Efficacy of the traditional Chinese medicine NAOAN capsule for primary prevention of stroke in high-risk population / 中华健康管理学杂志

Objective To evaluate the efficacy of the traditional Chinese medicine NAOAN capsule in primary prevention of stroke in high?risk populations. Methods A multicenter, randomized controlled study was performed in community setting, involving 1 088 individuals at high risk of stroke, with cerebrovascular function scores<75 and 10?year Framingham stroke risk ≥6%. Subjects were recruited in communities at Beijing, Shanghai, Changsha, and Chengdu communities, through resident committees or the village unit. A total of 559 subjects were randomized into a group treated with the NAOAN capsule, and 529 subjects in an aspirin treatment group. Follow?up was performed every 2 months for 2 years. At the mid?point and end of the intervention, we compared cerebrovascular function differences between the 2 groups. Results During the 2?year community trial, 531 subjects in the NAOAN capsule group and 465 in the aspirin group followed the protocol. Cerebrovascular function scores increased from 45.2±19.7 at baseline to 61.7±26.5 after the 2?year trial (t=－12.931, P<0.001) in the NAOAN capsule group, and from 47.2±18.9 at baseline to 53.7 ± 25.1 (t=－5.058, P<0.001) in the aspirin group; greater increases in cerebrovascular function scores were found in the NAOAN capsule group than that in the aspirin group (t=4.906, P<0.001). Conclusions Cerebrovascular function in individuals at high risk of stroke was improved by taking NAOAN capsule. Cerebrovascular function scores improved more with NAOAN capsules than with aspirin.

Study on the secular changes of BMI, prevalence rates of overweight, obesity and related factors in an urban elderly population, Beijing from 2001 to 2010 / 中华流行病学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>The aim of this study was to assess the secular changes of BMI, prevalence rates of overweight and obesity as well as related factors in an elderly population of Beijing, during 2001 and 2010.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A two-round population-based cross-sectional study was conducted in an elderly population, selected from a representative urban area in Beijing in 2001 (n = 2 277) and 2010 (n = 2 102) respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In this population, the age-adjusted means on BMI were 25.3 (95%CI, 25.1-25.5) for men and 25.8 (95%CI, 25.5-25.9) for women in 2001, and 25.0 (95%CI, 24.8-25.1) and 25.0 (95%CI, 24.7-25.1) in 2010, respectively, which all significantly declined. According to the WHO criteria, related data were shown as follows:the age standardized prevalence rates of overweight (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m²) were 48.3% among men and 46.3% among women in 2001, 44.5% and 39.9% for men and women in 2010 respectively; the age-standardized prevalence rates of obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²)were 5.4% on men and 11.6% on women in 2001, but declined to 4.9% and 7.3% in 2010 respectively; the prevalence rates of overweight and obesity were both significantly declined in women, but not in men. However, according to WGOC criteria, the age standardized prevalence rates on overweight (BMI ≥ 24 kg/m²) were 47.9% in men and 44.9% in women in 2001, and were 47.2% and 41.0% respectively for men and women in 2010; the age-standardized prevalence rates of obesity (BMI ≥ 28 kg/m²) were 19.2% in men and 24.2% in women in 2001, both significantly declined to 15.5% and 18.0% in 2010, respectively. Positive correlations were found between the levels of blood pressure, glucose and lipids and BMI. Results from multiple factors logistic regression analysis also indicated that healthy lifestyle including reducing cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking and increasing daily exercises in the last 10 years, also played roles in the decrease of prevalence rates on both overweight and obesity.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The mean BMI and prevalence rates of overweight and obesity decreased in the last 10-year period, 2001-2010. Hypertension, hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia remained as risk factors of overweight and obesity. Healthy lifestyle in elderly seemed partially account for the declined BMI.</p>

Metabolic syndrome vs.its components for prediction of cardiovascular mortality: A cohort study in Chinese elderly adults / 老年心脏病学杂志（英文版）

Objective The predictive value of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) for mortality from all-cause and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the Chinese population is unclear. The aim of this present study was to compare MetS with its individual components as predictors of mortality in Chinese elderly adults. Methods A cohort of 1,535 subjects (994 men and 541 women) aged 50 years or older was selected from employees of a machinery factory in 1994 and followed until 2009. Cox models were used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) predicted by MetS according to the harmonized definition and by its individual components. Results The baseline prevalence of MetS was 28.0% in men and 48.4% in women. During a median follow-up of 15 years, 414 deaths occurred, of these, 153 participants died from CVD. Adjusted for age and gender, the HRs of mortality from all-cause and CVD in participants with MetS were 1.47 (95% confidence interval (CI): components. On evaluating the MetS components individually, we found that, independent of MetS, only hypertension and impaired glucose predicted higher mortality. Conclusions The number of positive MetS components seems no more informative than classifying (dichotomous) MetS for CVD risks assessment in this Chinese cohort.