• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.116-125
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• 2017

Objectives : The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating prehypertension and stage 1 hypertension in postmenopausal women. Methods : The study was a multi-center, four-arm, non-blinded, randomized clinical trial. Sixty participants were randomly assigned to experimental or control groups. The experimental groups received 10 acupuncture sessions over 4 weeks(Group A, n=20) or 20 sessions over 8 weeks(Group B, n=20) along with usual care. The acupoints were GB20, LI11, ST36, and SP6, bilaterally. The acupuncture groups were followed-up for an additional 12 weeks after acupuncture treatment. The control groups received usual care for 16 weeks(Group C, n=10) or 20 weeks(Group D, n=10). The outcomes were blood pressure, blood pressure control rates, lipid profile, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP). Results : After 4 weeks, DBP in the acupuncture groups(A+B) showed no significant decrease compared to the control group(C+D). However, after 8 weeks of acupuncture treatment, group B showed a significant decrease in DBP after acupuncture treatment and follow-up period compared to control group. Although there was no difference between the acupuncture and control groups in SBP after acupuncture treatment, group B showed a significant decrease in SBP compared to control group after follow-up period. Lipid profiles and hs-CRP did not differ significantly between acupuncture and control groups. Conclusions : Acupuncture treatment for 8 weeks showed the effect on prehypertension and mild hypertension. To verify the effect of acupuncture on blood pressure, rigorous trials including more participants are required.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.493-502
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• 2020

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary vitamin B intake on biomarkers related to lipid metabolism, inflammation and blood glucose control, that are important in the development of type 2 diabetes and its complications. Seventy-six adults (42 males, 34 females) were recruited from a group of diabetes patients who had visited the medical center for treatment. Data on anthropometric characteristics and dietary intake of thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B₆ and folate were collected using 24-hour diet recall and the CAN Pro 4.0 program. Also, data on clinical indices such as serum lipids, blood pressure, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and homeostasis model assessment 2-insulin resistance (HOMA2-IR) were collected and analyzed for correlation with dietary vitamin B intake. Results from the dietary intake survey showed that riboflavin and folate intake (in males) and folate intake (in females) were below the Dietary Reference Intake for Koreans. Statistical analysis revealed a negative correlation between hs-CRP and dietary intake of B vitamins. Riboflavin intake was inversely associated with systolic blood pressure after adjustments for age, BMI, smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise, ingestion of diabetes mellitus medication and energy intake (p<0.05). Our results suggest that dietary vitamin B may influence inflammation and consequently may help in better management of type 2 diabetes.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.71-82
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• 2013

Arterial stiffness(AS) is an important pathologic state of vascular injury. This study was carried out to elucidate the effect of physiological variables on brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity(BAPWV), index of AS. Four hundred adults(volunteers) participated in this study. Body indices, biochemical, cardiac and inflammatory markers, and right(Rt)- and left(Lt)-BAPWV were measured. Body mass index(BMI), Rt- and Lt-BAPWV, glucose, triglyceride, alkaline phosphatase(ALP), gamma-glutamyl transferase(GGT), creatinine, uric acid, troponin-I(TNI), NT-proBNP and high sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP) levels were higher than the reference value of each variable. Rt- and Lt-BAPWV were directly correlated with age, body weight, BMI, glucose, ketone, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, ALP, GGT, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, lipoprotein(a), apolipoprotein-B, blood urea nitrogen, heart rate, TNI, creatine kinase, CK-MB, lactic dehydrogenase, myoglobin, hs-CRP, lipase, reumatoid factor, fibrinogen and D-dimer (P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.001 or P<0.000, respectively), but inversely associated with total bilirubin, uric acid, apolipoprotein-A1 and GFR (P<0.05). These observations suggest that a variety of physiological variables may influence BAPWV, resulting in increased risk or prevention of cardiovascular and/or cerebrovascular attacks. Therefore, physiological variables affecting BAPWV should be regularly controlled.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.81-92
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• 2009

