR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.56-1.00; P = 0.0485), ischemic heart disease mortality (HR: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.34-0.84; P = 0.006) and circulatory system disease mortality (HR: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.55-0.82; P < 0.0001) were lower in the acupuncture group than in the non-acupuncture group in the secondary analysis. CONCLUSION Our results indicate that diabetic patients receiving acupuncture treatment might have a lower risk of MACE, all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality. This population-based retrospective study suggests beneficial effects of acupuncture in preventing macrovascular complications associated with diabetes. These findings call for further prospective cohort or experimental studies on acupuncture treatment for cardiovascular complications of diabetes. Please cite this article as: Jung H, Won T, Kim GY, Jang J, Yeo S, Lim S. Efficacy of acupuncture on cardiovascular complications in patients with diabetes mellitus in Korea: A nationwide retrospective cohort. J Integr Med. 2023; 21(2): 176-183.
Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Cardiovascular Diseases/etiology* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/drug therapy* ; Hypoglycemic Agents/therapeutic use* ; Stroke/complications* ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology*

The aim of this study is to analyze the research hotspots and development trends in the field of pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy in China from 2013 to 2022. Based on China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data Knowledge Service Platform, China Science and Technology Journal Database, China Biology Medicine disc, Web of Science core collection and PubMed database, the related literatures in the field of pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy in China from 2013 to 2022, were retrieved to establish the database, and the VOSviewer software was used for bibliometric analysis. A total of 1 664 Chinese and 2 149 English literatures are included in this study. The scientific research results from 2013 to 2022 have shown an overall increasing trend. The research hotspots in the field of pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy in China are mainly concentrated in Podocytes, Oxidative stress, Inflammation, Renal fibrosis, Urine protein, etc. The frontier hotspots in this field include Biomarkers, Nrf2, Gut microbiota, NLRP3 inflammasome, Apoptosis, MicroRNA, etc. Through visual analysis, the research hotspots and frontier trends of the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy in China can be visually presented, and then provide new ideas and directions for the further in-depth research on the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy.
Humans ; Apoptosis ; Asian People ; China/epidemiology* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetic Nephropathies/etiology* ; MicroRNAs ; Biomedical Research/trends*

