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Background@#This study investigated the changes of fatty liver disease prevalence in general Korean population. @*Methods@#This study analyzed data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service from 2009 to 2017 that included individuals aged 20 years or older who had undergone a medical health examination. Fatty liver disease was assessed using the fatty liver index (FLI). The disease severity was defined by FLI cutoff, ≥30 as moderate, and ≥60 as severe fatty liver disease. @*Results@#The prevalence of Korean adults aged 20 years or over with fatty liver disease (FLI ≥60) increased from 13.3% in 2009 to 15.5% in 2017 (P for trend <0.001). The increase in fatty liver disease prevalence was prominent in men (from 20.5% to 24.2%) and the young age (20 to 39 years) group (from 12.8% to 16.4%) (P for interaction <0.001). The prevalence of fatty liver disease was the highest in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM, 29.6%) population compared to that of prediabetes or normoglycemia (10.0% and 21.8%) in 2017. The prevalence of fatty liver disease had statistically increased in individuals with T2DM and prediabetes (P for trend <0.001). Its prevalence increased more steeply in the young-aged population with T2DM, from 42.2% in 2009 to 60.1% in 2017. When applying a lower FLI cutoff (≥30) similar results were observed. @*Conclusion@#The prevalence of fatty liver disease in the Korean population has increased. Individuals who are young, male, and have T2DM are vulnerable to fatty liver disease.
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Objective@#Non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C) may be equivalent to or superior to low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) for the prediction of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, studies comparing the predictive values of LDL-C and non-HDL-C levels for CVD have yielded conflicting results. In this study, we evaluated the relationship between non-HDL-C, LDL-C, and CVD using a large-scale population dataset from the National Health Information Database (NHID). @*Methods@#We performed a retrospective observational cohort study of 3,866,366 individuals ≥ 20 years, from 2009 to 2018, using the NHID. The participants were divided into LDL-C and non-HDL-C quartiles. The outcome variables included stroke, myocardial infarction (MI), and both. All outcomes were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis while controlling for baseline covariates (age, sex, smoking, drinking, regular exercise, body mass index, diabetes, hypertension, and statin use). @*Results@#During 9.1 years of mean follow-up, stroke was diagnosed in 60,081 (1.55%), MI in 31,234 (0.81%), and both stroke and MI in 88,513 (2.29%) participants. Multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for patients in the highest non-HDL-C quartile demonstrated that these patients had a higher risk of stroke (HR, 1.254; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.224–1.285), MI (HR, 1.918; 95% CI, 1.853–1.986), and both (HR, 1.456; 95% CI, 1.427–1.486) compared with participants in the lowest quartile. These were higher than the HRs for patients in the highest LDL-C quartile for stroke (HR, 1.134; 95% CI, 1.108–1.160), MI (HR, 1.601; 95% CI, 1.551–1.653), and both (HR, 1.281; 95% CI, 1.257–1.306). @*Conclusion@#In our large population study, higher non-HDL-C levels were associated with CVD than LDL-C levels.
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Primary aldosteronism (PA) is a common, yet underdiagnosed cause of secondary hypertension. It is characterized by an overproduction of aldosterone, leading to hypertension and/or hypokalemia. Despite affecting between 5.9% and 34% of patients with hypertension, PA is frequently missed due to a lack of clinical awareness and systematic screening, which can result in significant cardiovascular complications. To address this, medical societies have developed clinical practice guidelines to improve the management of hypertension and PA. The Korean Endocrine Society, drawing on a wealth of research, has formulated new guidelines for PA. A task force has been established to prepare PA guidelines, which encompass epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up care. The Korean clinical guidelines for PA aim to deliver an evidence-based protocol for PA diagnosis, treatment, and patient monitoring. These guidelines are anticipated to ease the burden of this potentially curable condition.
