Serum vitamin D and change in lipid levels over 5 y: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study.

Objectives: Deficiency of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) is associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease, perhaps mediated through dyslipidemia. Deficient 25(OH)D is cross-sectionally associated with dyslipidemia, but little is known about longitudinal lipid changes. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship of 25(OH)D deficiency to longitudinal lipid changes and risk for incident dyslipidemia.

Functional status and mortality prediction in community-acquired pneumonia.

Background And Objective: Poor functional status (FS) has been suggested as a poor prognostic factor in both pneumonia and severe pneumonia in elderly patients. However, it is still unclear whether FS is associated with outcomes and improves survival prediction in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in the general population.

Methods: Data on hospitalized patients with CAP and FS, assessed by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) scale were prospectively collected between January 2008 and December 2012.

Coexistence of Colorectal Adenomas and Coronary Calcification in Asymptomatic Men and Women.

Goals: Because of shared risk factors between clinically manifest cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer, we hypothesized the coexistence of subclinical atherosclerosis measured by coronary artery calcium (CAC) and colorectal adenoma (CRA) and that these 2 processes would also share common risk factors.

Background: No study has directly compared the risk factors associated with subclinical coronary atherosclerosis and CRA.

Study: This was a cross-sectional study using multinomial logistic regression analysis of 4859 adults who participated in a health screening examination (2010 to 2011; analysis 2014 to 2015).

A gene-environment interaction analysis of plasma selenium with prevalent and incident diabetes: The Hortega study.

Background: Selenium and single-nucleotide-polymorphisms in selenoprotein genes have been associated to diabetes. However, the interaction of selenium with genetic variation in diabetes and oxidative stress-related genes has not been evaluated as a potential determinant of diabetes risk.

Methods: We evaluated the cross-sectional and prospective associations of plasma selenium concentrations with type 2 diabetes, and the interaction of selenium concentrations with genetic variation in candidate polymorphisms, in a representative sample of 1452 men and women aged 18-85 years from Spain.

Clinical decision tool for CRT-P vs. CRT-D implantation: Findings from PROSE-ICD.

Background: Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices reduce mortality through pacing-induced cardiac resynchronization and implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy for ventricular arrhythmias (VAs). Whether certain factors can predict if patients will benefit more from implantation of CRT pacemakers (CRT-P) or CRT defibrillators (CRT-D) remains unclear.

Methods And Results: We followed 305 primary prevention CRT-D recipients for the two primary outcomes of HF hospitalization and ICD therapy for VAs.

Intracranial atherosclerosis and dementia: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study.

Objective: To explore the association of intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia.

Methods: From 2011 to 2013, 1,744 participants completed high-resolution vessel wall MRI from the population-based Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study by a sampling strategy that allowed weighting back to the cohort. We defined ICAD by plaque features (presence, territory, stenosis, number).

Physical Activity, Vitamin D, and Incident Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in Whites and Blacks: The ARIC Study.

Context: Physical activity (PA) is associated with 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] levels. Both are associated with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), but their joint association with ASCVD risk is unknown.

Objective: To examine the relationship between PA and 25(OH)D, and assess effect modification of 25(OH)D and PA with ASCVD.

Airflow limitation severity and post-operative pulmonary complications following extra-pulmonary surgery in COPD patients.

Background And Objective: The association between airflow limitation severity and post-operative pulmonary complications (PPCs) among COPD patients undergoing extra-pulmonary surgery is unknown. We evaluated the association between forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV ) and PPC in COPD patients undergoing extra-pulmonary surgery.

Methods: Using prospective cohort of PPC evaluation for extra-pulmonary surgery, we identified 694 COPD patients who conducted PPC evaluation before extra-pulmonary surgery between March 2014 and January 2015 at a tertiary hospital, Seoul, Korea.

Serum vitamin D and sex hormones levels in men and women: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).

Introduction: 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] deficiency has been associated with low testosterone levels in men, but there are conflicting reports of its associations with sex hormones in women. Less is known about whether these associations are independent of adiposity and lifestyle factors, and whether they differ by race/ethnicity.

Aim: To examine associations of 25(OH)D concentrations with sex hormone levels.

Shock Index as a Predictor of Myocardial Injury in ST-segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Background: Little is known about the association between shock index and myocardial injury in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods: We analyzed cardiac magnetic resonance imaging from 306 consecutive patients treated with primary PCI for STEMI. The patients were divided into the following 2 groups: initial shock index >0.

Arsenic Exposure and Predicted 10-Year Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Risk Using the Pooled Cohort Equations in U.S. Hypertensive Adults.

This study was to evaluate the association of urine arsenic with predicted 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk in U.S. adults with hypertension.

Diabetes mellitus and the incidence of hearing loss: a cohort study.

Background: To evaluate the association between diabetes mellitus (DM) and the development of incident hearing loss.

Methods: Prospective cohort study was performed in 253 301 adults with normal hearing tests who participated in a regular health-screening exam between 2002 and 2014. The main exposure was the presence of DM at baseline, defined as a fasting serum glucose ≥ 126 mg/dL, a self-reported history of DM or current use of anti-diabetic medications.

