• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.37 no.6
• /
• pp.467-472
• /
• 2014

Obesity is known to be strongly associated with cardiovascular disease and cancer, the leading causes of mortality worldwide, and develops owing to interactions between genes and the environment. DNA methylation can act as a downstream effector of environmental signals, and analysis of this process therefore holds substantial promise for identifying mechanisms through which genetic and environmental factors jointly contribute to disease risk. Global DNA methylation of peripheral blood cells has recently been proposed as a potential biomarker for disease risk. Repetitive element DNA methylation has been shown to be associated with prominent obesity-related chronic diseases, but little is known about its relationship with weight status. In this study, we quantified the methylation of Alu elements in the peripheral blood DNA of 244 healthy women with a range of body mass indexes (BMIs) using pyrosequencing technology. Among the study participants, certain clinical laboratory parameters, including hemoglobin, serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, serum glutamic- pyruvic transaminase, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were found to be strongly associated with BMI. Moreover, a U-shaped association between BMI and Alu methylation was observed, with the lowest methylation levels occurring at BMIs of between 23 and $30kg/m^2$. However, there was no significant association between Alu methylation and age, smoking status, or alcohol consumption. Overall, we identified a differential influence of BMI on global DNA methylation in healthy Korean women, indicating that BMI-related changes in Alu methylation might play a complex role in the etiology and pathogenesis of obesity. Further studies are required to elucidate the mechanisms underlying this relationship.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.80-88
• /
• 1999

Hypercholesterolemia is a well known major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, now the leading cause of death in Korea. This study was carried out to examine the relationships of hypercholesterolemia(HC$\geq$240 mg/dL) with obesity, blood pressure and blood glucose level in 649 male subjects aged 20-69 in Kwangju, Korea. The mean plasma total cholesterol level was 212${\pm}$43 mg/dL, and 25.3% of the subjects was diagnosed as HC and 39.3% as nomorcholesterolemia(NC〈200 mg/dL). The prevalence of HC seemed to increase with age. The subjects with HC were highly overweighted and had higher body mass index(BMI) than the NC subjects. The incidence of overweight(25$\leq$BMI〈30) and obesity(BMI$\geq$30) among the HC subjects were 44.5%, and 1.8%, respectively. The HC subjects had higher systolic(SBP) and diastolic blood pressure(DBP) than the NC subjects. The incidence of borderline hypertension (160/95〉SBP/DBP$\geq$140/90) and hypertension(SBP/DBP$\geq$160/95) among the HC subjects were 18.3%, and 9.1%, respectively. However, there was no difference in blood glucose level between the HC and NC subjects. The plasma total cholesterol level had positive relationships with BMI(P〈0.001), weight(P〈0.001), DBP(P〈0.001), SBP(P〈0.01), and age(P〈0.01), whereas inverse relationships with height/weight ratio(P〈0.001), and height(P〈0.01). The relative risks on HC were 1.99 for obesity, 1.53 for overweight, 1.82 for hypertension, 1.44 for borderline hypertension and 1.08 for hyperglycemia. Attributable risks on HC were 0.25 for obesity, 0.11 for overweight, 0.20 for hypertension, 0.10 for borderline hypertension and 0.02 for hyperglycemia. The results indicate that the level of plasma total cholesterol was closely associated with the incidences of obesity and hypertension. (Korean J of Human Ecology 2(1) : 80-88, 1999)

