Investigation of the Proarrhythmic Effects of Antidepressants according to QT Interval, QT Dispersion and T Wave Peak-to-End Interval in the Clinical Setting.

Objective: Some antidepressants have been implicated as risk factors for QT prolongation, which is a predictor of sudden cardiac death. However, the QT interval is considered an imperfect biomarker for proarrhythmic risk. Therefore, we reevaluated the risk of sudden cardiac death due to antidepressants using improved.

Relationship between fatty liver disease and intracranial main artery stenosis.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between fatty liver disease (FLD) and cerebrovascular disease.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 76 consecutive healthy subjects who participated in a two-day hospitalized health checkup program. The maximal intima-media thickness (IMT) of the common carotid artery and bifurcation of the carotid artery as well as the plaque score (PS) were evaluated on carotid artery ultrasonography.

Association of metabolic syndrome with urinary albumin excretion, low-grade inflammation, and low glomerular filtration rate among non-diabetic Japanese subjects.

Objective: Several studies have reported a significant association of metabolic syndrome with urinary albumin excretion, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, or chronic kidney disease; however, no study has investigated the association of metabolic syndrome with these 3 factors together in the same individual. Therefore, we conducted the present study to obtain more information on this association.

Methods: We enrolled 712 Japanese subjects without diabetes, macroalbuminuria, or medications, who entered our hospitalized health check-up program (180 women and 532 men; mean age, 53.

Association of smoking with aortic wave reflection and central systolic pressure and metabolic syndrome in normotensive Japanese men.

Background: The influences of smoking habits on blood pressure (BP) may have been underestimated substantially on the basis of conventional measurements. We compared the radial augmentation index (AI), brachial and central pressures, and prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) among never smokers, former smokers, and current smokers in a population of Japanese healthy men.

Methods: A total of 443 normotensive men who entered the health checkup program was divided into four groups according to smoking status; i.

Lower birth weight is associated with higher resting heart rate during boyhood.

There is substantial evidence that low birth weight is associated with the development of cardiovascular disease in adult life. Moreover, resting heart rate is a prognostic factor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. However, there are scarce data regarding the association between birth weight and resting heart rate in later life.

Relationship between markers of inflammation and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity in Japanese men.

The objective of the present study was to examine the relationship between markers of inflammation, such as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), an indicator of arterial stiffness, in Japanese men. We studied 269 male subjects (mean age, 53 years) who entered our health check-up program. Subjects who were receiving any medication were excluded from the study.

Urinary excretion of liver fatty acid-binding protein in health-check participants.

Background: Messenger RNA of liver fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP) is expressed in proximal tubules of the kidney, and a certain amount is excreted into urine. We analyzed factors relating to the urinary L-FABP excretion in health-check participants.

Methods: We measured L-FABP in the first morning urine by ELISA in 715 men and 193 women 30-79 years of age who entered a 2-day hospitalized health checkup program.

Relation between the angiotensin-converting enzyme insertion/deletion polymorphism and blood pressure in Japanese male subjects.

Inconsistent results have been reported regarding the association of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism and hypertension. Recent studies of population-based samples of three different areas in Japan presented conflicting results regarding this association. We, thus, investigated the relation between the ACE I/D polymorphism and blood pressure (BP), or the frequency of hypertension, respectively, in 706 Japanese male subjects who participated in the health check-up programme of our hospital.

Microsatellite DNA polymorphism of human adrenomedullin gene in type 2 diabetic patients with renal failure.

Background: Adrenomedullin (AM) is a hypotensive peptide widely produced in the cardiovascular organs and tissues such as the heart, kidney, and the vascular cells. We have previously cloned and sequenced the genomic DNA encoding human AM gene, and determined that the gene is located in the short arm of chromosome 11. The 3'-end of the gene is flanked by the microsatellite marker of cytosine adenine (CA) repeats.

[Myocardial systolic function of the left ventricle along the long axis in patients with essential hypertension: a study by pulsed tissue Doppler imaging].

Objectives: Myocardial contractility of the left ventricle along the long axis in hypertensives is not well characterized. The systolic velocities of the left ventricular myocardium along the long axis were measured by pulsed tissue Doppler imaging in patients with mild to moderate essential hypertension. The relationships between the systolic velocity of left ventricular myocardium along the long axis and the blood pressure, and the left ventricular geometry were investigated.