Objectives: This study set out to investigate the relationship among the factors of metabolic syndrome diagnosis criteria, their risk factors including general characteristics, and the distribution of the diagnosis criteria and risk among the adult residents of a rural community. Methods: Among 1,968 residents, those who had three or more of the risk factors of metabolic syndrome, which include blood pressure, blood glucose, triglyceride, abdominal obesity, and HDL-C, were categorized as the metabolic syndrome group. And their correlations were analyzed. Results: As for the risk ratio with five factors of the metabolic syndrome diagnosis criteria, it was high according to age and smoking. In addition, the results show that body fat percentage, hs-CRP, insulin, BMI, PP2, total cholesterol, and W/Ht also had much impact on increasing the risk ratio of the metabolic syndrome diagnosis criteria. It turned out that metabolic syndrome was affected by the body mass index(BMI), insulin, waist to height ratio(W/Ht), and hs-CRP. It was 2.51 times crude odds ratio that BMI over the 25kg/m2 in the ratio of the fact of metabolic syndrome and adjusted for sex odds ratio 2.50times and W/Ht was 3.31times, adjusted for sex odds ratio 3.25 times. Conclusion: BMI, W/Ht and smoking of the general characteristics seem to have close relationships with high correlations between the metabolic syndrome diagnosis criteria and the risk factors. Thus there is an urgent need to evaluate them and take interventions and monitoring measures for the clustering of risk factors.

• Kidney Research and Clinical Practice
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.404-413
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• 2018

Background: Dynapenic obesity and sarcopenic obesity increase cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality in nonuremic patients. The present study was designed to determine the prevalence of dynapenic obesity and sarcopenic obesity and their associations with CVD risk factors in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. Methods: All eligible PD patients in Tehran peritoneal dialysis centers were included in this cross-sectional study. Skeletal muscle mass and fat mass were assessed using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Muscle strength and physical performance were determined using hand grip strength and a 4-meter walk gait speed test, respectively. In addition, a 5-mL blood sample was obtained from each patient. Results: The prevalence of dynapenic obesity and sarcopenic obesity were 11.4% and 3.8% in PD patients, respectively. Serum high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), soluble intercellular adhesion molecule type 1, triglyceride, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were significantly higher in PD patients with dynapenic obesity than in dynapenic nonobese and nondynapenic nonobese patients. Similarly, serum concentrations of CVD risk factors in PD patients with sarcopenic obesity were higher than in nonsarcopenic nonobese patients, but these differences were statistically significant only for serum hs-CRP and triglyceride. In addition, muscle strength and skeletal muscle mass percentage were negatively associated with markers of inflammation and dyslipidemia, whereas body fat percentage was positively associated with these CVD risk factors. Conclusion: This study indicates that although the prevalence of dynapenic obesity and sarcopenic obesity are relatively low in PD patients, these disorders may be associated with CVD risk factors.

• Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.191-196
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• 2018

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cancer are serious health problems worldwide, and their prevalences have been on the rise in recent years. It has been reported that adropin plays an important role in the development of T2DM, oxidative stress, inflammation, and obesity. However, there is limited information available on T2DM from human studies, especially for the Korean population. In this study, we aimed to investigate the correlation between adropin levels and obesity of Korean T2DM patients. Methods: Thirty-six T2DM patients were recruited for this study. The participants were further classified into female (n = 12) and male (n = 24). Their body composition, metabolic parameters, inflammatory factors, and oxidative stress were measured. Results: The severity of obesity is more manifested in male than in female. Plasma triglyceride (TG) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels of male were significantly higher than female. The plasma adropin and adiponectin level of female was significantly higher than male. The body weight, body mass index (BMI), body fat mass were negatively correlated with the plasma adropin level in female, whereas adropin has positive correlation with adiponectin in female. The hs-CRP was negatively correlated with the plasma adropin level in female and male. malondialdehyde, reactive oxidative species, and $TNF-{\alpha}$ was not significantly correlated with adropin in patients with T2DM. Conclusions: These findings suggest that adropin may be more used as a biomarker for predicting the risk of obesity and inflammation in Korean patients with T2DM, especially women.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.18-26
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• 2022

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of Eucommia ulmoides extracts on rheumatoid arthritis biomarker in a CIA-induced DBA/1 mice. For evaluation, Eucommia ulmoides extracts was administered orally at dose of 100 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks after production of an animal model of rheumatoid arthritis and we confirmed the treatments' effects based on serum biomarker, radiological, structural parameter analysis. Compared to the negative control group, the Eucommia ulmoides extracts treatments significantly reduced the serum level of inflammation and immunoglobulin markers (i.e., TNF-α, IgG, and hs-CRP), and significantly decreased the monocyte count of white blood cells. Furthermore, the Eucommia ulmoides extracts treatments effectively preserved the joint destruction, and little the joint deformation. Moreover, compared to the negative control group, the Eucommia ulmoides extracts treatments increased the bone volume, and significantly decreased bone inflammation. The results indicate that the Eucommia ulmoides extracts improved rhrumatoid arthritis symptoms. Thus, the Eucommia ulmoides extracts may be a novel therapeutic option for the management of rheumatoid arthritis.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.10
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• pp.1109-1118
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• 2009

