Utility of urinary albumin excretion as an index for stratifying the residual cardiovascular risk in patients undergoing antihypertensive agents treatment.

Background: Patients treated with antihypertensive medication, even those with well controlled blood pressure (BP), are at higher risk for the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in comparison to nonhypertensive individuals with optimal risk levels. We hypothesized that this residual risk could be stratified based on urinary albumin excretion (UAE).

Methods: A total of 13 082 middle-aged and older individuals with SBP/DBP of less than 160/100 mmHg and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratios (UACRs) of less than 300 mg/g, and who were free from ASCVD events, were followed to investigate the incidence of ASCVD.

Slightly Elevated Serum Ionic Fluoride Levels Inhibit Insulin Secretion and Increase Glucose Levels in a General Japanese Population: a Cross-sectional Study.

A cross-sectional study was performed to investigate the relationships between serum fluoride levels, glucose levels, and insulin secretion in a general population. A total of 330 healthy subjects (167 men; 163 women) aged between 40 and 69 years were examined. Lifestyle information was obtained using questionnaires.

Poor self-rated health predicts the incidence of functional disability in elderly community dwellers in Japan: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Although previous large population studies showed elderly with poor self-rated health (SRH) to be at a high risk of functional disability in Western countries, there have been few studies in which the association between SRH and functional disability was investigated in Japanese community dwellers. The association between SRH and functional disability, defined as certification of the long-term care insurance (LTCI) system, in Japanese elderly community dwellers was examined in this study.

Methods: A total of 10,690 individuals (39.

Relationship between Selected Trace Elements and Hematological Parameters among Japanese Community Dwellers.

This study aimed (1) to assess serum trace elements concentrations and hematological parameters, (2) to evaluate the sex differences in the associations between serum trace elements levels and hematological parameters, and (3) to identify the associations between serum trace elements concentrations and risk of anemia among Japanese community dwellers. This is a community-based cross-sectional study that utilized the data of the 2014 Iwaki Health Promotion Project. Participants were 1176 community dwellers (>18 years) residing in the Iwaki District, Aomori Prefecture, Japan.

Additional prognostic value of electrocardiographic left ventricular hypertrophy in traditional cardiovascular risk assessments in chronic kidney disease.

Background: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a common predictor of the cardiovascular prognosis in chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, whether or not electrocardiography-derived LVH (ECG-LVH) has prognostic value in patients with various degrees of CKD and improves the cardiovascular risk stratification based on traditional risk factors remains unclear.

Methods: A total of 7206 participants at least 40 years of age who were free from cardiovascular events in a general population were followed for the incidence of cardiovascular events.

Ten-Year Cerebrovascular Disease Trend Occurrence by Population-based Stroke Registry in an Aging Japan Local Prefecture.

Background: Cerebrovascular diseases are a major cause of death for Japanese people, but up-to-date national or prefectural incidences are unknown. We calculated the last 10-year cerebrovascular diseases incidence in an aging local prefecture in Japan with 1.2 million inhabitants and used the data to predict the future incidence.

Prognostic Value of Electrocardiographic Left Ventricular Hypertrophy on Cardiovascular Risk in a Non-Hypertensive Community-Based Population.

Background: The appearance of left ventricular hypertrophy on 12-lead electrocardiography (ECG-LVH) has been clarified to be associated with the risk of incidence of cardiovascular events (CVEs) in hypertensive individuals and the general population, but not enough in non-hypertensive individuals.

Methods: A total of 4,927 non-hypertensive individuals ≥40 years of age who were free of CVE in the general population were followed for the incidence of CVE. ECG-LVH was defined according to criteria of the Sokolow-Lyon (SL) voltage, Cornell voltage (CV), or Cornell voltage product (CP).

The Influence of the Japanese Nationwide Cardiovascular Prevention System Health Guidance on Smoking Cessation Among Smokers: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis.

Aim: We investigated whether 2 types of personalized health guidance (repeated and single counseling) in the Japanese nationwide cardiovascular prevention system promoted smoking cessation among smokers.

Methods: The study included 47,745 Japanese smokers aged 40 to 74 years classified into 2 personalized health guidance schemes. After a 1-year follow-up, we compared the rates of smoking cessation between individuals who had received counseling ("supported") and those who had not received counseling ("unsupported").

Usefulness of a Short Dietary Propensity Questionnaire in Japan.

Aim: There is a growing need for nutritional education for prevention and non-pharmacological treatment of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVD). We compared the results of a short dietary propensity questionnaire (SDPQ) with those from the food frequency and quantity survey (FF Quantity), which had been previously quantitatively assessed by comparison with the 24-hr dietary recall (24hr-DR), to examine the usefulness of the SDPQ. The SDPQ was designed to assess dietary propensities of 12 food/nutrients relevant to CVD risk factors.

Low-grade albuminuria and incidence of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in nondiabetic and normotensive individuals.

Background: Recent studies indicate that, in people with diabetes or hypertension and in the general population, low-grade albuminuria (LGA) below the microalbuminuria threshold is a predictor for incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. However, it remains unclear whether LGA predicts the risk of CVD incidence and death in nondiabetic and normotensive individuals.

Methods: A total of 3599 individuals aged not less than 40 years from the general population who are free of CVD in nondiabetic and normotensive individuals with preserved glomerular filtration rate were followed for CVD incidence and all-cause death.

Standardized Prevalence Ratios for Atrial Fibrillation in Adult Dialysis Patients in Japan.

Background: While it is assumed that dialysis patients in Japan have a higher prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) than the general population, the magnitude of this difference is not known.

