Single-cell analysis of human PBMCs in healthy and type 2 diabetes populations: dysregulated immune networks in type 2 diabetes unveiled through single-cell profiling.

Abnormalities in glucose metabolism that precede the onset of type 2 diabetes (T2D) activate immune cells, leading to elevated inflammatory factors and chronic inflammation. However, no single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) studies have characterized the properties and networks of individual immune cells in T2D. Here, we analyzed peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from non-diabetes and T2D patients by scRNA-seq.

Diagnostic performance of quantitative ultrasonography for hepatic steatosis in a health screening program: a prospective single-center study.

Purpose: This study compared the diagnostic performance of quantitative ultrasonography (QUS) with that of conventional ultrasonography (US) in assessing hepatic steatosis among individuals undergoing health screening using magnetic resonance imaging-derived proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF) as the reference standard.

Methods: This single-center prospective study enrolled 427 participants who underwent abdominal MRI and US. Measurements included the attenuation coefficient in tissue attenuation imaging (TAI) and the scatter-distribution coefficient in tissue scatter-distribution imaging (TSI).

Association between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction: A 7-year retrospective cohort study of 3,380 adults using serial echocardiography.

Aim: Left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) has been observed in people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in cross-sectional studies but the causal relationship is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the impact of NAFLD and the fibrotic progression of the disease on the development of LVDD, assessed by serial echocardiography, in a large population over a 7-year longitudinal setting.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included the data of 3,380 subjects from a medical health check-up program.

Development and validation of multivariable quantitative ultrasound for diagnosing hepatic steatosis.

This study developed and validated multivariable quantitative ultrasound (QUS) model for diagnosing hepatic steatosis. Retrospective secondary analysis of prospectively collected QUS data was performed. Participants underwent QUS examinations and magnetic resonance imaging proton density fat fraction (MRI-PDFF; reference standard).

Low Skeletal Muscle Mass Accompanied by Abdominal Obesity Additively Increases the Risk of Incident Type 2 Diabetes.

Context: Low skeletal muscle mass often accompanies abdominal obesity in the aging process.

Objective: We aimed to investigate the effect of reduced skeletal muscle mass and its interaction with abdominal obesity on incident type 2 diabetes.

Methods: This retrospective longitudinal study included 36 304 diabetes-free Koreans who underwent 2 or more health checkups annually or biannually.

The Prevalence of Thyroid Dysfunction in Korean Women Undergoing Routine Health Screening: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Women are more likely to experience thyroid diseases than men. However, thyroid dysfunction risk in women undergoing the menopausal transition remains largely unknown. We explored the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction across menopausal stages.

Bone-density testing interval and transition to osteoporosis in differentiated thyroid carcinoma patients on TSH suppression therapy.

Objective: Thyrotropin (TSH) suppression therapy is a standard treatment after surgery for differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). It may be associated with osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. However, there are no guidelines for bone mineral density (BMD) testing intervals to screen for osteoporosis in these patients.

Delayed heart rate recovery after exercise predicts development of metabolic syndrome: A retrospective cohort study.

Aims/introduction: Several cross-sectional studies have shown that delayed heart rate recovery (HRR) after exercise is associated with the development of metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, there has been a lack of comprehensively designed longitudinal studies. Therefore, our aim was to evaluate the longitudinal association of delayed HRR following a graded exercise treadmill test (GTX) with incident MetS.

Effects of Aerobic and Resistance Exercise Training on Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Abdominal Obese Women.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a 12-week aerobic and resistance training program on waist circumference (WC) and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in abdominal obese middle-aged women. Subjects were 40 middle-aged women with abdominal obesity (WC >85 cm) but no specific diseases. Subjects were divided into a combined exercise group (aerobic and resistance exercise) and a control group that did not participate in any lifestyle modification.

A Simple and High-Throughput LC-MS-MS Method for Simultaneous Measurement of Nicotine, Cotinine, 3-OH Cotinine, Nornicotine and Anabasine in Urine and Its Application in the General Korean Population.

Measuring nicotine metabolites is the most objective method for identifying smoke exposure. Liquid chromatography--tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS) can measure multiple metabolites and is sensitive enough to detect low concentrations of metabolites. Therefore, we developed a simple and high-throughput method for measuring nicotine, cotinine, trans-3'-hydroxycotinine (3-OH cotinine), nornicotine and anabasine for population-based studies using LC-MS-MS.

The Protective Effects of Increasing Serum Uric Acid Level on Development of Metabolic Syndrome.

Background: It has not been determined whether changes in serum uric acid (SUA) level are associated with incident metabolic syndrome (MetS). The aim of the current study was to investigate the relationship between changes in SUA level and development of MetS in a large number of subjects.

Methods: In total, 13,057 subjects participating in a medical health check-up program without a diagnosis of MetS at baseline were enrolled.

Utility of Serum Albumin for Predicting Incident Metabolic Syndrome according to Hyperuricemia.

Background: Serum albumin and uric acid have been positively linked to metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, the association of MetS incidence with the combination of uric acid and albumin levels has not been investigated. We explored the association of albumin and uric acid with the risk of incident MetS in populations divided according to the levels of these two parameters.

