Impact of visit-to-visit glycated hemoglobin variability on diabetes distress and its subscales.

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the correlations between glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) variability and diabetes distress (DD) and its subscales in older patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods: The cross-sectional study analyzed 175 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, aged ≥60 years, and underwent HbA1C testing at least three times within a 2-year. HbA1C variability was assessed using the coefficient of variation (CV), standard deviation (SD), variability independent of the mean (VIM), and variability score.

Effects of insulin resistance and β-cell function on diabetic complications in Korean diabetic patients.

Background: Diabetes mellitus is characterized by insulin resistance (IR) and dysfunctional insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells. However, little research has been conducted on the relationship between IR and β-cell function in relation to diabetic complications among Korean diabetic patients. This study aimed to examine the differential associations between IR and β-cell function and various diabetic complications among Korean diabetic patients.

The effect of menopause on cardiovascular risk factors according to body mass index in middle-aged Korean women.

Background: Menopausal status and obesity are associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases. However, there are few studies on the effect of menopause on cardiovascular risk factors according to the degree of obesity during the menopausal transition. We aimed to evaluate the effect of menopause on cardiovascular risk factors according to body mass index (BMI) in middle-aged Korean women.

Body mass index and stroke risk among patients with diabetes mellitus in Korea.

Background: Obesity and diabetes mellitus (DM) are both associated with cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to evaluate the association between body mass index (BMI) and stroke risk among patients with DM in Korea since relatively few studies have analyzed this area in detail.

Methods: We analyzed a total of 56,051 DM patients aged >30 years from the Korean National Health Insurance Service Cohort who had undergone at least one national health examination between 2002 and 2012.

Waist circumference and mortality or cardiovascular events in a general Korean population.

Background: Obesity is associated with cardiovascular diseases and is a risk factor for all-cause mortality. Until now, the associations between abdominal obesity and mortality or cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence have not been conclusive. We aimed to evaluate the associations between waist circumference (WC) and mortality or CVD incidence in a general Korean population.

Relationship between the characteristic traits of polycystic ovary syndrome and susceptibility genes.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a highly complex disorder influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) on Han Chinese, Korean, and European populations identified multiple PCOS-susceptible loci; however, only a few studies reported the association of susceptibility genes with disease phenotypic traits. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the association between PCOS susceptibility genes from GWAS and disease-related clinical features.

Vitamin D receptor and binding protein polymorphisms in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a case control study.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrinopathy in women of reproductive age, characterized by hyperandrogenism, oligomenorrhea, polycystic ovary morphology, and insulin resistance. Vitamin D deficiency and vitamin D receptor (VDR)/vitamin D binding protein (VDBP) gene variants could play an important role in susceptibility to PCOS and contribute to metabolic disturbances and menstrual dysfunction. We aimed to investigate the associations of VDR gene and VDBP gene polymorphisms with PCOS susceptibility and to elucidate the impacts of these polymorphisms on the hormonal and metabolic parameters of PCOS.

Insulin resistance is associated with hirsutism in unselected reproductive-aged women.

Objective: Hirsutism affects 5%-10% of reproductive-aged women worldwide and exhibits clinical importance as a cutaneous manifestation of underlying hyperandrogenism. Racial and genetic factors play roles in manifestation of hirsutism, and the prevalence of hirsutism seems to be low in East Asians. However, the reference value of the modified Ferriman-Gallwey (mFG) score to diagnose hirsutism and the prevalence of hirsutism have not been determined in Korean populations to date.

Association between cadmium and anti-Mullerian hormone in premenopausal women at particular ages.

Background: Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) in women is secreted by granulosa cells of antral follicles. AMH appears to be a very stable marker for ovarian function. It may be used to diagnosis cases of premature ovarian failure, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and ovarian tumors.

Associations between body mass index and mortality or cardiovascular events in a general Korean population.

Background/objectives: The relationship between body mass index (BMI) and mortality remains controversial. Furthermore, the association between BMI and cardiovascular events (CVE) is not conclusive and may differ by ethnicity. We aimed to estimate the associations between the BMI and mortality or cardiovascular disease in a general Korean population.

Blood cadmium and volume of uterine fibroids in premenopausal women.

Background: A number of studies have found associations between heavy metals and uterine fibroids, but the results are inconsistent. Here, we conducted this research to demonstrate the relationships between blood heavy metal concentrations and uterine fibroid volume as well as the rate of uterine fibroid presence.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, we collected data from 308 premenopausal women aged 30-49 years in Seoul; uterine fibroids are ascertained by past history of myomectomy and pelvic ultrasonography.

Meta-analysis of genome-wide SNP- and pathway-based associations for facets of neuroticism.

Neuroticism is a heritable personality trait that is comprised of distinct sub-factors, or facets. Sub-factors of neuroticism are linked to different emotional states or psychiatric symptoms and studying the genetic variants associated with these facets may help reveal the biological mechanisms underlying psychiatric disorders. In the present study, a meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies for six facets of neuroticism was performed in 5584 participants from three cohorts.

Insulin resistance according to β-cell function in women with polycystic ovary syndrome and normal glucose tolerance.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with insulin resistance (IR) and compensatory hyperinsulinemia. IR is recognized as a major risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, few studies have investigated IR in women with PCOS and normal glucose tolerance.

Differentiation between polycystic ovary syndrome and polycystic ovarian morphology by means of an anti-Müllerian hormone cutoff value.

Background/aims: Although increased serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) level has been suggested to be a surrogate marker of polycystic ovarian morphology (PCOM), its association with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is controversial, and its diagnostic value has not been determined. We aimed to observe the relationship between the AMH level and PCOS phenotypes and to determine the optimal cutoff value of AMH for the diagnosis of PCOS in young Korean women.

Methods: We recruited 207 women with PCOS (120 with PCOM and 87 without PCOM) and 220 regular cycling women with normoandrogenemia (100 with PCOM and 120 without PCOM).

Urinary bisphenol A is associated with insulin resistance and obesity in reproductive-aged women.

Background/objectives: The prevalence of obesity has markedly increased and is closely related to insulin resistance. Although lifestyle and genetic predisposition are significant factors influencing the pathophysiology within the body, endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are also important triggers of metabolic disturbance. We investigated the relationship between exposure to EDCs and insulin resistance and obesity in healthy, reproductive-aged women.

The Role of Serum MicroRNA-6767-5p as a Biomarker for the Diagnosis of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a heterogeneous disorder, and the underlying molecular mechanisms are not clear. To date, few studies have been conducted on the altered expression of serum microRNAs (miRNAs) in women with PCOS. The present study was performed to examine the role of the serum miRNA as a biomarker for the diagnosis of PCOS and its relationship with metabolic and reproductive traits.