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Background/Aims@#We aimed to define an optimal target population and drug-specific biomarkers that may predict dipeptidyl peptidase (DPP)-4 inhibitor responses in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). @*Methods@#An exploration study (study I) was performed using three different NAFLD models (basket study design; high-fat diet [HFD], methionine choline-deficient diet [MCD], and high-cholesterol Western diet [WD] models). RNA transcriptome analysis was performed on pre-studied liver tissues to identify biomarkers that could predict the response to DPP-4 inhibitors. In the validation study (study II), the HFD-induced NAFLD model was divided into high and low hepatic insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1 (Igfbp-1) groups based on the pre-study liver biopsy. @*Results@#DPP-4 inhibitor attenuated the NAFLD activity score and fibrosis stage in the HFD model but not in the WD and MCD models. The overall response rate was 19% across the modified basket NAFLD trial and 42%, 25%, and 0% in the HFD, WD, and MCD models. Hepatic Igfbp-1 expression was higher in the responder group than in the non-responder group in pre-study biopsy samples. In contrast, hepatic Igfbp-1 expression was lower in the responder group than in the non-responder group in the end-study biopsy samples. DPP-4 inhibitor response rates were 83% and 17% in the baseline hepatic high Igfbp-1 and low Igfbp-1 groups, respectively. Hepatic messenger RNA Igfbp-1 expression was positively correlated with serum IGFBP-1 levels. @*Conclusions@#The DPP-4 inhibitor response was higher in the HFD phenotype and pre-treatment levels of hepatic or serum IGFBP-1 were high.
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We investigated the cardiovascular complications and mortality rates of patients with diabetes in South Korea. The rates of hospitalization due to cardiovascular complications and mortality were analyzed using the Korean National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort. From 2006 to 2015, the rates of hospitalization due to major cardiovascular complications decreased, while those due to heart failure (from 72 to 146 and 124 to 161 per 10,000 men and women, respectively) and peripheral artery disease (from 39 to 55 and 19 to 35 per 10,000 men and women, respectively) increased. In the period 2007 to 2015, the mortality rates for cancer, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes, heart disease, and hypertensive disease all decreased. However, the mortality rate for pneumonia increased. We observed a continuous reduction in cardiovascular complications and mortality in adults with diabetes. However, with the increase in some diabetes complications, more efforts are needed to prevent diabetes complications.
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Background@#Because persistent fever often occurs in adrenal insufficiency, it might be confused with infectious diseases. This study aimed to identify clinical characteristics and risk factors of patients with adrenal insufficiency and fever. @*Methods@#All adult patients (n = 150) admitted to a tertiary care hospital in South Korea and diagnosed with adrenal insufficiency between 1 March 2018, and 30 June 2019, were recruited. Patients were excluded if they had: 1) proven structural problems in the adrenal or pituitary gland; 2) a history of chemotherapy within 6 months prior to the diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency; and 3) other medical conditions that may cause fever. @*Results@#Among the included patients, 45 (30.0%) had fever at the time of the diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency. The mean C-reactive protein level was higher (11.25 ± 8.54 vs. 4.36 ± 7.13 mg/dL) in patients with fever than in those without fever. A higher proportion of patients with fever changed antibiotics (33.3% vs. 1.0%). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, female sex (odds ratio [OR], 0.32) lowered the risk of adrenal insufficiency with fever, while a history of surgery within 6 months (OR, 4.35), general weakness (OR, 7.21), and cough (OR, 17.29) were significantly associated with that. @*Conclusion@#The possibility of adrenal insufficiency should be considered in patients with fever of unknown origin, especially those with risk factors.
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Background/Aims@#Integrated relaxation pressure (IRP) is an important metric for functional evaluation of the lower esophageal sphincter. However, the effectiveness of IRP for evaluation of upper esophageal sphincter (UES) function has not yet been clarified. @*Methods@#High-resolution manometry (HRM) was performed in 180 patients with dysphagia. For comparison, 26 asymptomatic subjects were also recruited. IRP of the UES was defined as means of 0.2, 0.25, or 0.3 seconds (sIRPs) of maximal deglutitive relaxation in a 0.4-second window (a new equation for IRP calculation was developed using MATLAB). Also, the relaxation time interval of the UES, and mesopharyngeal and hypopharyngeal contractility (as a contractile integral) were evaluated using HRM. @*Results@#In normal subjects, mean values of 0.2, 0.25, and 0.3 sIRPs differed significantly from each other (P < 0.05). They were not associated with the relaxation time interval of the UES. In contrast, in patients with dysphagia, mean values of 0.2, 0.25, and 0.3 sIRPs were strongly related to relaxation time intervals of the UES (P < 0.05), and mean values of 0.2, 0.25, and 0.3 sIRPs in patients with aspiration were significantly higher than those of patients without aspiration (P < 0.01). However, in multivariate regression analyses, the main risk factor for aspiration was only a shorter relaxation time interval. @*Conclusions@#IRP values were significantly higher in patients with dysphagia and aspiration. However, its usefulness as a predictive factor for aspiration was less than the relaxation time interval of the UES.