Objective: To analyze the incidence of early severe complications following bariatric and metabolic surgery and the experience of their diagnosis, treatment, and risk factors. Methods: In this retrospective observational study, the clinical data of 4255 patients who underwent bariatric and metabolic surgery between May 2010 and May 2022 in the Department of Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University were retrospectively collected. Among these patients, 1125 were male and 3130 were female. The mean age and body mass index (BMI) of the patients at the time of operation were 31.3±4.5 years and 36.5±6.4 kg/m², respectively. Regarding surgical type, 2397 patients underwent sleeve gastrectomy (SG), 489 underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), 1028 underwent sleeve gastrectomy plus jejunojejunal bypass (SG+JJB), and 341 underwent single anastomosis duodenal switch (SADS). The inclusion criteria were patients (1) with a Clavien-Dindo grade of ≥III; (2) who were undergoing SG, RYGB, SG-JJB, or SADS; and (3) who had complete clinical data. The exclusion criteria were patients (1) undergoing revisional surgery and (2) other operations during the bariatric and metabolic surgery. The Clavien-Dindo classification was used to analyze the incidence of early severe postoperative complications and their prognosis. Early severe postoperative complications were defined as Clavien-Dindo ≥ III complications within 30 days after surgery. Meanwhile, multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify risk factors of the complications. Results: Summary of early severe complications following bariatric and metabolic surgery: (1) of the 4255 patients, 22 (12 male and 10 female) exhibited early severe complications (0.52%). The mean age and BMI of these patients were 41.1±9.9 years and 36.9±8.2 kg/m², respectively. Preoperatively, 7 patients had hypertension, 10 had type 2 diabetes mellitus, 1 had respiratory failure, and 1 had heart failure. The severe complications included 9 patients (0.21%) with grade IIIa, 11 (0.26%) with grade IIIb, 1 (0.02%) with grade IVa, and 1 (0.02%) with grade V complications. The incidences of severe postoperative complications in the different surgical procedures were 0.17% for SG (4/2397), 0.61% for RYGB (3/489), 0.58% for SG+JJB (6/1028), and 2.64% for SADS (9/341). The common severe complications were leakage (0.28%, 12 patients), bleeding (0.14%, 6 patients), and obstruction (0.05%, 2 patients). (2) Management of complications: Grade IIIa complications (including eight patients with leakage and one with severe inflammation) were treated with antibiotics, nasogastric and nutritional tube placements, and CT-guided drainage. For grade IIIa complications, five patients with bleeding were treated with reoperation, and all the patients recovered; four patients with leakage were treated with reoperation, wherein three were converted to RYGB and one patient underwent resuturing of the leakage site; two patients with obstruction were treated with adhesiolysis. The patient with grade IVa complication (including respiratory failure complicated with acid aspiration) was treated in the ICU. For the grade V complication, bleeding in a patient with SG+JJB was treated with reoperation, which confirmed the bleeding of short gastric vessels. Unfortunately, the patient died. (3) Risk factor analysis of early severe complications: univariate analysis detected that sex, age, type 2 diabetes mellitus, operation time, and surgical type were associated with postoperative complications (P<0.05). However, multivariate analysis indicated that an age of ≥31.3 years (odds ratio [OR] = 5.423, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.004-29.278, P=0.049) and surgical type (SADS: OR = 19.758, 95%CI: 5.803-67.282, P<0.001; RYGB: OR = 9.752, 95%CI: 2.456-38.723, P=0.001; SG+JJB: OR = 5.706, 95%CI: 1.966- 16.559, P=0.001) were independent risk factors of early severe complications following bariatric and metabolic surgery. Conclusion: Bariatric and metabolic surgery is safe. Its common postoperative complications include leakage, bleeding, and obstruction, which require early detection, diagnosis, and treatment to improve treatment outcomes. Age and surgical type are independent risk factors of early severe complications following bariatric and metabolic surgery.
Adult ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Bariatric Surgery/adverse effects* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/surgery* ; Female ; Gastrectomy/methods* ; Gastric Bypass/adverse effects* ; Humans ; Male ; Obesity, Morbid/surgery* ; Postoperative Complications/epidemiology* ; Respiratory Insufficiency/etiology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: To explore the incidence of ischemic stroke after the onset of type 2 diabetes, and further analyze the risk factors, so as to provide a basis for further research. METHODS: The data were obtained from the database of the Beijing Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance Database. The study used a prospective design to describe the incidence of ischemic stroke in patients with type 2 diabetes. In our study, these patients were followed up for seven years. Multivariate Logistic regression models were used to analyze the risk factors of ischemic stroke in patients with type 2 diabetes. RESULTS: A total of 185 813 newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients were enrolled, with an average age of (58.5±13.2) years, and 49.0% of them were males. A total of 10 393 patients with newly diagnosed ischemic stroke occurred in 7 years, with a cumulative incidence of 5.6% and an incidence density of 8.1/1 000 person-years. Ischemic stroke occurred in all age groups in patients with type 2 diabetes. The cumulative incidence was 1.5% (95%CI: 1.3%-1.6%) in group ≤44 years old, 3.6% (95%CI: 3.4%-3.7%) in group 45-54 years old, 5.4% (95%CI: 5.2%-5.5%) in group 55-64 years old, and 9.2% (95%CI: 9.0%-9.4%) in group ≥65 years old, and the cumulative incidence increased with age (P < 0.05). Cumulative incidence rate of the males (6.8%, 95%CI: 6.7%-7.0%) was higher than the females (4.4%, 95%CI: 4.3%-4.6%). Among the patients < 80 years old, the cumulative incidence rate of the males was higher than that of the females in all the age groups. In the patients ≥80 years of age, the cumulative incidence was higher in the females (9.2%) than in the males (7.9%). Further analysis revealed that complications, such as coronary heart disease (OR=3.18, 95%CI: 2.72-3.72), heart failure (OR=1.53, 95%CI: 1.32-1.79) and kidney failure (OR=1.45, 95%CI: 1.20-1.75) were associated with ischemic stroke in the patients with type 2 diabetes. CONCLUSION The incidence level of ischemic stroke in patients with type 2 diabetes is high. It is necessary to strengthen the management of risk factors in elderly patients, screen the complications of type 2 diabetes as early as possible, and take active preventive and control measures.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Beijing/epidemiology* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/epidemiology* ; Female ; Humans ; Incidence ; Ischemic Stroke ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Stroke/etiology*

In 2019, cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounted for 46.74% and 44.26% of all deaths in rural and urban areas, respectively. Two out of every five deaths were due to CVD. It is estimated that about 330 million patients suffer from CVD in China. The number of patients suffering from stroke, coronary heart disease, heart failure, pulmonary heart disease, atrial fibrillation, rheumatic heart disease, congenital heart disease, lower extremity artery disease and hypertension are 13.00 million, 11.39 million, 8.90 million, 5.00 million, 4.87 million, 2.50 million, 2.00 million, 45.30 million, and 245.00 million, respectively. Given that China is challenged by the dual pressures of population aging and steady rise in the prevalence of metabolic risk factors, the burden caused by CVD will continue to increase, which has set new requirements for CVD prevention and treatment and the allocation of medical resources in China. It is important to reduce the prevalence through primary prevention, increase the allocation of medical resources for CVD emergency and critical care, and provide rehabilitation services and secondary prevention to reduce the risk of recurrence, re-hospitalization and disability in CVD survivors. The number of people suffering from hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes in China has reached hundreds of millions. Since blood pressure, blood lipids, and blood glucose levels rise mostly insidiously, vascular disease or even serious events such as myocardial infarction and stroke often already occured at the time of detection in this population. Hence, more strategies and tasks should be taken to prevent risk factors such as hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, obesity, and smoking, and more efforts should be made in the assessment of cardiovascular health status and the prevention, treatment, and research of early pathological changes.
Cardiovascular Diseases/etiology* ; China/epidemiology* ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Dyslipidemias ; Humans ; Hypertension/epidemiology* ; Myocardial Infarction ; Risk Factors ; Stroke/epidemiology*