Prevalence of Fabry Disease in Korean Men with Left Ventricular Hypertrophy

BACKGROUND: Fabry disease is an X-linked recessive disorder caused by deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme α-galactosidase A (α-Gal A). Previous studies identified many cases of Fabry disease among men with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). The purpose of this study was to define the frequency of Fabry disease among Korean men with LVH. METHODS: In this national prospective multicenter study, we screened Fabry disease in men with LVH on echocardiography. The criterion for LVH diagnosis was a maximum LV wall thickness 13 mm or greater. We screened 988 men with LVH for plasma α-Gal A activity. In patients with low α-Gal A activity (< 3 nmol/hr/mL), we searched for mutations in the α-galactosidase gene. RESULTS: In seven men, α-Gal A activity was low. Three had previously identified mutations; Gly328Arg, Arg301Gln, and His46Arg. Two unrelated men had the E66Q variant associated with functional polymorphism. In two patients, we did not detect GLA mutations, although α-Gal A activity was low on repeated assessment. CONCLUSION: We identified three patients (0.3%) with Fabry disease among unselected Korean men with LVH. Although the prevalence of Fabry disease was low in our study, early treatment of Fabry disease can result in a good prognosis. Therefore, in men with unexplained LVH, differential diagnosis of Fabry disease should be considered.

Baumann Skin Type in the Korean Male Population

BACKGROUND: Research into the Baumann skin type (BST) has recently expanded, with growing interest in the development of an efficient and effective skin type classification system for better understanding of this skin condition. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to identify male-specific skin type characteristics with investigation into the distribution of BST by age and region in the Korean male population and to determine the intrinsic and extrinsic factors related to skin type. METHODS: A questionnaire was administered to collect information about age, region, working behavior, drinking behavior, smoking behavior, usual habit of sun protection, medical history, and the BST which consisted of four parameters; oily (O) or dry (D), sensitive (S) or resistant (R), pigmented (P) or non-pigmented (N), and wrinkled (W) or tight (T). RESULTS: We surveyed 1,000 Korean males aged between 20 and 60 years who were divided equally by age and region. Of the total respondents, OSNW type accounted for the largest percentage and ORPW type the lowest. In terms of Baumann parameters, O type was 53.5%, S type was 56.1%, N type was 84.4% and W type was 57.5%. Several behavioral factors were found to have various relationships with the skin type. CONCLUSION: The predominant skin type in the Korean male respondents was OSNW type, and the distribution of skin types with regards to age and region was reported to be distinct. Therefore, skin care should be customized based on detailed skin types considering the various environmental factors.

Seasonal Variations and Correlations between Vitamin D and Total Testosterone Levels / 가정의학회지

BACKGROUND: Some studies have provided evidence for a possible association between vitamin D and testosterone levels; however, the evidence from studies in Koreans is inconsistent. In addition, insufficient evidence is available to support an association between seasonal variations in vitamin D and testosterone levels in Koreans. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the association between vitamin D and testosterone levels, and between seasonal variations in these levels in Korean men. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 1,559 men, aged 25–86 years, who underwent a medical examination. We measured serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) and total testosterone levels, and compared other laboratory test results and patient lifestyle characteristics. On the basis of sample collection time, we categorized patients into four seasons, and analyzed seasonal variability in 25(OH)D and total testosterone levels. RESULTS: The average participant age (±standard deviation) was 53.3±8.8 years, and the average serum 25(OH)D and total testosterone levels were 15.9±7.0 ng/mL and 5.1±1.6 ng/mL, respectively. In the analysis of variance (ANOVA) model, no significant association was found between 25(OH)D and testosterone levels (P=0.51). ANOVA of the average 25(OH)D levels in season-based groups revealed significant seasonal variations in 25(OH)D levels (P-value for trend <0.001). No significant association was found between seasonal variations in total testosterone levels (P=0.06). However, after adjustment for confounding variables, total testosterone and 25(OH)D showed significant seasonal variability (P=0.007 and P<0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: We found no significant correlation between serum 25(OH)D and total testosterone levels in Korean men. Moreover, serum 25(OH)D and total testosterone levels showed significant seasonal variations.

The Presence of Diabetes Mellitus and Anemia in Korean Adults-based on data from 2005 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES III)

Anemia is common in Diabetes Mellitus (DM) with chronic kidney disease. Recent research suggests that DM itself also may be a risk factor of anemia even though kidney failure causes anemia. However, it has not been reported that the impact of DM on anemia in representative data of Korean population. A total of 5,417 Korean adults aged 20 years and older (2,328 men, 3,089 women) were selected from the participants of the 2005 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) for this study. Anemia was defined as hemoglobin (Hb) or = 126 mg/dL. Korean adults with anemia had a higher prevalence of DM than in normal adults (11.4 vs 7.5%; p < 0.0001). The unadjusted odds ratio (OR) for anemia was greater in Korean men with DM than in normal men (OR = 4.25; 95% CI: 2.48-7.29). This results did not differ after adjustment for the putative risk factors for anemia including chronic disease (OR = 2.64; 95% CI: 1.45-4.83). However, the presence of DM was not related with anemia in Korean women. In conclusion, this study revealed that DM might be an independent risk factor for anemia in Korean men. Identification and management for anemia are needed in Korean population with DM as well.

A Survey of Food and Nutrient Intakes of Korean Men by Age Groups

A dietary survey was conducted using 24-hour recall method in 80 male elementary school children, 83 high school students, 87 adults and 98 elderly people over 65 years of age to discuss food and nutrient intakes among different age groups. In observing food intake by age groups, the percentage of plant foods to total food intake was significantly higher in the elderly than other groups and that of animal foods was the highest in the children. The children consumed significantly higher amounts of milk and dairy products. Carbohydrate energy percent in the elderly people was 68.0%, significantly higher than other age groups. All age groups consumed Ca below Korean RDA and especially, 65.1% of the adolescents and 68.4% of the elderly consumed below 75% of RDA. Nutrient adequacy ratio (NAR) of most nutrients was lowest in the elderly. Mean adequacy ratio (MAR), an index of overall dietary quality, was 0.94 for the children, 0.84 for the adolescents, 0.84 for the adults, and 0.73 for the elderly. The above results suggest that food and nutrient intakes have been differently affected with advancing age, and overall dietary quality of the elderly people is lower than that of other age groups.