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Background@#Because persistent fever often occurs in adrenal insufficiency, it might be confused with infectious diseases. This study aimed to identify clinical characteristics and risk factors of patients with adrenal insufficiency and fever. @*Methods@#All adult patients (n = 150) admitted to a tertiary care hospital in South Korea and diagnosed with adrenal insufficiency between 1 March 2018, and 30 June 2019, were recruited. Patients were excluded if they had: 1) proven structural problems in the adrenal or pituitary gland; 2) a history of chemotherapy within 6 months prior to the diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency; and 3) other medical conditions that may cause fever. @*Results@#Among the included patients, 45 (30.0%) had fever at the time of the diagnosis of adrenal insufficiency. The mean C-reactive protein level was higher (11.25 ± 8.54 vs. 4.36 ± 7.13 mg/dL) in patients with fever than in those without fever. A higher proportion of patients with fever changed antibiotics (33.3% vs. 1.0%). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, female sex (odds ratio [OR], 0.32) lowered the risk of adrenal insufficiency with fever, while a history of surgery within 6 months (OR, 4.35), general weakness (OR, 7.21), and cough (OR, 17.29) were significantly associated with that. @*Conclusion@#The possibility of adrenal insufficiency should be considered in patients with fever of unknown origin, especially those with risk factors.
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Background/Aims@#Integrated relaxation pressure (IRP) is an important metric for functional evaluation of the lower esophageal sphincter. However, the effectiveness of IRP for evaluation of upper esophageal sphincter (UES) function has not yet been clarified. @*Methods@#High-resolution manometry (HRM) was performed in 180 patients with dysphagia. For comparison, 26 asymptomatic subjects were also recruited. IRP of the UES was defined as means of 0.2, 0.25, or 0.3 seconds (sIRPs) of maximal deglutitive relaxation in a 0.4-second window (a new equation for IRP calculation was developed using MATLAB). Also, the relaxation time interval of the UES, and mesopharyngeal and hypopharyngeal contractility (as a contractile integral) were evaluated using HRM. @*Results@#In normal subjects, mean values of 0.2, 0.25, and 0.3 sIRPs differed significantly from each other (P < 0.05). They were not associated with the relaxation time interval of the UES. In contrast, in patients with dysphagia, mean values of 0.2, 0.25, and 0.3 sIRPs were strongly related to relaxation time intervals of the UES (P < 0.05), and mean values of 0.2, 0.25, and 0.3 sIRPs in patients with aspiration were significantly higher than those of patients without aspiration (P < 0.01). However, in multivariate regression analyses, the main risk factor for aspiration was only a shorter relaxation time interval. @*Conclusions@#IRP values were significantly higher in patients with dysphagia and aspiration. However, its usefulness as a predictive factor for aspiration was less than the relaxation time interval of the UES.
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Baek-ok injection (glutathione) has been widely used antioxidant therapy to whiten and has antiaging effects in Korea. Glutathione is an enzyme which synthesizes leukotriene, then it can induce asthma attack theoretically; however, there have been few case reports concerning this therapy. In this report, we described a 41-year-old woman who developed glutathione-induced life-threatening asthma attack. She has asthma history controlled by an intermittent salbutamol inhaler. She developed general weakness and dyspnea right after glutathione injection, and injection was discontinued. Dyspnea was progressively aggravated, and she lost consciousness with shock. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was started, and she arrived at the Emergency Department with wheezing, hypoxia, severe respiratory acidosis, and nonmeasurable blood pressure. Intubation and mechanical ventilation were started with intramuscular epinephrine/intravenous methylprednisolone injection and repeated salbutamol/ipratropium/budesonide inhalation. After 5 hours, extubation and spontaneous breathing were successful without wheezing. Next day, pulmonary function test showed moderate an obstructive airway disease pattern, and she was discharged with inhaled fluticasone/salmeterol, oral methylprednisolone, and montelukast. We can exclude anaphylaxis, because serum tryptase obtained at the Emergency Department was 0.0 mg/dL and the absence of skin lesions and angioedema at arrival. Baek-ok injection (glutathione) should be carefully performed in asthma patients.
