High prevalence of prehypertension is associated with the increased body mass index in community-dwelling Japanese.

Hypertension and obesity are likely the most common disease in Japan. It has been reported that subjects with prehypertension (systolic blood pressure [SBP] 120-139 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure [DBP] 80-89 mmHg) have also an increased risk of cardiovascular disease; however, only limited data are available on the prevalence of prehypertension and its association with body weight. We performed a cross-sectional study to examine whether the status of body weight was associated with prehypertension.

Association between serum gamma-glutamyl transferase level and prehypertension among community-dwelling men.

Serum gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) activity is a general clinical marker of excessive alcohol consumption, and GGT reflects changes in oxidative stress and implicated in the progression of hypertension. Recent guidelines classify persons with above-optimal blood pressure (BP) but not clinical hypertension as having prehypertension for a systolic BP (SBP) of 120 to 139 mmHg and/or a diastolic BP (DBP) of 80 to 89 mmHg; however, only limited data are available on the association between serum GGT and this entity among community-dwelling men in Japan. We performed a cross-sectional study to examine whether serum GGT was associated with prehypertension.

An association between metabolic syndrome and the estimated glomerular filtration rate.

Objective: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a major public health problem. However, few studies have examined the significance of MetS as a risk factor for the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in the general Japanese population.

Methods: Study participants without a clinical history of stroke, transient ischemic attack, myocardial infarction, angina, or renal failure (1,158 men, aged 61+/-15 years and 1,606 women, aged 63+/-12 years) were recruited from a single community.

An association between decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate and arterial stiffness.

Objective: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major public health problem, but there is controversy over whether or not CKD is an independent risk factor for peripheral arterial stiffness in community residents.

Patients And Methods: We randomly recruited 107 men, aged 68+/-9 (mean +/- standard deviation) years, and 203 women, aged 67+/-7 years during their annual health examination in a single community. Study subjects did not have a clinical history of cerebrovascular disease or current neurological abnormalities.

An association between the estimated glomerular filtration rate and carotid atherosclerosis.

Objective: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major public health problem. There is conflicting evidence concerning whether CKD is an independent risk factor for carotid intima-media thickness (IMT).

Patients And Methods: The study subjects were 428 men aged 70+/-15 (mean+/-standard deviation) years and 582 women aged 75+/-12 years enrolled consecutively from patients in the Medical Department of Seiyo Municipal Nomura Hospital.

[Case of rectal carcinoma discovered after extracting a single brain metastasis].

A 79-year-old woman had shown a decline of volition nine months before admission. Because she demonstrated a depressive state, she had been treated with an antidepressant for one month before admission. Thereafter, she became incontinent and showed a poor appetite since two days before admission.

Metabolic syndrome may be a risk factor for early carotid atherosclerosis in women but not in men.

Aim: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of metabolic abnormalities and a predictor of both type 2 diabetes mellitus and adverse cardiovascular events. Whether there are gender differences in the association between early atherosclerosis and MetS has not yet been thoroughly elucidated.

Methods: The subjects consisted of 388 men aged 64+/-16 years and 480 women aged 70+/-13 years.

Association between risk factors and carotid enlargement.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of conventional cardiovascular risk factors on the degree of adaptive response of the carotid arterial wall to atherosclerotic disease.

Patients And Methods: We evaluated the diameter and intima-media thickness (IMT) of common carotid artery (CCA) by ultrasonography in 351 men aged 70.3 (range, 14-97) years and 474 women aged 75.

Metabolic syndrome and carotid atherosclerosis: role of elevated blood pressure.

It is not known whether subjects with metabolic syndrome and elevated blood pressure are at the same cardiovascular risk as subjects with metabolic syndrome but without elevated blood pressure. Using B-mode ultrasonography, carotid IMT was measured in 1,297 patients (593 men and 704 women) in the medical department of Seiyo Municipal Nomura Hospital between August 1996 and April 2005. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 32.

[A study of mental health in community-dwelling older persons].

We conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the mental health of community-dwelling elderly people, and encompassed the physiological, psychological, social and environmental aspects of their lives. The study used a questionnaire similar to the one used by Matsubayashi et al in their study in Kahoku-cho. The Japanese version of General Health Questionnaire 12 (GHQ-12) was used to evaluate mental health.

Significance of serum circulating hepatocyte growth factor in the development of carotid atherosclerosis.

We investigated the relation between the serum concentration of HGF and carotid atherosclerosis. Serum concentrations of HGF were measured in 128 in-patients (mean age, 74 +/- 11 years) free from cardiac, liver and renal diseases, in addition to lung diseases, in the Medical Department of Nomura Municipal Hospital between August, 2000 and June, 2001. Carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) was evaluated by ultrasonography with a 7.

An association between an antibody against Chlamydia pneumoniae and ischemic stroke in elderly Japanese.

Objective: Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cp) is an important pathogen for infections of the respiratory tract; recently, also a number of reports suggesting its relation to atherosclerosis. This study was performed to clarify the relation between Cp infection and ischemic stroke.

Patients: Forty elderly patients with ischemic stroke (age 75 +/- 6.