Purpose : Metabolic syndrome (MS), characterized by obesity and insulin resistance, elicits risk factors such as hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and glucose intolerance with additive effects on atherosclerosis, leading to cardiovascular diseases. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the prevalence of MS among overweight and obese adolescents and to investigate the impact of obesity on the cardiovascular system. Methods : In all, 684 adolescents were included in the study. Blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density-lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, high-density-lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) were measured in the patients with a BMI of >85 percentile. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (BaPWV) and ankle brachial index were measured using Vascular Profiler (VP)-1000. Results : MS was confirmed in 19.5% of the overweight and obese adolescents and 50.8% of the obese adolescents. The systolic and diastolic blood pressure, height, weight, fat mass, %fat, BMI, obesity index, and waist circumference were higher in the overweight and obese adolescents with MS. Moreover, the triglyceride, AST, ALT, and hs-CRP levels were higher, whereas HDL-cholesterol level was significantly lower in this group. The overweight and obese adolescents with MS showed shorter diastolic and systolic times, higher heart rate and BaPWV, and longer E-wave deceleration time by echocardiography. Conclusion : Overweight and obese adolescents showed characteristic MS features such as hypertension and hyperlipidemia. Thus, obese adolescents predisposed to MS should be provided early treatment for obesity.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.41 no.8
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• pp.733-741
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• 2008

In the present study, we comprehensively examined the associations of plasma levels of total adiponectin and high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin with the features of cardiometabolic risks including body fat distribution, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance and inflammatory markers in a cross-sectional study of 110 treated hypertensive patients. Blood lipid profiles, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA- IR) derived from fasting glucose and insulin concentrations were determined. Plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) were analyzed using ELISA. The results showed that plasma levels of HMW-adiponectin were negatively associated with body mass index (BMI, r = - 0.203, p < 0.05) and waist circumference (r = -0.307, p < 0.01), which was not shown in total adiponectin. Plasma levels of HMW-adiponectin were negatively associated with triglyceride (r = -0.223, p < 0.05) and positively associated with HDL-cholesterol (r = 0.228, p < 0.05). Plasma levels of adiponectin were positively associated with HDL-cholesterol (r = 0.224, p < 0.05). Plasma levels of HMW-adiponectin were negatively associated with hsCRP (r = -0.276, p < 0.01) and IL-6 (r = -0.272, p < 0.01). In addition, there were weak associations between plasma levels of HMWadiponectin and TNF-${\alpha}$ (r = -0.163, p = 0.07) and ICAM-1 (r = -0.158, p = 0.09). However, there were no significant associations of total adiponectin with inflammatory markers except hsCRP (r = -0.203, p < 0.05). Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis showed that only plasma levels of HMW-adiponectin was an independent factor influencing serum levels of hsCRP, a marker of systemic low grade inflammation, after adjusting for age, gender, BMI, waist circumference, alcohol intake, smoking status, blood lipids, total adiponectin and drug use (p < 0.01). These results suggest that HMW-adiponectin, rather than total adiponectin, is likely to be closely associated with the features of cardiometabolic risks in treated hypertensive patients and might be effective biomarker for the prediction of cardiovascular disease.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.101-112
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• 2011

Objectives: The aim of this study is to determine arterial stiffness levels as measured by brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) and to identify the association between arterial stiffness and inflammatory markers, in healthy adults over 50 years old. Methods: The study population consisted of 4617 persons over the age of 50 years who participated in the baseline survey of the Dong-gu Study, which was conducted in 2007 and 2008. Arterial stiffness was measured using baPWV. A multiple regression analysis was performed to assess the relationship between conventional cardiovascular risk factors and inflammatory markers, including white blood cell (WBC) counts, high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT). Results: After adjustment for conventional cardiovascular risk factors including sex, age, smoking status, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, hypertension or diabetic medication, total cholesterol, triglycerides, uric acid, and alanine aminotransferase, baPWV was significantly associated with WBC counts (${\beta}$=0.158, p<0.0001), hs-CRP (${\beta}$=0.244, p=0.026), and GGT (${\beta}$=0.003, p<0.0001). Conclusion: This study shows that arterial stiffness correlates with inflammatory markers. Arterial stiffness may be used as a composite risk factor to identify persons with higher risk for cardiovascular disease. Additionally, arterial stiffness may be a marker for future cardiovascular disease and a target for prevention.