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Background@#Serum uric acid (SUA) is recognized as a risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD) and mortality. However, there is controversy as to whether a high or low level of SUA is related to the risk of CKD progression or death, and whether it differs between males and females. @*Methods@#We included 143,762 adults who underwent voluntary health screening between 1995 and 2009 in Korea. For each sex, we divided participants into sex-specific quintiles according to SUA levels and compared end-stage renal disease (ESRD) incidence and mortality between the groups with low and high SUA levels and those with middle SUA levels. Sex-specific Cox proportional hazard analyses were performed for ESRD and all-cause mortality. @*Results@#Among the 143,762 participants, 0.2% (n = 272) developed ESRD. The hazard ratio (HR) of ESRD was higher in the highest (adjusted HR, 2.13; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18–3.84) and lowest (adjusted HR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.02–3.51) SUA quintiles than in the middle SUA quintile in males and the highest SUA quintile in females (adjusted HR, 2.31; 95% CI, 1.10–4.84). Four-point three percent (n = 6,215) of participants died during a mean follow-up period of 157 months. The hazard ratio (HR) of all-cause mortality was higher in the highest SUA quintile than in the middle SUA quintile in males (adjusted HR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.03–1.28) and females (adjusted HR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.01–1.35). @*Conclusion@#Elevated levels of SUA are associated with increased risk for ESRD and all-cause mortality in both sexes. Low levels of SUA might be related to ESRD and death only in males, showing U-shaped associations. Our findings suggest sex-specific associations between SUA levels and ESRD development and mortality.
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The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasing worldwide. Although hyperuricemia has been associated with CKD in many studies, it remains controversial whether this is the cause or the result of decreased renal function. Recent observational studies of healthy populations and patients with CKD have reported that uric acid (UA) has an independent role in the development or progression of CKD. Experimental studies have shown several potential mechanisms by which hyperuricemia may cause or promote CKD. However, other reports have indicated an association between hypouricemia and CKD. This opposing effect is hypothesized to occur because UA is a major antioxidant in human plasma and is associated with oxidative stress. In this article, we discuss the potential association between UA imbalance and CKD and how they can be treated.
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Purpose@#To compare the clinical characteristics and renal outcomes between patients who initially had lupus nephritis (LN) at the onset of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) (initial-onset LN) and those who developed LN within 5 years after SLE onset (early-onset LN). @*Materials and Methods@#SLE patients with biopsy-proven LN were retrospectively reviewed. The clinical parameters and renal outcomes were compared between initial-onset and early-onset LN groups. We used Cox regression analysis to estimate risk of worse renal outcomes according to the onset time of LN. @*Results@#Of all 136 LN patients, 92 (67.6%) and 44 (32.4%) patients were classified into the initial-onset and early-onset LN groups, respectively. The initial-onset LN group had higher prevalences of class IV LN (54.3% vs. 34.1%, ,p=0.027), impaired renal function (34.8% vs. 11.4%, p=0.004), microscopic hematuria (73.9% vs. 54.5%, p=0.024), and higher urine protein/creatinine ratio [4626.1 (2180.0–6788.3) mg/g vs. 2410.0 (1265.0–5168.5) mg/g,p=0.006] at LN diagnosis. Renal relapse (46.3% vs. 25.7%, p=0.039) and progression to chronic kidney disease (CKD) or end-stage renal disease (ESRD) were more common (24.4% vs. 8.3%, p=0.042) in the initial-onset LN group. In Cox regression analysis, the initial-onset LN group had higher risks of renal relapse [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 3.56, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.51–8.35,p=0.004] and progression to CKD or ESRD (adjusted HR 4.57, 95% CI 1.03–20.17,p=0.045), compared with the early-onset LN group. @*Conclusion@#Patients with LN at SLE onset may have more severe renal presentations and experience worse renal outcomes than those who develop LN within 5 years.
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BACKGROUND/AIMS@#Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) have been found to show markedly increased rates of end-stage renal disease, major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs), and mortality. Therefore, new biomarkers are required for the early detection of such clinical outcomes in patients with CKD. We aimed to determine whether the level of circulating renalase was associated with CKD progression, MACCEs, and all-cause mortality, using data from a prospective randomized controlled study, Kremezin STudy Against Renal disease progression in Korea (K-STAR; NCT 00860431).@*METHODS@#A retrospective analysis of the K-STAR data was performed including 383 patients with CKD (mean age, 56.4 years; male/female, 252/131). We measured circulating renalase levels and examined the effects of these levels on clinical outcomes.@*RESULTS@#The mean level of serum renalase was 75.8 ± 34.8 μg/mL. In the multivariable analysis, lower hemoglobin levels, higher serum creatinine levels, and diabetes mellitus were significantly associated with a higher renalase levels. Over the course of a mean follow-up period of 56 months, 25 deaths and 61 MACCEs occurred. Among 322 patients in whom these outcomes were assessed, 137 adverse renal outcomes occurred after a mean follow-up period of 27.8 months. Each 10-μg/mL increase in serum renalase was associated with significantly greater hazards of all-cause mortality and adverse renal outcomes (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.112, p = 0.049; HR = 1.052, p = 0.045). However, serum renalase level was not associated with the rate of MACCEs in patients with CKD.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Our results indicated that circulating renalase might be a predictor of mortality and adverse renal outcomes in patients with CKD.
