Publications by authors named "Sayaka Kadowaki"
Aims: Continued low mortality from coronary heart disease in Japan, despite deleterious changes in traditional risk factors, remains unexplained. Since aortic calcification (AC) was an early predictor of cardiovascular mortality, we compared the progression and incidence of AC between Japanese in Japan, white Americans, and third-generation Japanese Americans in the ERA JUMP cohort. We examined whether higher blood levels of marine-derived n-3 fatty acids (FAs) in Japanese than in Americans accounted for the difference.
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- This study explores the relationship between heart rate fragmentation (HRF) and coronary artery calcification (CAC) in a general population, particularly focusing on whether these associations are influenced by systolic blood pressure (SBP) levels.
- Researchers used data from a sample of 508 participants who underwent ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and 24-hour Holter monitoring to measure HRF and CAC, with results indicating that higher HRF and SBP are linked to the presence of CAC.
- Findings suggest that elevated HRF and SBP during sleep are associated with increased likelihood of CAC, independent of other factors, highlighting potential risk indicators for cardiovascular health in the general male population.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the link between physical activity (measured by step count) and cognitive function in middle-aged and older Japanese men, aiming to find a more objective measure than self-reported data.
- Conducted as part of the Shiga Epidemiological Study, researchers tracked the participants' step counts over a week and assessed cognitive function years later using the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI).
- Results showed that higher average step counts correlated with better CASI scores, indicating that more physical activity may lead to higher cognitive function in this demographic.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to explore differences in gut microbiota between individuals with varying levels of coronary artery calcification (CAC) and healthy controls in a Japanese population to determine if these differences exist before CAD develops.
- A total of 663 participants were categorized by their CAC scores and underwent gut microbiology tests, revealing distinct microbial profiles correlated with symptom severity, particularly higher levels of Firmicutes and Streptococcus in those at greater CAD risk.
- Results indicated that gut microbiota composition varied significantly depending on CAC scores, suggesting that these microbial differences could potentially serve as indicators for early CAD risk.
Aim: Few studies have compared the strength in the associations of anthropometric and computed tomography (CT)-based obesity indices with coronary artery calcification (CAC), aortic artery calcification (AoAC), and aortic valve calcification (AVC).
Methods: We assessed cross-sectcional associations of anthropometric and CT-based obesity indices with CAC, AoAC, and AVC. Anthropometric measures included body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, hip ircumference, waist-to-hip circumference ratio, and waist-to-height ratio in 931 men (mean age, 63.
Aims: The roles of urinary albumin, eGFRcystatin (eGFRcys), and eGFRcreatinine (eGFRcre) in the progression of coronary artery calcification (CAC) remain unclear. Therefore, the present study investigated the relationship between kidney function and CAC progression.
Methods: A total of 760 Japanese men aged 40-79 years were enrolled in this population-based study.
Article Synopsis
- A female neonate was found to have severe hypofibrinogenemia (<50 mg/dL) shortly after birth, raising concerns about potential hemorrhage despite her not showing any immediate symptoms.
- To prevent bleeding, she received fresh frozen plasma (FFP) treatment twice a week to maintain safer fibrinogen levels.
- Genetic testing later revealed a novel mutation in her fibrinogen genes, indicating a diagnosis of congenital hypofibrinogenemia, and her treatment was concluded by two months of age when she remained asymptomatic.
Aims: The utility of carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) as a marker for coronary heart disease is under heavy debate. This is predominantly due to the lack of a standard definition of cIMT, leading to inconsistent results. We investigated and compared the relationships of five different measures of cIMT with coronary calcium.
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- - Glanzmann's thrombasthenia is a rare blood disorder that affects how platelets function, leading to heavy menstrual bleeding in adolescent girls starting at menarche.
- - An 11-year-old girl with this condition experienced persistent heavy menstrual bleeding that didn't improve despite various treatments, including blood products and recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa).
- - Ultimately, her bleeding was controlled using a combination of rFVIIa and hormonal therapy, followed by monthly GnRH agonist injections, highlighting the need for coordinated care between specialists for managing severe cases.
Conventional office blood pressure (OBP) and home blood pressure (HBP) measurements are often inconsistent. The purpose of this research was (1) to test whether strictly measured OBP values with sufficient rest time before measurement (st-OBP) is comparable to HBP at the population level and (2) to ascertain whether there are particular determinants for the difference between HBP and st-OBP at the individual level. Data from a population-based group of 1056 men aged 40-79 years were analyzed.
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- A study in Japan analyzed the impact of smoking habits and cessation on atherosclerosis progression in men aged 40-79 years, using calcification measurements as biomarkers over a 5-year period.
- Current smokers showed significantly higher risks for coronary artery and aortic artery calcification progression compared to never smokers, with a stronger correlation seen in those who smoked more (higher pack-years).
- Former smokers who quit for over 10 years had a risk level similar to never smokers, suggesting long-term benefits of smoking cessation but still highlighting the dangers of smoking exposure.
