Vitamin D epimers are associated with circulating haemoglobin levels independently of C-reactive protein.

Vitamin D deficiency has been shown to be associated with anaemia. Circulating 25(OH)D consists of both epimeric and nonepimeric forms. However, the relative roles of epimeric and nonepimeric vitamin D in regulating anaemia and haemoglobin levels remain unknown.

Independent and Opposite Associations Between Branched-Chain Amino Acids and Lysophosphatidylcholines With Incident Diabetes in Thais.

Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and lysophosphatidylcholines (LPCs) have been reported to be associated with diabetes. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relative contributions of BCAAs and LPCs to the progression of prediabetes to diabetes using a targeted metabolomic approach. This study was part of a health survey of employees of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand ( = 79; nine females and 70 males).

Efficiency of the home cardiac rehabilitation program for adults with complex congenital heart disease.

Objective: We aimed to study the efficiency and safety of once-a-week outpatient rehabilitation followed by home program with tele-monitoring in patients with complex cyanotic congenital heart disease.

Design: Prospective nonrandomized study.

Method: Patients who have been diagnosed either Eisenmenger's syndrome or inoperable complex cyanotic heart disease and able to attend 12-week cardiac rehabilitation program were included.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of patient self-testing therapy of oral anticoagulation.

Patient Self-testing (PST) could be an option for present anticoagulation therapy monitoring, but current evidence on its cost-effectiveness is limited. This study aims to estimate the cost-effectiveness of PST to other different care approaches for anticoagulation therapy in Thailand, a low-to-middle income country (LMIC). A Markov model was used to compare lifetime costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) accrued to patients receiving warfarin through PST or either anticoagulation clinic (AC) or usual care (UC).

Management of atherosclerosis risk factors for patients at high cardiovascular risk in real-world practice: a multicentre study.

Introduction: Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease is a global health burden. However, there are heterogeneities among countries or regions in the risk factors and clinical manifestations of atherosclerotic diseases as well as management patterns.

Methods: We collected data from 25 centres in Thailand.

The association between mean platelet volume and cardiovascular risk factors.

Background: Mean platelet volume (MPV) correlates with platelet activation and has recently emerged as a potential marker of cardiovascular diseases. Previous publications also suggest possible association between MPV and some cardiovascular risk factors but the evidences are still conflicting and inconclusive.

Objective: To study the association between MPV and cardiovascular risk factors.

Effects of glomerular filtration rate estimating equations derived from different reference methods on staging and long term mortality risks of chronic kidney disease in a Southeast Asian cohort.

Aim: There are limited data on the risks of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in Southeast Asian populations. Several GFR estimating equations have been developed in diverse Asian populations, but they produce markedly discrepant results. We investigated the impact of Asian equations on the mortality risk of CKD in a Thai cohort during long term follow-up, and explored the differences between equations grouped according to the reference GFR methods used to develop them.

Potential causal associations between vitamin D and uric acid: Bidirectional mediation analysis.

Vitamin D deficiency, a major public-health worldwide, is associated with hyperuricemia but casual association is questioned. The study was conducted to determine potential causal associations between 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) and uric acid (UA). A cross-sectional study of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT3) cohort was conducted.

Prognostic effect of mean platelet volume in patients with coronary artery disease. A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Large platelets with high haemostatic activity may lead to increased platelet aggregation.. Mean platelet volume (MPV), an indicator of platelet reactivity, may emerge as a prognostic marker in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Long-term cost effectiveness of ticagrelor in patients with acute coronary syndromes in Thailand.

Objectives: To evaluate the long-term cost-effectiveness of ticagrelor and ASA versus generic and branded clopidogrel and ASA in patients with ACS based on a Thai cost database.

Methods: A one-year decision tree and a long-term Markov model were constructed to estimate lifetime costs and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). For the first year, data from PLATO (NCT00391872) were used to estimate the rate of cardiovascular events, resource use, and QALYs.

CHAâ‚‚DSâ‚‚-VASc scores predict mortality after hospitalization for atrial fibrillation.

Objective: The outcome of patients hospitalized for atrial fibrillation (AF) is relatively poor. We sought to determine the mortality rate and predictors of mortality following hospitalization for AF and to evaluate whether the CHA2DS2-VASc score was a predictor of mortality.

Methods: We examined the national database of Thailand residents who registered for government provided health insurance in 2005 and reviewed patient records from 2005 to 2010 to determine all-cause mortality.