Relationship Between Relative Skeletal Muscle Mass and Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A 7-Year Longitudinal Study.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been associated with relative skeletal muscle mass in several cross-sectional studies. We explored the effects of relative skeletal muscle mass and changes in relative muscle mass over time on the development of incident NAFLD or the resolution of baseline NAFLD in a large, longitudinal, population-based 7-year cohort study. We included 12,624 subjects without baseline NAFLD and 2943 subjects with baseline NAFLD who underwent health check-up examinations.

Increase in relative skeletal muscle mass over time and its inverse association with metabolic syndrome development: a 7-year retrospective cohort study.

Background: Skeletal muscle mass was negatively associated with metabolic syndrome prevalence in previous cross-sectional studies. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of baseline skeletal muscle mass and changes in skeletal muscle mass over time on the development of metabolic syndrome in a large population-based 7-year cohort study.

Methods: A total of 14,830 and 11,639 individuals who underwent health examinations at the Health Promotion Center at Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Korea were included in the analyses of baseline skeletal muscle mass and those changes from baseline over 1 year, respectively.

Serum calcium changes and risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in Asian population.

Aims: We examined the association between changes in serum calcium levels with the incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in apparently healthy South Korean subjects.

Methods: A retrospective longitudinal analysis was conducted with subjects who had participated in comprehensive health check-ups at least four times over a 7-year period (between 2006 and 2012). In total, 23,121 subjects were categorized into tertiles based on changes in their albumin-adjusted serum calcium levels.

Hormetic effect of triiodothyronine in metabolically healthy obese persons.

Purpose: Metabolically healthy obese is the designation for a subgroup of obese individuals with normal metabolic features. However, metabolically healthy obese individuals are prone to developing metabolic syndrome. Serum triiodothyronine (T3) levels are associated with various metabolic risk factors including obesity.

Increase in serum albumin concentration is associated with prediabetes development and progression to overt diabetes independently of metabolic syndrome.

Aim: Serum albumin concentration is associated with both type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome (MetS). We sought to investigate whether baseline serum albumin and change in serum albumin could be independent risk factors for prediabetes in subjects without MetS. We further examined the effect of serum albumin on progression to overt diabetes in subjects who developed prediabetes.

Decline in lung function rather than baseline lung function is associated with the development of metabolic syndrome: A six-year longitudinal study.

This study was conducted to investigate whether baseline lung function or change in lung function is associated with the development of metabolic syndrome (MS) in Koreans. We analyzed clinical and laboratory data from 3,768 Koreans aged 40-60 years who underwent medical check-ups over a six-year period between 2006 and 2012. We calculated the percent change in forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) over the study period.

Association of triiodothyronine levels with future development of metabolic syndrome in euthyroid middle-aged subjects: a 6-year retrospective longitudinal study.

Background: Several cross-sectional studies have reported that thyroid hormone levels are associated with cardiovascular risk markers and metabolic syndrome (MetS) even in euthyroid subjects. However, the prognostic role of serum thyroid hormone levels in the risk of incident MetS has not been elucidated.

Aim: We aimed to investigate the associations of baseline serum thyroid hormone levels with the development of MetS in healthy subjects.

TSH increment and the risk of incident type 2 diabetes mellitus in euthyroid subjects.

Purpose: Thyroid function is known to influence glucose metabolism, and thyroid-stimulating hormone is the most useful parameter in screening for thyroid dysfunction. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of type 2 diabetes according to baseline thyroid-stimulating hormone level and thyroid-stimulating hormone change in euthyroid subjects.

Methods: We identified and enrolled 17,061 euthyroid subjects without diabetes among participants who had undergone consecutive thyroid function tests between 2006 and 2012 as a part of yearly health check-up program.

Serum Calcium and the Risk of Incident Metabolic Syndrome: A 4.3-Year Retrospective Longitudinal Study.

Background: An association between serum calcium level and risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been suggested in cross-sectional studies. This study aimed to evaluate the association between baseline serum calcium level and risk of incident MetS in a longitudinal study.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective longitudinal study of 12,706 participants without MetS who participated in a health screening program, had normal range serum calcium level at baseline (mean age, 51 years), and were followed up for 4.

Change in Serum Bilirubin Level as a Predictor of Incident Metabolic Syndrome.

Aim: Serum bilirubin level was negatively associated with the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in previous cross-sectional studies. However, bilirubin variance preceding the development of MetS has yet to be investigated. We aimed to determine the effect of change in bilirubin concentration on the risk of incident MetS in healthy Korean adults.

Association Between Changes in Thyroid Hormones and Incident Type 2 Diabetes: A Seven-Year Longitudinal Study.

Background: Thyroid hormones are important regulators of glucose homeostasis. However, the association between thyroid hormones within the reference range and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remains unclear. The aim of this study was to clarify the incidence of T2DM according to the baseline levels and changes of thyrotropin (TSH) and thyroid hormones (free thyroxine and triiodothyronine) in euthyroid subjects.