Joint effect of airflow limitation and emphysema on postoperative outcomes in early-stage nonsmall cell lung cancer.

This study aims to evaluate the joint effect of severity of airflow limitation and emphysema on postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) and overall survival after complete resection in patients with early-stage nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC).We retrospectively studied 413 male patients with pathologic stage I or II NSCLC between 2007 and 2009. Severity of airflow limitation was defined based on forced expiratory volume in 1 s.

Peripheral Arterial Disease and Its Association With Arsenic Exposure and Metabolism in the Strong Heart Study.

At high levels, inorganic arsenic exposure is linked to peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and cardiovascular disease. To our knowledge, no prior study has evaluated the association between low-to-moderate arsenic exposure and incident PAD by ankle brachial index (ABI). We evaluated this relationship in the Strong Heart Study, a large population-based cohort study of American Indian communities.

Associations of Coffee, Tea, and Caffeine Intake with Coronary Artery Calcification and Cardiovascular Events.

Background: Coffee and tea are 2 of the most commonly consumed beverages in the world. The association of coffee and tea intake with coronary artery calcium and major adverse cardiovascular events remains uncertain.

Methods: We examined 6508 ethnically diverse participants with available coffee and tea data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Estimation of Inorganic Arsenic Exposure in Populations With Frequent Seafood Intake: Evidence From MESA and NHANES.

The sum of urinary inorganic arsenic (iAs) and methylated arsenic (monomethylarsonate and dimethylarsinate (DMA)) species is the main biomarker of iAs exposure. Assessing iAs exposure, however, is difficult in populations with moderate-to-high seafood intakes. In the present study, we used subsamples from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (2000-2002) (n = 310) and the 2003-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (n = 1,175).

Coronary artery calcium is associated with cortical thinning in cognitively normal individuals.

To evaluate the association between coronary artery calcium (CAC) and cortical thickness in a large sample of cognitively normal individuals, with special emphasis in determining if the association thickness has regional brain specificity and if it is mediated by white matter hyperintensities (WMH). A total of 512 participants were included in this study. CAC scores were assessed by multi-detector computed tomography.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and progression of coronary artery calcium score: a retrospective cohort study.

Background And Aim: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome, was associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in many cross-sectional studies, but the prospective association between NAFLD and the progression of atherosclerosis has not been evaluated. This study was conducted to evaluate the association between NAFLD and the progression of coronary atherosclerosis.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 4731 adult men and women with no history of cardiovascular disease (CVD), liver disease or cancer at baseline who participated in a repeated regular health screening examination between 2004 and 2013.

Physical Activity, Parental History of Premature Coronary Heart Disease, and Incident Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study.

Background: The effects of some atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk factors vary according to whether an individual has a family history (FHx) of premature coronary heart disease (CHD). Physical activity (PA) is associated with reduced risk of ASCVD, but whether this association varies by FHx status is not well established.

Methods And Results: We evaluated 9996 participants free of ASCVD at baseline.

Baseline and Change in Uric Acid Concentration Over Time Are Associated With Incident Hypertension in Large Korean Cohort.

Background: It is uncertain whether high-baseline uric acid (UA) or change in UA concentration over time is related to development of incident hypertension. To investigate relationships between: (i) baseline serum UA concentration and (ii) change in UA concentration and incident hypertension.

Methods: About 96,606 Korean individuals (with follow-up UA data available for 56,085 people) participating in a health check program was undertaken.

Association Between a Social-Business Eating Pattern and Early Asymptomatic Atherosclerosis.

Background: The importance of a healthy diet in relation to cardiovascular health promotion is widely recognized. Identifying specific dietary patterns related to early atherosclerosis would contribute greatly to inform effective primary prevention strategies.

Objectives: This study sought to quantify the association between specific dietary patterns and presence and extent of subclinical atherosclerosis in a population of asymptomatic middle-aged adults.

D-Dimer Levels Predict Myocardial Injury in ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: A Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study.

Objectives: Elevated D-dimer levels on admission predict prognosis in patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), but the association of D-dimer levels with structural markers of myocardial injury in these patients is unknown.

Methods: We performed cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging in 208 patients treated with primary PCI for STEMI. CMR was performed a median of 3 days after the index procedure.

The association between blood pressure and lipid levels in Europe: European Study on Cardiovascular Risk Prevention and Management in Usual Daily Practice.

Objectives: Several studies have suggested a positive association between serum lipid levels and blood pressure (BP). This study investigated this association in a large population from 12 European countries.

Methods: Data were taken from the European Study on Cardiovascular Risk Prevention and Management in Usual Daily Practice (ClinicalTrials.

Vitamin D deficiency is independently associated with greater prevalence of erectile dysfunction: The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001-2004.

Background And Aims: Erectile dysfunction (ED) and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) share many common risk factors, and vascular ED is a marker for increased ASCVD risk. Low 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations have been associated with increased ASCVD risk, but less is known regarding the relationship of low 25(OH)D with ED. We determined whether 25(OH)D deficiency is associated with ED independent of ASCVD risk factors.