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Despite the correction of secondary renal hyperparathyroidism after successful kidney transplantation, some recipients have persistent hyperparathyroidism due to autonomous hypertrophied parathyroid glands. St. Goar first identified and termed this disease as tertiary hyperparathyroidism. Surgery, either subtotal parathyroidectomy or total parathyroidectomy with autotransplantation, is the main treatment for tertiary hyperparathyroidism. Here, we report a case of a patient with tertiary hyperparathyroidism after two times of kidney transplantation who underwent subtotal parathyroidectomy and also review the relevant literature.
Subject(s)
Humans , Autografts , Hyperparathyroidism , Kidney Transplantation , Parathyroid Glands , Parathyroidectomy , Transplantation, AutologousABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence, management, and comorbidities of diabetes among Korean adults aged 30 years and older. METHODS: This study used 2013 to 2016 data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a nationally-representative survey of the Korean population. Diabetes was defined as fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dL, current use of antidiabetic medication, a previous history of diabetes, or glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) ≥6.5%. RESULTS: In 2016, 14.4% (approximately 5.02 million) of Korean adults had diabetes. The prevalence of impaired fasting glucose was 25.3% (8.71 million). From 2013 to 2016, the awareness, control, and treatment rates for diabetes were 62.6%, 56.7%, and 25.1%, respectively. People with diabetes had the following comorbidities: obesity (50.4%), abdominal obesity (47.8%), hypertension (55.3%), and hypercholesterolemia (34.9%). The 25.1%, 68.4%, and 44.2% of people with diabetes achieved HbA1c <6.5%, blood pressure <140/85 mm Hg, and low density lipoprotein cholesterol <100 mg/dL. Only 8.4% of people with diabetes had good control of all three targets. CONCLUSION: This study confirms that diabetes is as an important public health problem. Efforts should be made to increase awareness, detection, and comprehensive management of diabetes to reduce diabetes-related morbidity and mortality.
Subject(s)
Adult , Humans , Blood Pressure , Cholesterol, LDL , Comorbidity , Diabetes Mellitus , Fasting , Glucose , Glycated Hemoglobin , Hypercholesterolemia , Hypertension , Korea , Mortality , Nutrition Surveys , Obesity , Obesity, Abdominal , Prevalence , Public Health , Republic of KoreaABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies have suggested an association between selenium (Se) and diabetes mellitus (DM). However, different studies have reported conflicting results. Therefore, we performed a comprehensive meta-analysis to clarify the impact of Se on DM. METHODS: We searched the PubMed database for studies on the association between Se and DM from inception to June 2018. RESULTS: Twenty articles evaluating 47,930 participants were included in the analysis. The meta-analysis found that high levels of Se were significantly associated with the presence of DM (pooled odds ratios [ORs], 1.88; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.44 to 2.45). However, significant heterogeneity was found (I2 =82%). Subgroup analyses were performed based on the Se measurement methods used in each study. A significant association was found between high Se levels and the presence of DM in the studies that used blood (OR, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.60 to 2.93; I2 =77%), diet (OR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.10 to 2.36; I2 =0%), and urine (OR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.02 to 2.17; I2 =0%) as samples to estimate Se levels, but not in studies on nails (OR, 1.24; 95% CI, 0.52 to 2.98; I2 =91%). Because of significant heterogeneity in the studies with blood, we conducted a sensitivity analysis and tested the publication bias. The results were consistent after adjustment based on the sensitivity analysis as well as the trim and fill analysis for publication bias. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis demonstrates that high levels of Se are associated with the presence of DM. Further prospective and randomized controlled trials are warranted to elucidate the link better.