Risk of cardiovascular events predicted by the Rama-EGAT score among HIV-infected patients in Thailand.

Cardiovascular disease has become an important cause of death among HIV-infected patients. A cross sectional study was conducted to determine the risk for cardiovascular events among HIV-infected patients who visited the Infectious Disease Clinic at Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. The risk for cardiovascular events was determined using the Rama-EGAT risk score.

Prevalence of coronary artery disease in different ethnic groups at a tertiary care hospital.

Objective: To compare the prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) between Thai Muslim and Thai Buddhist patients.

Material And Method: A hospital based retrospective study was carried out to investigate the prevalence of CAD and cardiovascular risk factors of these two ethnic and religious groups at Nopparat Rajathanee Hospital between June 2012 and December 2012. All Thai Muslim patients aged > or = 35 years who visited the internal medicine outpatient department (OPD) were studied.

Causal relationship between body mass index and fetuin-A level in the asian population: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study.

Objective: Fetuin-A is associated with body mass index (BMI) as well as components of the metabolic syndrome. However, it is unclear if fetuin-A affects BMI or the other way around. We therefore assessed the causal association between fetuin-A and BMI or vice versa, utilizing a bidirectional Mendelian randomization approach.

Retrospective cohort study of association of NSAIDS exposure and outcome of acute decompensated congestive heart failure.

Background And Objective: Heart failure is a common medical disorder in elderly people. Previous studies have shown that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were considered to be associated with congestive heart failure (CHF) due to salt and water retention. However there is limited data on NSAIDs-associated CHF in Thai population.

Clinical factors predictive of pneumonia caused by pandemic 2009 H1N1 influenza virus.

Pneumonia was the most common cause of death during the 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza virus infection. Clinical risk factors for pneumonia caused by this virus are limited. We enrolled consecutive patients treated at the H1N1 Clinic in Thungsong Hospital in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand, during June-December 2009 who had positive polymerase chain reaction results for H1N1 virus.

Causal inference of the effect of adiposity on bone mineral density in adults.

Objective: The causal effect of adipose tissue on bone mass and the direction of its net influence have not been directly assessed in adult humans. Using the Mendelian randomization analysis, we assessed the causality of adiposity in measurements of bone mass in adult males and females.

Design And Methods: Subjects consisted of 2154 adults aged 25-54 years from a cross-sectional cohort of the employees of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand.

Validity of the Thai EQ-5D in an occupational population in Thailand.

Purpose: To assess the construct validity of the Thai EuroQoL (EQ-5D) among an occupational population in Thailand.

Methods: Data were derived from a large cohort study among employees of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand. In 2008 and 2009, 4,850 participants completed the Thai EQ-5D and Short-Form 36 version 2 (SF-36v2).

Serum uric acid levels in relation to bone-related phenotypes in men and women.

Serum uric acid levels have recently been found to be associated with bone mineral density (BMD) in elderly males. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the relationship between bone-related phenotypes and serum uric acid levels in young and middle-aged males and females. Subjects consisted of 1320 males and 485 females aged 25-54 yr.

Long-term effects of socioeconomic status on incident hypertension and progression of blood pressure.

Objective: Few data have linked socioeconomic status (SES) to incident hypertension, and little information on the relationship between SES and hypertension are available from developing countries. We thus investigated the long-term effects of SES on incident hypertension and changes in blood pressure in Thailand.

Methods: In 1985, baseline data were collected from 3499 participants in the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand study.

The impact of different GFR estimating equations on the prevalence of CKD and risk groups in a Southeast Asian cohort using the new KDIGO guidelines.

Background: Recently, the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) group recommended that patients with CKD should be assigned to stages and composite relative risk groups according to GFR (G) and proteinuria (A) criteria. Asians have among the highest rates of ESRD in the world, but establishing the prevalence and prognosis CKD is a problem for Asian populations since there is no consensus on the best GFR estimating (eGFR) equation. We studied the effects of the choice of new Asian and Caucasian eGFR equations on CKD prevalence, stage distribution, and risk categorization using the new KDIGO classification.

Arterial stiffness contributes to coronary artery disease risk prediction beyond the traditional risk score (RAMA-EGAT score).

Objectives: The traditional risk score (RAMA-EGAT) has been shown to be an accurate scoring system for predicting coronary artery disease (CAD). Arterial stiffness measured by the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) is known to be a marker of atherosclerotic burden. A study was undertaken to determine whether CAVI improves the prediction of CAD beyond the RAMA-EGAT score.