Methods: Standardized prevalence ratios (SPRs) for AF in dialysis patients (n = 1510) were calculated compared to data from the general population (n = 26 454) living in the same area.

Results: The prevalences of AF were 3.

Relative and absolute risks of all-cause and cause-specific deaths attributable to atrial fibrillation in middle-aged and elderly community dwellers.

Background: The relative and absolute risks of outcomes other than all-cause death (ACD) attributable to atrial fibrillation (AF) stratified age have not been sufficiently investigated.

Methods: A prospective study of 23,634 community dwellers aged 40 years or older without organic cardiovascular disease (AF=335, non-AF=23,299) was conducted. Multivariate-adjusted rates, rate ratios (RRs) and excess deaths (EDs) for ACD, cardiovascular death (CVD) and non-cardiovascular death (non-CVD), and sex- and age-adjusted RR and ED in middle-aged (40 to 69) and elderly (70 years or older) for ACD, CVD, non-CVD, sudden cardiac death (SCD), stroke-related death (Str-D), neoplasm-related death (NPD), and infection-related death (IFD) attributable to AF were estimated using Poisson regression.

Extent of flood damage increased cerebrovascular disease incidences in Iwate prefecture after the great East Japan earthquake and tsunami of 2011.

Background: Several studies have reported on increases in the incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases after huge earthquakes. An increase in the incidence of cerebrovascular diseases was observed after the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami of 2011. To assess whether tsunami damage or the earthquake was responsible for this trend, we assessed the relative impact of earthquake magnitude and flood damage on cerebrovascular disease.

Bradycardia is associated with future cardiovascular diseases and death in men from the general population.

Background: Although a higher heart rate is known to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) events, there have been no reports concerning bradycardia. Whether lower and higher resting pulse rates (RPRs) are associated with cardiovascular risk was investigated in subjects from a community-based, prospective cohort study.

Methods: After subjects with atrial fibrillation, subjects with a history of CVD, and subjects receiving antihypertensive treatment were excluded, 17,766 subjects (5958 men), aged 40-79 (mean 61.

Elevated blood pressure at the first measurement predicts cardiovascular disease independently from the subsequent second reading in men, but not in women.

Background And Methods: There have been no investigations concerning the association of each blood pressure (BP) reading with future cardiovascular disease (CVD) when multiple measurements are taken on one occasion. This community-based, prospective cohort study (n = 23 344, mean age = 62.4 years) investigated the associations between the BP obtained from the first and second of two consecutive measurements on one occasion and future cardiovascular events in men and women.

Associations of number of teeth with risks for all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality in middle-aged and elderly men in the northern part of Japan: the Iwate-KENCO study.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the associations of number of teeth with all-cause mortality and cause-specific mortality among middle-aged and elderly Japanese men.

Methods: A total of 7779 men aged 40-79 years who were free from cardiovascular disease (CVD) were followed up prospectively for 5.6 years.

Cardiovascular risk stratification with plasma B-type natriuretic peptide levels in a community-based hypertensive cohort.

Few reports have examined the utility of plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) testing for cardiovascular (CV) risk stratification in real-world hypertensive subjects. Subjects of the study were community-based hypertensive patients (n = 5,865). The CV event rate within each BNP quartile was estimated, and a Cox regression model was used to determine the relative hazard ratio (HR) among the quartiles.

Plasma B-type natriuretic peptide as a predictor of cardiovascular events in subjects with atrial fibrillation: a community-based study.

Objectives: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a significant public health issue due to its high prevalence in the general population, and is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) events including systemic thrombo-embolism, heart failure, and coronary artery disease. The relationship between plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and CV risk in real world AF subjects remains unknown.

Methods: The subject of the study (n = 228; mean age = 69 years) was unselected individuals with AF in a community-based population (n = 15,394; AF prevalence rate = 1.

High risks of all-cause and cardiovascular deaths in apparently healthy middle-aged people with preserved glomerular filtration rate and albuminuria: A prospective cohort study.

Background: The reason why coexistence of preserved estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and albuminuria contributes to a high risk of death and which cause of death increases all-cause mortality have not been elucidated.

Methods: A total of 16,759 participants aged 40 to 69 years with normal or mildly reduced eGFR (45-119 ml/min/1.73 m(2)) were enrolled and divided into six groups (group 1, eGFR: 90-119 without albuminuria; group 2, eGFR: 90-119 with albuminuria; group 3, eGFR: 60-89 without albuminuria (reference); group 4, eGFR: 60-89 with albuminuria; group 5, eGFR: 45-59 without albuminuria; group 6, eGFR: 45-59 with albuminuria) based on GFR estimated by using the CKD-EPI study equation modified by a Japanese coefficient and albuminuria (urine albumin-creatinine ratio ≥ 30 mg/g).

Predictive value of lipoprotein indices for residual risk of acute myocardial infarction and sudden death in men with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels <120 mg/dl.

Several epidemiologic studies have demonstrated that plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) profile is a key risk indicator for coronary heart disease (CHD). However, almost half of all patients with CHD have normal LDL-C levels. A total of 7,931 male subjects aged ≥40 years from the general population with no cardiovascular history and no use of lipid-lowering agents were followed for incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and sudden death.

Factors related to tooth loss among community-dwelling middle-aged and elderly Japanese men.

Background: Using data from a large-scale community-based Japanese population, we attempted to identify factors associated with tooth loss in middle-aged and elderly men.

Methods: A total of 8352 men aged 40 to 79 years who lived in the north of the main island of Japan and underwent health checkups were enrolled between 2002 and 2005. Number of teeth was assessed by the question, "How many teeth do you have (0, 1-9, 10-19, or ≥20)?".