Article Synopsis
- - This study explores the link between ectopic fat in the liver and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) in non-obese individuals, using CT imaging to measure liver fat.
- - A group of 640 Japanese men was monitored for 5 years, revealing a significant association between lower liver-to-spleen (L/S) ratios (indicating higher liver fat) and increased DM risk, regardless of body weight.
- - The findings suggest that liver fat accumulation, as determined by CT scans, is a potential indicator for predicting DM incidence, pointing to the need for further research in non-obese individuals.
Background: The association of proteinuria and reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) with cognition needs more clarification. We cross-sectionally examined whether proteinuria and reduced eGFR, even in moderate stages, were independently associated with lower cognition in a community-based sample of elderly men.
Methods: Our cohort initially comprised 1,094 men aged 40-79 years from a random sample from Shiga, Japan in 2006-2008.
Aim: Computed tomography (CT) can directly provide information on body compositions and distributions, compared to anthropometric indices. It has been shown that various obesity indices are associated with carotid intima-media thickness (IMT). However, whether CT-based obesity indices are stronger than anthropometric indices in association with atherosclerosis remains to be determined in a general population.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: We conducted a cross-sectional study to clarify whether home blood pressure (HBP) is more strongly associated with coronary artery calcification (CAC) than accurately measured office blood pressure (OBP) among the general population of Japanese men.
Methods: We analyzed the data of 919 Japanese male participants who were randomly selected from general population (mean age 64.5 years).
Aims: Calcification in the coronary and aortic arteries has been linked to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The pathophysiological influence of aortic artery calcification (AAC) differs from that of coronary artery calcification (CAC). We aimed to compare the relationships between CAC and AAC and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCorrigendum to "Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 is related to risk of subclinical atherosclerosis but is not supported by Mendelian randomization analysis in a general Japanese population." [Atherosclerosis 246 (March 2016) 141-147].
Atherosclerosis
November 2018
Background/objectives: Clinical trials of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) among high-risk groups in Japan in which consumption of mairne-omega-3 fatty acids (OM3) is much higher than other countries showed slower progression of coronary atherosclerosis. We aimed to determine the cross-sectional associations of coronary artery calcification (CAC) and calcium density with OM3, EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), two principal OM3, in the general population in Japan.
Subjects/methods: The Shiga Epidemiological Study of Subclinical Atherosclerosis examined a population-based sample of 1074 men aged 40-79 in 2006-08 for computed tomography-measured CAC score (CCS), a well-established biomarker of coronary atherosclerosis, CAC density score (CDS), a potential marker of plaque stabilization, serum levels of OM3, and risk factors.
Background: Pericardial fat volume (PFV), defined as the volume of ectopic fat in and around the heart, is associated with the atherosclerotic process in coronary arteries. The magnitude of change in PFV over time and the factors affecting this change in a general population, however, have not been investigated.
Methods and results: Cardiac computed tomography (CT) was carried out at baseline and at follow-up in 623 Japanese men aged 40-79 years without a history of cardiovascular disease who were selected randomly in Kusatsu (Shiga, Japan).
Background: The mechanisms by which exercise reduces the risk of coronary heart disease remain poorly understood. Irisin, an exercise-induced polypeptide secreted from skeletal muscles, is proposed to potentially mediate beneficial effects of exercise, especially in metabolic regulation and development of atherosclerosis. We examined whether higher serum irisin levels are associated with lower prevalence and progression of coronary atherosclerosis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Excessive alcohol intake has been shown to be associated with cardiovascular disease via metabolic pathways. However, the relationship between alcohol intake and obesity has not been fully elucidated. We aimed to examine the association of alcohol consumption with fat deposition and anthropometric measures.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAcute encephalopathy with biphasic seizures and late reduced diffusion (AESD) develops in association with systemic as well as central nervous system (CNS) viral or bacterial infections. AESD is most often noted with influenza or human herpesvirus 6 infection in previously healthy infants. However, AESD has also been reported in an infant with developmental retardation and in a mentally and motor-disabled adolescent.
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- A study examined how abdominal fat distribution varies among different racial and environmental groups by comparing Caucasians, Japanese Americans, Japanese, and Koreans.
- Results showed that Japanese and Koreans had significantly higher visceral fat percentages compared to Japanese Americans and Caucasians, even when accounting for factors like lifestyle and metabolism.
- The findings suggest that environmental factors play a crucial role in abdominal fat distribution, independent of racial differences among middle-aged men.
Aim: The clinical significance of coronary artery calcification (CAC) is not fully determined in general East Asian populations where background coronary heart disease (CHD) is less common than in USA/Western countries. We cross-sectionally assessed the association between CAC and estimated CHD risk as well as each major risk factor in general Japanese men.
Methods: Participants were 996 randomly selected Japanese men aged 40-79 y, free of stroke, myocardial infarction, or revascularization.