Relations of plasma high-sensitivity C-reactive protein to traditional cardiovascular risk factors.

Variations of circulating C-reactive protein (CRP) levels are supposed to reflect chronic inflammatory process of the cardiovascular system. In particular, it has been reported that high-sensitivity CRP (hsCRP) is a promising marker of coronary heart disease. In the present study, we assessed the relationship between hsCRP and classic cardiovascular risk factors, such as age, blood pressure, smoking habit and serum lipids.

Positive association of CYP11B2 gene polymorphism with genetic predisposition to essential hypertension.

Predispositions to essential hypertension and cardiovascular diseases are possibly associated with gene polymorphisms of the renin-angiotensin system. Gene polymorphisms of angiotensinogen and angiotensin-converting enzyme genes have been suggested to be risk factors for hypertension and myocardial infarction. Concerning the polymorphism of aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2) gene, earlier studies have shown inconsistent results in terms of its relation to hypertension.

Chromosomal sublocalization and microsatellite DNA polymorphism of human adrenomedullin gene.

Adrenomedullin (AM) is a hypotensive peptide widely produced in the cardiovascular organs and tissues such as the heart, kidney and vascular cells. We have cloned and sequenced genomic DNA encoding the human AM gene. In this study, we determined that the AM gene was located in the short arm of chromosome 11 (p15.

Microsatellite DNA polymorphism of human adrenomedullin gene in normotensive subjects and patients with essential hypertension.

Adrenomedullin (AM) is a hypotensive peptide widely produced in the cardiovascular organs and tissues. We have cloned and sequenced the genomic DNA encoding the human AM gene and have determined that the gene is located in the short arm of chromosome 11. The 3'-end of the gene is flanked by the microsatellite marker of cytosine adenine (CA) repeats.

[Analysis of factors influencing left ventricular mass and diastolic function in normotensive men].

Objectives: Increase in left ventricular weight is an important risk factor for the incidence of cardiovascular diseases, and reduction in diastolic function of the left ventricle is an early marker for cardiac dysfunction. Factors related to the left ventricular mass and diastolic function were analyzed in middle-aged normotensive men.

Methods: The subjects were 126 normotensive men aged 49 +/- 1 years who were hospitalized for health-checkup.

Molecular forms of plasma and urinary adrenomedullin in normal, essential hypertension and chronic renal failure.

Objectives: Human adrenomedullin precursor is converted to glycine-extended adrenomedullin (AM-Gly), an intermediate inactive form of adrenomedullin. Subsequently, AM-Gly is converted to active form of mature adrenomedullin (AM-m). The aim of the present study was to investigate (i) whether sex or age influences plasma and urinary AM-m and AM-Gly levels in normal subjects; (ii) the daytime variability of plasma AM-m and AM-Gly levels in normal subjects; (iii) AM-m and AM-Gly levels and its ratio in plasma and urine in normal subjects, individuals with essential hypertension (HT), and chronic renal failure (CRF); and (iv) the ratio of AM-m and AM-total (T) in plasma of various veins and aorta.

Relationship between birth weight and cardiovascular risk factors in Japanese young adults.

A number of studies have recently shown a significant inverse relationship between birth weight and incidences of chronic and metabolic disorders such as hypertension and type 2 diabetes, though the findings are not consistent. So far, few investigations have been performed to determine whether this relationship exists in Japanese young adults. We investigated the influence of birth weight on cardiovascular risk factors such as blood pressure and several metabolic variables in Japanese young adults.

Effects of alcohol intake on organ injuries in normotensive and hypertensive human subjects.

1. This cross-sectional study examined the influence of alcohol intake on organ injuries in normotensive and hypertensive subjects. 2.

[Implications of obesity for target organ injuries and cardiovascular risk factors in hypertensive subjects].

The effects of obesity on target organ injuries and cardiovascular risk factors were examined in hypertensive subjects. The subjects were 22 obese (OB-HT) and 54 nonobese (NO-HT) men with never-treated essential hypertension, and 37 obese (OB-NT) and 50 nonobese (NO-NT) normotensive men. In these 4 groups with the average age of about 50 years, we evaluated serum lipids, glucose tolerance, and hypertensive organ injuries in the heart, kidney, and optic fundus.