Subject(s)
Antioxidants , Diabetes Mellitus , Diet , Epidemiologic Studies , Odds Ratio , Population Characteristics , Prospective Studies , Publication Bias , Selenium , Trace ElementsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: In order to overcome the limitations of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC), the z-score of the log-transformed A Body Shape Index (LBSIZ) has recently been introduced. In this study, we analyzed the relationship between the LBSIZ and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in a Korean representative sample. METHODS: Data were collected from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination VI to V. The association between CVD and obesity indices was analyzed using a receiver operating characteristic curve. The cut-off value for the LBSIZ was estimated using the Youden index, and the odds ratio (OR) for CVD was determined via multivariate logistic regression analysis. ORs according to the LBSIZ value were analyzed using restricted cubic spline regression plots. RESULTS: A total of 31,227 Korean healthy adults were analyzed. Area under the curve (AUC) of LBSIZ against CVD was 0.686 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.671 to 0.702), which was significantly higher than the AUC of BMI (0.583; 95% CI, 0.567 to 0.599) or WC (0.646; 95% CI, 0.631 to 0.661) (P<0.001). Similar results were observed for stroke and coronary artery diseases. The cut-off value for the LBSIZ was 0.35 (sensitivity, 64.5%; specificity, 64%; OR, 1.29, 95% CI, 1.12 to 1.49). Under restricted cubic spline regression, LBSIZ demonstrated that OR started to increase past the median value. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest that the LBSIZ might be more strongly associated with CVD risks compared to BMI or WC. These outcomes would be helpful for CVD risk assessment in clinical settings, especially the cut-off value of the LBSIZ suggested in this study.
Subject(s)
Adult , Humans , Area Under Curve , Body Composition , Body Mass Index , Cardiovascular Diseases , Coronary Artery Disease , Korea , Logistic Models , Obesity , Odds Ratio , Risk Assessment , ROC Curve , Sensitivity and Specificity , Stroke , Waist CircumferenceABSTRACT
Aldose reductase (AR) protein, a member of the NADPH-dependent aldo-keto reductase family, reduces a wide range of aldehydes and enhances cell survival by inhibition of oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is known as one of the major pathological factor in ischemia. Since the precise function of AR protein in ischemic injury is fully unclear, we examined the function of AR protein in hippocampal neuronal (HT-22) cells and in an animal model of ischemia in this study. Cell permeable Tat-AR protein was produced by fusion of protein transduction domain in Tat for delivery into the cells. Tat-AR protein transduced into HT-22 cells and significantly inhibited cell death and regulated the mitogen-activate protein kinases (MAPKs), Bcl-2, Bax, and Caspase-3 under oxidative stress condition. In an ischemic animal model, Tat-AR protein transduced into the brain tissues through the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and drastically decreased neuronal cell death in hippocampal CA1 region. These results indicate that transduced Tat-AR protein has protective effects against oxidative stress-induced neuronal cell death in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that Tat-AR protein could be used as potential therapeutic agent in ischemic injury.
Subject(s)
Humans , Aldehyde Reductase , Aldehydes , Blood-Brain Barrier , Brain , CA1 Region, Hippocampal , Caspase 3 , Cell Death , Cell Survival , In Vitro Techniques , Ischemia , Models, Animal , Neurons , Oxidative Stress , Oxidoreductases , Protein KinasesABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: This study aimed to identify the gender-specific characteristics of the surrogate measures of insulin resistance and to establish valid cut-off values for metabolic abnormalities in a representative sample in Korea. METHODS: Data were collected from the datasets of the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2007 and 2010. The total number of eligible participants was 10,997. We used three measures of insulin resistance: the homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), McAuley index, and triglyceride and glucose (TyG) index. The estimated cut-off values were determined using the highest score of the Youden index. RESULTS: The area under the curve (AUC) of the HOMA-IR, McAuley index, and TyG index were 0.737 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.725–0.750), 0.861 (95% CI, 0.853–0.870), and 0.877 (95% CI, 0.868–0.885), respectively. The cut-off values of the HOMA-IR were 2.20 in men, 2.55 in premenopausal women, and 2.03 in postmenopausal women, and those of the McAuley index were 6.4 in men and 6.6 in premenopausal and postmenopausal women. For the TyG index, the cut-off values were 4.76 in men and 4.71 in premenopausal and postmenopausal women. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the present study provides the valid cut-off values of the indirect surrogate measures of insulin sensitivity. These values may be used as reference for insulin sensitivity in a clinical setting and may provide a simple and supplementary method for identifying populations at risk of insulin resistance.