• Korean Journal of Family Medicine
• /
• v.39 no.6
• /
• pp.347-354
• /
• 2018

Background: BMI alone may not serve as an index of obesity because it does not reflect body composition. The present study aimed to compare arterial stiffness as assessed by the brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV) among groups defined by body fat percentage (pBF) and BMI. Methods: This cross-sectional study was based on 1,700 participants (1,044 men and 656 women) who completed a health screening examination at a national hospital between January 2011 and February 2016. Participants were divided into four groups according to BMI and pBF: normal fat and normal weight (NFNW); excessive fat and normal weight (EFNW); normal fat and obese (NFO); and excessive fat and obese (EFO). The ba-PWV and other cardiometabolic factors were compared among the four groups in men and women separately. Results: For both sexes, the NFNW group had a lower metabolic risk compared to that in the other groups (EFNW, NFO, and EFO). After adjusting for multiple variables, the NFO males had a significantly lower ba-PWV compared to those in the other groups, including NFNW males. The NFO group had significantly more skeletal muscle mass and muscle mass compared the other groups (P<0.05). Among women, the NFNW group had a significantly lower ba-PWV compared the other groups, even after adjusting for multiple variables. Conclusion: Lower pBF in obese men may be associated with improved cardiovascular risk.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.262-270
• /
• 2019

Purpose: This study aims to provide preliminary data for weight management, and prevention and management of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. We examined the effect of changes in the weight of workers at a manufacturing company over three years on their metabolic syndrome and metabolic syndrome diagnosis components. Methods: Necessary data were collected from the questionnaire and the results of the Korean National Health Screening of 2015 and 2017, which included 228 workers at a manufacturing company in G region. The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS/WIN 23.0 program. ANCOVA was used to examine the differences in the metabolic syndrome diagnosis components according to weight change. In addition, multiple logistic regression analysis was used to obtain the odds ratios of metabolic syndrome and metabolic syndrome analysis component, based on the weight changes in the normal weight group and the obesity group. Results: Waist measure, systolic blood pressure, and blood pressure were found to have significant effects based on participants' weight change over three years. These factors increased with a larger increase in weight at a statistically significant level. This study analyzed the weight changes of the normal weight group and the obesity group considering the data from the National Health Screening of 2015, and found that the risk of metabolic syndrome increased at a statistically significant level as body weight increased; thus, the obesity group showed a higher risk in this regard. It was also found that waist measure, fasting blood sugar, and high-density low cholesterol increased at a statistically significant level as body weight increased. Conclusion: Health administrators need to recognize the importance of workers' weight management, select an intensive management group based on a time series analysis of weight changes, and develop and implement programs to manage the metabolic syndrome diagnosis components.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
• /
• v.54 no.1
• /
• pp.37-43
• /
• 2024

Purpose: The inflammatory response due to inflammatory cytokines, bacterial pathogens, and the altered lipoprotein metabolism in patients with periodontitis indicates that infection with periodontal anaerobic bacteria may influence atherogenesis in vitro and in vivo. We aimed to explore the effect of periodontitis concerning clinical and ultrasound markers of early atherosclerosis. Methods: In this case-control study, a total of 30 systemically healthy adults (15 with periodontitis and 15 without periodontitis) over 40 years of age were studied. Periodontitis was determined by measuring the clinical attachment level (CAL) and radiographic bone loss (RBL). Conventional cardiovascular risk factors, including body mass index, serum levels of total cholesterol (TCH), triglycerides (TG), and high-density and low-density lipoprotein (HDL and LDL, respectively) cholesterol were evaluated. Carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) was measured using ultrasonography. Results: The mean values of the CAL and carotid IMT were 5.02±0.9 mm and 0.084±0.01 cm vs. 1.6±0.61 mm and 0.072±0.02 cm in the periodontitis and healthy groups, respectively, reflecting statistically significant differences (P=0.001 and P=0.037, respectively). There were statistically significant differences in the serum levels of TCH, TG, and LDL between the 2 groups (P=0.017). The CAL and RBL were positively associated with carotid IMT and serum cholesterol levels, except for HDL, whereas tooth loss was not associated with any markers (P<0.05). Compared to the healthy group, participants with periodontitis exhibited 2.09 times higher odds (95% confidence interval, 1.22-3.59) of having subclinical atherosclerosis. Conclusions: The presence of periodontitis increased the risk of atherosclerosis.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
• /
• v.57 no.3
• /
• pp.255-262
• /
• 2024