An interaction between systolic blood pressure and angiotensin-converting enzyme gene polymorphism on carotid atherosclerosis.

The insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism of the human angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene is a major determinant of circulating ACE activity, with the D allele being associated with higher ACE levels than the I allele. Thus, chronic exposure to high levels of circulating and tissue ACE may well predispose to vascular wall thickening and atherosclerosis. However, the effect of the ACE gene on carotid atherosclerosis remains controversial.

Association between abdominal wall fat index and carotid atherosclerosis in women.

We tried to investigate whether accumulation of visceral fat assessed by a simple but widely used ultrasonography was associated with common carotid atherosclerosis in women. The subjects were consecutively admitted in-patients whose body mass index was more than 22 kg/m2. Those with cardiorenal or nutritional disorders that would affect blood pressure, and lipid and glucose metabolism were excluded.

An association between plasma homocysteine concentrations and ischemic stroke in elderly Japanese.

The present study was performed to clarify the relation between plasma homocysteine and ischemic stroke. We studied the relationship between ischemic stroke and the known risk factors for atherosclerosis including plasma homocysteine in 91 in-patients (80.3 +/- 6.

Association of plasma homocysteine concentrations with carotid atherosclerosis in elderly Japanese.

Objective: Homocysteine (Hcy) is a sulfhydryl amino acid. Its precursor, the essential amino acid methionine, is derived from dietary protein; recently a number of studies have suggested its relation to atherosclerosis. The present study was performed to clarify the relation between the plasma Hcy concentration and sclerotic lesions of the common carotid arteries.

An association of 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene polymorphism and common carotid atherosclerosis.

Plasma homocysteine (Hcy) concentration has been shown to be influenced by a mutation in the gene coding methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR). Although plasma Hcy is related to atherosclerotic disorders, conflicting results have been reported about the association between MTHFR gene polymorphism and sclerotic lesions of the common carotid arteries. The effect of age-gene interaction on carotid arterial remodeling was investigated in elderly subjects with several risk factors for atherosclerosis.

An association between an antibody against Chlamydia pneumoniae and common carotid atherosclerosis.

Objective: Chlamydia pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae) is an important pathogen for infections of the respiratory tract, and there are recently also a number of reports suggesting its relation with atherosclerosis. This study was performed to clarify the relation between C.

[A study of mental health in community-dwelling older persons--influence of cared elderly].

This study aimed to evaluate mental health of elderly persons living in the community and understand the various backgrounds and effects of care giving. The study used a questionnaire from similar to the one used by Matsubayashi et al in the Kahoku-cho study. The Japanese Version of General Health Questionnaire 12 (GHQ-12) was used to evaluate mental health.

[Pulse pressure and common carotid arterial wall thickness assessed by ultrasonography].

This study was conducted on a total of 358 normotensive (mean blood pressure < 107 mmHg) inpatients (182 men and 176 women, mean age: 67.8 years) who had no cardiorenal or nutrition disorders that would affect blood pressure, lipid and glucose metabolism and who had not been given depressors or antilipidemic agents during the four years from September 1995 to August 1999. In addition to the known risk factors for atherosclerosis, the effects of pulse pressure and mean blood pressure on sclerotic changes of the carotid arteries were examined.

[Simple screening test for dementia in elderly persons the time and charge test].

Dementia, with its associated morbidity and mortality, has emerged as a leading public health problem with elderly persons and its early detection is of obrious importance for treatment in curable cases and referral of patients to optimal medical facilities with education support for family members. While the precision of detecting demented subjects by the existing screening methods has improved in recent years, they are still complex and time consuming in practice and therefore difficult to use. We have developed an screening method adapted for Japanese based on "The Time and Charge Test" of Froehlich and coworkers.

[Happiness and background factors in community-dwelling older persons].

In order to maintain and improve mental health of elderly people living in the community, a cross sectional survey was conducted to elucidate their happiness and background factors. The subjects were elderly persons living in the community who were able to fill in the questionnaire themselves. The study employed the self-recording questionnaire forms used in Kahoku Longitudinal Aging Study by Matsubayashi et al.

[A case of pituitary apoplexy approving as severe headache and nausea].

The causes of pituitary apoplexy are unclear. We report a case of pituitary apoplexy presenting with headache and nausea. On June 17th, 1997 a 74-year-old woman had complained of retro-orbital headache, fever and vomiting.

[A study of depressive state and background factors in community-dwelling older persons].

In order to maintain and improve the mental health of elderly people living in the community, a cross-sectional survey was conducted to elucidate their depressive state and its background factors. Subjects were elderly persons living in the community who were able to fill in the questionnaire themselves. The study used the self-recording questionnaire sheets used in the Kahoku Longitudinal Aging Study by Matsubayashi et al and the Zung Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS).

[A decrease in urinary proteins in an elderly patient with refractory minimal change nephrotic syndrome administration of an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor in combination with steroids].

A 72-year-old woman had been treated for hypertension and hyperthyroidism by a local doctor. In May 1998, she came to this institution with a chief complaint of leg edema. Based on the clinical findings, she was diagnosed as having nephrotic syndrome with massive proteinurea, hypoproteinemia and hyperlipidemia.