Risk for progression to overt hypothyroidism in an elderly Japanese population with subclinical hypothyroidism.

Background: Few population-based studies report the changes with time in thyroid function tests in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism. We compared the risk for developing overt hypothyroidism in patients with subclinical hypothyroidism and euthyroid controls from the same population of elderly Japanese. We also sought associations of selected parameters with the development of overt hypothyroidism in the subclinical hypothyroid and euthyroid groups.

Metabolic cardiovascular disease risk factors and their clustering in subclinical hypothyroidism.

Objective: A possible association between subclinical hypothyroidism and cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been reported. Monitoring of atomic-bomb survivors for late effects of radiation exposure at the Radiation Effects Research Foundation has provided the opportunity to examine associations between subclinical hypothyroidism and metabolic CVD risk factors. The objective of the study was to evaluate associations between subclinical hypothyroidism and metabolic CVD risk factors, and a cluster of these factors.

Apolipoprotein B and insulin resistance are good markers of carotid atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Background: It is widely known that low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is an established risk factor for atherosclerosis. However, recent studies reported that serum levels of apolipoprotein B (Apo B) and Apo B to apolipoprotein A-1 (Apo A-1) ratio were better predictors of atherosclerotic vascular disease compared with LDL-C. In this study, we investigated that Apo B concentrations and insulin resistance (HOMA-R) can be good markers of carotid atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Thyroid diseases in atomic bomb survivors exposed in utero.

Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate the association of thyroid disease with radiation dose in atomic bomb survivors exposed in utero.

Design: This was a cross-sectional study.

Setting: The study was conducted in atomic bomb survivors in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan.

Coexistence of insulin resistance and inflammation effectively predicts cardiac disease but not stroke in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

It is well known that insulin resistance (IR) and inflammation (IF) are associated with macroangiopathy. However, whether IR and IF are related to cardiac disease (myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, and heart failure), stroke or both remains elusive. The present hospital-based prospective study was designed to investigate this issue.

Radiation dose-response relationships for thyroid nodules and autoimmune thyroid diseases in Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bomb survivors 55-58 years after radiation exposure.

Context: Effects of irradiation on thyroid diseases such as thyroid nodules and autoimmune thyroid diseases have not been evaluated among people exposed to radiation more than 50 years in the past.

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of thyroid diseases and their radiation-dose responses in atomic bomb survivors.

Design, Setting, And Participants: Survey study comprising 4091 cohort members (mean age, 70 [SD, 9] years; 1352 men and 2739 women) who participated in the thyroid study at the Radiation Effects Research Foundation.

Effects of radiation on the longitudinal trends of hemoglobin levels in the Japanese atomic bomb survivors.

The late effects of radiation on the hematopoietic system have not been fully evaluated. We examined the long-term effects of radiation exposure on hemoglobin levels in the Japanese atomic bomb survivors over a 40-year period from 1958 to 1998. Compared to the unexposed survivors, the mean hemoglobin levels for those exposed to a bone marrow dose of 1 Gy were significantly reduced by 0.

Long-term prognosis of thyroid nodule cases compared with nodule-free controls in atomic bomb survivors.

Context: Radiation exposure is associated with development of thyroid nodules. The long-term risk of thyroid cancer development in irradiated people with thyroid nodules, however, has not been clarified.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the long-term risk of cancer development in irradiated individuals with thyroid nodules.

Metformin attenuates progression of carotid arterial wall thickness in patients with type 2 diabetes.

To investigate the anti-atherogenic effect of metformin, we prospectively evaluated the effect of metformin treatment on common carotid intima-media thickness (CCA-IMT) in patients with type 2 diabetes. A 2-year open prospective study was performed. Thirty-six patients were treated with metformin (500-750 mg per day).

Inflammation and insulin resistance are independently related to all-cause of death and cardiovascular events in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Insulin resistance (IR)/hyperinsulinemia and low-grade inflammation (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein [hs-CRP]) can predict cardiovascular disease. However, because IR and inflammation (IF) have not been evaluated simultaneously, it is not known whether IR and IF are independently related to cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, the combined effect of IR and IF on the prediction of cardiovascular disease is presently unknown.

Combination therapy of alpha-glucosidase inhibitor and a sulfonylurea compound prolongs the duration of good glycemic control.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether combination therapy of alpha-glucosidase inhibitor and a sulfonylurea (SU) drug can prolong the duration of good glycemic control compared with SU alone in patients with type 2 diabetes. The open prospective study included 124 Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes and inadequate glycemic control (hemoglobin A(1c) [HbA(1c)] gt; 7.0%).

High serum concentrations of soluble E-selectin correlate with obesity but not fat distribution in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Serum concentrations of soluble adhesion molecules, eg, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), and E-selectin are elevated in patients with type 2 diabetes. However, little is known about the role of obesity or abnormal fat distribution in inducing upregulation of adhesion molecules. To investigate this issue, soluble ICAM-1, VCAM-1, and E-selectin levels were evaluated in 40 obese and 30 nonobese patients with type 2 diabetes.

Effect of filtration leukocytapheresis therapy: modulation of white blood cell enzyme activities in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

We treated 12 patients with rheumatoid arthritis by filtration leukocytapheresis (FLCP) and evaluated its effect on leukocyte enzyme activities. We calculated the number of leukocytes removed and assessed the clinical response. We also evaluated the cellular enzyme activities of elastase and dipeptidylpeptidase IV (DPP IV).