Background: Sutureless aortic valves may enable shorter procedure times, which benefits patients with elevated surgical risk. We describe the outcomes of patients with aortic stenosis who underwent aortic valve replacement (AVR) using the sutureless Perceval aortic bioprosthesis. Methods: Data from a retrospective cohort were obtained from a clinical database. The study enrolled patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis who underwent surgical AVR with a sutureless bioprosthesis between August 2015 and December 2020. In total, 113 patients were included (mean age, 75.3±8.4 years; 57.5% women; median Society of Thoracic Surgeons score, 9.7%; mean follow-up period, 51.19±20.6 months). Of these patients, 41 were octogenarians (36.2%) and 3 were nonagenarians (2.6%). Transthoracic echocardiography was employed to assess changes in ejection fraction (EF), left ventricular mass index (LVMI), and mean pressure gradient (MPG). Results: The in-hospital mortality rate was 2.6%, and 13 patients developed new-onset atrial fibrillation. A permanent pacemaker was implanted in 3 patients (2.6%). The median intensive care unit stay was 1 day (interquartile range [IQR], 1-2 days), and the median hospital stay was 12 days (IQR, 9.5-15 days). The overall survival rate at 5 years was 95.9%. LVMI and MPG were reduced postoperatively, while EF increased over the follow-up period. No structural valve deterioration was observed, and no meaningful paravalvular leakage developed during follow-up. Conclusion: The use of a sutureless valve in the aortic position is safe and feasible, even for high-risk elderly patients requiring surgical AVR. LVMI and MPG decreased postoperatively, while EF increased over the follow-up period.

• Endocrinology and Metabolism
• /
• v.37 no.2
• /
• pp.333-343
• /
• 2022

Background Homocysteine has been drawing attention with a closed linkage with skeletal muscle. However, the association of hyperhomocysteinemia with decreased skeletal muscle mass remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the association of hyperhomocysteinemia with low skeletal muscle mass (LMM) in asymptomatic adults. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of 114,583 community-dwelling adults without cancer, stroke, or cardiovascular diseases who underwent measurements of plasma homocysteine and body composition analysis from 2012 to 2018. Hyperhomocysteinemia was defined as >15 µmol/L. Skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) was calculated based on appendicular muscle mass (kg)/height (m)². Participants were classified into three groups based on SMI: "normal," "mildly low," and "severely low." Results The prevalence of hyperhomocysteinemia was the highest in subjects with severely LMM (12.9%), followed by those with mildly LMM (9.8%), and those with normal muscle mass (8.5%) (P for trend <0.001). In a multivariable logistic regression model, hyperhomocysteinemia was significantly associated with having a mildly LMM (odds ratio [OR], 1.305; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.224 to 1.392) and severely LMM (OR, 1.958; 95% CI, 1.667 to 2.286), respectively. One unit increment of log-transformed homocysteine was associated with 1.360 and 2.169 times higher risk of having mildly LMM and severely LMM, respectively. Conclusion We demonstrated that elevated homocysteine has an independent association with LMM in asymptomatic adults, supporting that hyperhomocysteinemia itself can be a risk for decline in skeletal musculature.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
• /
• v.34 no.1
• /
• pp.62-68
• /
• 2001

The purpose of this study was to confirm that regular physical exercise habit and calcium intake play a role reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseae, particularly to confrim that regular exercise is important in reducing serum lipid levels. Subjects were classified into regular exercise group(more than 3 times/wk, more than 30 min per exercise) and non-regular exercise group. A convenient frequency method was used to assess the nutritional intake of subjects. Anthropometric measurement such as bodyweight and hight, and blood pressure were measured. There was no significant difference between nonexercisers and exerciser in energy intake, calcium intake and blood lipid levels. The strength of frequency of exercise may not by adequate to modify lipid profiles in premenopausal woman with normal lipid level, Although we found no significant difference in blood lipid levels, this result does not imply there are no benefits of exercise subjects. There were no signigicant correlations between age or weight with blood lipids in regular exercise group, while there were significant positive correlations between age of weight with blood lipids in non-regular exercise group. The levels of serum cholesterol, and triglyceride, blood pressure and atherogenic index increased with age in nonexercise women, Especially, atherogenic index was lower in regular exercise group. The blood pressure in nonexercise group was significantly higher than that in regular exercise group There was a highly significant negative correlation between calcium intake and blood pressure in nonexercise women, There was a highly significant negative correlation between calcium intake and blood pressure in nonexercise women. The results suggest that increased habitual physical activity and calcium intake may have desirable effects on serum lipid levels and blood pressure in premenopausal women.(Korean J Nutrition 34(1):62-68, 2001)

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.98-105
• /
• 2009

Objective: Increased aortic and carotid arterial augmentation index (AI) is associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease. The most widely used approach for determining central arterial AI is by calculating the aortic pressure waveform from radial arterial waveforms using a transfer function. But how the change of waveform by applied pressure and the pattern of the change rely on subject's characteristics has not been recognized. In this study, we use a new method for measuring radial waveform and observe the change of waveform and the deviation of radial AI in the same position by applied pressure. Method: Forty-six non-patient volunteers (31 men and 15 women, age range 21-58 years) were enrolled for this study. Informed consent in a form approved by the institutional review board was obtained in all subjects. Blood pressure was measured on the left upper arm using an oscillometric method, radial pressure waves were recorded with the use of an improved automated tonometry device. DMP-3000(DAEYOMEDI Co., Ltd. Ansan, Korea) has robotics mechanism to scan and trace automatically. For each subject, we performed the procedure 5 times for each applied pressure level. We could thus obtain 5 different radial pulse waveforms for the same person's same position at different applied pressures. All these processes were repeated twice for test reproducibility. Result: Aortic AI, peripheral AI and radial AI were higher in women than in men (P<0.01), radial AI strongly correlated with aortic AI, and radial AI was consistently approximately 39% higher than aortic AI. Relationship between representative radial AI of DMP-3000 and peripheral AI of SphygmoCor had strongly correlation. And there were three patterns in change of pulse waveform. Conclusion: In this study, it is revealed the new device was sufficient to measure how radial AI and radial waveform from the same person at the same time change under applied pressure and it had inverse-proportion to applied pressure.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.85 no.4
• /
• pp.349-357
• /
• 2022

Background: The most consistently identified mortality determinants for the new coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) infection are aging, male sex, cardiovascular/respiratory diseases, and cancer. They were determined from heterogeneous cohorts that included patients with different disease severity and previous conditions. The main goal of this study was to determine if activities of daily living (ADL) dependence measured by Barthel's index could be a predictor for COVID-19 mortality. Methods: A prospective cohort study was performed with a consecutive sample of 340 COVID-19 patients representing patients from all over the northern region of Portugal from October 2020 to March 2021. Mortality risk factors were determined after controlling for demographics, ADL dependence, admission time, comorbidities, clinical manifestations, and delay-time for diagnosis. Central tendency measures were used to analyze continuous variables and absolute numbers (proportions) for categorical variables. For univariable analysis, we used t test, chi-square test, or Fisher exact test as appropriate (α=0.05). Multivariable analysis was performed using logistic regression. IBM SPSS version 27 statistical software was used for data analysis. Results: The cohort included 340 patients (55.3% females) with a mean age of 80.6±11.0 years. The mortality rate was 19.7%. Univariate analysis revealed that aging, ADL dependence, pneumonia, and dementia were associated with mortality and that dyslipidemia and obesity were associated with survival. In multivariable analysis, dyslipidemia (odds ratio [OR], 0.35; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.17-0.71) was independently associated with survival. Age ≥86 years (pooled OR, 2.239; 95% CI, 1.100-4.559), pneumonia (pooled OR, 3.00; 95% CI, 1.362-6.606), and ADL dependence (pooled OR, 6.296; 95% CI, 1.795-22.088) were significantly related to mortality (receiver operating characteristic area under the curve, 82.1%; p<0.001). Conclusion: ADL dependence, aging, and pneumonia are three main predictors for COVID-19 mortality in an elderly population.